ã€ŠMy Evil Cinderella: Taming A Villainous Wifeã€‹


 Chapter -1 - Character List (by Family)

    Li family:

    Li Hua ? Mu Xijiu

    *Li Bingbing

    Shi family:

    Shi Jian ? Zhen Xiu - Elders

    Shi Rui (deceased) ? Qu Ruoxi

    *Shi Fen ? Mu Xujiu

    >Shi Yi

    >Shi Enxi

    *Shi Anhao ? Wang Hao

    >Shi Nansheng

    >Shi Ansheng

    Xia family:

    Xia Jiamu ? Ji Ruo - Elders

    Xia Jianfeng

    Xia Bolin (deceased) ? Yong Sining (deceased)

    *Xia Sinian (deceased) ? Li Bingbing

    >Xia Liqin

    Xia Bolin (deceased) w/ Yong Biqi

    *Xia Meilin

    Lu family:

    Lu Qian ? Xiao Linwen (deceased) - Elders

    Lu Peizhi (deceased) ? Jing Yue

    *Lu Yifeng ? Xia Meilin

    >Lu Mello/ Little Melon - Son

    >Lu Weichun/Little Spring - Daughter

    >Lu Xingyan/Little Star - Daughter

    >Lu Yang/Little Sun - Son

    >Lu Tingxiao - Son

    *Lu Xian Yu ? Li Bingbing

    >Lu Mengjie

    >Lu Jinnian

 Chapter -1 - The Devil who devoured Snow White

    SYNOPSIS:

    "Her beauty knows no bound. She has the elegance of a rose. That''s right. She is a rose. Beautiful... with thorns."

    ...

    Once upon a time, there was a girl named Snow White who ran away from her fath- *ahem* the evil king just to protect her seven charming men from being killed. Supporting these seven men was never easy especially when she was in charge of their food and lodging. Thankfully, her brother was a siscon. With his help, despite having her bank account freeze by the evil king, money was not a problem anymore.

    Until one day, a tragic accident happened which caused her to lose all her memories. Not only that, it even caused her to finally get the attention of the cold, ruthless, BLOOD-LOVING Devil. There was no prince. Nope. He was not a dreamy prince. There was nothing so princely about him.

    The Devil pushed the door open and cast his eyes on the woman who was tying her hair up into a high ponytail. "Are you done yet?"

    "Almost!" Snow White happily exclaimed. She checked herself one last time in the mirror and was satisfied with how she looked. "We hardly have a night out, I want to dress beautifully for it."

    "It doesn''t matter what you wear, it''s all coming off at the end anyway."

    "..." She looked at him in disbelief, her cheeks burning red. Weren''t they just going out for a dinner date? She thought of a perfect excuse to reject him. "My period came earlier."

    The side of his lips curled up into a smirk as he cheekily replied, "a real warrior is not afraid to have his sword drench in blood."

    "..."

    He truly was a blood-loving Devil. *sigh* Poor Snow White.

    EXCERPT:

    "You bitch! What are you doing here?!!" The woman who she remembered as Bai Jingye''s mother, Xu Chen, came rushing to her like a furious animal.

    The next moment, a loud crispy slap was heard across the room.

    Xu Chen glared down at the younger woman in front of her, "I will never accept an illiterate like you as my family! Get out of MY house!!!"

    ''Illiterate? The lion, the witch, and the audacity of this bitch! Did she just call me illiterate?!'' Fumed Mengmeng in mind. Sure, she could feel the stinging sensation on her cheek after the slap but she saw it coming.

    Weird. Instead of stopping her mother-in-law, she didn''t mind accepting it. She was her mother-in-law. She didn''t want to be rude. She should have known that she would be meeting this woman soon enough after arriving in her husband''s place.

    "Mother," she slowly turned her head and looked at her with strange calmness in her eyes which startled the other woman. She wasn''t surprised or bothered by the slap she received.

    For some reason, the way she looked at her made Xu Chen feel anxious at the sudden change in Mengmeng''s eyes. There was something about her presence that told her that she wasn''t as docile as she thought she was which made her arrogance decline,

    "Y-You... you dared to call me mother?! A stupid woman like you?! You have no right to call me ''mother''!!!"

    The bizarre air coming from Mengmeng¡­ how should she describe it? Ah¡­ what was that saying again?

    A calm before the storm.

    "If you are going to insult me, then please do your research properly," the way she spoke to her was polite and yet, at the same time, sharp and insolent. "I believe illiterate is a wrong word to describe me. You see, I can read and write. I know proper manners too¡­ Mother."

    Mengmeng didn''t notice that she ended up staring intensely at Xu Chen when she recalled a small part of her past. Even if she didn''t mean it, the way she looked at her mother-in-law didn''t belong to a sheep but instead¡­ it was like that of a predator who was about to jump on her prey.

    "W-Wang Yan!" Xu Chen shouted, calling the head maid. She clenched her fists tightly as she continued, "take this stupid woman out! Throw her things outside!"

    Mengmeng was clearly not in the mood to entertain her mother-in-law now that a part of her memory returned. She wanted to think more of what she recalled, maybe she would be able to remember more?

    "Calling me a stupid woman..." she paused, the side of her lips curled up into a smile. How many times has she heard that word already? "... I don''t think that''s enough to insult me as well. There are better ways to insult me, mother. Would you like me to give you an example?"

    It was like an evil spirit entered Mengmeng''s body. The devious smile that appeared on her lips sent shivers down the other woman''s body. The urge to run away filled the bodies of those who were present in the room.

    Xu Chen staggered and was lost of words at that moment but at the same time, anger flared her up. She was not going to give in so easily! Not to a woman like her! "I-is that how you talk to someone older than you?!"

    "Using that card this time, huh?" Mengmeng chuckled, amused. "So what if you''re older? Are you even worthy of my respect?"

    If there was someone who could really hit a nerve of hers with their insults, those two women should be- huh?

    A crease ended up forming in between her brows at the thought of remembering something. She was about to recall something again¡­

    Those two women? What was she thinking about? Who could be those two women?

    She tried to force herself to remember but instead of remembering, a sharp pain filled her head, making her hold her head as she crouched and g.r.o.a.n.e.d in pain.

    ------

    AN:

    I would like everyone to know that this is my last book for my modern fairy tales so I hope you can give me your full support! (TT_TT)

    Mengmeng''s book is out! Please support my WSA 2021 entry! This book is my entry for Spirity so I hope you can give me all your support! Reading your comments and reviews gives me more inspiration to write! Please give this novel a chance. I hope you can accompany me on my writing journey for this book until the end! <3

    Updates: 2 Chapters/day

    [WARNING: BOOK HAS MATURE CONTENT. Don''t read if you are under 18. You can come back once you''ve reached 18 *winks*]

    Author: BerriApplepi

    Discord: discord.gg/z56kkGG

    IG: @berriapplepi

    Donate: paypal.me/berriapplepie

 Chapter 1 - Prologue: A Villains Beginning

    Everyone knew the classic folk tale Cinderella. It was about a young girl who was mistreated by her stepfamily but was eventually freed when a handsome prince fell in love with her and rescued her from her terrible life.

    Sure, Cinderella was a sweet story; a good girl who endured hardship and was ultimately rewarded for her efforts and kindheartedness. It reflected the way one wish the world really was. But that wasn''t the case on Shi Enxi''s part.

    There were no mice and birds to help her from her auntie''s cruelty, there was no fairy godmother or prince to save her. She has endured ever mistreatment that her cousins gave her.

    Her brother Shi Yi, wasn''t there to protect her since he was taken in by their grandparents. How unfair was that? Why can''t they take her with him? Was it because they valued him more?

    Her aunt Shi Anhao volunteered to adopt her in the family all because they were after her part of the inheritance in the company that was given to her by Shi Fen. Aside from that, she was badly harassed by Shi Anhao''s husband since he has taken an interest in her.

    The one who saved her from her uncle and aunt''s cruelty was her half-sister, Li Bingbing.

    She thought that her life would become better, but Shi Anhao''s daughters bullied her even in the school since they were studying in the same school.

    The once lively girl was now quiet. She refused to trust someone so easily. The world has put her through so many hardsh.i.p.s that she had no choice but to close herself from it.

    If not for Mengmeng, she would still be going to the same school as Shi Ansheng and Shi Nansheng, her cousins. They would surely bully her continuously. Thankfully, she transferred schools.

    From then on, she decided to take a step on changing herself. She was never going to allow someone to belittle her anymore.

    If her half-sister, Li Bingbing didn''t take her in, no one would be there to save her. Maybe she would have died already.

    She decided from then on that she was going to be a hero for herself.

    ...

    In her new school, there was this girl that she started hating. Everyone loved her. Fan Xiao Yao was a sweet and kind girl, her smile could brighten someone in an instant.

    Just like Shi Enxi, Fan Xiao Yao lost her parents and was being taken in by her relatives but unlike her, Fan Xiao Yao had a beautiful life.

    Shi Enxi was smart, she knew that she could not openly show her hate to Fan Xiao Yao since she was going to make enemies with a lot of people that was why she let others do her work.

    Although despite the small bullies that Fan Xiao Yao received, Lu Mello was there for her, like a knight in shining armor.

    Little by little, Shi Enxi listed the people she wanted to ruin, she started scheming her way on how to destroy.

    She quietly and patiently prepared everything for her revenge until she finally graduated.

    Shi Enxi stood in front of a building, staring at it for a while. It was her first day of work and she knew that she would be facing her uncle and auntie again. With them, she would destroy her brother who betrayed her.

    A sinister smirk appeared on her lips as she whispered to herself, "It''s time."

 Chapter 2 - I came here to investigate

    "You have a meeting with Mr. Yun tonight, Mr. Shi." Shi Enxi told her brother as she placed the cup of coffee on his table.

    "You don''t have to be formal to me when we''re alone, Xi''er." Shi Yi said, looking up at her from his seat.

    "We''re at work, it''s only normal for me to address you that way."

    It has been two weeks already since Shi Enxi has been working as his brother''s secretary and within those weeks, not once did she called him ''brother'' which made Shi Yi worried.

    He gave her the secretary position since he wanted her to start from the beginning so that she could learn and get used on how to handle things in the company before he could promote her.

    Aside from that, Shi Yi thought that he would be able to make up to the times they were been separated by having her close and by being a better brother to her but for some reason, he could feel a wall between them.

    It was not like it was his choice to live with his grandparents. Even if he requested to have his sister live with them, his grandparents would always tell him that she was living well with Shi Anhao and her family.

    When they called Shi Enxi, she would always tell them that she was fine since she was being threatened by Shi Anhao that if she badmouthed them, she would throw her out and feed her to the dogs.

    As a child, Shi Enxi was scared of how scary Shi Anhao was that was why she didn''t have a choice but to obey them.

    Shi Enxi went to her table and continued doing the paperwork that was assigned for her to do.

    Shi Yi sighed inwardly. Shi Enxi had always been a lively girl but what happened now? She was so aloof and quiet from everyone else, including him. Was it because of their auntie and uncle? Did they do something to her?

    He took the cup of coffee and was about to take a sip from it when just then, someone barged in the office.

    Shi Enxi clenched her fist when she saw that someone interrupted her brother from drinking the coffee. She turned to the man and inwardly glared at him

    The man that stood before them is a brunette. Within his handsome face were eyes that twinkle. Those eyes scanned the room and when he saw her, in just moments his mouth gave up on the stoicism it had, breaking into a boyish grin. His radiance could make every man and woman who saw it feel the irresistible impulse to smile¡­ except for Shi Enxi who felt more annoyed than ever.

    His good looks may work to others but not to her. He was one of the people that annoyed her to her bones even without doing nothing.

    She raised a brow at him, "What are you doing here, Mr. Lu?"

    The man before them was their childhood friend, Lu Mello. Shi Enxi was once close to him, back then when her parents were still alive but ever since she was taken in by Shi Anhao, she lost contact with him and her other childhood friends.

    Lu Mello was staring at her for a while, happiness filled his eyes for some reason.

    ''Ah... she didn''t dyed her hair blonde yet. She looked more beautiful in her natural raven-black hair.'' Thought Lu Mello. He kept staring at her that Shi Yi had to clear his throat just to get his attention.

    "Mr. Lu."

    Lu Mello snapped out from his trance. He turned to Shi Yi and his eyes automatically fell on the cup of coffee he was holding.

    When Shi Enxi noticed the way Lu Mello was looking at the cup of coffee, despite the blank look on her face, her hands started sweating.

    "Sister Enxi, can you prepare a coffee for me too?" Lu Mello gave her a charming smile.

    "Okay."

    Before Shi Enxi could leave, the next words that Lu Mello said made her stop in her tracks.

    "Anyway, I came here to investigate Mr. Wang Hao''s accident." Lu Mello went and sat casually on the sofa.

    "Wasn''t it because of a problem in the car''s break?"

    "No, I found out that it wasn''t just the break, someone has tampered on his car. It is a good thing that Mr. Wang survived the accident, but since he is currently in a coma, asking questions to him will be for later." Lu Mello turned to Shi Enxi and smiled.

    Shi Enxi felt a chill run down her spines. What was happening? How was Lu Mello able to find that out when she herself was so sure that no one would be able to notice it?

    "Is that¡­ true? Someone is trying to kill uncle?"

    "Yes, I have evidence on that."

    "Uncle Wang has always been kind to me, he is the closest person to me¡­" She lied smoothly. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at Lu Mello, "Why? Why is someone trying to kill a good man like him?"

    Lu Mello was looking closely at her with a serious look on his face, "I am still trying to find the reason why."

    Shi Enxi rushed to Lu Mello''s side, her delicate tears rolling down her cheeks, "Mello, please, please save my uncle from whoever is trying to kill him. I''m even willing to help you and cooperate just to catch that person!"

    Lu Mello held Shi Enxi''s hand and smiled a bit. For some reason, there was sadness in his eyes. "Don''t worry, I''ll let you know once we have a lead on that person."

    Behind such an innocent-looking face was someone so cruel and ruthless. He knew that well and because of that, he was going to do his best to stop her while it was early, he will never allow her to do the same sins she did back then.

    To do that, he must take care of that person, the only person who was willing to do everything she ordered, killing no matter who it was.

 Chapter 3 - Her evil ways

    Shi Enxi accompanied Lu Mello outside her brother''s office after she was able to calm down.

    "Please let me know if you need anything else, Mr. Lu." She smiled a bit at him as she handed him her business card.

    He looked at the business card and turned to her with a smile, "Don''t worry, I will. Are you free tonight?"

    Shi Enxi was caught off-guard by his sudden offer. "Huh?"

    "I can''t really discuss it with you right now since it is important." He looked around them to make sure that there was no one there except them. "Since you have offer your help, I want to discuss something concerning Mr. Wang''s case."

    Shi Enxi''s eyes glistened in delight when she heard his words. The reason why she was willing to cooperate in his investigation was so that she can do something about it while the evidence was not pointing to her and Huang Li, her partner in crime.

    If Lu Mello was going to get close to them then she had no choice but to discard of him.

    Lu Mello was staring closely at her. Even if her face didn''t show what she was thinking, he could already guess what it was.

    He sighed inwardly, Shi Enxi has always been good of covering her emotions. Even he himself wasn''t able to see through her back then.

    "I understand. Please message me the time and place." She said with a soft tone on her voice.

    After Lu Mello left the building, he drove back to the station. While he was on his way and while the lights were red, he began thinking of their past and he ended up traveling back in time.

    No matter how evil Shi Enxi was, even if she had betrayed him so many times, he couldn''t stop himself from loving her.

    (Past-flashback)

    Shi Enxi has always looked quiet and calm. Everyone around her saw her as a person who has an overwhelming kindness and warmth, thriving to achieve happiness for everyone.

    Behind that facade, no one expected who she really was. She caused her uncle''s accident and placed him into a coma. She was not satisfied with that, she ordered the only person who cared for her, Huang Li, to kill him in his sleep.

    Huang Li knew about the hardship she went through. He was the son of a servant in the Wang household.

    Shi Enxi was able to know him since Shi Anhao treated Shi Enxi like a servant and Huang Li was the person who helped her do her the dishes in the kitchen.

    If she wanted to stay in their place and eat good food, she has to work for it! That was what Shi Anhao, her auntie always told her.

    Aside from the mother, her daughters, Shi Nansheng and Shi Ansheng treated her badly, they made things hard for her even when they were in school.

    The worst thing that Shi Enxi experienced was when she was molested by her own uncle, Wang Hao.

    Huang Li tried to stop him one time but in Wang Hao''s anger, he beat him badly. He warned the two if they tried to tell others about it, he was going to fire Huang Li''s parents and make sure that their life will be miserable.

    After Shi Enxi was taken by Li Bingbing, Huang Li and the two kept in touch.

    He was her best friend and the only one who understood her the most. Huang Li has always loved her despite everything and because of that love, he was willing to do anything for her.

    Shi Enxi wanted to destroy the Shi family since she was blaming them for what happened to her. She even blamed her brother for leaving her behind.

    It''s not fair! Why does he have a good life while she has to suffer? Didn''t he promise that he was going to protect her and that no matter what, he was going to be there for her? Then where was he during the times she needed him the most?

    Since she became Shi Yi''s secretary, she was feeding him a slow-reacting poison that can cause a heart attack. She would always mix it in his drink whenever he asked for one.

    She got the poison from one of Lu Xian Yu, her brother-in-law''s collection of poisons. She became so interested in it that she started studying different kinds of poison at such a young age.

    It took two months before the poison finally reacted in Shi Yi''s body, taking his life.

    In his last moments, he saw his sister''s devious look, happily waving goodbye at him. "See you in hell, brother." After that, she screamed out and called for help.

    The way her expression changed was only a matter of seconds. He couldn''t believe what just happened. Confusion filled his mind until his last breath.

    Her next target was her cousins, Shi Nansheng and Shi Ansheng who were working in the entertainment industry. They were easy for her to take care of because of their works, all she had to do was cause a scandal for them to ruin their careers.

    She ordered Huang Li to drug Shi Ansheng and send her to one of those businessmen who back up an artist in exchange for sleeping with them.

    The s.e.x video that was secretly taken soon spread and with that, Shi Ansheng was brought to ruin, especially when she got pregnant.

    Because of all the negative comments and all the pressure she received, Shi Ansheng saw no opportunity to redeem herself in the eyes of many. Shi Ansheng was the type of person who was easily affected by the netizen''s view of her. She got depressed and in the end, she committed suicide.

    Next was Shi Nansheng, her sister. Her work as a model was affected because of her sister''s scandal.

    Since Shi Enxi was now the president of Shi company, she used her power to ruin Shi Nansheng behind the scenes.

    Shi Enxi dealt with her cousin using a different method. She allowed Huang Li to hire someone to kidnap her.

    She tortured her and watched Shi Nansheng as she was defiled by the men that Shi Enxi hired. There was no mercy in Shi Enxi''s cold eyes when she watched the scene before her.

    After she allowed her men to defile Shi Nansheng, Shi Enxi continued on with the torture of beating her like a sandbox. It took days before Shi Nansheng finally died.

    Since Shi Enxi wanted to leave Shi Anhao for the last, she wanted to make her suffer by allowing her to experience the days without her beloved family.

    The death of everyone around her pained Shi Anhao. She mourned for so long. Aside from that, she lost the riches she once have since her business became bankrupt.

    Shi Anhao was not the only one in her list, aside from the Shi family, Fan Xiao Yao, Lu Mello''s first love and girlfriend was in it.

    (end of flashback)

    When Fan Xiao Yao entered Lu Mello''s mind, he couldn''t help but wonder how she was.

    If the timeline was correct, he was still courting Fan Xiao Yao and she was finally going to answer him by next week.

    His feelings for Fan Xiao Yao was long gone. What should he do? He can''t just tell her that he doesn''t like her anymore, right?

    *Honk! Honk!*

    The cars behind him started honking since the light has turned green and yet he was not moving his car.

    Lu Mello was brought back to reality by those loud honks. He quickly started driving away from the place.

    While driving, his mind was flying between Fan Xiao Yao and Shi Enxi.

    How should he end things with Fan Xiao Yao? How should he change Shi Enxi''s evil ways?

    Shi Yi and the others were still alive but he knew that Shi Enxi was going to make her move soon. She has already caused Wang Hao''s accident.

    He knew her next move... she was going to kill Wang Hao before proceeding to his daughter, Shi Ansheng.

 Chapter 4 - Next time

    "You should be careful next time, Huang Li." Shi Enxi was currently in the women''s CR, talking on her phone.

    "Should I watch closely at him?"

    "No, I can take care of him myself." She was looking at her neatly trimmed nails. "Anyway, did you get her schedule?"

    "Yes. She will be attending an award ceremony on the third week of this month with her sister. I have already reserved a seat for you as well." Huang Li answered.

    "Good." She snickered. "I can''t wait to watch a good show."

    After the call ended, Shi Enxi took her bag and placed her phone in. She looked at herself in the mirror and then started re-applying her makeup.

    Her long black hair was pulled into a ponytail with a few strands loose on the side. Her kind of beauty is more on the mature and dignified side which men around her preferred than those cutesy type. If she was to seduce someone, they would instantly fall for her. She has a kind look and no one could ever imagine that kind look could turn devious. She is a perfect white lotus that can deceive anyone.

    She went out of the CR and headed back to the car where her brother was waiting.

    They were currently in one of the finest restaurants in Beijing since it was the place where Shi Yi had an appointment earlier.

    Shi Enxi came back only to see him having a headache.

    Something flashed in her eyes but it soon left as soon as it came and was replaced by worries, she walked toward him, "Mr. Shi, are you alright?"

    Shi Yi was massaging his temples and his brows were knitted together, "Yes, I''m just having a small headache."

    "I have a headache medicine, you should take one."

    "Thank you."

    Having a headache was one of the side effects of the poison she was giving him, it was also one way of telling that the poison has started to work.

    After drinking the medicine, Shi Yi leaned against his seat to take a nap.

    He was so open to her right now that she could kill him in an instant but... she wanted him to have a slow death, to make him suffer.

    She sighed inwardly and was glad that she has such full control of her urge to kill. She was praising herself for being so patient.

    "Mr. Xu, let''s take him home, President is not feeling well, he needs to get proper rest as soon as possible."

    "Yes, ma''am." Xu Han, the driver started driving off to Shi Yi''s place.

    ...

    Upon arriving at Shi Yi''s place, there was a beautiful young woman waiting by the living room for him.

    "Chun''er, what are you doing here?" Shi Yi was a bit surprised to see Lu Weichun, Lu Mello''s sister.

    "I''m obviously visiting you." Lu Weichun stood and walked toward him, "Why do you look so pale?"

    She reached out her hand to him and touched his face, "Are you alright?"

    "Now that you''re here, I''m feeling better." A gentle smile appeared on his lips.

    Shi Enxi rolled her eyes inwardly at her brother''s remark.

    Lu Weichun was five years younger than her brother and she is his current girlfriend. The two got close to each other during Lu Weichun''s internship in the Shi company. Now that she has graduated, she was going to take a position in the Lu family business.

    Lu Weichun sighed, "My brother noticed that you were looking so pale earlier when he visited you that''s why he told me to come here and give you a visit. He made me bring some herbal tea. He said that you should drink it every night."

    "Oh, how kind of him." Shi Yi smiled and hugged Lu Weichun by her waist, "Will you stay here tonight?"

    "I have to." She pinched his cheek lightly, "You look like you''re about to get a fever."

    "If I have you as my nurse then I don''t mind getting sick."

    Shi Enxi cleared her throat. Her single heart was feeling so bitter and annoyed upon seeing the two acting so lovey-dovey in front of her. "I should take my leave."

    Shi Yi turned to his sister and smiled, "You should stay here for dinner."

    Shi Enxi kindly smiled at him, "No thanks, I have to meet up with a friend tonight. Maybe next time?"

    Shi Yi nodded in agreement, "Alright, next time it is." He patted her head, "Just let me know when you''re free, I''ll make your favorite."

    Despite having the urge to slap his hand away, Shi Enxi didn''t have a choice but to tolerate his pats and smile excitedly instead. "Really? Then maybe we can have dinner together in one of these days."

    "I would love that."

    "Anyway, I really should go now. I can''t let my friend wait for me."

    "Alright, take care on your way."

    Shi Enxi turned to Lu Weichun and smiled, "See you later Xiao Chun."

    "Nn, laters."

 Chapter 5 - Treat

    Lu Weichun turned to Shi Yi after his sister left them. "I''ll prepare some dinner for us, you should go and change your clothes."

    Shi Yi obediently followed but before he could walk out, he noticed that there were a couple of paper bags on the sofa. "What are those for?"

    "One month supply of tea." Lu Weichun grinned at him. "My brother said that you should stop drinking coffee for a while since it''s not good for your health."

    "I didn''t know that your brother is also a doctor." Shi Yi crossed his arms. "It makes me worried that he cares this much for me. Last time I checked, we were not in good terms."

    "Shut up. He actually cares about you since you''re my boyfriend." Lu Weichun went to pick up the paper bags. "It''s not only tea, I bought fruits for you."

    "How caring of you," He chuckled softly.

    "Anyway, he allowed me to stay here with you so that I can make sure that you''ll consume the tea every day."

    Shi Yi raised a brow. He was not a tea person, he was more a coffee person that was why he didn''t like the idea of doing it. "Is he secretly torturing me? What if he poisoned those tea herbs?."

    Lu Weichun rolled her eyes, "Stop being a baby. My brother told me the health benefits of the tea and it is better than the coffee you know."

    Shi Yi sighed in defeat. The only good thing about it was that Lu Weichun was allowed to stay with him for a while. "Fine, whatever you say."

    He left her there and went to his room.

    Lu Weichun sighed in relief when she managed to convince him. Her brother told her that someone was trying to poison Shi Yi although he made her promise not to tell anyone, including Shi Yi or else it would be hard to find the person behind it.

    Lu Mello reasoned out that he was only able to find out about it when he saw the weird color of the coffee that Shi Yi was drinking.

    He even covered up that he was working together with Shi Enxi to find the culprit so that Lu Weichun won''t doubt her.

    Lu Weichun understood the struggle for power in business that was why she thought that it must something to do with it.

    ---

    Upon arriving at the restaurant that Lu Mello sent her, Shi Enxi was brought to the private room that was reserved by him.

    She thought that things were just going to be discussed fast but she never expected that entering the reserved room was something that came out of the movie.

    The table was set beside the huge glass window. On the middle of the table was a thin vase with red roses in it. The city lights were so beautiful and made the room look so serene, giving it a romantic atmosphere.

    Shi Enxi wanted to raise a brow at the sight. Weren''t they going to meet and talk business?

    Lu Mello''s face beamed upon seeing her. "You''re here."

    Shi Enxi smiled kindly at him, "I''m sorry I''m late, I went to drop my brother in his place first."

    She walked toward her seat and Lu Mello was so gentlemanly enough to pull the chair for her.

    He had the urge to lean down and kiss her by her cheek but he tried his best to control himself. "Don''t worry, I didn''t wait that long."

    He went to his seat and sat on her opposite. "Let''s order, shall we?"

    The waitress in the room poured wine in their glasses before she handed the menu to them.

    Shi Enxi quietly stared at the menu before she smiled politely at him, declining his offer, "I have already eaten my dinner."

    "What? Already?" Lu Mello pouted. "And here I am, starving myself while waiting for you."

    Shi Enxi had the urge to tell him that he didn''t have to wait for her since she never told him to.

    She didn''t want to spoil her kind image since just by thinking of it sounded rude.

    "Come on, just order something and join me for dinner. I''m pretty sure that you still have some space in there. Don''t worry, it''s my treat." He winked at her.

    She inwardly rolled her eyes in annoyance. If she knew something like this would happen, she was never going to meet up with him in the first place. She could have just reason something out but... Lu Mello being a detective was an asset for her. She wanted to use him for her own benefits that''s why she was willing to play along with him.

    She let out a helpless smile, "Alright, I''ll just order something light."

    "Great!"

    After they decided on what to order, the waitress listed it on her small note before she left them alone in the room.

    Shi Enxi''s face turned serious, "I hope Mr. Lu will remember what you''ve told me earlier."

 Chapter 6 - Their beginning

    Lu Mello stared at her for a while, despite the smile on his lips, the look in his eyes was different. It was filled with sadness and longingness.

    Shi Enxi may be acting polite but it was her way of being cold to others. He could clearly see the distance she was putting between them... it was like the distance they had before.

    Shi Enxi never trusted him even once, even after they got married and fell in love with each other. She was too afraid to trust anyone completely in fear of being betrayed.

    If there was one person who she trusted the most, it was none other than Huang Li. But in the near future, he was also going to betray her the most which broke her down to pieces.

    "Mr. Lu."

    "Mr. Lu."

    "Lu Mello."

    "Lu Mello!"

    Lu Mello snapped out from his thoughts. He looked at the woman that was waving her hand in front of him. "Yes?"

    Shi Enxi sighed. Here she was, asking him about what the things he found out concerning Wang Hao''s case and yet, his mind was flying off to somewhere.

    "I don''t want to sound rude but I came here to talk about my uncle''s case. If you''re just going to sit here and stare at me like a lovesick boy then I better take my leave." She frankly said to him.

    He chuckled lightly. He preferred this side of Shi Enxi, the side where she was being honest to him. "Ah, I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to look at you that way."

    "Well?" She was really losing her patience to him.

    He cleared his throat. "As I said earlier, someone is planning to kill your uncle. I went to investigate his car and found out that the wires of his car''s brake were cut off."

    Shi Enxi listened to him with a worried look on her face. "Do you have any leads on who''s planning to kill him? We should do something to catch that person!"

    "I don''t know who''s planning to kill him but..." He took out a file from his briefcase and handed it to her. "Here are the list of people he has animosity with. I will still have to look thoroughly on them."

    As Shi Enxi looked at the list of names. A wondrous thought entered her mind... What if she used one of them to kill Wang Hao? In that case, she could come out innocent and Lu Mello would never doubt her!

    "That''s why I have already suggested your auntie that she should hire guards to watch over her husband."

    Shi Enxi handed back the list to Lu Mello. "Some of them are working in the company... I can watch them for you."

    Lu Mello nodded and smiled. "Yes, that''s why I called you here."

    He didn''t want her to commit the same crimes she did in the past that was why by putting her close to him, he could watch over her moves.

    Shi Enxi sighed heavily, "I don''t understand why those people hate uncle. He''s not the type of person to do bad things to others."

    "You never know, Xi''er. Not everyone who is loved by people is good. They wear a mask to cover their schemes."

    Shi Enxi remained quiet at his remark since she was also like that. She took the glass of wine and took a sip from it instead.

    The quiet atmosphere was interrupted when Lu Mello''s phone that was on the table started ringing.

    Shi Enxi was able to take a quick glimpse at the caller ID... It was Fan Xiao Yao.

    Her eyes turned cold when she saw that name. She turned away and looked at the beautiful scenery of the city lights instead.

    "Excuse me, I have to take this call."

    "Go on."

    Lu Mello saw how Shi Enxi was not yet scheming on stealing him away from Fan Xiao Yao. He guessed that it was because he was still courting her.

    "Hello, Xiao Yao?"

    "Mello, I''ll be going back to Beijing on Saturday." Fan Xiao Yao excitedly said.

    Lu Mello chuckled. "Really? That''s great. Do you want me to pick you up?"

    Shi Enxi didn''t want to hear more of their conversation that was why she turned to Lu Mello and mouthed, ''CR''.

    Lu Mello nodded in return. He watched Shi Enxi leave the room.

    "Mello, are you still there?"

    "Yes, I''m still here." He stood up from his seat and faced the beautiful scenery instead. "Anyway, Xiao Yao... I want to talk to you about something but not now."

    "Then you shouldn''t have said that in the first place! Now you''re making me really curious about what you want to say."

    "It''s better if I tell you in person."

    A huff was heard from the other line. "Fine. Tell me once I get there, okay?"

    "Mm... okay. I''ll tell you once you''re here."

 Chapter 7 - Bridge

    (Past)

    Shi Enxi has always been jealous of Fan Xiao Yao ever since she was introduced to her. She was like any villain who wanted to destroy a protagonist life.

    Fan Xiao Yao lost her parents like her and she was taken in by her relatives but unlike Shi Enxi, she was loved by them.

    Everyone was instantly captivated by Fan Xiao Yao and they loved her. Fan Xiao Yao was a truly innocent and pure girl. Unlike Shi Enxi, who was a fake. She had to pretend just to make every one like her. She was somehow scared that if she showed her true self to everyone, they would start hating her.

    She wanted to steal everything from Fan Xiao Yao that was why she decided to go for Lu Mello even if she was not interested in him. She drugged Lu Mello and slept with him that night.

    When morning came, Lu Mello was woken up when he heard soft sobs beside him.

    The beautiful woman with dirty blonde hair moved away from him as if he was such a disgusting thing.

    "This can''t be happening... no... no..." Shi Enxi went out of the bed, covering her n.a.k.e.d body with a blanket. She stumbled when she tried to get her clothes that were scattered on the floor.

    Lu Mello was confused at what was happening. What surprised him most was seeing Shi Enxi''s crying and shaking figure.

    He sat up upon noticing something... He was n.a.k.e.d and so was Shi Enxi. There was blood on the sheets beside him.

    What the hell happened...? Did he have s.e.x with Shi Enxi?

    He caught the hickeys on Shi Enxi''s shoulders, confirming his doubts.

    Lu Mello''s heart started racing in panic. He started thinking back to what happened last night.

    He was drinking with his friends since they were celebrating one of his friends'' birthday. They even had a drinking contest. When he started feeling dizzy, thinking that it was because of the alcohol, he decided that it was time to go home.

    Since Lu Mello couldn''t even walk straight anymore since he felt the strength of his body fading away, one of his friends decided to bring him to a room to rest for a bit but it looked like that friend of his never returned after putting him in the room.

    Later on, he felt a soft body beside him. The room was dark and he heard a woman''s soft voice. He thought it was Fan Xiao Yao who came to pick him up. Lu Mello felt the heat in his body and in the end, he touched the woman beside him.

    Why was Shi Enxi in the same room as him? That was the first thing he thought.

    His friend, Guo Lan brought him in that room, right?

    Judging from the way Shi Enxi was crying and looking so lost, it seemed that she didn''t know that she entered the wrong room.

    If she entered the wrong room, she would have known and go out instead, right?

    Shi Enxi turned her head to him when she realized that he was already awake. Her tearful eyes were full of hate when she glared daggers at him.

    "Y-You! Why the hell are you here?! M-Mello... how could you do this to me?"

    "This is my room." He tried to be as calm as possible. The anger inside him was growing wild as he thought that it was Shi Enxi who caused this trouble.

    "No, it''s not! It''s my boyfriend''s room!" She stood up, holding the blanket to cover herself.

    Why was she reacting that way? Lu Mello was confused.

    "It''s my room." Lu Mello had a serious look on his face.

    "N-No way... Xiao Yu said that... s-she''ll bring me to my boyfriend''s room... s-she told me that... that I can stay the night with him... so... so... it can''t be you." Shi Enxi fell on her knees and buried her face with her hands as she sobbed hard.

    Her friend brought her?

    He went out of the bed and wore his clothes.

    Even if Lu Mello was panicking inside, he tried his best to remain calm. He is a detective and he could smell something fishy at the events that happened last night! He wouldn''t be able to solve the mystery if he''ll panic right?

    After wearing his clothes, he went to her side. "Were you feeling dizzy and weak last night?"

    Shi Enxi smirked in her mind. Just as expected, Lu Mello is fast to catch up into things. She was actually amazed that he was still able to remain calm even after he woke up with such a situation.

    "Someone could have drugged us."

    Shi Enxi raised her head to look at him with realization plastered on her wet face, "I... only drank a glass of wine last night... T-there''s no way that I could get drunk with that, right?"

    Lu Mello nodded. This time, he was sure that someone schemed against them.

    If he gave it a careful thought, drugging him would be easy since the alcoholic drink was coming from different sources, there was also a possibility that he was just really drunk.

    As for Shi Enxi''s case, someone could have noticed that he was brought to a room. That person may have decided to use that opportunity to drug Shi Enxi and bring her to his room.

    He saw the blood on the bed and was suddenly filled with guilt.

    That blood... was it her first time?

    He knew that for women, having s.e.x for the first time was different unlike with men.

    Shi Enxi was his childhood friend and he knew that she was a kind woman. She was good to everyone so why would someone do something so horrible to her?

    He sat in front of her, "Xiao Xi... I''m sorry..."

    When Shi Enxi heard his words, she burst out into another round of crying. "He''ll hate me if he learned of this, Mello! Huang Li will hate me!"

    Lu Mello felt bad for her. He pulled her into a hug to comfort her, "I will help you find whoever did this to you."

    Shi Enxi leaned against his c.h.e.s.t and continued on sobbing.

    Just then, the door went open, revealing a black-haired innocent-looking woman standing there. It was Guo Lan who called Fan Xiao Yao upon remembering that he left Lu Mello there.

    Fan Xiao Yao''s eyes were open wide when she saw the scene before her. It was just not her, even Lu Mello was surprised to see her there.

    "X-Xiao Yao..."

    Shi Enxi snickered upon the arrival of the person she was waiting since earlier. The devious look on her eyes wasn''t seen since her face was hidden on Lu Mello''s c.h.e.s.t.

    "Xiao Yao, this is not what it looks like... L-let me explain." Lu Mello stood up, the panic he was feeling inside was now seen in his face.

    Shi Enxi turned to look at Fan Xiao Yao, "I-I''m sorry, Xiao Yao..."

    Fan Xiao Yao never expected that the woman who Lu Mello slept with was none other than her close friend, Shi Enxi. They both betrayed her...

    "How could you?" Tears brimmed in Fan Xiao Yao''s eyes. "I trusted you two... how could cheat and betray me?"

    "Xiao Yao, please, let me explain." Lu Mello went to Fan Xiao''s side and was about to hold her but she slapped him, looking so disgusted at him.

    "Don''t touch me!" She moved away from him. "Explain?" She scoffed. "What kind of explanation do you have to give me? I have already caught you both!"

    "And you!" She turned to Shi Enxi with eyes full of anger, "After all the trust I have given you... this is how you treat it?!" She rushed to her side and pulled her hair out of frustration. "You s.l.u.t!"

    Shi Enxi expected such reaction from her and she already knew how to react. She didn''t fight her back to look more pitiful and so that Lu Mello would believe her more.

    She cried out in pain, she held her hand as if trying to stop Fan Xiao Yao, "X-Xiao Yao... please... I-I didn''t mean to... Please let me... let me explain!"

    Lu Mello hurriedly went to save Shi Enxi from Fan Xiao Yao''s wrath, "Xiao Yao, that''s enough! This is not her fault!"

 Chapter 8 - A Terrible Personality

    When Fan Xiao Yao saw how Lu Mello protected Shi Enxi, she felt someone stabbing her heart. "Are you saying that... it was you who started this?"

    "N-No... that is not what I mean. Please believe me-"

    "Enough!" She wiped her tears then glared daggers at Lu Mello. "This?" She showed the engagement ring that Lu Mello gave her. "You can have this back!"

    She took off the ring and threw it to him. "We''re done!" She turned away and left the room in a hurry.

    "Fan Xiao Yao!" Lu Mello was so heartbroken as well because of what Fan Xiao Yao did. He let go of Shi Enxi and quickly followed his love one out.

    Shi Enxi was left alone in the room. Her pained and broken look was gone from her face and was replaced by a pleasing smirk.

    She took her clothes and picked the ring that was on the floor. She went to the bathroom. "Well then, what should I do next?" She muttered to herself while staring at the ring.

    Shi Enxi wasn''t contented with how things went since she wanted to steal Lu Mello completely; his love and adoration, she wanted to steal them from Fan Xiao Yao.

    ---

    Lu Mello and Fan Xiao Yao''s relationship totally ended that day. Fan Xiao Yao was too hurt to listen to the excuses that Lu Mello had to give and because of that, she started avoiding him by leaving the place.

    Meanwhile, Shi Enxi was waiting for the right opportunity to continue her plans against Lu Mello.

    She heard that Lu Mello has been getting himself drunk during his break. After he has gotten over that phase, he busied himself with work.

    It wasn''t long when Lu Mello received a call from Shi Enxi. At first, he refused the calls she was giving him.

    So what if someone is after her? It''s not like it was his problem, right?

    Those were what he thought at first but then, he finally thought that it was because of that person that his relationship with Fan Xiao Yao was over. If he caught the culprit and gave the evidence to Fan Xiao Yao, maybe there was a chance in getting back?

    He finally answered Shi Enxi''s call after that thought came in his mind, "Hello?"

    "Mello?"

    "I''m sorry for not answering your calls these days... I was really busy."

    "I... It''s okay..."

    He suddenly heard a soft sob from the other line which made his brows furrowed slightly. "Xi''er, are you alright?"

    "M-Mello... I... I don''t know what to do... I''ve been keeping this for a while and... and I''m afraid that my boyfriend will find out soon..." Just from hearing her crying voice, Lu Mello could feel the guilt from it. It was as if the guilt was killing her.

    "I... I can''t do this anymore... I can''t..."

    Shi Enxi has always been a good girl that was why doing something like that might be too much for her. Lu Mello thought.

    "Xi''er, calm down. As long as you don''t tell him anything, I''m sure that he will not know."

    "B-but Mello... I... I am pregnant... and it''s yours..."

    When he heard those words, he felt heaven fell on him. His heart was clenched tight and he suddenly felt suffocated.

    "I-I have always been... been... keeping myself pure... but... but after what happened... it won''t be long before he''ll find out about this..." Shi Enxi''s voice was full of fear.

    "I-I wanted to abort this child..."

    Lu Mello snapped out after hearing her words. "Abort?"

    "I-I''m in the hospital right now... but... but... I can''t do this alone... Mello... you''re the only one I can go to... so please... please help me." She was having a hard time speaking because of the lump she felt in her throat as she cried. " I-I can''t do this alone. I know that this child is innocent but... but... I don''t know what to do..." Her sobs became louder.

    "Stay where you are." Lu Mello stood from his seat and took his coat. "Xi''er, wait for me and don''t you do anything. Do you hear me? Wait for me."

    He was not going to allow her to abort the baby. He could feel how much pain she was in through the call. Aborting the child is a hard thing to do for a person like her.

    When Lu Mello thought that it was his child inside her, he couldn''t think of aborting it. He has carried his siblings in his arms while they were babies that was why, he has always been soft towards the kids.

    He was partially at fault as well so he has to take responsibility, right? That baby... it was his. He has to take full responsibility for that child.

    He was told the truth about how his mother and father met. It wasn''t like his mother expected Lu Mello to enter her life but she accepted him, she loved him even after what happened to her.

    It was against Xia Meilin''s principles to kill a child. If his mother didn''t have those principles then... would he end up being born?

    When Lu Mello thought about his own unborn child, he wanted to keep it. He was sure that his beloved mother, Xia Meilin, would do the same.

    ...

    Shi Enxi ended the call and placed it on the table. Unlike how her voice sounded earlier, her face was void of emotions.

    "He''s on his way." She rested her chin on her palm. "Make sure you act your part well, okay?"

    A handsome black-haired man was sitting before her. He was wearing glasses. "Are you sure about this?"

    "I am." She turned toward the glass window and looked at the people that were walking by. "That Fan Xiao Yao will surely be coming back to Lu Mello. I can''t have her take him away now that I have him in my grasp."

    Huang Li sighed. He was against the idea of her marrying Lu Mello but for the sake of their plans, he has no choice but to go with it.

    "What if he found out that the child is not his?"

    Shi Enxi turned to him and raised a brow, "Are you going to tell him?"

    "No."

    "Then there''s no problem. You''re Asian, Mello''s Asian. Besides, it''s a baby, no one will be able to tell that the father is not him until the child will grow up. It''s not like I''m going to stay married to him for a long time. Once I''m satisfied with the results, I can just divorce him."

    "And how about our child?" Huang Li asked worriedly.

    Shi Enxi''s gaze turned soft. She placed a hand on her tummy. "I''m not that cruel, Gege. I''m not not going to hurt our child. I''ll make sure to protect him well."

    Huang Li sighed in relief. He reached out and held Shi Enxi''s other hand. "Once everything is over... let''s go somewhere else."

    Shi Enxi knew the look in Huang Li''s eyes. It was the look of love.

    Huang Li has always been there for her throughout the years and yet... she couldn''t bring herself to love him. She only saw him as her best friend even if he was the only one she trusted.

    Shi Enxi held his hand back. "Okay."

 Chapter 9 - Betrayal

    Not long, Lu Mello arrived in the hospital.

    Shi Enxi and Huang Li saw him from the cafe that was nearby the hospital.

    Shi Enxi''s phone started ringing but she was too lazy to answer it.

    "He''s here."

    Shi Enxi leaned against her seat, "Let him roam for a bit."

    She watched Lu Mello enter the hospital with a panicked look on his face.

    She snickered, "Look at him run around like a dog."

    Huang Li chuckled, "You''re playing too much with him. Shouldn''t you at least go easy? Look at the poor man."

    "Poor man?" She scoffed. "What part?"

    Huang Li took her phone and looked at the multiple missed calls from Lu Mello. "Don''t you think that it''s about time that you let him come here?"

    "You think so?"

    "Yes."

    "Wait, let me prepare myself, after all, I need to shed real tears this time. "She chuckled softly.

    "Do I really need to slap you? Won''t it be bad for the baby?"

    Shi Enxi rolled her eyes at what he said, "You''re slapping me, not the baby. It needs to look realistic as possible or else he won''t believe us."

    Huang Li heaved out a heavy sigh. "If you became an actress, you''ll surely get the best actress award."

    Shi Enxi smirked, "Why thank you."

    ---

    Lu Mello received a message from Shi Enxi that she was in a cafe that was just in front of the hospital. She even told him that Huang Li was with her.

    He rushed to her side since he was feeling uneasy when she told him that her boyfriend was with her.

    Upon arriving at the cafe, a loud voice filled the room.

    "PREGNANT?!"

    The people in the cafe was looking at the couples that were at the corner of the room.

    Shi Enxi had her head down and was crying while Huang Li''s face was red in anger.

    When Lu Mello saw that Huang Li was about to hit Shi Enxi, he rushed and came to the rescue. He grabbed Huang Li''s wrist to stop him.

    Shi Enxi turned to Lu Mello with a surprised look. "M-Mello..."

    "You shouldn''t hit a girl no matter how angry you are." Lu Mello calmly said, his eyes cold and unforgiving.

    Huang Li felt a chill run down his body because of the dark look Lu Mello was giving him. He instinctively took a step back.

    "Y-you..." Huang Li clenched his fists tight. He never imagined that there was a person who could give such intense pressure.

    "Xi''er has nothing to do with this. It was not her fault that she got pregnant... It''s mine." Lu Mello honestly said. "It was I who seduced her."

    Shi Enxi was impressed by how Lu Mello was trying to take all the blame. Ah... how gentlemanly of him.

    "It was you? ... You... You son of a bitch!!" Huang Li threw a punch at him.

    Lu Mello saw the punch coming but since he was protecting Shi Enxi, he didn''t move away and instead, he accepted the punch.

    "Mello!" Shi Enxi held his arm. She turned to Huang Li, "Huang Li, that''s enough! Please don''t do this!"

    "Hah! You''re protecting him? It looks like you have been deeply seduced by him!" He turned back to Lu Mello and was about to attack him again but the guards came in time to stop him.

    "I will never forgive you Shi Enxi! NEVER!" He glared angrily at Lu Mello. "This is not over!! YOU BETTER REMEMBER THIS!"

    "Huang Li... please..."

    Soon after, Huang Li was taken out of the cafe.

    "I-I''m sorry... I''m so sorry Mello... This is all my fault..." Her tears kept on flowing endlessly, her body was shaking. "Huang Li found out... I... I didn''t know that he followed me... I tried to explain... I tried. I love him, Mello... I can''t lose him."

    Lu Mello looked sadly at her. He knew that feeling well. He tried to explain things to Fan Xiao Yao but she wouldn''t listen to him.

    Shi Enxi was innocent just like him. She didn''t mean anything of this to happen, right?

    He reached out and pulled her into a hug. "It''s going to be alright, Xi''er... I''m here, I will not leave you. I will take all the responsibility... If no one will take care of you, I will. That''s why, you don''t have to force yourself and abort our child, okay?"

    Shi Enxi always knew that he was such a soft person. His kindness made her want to puke. Such kindness is disgusting. If he learned the truth, she was sure that just like her, he will turn into a hideous man.

    ---

    Because of Shi Enxi''s pregnancy and the promise he made to her, Lu Mello was forced to take responsibility for her and their child, he ended up marrying her.

    When Fan Xiao Yao reappeared, she was surprised to hear of the news about Lu Mello and Shi Enxi.

    Just like what Shi Enxi expected, Fan Xiao Yao was going to show herself in front of Lu Mello after all, she knew that she truly loves Lu Mello.

    Hearing that Lu Mello got married to someone else was torture to Fan Xiao Yao. She just went away to cool down and when she was finally able to think straight, she thought of forgiving him just once because of their love for each other but it was all too late.

    Meanwhile, Shi Enxi did her best to get close to Lu Mello. Since Lu Mello was easy to get along with and because of the child she was carrying, it wasn''t that hard for them to get close.

    Shi Enxi''s sweet and kind act for him made him start falling for her.

    There were times where they meet Fan Xiao Yao in business events and using that opportunity, Shi Enxi showed off her pregnancy and how close she was to Lu Mello.

    Fan Xiao Yao would always end up leaving the events early and that pleased Shi Enxi greatly.

    After she gave birth to their son, Lu Mello confessed his feelings to Shi Enxi.

    Shi Enxi, on the other hand, was starting to feel the same for Lu Mello, she has started to love him because of how he treated her. The happiness and the love he was showering her every day made her feel like she was in a dream. She even almost forgot of her last target, Shi Anhao.

    Huang Li was the one who reminded her of what to do and he even poisoned her mind that Lu Mello was just acting that way for her was because of their son. If he learned that the child was not his, Lu Mello would surely leave her.

    Yes, the child that Shi Enxi carried and gave birth to was actually her son with Huang Li. She was that desperate to have her plans complete.

    Huang Li noticed Shi Enxi''s feelings for Lu Mello and because of jealousy, he started blackmailing her. Shi Enxi had no choice but to do what Huang Li want.

    Because of Shi Enxi''s strange actions, Lu Mello began thinking that she was cheating on him but he never caught her with Huang Li.

    After killing Shi Anhao, Shi Enxi thought that her life with Lu Mello would go well but she never expected that Huang Li was going to expose her.

    He thought that once everything was taken away from Shi Enxi again, she would come running to his side.

    Huang Li left a recorder in Shi Anhao''s clothes. Lu Mello listened to the recorder. The more he listened to it, he felt like heavens crushed down on him.

    Shi Enxi confessed to Shi Anhao everything she did before she killed her, wanting her to feel what it was like to learn that she was the one who killed her family.

    Lu Mello couldn''t bring himself to arrest Shi Enxi because of his love for her even after he found out everything, including their son''s real father.

    Lu Mello was devastated and he started to busy himself with his work to distract himself from the thoughts that lingered in his mind.

    Shi Enxi noticed the change on Lu Mello that was why she tried to investigate the reason behind it. She sneaked into his study and ended up finding the recorder in Lu Mello''s secret drawer.

    Oh... so that''s why he looked so troubled. Shi Enxi calmly stared at the pen recorder.

    "Ah, that Shi Anhao... even until now, she''s ruining me."

    She broke the recorder and made sure that it won''t get fixed by anyone.

    After that, her relationship with Lu Mello became worse since she started distancing herself from him. She was starting to plan on how to escape him. She was afraid that it would just be a matter of time before he would try to arrest her but what she feared the most was that one day, he''ll come to her and tell her that he regretted being with her and that he hates her.

 Chapter 10 - Stupid Mello

    As days passed, she soon found out that it was Huang Li who betrayed her by recording her every word.

    The person who she trusted the most... the person that she thought that will never betray her ended up breaking her. She plotted against Huang Li and killed him by giving him a poison.

    It was a poison she placed on her lips as she gave him one last kiss. She knew that the poison was going to take her life too that''s why, after meeting with Huang Li, she drove off to the place where Lu Mello confessed his love to her, it was by the seaside park.

    She walked near to the cliff before she sat down at the end. She took her phone out and dialed Lu Mello.

    His phone ringed a few times. Shi Enxi was about to give up when she thought that he was not going to answer but before she could end the call, she heard his voice.

    "Hello? Xi''er?"

    Shi Enxi''s lips trembled upon hearing his soft and deep voice from the other line. She could also feel a burning sensation on her c.h.e.s.t since the poison was starting to take effect.

    She felt a lump in her throat but she tried her best to speak calmly. "I want to see you for the last time, darling. Will you come here?"

    Last time? The words he heard from Shi Enxi made his heart shake in fear.

    What last time?

    "Shi Enxi, where are you?"

    "I''m here at the place where you said... I love you..." She paused and coughed out blood. She kept on coughing that made Lu Mello panic.

    "Are you alright? I''ll be right there at once! Stay where you are!"

    Lu Mello didn''t end the call since he wanted to make sure that she was still there. He heard the sounds of waves from the background that was why he knew where she was.

    "You know... Mello... I always wished for a beautiful life..."

    He kept hearing her cough from time to time and he tried to ignore the scary thoughts that were entering his mind.

    "And... I''m happy that you made me experience one... even if it''s just for a short while." Her voice became weaker and weaker.

    "What are you suddenly saying?" Lu Mello chuckled nervously. His eyes became glazed with a glossy layer of tears. As he blinked, they dripped from his eyelids and slid down his cheeks. "We have so many years ahead of us and... and it''s just the start. I''ll give you a happy and wondrous life until we grow old together."

    A weak laugh was heard from her. "Grow old together?"

    That was such a nice thing... to be able to grow old together with him. But... she ruined everything for them. She was a woman not worthy of his love and she knew that well.

    She did so many bad things to him. Aside from that, he was a protector of the law, and she was a killer and a thief. Being together was impossible for them.

    Even if she wanted to live with him, she would be forever tormented of the things she did. Besides, if Huang Li, a person she has been with for so long could betray her, how more Lu Mello?

    She bit her lip tightly in an attempt to hide any sound that wanted to escape from her mouth. Her lower lip covered in blood quivered as words slowly made their way out of her mouth. "Mello..." She began, yet what followed was engulfed in the tremors. The tears that she was trying to hold, flowed unchecked down her cheeks and dripped from her chin. "Even if it''s just you... please don''t hate me... I don''t want you to hate me."

    "Why would I hate you? Stop joking, Xi''er. You know that I will never hate you."

    "Really?"

    "Yes. I love you soo much that I can''t even bring myself to hate you!" He finally parked his car the moment he arrived at the place.

    He went out and rushed to the place where Shi Enxi was. When he finally saw her, he saw her standing at the end of the cliff, her pale face was wet with tears and her lips were covered with blood. There was even bloodstain on her clothes.

    Sharp pain lanced through her head and colorful spots flashed in front of her eyes, it felt like her whole body had been beaten and every movement caused some muscle or bone to ache. She was too sad to cry out or wail, she just stood there as still as a statue while the magnitude of her pain swept over her.

    A genuine smile appeared on Shi Enxi''s red lips when she saw him, "You''re finally here." She finally let go of her phone.

    He wiped his tears from his cheeks before he forcefully smiled back at her. Lu Mello tried to sound as calm as possible. "Sweetheart, come here. Don''t stand there, it''s dangerous." He took slow steps towards her. He was afraid that if he at once run to her, she might jump off.

    "Enxi¡­ please, please don''t do this. Think of our son!"

    "Our son?" A sad smile appeared on her lips, "He doesn''t deserve a mother like me."

    "Don''t do this to me, Enxi." The Lu Mello begged, his eyes were filled with tears. He could feel his heart thumping so loud. Just like the dark clouds covering the sky, his insides were in chaos. A mess. He was hurting badly at that thought that she was going to take her life away.

    Shi Enxi shook her head, "You know Mello... if... if I was given a chance to change everything¡­ I won''t. They deserve to die. I''m going to kill them all over again, maybe even worse than how I did in this lifetime! I don''t regret killing them. They deserve it!" She started laughing like a crazy woman, "I guess I''ll be seeing them in hell."

    She leaned back and allowed the gravity to take her body down.

    "SHI ENXI!"

    He jumped down the cliff which surprised Shi Enxi.

    "A-Are you an idiot?!" Tears kept flowing out of her eyes when she saw what he did.

    Lu Mello reached out to her and pulled him in her arms, "Never¡­ I will never leave you again, Enxi¡­ I''m sorry¡­ I''m sorry for giving you a hard time."

    "I''m the one who''s giving you a hard time..." She buried her face on his c.h.e.s.t, she felt her heart being ripped apart and the pain she was feeling at that moment was so great that she just wanted to end it all.

    "Stupid Mello..."

    He tightened his hug on her and braced himself for the impact of their bodies against the water.

    If he only he was given a chance to go back in time, he could have stopped her from turning this bad.

    He felt his consciousness fading away. The last thing he saw was Shi Enxi''s face. Her eyes were closed and the blood on her lips were washed out by the water.

    He should have been there for her throughout her hard times... He should have been there for her, guiding her to the right path.

    Even if back then, he didn''t love her yet, he should have been a good friend to her.

    There were so many things he wanted to change but everything was too late for them. Things couldn''t be changed.

    ---

    Lu Mello sat up and found himself inside his old room.

    What just happened?

    "Brother, wake up! How long do you plan on sleeping around? Didn''t you said last night that you are going to drop me to work?"

    Lu Mello turned to his sister with a confused look on her face.

    Lu Weichun was looking brightly and lively, her arms crossed.

    When was the last time he saw her that way? Ever since Shi Yi died, she was left heartbroken and she totally changed after his death.

    Just then, Lu Weichun''s phone started ringing. She took her phone from her pocket and looked at the caller ID. The frown on her face was instantly replaced when she saw who was calling her.

    "Oh, Shi Yi, why did you call?"

    Shi Yi?

    Lu Mello was taken aback when he heard the name from his sister. He took his phone and looked at the date.

    ... It was two years... Two years ago... Two years before Shi Enxi ruined everyone''s life.

    He went back in time? How was that possible?

 Chapter 11 - Amateurs

    (Present)

    After Lu Mello spoke with Fan Xiao Yao, he waited patiently for Shi Enxi''s return since she went to the CR.

    Lu Mello noticed the bag on Shi Enxi''s seat. Since Shi Enxi was out, he decided to look into her things.

    He took her phone and found it locked.He tried to open it but failed. Shi Enxi was really being careful. If only he could open her phone and look through it...

    ...

    Shi Enxi entered the CR, she was surprised to see Shi Nansheng and her companions there, cornering another woman.

    Just by seeing them that way, Shi Enxi could already guess that the three were bullying the woman who looked so troubled and disoriented. Her clothes were wet. She was leaning against the wall and fear was seen in her watery eyes.

    When the woman saw Shi Enxi, there was a small hopeful glint that was seen in her eyes.

    ''Please help me... please call for help.'' She kept on praying.

    Shi Nansheng took a lazy glance at the person who entered the CR only to be surprised as well.

    "My, my, look who''s here." Shi Nansheng stood straight and faced her, smirking.

    Shi Enxi smiled at her but the smile she had on her lips didn''t reach her eyes. How bad was her day going to get?

    Her patience was running out ever since she sat in the same room as Lu Mello. She has walked out to cool off but who would have that that she would suddenly bump into one of the people she hated.

    Was her patience being tested? "Good evening, cousin."

    "Cousin?" Shi Nansheng scoffed. "Who''s cousin are you again?"

    Zhang Yi and An Chuxia who were also models like Shi Nansheng and they were her close friends since high school.

    They were all tall and have slender bodies. They were wearing dresses that hugged their bodies, showing off their curvy figure.

    Shi Enxi was in no mood to entertain them. The smile on her lips disappeared and she finally showed the disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e she has for them.

    Shi Nansheng furrowed her brows slightly, "Bitch, what kind of look are you giving me?"

    "Don''t you know how to describe?" Shi Enxi placed a hand on her waist. She heaved out a long sigh, "I think stupid people were put on this planet to test my anger management skills."

    Shi Nansheng glared at Shi Enxi. "I''m surprised by how brave you became, Enxi. It looks like I have to teach you a lesson again."

    Zhang Yi walked passed Shi Enxi and locked the door behind her. "When was the last time we saw each other?"

    Shi Enxi didn''t move an inch, she allowed her to do that. There was no sign of panic or fear in her eyes. She was not a kid anymore, she was not scared of being bullied by Shi Nansheng anymore.

    "You really should know your place." Zhang Yi reached out and was about to grab her hair from behind but she didn''t expect Shi Enxi to move at the side and avoid her.

    "Oh, I know my place well." Shi Enxi smirked darkly, "And it''s higher than yours."

    Shi Nansheng was so irritated by Shi Enxi that she ended up shouting, "Get her and beat her!"

    Shi Enxi stood calmly on her ground as she watched Zhang Yi and An Chuxia, trying to corner her. They were about to grab her but she leaned down just in time and passed by them using the space in between.

    She turned to them and pushed them hard to the ground. Zhang Yi and An Chuxia were caught off guard. They didn''t expect that she was going to refute that way!

    Shi Nansheng was surprised as well. It angered her more when she saw how Shi Enxi was fighting them back.

    "Ugly bitch!" Shi Nansheng attacked her this time.

    "You know..." She paused and turned her gaze to her cousin.

    When Shi Nansheng saw the dangerous look on Shi Enxi''s eyes, she ended up stopping on her tracks. She never thought that a kind-looking woman like her could give such a scary look!

    Shi Enxi took a step toward her. Her glare s.u.c.k.e.d something out of Shi Nansheng. She visibly wilted before her first clipped word was uttered.

    The room''s temperature went down and chills could be felt by everyone in the room. They ended up holding their breaths.

    She placed a hand on her shoulder. Instead of feeling the hand, Shi Nansheng felt a boulder, pressing her down. "You shouldn''t call me that. I''m a human, not a mirror."

    She made Shi Nansheng face the mirror. A bone-chilling smile slowly crept its way in Shi Enxi''s lips as she went and stood behind her.

    Shi Nansheng''s leg started shaking since Shi Enxi was giving that scary feeling. It was like she was in a horror movie and a dangerous ghost was standing behind her. No- she isn''t a ghost... it''s more than that. She''s a female devil!

    "If you think that I''m still the coward, feeble little girl back then... think again, dear cousin." Shi Enxi''s whispering voice behind her made the hair in her whole body stand. She could feel a dangerous killing intent coming from her.

    "I don''t have the energy to pretend to like you today. Didn''t you know that I have a bad temper? I tend to trample down those who annoy me the most."

    Shi Enxi wasn''t afraid that Shi Nansheng would go and badmouth her to others. Shi Nansheng was already known as someone who openly bullies others because of the backing she has. If she was to spread something, she would need proof for it.

    Speaking of proof...

    She let go of her cousin and turned to An Chuxia who was secretly taking a video while she was sitting on the ground.

    "Amateurs. Can''t you at least hide that well from me?" She turned to her and reached out her phone to her. "Give it to me."

 Chapter 12 - Annoying person

    An Chuxia gathered up her courage and refused. She stood up together with Zhang Yi.

    "Do you think that we''ll be afraid of you?" Zhang Yi scoffed.

    Shi Nansheng snapped out of her trance. She went and stood beside her companions. "T-That''s right! You act so high and mighty, let''s see if you can act the same after we beat you up!"

    The three girls attacked Shi Enxi at the same time.

    They were like children in Shi Enxi''s eyes. She studied martial arts together with her niece, Lu Mengjie when she transferred to their place that was why simple attacks wouldn''t work against her.

    The first thing she did was to evade their hands that were reaching out to her before she attacked them, giving their cheeks hard slaps that made the three lose their balance.

    Shi Enxi went and took their phones before she went to the cubicle and flushed it in there.

    "Y-You! We will remember this!"

    "This is not over!"

    The three women left the women''s CR in a hurry. They never expected Shi Enxi to refute their attacks, or that she knows Martial Arts. Their cheeks were swelling because of Shi Enxi''s hard slaps.

    "What a bunch of idiots." Shi Enxi walked toward the mirror and washed her hands in the sink. It was then that she noticed that there was someone else in the CR, standing at the corner like a frightened rat.

    Shi Enxi dried her hands before she turned to her. She kindly smiled at her as she reached out her hand to her. "Give me your phone."

    "I-I didn''t take any video so please don''t throw it." The woman obediently handed her phone to Shi Enxi.

    Just like the woman said, the woman''s phone was clean.

    Shi Enxi tossed the phone back to the woman. The woman almost had a heart attack when she tried to catch the phone. Luckily, she caught it well.

    "My name is Cheng Yue." The woman was looking at her with grateful eyes.

    "I didn''t ask." Shi Enxi turned away from the woman and started heading out of the CR.

    Cheng Yue quickly followed her from behind. "Thank you for saving me!"

    "I didn''t do it to help you."

    "But still! You saved me! Can we be friends? I would love to be your friend! I am a trainee in Fleur Entertainment and I will be debuting as an artist so-"

    "You know what?" Shi Enxi interrupted her. She turned to Cheng Yue with a blank look on her face. "I remembered saying that I hate annoying people and you sure are one so please stop following me if you don''t want me to hit you next."

    With that, Shi Enxi left Cheng Yue alone in the hallway.

    Cheng Yue was staring at Shi Enxi''s back with adoration. Shi Enxi may look fearsome at that time but she was a strong woman. Aside from that, she was very beautiful and gorgeous! An air of elegance surrounded her even when she dealt with Shi Nansheng and her gang. Her moves were graceful and delicate.

    Shi Nansheng knew her right?

    Was Shi Enxi a model or an actress too? But she never heard of her at all! Why was Shi Nansheng so threatened of Shi Enxi? With Shi Enxi''s beauty and tough attitude, Cheng Yue was sure that if Shi Enxi became a model or an actress, she would catch the attention of many!

    ---

    "I''m sorry for taking my time." Shi Enxi said with a small smile as she sat back on her seat, in front of Lu Mello.

    The food was already set on the table.

    "No, it''s alright."

    "So, how are things going between you and Xiao Yao? Are you still courting her or has she finally answered you?" Shi Enxi inquired, looking so interested in the topic. She took her fork and started to eat the slice of blueberry cheesecake that she ordered.

    "Ah... about that." He scratched his cheek lightly with his finger. "I''m not sure about that anymore." He frankly said.

    She raised a brow. "Not sure?"

    "My parents want to introduce me to someone else." He smoothly lied at her. "And my father said that my sisters are still young, they lack experience in handling the company so I might have to take over it until my father change his mind about them."

    "Xiao Yao is my friend. My close friend." Shi Enxi became emotional. "I know that it''s not my position to say it but... if you really love her, you won''t allow this thing to get in your way. Uncle Yifeng is an understanding man. I bet that if you explain it to him, he might change his mind and allow you to be with Xiao Yao instead."

    Lu Mello knew that she was just saying that for the sake of her plans. He knew that she still thought that he was an important part of Fan Xiao Yao''s life.

    "That may be the case... but I want to hear it in Xiao Yao''s side. It has been so many years and yet, she''s not giving me an answer. I don''t know if she really feels the same way to me."

    Something flashed in Shi Enxi''s eyes. She knew that Fan Xiao Yao loves Lu Mello back. The only reason why she wasn''t giving him an answer yet was that she wanted to take time in thinking about it. Fan Xiao Yao enjoyed being single and thinking about sharing her life with another means that she wouldn''t be able to spend her life like she used to. She wanted to make sure that being with Lu Mello was worth it.

    Shi Enxi reached out her hand and held Lu Mello''s hand, "Mello, I shouldn''t be saying this but... Xiao Yao loves you. I know so because whenever she calls me, she would always talk about you."

    Lu Mello stared at her hand that was holding his hand.

    "As her friend, I don''t want you to hurt her."

    Lu Mello raised his head and looked at her. He was going along with her act, "If she really loves me then shouldn''t she be giving me an answer by now?"

    "I have already said too much. I think you should ask her that instead." She was about to retract her hand but it was caught by Lu Mello. He held her hand in place.

    "I just realized that... this is the longest talk we ever had since we were young." He chuckled lightly.

    "Now that you mention that, you''re right." She smiled back at him. "Even if your mother and my sister were best friends, that doesn''t seem to be the case for us."

    "Yeah. That''s true." He let go of her hand. He didn''t want his thoughts to be that obvious to Shi Enxi since he knew how sharp she was.

    "You give great advice and telling you my problem lightened my c.h.e.s.t. I would love to know you more. It would be great if we could get close like my mother and sister Bingbing."

    Shi Enxi nodded in agreement, "I don''t mind being your close friend. You are working with my uncle''s case and you are Xiao Yao''s soon-to-be boyfriend so why not?"

    "Ah, is that the only reason why you agreed to be close to me? What if I''m not dealing with your uncle''s case and what if I''m not going to be Xiao Yao''s boyfriend?" There were two meanings in Lu Mello''s words but the playful way he conveyed it and the smile on his lips didn''t give it away.

 Chapter 13 - Goddess

    "I will have to think about it." Shi Enxi chuckled lightly. "You know that I don''t easily make friends with men."

    Lu Mello smirked mischievously, "I''m happy that you can see me as a man."

    Shi Enxi wanted to roll her eyes but she stopped the urge to do that.

    "Anyway, Xiao Yao is going to be hurt if you suddenly decided to give up on her." Shi Enxi turned serious but inside her, she would love that to happen. If only she could be a part of it. Maybe she can make Lu Mello fall for her instead?

    With that, she can show it to Fan Xiao Yao and hurt her even more.

    What she told him earlier was the truth. There were times that Fan Xiao Yao would call her since she was her close friend. And just like what she said, Fan Xiao Yao would always talk about Lu Mello. Whenever she was asked why she was still prolonging Lu Mello''s courtship on her, she would always respond that she was not ready to be in a relationship yet.

    "But if I am going to be your friend, then I have to be fair with both of you. All I can say is that, if you really love her, then you will wait for her. You should not allow anything to discourage you." She continued to eat her cake. "All I can do is advice you, you still have the last say in it."

    "Thank you, Xiao Xi." Lu Mello knew that she didn''t mean those words but even so, to be able to say that, if she were to act like a real friend, then she was definitely someone kind and caring.

    Shi Enxi wanted to have a good impression in Lu Mello''s eyes. After all, she needed to deceive him.

    "By the way, why are you not touching your food? Aren''t you starving?"

    "Why yes, I am." He took his fork and knife. He started slicing the steak. "I''ll drop you to your place after this."

    "Alright." She watched him eat for a while.

    She had to admit that Lu Mello was definitely eye-catching. He would be able to attract men too with his kind of feature. He inherited his father''s handsomeness and his mother''s charms.

    If she was like other women, she would have already fallen in love at first sight already but she was immune at that. She grew up together with Lu Mengjie, Xia Liqin, and Lu Jinnian.

    If she has to describe the man she likes, it was probably someone like Xia Liqin. The only sad side about it was that, Xia Liqin was her sister''s son and he was younger than her by a few years.

    She preferred older men with Xia Liqin''s charms.

    "Are you still staying with sister Bingbing?" Lu Mello asked, breaking the silence between them.

    "No. I have bought my own c.o.n.d.o.minium."

    "Are you living alone then?"

    Shi Enxi wanted to give him a sarcastic reply but she decided not to do it since it would be out of the character she was acting in front of him. "Yes, I am."

    "Are you single?"

    She blinked a few times at the sudden change of topic. "What?"

    "I''m just curious. Besides, it''s one way of knowing you more." He reasoned out.

    She chuckled lightly, "Yes, I am currently single. Are you going to apply?"

    Lu Mello laughed lightly at what she suddenly said. He knew that she was just joking and he decided to play along with it. "Can I?"

    "No, you can''t, after all, you are courting a friend of mine." She responded with a soft smile.

    "Then if I stopped courting her, will you give me a chance?"

    Shi Enxi''s face became serious. She still has to act as Fan Xiao Yao''s good friend even if she was enjoying her flirty moments with Lu Mello. "How can you easily say that?"

    Lu Mello knew Shi Enxi''s character, he only needed to give a little push to her. "I want to be honest with you, Xiao Xi. I hope that you won''t tell Xiao Yao any of this."

    "Why shouldn''t I?"

    "I want to tell all of these to her, myself." He took his glass of wine and swirled it for a while before he took a sip from it.

    "I''m listening."

    He placed the glass back on the table. "Just like what I said earlier, my parents wanted to arrange me to another person."

    She crossed her arms, "And just like what I told you, you don''t have to do what they want if you really don''t want to."

    "I know, I know. But you see... after I give my situation a thought... I can clearly see that I am not progressing with Xiao Yao. Aside from that, I have seen the profile of the woman I am supposed to marry. When I saw her profile, I fell in love with her at first sight."

    Lu Mello already has his plans fixed. All he has to do was to convince his parents about it and ask for Shi Yi''s permission to have his sister.

    He knew that with Shi Enxi''s personality, she would definitely go along with it. The only problem he would be facing was Huang Li.

    He was Shi Enxi''s boyfriend. If Lu Mello acted earlier than him, then he would have a head start in making Shi Enxi fall for him.

    Lu Mello didn''t know that Shi Enxi only thought of Huang Li as a friend. He thought that Shi Enxi really loved him that was why she cheated on him in his past life even after they got married.

    Yes, he knew that she was seeing Huang Li behind the scenes. He even caught them once, entering a hotel. He wanted to go and lash out on them but... at that time, he was a coward. Even if all the evidence were in front of him, he refused to believe it.

    He didn''t want to believe that Shi Enxi was cheating on him. He would always make up excuses in his mind. He didn''t want to see them together in a bed. It was too much for him to take in.

    He thought that Shi Enxi was only staying with him for the sake of preventing Fan Xiao Yao from coming back to him.

    His heart ached when he thought that Huang Li was the only man that Shi Enxi truly loved and trusted that was why she only wanted to carry Huang Li''s child, not his.

    Shi Enxi has always declined his advances back then. He respected her that was why he never forced her to make love with him. The only time that they slept together was that night where she drugged him.

    "To be able to make you fall just by seeing her picture... She must be a goddess, right?"

    "Yes, she is a goddess in my eyes. When I saw her in person, I felt something clicked between us, I suddenly felt like... she is the woman for me."

    "Who is she?" Shi Enxi inquired, curious at who the woman could be.

    "You''ll know who she is soon." After that, he wiped his lips with a napkin. "Anyway, should we get going?"

 Chapter 14 - I believe you

    Lu Mello was deeply in love with Shi Enxi to the point where he was willing to blindly love her despite knowing what kind of person she was.

    What made him love such a hideous woman? When did he start falling for her? Shi Enxi knew how to make someone fall for her, she knew how to use her feminine charms and because of that, she has successfully made him fall for her in the past.

    What mattered to Lu Mello at that moment was that he should stop Shi Enxi from killing others. He didn''t want her to be a criminal.

    He knew how dangerous she could get and he would have to think of something to stop her. If there was someone who could go against her, he was pretty sure that he can do that. He has his lessons from his past life, he was not a clueless man who would easily fall for Shi Enxi''s traps anymore.

    "Thank you for dropping me home, Mello."

    Lu Mello nodded and smiled, "If I have found something new in Mr. Wang''s case, I''ll let you know about it."

    Ah, Lu Mello''s kindness was definitely something. He was the perfect man that a woman could ever ask for but... Never would she trust a man so perfect, as far as she was concerned the more perfect the image the greater the danger underneath. Everyone has flaws and quirks, if they had been polished right out then trust wasn''t even an option. She was never going to be deceived by a person''s image, neither by their actions.

    "I would really appreciate that. I will tell you if I have found someone acting suspiciously in the company."

    After bidding goodbye to each other, Shi Enxi went inside the building. Upon reaching her condo, she was greeted by her cat, Vanilla.

    She sat and petted her, "Did you miss me?"

    The cat meowed in response, rubbing her head on her.

    "Welcome back." A man came out of the kitchen. He was wearing a shirt and pajama underneath the apron.

    His face was one of utmost confidence, whatever game this man played he wasn''t accustomed to losing. He was wearing graded glasses and he welcomed Shi Enxi with a warm smile.

    Shi Enxi reciprocated, letting her guards down. He was the only person that she could be herself with.

    She stood up and went to give him a hug, "I''m home." She grinned happily at him. "What did you made for dinner?"

    "I only made one for myself. I thought that you already had dinner with that detective Lu."

    Shi Enxi rolled her eyes at what he said, "Oh please, you know that I prefer your homemade cooking than those in the restaurants." She pulled away and crossed her arms, "I''m hungry."

    "Didn''t you eat anything there?"

    "I only had cake."

    Huang Li sighed heavily at what she said. "How many times do I need to tell you that you should avoid eating sweets? It''s not good for your health if you always eat one."

    "Then you have to keep reminding me so that I won''t forget." She snickered. She turned and leaned down, scooping up the cat in her arms. "Let''s go eat the food that Huang Li-gege made!"

    She ran to the kitchen like an excited kid.

    Huang Li chuckled lightly and followed from behind. "I made your favorites."

    "I thought that you only cook food for yourself? What''s this?"

    The table was filled with her favorite food. She was practically drooling at the sight of it.

    "They''re for you."

    She placed the cat down before she turned back to him, her arms wide open. "Come here, come here, let me give you another hug, gege!"

    Huang Li glowed at her adorable gesture. He walked toward her and hugged her back. He patted her head lightly, "Be a good girl and wash your hands before you eat."

    ---

    "I''ll quit my work as a detective and take over the company as long as you give me your permission to do what I want."

    Lu Mello was standing before his father, inside his study.

    Lu Yifeng was a bit surprised with what his son suddenly offered. "Are you sure about that?"

    He knew how important being a detective is to Lu Mello. He loved his job and he was willing to let go of it because of a... girl?

    Lu Yifeng knew that his wife would be glad to hear that Lu Mello was going to quit his job since she was actually against him taking such a dangerous job.

    "Are you sure that you want to do it just because of a woman? More importantly, it''s not Fan Xiao Yao, your childhood sweetheart."

    Lu Mello went and sat on the sofa. He was open to his father and he didn''t think that he should hide the truth from him. In fact, he needed someone who could advise him on something.

    He has always admired his father since he was young and that didn''t change even when he became an a.d.u.l.t. He was hoping that his father could help him if he told the truth to him.

    "Dad... do you believe in things like... you know, traveling back in the past?" Lu Mello started.

    Lu Yifeng was startled with what his son said. "Come again?"

    "Traveling through time. I know that it seemed impossible but I think that it happened to me." Lu Mello looked at him with a serious expression on his face.

    "I wished so badly in my last breath. I wished and prayed: ''I want to save her, I want to be with her. If only, if only I can go back in time to change everything. I could have loved her better. She wouldn''t have died if I have been more open to her, if I have been there for her when she needed me the most''. I kept on thinking of such things, dad... and the next thing I know... I woke up, back in the past."

    When Lu Mello heard no response from his father, he chuckled lightly. "You must think that I''m becoming crazy, right? I won''t force you to believe me."

    He just wanted to let out the burden he was feeling inside his c.h.e.s.t. If he had to be honest, aside from thinking of ways to stop Shi Enxi''s schemes and ways to make her fall for him, he didn''t know what to do.

    He was afraid that if he continued on with his plans, he might end up being too forceful to Shi Enxi. He didn''t want that, he didn''t want to force her. He felt so pathetic... going after her. But what could he do? He has already fallen for her and thinking a life without her tormented him.

    "I believe you." Lu Yifeng''s deep voice filled the room.

 Chapter 15 - Dont ever waste it

    "You... believe me?"

    Lu Mello never thought that his father would say something like that. He knew that he sounded crazy when he started talking about stuff about time traveling.

    Despite being surprised, he was also relieved that his father believed him.

    "Yes, I do. Those thoughts... I once had them during my last moments in my past life."

    "In your... past life?" That was such a shocking revelation for Lu Mello! His father traveled back in time too?

    Lu Yifeng clasps his hands together. "I was once hated by your mother. In fact, I was also hated by you."

    "No way..." Lu Mello cannot imagine hating his father. He has always admired and loved him. He has always wanted to be like him.

    Lu Yifeng turned to the family picture that was on his desk. "I only realized that the things I did were wrong when my life was slipping away from my body."

    He turned to Lu Mello with a small smile on his lips, "I was a horrible man back then. I broke our family in the past that''s why when I learned that I went back in time. I did my best to change.. I did my best to fix our family."

    "Have you ever told someone else about this?" Lu Mello inquired. He can never imagine that his father was a bad person.

    "Your mother knows about this. In fact, just like me, she regained the memories of her past." He chuckled a bit. "I had to start from the beginning again when it comes in proving myself to her."

    "Mom traveled back in time too?"

    "No, I don''t think she did."

    Lu Yifeng has given it a thought but from how he analyzed things, his wife''s case was different.

    "I have changed the future. In fact, she was already pregnant with your sisters when she regained the memories of her past. You see, we never had your sisters in the past. If she were to travel back in the past, that would mean that it was supposed to be one of those times where I haven''t changed things between us yet." He paused and sighed. "It is a very complicated topic, Mello. That is why all I can say is that, she only regained the memories of her past."

    Lu Mello was so confused. His father was right; the topic was so complicated that he didn''t know what to do about it.

    "Dad, how is that possible? No matter how I think of it, it just seems impossible. Do you think that it''s in our family bloodline or perhaps something related to it?"

    Lu Yifeng shook his head. He tried to look into it once but he found nothing strange concerning his family bloodline. If that was the case then why would Xia Meilin regain her past memories too?

    "I think it''s all about what we thought during our last breath," suggested Lu Yifeng. That was the only possible reason he could think of. It was not about family bloodline or things related to that, it was all about a person''s heart.

    "If that''s the case, then why is it not happening to others?"

    "Not everyone is given the p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e of having a second chance in life like us." Lu Yifeng was filled with questions too but he knew that finding answers to those questions was not easy.

    Things impossible were made possible because of the strong d.e.s.i.r.e of wanting to be forgiven. The want to repent, the want to change, the want to make things right... A person who is willing to change are given a chance to correct his mistakes.

    "I prayed for another chance. I was given another chance to change the wrong choices I made in my first life."

    Lu Yifeng clenched his fists tight, "I will do my best not to commit those sins again. There were times where I thought that I am not worth the second chance but here I am, living my life in it." He stood up from his seat and walked toward Lu Mello. "Maybe the reason why your mother regained her memories of our past was so that I can truly repent and redeem myself to her."

    He stood in front of him, "Tell me, son, what do you think is the reason that you were given a second chance in life?"

    Lu Mello lowered his head in the thought of it. What was the reason?

    Just like what he told his father earlier, he wanted to save her. He wanted to love her better. He wanted to be there for her and make her feel that she has someone else she can give her trust. He wanted to make her feel that she doesn''t have to pretend in front of him.

    There were other ways of getting revenge for the people who mistreated her. She didn''t have to become evil just to have her ways.

    Was he given a second chance because of that? Then why not Shi Enxi instead?

    He suddenly remembered the words she told him before she jumped off the cliff. "You know Mello... if... if I was given a chance to change everything¡­ I won''t. They deserve to die. I''m going to kill them all over again, maybe even worse than how I did in this lifetime! I don''t regret killing them. They deserve it!"

    If she was going to travel back in time, she would only repeat everything... maybe that was why she will never be given a chance to travel back in time. She was never going to change, neither will she try to forgive herself.

    "I will not ask what happened in your past and how you were killed." Lu Yifeng sat beside his son. "Since you are given this second chance, make it worth it and don''t ever waste it, son. If you want to go after her, then do it... but do it in a proper way. Second chances are given so that you can make things right."

 Chapter 16 - Change of plans

    While Lu Mello was understanding his father''s advice. Someone barged in the room.

    "Brother Mello!" A little boy wearing a tiger onesie came running toward Lu Mello.

    The boy looked like he was around four or five. He has ebony black wavy hair and amber eyes. He has an adoring face of an angel. He was white and soft like a rabbit. His rosy cheeks were chubby, tempting others to give him a pinch.

    "Yangyang, why are you still awake?" Lu Mello asked as he caught his little brother in his arms.

    "Mommy said that you''re home!"

    "They wanted to see you." Xia Meilin entered, carrying a three years old boy. Unlike the lively Lu Yangyang, Lu Tingxiao was quiet, but not out of painful shyness. It was a reservedness, like a conscious choice to observe the lie of the land before he got involved. Yet he wasn''t stand-offish, he remained friendly faced and welcoming in body posture and he looked more like his father, with black hair and eyes.

    Xia Meilin wasn''t getting younger. Despite her age, her beauty was still stunning, she looked more mature than ever.

    "I''m glad that you decided to come and visit us. Although next time, you should come early." She scolded him.

    Lu Mello chuckled, "I will take note of that."

    "Brother, are you going to stay here for the night?" Lu Yang asked, looking at him with his big adorable eyes as if he was trying to convince him with his cuteness.

    Lu Mello ended up laughing lightly at him. He clearly remembered how he used the same adorableness to convince his mother in something he wanted when he was young. He ruffled his brother''s head, "Yes, I''m going to stay here tonight."

    Lu Yang''s eyes sparkled. "Yay! Tell me how you beat bad guys, gege!"

    Lu Tingxiao''s eyes beamed when he heard his brother''s words. He nodded in agreement, he wanted to hear stories of how his big brother beat the bad guys!

    Lu Yifeng patted Lu Mello''s shoulder, "I''ll leave the boys to you."

    In other words, he wanted Lu Mello to distract his brother so that he could have his mother all to himself.

    Lu Mello: "..."

    Xia Meilin knew her husband''s thoughts which ended up making her sigh. She didn''t mind it though, their nights were always disturbed by their little boys and they rarely have their time together.

    "Your sister, Xiao Xing is coming home next week." Xia Meilin said as she lowered Lu Tingxiao to the ground. "It''ll be nice to have our family complete once in a while."

    "By the way, where is Weichun?" Lu Yifeng asked.

    Lu Weichun was still staying with her parents. It lacked liveliness in the place that was why he realized that she was missing.

    Lu Mello was the one who allowed to let Lu Weichun stay with Shi Yi. Her relationship with him was still hidden from their parents.

    Lu Yifeng was still strict when it came to his daughters. If he found out that Lu Weichun was currently staying in a man''s house, he would surely get angry, after all, she is an unmarried woman.

    "She''s staying with a friend. She wanted to help her friend in the project she is making." Lu Mello lied with a smile.

    "Friend?"

    "Yes. You know Shi Enxi, right? I dropped her to her place earlier." He turned and chatted to his little brothers so that his father wouldn''t be able to see through his lies. "Anyway, come, Yangyang, Tingting. It''s way past your bedtime."

    "Gege, you have to tell us stories first!"

    "Yes, yes, don''t worry, I will."

    ---

    Even if Lu Mello told his father that he was going to quit his work as a detective so that he could take over the family business, he didn''t do it.

    He came into an agreement with his Chief that he was only going to quit the job after he solved Wang Hao''s case.

    When he took over the company, some of the Boards were glad that he has finally decided to step in while some doubted Lu Mello''s abilities despite being the son of Lu Yifeng.

    He had to prove himself in the company and that wasn''t really a hard thing to do for him. His knowledge was beyond ordinary, especially when he has an Eidetic memory and he knew how to use it to his advantage.

    Meanwhile, Shi Enxi and Huang Li weren''t able to do anything to Wang Hao because of the security that was placed around him. Aside from his family, only his doctor and his nurse were able to enter his room.

    Shi Enxi didn''t know that it was actually Lu Mello''s idea. He suggested it to Shi Anhao when he interviewed them.

    Wang Hao was in a coma that was why Shi Enxi wasn''t worried of him. She decided to take care of him later.

    She decided to focus on Shi Ansheng who was going to attend the Golden Eagle Awards. The only important matter that Shi Enxi has in mind is the after-party.

    Shi Enxi was going to attend the event since she was her brother''s secretary. Her brother was owning one of the biggest company in the entertainment industry.

    Rosarium, the name of the company is one of the three big names in the entertainment industry. It was the company that he inherited after his father died.

    "Mr. Shi, do you want me to prepare a coffee for you?" Offered Shi Enxi.

    "No thanks. I am currently avoiding drinking coffee for a while now." He chuckled a bit.

    He took the thermal bottle from his side. "Besides, Weichun has prepared enough drink for me. She even made me a lunchbox. How sweet is that?"

    He smiled proudly at her, flaunting how sweet his girlfriend was to him.

    Shi Enxi''s brow twitched. She tightened her hold on the bullpen in her hand.

    Lu Weichun is being a nuisance... She noticed how her brother''s complexion getting better. It was as if the poison was not working in his body anymore.

    She knew that the poison she was giving him was not strong enough that was why it needed to feed it to the person daily. Shi Enxi was worried that the poison in her brother''s body might fade out if he didn''t continue on drinking it.

    Lu Weichun was ruining her plans! It seemed like she has to deal with her first before dealing with her brother.

    When she thought of that, she smirked inwardly.

    That seemed to be a wonderful idea. She will be able to torture her brother by taking away the woman he loves!

 Chapter 17 - Brother

    "By the way, I''ve been wanting to talk to you about something, dear sister." Shi Yi''s voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

    "Yes?"

    "What do you think of Lu Mello?"

    Shi Enxi didn''t expect her brother to suddenly mention Lu Mello''s name. Why was he asking her about him?

    If she has to be honest about what she thought about Lu Mello... He was someone she could use but if she was planning to eliminate Lu Weichun from her brother''s life then Lu Mello was going to be a pain in the a.s.s if he found out about it.

    "He''s a good man." She smiled at him.

    "That''s all?"

    "He''s close to our sister and he is your girlfriend''s brother. If you want him to approve your relationship with his sister and to help you with their father, I think you should treat him nice."

    Shi Yi: "..."

    "He''s a gentleman and he knows how to properly treat a woman. If I''m going to give him a quick description, he''s the ''prince charming'' that every woman wants."

    Shi Yi stared at her for a bit. The reason why he wanted to know what she thinks of him was that Lu Mello called him early in the morning.

    Lu Mello told him that he was going to help him ask for his sister''s hand from Lu Yifeng.

    Shi Yi was filled with joy when he heard of that but Lu Mello''s next words replaced it with distress. He wanted to have his sister, Shi Enxi in return.

    Shi Yi loved Lu Weichun dearly but he was not going to sell out his sister to him!

    "Fine! If you don''t want to give your sister to me then I''ll do the same to be fair!" Lu Mello''s raging voice was heard from the other line.

    "Why the f*ck will I give my sister to you?!"

    "That''s because I love her!"

    "..." Shi Yi was caught off-guard by Lu Mello''s reply.

    The hell? "Are you trying to deceive me?! I''m not stupid, bastard! I know that you''re courting another girl! How the hell did you fall for my sister?!"

    "I fell in love with her at first sight."

    "¡­"

    "Her kindness made me fall deeper. She''s an angel in human form, brother Shi Yi. I can''t stop thinking of your sister ever since I saw her a few days ago. My heart belongs to her, brother."

    "..."

    Was he trying to convince him with his sweet words about his sister?

    "Who''s brother are you? Brother your face!"

    Of course, Shi Yi already knew that his sister is an angel in human form! She''s the purest, the most innocent woman he has ever known! He was not going to allow any men to defile her with their dirt!

    The two men had a few arguments until Lu Mello managed to convince Shi Yi by threatening him instead.

    Shi Yi sighed heavily. His head was aching badly when he recalled their conversation.

    When Shi Enxi saw Shi Yi massaging the bridge of his nose and the complicated look on his face, she thought that maybe the poison was still in his body.

    "Mr. Shi, are you alright?"

    "Ah, yes. It''s just a headache." He straightened himself before he turned to her. "Skywort Company wanted to work with us."

    "Huh? The Skywort belongs to the Lu family, right?"

    "Yes." His face turned serious, "And to strengthen our bonds, having an arrange marriage is a must."

    An arranged marriage? "Then... are you going to have an arranged marriage with Lu Weichun?"

    "No... not me. The Lu family want you to be married to their next head, Lu Mello. They find you the perfect candidate to be his wife."

    Shi Enxi was surprised by the sudden turn of events. "What?"

    "You are going to have an arranged marriage with Lu Mello." He leaned back to his seat. "Are you alright with that?"

    Shi Enxi lowered her head and started to re-analyze things. She knew how deeply Fan Xiao Yao was in love with Lu Mello. Even if they were not in an official relationship, the two have mutual understanding since they were young. They were even considered childhood sweethearts!

    Fan Xiao Yao was surely going to be so heartbroken if she learned that Lu Mello was to be engaged to another woman.

    The sides of her lips slightly curled up. She could use her position as Lu Mello''s fiance to torment Fan Xiao Yao freely, right?

    Guess she has to play around with her brother for a bit before she completely agrees on being Lu Mello''s fiance.

    "I know that... that this would be a great advantage for the company... If I can help in making our company greater then... I don''t mind agreeing to it. The only problem is..." She paused and raised her head, her eyes were filled with tears as she looked at her brother with a troubled look on her face. "Lu Mello is... is the man that Xiao Yao loves... Xiao Yao is my friend so knowing that she loves him... I-I don''t want to come in between them. I don''t want her to hate me."

    Upon seeing his sister''s tearful face, Shi Yi felt a pung in his c.h.e.s.t. He stood up and went to her. He reached out and held her hand, "Don''t worry, Xiao Xi. Gege will take care of it for you."

    That d*mn Lu Mello! It was his fault that his sister was crying now! Who cares about his threats?! His gentle sister has a soft heart! Even if she cared about the company, she was still worried about her friend''s feelings!

    "B-but the company..."

    "Who cares about the company? F*ck the company! You are my sister, you are more important than the company! You don''t have to force yourself if you don''t want to agree with it. I am here, you can leave it to me, I will take care of it! If I have to go head-on against the Lu family, then I will!"

    Shi Enxi forgot the lines she prepared in her mind when she heard her brother. She didn''t expect him to say such touching words.

    She thought that he was the kind of man who would sacrifice anyone for the sake of the company that their parents left for him.

    Shi Enxi thought that her heart was cold enough not to feel anything other than hate towards her brother but his words, the concerned look on his face stung her heart.

    For some reason, her tears uncontrollably flowed down her cheeks.

    Shi Yi leaned to her, giving her a hug. "This time, I will not allow others to take you no matter how much they force it. Gege is here for you, Xiao Xi."

    Her stone-heart trembled when she felt the warmness of his hug. How long was it when she received such a warm hug from him? She used to avoid any contact with him unless it was necessary.

    Shi Yi stroked her hair gently as if to comfort her when he felt her body shake.

    "W... why?" Why was he acting this way to her?

    Didn''t he abandon her a long time ago? She waited for him to come and save her from their cruel relatives but he never came. He was her only hope and yet when he didn''t come, she felt so betrayed by him. He was a liar! It was too late... too late to be her brother!

    Even if her mind were filled with those thoughts, even if she wanted to push him away, her body wouldn''t listen.

    What is happening? Why is she acting this way? This is not good... not good!

    No words came out from her mouth, her sobs were getting louder and louder as she melted in her brother''s arms.

    The memories during the time where they were still in good terms, where their parents were still alive, flashed in her mind.

    He was always there for her. Her big brother watched over her like a hawk. They laughed together, he accompanied her during the times where the loud boom of thunder scared her. He carried her in his back when she got tired of running and playing around.

    There were times where they fought. It''s no coincidence that brother and bother are one letter apart. Shi Yi would usually sit back on the couch, his grin widening as her temper unravels. Whenever she ended up crying because of how annoying he was, he would always end up giving in to her.

    Her memories of those times kept repeating in her head like a song until she felt a huge weight on her c.h.e.s.t.

    She was trying to kill her brother... The only family she has. Guilt started to eat and pester her. A fire burned in her mind and throat. Remorse hit her like a sledgehammer.

    She felt a lump in her throat. Her lips trembled as she hardly whispered, "Brother..."

    She finally moved her hands to hug him back. "Brother... I''m sorry... I''m sorry!"

    Shi Yi was a bit confused. He didn''t know why she was apologizing to him.

    But that was not important at that moment. Her sister was crying so hard! She must have hated the idea of having an arranged marriage, right? That Lu Mello... He was going to beat him up the next time he sees him!

 Chapter 18 - Kill for me

    Shi Enxi didn''t know how long she cried out but when she was able to finally ease down, she suddenly felt embarrassed for crying like a kid in front of her brother.

    She was currently sitting on the sofa in her brother''s office. She was quietly gazing at the glass of milk that her brother gave her. There were times where she would steal glances at her brother who was busy canceling his meetings for the day.

    It was supposed to be Shi Enxi''s job to do that but Shi Yi insisted in doing since his sister was in no condition for that.

    Shi Enxi couldn''t stop thinking of whether to confess the truth to her brother since the guilt she was feeling inside was eating her up.

    When she thought about confessing, she couldn''t help but get scared. She didn''t want her brother to hate her.

    Shi Yi went to sit beside Shi Enxi after ending the call. "I will go to the Lu family later to decline their offer."

    Shi Enxi shook her head, "It''s alright, gege. I accept the offer."

    Even if she began becoming soft towards her brother, that doesn''t mean that her plans towards other people will change. She only decided to spare her brother from her schemes. It wasn''t her brother''s fault that he was taken in by their grandparents.

    Her brother was still young at that time and he didn''t have any rights to do whatever he wanted. No wonder he wasn''t able to come and save her back then... the people who were truly at fault were her grandparents!

    Shi Enxi''s mind wasn''t conceited. She wasn''t planning on killing them just because of that. Their grandparents were kind people, they would even call every week to check on her.

    It was Shi Anhao who wanted to adopt her. Maybe if it wasn''t for that pretentious woman who was after Shi Enxi''s inheritance, she would be taken in by her grandparents!

    If it wasn''t for her sister, Li Bingbing, Shi Anhao would probably already have her ways in obtaining Shi Enxi''s inheritance in the family business. In the end, Shi Anhao was the real culprit!

    Shi Enxi was blinded. If she wasn''t able to realize things earlier, maybe she would regret killing her brother in the future. Being blinded by hate was such a dangerous thing.

    Revenge. revenge. Shi Enxi was only driven by revenge. She clenched her fists. Even now, Shi Anhao was ruining her life by driving her mad with the hatred she was feeling for her.

    Shi Yi was surprised when he heard his sister''s words. "Xiao Xi, you don''t have to force yourself in it."

    Shi Enxi looked at her brother with a gentle look in her eyes. She felt an unexplainable feeling growing in her c.h.e.s.t when she saw how worried and concerned her brother was for her.

    "It''s okay. I don''t have anyone I love. It is better for me to have an arranged marriage with someone I know. As for my friend, Xiao Yao..." She paused and lowered her head. "I will try to explain it to her. I''m sure that Xiao Yao will understand my situation."

    Shi Enxi wasn''t over with Fan Xiao Yao. The envy she felt for her has long turned into hate.

    Shi Yi became serious after hearing what his sister said. "What if you fell in love with someone else? You don''t have to sacrifice your happiness for the sake of the business."

    Shi Enxi placed her hand on top of her brother''s hand. "This is not just any business, this company is what our beloved parents left us, brother. That''s why it''s important for me too."

    "Xiao Xi..."

    "As for my happiness... I can come in terms with Lu Mello. I''m pretty sure he will listen to it."

    Shi Yi ended up patting his sister''s head. His sister really has a heart of gold! The world doesn''t deserve his righteous sister!

    "Alright. If that''s what you really want. But if you decided to back down from it or if you need help in divorcing that bastard, Mello, Gege will help you!"

    "..." Brother... I''m not yet married to Lu Mello and yet you''re already talking about divorce...

    Shi Enxi ended up laughing lightly. "Don''t worry, you''ll be the first person I''ll go to if I need help with something."

    Shi Enxi chuckled when she saw the pleased look on Shi Yi''s face.

    "You can count on me, I''ll do anything for you!"

    "Really? Anything?"

    "Anything!"

    "How about killing someone for me?" (^^)

    Shi Yi blinked a few times. Did he hear it right? "Dear sister, I don''t think I can kill someone."

    When Shi Yi saw the disappointed look on Shi Enxi''s eyes, he quickly added, "But I can hire someone to kill for us."

    Shi Enxi stared at her brother for a while. Shi Yi was looking so serious as if he was really going to do it for her.

    The room was shortly filled with her melodious laughter, "I''m joking~ Joking! Don''t be so serious about it, gege!"

    Shi Yi inwardly sighed in relief. Of course, there''s no way that his soft-hearted sister would allow him to do such a hideous crime.

    ---

    Lu Mello was in his office, on the topmost floor of the Skywort Corporation.

    He was holding some doc.u.ments and was staring at it for a while. He may look like he was reading it but in reality, his mind was flying off somewhere.

    If things went according to his plans, Shi Yi will be spared from Shi Enxi''s plans.

    He knew what kind of person Shi Yi was. He may be a dumb and thickheaded man but he really cares for his sister just like how Lu Mello cares for his siblings.

    Lu Mello sighed. He still doesn''t understand how his sister, Lu Weichun, fell for someone like Shi Yi. He couldn''t help but question his sister''s decisions.

    He admitted that there were times where Shi Yi was sharp especially when it was about work. Shi Yi has always been a proud bastard, his head would always be held high and he rarely accepts defeat! His only soft whenever it came to his Shi Enxi and Lu Weichun... was that a good thing?

    How can a person be so dumb and intelligent at the same time? Lu Mello was so amazed by that part of Shi Yi.

    A knock interrupted him from his thoughts. When he raised his head, he saw Liu Ying, his assistant, enter the office.

    "President Lu, I have finished taking care of the arrangement for the Golden Eagle Awards after-party. I have assigned Zhao Yu to keep an eye on Ms. Shi Ansheng."

    "Good." He took a glance at his wristwatch. There was only an hour left before Fan Xiao Yao''s plane will arrive.

    "Prepare the car, we''re heading to the airport."

    "Yes, sir."

 Chapter 19 - Let me hit you

    Lu Mello waited for Fan Xiao Yao''s arrival. After the plane she was in finally landed, it wasn''t long when he saw Fan Xiao Yao walking towards him.

    Fan Xiao Yao was wearing a baby blue dress that reached down to her knees. Her soft black hair tumbled down her back as she walked. Her black eyes were delicate and bright. She is a well-mannered woman and the way she dressed was always reserved.

    It has been so long since Lu Mello last saw her and she looked the same as ever. The only thing that changed at that moment was... his love for her was gone.

    She smiled upon seeing Lu Mello. She waved and walked toward him.

    "Welcome to Imperial City." Lu Mello smiled back at her.

    "Thank you, Mello." She chuckled softly.

    Lu Mello helped her with her baggage before he led her to his car. Liu Ying helped his boss on putting her things in the car''s trunk.

    Since it was almost lunchtime, Lu Mello decided to bring her to a restaurant.

    "How''s your work?" Fan Xiao Yao started a topic while they were in the car. "How many case cases you solved so far?"

    "So far, it is going great."

    "Are you going to attend some event after this?"

    "Huh?"

    "You''re wearing a suit." Fan Xiao Yao pointed.

    "Oh. I forgot to tell you that I am currently handling the company."

    Fan Xiao Yao raised a brow, "Really? Does that mean that you''re working with to jobs at the same time?"

    "You can say that."

    "Is uncle Yifeng pressuring you too much? You should try talking it out to him you know."

    Lu Mello felt guilty since his father was taking all the blame for his actions and decisions.

    His father didn''t mind helping him but it wasn''t for free. Lu Yifeng was only helping him in return, when he and Xia Meilin go for two weeks vacation, he has to babysit his little brothers!

    Fan Xiao Yao noticed the troubled look on Lu Mello''s face that she couldn''t help but get bothered about it. "Mello, is everything alright?"

    Lu Mello held Fan Xiao Yao''s hand, "I don''t want to hurt you. I really don''t want to hurt you, Xiao Yao... I also don''t want to lie to you."

    It was the first time that Liu Ying saw his boss look so troubled. When the Board was trying to put pressure on him during his work, Lu Mello was calm enough to ignore them and instead, he proved himself to them by showing them how easily he can handle the problems they throw at him.

    Fan Xiao Yao watched him hesitate. She could feel the tightness of his hold around her hand.

    "I appreciate that you wanted to be honest with me, Mello." She held back her hand. "And I will stay true to what I have told you before. I will not blame you if you have started to love someone else."

    Lu Mello looked at her in surprise, "You... knew?"

    Fan Xiao Yao chuckled a bit, "I guessed." She has already noticed that something unusual in Lu Mello''s actions the moment she saw him at the airport. He was not... flirty like usual.

    She tried to remain calm even if she felt like someone was tearing her heart inside her c.h.e.s.t. "I told you before right? As long as we are not in a relationship yet, you are free to love someone else. After all, there are so many wonderful people around... so I will not consider you cheating on me since you are not mine yet."

    If there was a person who has a really kind heart, it was Fan Xiao Yao.

    She looked at him with her tearful gaze. She was trying her best not to cry and it hurt him when he saw her that way.

    "Who is she?"

    Lu Mello lowered his head. There was no use in hiding it from her. "Shi Enxi."

    Shi Enxi?

    Fan Xiao Yao chuckled lightly. She pulled her hand away from his hold to wipe her tears. "I''m glad that of all the people that you choose to love, it''s her."

    If it was Shi Enxi, then Fan Xiao Yao was willing to back down.

    Lu Mello raised his head to look at her. He was not expecting such a reaction from her.

    "That girl, she deserves to be truly loved." Fan Xiao Yao was a sharp woman. She has already noticed since High School the envious gaze that Shi Enxi gave her although as years passed, Shi Enxi became better in hiding them.

    Fan Xiao Yao has always been careful of Shi Enxi. Instead of hating her because of the small bullies she made behind her back, she tried to understand her that was why she still befriend her.

    During high school, there were times where she accidentally caught Shi Enxi going to the women''s CR. When Fan Xiao Yao secretly followed her inside. She heard soft sobs coming for the cubicle that Shi Enxi entered.

    Fan Xiao Yao didn''t know the reason behind it but it must be why she decided to put a certain distance to others.

    Shi Enxi has always been admired as one of the beauties in their school. She helped those who were troubled in their studies and she was even willing to stand for the students who were bullied by others.

    She was known as a kind-hearted goddess in the school and because of that reason, there were students who felt like they were not worthy to be Shi Enxi''s friends.

    Whenever someone would try to be her friends, there were some students who would question them, "Are you worthy to stand beside our kind-hearted goddess?"

    And so, others were discouraged on getting close to her. The only person who approached her was Huang Li who was their senior.

    Fan Xiao Yao was a year older than Shi Enxi and she was the only person who was willing to approach her and befriend her openly.

    Speaking of Huang Li... Wasn''t he close to Shi Enxi? Shi Enxi has always told her that Huang Li was someone important to her... what if she loves him instead?

    "Does she loves you back?" Fan Xiao Yao asked with a serious look on her face.

    "Well..." Lu Mello trailed off. He avoided Fan Xiao Yao''s intense gaze, "Not yet. But I am positive that in the future she will love me back that''s why an arranged marriage has already been decided-"

    *SMACK*

    The loud crispy slap filled the car.

    Fan Xiao Yao glared coldly at Lu Mello. It was the same glare that he received in his past when she found out about his ''betrayal''.

    "You''re going to force her to love you?! What if she loves someone else?"

    "Ah...?" Lu Mello was dumbfounded. He thought that she was angry because of the arranged marriage he has already planned out and that she felt more cheated by him in that way.

    "You stupid! Idiot Mello! I''m not going to give Xi''er to you if you''re going to just force her! You know that Xi''er is like my little sister! If you''re just going to end up hurting her then it''s better if I beat you right now!" She threw punches at him.

    Lu Mello was surprised by the sudden turn of events. He was trying to evade her punch. He suddenly felt the urge to jump out of the car just to escape Fan Xiao Yao''s fury!

    "Let me hit you, d*mmit!"

    Aside from wanting to hit him because of Shi Enxi, she wanted to hit him because of the pain she was feeling. She was still hurt since she has already fallen in love with him.

    "Let me explain! Let me explain!"

    Liu Ying who was quietly driving the car closed the partition. He didn''t see or hear anything. Nope. Nothing. He didn''t see his boss'' idiotic state.

    As Fan Xiao Yao continued on trying to hit him, her tears fell. "Stupid... Idiot... Mello."

 Chapter 20 - Start from the bottom

    Lu Mello stopped blocking her when he saw her tears. "Xiao Yao..."

    Beating him for the sale of Shi Enxi was just a cover. In reality, Fan Xiao Yao was beating him because she was badly hurt.

    Fan Xiao Yao stopped hitting him and instead, she leaned and buried her face on his c.h.e.s.t. "I... I don''t want to make it complicated but... I think that I should let you know my feelings."

    She clenched her fists tightly before she pushed herself to lean away from him. She looked at him with a pained smile plastered on her lips. "I... I love you, Mello."

    Lu Mello already knew that he has successfully made Fan Xiao Yao fallen for him. In his past life, she confessed to him after a few days after arriving in the Imperial City.

    "You don''t have to feel sorry for me." She wiped away her tears, "You don''t have to choose me... I''ll be fine after a few days so don''t worry... just give me space, okay? A... And don''t make it harder for me..."

    Lu Mello leaned and hugged her, "I''m really sorry, Xiao Yao."

    Fan Xiao Yao didn''t push him away. She wouldn''t be able to hug him freely in the next days. It was better for them to have a closure like this. "It''s okay, I understand..."

    If he didn''t fall in love with Shi Enxi, maybe things would turn out different when he traveled back in time. He would probably have a perfect life with Fan Xiao Yao while he was trying to stop Shi Enxi''s schemes. But things didn''t turn out that way.

    Lu Mello knew that Fan Xiao Yao deserved better. In the past, after a year they separated, she fell in love with someone else... someone he knows and that person will be arriving with his sister, Lu Xingyan, next week but it will take a long time before Fan Xiao Yao and that man meet and fall in love with each other.

    Lu Mello wanted Fan Xiao Yao to be happy. She deserved to be happy so... maybe he should make them meet early?

    "Mello, please take care of Xi''er." She leaned back and looked at him with her red and puffy eyes. "I''m serious about it."

    The side of Lu Mello''s lips curled up, his gaze softened as he looked at her.

    Shi Enxi once told him in the past that there was no one other than Huang Li who truly cared for her but in reality, if she looked closer, if she opened her heart, there were actually some people who cared so much for her. Some were even willing to sacrifice for her.

    Fan Xiao Yao truly considered Shi Enxi like her sister and yet, Shi Enxi betrayed her trust by plotting against her and by destroying the engagement Fan Xiao Yao had with him in the past.

    Why did Shi Enxi hate Fan Xiao Yao so much?

    ---

    "Gege... I''m not a kid anymore." Shi Enxi was staring at the lively amus.e.m.e.nt park in front of her. "I think that... we should be going back to work."

    "Nonsense! Didn''t you always love the amus.e.m.e.nt park?"

    "That was a long time ago!"

    Shi Yi wasn''t going to let go of the opportunity to spend his day with his sister. "I have cleared my schedule today, it will be a waste if we don''t do anything about that."

    "Then go invite Xiao Chun to a date," replied Shi Enxi with a blank look on her face.

    Shi Yi looked at his sister for a while. Who was this cold-hearted woman? Where was his sweet sister?

    Shi Enxi realized the weird look her brother was giving her. She was only being herself and yet her brother was looking at her as if she was an entirely different person.

    Well... She didn''t want to act in front of her brother anymore. She wanted to be herself so... he should get used to it!

    She raised a brow and crossed her arms, "What are you looking at?"

    "Tell me, Xiao Xi... are you still angry with me?"

    "No, I''m not. Why should I be angry with gege?"

    Shi Yi didn''t know what to say. It was just... he wasn''t used to this side of her.

    Shi Enxi decided to go easy on him that was why she went and clung on his arm. "Since we''re already here, I guess we just have to continue on with your plans."

    "If your boyfriend asked you for a place on where to have your date, what will you say?" He suddenly asked out of nowhere.

    "I don''t have a boyfriend."

    "I''m asking what if?"

    "Hm..." Shi Enxi started giving it a thought. "If I were to choose a place... I prefer quiet places like the museum."

    "So... you don''t like amus.e.m.e.nt park anymore?"

    "It''s not that I don''t like it. Amus.e.m.e.nt parks are fine." She started dragging him toward the roller coaster line. "Anyway, let''s try that, shall we?"

    As they started on trying out the rides, Shi Enxi started enjoying it with her brother.

    Not far from them, Huang Li was watching the two. He received a message from Shi Enxi earlier that she was going to forgive her brother that was why Huang Li decided to check on her.

    So it was true... Shi Enxi was finally getting along with her brother.

    Huang Li was relieved when he saw how happy Shi Enxi looked. He was actually against her plans on killing her own brother.

    When was the last time did he saw her this happy?

    ...

    After enjoying some rides, the two Shi siblings decided to rest and have some dessert in a pastry shop.

    "Brother, I want to be a manager." Shi Enxi casually said after taking a sip from the vanilla milkshake in front of her.

    "A manager?"

    "I only tried out to be your secretary since..." She paused and continued in her mind.

    She only agreed to be Shi Yi''s secretary because of the plans she had against him.

    "... I want to have an experience." Shi Enxi continued.

    Shi Yi wasn''t surprised with what Shi Enxi wanted. He was actually waiting for the day for her to tell him about it.

    Even if they studied different schools, Shi Yi was always updated when it comes to his sister.

    Shi Enxi graduated from Imperial City Media College. It was the top media college in the country. She didn''t want to be an actress, but a manager.

    "I want to produce the best artists for our company that is why I want to start from the beginning again."

    "I will support you in your decision." Shi Yi smiled. "Just tell me if you need anything."

    Shi Enxi shook her head. "I want to be independent, brother. I don''t want to use my position as your sister as an advantage. As I said, I want to start from the beginning."

    "But some of the staffs in the company already know you."

    "Some doesn''t mean everyone. They are just some directors in some departments. Besides, I don''t want to work in the main office. Assign me to one of our subsidiary corporations. I don''t mind being assigned to the Little Prince Media."

    Shi Yi frowned at her suggestion. Little Prince Media? That was the weakest among all of them. "No, not there."

    "I told you, I want to help our company produce great artists that is why I have to start at the bottom." She honestly said. She wasn''t like the others who would take the opportunity to jump in a high position just because a family was handling the work.

    "But Xiao Xi... it won''t be that easy."

    "I know." Shi Enxi loved being challenged. She was a proud woman and just like her brother, she was someone who doesn''t like to accept defeat.

    "You already know that I''m the type of person who won''t give up without a fight." Her eyes curved as she smiled, "I want to see how far my managerial abilities will take me."

 Chapter 21 - Scheming for a hard fall

    Shi Yi knew that he wouldn''t be able to stop his sister from what she wanted when he saw her determined look.

    The side of his lips curled up into a smile. His sister never changed. She always has this persistent side with her ever since they were young.

    Whenever their father taught them how to cook new dishes, it wasn''t always easy but Shi Enxi loved to learn how to cook since she wanted to know how the food she was eating was made.

    She never gets discouraged even if the food she was trying to make ended up being burnt. Instead, she found amus.e.m.e.nt in how difficult some dishes were made.

    He ended up missing their father when he thought back to that. Their father wasn''t just a good businessman, he was loving and he would always cook for them.

    Well... one of the reasons why he was the one taking care of the food was because he didn''t want Mu Xijiu, their mother, to enter the kitchen just because of that one time when she accidentally made a cut on her finger.

    Shi Fen was an overprotective husband towards his wife and it was to the point where Mu Xijiu would always end up complaining.

    "Alright... but if you need help, I''m always here, okay? Don''t push yourself too hard."

    Shi Enxi''s heart softened more at her brother''s caring words. "Don''t worry, gege, I know how to take care of myself."

    ---

    It has been days since Shi Enxi was preparing her transfer to the Little Prince media. Her brother has given her a list of artists to choose on who to manage. She wasn''t choosing anyone yet since she was looking through their background and their capabilities. There was none who was star-worthy!

    The only trump card they have was Zi Xuan, who was under Hen Ruying. Little Prince was already at pits and they were only relying on one artist. If it wasn''t for Zi Xuan, LPM would have been long gone.

    What to do? This matter was so hard to take care of but Shi Enxi didn''t regret anything. Instead, she found p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e in it.

    She didn''t want to take Zi Xuan who was under Hen Ruying for a long time already. She wanted to start from the bottom.

    As she flipped through the pages, to her surprise, she found Fan Xiao Yao''s name in it.

    Why was her name there?

    She knew that Fan Xiao Yao was working as an actress in some small company but... why in LPM? Aside from that, she has been in LPM for two months already? Why didn''t she hear of this?

    Shi Enxi may not be focusing much on Fan Xiao Yao''s life for the past months since she was busy plotting her schemes against Wang Hao but why would Fan Xiao Yao choose to work in LPM?

    Was her acting skills not good that the other companies refused to take her in?

    Unlike Shi Enxi, Fan Xiao Yao studied in Imperial City Films College. Being able to study and graduate from there means that a person has good acting skills!

    "Why are you frowning?" Huang Li asked.

    "I''m just wondering if Xiao Yao is actually an idiot."

    Huang Li raised a brow. It has been so long since he last heard that name from Shi Enxi''s mouth. He knew the hatred Shi Enxi have for Fan Xiao Yao but it wasn''t the same as the hatred she has for her relatives.

    "What did she do this time?" He placed the mug of hot choco on her table.

    "She''s actually an artist under LPM."

    "Isn''t that a good thing?"

    Shi Enxi chuckled at what Huang Li said, "Maybe?"

    Although deep inside, Shi Enxi knew that Fan Xiao Yao wasn''t a stupid woman. She was curious about why she planned to work under LPM.

    She took her phone out and called Fan Xiao Yao.

    It ringed a few times before the call went through. "Hello?"

    "Xiao Yao!" Shi Enxi''s voice became lively. "I heard that you''re back in Imperial City! I''m sorry if I wasn''t able to give you a call for the past days... I was really busy."

    A soft chuckle was heard from the other line. "It''s alright. Would you want to meet up in one of these days? I''m currently in a break since the movie I was acting in has finally ended."

    "Oh! Really? I really want to hang out with you! Are you still living in the same place? I can visit you there instead!"

    "Yes, I am. I would love to have you over."

    "Is it alright if I visit you tomorrow?"

    "Of course. You are always welcome in my place, Xi''er."

    Shi Enxi noticed that there was something strange in Fan Xiao Yao''s tone. "Xiao Yao... are you alright?"

    "..." Fan Xiao Yao didn''t speak when she heard Shi Enxi''s question. It was quiet for a while on the other line.

    Could it be... the news has already reached Fan Xiao Yao''s ears?

    The last time that Shi Enxi met Lu Mello was when they had dinner together. Ever since then, they never saw each other. Maybe it was because they were both busy with their work so Shi Enxi never doubted anything about Lu Mello.

    She remembered what she heard from Lu Mello that night. He was going to pick Fan Xiao Yao from the airport and it has already been days since then.

    Did Lu Mello tell her about their engagement?

    She was supposed to meet the Lu family together with her brother for a family dinner the night after tomorrow. She knew that it would also where their arranged marriage will become official.

    If Fan Xiao Yao has already found out about it... then no wonder she sounded strange on the other line.

    A smirk found its way on Shi Enxi''s lips. Just as what she expected, Lu Mello was someone so close to Fan Xiao Yao''s heart. Of course, she''ll be heartbroken once she hears of Lu Mello''s arranged marriage with Shi Enxi.

    "Xiao Yao... I want to tell you something but... I want to tell it to you in person." Shi Enxi wanted to see the pitiful look on Fan Xiao Yao''s face. She was rather excited to see it.

    "I already know, Xi''er."

    "I-I''m sorry, Xiao Yao..." A soft sob was heard from Shi Enxi. "I tried... I tried to convince my brother but he wouldn''t listen... I-I''m so sorry."

    Huang Li quietly watched Shi Enxi lie and act out. He was already used in seeing the same trick from her. He stood there without saying a word until Shi Enxi''s conversation with Fan Xiao Yao ended.

    Shi Enxi turned to Huang Li with a serious look on her face. "Find out Fan Xiao Yao''s role in the movie she was in."

    "Are you planning on taking her in?" Huang Li knew how Shi Enxi''s mind worked. She was not going to waste the chance of ruining Fan Xiao Yao further.

    Shi Enxi let out a nasty smile. "I''ll bring her up so high so that she can have a hard fall in the future."

 Chapter 22 - Pathetic

    Shi Enxi soon found out that Fan Xiao Yao had a minor role in the movie ''Negotiator'' and as she watched her scenes, she saw Fan Xiao Yao has potential.

    She may have d.e.s.i.r.es to ruin Fan Xiao Yao but she needed to take care of other important matters first. She could use Fan Xiao Yao as a stepping stone.

    Shi Enxi has already told her brother that she wanted Fan Xiao Yao to be her artist. That''s why everything was managed quickly. He ordered someone to tidy her office and gave her the best room in Rosarium''s staff dormitory. Many famous managers and stars lived there. Even small artists were given the privilege to live there as long as they were signed under Rosarium.

    Fan Xiao Yao happened to live there under the building that was assigned for the LPM artists. She would only use that place from time to time since she was living in West City District.

    Just like what she told Fan Xiao Yao, she went to visit her the following day. At the same time, she decided to bring some of her things there. It was just a temporary place for the convenience of her work.

    She passed by the room that was given to her first to drop her things there before she headed to Fan Xiao Yao''s place.

    On her way, Shi Enxi received the other details about how Fan Xiao Yao''s situation was at work from Huang Li. Her eyes darkened when she saw that.

    "Xi''er." Fan Xiao Yao greeted her with a smile upon opening her door for her. Despite the smile, Fan Xiao Yao''s eyes were puffy as if she has cried for so long. She tried to hide it with her makeup but it was no use, Shi Enxi was able to notice it.

    Shi Enxi was pleased with it even though she has a complicated look on her face because of the topic they had last night. The moment she saw Fan Xiao Yao, she pounced and hugged her, "Please don''t hate me, Xiao Yao!"

    In Fan Xiao Yao''s eyes, Shi Enxi was like a child for her. Even if she was hurting inside, she didn''t want Shi Enxi to get worried about her.

    "What are you saying?" She patted her head. "I have already told you last night that it''s okay. I can''t do anything about it but to let go of Mello."

    "But Xiao Yao..."

    Fan Xiao Yao also promised Lu Mello that she was not going to tell Shi Enxi about the feelings Lu Mello started to have for Shi Enxi.

    Even if it was hard, she still considered Lu Mello as her friend.

    "Anyway, come in. Someone might think that I''m the one who made you cried." She chuckled a bit.

    She gently held Shi Enxi in her arms and brought her in. After allowing her to sit on the sofa in the living room, Fan Xiao Yao went to get a glass of milk for Shi Enxi.

    Fan Xiao Yao''s villa was big although the only sad thing about it was that aside from her, she was only living together with her housekeeper who would come by from time to time.

    "Let''s not talk about Mello, okay? I''m trying not to think about it already. There are other things more important than that."

    Shi Enxi didn''t anticipate Fan Xiao Yao to think of that way. She was expecting her to be more depressed and damaged.

    She couldn''t be this nice, right?

    Even if it was just for a second, Fan Xiao Yao saw the disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e that flashed in Shi Enxi''s eyes.

    Fan Xiao Yao suddenly felt so aggrieved. She didn''t want to hate or to be enemies with the only person who was like a sister to her. If Shi Enxi was really planning on betraying her then she didn''t have a choice but to fight back.

    As for Lu Mello''s case, she didn''t want to force him into her if he doesn''t have feelings for her already. Fan Xiao Yao was the type of person who knew when to stop.

    Her life was already breaking apart. It was only a matter of time before she would turn jobless. As she grew, her relatives became distant to her since they have their own families to take care.

    She didn''t want to trouble them any longer that was why she chose to leave the house as soon as she graduated from college.

    And now, Lu Mello stopped loving her and Shi Enxi was scheming something against her.

    "I''m just going to use the CR." Fan Xiao Yao hurriedly went to the CR.

    Shi Enxi thought that she was just badly hurt because of the News about her arranged marriage with Lu Mello.

    She stood up and started looking around the living room. The only photos she was the photos of Fan Xiao Yao''s parents.

    They both lost their parents at such a young age. Unlike her, Fan Xiao Yao didn''t have any siblings but she was still loved by her relatives, right?

    Shi Enxi went and took the empty glass and decided to bring it back in the kitchen. She noticed a medicine bottle by the counter and when she decided to have a closer look.

    SSRIs? What was this for? Was Fan Xiao Yao sick?

    She took out her phone and searched for it.

    What the... SSRIs are antidepressants pills? Why would Fan Xiao Yao take them?

    She placed the bottle back and placed the glass on the sink before she returned back to the living room. Shi Enxi''s mind was busy thinking of the bottle she saw.

    She noticed that Fan Xiao Yao was taking a bit long and for some reason, she couldn''t help but feel nervous about it.

    She decided to check on her.

    "Xiao Yao?" She knocked at the CR''s door.

    "Ah... I''m sorry, Xi''er. I have a stomach ache... I''ll be out in a moment."

    Shi Enxi clenched her fists as if she was contemplating whether to open the door or not since she found out that the door wasn''t locked.

    In the end, she decided to open the door.

    She saw Fan Xiao Yao curling at the end of the CR and was trying to wipe her tears.

    Shi Enxi''s brows furrowed when she saw her that way. Does she really have... depression?

    Fan Xiao Yao was startled when she saw Shi Enxi standing before her. "X-Xi''er?"

    Shi Enxi''s eyes turned cold as she took a step towards her. "Are you this weak?"

    "You know, I''m really disappointed with you right now." She had enough of acting nice towards Fan Xiao Yao.

    "How pathetic. I wonder how long will it be before you try and kill yourself. Do you want me to help you with it?"

 Chapter 23 - Pack your things

    Shi Enxi showed her true colors to Fan Xiao Yao and this wasn''t taken well by her. Fan Xiao Yao was surprised by the 180 degrees change in Shi Enxi''s expression. The kindness and innocence she has on her face were replaced by something devious.

    "Everyone may have liked you when you were young but things can change when you step out into the world of a.d.u.l.ts, Fan Xiao Yao." Shi Enxi stood in front of her as if she was cornering a prey. "You easily trust others and that''s your biggest weakness. Not everyone can be moved by kindness."

    What Shi Enxi said was true. Fan Xiao Yao has already been tricked by others a few times. Gaining enemies in the entertainment industry because of the competition inside was something normal.

    Shi Enxi was not the only one who hated Fan Xiao Yao. In fact, ever since she entered the entertainment course during college, there were a few people who grew jealous of her. Some were people from a wealthy family and because of that, Fan Xiao Yao was suppressed by them, making her end up in LPM. Even the big roles she wanted was snatched from her.

    For the past two months, Fan Xiao Yao endured all of that until she ended up being depressed. There was just so much pressure for her.

    Shi Enxi bent and held Fan Xiao Yao''s chin, raising it to make her face her.

    Fan Xiao Yao met Shi Enxi''s icy stare and it gave her goosebumps.

    "Why are you so quiet? If you''re going to remain a weakling like this then I have no use of you." Shi Enxi straightened her back. "What a waste. I expected more than this from you."

    Fan Xiao Yao lowered her head. Shi Enxi''s words were like knives, stabbing her continuously. She laughed a bit, "I really am pathetic, aren''t I? But... it''s too much... even if I tried to fight back... I''ll just end up in the same place."

    "Oh?" Shi Enxi raised a brow, "Have you really ever tried?"

    "I am not rich, Xi''er... I will not lower myself and sleep with some man just to have the role I want." Although Fan Xiao Yao tried to convince the director once by doing it in the end, she backed out.

    Tears formed at the side of her eyes. There was no other way to convince them. Talent was nothing to them if money was placed in front of them.

    The more Fan Xiao Yao thought of it, her tears ended up falling. She felt her c.h.e.s.t tightening and she felt more alone than ever.

    Shi Enxi laughed as if she was mocking what she said, "Others are able to sleep around just to have the roles they wanted, why not you?" She smirked, "Oh, is it because of Lu Mello?"

    She scoffed, "Wow. How loyal of you. What a good girl you really are, Fan Xiao Yao."

    Shi Enxi didn''t have Fan Xiao Yao in her ''To kill'' list, she only wanted to ruin her life but seeing that her life was already in a bad condition, she felt frustrated instead.

    The chilly smile on Shi Enxi''s lips disappeared. "Get up."

    Fan Xiao Yao didn''t listen. She buried her face on her knees and continued to cry. She just wanted everything to end. The muscles of her chin trembled like a small child. There was static in her head once more, the side effect of her constant fear, constant stress she lived with. The walls that hold her up, collapsed.

    "Bitch, didn''t you hear me? Get up!" Shi Enxi grabbed her by her arm and pulled her, trying to make her stand.

    Fan Xiao Yao looked at her with her red and puffy eyes. Even if Shi Enxi was glaring at her, she was the only one there. She was the first person to know of her situation.

    Aside from that, she just badly wanted to cry and hug someone. She sobbed into her c.h.e.s.t unceasingly, hands clutching at her clothes.

    Shi Enxi stayed still, staring at her blankly. She always wanted to see Fan Xiao Yao this way but at that moment, she felt suffocated by it.

    The part of her shirt where Fan Xiao Yao was burying her face was being drenched with her tears.

    She tightened her hold on her arm. "That''s enough, Xiao Yao."

    "Xi''er..." Fan Xiao Yao''s voice was almost like a whispering tone. She looked at her and her blinking lashes were heavy with tears. "Can I just disappear?"

    "No, you can''t. Not yet." She lightly pushed her away. "Wash your face and then pack your things afterward."

    "Where are we going?"

    "Back to the staff dormitory."

    Fan Xiao Yao lowered her head and clenched her fists. "I want to quit being an actress-"

    "No, you can''t."

    "But-" Fan Xiao Yao stopped when she saw how dark Shi Enxi''s expression was and because of it, she unconsciously took a step back in fear.

    She felt as if there was a she-devil in front of her! Something flashed beneath the surface of her hardened expression.

    A sardonic smile appeared on Shi Enxi''s lips as if she found out why she was feeling so different despite seeing how miserable Fan Xiao Yao was.

    "Among all the artists in LPM, you are the only one I''ll take in my care." She placed a hand on her waist, "I''m not doing this to help you. I have other priorities and I''ll be using you for my gain."

    ... Eh?

    "So annoying." Shi Enxi sighed. "This is not the time to cry."

    The reason why she was not feeling so satisfied with how Fan Xiao Yao''s was at that moment could only be because of who did it. She was not the one who brought her in this state so she can''t find p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e in it.

    "Why are you still standing there? Are you deaf or what?"

    "X-Xi''er... I don''t want to go back." She didn''t want to face the people who mistreated her. She had enough of them.

    Shi Enxi raised an annoyed brow. "Are you just going to let them have their ways with you? Stop disappointing me any further."

    "The result will only be the same..."

    "No, it won''t." Shi Enxi grabbed her hand and started dragging her out of the CR. "You have me now."

    Fan Xiao Yao stared at Shi Enxi''s back in surprise when she heard her words. For some reason, it brought comfort and eased the pain she was feeling. She has always wanted to hear those words.

    She was not alone anymore...

    Shi Enxi stopped in front of Fan Xiao Yao''s room. She looked at her and was about to say something but she ended up frowning when she saw Fan Xiao Yao''s expression.

    Her face and puffy eyes brightened and for some reason, she was looking at her with a different light.

    "Don''t get me wrong, Fan Xiao Yao. Once everything is settled and once I am done in using you, I''ll be the one who will wreck your life so be prepared."

    Fan Xiao Yao pounced on her and hugged her once again, "Thank you."

    "Are you stupid? What are you thankful for?" Shi Enxi clenched her fists as if forcing her hands to stay in place. "Stop hugging me. Get yourself ready and pack your things."

 Chapter 24 - Im up

    "This..."

    Fan Xiao Yao and Shi Enxi were back to the Rosarium staff dormitory but instead of heading to the LPM building, Shi Enxi brought her to her room.

    "From now on, you will be living with me."

    Even if Shi Enxi didn''t want to admit it to herself, she was worried that if she leaves Fan Xiao Yao alone in her place, her depression might kick in.

    "As your manager, it''s only normal for me to watch over you." Shi Enxi reasoned out, leading her to the guest room.

    "Manager?" Fan Xiao Yao was surprised upon hearing of it. She thought that Shi Enxi was going to enter the entertainment world as an actress.

    "Yes. Just like what I said earlier, I have chosen you to be my artist." Shi Enxi opened the door for her. "I have set rules in my place and you have to follow them closely."

    Fan Xiao Yao nodded happily at her, "Okay! I''ll listen to whatever you say."

    "Good. For now, get some rest. I''ll call you out after I prepare our dinner."

    "Let me help you-"

    "Didn''t I gave you an order?" She crossed her arms, "When I said rest, you rest. Don''t let me repeat it all over again."

    Fan Xiao Yao gulped. Shi Enxi was being strict and cold to her although she preferred this since she was finally becoming honest to her.

    *Ding*

    The doorbell suddenly rang.

    "Let me-"

    "Are you really trying my patience?" Shi Enxi glared. "What I hate the most are people who don''t know how to listen."

    Fan Xiao Yao pursed her lips because of how distant Shi Enxi was. Her shoulders slumped down, "I... I''m sorry."

    Shi Enxi stared at her for a while before she opened her mouth, "Today, you rest and gather your strength, you will need it tomorrow. I don''t have use of weaklings so you better start acting up."

    She turned her back to her. "I don''t have time to comfort you. You can only rely on yourself and pull yourself together. If you have decided to stand up for yourself then do so but remember, backing out is not an option. If you have decided to fight, then fight until the end."

    Shi Enxi left her there and went to check on who came to visit them.

    Meanwhile, Fan Xiao Yao remained still in front of the guest room. She was staring at the hall where Shi Enxi disappeared to.

    "Xi''er..." A gentle smile appeared on her lips. "You sure have a strange way of comforting me." She entered the room and started unpacking her things.

    ...

    When Shi Enxi opened the door, Huang Li stood before her with various plastic bags in his hands.

    Shi Enxi was in a bad mood at that moment. She didn''t say anything but instead, she turned and went to the kitchen.

    Huang Li entered and closed the door. He didn''t question why she was looking so irritated, whenever she was acting that way, it was better to be quiet.

    He followed her to the kitchen and placed the groceries he bought for her.

    Shi Enxi was quiet the whole time as she helped Huang Li in placing the ingredients he bought in the cabinet and in the refrigerator.

    "I''ll take my leave." Huang Li said.

    "Stay here for dinner." Shi Enxi replied without looking at him since she was busy chopping the tomatoes.

    "Alright. Do you want me to help you?"

    "Make a carrot smoothie."

    Huang Li blinked a few times, "Don''t you hate carrots?"

    "Not for me."

    "For who?"

    "Fan Xiao Yao."

    Fan Xiao Yao? She was here? No wonder he saw another set of footwear by her doorsteps. Why was she here?

    Ah... was she the reason why Shi Enxi was in a bad mood?

    Then why would she ask him to prepare a carrot smoothie for her? If he remembered it correctly, carrot smoothie was Fan Xiao Yao''s favorite drink! Was she planning something against her?

    "Do I need to add some poison in it?"

    Shi Enxi knitted her brows together. She paused from chopping before she turned to him. "The last thing I want in this world is for you to turn into an idiot."

    "..."

    The food that Shi Enxi prepared were only dishes made of vegetables. Yes, the table was filled with vegetarian food.

    Shi Enxi knew that everyone in the industry watched their own diet, especially when it came to female artists. There were even artists who kept on dieting even if they were already skinny.

    Fan Xiao Yao''s body was well maintained, she was not so skinny. Her body was the body that every female wanted. To achieve such body, constant exercise and diet were required and because of that, Shi Enxi''s first priority was Fan Xiao Yao''s health and her body.

    After everything was prepared, Shi Enxi went and knocked on the guest room''s door. "Fan Xiao Yao, dinner is ready."

    There was no response from the other side.

    "Fan Xiao Yao?"

    Shi Enxi decided to enter her room. She saw Fan Xiao Yao by the bed, sleeping.

    She walked toward her and stood by the side.

    Fan Xiao Yao was in a deep sleep since she was really tired from crying that day. She turned her body and hugged a pillow as she continued sleeping.

    The side of Shi Enxi''s lips twitched. She knew that Fan Xiao Yao was tired but that didn''t mean that she can skip dinner.

    She leaned and pinched her cheek hard to wake her up instead.

    "Ow! Ow!"

    "Are you awake now?" Shi Enxi asked, releasing her cheek.

    Fan Xiao Yao rubbed her cheek, turning to Shi Enxi with a sleepy look on her face. "What?"

    "Dinner is ready."

    "I''m not hungry. I want to sleep more."

    Shi Enxi raised a brow, "Do you want me to pour a bucket of cold water on you instead?"

    With the way Shi Enxi was, Fan Xiao Yao feared that Shi Enxi might really do that!

    "I''m up, I''m up!" She stretched her arms before she sat up.

    Shi Enxi didn''t wait on her, she turned a left her.

 Chapter 25 - Gentle touch

    Fan Xiao Yao stared at Huang Li the moment she entered the room. She was actually surprised in seeing him since Shi Enxi didn''t inform her that he came.

    Huang Li was wearing a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved white shirt with an open collar underneath. There was a silver hoop earring on his right ear and his black hair was a bit messy, almost like a bad hair although one side was neatly fixed by two hairpins. Though if Fan Xiao Yao remembered it correctly, Huang Li has always that kind of style since high school.

    The most attractive part of him was his eyes. They were sharp like an eagle''s beneath his metal-framed spectacles that were resting on the bridge of his nose.

    He was a bit chubby back then but Huang Li in front of her was lean, fit and tall.

    Huang Li noticed that the stares he was receiving were coming from the dining room''s entrance. He raised his head and looked at Fan Xiao Yao.

    She quickly averted her eyes, she didn''t want to be rude by staring at him for so long. It was even embarrassing if she got caught!

    "Hi." She greeted Huang Li.

    "Hey."

    Fan Xiao Yao was not really close with him so she felt a bit awkward with him being there. She went and sat beside Shi Enxi instead.

    Shi Enxi poured the carrot smoothie on Fan Xiao Yao''s glass before she poured one for Huang Li as well.

    Since she hated carrots, Huang Li prepared mango smoothie for Shi Enxi earlier.

    "Did you made all of these, Xi''er?"

    "Huang Li helped."

    "How nice." Fan Xiao Yao pouted, "Next time, let me help you, okay?"

    Shi Enxi didn''t say anything. She started eating instead. Huang Li followed without saying a thing.

    Fan Xiao Yao pursed her lips as she stared at the two. She started digging in her food as well.

    Her eyes brightened the moment the food touched her tongue. It was better than the ones she had before! If vegetables were always this tasty and were prepared this well then she would gladly turn into a vegetarian!

    "This is so delicious!"

    Huang Li nodded in agreement, "Xiao Xi is a good cook."

    Fan Xiao Yao smiled, "Mr. Huang-"

    "Huang Li is fine. You don''t have to be polite," said Huang Li with a friendly smile.

    Fan Xiao Yao shook her head, "But you are older than me, it''s only normal for me to properly address you."

    "Alright, if you insist."

    Shi Enxi turned her head to Huang Li, "How''s Vanilla? Did you bring her to my brother''s place?"

    "Yes, I did. Although your brother doesn''t like her, he wanted me to take her back."

    Fan Xiao Yao blinked a few times, "Vanilla? Who''s Vanilla?"

    "She''s Xiao Xi''s cat," replied Huang Li.

    Shi Enxi sighed. If her brother was complaining about taking care of Vanilla then why wasn''t he calling her? He should complain to her instead of complaining to Huang Li.

    During the meal, most of the talking was done by Huang Li and Fan Xiao Yao. Shi Enxi would only insert when needed. She was not in the mood to talk with them that was why she remained quiet most of the time.

    While the two were busy talking, Huang Li''s phone vibrated. He took it out and his face turned serious when he saw it. He stood up, "I need to take my leave now."

    "Already? You haven''t finished your food." Fan Xiao Yao stared up at him.

    Huang Li smiled a bit, "I have an emergency to take care off. I need to save a life."

    "Oh! Then you better get going!"

    "Wait." Shi Enxi stood and took a takeout container. She transferred some food there before she gave it to him. "You can eat this after the surgery, just make sure you put it in a ref."

    Huang Li was working as a doctor in Imperial City''s famous hospital. He belonged in the Anesthesiology department since it was his specialty. That was why back in Lu Mello''s past life, Huang Li was able to slip in Wang Hao''s room in the hospital to kill him.

    "Thank you."

    ...

    Later that night, Shi Enxi got on her bed after she studied the doc.u.ments that she brought with her.

    She turned off her bedside lamp and was about to go to sleep when she suddenly heard a knock.

    "Xi''er? Are you still awake?" Fan Xiao Yao''s voice was heard from the other side.

    Shi Enxi ignored her. She pulled her blanket until her shoulders and closed her eyes.

    She heard a small creak and footsteps entering her room.

    Shit... she forgot to lock her door!

    "Xi''er?" Fan Xiao Yao approached her while hugging her pillow.

    "Are you awake?"

    Shi Enxi sighed heavily, "Can''t you see that I am trying to sleep here?" She glared at her, "Why are you here? I never gave you my permission to enter."

    "I''m sorry about that..." Fan Xiao Yao hung her head low, "But can I sleep here for the night?"

    Shi Enxi raised a brow, "What are you? A kid? Go back to your room and just let me sleep already."

    "Please? Just for tonight?" Fan Xiao Yao wasn''t feeling scared of being alone. As she thought of the things that were going to happen tomorrow, she couldn''t help but get worried and as she thought more of it, her anxiety and depression kicked in.

    Being alone in her room didn''t help at all. She felt so alone and she didn''t like that feeling at all. Her mind couldn''t stop thinking of the depressing thoughts that was why in the end, she decided to go to Shi Enxi''s room.

    "Please... just for tonight."

    Shi Enxi stared at her for a while but she couldn''t see well through the expression she was making since the lights were off.

    Just this once. She was only going to allow her to sleep in her room just this once.

    "Do whatever you want." Shi Enxi turned and faced her back to her.

    Fan Xiao Yao was grateful when Shi Enxi gave her permission. She got on her bed and lied down beside her.

    "Xi''er, thank you."

    Shi Enxi didn''t reply. She wanted Fan Xiao Yao to think that she was already fast asleep.

    Not long, Shi Enxi turned to check if Fan Xiao Yao was already asleep.

    When she turned, she was surprised to see how close Fan Xiao Yao was curling to her. Shi Enxi could clearly see that she was already asleep because of the closeness of their faces although she noticed that Fan Xiao Yao''s brows were creased as if she was having a bad dream.

    Of course, she''ll have a bad dream! She was sleeping next to the person who hates her!

    "Mom... dad..."

    Shi Enxi pursed her lips when she heard what she mumbled. Was she dreaming of her parents?

    From what she knew, Fan Xiao Yao''s parents died because of an accident, just like hers.

    Shi Enxi knew the feeling of waking up from a nightmare, a nightmare where she could see her parents'' accidents right in front of her.

    She clenched her fists for a while before she finally gave in. She reached out and gently c.a.r.e.s.sed Fan Xiao Yao''s head.

    Shi Enxi''s warm and gentle touch was able to erase the crease on the middle of Fan Xiao Yao''s brows, the expression on her face became better.

    Fan Xiao Yao snuggled against her like a kitten, as if wanting to stay close to the warmth and gentleness that she felt near her.

    Shi Enxi wanted to push her away but if Fan Xiao Yao woke up then she has to deal with a new set of trouble she''ll make. Ah... she really is so annoying.

 Chapter 26 - Li Xixi

    Early in the morning, Fan Xiao Yao started to prepare herself for work.

    "You go ahead. I have to pass by somewhere first." Shi Enxi was still in her pajamas, sitting by the sofa. She was scanning through the doc.u.ments in her hand. "I''ll follow you as soon as I am done."

    Fan Xiao Yao smiled, "Alright."

    Shi Enxi took a glance at her and before she reverted her gaze back on the doc.u.ment. "Don''t be a crybaby just because I am not with you."

    "... I am not a crybaby," pouted Fan Xiao Yao.

    "Whatever you say."

    When Fan Xiao Yao left their place, Shi Enxi wasn''t in a hurry to leave. She was sitting still as if she was waiting for someone to arrive.

    Not long, she heard the doorbell rang. She stood up and opened the door.

    She saw Huang Li carrying a pet container and a plastic bag on his other hand.

    Shi Enxi smiled and took the container from him. She placed it on the side and opened it.

    "Meow!" Her snow-white Persian cat, Vanilla, came out of it.

    "Look who''s a good girl." Shi Enxi grinned as she gave Vanilla a round of petting.

    Vanilla purred in delight at her pets but after she was contented on it, she jumped out of Shi Enxi''s hold and went to explore her new place.

    Huang Li had dark bags under his eyes since he was awake the whole night but despite that, he still looked dazzling as ever.

    "I prepared breakfast for you, after that you can rest in my room." Shi Enxi took the plastic bag from him.

    "I think I should go back home and rest there instead."

    "No, you can rest here. I don''t want you to drive without winking a sleep."

    Huang Li chuckled softly. His gaze turned gentle at the concern Shi Enxi was showing him. Well, it was always like that since the beginning.

    "You can sleep after you give me a haircut!" Exclaimed Shi Enxi with a grin.

    "I prefer you with long hair."

    Shi Enxi pouted, "I have to change my image. I''ll be Li Xixi from now on you know. I have to hide my identity as Shi Enxi. If my new coworkers will know that I am the sister of their boss, everyone will start kissing my feet."

    Huang Li laughed lightly, "If you put it that way then I guess you have a point."

    ---

    Inside LPM office, a man wearing a limited edition suit from Brioni Vanquish II. The man sitting on the sofa was leisurely drinking his tea.

    Although LPM is at the bottom of the list of subsidiaries of Rosarium they were still better compared to other smaller establishments.

    Hen Ruying was the boss in LPM. Most of the artistes were under him. He was a veteran in the company so most of the staff. It wasn''t an easy thing to enter LPM since it was still under Rosarium.

    Fan Xiao Yao was sitting in front of him, looking all tensed up. She didn''t expect that she would be called by Hen Ruying this soon.

    Was he waiting for her arrival? She has been absent for a few days now since he was one of the reasons on why she wanted to quit.

    "Xiao Yao, there is a limit to my patience." Hen Ruying was looking so impatient as he stared at the beautiful woman in front of him. "Why are you so stubborn? What''s so bad about being with me?"

    Fan Xiao Yao''s body was stiff as a board. She has been working under LPM for two months only and within those two months, the moment Hen Ruying set his eyes on her, he wouldn''t stop pestering her. She managed to avoid his advances by acting naive. She was careful on not to accept any drinks or food from him since she was afraid that he might drug it. She would always bring food and drinks of her own.

    "I can make you so famous, maybe even more famous than Zi Xuan. With your caliber, it isn''t hard for me to do that."

    Hen Ruying stood and slowly walked toward her. As he got closer, he placed his hand on her shoulder, "Well?"

    Fan Xiao Yao remained silent, not giving him an answer to his tempting offer. She was actually trying to think of an excuse to get out of his place.

    Seeing that her lips were sealed so tightly, Hen Ruying snickered, his tone full of mockery, "Don''t tell me that you are planning to endure me until the end of your contract? Do you think that I''ll just allow you to leave me that easily? Stop acting all so innocent."

    "Mr. Hen, I have an appointment to attend, I don''t really have time for this." She spat coldly.

    Hen Ruying raised an amused brow, "Oh? Really? Why didn''t hear of this? What kind of appointment do you have?"

    He moved his hands and his fingers touched the softness of her arms.

    Fan Xiao Yao''s frown went deep, she tried to move away from Hen Ruying''s touch but he held her in place.

    "Mr. Hen, let go of me!" This time, Fan Xiao Yao didn''t think twice of struggling free from his hold.

    Fan Xiao Yao''s glaring eyes were enticing, like a blossoming flower and this made Hen Ruying''s eyes cloud with l.u.s.t. "Be good, Xiao Yao."

    "Let go of me!"

    At the same time, someone barged in the room.

    A slender figure stood at the door, a smirk was seen on her red lips. The woman standing there was wearing a formal navy blue business wear and three inches stiletto heels. The woman''s short blond hair was tied into a high ponytail.

    She looked smart and sharp. Her beauty was not that of the common innocent and cutesy type of beauty. She was s.e.xy and the air she gave made one feel that she was not one to be messed with.

    Seeing a sophisticated woman by his doorstep made Hen Ruying stop.

    "My, my, Manager Hen, how professional of you." Shi Enxi walked in, the sounds of cl.i.c.k.i.n.g coming from her heels were heard in the room.

    "I''m sorry for coming in without your permission. No one answered when I knocked and the door was not locked so I have to invite myself in." Shi Enxi lied smoothly as she closed the door behind her.

    Hen Ruying''s face was red in embarrassment. Fan Xiao Yao took the opportunity to push him away harshly before she ran towards her savior.

    "My name is Li Xixi, I came here to report for work. I''ll need to trouble you to go through the handover with me."

    Li Xixi? She was Li Xixi? He never expected her to be this... charming.

    Hen Ruying strengthened himself and tried to act as calm as possible. "Oh! You''re the new manager that President Shi talked about. I was expecting your arrival."

    Shi Enxi scoffed inside her. She could clearly see the d.e.s.i.r.e in his eyes. He was like a pig in heat.

    Shi Enxi found her first target to destroy and remove from the company.

 Chapter 27 - I was waiting for you

    Fan Xiao Yao was hiding behind Shi Enxi. If she came a little later, who knows what Hen Ruying might do to her!

    Shi Enxi placed a hand on her waist, "Well?"

    "Oh right, the handover!" Hen Ruying straightened his collar and walked over, acting as if he wasn''t caught by Shi Enxi earlier.

    He browsed the doc.u.ment and saw that it was really the handover. He flipped through the doc.u.ment and saw Fan Xiao Yao''s name in it.

    He turned to her, "You want to manage Fan Xiao Yao?"

    "Yes. President Shi gave me a list and her name was in it."

    Hen Ruying didn''t mind handing Fan Xiao Yao over to her despite having a dark interest towards her. Shi Enxi caught his attention and he wanted to have her as well. He took out his pen and signed his name on it.

    "Since you are new here, I can show you around. I can even treat you for lunch as a welcome celebration for you." Hen Ruying offered.

    "Thank you, Director Hen but I have other appointments to take care of so I''m afraid I can''t do that." She replied with a straight face. "Ms. Fan can tour me around later."

    "How about tonight?"

    "I have a date with my boyfriend."

    "You have a boyfriend?"

    "Yes."

    Well, it didn''t matter to Hen Ruying if she has a boyfriend or not. In the end, he would always have his way around the company.

    "I guess I should treat you next time."

    "Well then, I should take my leave now, Director Hen."

    "I look forward to working with you." He grinned at her.

    Shi Enxi remained a straight face. She turned and glanced at Fan Xiao Yao as if telling her to follow her.

    Fan Xiao Yao sighed in relief. She followed Shi Enxi to her office...

    Shi Enxi''s office wasn''t grand or spacious like Hen Ruying''s, it was minimalist and had great lighting.

    She pulled out a chair and sat in front of her desk.

    "Xi''er, thank you for saving me earlier."

    "I didn''t save you. I have to get my doc.u.ments signed." Shi Enxi took a white notebook. "Also, I prefer if you address me as Manager Li from now on."

    "But we''re alone you know." She pouted.

    "If you''re not going to listen then I should change my artiste into someone better."

    "You''re being so cold to me."

    Shi Enxi ignored her. "Who is handling your Weibo account? Is it under your control?"

    Fan Xiao Yao shook her head, "No. Director Hen was in charge of it."

    No wonder Fan Xiao Yao''s Weibo wasn''t active at all. Hen Ruying was probably too focused on Zi Xuan. Aside from that, Fan Xiao Yao has been trying to escape his advances and he was blackmailing her on it. He didn''t arrange any assignments or jobs for her. He was obviously trying to get his way on her.

    "I''ll take over from here. Change your passwords in all your social media accounts. Also, you should delete all the inappropriate content before you give me the new password. From today onwards, every matter of yours, no matter how big or small, will be my responsibility. You will comply through my instructions, the friends you hang out with, your dating partner, whatever you say and act, you must inform me immediately. You are not allowed to hide anything from me, do you understand?"

    Shi Enxi was strict but this kind of attitude made Fan Xiao Yao at ease. With that, she could feel that she was in good hands and that Shi Enxi was really serious about taking care of her. She nodded lightly at her, "I understand. I will cooperate with you."

    "Good." Shi Enxi was satisfied with her reply. She went on with other details with her and when she was sure that nothing was overlooked, she finally stopped. "For now, you can go home."

    "How about you?"

    "I need to take care of some stuff here first and also find a job for you. I need you to be prepared. This time, we are aiming for a big role."

    "Alright. Will you be home before dinner?" Fan Xiao Yao asked with a smile.

    "No, I have other appointments to attend. I will be coming home late so you don''t have to wait for me."

    After Fan Xiao Yao left, Shi Enxi started familiarizing herself with her job as a manager. She was busy completing all handover procedures and at the same time, she was looking for an available job for Fan Xiao Yao. By the time she was done, the sky was already dark.

    Shi Enxi left her office and was about to hail a can but then suddenly, a red Mercedes-Benz stopped by the side. The car''s window was rolled down and a charming face was seen on the driver''s side.

    "Xi''er." Lu Mello smiled at her. "I came to pick you up."

    She was going to meet his family that night so she wasn''t really surprised to see him there but she acted like one. "Lu Mello?"

    The corner of his eyes revealed a warm smile. Shi Enxi''s blonde hair reminded him of the time in their past. Back then, she dyed her hair after she successfully killed her brother and took over the company.

    Shi Yi is alive and her relationship with Fan Xiao Yao was getting better. What could be the reason why she dyed her hair this time?

    "I was waiting for you. Get in, we can talk later."

    Shi Enxi curled her lips, "You shouldn''t have troubled yourself to come here."

    "I have to since your brother won''t be picking you up. He''s waiting for you at my place."

    "If that''s the case, then I guess I don''t really have a choice do I?"

 Chapter 28 - Can I hold your hand?

    "I see that you have a new look. I was not able to notice you at first because of that blonde hair and glasses."

    Shi Enxi chuckled lightly, "It''s for work purposes. I don''t want anyone to recognize me as the sister of their big boss." She looked at him and smiled, "Do I really look different right now?"

    Lu Mello took a glance at her before he turned back to the road. "Yup. You look so strict and serious right now. You look refined and well-mannered with your black hair."

    "I''m glad that I was able to successfully change my image."

    "How was your first day of work?"

    "It was good." She lowered her head as if she suddenly remembered something. "Mello... Are you sure about the arranged marriage that our family prepared for us?"

    "I agreed to it." Lu Mello honestly said.

    Shi Enxi turned to him with an anxious look on her face, "How about Xiao Yao?"

    "I told her about it and she wanted me to give her space."

    "You love her, right? Aren''t you supposed to promise her that you are going to stay with her?"

    "If I do that, I''ll be hurting her more." He already knew that by telling Fan Xiao Yao his real feelings, he was hurting her. If he lied to her then wouldn''t he be hurting her more? It was better to end things while it was early.

    Even if his feelings for Fan Xiao Yao was gone, she was still someone he treasured. He grew up together with her and their bond as friends were something that cannot be easily shaken.

    He wished for Fan Xiao Yao to be happy. She deserved someone better, someone, that would stay beside her no matter what.

    Lu Mello felt a strange pain in his c.h.e.s.t as he tightened his hold on the wheel. He betrayed her by falling in love with Shi Enxi.

    He didn''t really know what happened to her after she left the country with the man that was supposed to mend her broken heart. He died before he could even hear from her.

    "Mello?"

    Lu Mello offered his hand to her, "Can I hold your hand?"

    Shi Enxi was surprised by his sudden request. "Huh?"

    He parked the car on the side of the road before he turned to look at her. He wanted to say that he really missed her so much but he buried it down in his c.h.e.s.t.

    "Can I?"

    Shi Enxi didn''t know how to respond but at that moment, she saw that the Lu Mello in front of her looked so sad and broken.

    Was it because of Fan Xiao Yao?

    In the end, she allowed him to hold her hand.

    He started at her small and soft hands before he laughed lightly as he remembered his past with her. "You know... I am a detective. I am supposed to save people and catch bad guys and yet... I can''t even save the people I cared so much. I can''t even save myself... I can''t even catch a bad guy. I was so blinded by my love for..." He paused and looked at her with a small smile as he continued in his mind, ''my love for you.''

    "You don''t have to force yourself if you don''t want this marriage to happen."

    Lu Mello lightly shook his head, "It''s okay. I am sure that we will be able to learn how to love each other in the future."

    ...

    Meanwhile, back in Shi Enxi''s place...

    When Fan Xiao Yao arrived, she was surprised to see Huang Li, sleeping on the sofa.

    Even if Shi Enxi gave him permission to sleep in her bed, he didn''t listen.

    He was sleeping for a while now since he stayed up till dusk.

    Fan Xiao Yao decided not to disturb him. Instead, she took a blanket from her room and was about to place it on him.

    When Huang Li felt the slightest touch on his body, he woke up and grabbed her wrists which startled her.

    In a blink of an eye, he pulled her on top of her. He thought that she was Shi Enxi so he hugged her by her waist after.

    "S-Senior Huang! Please let go!" Fan Xiao Yao''s face was red as a tomato.

    Huang Li shot his eyes open in surprise when he noticed that it wasn''t Shi Enxi that he pulled.

    "What do you think are you doing?" Huang Li''s voice was cold. The friendly air that was always around him was gone.

    Fan Xiao Yao frowned, "Why are you looking at me that way? It was you who pulled me!"

    Huang Li pushed her off him, making her fall on the ground.

    "Ow!" She rubbed her aching b.u.t.t lightly before she turned to him with a glare. "Why did you suddenly pushed me off?!"

    Huang Li remained calm as he gazed down on her. "Don''t touch me."

    She stood up and huffed. "Who do you think you are? It was you who touched me. Besides, you are not supposed to be here! I''m going to tell Xi''er about this! Just you wait!"

 Chapter 29 - Learn to love

    Huang Li watched Fan Xiao Yao as she took her phone out and dialed Shi Enxi''s number. He wasn''t worried at all that Shi Enxi would scold him. If it was Shi Enxi, she would most likely ignore Fan Xiao Yao''s complains.

    It was only a matter of a few seconds before Shi Enxi answered the call.

    "Hello?"

    "Xi''er! Senior Huang is at home and-and he harassed me!"

    Who harrassed who?

    Shi Enxi: "..."

    "He even trespassed our place!"

    "I gave him a spare key." Shi Enxi calmly replied.

    "What? You shouldn''t do that! Senior Huang is a man you know! I know that you two are close but you shouldn''t go that far. Now he has taken advantage of me!"

    Huang Li massaged the bridge of his nose. Fan Xiao Yao was saying things that could be easily be misunderstood. He didn''t want Shi Enxi to misunderstand what she was saying. He stood up and gave Fan Xiao Yao a smile, "That was just an accident, Xiao Yao."

    Fan Xiao Yao quickly backed off from him when she saw him approaching her, "W-What do you think are you doing?!" She held her phone close, "Xi''er, please come home soon. I don''t think that I can kick him out myself."

    "He can do whatever he wants to you."

    It was as if a bucket of ice was thrown on Fan Xiao Yao when she heard SHi Enxi''s uncaring reply. "X-Xi''er, how can you treat your friend like this?"

    "Are you?"

    Fan Xiao Yao wanted to cry and complain further. She felt like a pup who was abandoned by her owner.

    Shi Enxi completely trusted Huang Li, she knew that Huang Li wouldn''t do anything to Fan Xiao Yao without her permission. She knew Huang Li the best, he was not the type of person who would easily get interested with other women.

    *toot.toot*

    Fan Xiao sulked since Shi Enxi was being a meanie to her.

    Huang Li passed by her and went directly to the kitchen.

    She pursed her lips when she saw that Huang Li wasn''t planning on leaving the place anytime soon. If that was the case, then she should lock her room instead so that he wouldn''t be able to enter.

    ---

    Lu Residence...

    "I''m sorry for not picking you up." Shi Yi approached his sister. He was waiting for her by the entrance of the mansion.

    "It''s alright." Shi Enxi smiled genuinely at him as she went and clung onto him. "I would do the same if I was you."

    Lu Mello watched how close Shi Enxi was to her brother. He was glad that relationship was getting better but for some reason, he couldn''t help but feel a bit of envy since Shi Enxi was so close to her brother.

    Shi Yi glanced at Lu Mello and didn''t say a thing. The three of them entered and went directly to the dining room.

    Upon entering, they saw a long table filled with different kind of food. Lu Mello''s family was complete. Meanwhile, the only Shi elder that was present there was Bai Min, the Matriarch of the Shi family.

    Bai Min frowned upon seeing Shi Enxi''s blonde hair. "My goodness, what have you done to your beautiful hair, Xi''er?"

    Shi Enxi smiled a bit as she reasoned out, "I just want a change in style, grandma."

    "I think it suits sister Enxi well." Lu Weichun grinned.

    Shi Yi nodded in agreement, "Yes, it does suit her well." He went and sat beside Lu Weichun while on his other side, Shi Enxi sat.

    Bai Min heaved out a sigh, "Teenagers these days."

    Xia Meilin chuckled lightly, "Anyway, I am happy that everyone was able to come for dinner."

    Lu Yifeng turned to Lu Mello and Shi Enxi, "We are gathered here today to discuss the arranged marriage."

    "Dear, you don''t have to be so straightforward about it." Xia Meilin sighed.

    Shi Enxi smiled a bit, "It''s alright, auntie Meimei."

    "Xi''er and I have already talked about it on our way here." Lu Mello added.

    "Really?" Xia Meilin turned to Shi Enxi, "Sweetheart, you don''t have to worry on rejecting this marriage. I don''t know what came into my husband''s mind that he suddenly thought of this." The last thing that Xia Meilin wanted was to force her son on marrying someone he doesn''t love.

    She knew that for years, Lu Mello was interested in someone else and she was pretty sure that Shi Enxi was the same.

    "I appreciate your kindness, auntie Meimei, but Mello and I have decided to go on with it."

    Shi Enxi wasn''t going to waste the opportunity for the company. Even if at first, she was doing it for the sake of stealing Lu Mello away from Fan Xiao Yao, when she realized that Fan Xiao Yao didn''t mind it, it was useless to continue on what she originally planned.

    "Are you sure about this?" Xia Meilin had a worried look on her face.

    Shi Enxi nodded lightly, a soft smile on her lips as she smoothly lied to them, "I may not love Mello now but we will learn how to love each other in the future."

    "Ahh, I really thought that Mello-ge will end up with sister Yaoyao." Lu Weichun pouted.

    "Sister..." Lu Xingyan gave her twin sister a warning look.

    "What? I''m just telling the truth. Mom must be thinking the same. Besides, mom has always loved sister Yaoyao for brother Mello." Lu Weichun wasn''t afraid of telling the truth to others. She has always been honest, no matter who she was talking too.

 Chapter 30 - Pretentious Bitch

    Shi Yi looked at Lu Weichun and held her hand. Even if she was his lover, he just can''t allow her to bully his sister like that. Before he could even speak out, Lu Mello interfered.

    "What you say may be true." Lu Mello knew that if decided to side on Shi Enxi too much, they might be surprised by his sudden change. "But just like what Xi''er said, I have agreed with this arranged marriage. It will benefit both of our family."

    Aside from that, he would be able to watch Shi Enxi closely and stop her from whatever schemes she had. He knew what Shi Enxi was capable of. If she wanted to destroy his family, she could do that without any reluctance. Even if Lu Weichun was her brother''s lover, she could turn the tables and make Shi Yi hate Lu Weichun.

    Lu Mello could already see how Shi Yi was looking at Lu Weichun. He sighed inwardly. Sometimes, his sister should stop her mouth from saying whatever comes in her mind. If she continued on being that way, it might just be the end of her. Even if Shi Enxi was smiling, Lu Mello could already see the disapproving look in her eyes.

    She was probably thinking about how her brother was able to fall in love with a woman like Lu Weichun.

    "I know that you are doing this for our family but brother Mello you don''t have to-"

    Lu Weichun was cut off when she saw the look on Shi Enxi''s eyes. She suddenly felt a chill run down her spine.

    Shi Enxi was smiling at her but her eyes were cold like that of a predator.

    Lu Weichun never liked Shi Enxi so she didn''t back down when she saw her that way. If there was someone who didn''t believe Shi Enxi''s kind and gentle facade, it was Lu Weichun. What she hated the most were those double-faced people. She may be close to Shi Enxi when they were kids but ever since she saw that Shi Enxi was faking her kind act, she started distancing away from her.

    Shi Enxi never worried about showing her true self to Lu Weichun. Who would believe her if she told them that she was a fake person?

    The smile left Shi Enxi''s lips and tears started breaming on the side of her eyes. "X-Xiao Chun... Do you hate me? I know that I shouldn''t be accepting this. Xiao Yao is like a sister to me, I don''t want to come in between her and Mello."

    Lu Weichun rolled her eyes at the act that Shi Enxi was showing. "Oh really? Aren''t you already doing that?"

    Shi Enxi turned her tearful gaze to her brother.

    "That''s enough, Chun''er." Shi Yi said with a serious look on his face.

    "I have already talked about this matter to Xiao Yao." Lu Mello didn''t want to make things worse for Shi Enxi and his sister. He could already feel the animosity between them and if this went on, it wouldn''t be good for his sister''s part.

    Shi Enxi was like a sleeping tigress, if waken up, she would attack her enemies ruthlessly. If she was hunting her prey, her patience was something that should not be taken lightly.

    "Ah, let''s not deal with this anymore. Mello and Xiao Xi has already agreed to it and it seems like Mello has already settled things with his woman." Bai Min said. She didn''t know who Fan Xiao Yao was but all that mattered to her was that everything was already good between Shi Enxi and Lu Mello."

    Xia Meilin agreed to what Bai Min said. Since her son has already agreed to it, there was no point in dragging it any further. It was true that she preferred Fan Xiao Yao but Shi Enxi was a nice and kind girl. Shi Enxi was right, it was just a matter of time before the two would fall in love with each other.t It was a good thing that Xia Meilin decided to let Lu Tingxiao and Lu Yang to her mother-in-law.

    "The food is getting cold, we should just enjoy our dinner right now."

    Lu Weichun was so annoyed when she saw how everyone sided on Shi Enxi. She watched as Shi Yi comforted his sister.

    Can''t they see how fake she was? What a pretentious bitch!

    ...

    After dinner, Lu Mello brought Shi Enxi to the garden.

    "I know that I shouldn''t be saying this but... Xiao Chun seems to hate me." Shi Enxi lowered her head. "I wonder if I did something wrong to her."

    "Xiao Chun is always like that, just ignore her." Even Lu Mello didn''t know why her sister was acting so distant from Shi Enxi. Could it be that she found out Shi Enxi''s real colors?

    Shi Enxi and Lu Mello were both quiet for a while as they walked inside the garden maze, their minds busy thinking of different things. It was Shi Enxi who broke the silent atmosphere around them first.

    "Tell me, Mello, why did you agree on this when your mother gave you a chance to change your mind?" Shi Enxi asked curiously.

    Lu Mello chuckled lightly, "If I told you the reason, I don''t think that you will believe me."

    "Try me."

    "Well... I dreamed that if I married you, Xiao Yao will have a peaceful life and she will be able to live happily with the man that is really fated for her."

    Shi Enxi looked weirdly at him. "You agreed on this marriage just because of a dream?"

    He laughed lightly, "See? I told you that you wouldn''t believe me."

    "Don''t you love her?"

    "I did and because of that, I want her to be happy."

    Shi Enxi stopped from walking, her face was now serious. Did he know about her plans against Fan Xiao Yao? Was he trying to keep watch on her by marrying her?

    "Wow, I didn''t know that you''re such a martyr." She chuckled a bit, " Anyway, did you find anything about the culprit behind uncle Wang''s accident?"

 Chapter 31 - Are you faster than my bullet?

    Lu Mello knew that he was giving too many clues for Shi Enxi but he wasn''t worried if she would try to do something against him. He was now prepared on facing her head-on. He may have believed her innocent act in their past but this time, he was not going to allow her to have her ways.

    "Ah... about that, I found out something shocking." He didn''t want her to act in front of him anymore. He wanted to meet the real Shi Enxi.

    Shi Enxi became worried inside. He found out about who was behind the accident?

    The look on Lu Mello''s face changed. "Because of the lack of evidence, I''m afraid I can''t put the culprit to jail. I need to investigate more into it and find strong evidence against her."

    Shi Enxi tried to remain as calm as possible. "Her?"

    "Yes." Lu Mello turned away and walked toward the bench. He sat there, crossing his legs. "You see, this possible suspect actually has a horrible past with Mr. Wang Hao." He looked at her with sharp eyes. "Is that why you wanted to kill him, Shi Enxi?"

    She looked at him, surprised. "W-What? What do you mean, Mello?"

    Lu Mello snickered as he watched her continue her act. "You''re making yourself look dumb right now, do you know that?"

    Shi Enxi lowered her head and clenched her fists tight. It was no use if she continued on acting but just like what Lu Mello said, he didn''t have any strong evidence, she was just a possible suspect so as long as she didn''t admit to it, she was safe.

    "It is part of my job to look into anyone close to Wang Hao. As for knowing his harassment on you... I only need to ask a servant who previously worked there."

    The only person who knew about the harassment Wang Hao did to her was none other than the Head Maid, who also happened to be Huang Li''s mother.

    Zhao Yi Lan tried to help her a few times but it didn''t end well. At that time, Zhao Yi Lan was a single mother and the only way she earned was by working under the Wang family as a maid.

    "You can''t say that it was me who tried to kill uncle Wang even if he was horrible to me." She continued to deny his accusations against her.

    "Of course, that''s why I did say that you are a possible suspect." Lu Mello smiled at her.

    Shi Enxi''s brow twitched in annoyance since she realized that Lu Mello was trying to trick her into confessing about it. "If I am one of the possible suspects then I will cooperate with you just to clear my name."

    Lu Mello chuckled, "Another possible suspect is your childhood friend, Huang Li."

    Shi Enxi stood quiet at the mention of Huang Li. Since she was standing in front of a lamppost, Lu Mello couldn''t see the look on her face.

    "You really should stop accusing innocent people like us."

    Lu Mello laughed lightly, "Innocent? Are you seriously telling me that? Do you know that one word from me, his life could be ruined since his license as a doctor could be revoked? He is supposed to save lives and yet, you''re making him kill. Do you really care about his well-being?"

    How was Lu Mello able to know her plan on killing Wang Hao? He looked so sure that it was them behind Wang Hao''s case.

    "Shi Enxi, if you confess now, then I promise to help you out of this, you don''t have to kill Wang Hao."

    Help her?

    A soft chuckle came from her. "Ah... seriously, I am so curious about how you were able to find out all about it." She started walking toward him, her eyes were cold. "I heard that you became one of the greatest detectives in this country. A prodigy. It looks like it''s all true."

    She stopped in front of him. I a blink of an eye, her hand was around his neck. "I think that I should kill you."

    Lu Mello was calmly staring at her even after what she did. "Do you think that you will be able to hide it forever? Even if you kill me right now, someone else will learn about the truth."

    She shrugged, "So what? At least I will be able to have more time to send people to hell."

    "Well then, let''s see how fast you can choke me." He smiled at her, "Are you faster than my bullet?"

    Shi Enxi frowned at what he said She felt something was placed on her hip, when she looked at it, she saw Lu Mello''s hand, his finger pointing at her like a gun.

    Since he managed to distract Shi Enxi, Lu Mello took the chance to pull her hand away from his neck. Instead of pushing her away, he pulled her to him and made him sit on his l.a.p. "My wife, do you know that you look prettier if you smile?"

 Chapter 32 - Disgusting words

    Shi Enxi didn''t expect him to trick her that way. He was holding both of her hands so she couldn''t bring herself to push him away. All she could do was struggle.

    "Behave yourself, dear wife." He grinned at her.

    She frowned deeply, "Who''s your wife? Wife your face! We''re not even married!" She tried to pull her hand away from his hold but Lu Mello didn''t give her a chance to do that, he was holding her hand firmly.

    He leaned, placing a kiss on her fists. "We will soon get to that. If you kill me right now, aren''t you worried that you will never have a husband as great as me?"

    "..." Man, this guy''s face is really thick!

    Since it was no use on trying to struggle free, Shi Enxi remained still on his l.a.p. She glared coldly at him, "What do you want, Lu Mello?"

    "You." He smiled sweetly at her, so sweet that Shi Enxi wanted to puke on his face just to erase it.

    She let out a toneless laugh. "Ha.ha. Wow, you made me laugh two times with that."

    Lu Mello chuckled at her remark, "I was being serious tho."

    Shi Enxi decided to ignore him, "Let go of me."

    He smiled and nonchalantly said, "Why should I?"

    When he saw the bone-chilling glare she was giving him, he patted her head, "Hey, don''t look at me that way. I know I''m handsome, you don''t have to make it look so obvious."

    "..." What the hell is wrong with his mind? Can''t he see how mad she was at him?

    "Stop being so grumpy. Do you want to borrow a kiss from me? I''m pretty sure it can brighten your mood. I''ll let you borrow one but make sure to give it back, okay?" He held her chin and pulled her face close to his.

    He was about to kiss her but Shi Enxi blocked his lips by covering his lips with her hand. "Do you really want to die?!"

    For some reason, she felt her face heat up at the thought of being kissed by Lu Mello. Shi Enxi''s blush seared through her cheeks and for a minute she thought her face was on fire. She suddenly felt awkward, demure, and coy.

    Lu Mello held her hand and kissed her palm instead which made her pull it away from his hold. She was not going to allow him to play around with her any longer that''s why just like a scared cat, she gave him a hard slap to catch him off-guard before she jumped away from him.

    "Aren''t you getting ahead of yourself?" She scoffed. "Do you think that I''m going to fall for your little trick?"

    She was not going to fall for any of his tricks! If he thought that he could deceive her, then he should think again!

    Shi Enxi thought that Lu Mello was trying to let her guards down so that she would confess everything to him.

    "I''m being serious you know." He rested his back against the bench. "I told you before that I fell in love at first sight when I saw the woman that I am supposed to marry."

    She laughed dryly after hearing what he said, "Do you really think that I will believe you?"

    Lu Mello shrugged, "Who knows? But I know what my feelings are for you. You tripped me and I ended falling hard."

    "..." Damn... where did he learn all of those lines? Every time he said one to her, she didn''t know whether to laugh or cry.

    "I am going to be your husband, it is normal for me to clean up the mess that my wife made, right?"

    "Oh?" She raised a brow at him, "If I happen to be the real suspect, aren''t you going to put me to jail?"

    "No. He deserved that but I don''t want you to commit a serious crime like murder. If you want revenge then you can do it in a proper way." He crossed his legs. There were other ways to bring Wang Hao down, that was what he wanted her to know even if he knew that there was a small possibility that she would try it.

    Just like what he expected, Shi Enxi refused to believe him and accept his suggestion. What if what he was saying was just a bait for her? She was not going to give him an easy way out!

    "Of course you will still receive a proper punishment since you have tried to kill Wang Hao."

    "I didn''t do that."

    "Ah, yes, it was actually Mr. Huang Li, right?" He snickered at her.

    Shi Enxi clenched her fists tight, "He has nothing to do with this."

    Lu Mello was displeased by how Shi Enxi tried to protect Huang Li. He tried to suppress the jealousy he was feeling at that moment since he didn''t to corner Shi Enxi that much.

    "Are you saying that it''s all on you then?"

    Shi enxi stared at him for a while. She kept on denying accusations that he has for her and yet, he kept on insisting that she was the culprit behind the accident. Lu Mello was sure good in mind games.

    A smile crept out on Shi Enxi''s lips."No, I am not."

    Lu Mello ended up sighing inwardly. She really was one stubborn woman!

    "Are you worried about going to prison?"

    She huffed, "Who wouldn''t be?"

    "You don''t have to worry about it. I''m pretty sure that you will like my place." He grinned happily at her. "You are going to be imprisoned in my heart for the rest of your life."

    "..."

    "Isn''t that nice? You don''t have to be afraid you know. I''m going to accompany you until we get old so rest assure. I will make sure that your prison life will be one of the best things that happened in your life."

    Shi Enxi was so speechless at the words that she heard from him. She didn''t know whether to cry or laugh but those words were so disgusting to hear! It was making her cringe until her bones!

    "Ah? Where are you going?" Lu Mello asked when he saw her turn and was about to leave.

    "Away from you." She couldn''t take Lu Mello''s advances towards her anymore. Her head was aching so badly that she just want to go home and sleep this night out!

 Chapter 33 - In-laws

    Lu Mello was confused about why his lines didn''t seem to work to Shi Enxi unlike back then, in the past, she seriously loved it whenever he tried to hit on her. Was it because their relationship right now was different?

    "I saw that." Lu Yifeng''s deep voice was heard out of nowhere. He emerged from the dark. He actually followed his son since he was worried about Shi Enxi''s true nature.

    During dinner earlier, he was able to see how Shi Enxi manipulated everything. Shi Enxi was a crafty woman, her acting skills were so refined that if he wasn''t able to catch the slightest change in her expression, he might believe her act against his daughter!

    "Dad?"

    Lu Yifeng looked at him for a while with a blank look on his face before he sighed heavily. "Do you really love a woman like her?"

    Lu Mello chuckled lightly, "It may be hard to believe how I ended falling for her but my feelings for her are real, dad. No matter what, she will always be my cute evil wife."

    "I''m so disappointed, Mello. If your mom was here, she will surely say that I''m still better than you when it comes in expressing our feelings. Where did you get those cheesy pick-up lines?"

    Cheesy? Lu Mello thought that they were good!

    "I read from somewhere." He was saying the truth. In his past life, he bought a pocketbook of pick-up lines and tried each of them to Shi Enxi.

    For the first time in his life, Lu Yifeng couldn''t help but ask, "Are you really my son?"

    "..."

    "You have a long way to go." In other words, this level of shameless was too low and he has to work hard for it if he wanted to impress the girl he loves.

    ...

    "Brother, let''s go home." Shi Enxi reached put and held her brother''s arm, interrupting him in his moments with Lu Weichun. "Aren''t you going to drop me home?"

    Lu Weichun raised a brow, "What are you, a kid?"

    "Chun''er, don''t start." Shi Yi sighed. He turned to his sister and patted her head. He preferred to drop her at home himself since he wanted to make sure that she was able to get home safely.

    Shi Enxi sneered inside her when she saw that her brother was siding on her. "Maybe I should just go home by myself..."

    "What? No. I will drop you." Shi Yi firmly said. He turned to Lu Weichun, "We should get going now, Chun''er." He leaned and kissed her cheek. "I''ll see you tomorrow."

    Lu Weichun didn''t say a word, she just stood there, pouting at him.

    Shi Yi and Shi Enxi were about to leave when Lu Mello came with his father walking behind him.

    Lu Yifeng was eyeing Shi Yi, he saw the kiss that he gave his daughter and that didn''t give a good impression for him. Shi Yi ended up gulping nervously when he saw how Lu Yifeng narrowed his eyes at him.

    "Why are you leaving already? It''s still early." Lu Mello said as he stood in front of them.

    "I have to be early on my job tomorrow so I can''t stay long here." Shi Enxi replied, politely declining his offer. She didn''t want to stay a second longer with him.

    "Is that so?" Lu Mello sighed in defeat. He couldn''t offer to drive her home since Shi Yi has a car of his own parking outside.

    "When do you plan on getting married?" Lu Yifeng asked all of a sudden as he turned towards the two.

    Shi Enxi''s brow twitched with his sudden question. Can''t he see that she was about to leave with her brother? Why was he delaying them? She wanted to go home so badly!

    "Xi''er and I have decided that a grand wedding ceremony will be for later. We are both busy in our work that''s why we are just going to register our marriage tomorrow afternoon." Once again, Lu Mello was fast enough to answer his father before Shi Enxi could reply.

    Shi Enxi shot her head to him. Did she make a decision for that? When did she agree to it?!

    She was itching to reach out her hands and choke the life out of him!

    "After that, Xi''er will move in my place, right, Xi''er?" Lu Mello finally looked at her with a blinding smile on his lips.

    "..." What the hell was he saying?!!

    Shi Enxi fought the urge to curse out to him! She really wanted to beat some sense to him!

    Shi Yi and Lu Weichun frowned deeply after hearing his words. Marry? Live together?

    Shi Yi stayed close to his sister in a protective way. "Isn''t it too early to get married?"

    Lu Weichun nodded in agreement, "Also living together all at once... This is ridiculous! I''m not going to accept her as my sister-in-law!"

    Shi Enxi scoffed inside her. Their feelings were mutual.

    Lu Mello acted as if he suddenly remembered something. "Oh right... If I married Xi''er then both of you can''t marry each other, after all, you''ll become in-laws."

    Lu Yifeng turned to his son, "Why would they want to marry each other? They''re not even together."

    Lu Weichun''s face became as white as snow when she realized what she was brother was trying to do. She rushed to his side and held his arm. "Gege..." She muttered, shaking her head as if she was trying to tell him not to say anything.

    Meanwhile, Shi Yi stood still in his ground, digesting Lu Mello''s words. If his cute little sister married Lu Mello then that means that he wouldn''t be able to marry Lu Weichun!

    The side of Shi Enxi''s lips slightly curled up into a smirk. Lu Weichun''s troubled face was so pleasing to look at.

    For once, Shi Enxi decided to play along with Lu Mello just so she can bully her a little.

    Shi Enxi lightly covered her mouth and showed a shock expression, "Ah... Xiao Chun, you haven''t told uncle Yifeng about your relationship with my brother?"

    Lu Weichun turned to Shi Enxi, her face pale. "W-what are you saying?"

    "Are you going to deny it?" Shi Enxi held her brother''s hand, "You have been together with my brother for a year and yet... Did you keep your relationship from others? Why? How could you? I always thought that everyone knew!"

    "Together for one year?" The room''s temperature dropped a hundred degrees. Lu Yifeng looked so scary that Lu Weichun ended up hiding behind her brother for protection.

    "D-dad... I can explain..." Lu Weichun wanted to cry. She turned to her brother and whispered, "Help me..." She trailed off when she saw the smile on Lu Mello''s lips.

    Why is he smiling?!!!

    She felt so betrayed. Why did her beloved brother suddenly dropped a bomb and betrayed her?! It must be Shi Enxi''s fault! She was a witch! How the hell did she poison her brother''s mind for such a short time?!!

    "What''s happening here?" Xia Meilin entered the room, looking at all of them with a confused look on her face.

    Lu Weichun''s eyes sparkled as if she saw her savior. She ran to her mother''s side and hugged her arm. "Mom, they are bullying me!"

    Shi Yi, who was quiet the whole time finally snapped out from his deep thoughts. He faced Lu Yifeng like a knight ready to fight a demon lord. "Uncle Lu, everything you heard earlier is true. I love your daughter and I''ve been dating her for a while now without your permission."

 Chapter 34 - Second female lead

    If looks can kill, Shi Yi would instantly be KOed by the glare that Lu Yifeng was giving him.

    "Darling, don''t be hard for him. Our Xiao Chun is already at the age where she should be dating, you know." Xia Meilin went to Lu Yifeng and gently rubbed his arm as if to pacify him.

    "She''s still young and childish."

    "I''m not childish." Lu Weichun pouted.

    "I promise to take care of him, uncle Yifeng." Shi Yi went and stood beside her. "So please allow me to marry your daughter."

    "Eh? At once?" Xia Meilin covered her mouth in surprise.

    "Just like what brother Mello said, if I won''t marry Chun''er now, we won''t be able to marry each other later since we will become in-laws."

    Xia Meilin chuckled lightly, "Well, that is not a problem at all. You don''t have to be in a hurry to marry each other. We can arrange one in the future when both of you are ready."

    Shi Enxi pouted inside. That''s not fair, why does she have to marry Lu Mello tomorrow when she herself wasn''t ready at all? Although she already knew the answer to that so she didn''t complain out loud.

    "It''s already getting late, we can talk about your relationship tomorrow, that is if you''re free." Xia Meilin turned to Shi Yi.

    Shi Yi nodded with a smile, "I will clear up my schedule for tomorrow, Auntie Meimei."

    Xia Meilin turned to her husband who was quietly looking at Shi Yi. "Darling, don''t be hard on them, okay?"

    Lu Yifeng turned to her and looked at her in defeat. "Alright, I''ll let them go tonight."

    Lu Weichun sighed in relief when she saw that her mother managed to convince him.

    Shi Enxi turned to Lu Mello and their eyes met.

    He smiled at her, "Let me accompany you two outside."

    ...

    By the time Shi Enxi reached her dormitory, it was already almost 11. The lights in the room were off as well.

    Fan Xiao Yao was probably asleep already. She went to check on her room only to see it empty.

    Shi Enxi furrowed deeply at the sight of her empty room. Didn''t she tell her to rest early? Where the hell was that woman?

    She looked around the place and didn''t find her at all. Just then, a thought entered her mind. She went to her room only to see Fan Xiao Yao sleeping peacefully on her bed while hugging her favorite pillow.

    This woman... She has a room of her own so why the hell was she there?

    Shi Enxi heaved out a heavy sigh and went inside. After taking a shower and changing into her pajamas, she went and lied down at the other end of the bed.

    The next day, Shi Enxi woke up earlier than her roommate and prepared for work. She prepared breakfast for Fan Xiao Yao and left some notes before she left the place.

    At Little Prince Media, news about the newly hired manager spread out throughout the company. As expected, the senior managers we''re unhappy. Most of them thought that Shi Enxi slept her way to her position.

    She was young and beautiful, why didn''t she choose to be an artist instead? Why a manager?

    Being a manager required lots of experience and extensive networks. Meanwhile, it wasn''t sure if ''Li Xixi'' has a backer. So far, they didn''t know anything about her except for... She probably doesn''t have experience in being a manager.

    Shi Enxi was wearing her office attire. She didn''t wear skirts, instead, she preferred to wear pants in her work. She ignored the gazes that she received from everyone who saw her as she headed to her office.

    On the other hand, Fan Xiao Yao woke up and prepared for work as well. At first, she felt a bit disappointed when she wasn''t able to see Shi Enxi but her mood changed after seeing the notes that Shi Enxi left for her.

    Upon reaching the film studio, a group of newcomers we''re having their photos taken for publicity purposes.

    Fan Xiao Yao waited silently in a corner and watched the other artists have their shoot.

    One of the artists waiting for her turn saw Fan Xiao Yao and her face turned ugly. What was Fan Xiao Yao doing here?

    Everyone knew how Hen Ruying tried to suppress her by limiting her assignments. She wasn''t even allowed to attend something like this. Everyone knew what happened yesterday in Hen Ruying''s office. It looked like the new manager chose Fan Xiao Yao to be her artist.

    "My, my, what are you doing here, Fan Xiao Yao?" Ah Jialou asked with a smirk as she approached her.

    "My manager told me to wait here." Fan Xiao Yao was already used with this kind of treatment so she stayed still in her position and didn''t move an inch.

    "The new manager?" Ah Jialou laughed, "Both of you fit each other, don''t you think? I bet it''s only a matter of time before she''ll quit."

    Ah Jialou''s companion, Leng Ning continued, "Do you think that she can groom you? Do you really think you can make a comeback after a change of manager?"

    "A garbage like her can''t be groomed."

    "You''re just a nuisance here so please leave." Ah Jialou knocked her shoulders.

    Fan Xiao Yao lowered her head. Shi Enxi was not coming... Should she leave?

    "My, my, isn''t it lively here?"

    They turned toward the voice and saw Shi Enxi walking towards them.

    "Xi''er..." Fan Xiao Yao was relieved when she saw Shi Enxi. If she was there then everything would turn out fine, right?

    Shi Enxi adjusted her glasses. "Xiao Yao, go and get changed."

    Since Shi Enxi was young and new, Ah Jialou wasn''t afraid of her at all. Instead, she felt more competitive because of her beauty. She was to start an argument with her but when she met her ice-cold eyes, the words never left her mouth.

    Shi Enxi was in no mood to entertain anyone since she was in a working mode so she turned and followed Fan Xiao Yao into the makeup room.

    Ah Jialou gritted her teeth. What''s with the newcomer?

    ...

    After the makeup artist and stylist was done with Fan Xiao Yao, they left the room due to Shi Enxi''s request.

    She opened a doc.u.ment from her tablet and showed it to Fan Xiao Yao. "Read this well. I want you to act this out later."

    "Ah? Aren''t we just taking photos?"

    "No, we will shoot a video."

    Fan Xiao Yao read a few lines and found the character familiar. Wasn''t this character from the upcoming series ''The legend of Da Ying"?

    The book was really popular to the point where it was rumored to have a live action adaptation.

    The audition was still going to be next week but Shi Enxi was already planning to give a little snack for everyone to raise her popularity. If things went well, then she might even get chosen without auditioning! She just have to play her cards well. Shi Enxi went to chose a dress for her. "I want you to play the role of Sun Bore."

    Sun Bore? In the story, Sun Bore was the second female lead. For her to aim for such a big role... Will she be able to do it?

    Shi Enxi has read the book already and Sun Bore''s love story caught her attention more than the main lead. Of course, that wasn''t everyone''s view but if Fan Xiao Yao was going to play the role well, then she was sure that she will leave an impact on the audience.

    "I want you to act the part where she was betrayed by her first love later."

    Fan Xiao Yao''s brow twitched. Was Shi Enxi doing this in purpose?

    Sun Bore was betrayed by her first love... And it was somehow similar to her situation a few days ago...

 Chapter 35 - Again

    When Fan Xiao Yao walked out of the room, everyone around her stared in surprise.

    Fan Xiao Yao was wearing a simple baby blue dress. Her hair was tied up into a simple ponytail. Unlike the others who put on a lot of makeup just to look so presentable, Fan Xiao Yao was the opposite. Her look was neat and clean. Her lips were pink like a peach. Her skin was smooth and clear.

    The makeup artist only followed Shi Enxi''s words earlier. Shi Enxi wanted a natural makeup for Fan Xiao Yao. It was so easy since the makeup artist didn''t do much.

    Shi Enxi walked toward the cameraman, "We''re going to shoot a video."

    "Shoot a video?" The cameraman was surprised. He thought that he was only going to take photos for that day so he wasn''t prepared to shoot a video.

    Shi Enxi smiled at him and politely said, "Yes, if that''s alright."

    "Well, I guess it''s fine."

    Shi Enxi turned to Fan Xiao Yao, "I''ll give you five minutes to get into character."

    ...

    After the cameraman got his equipment ready, Fan Xiao Yao stood in front.

    The artists that were present were looking at her, some in curiosity on what kind of act she''ll do and some were waiting for her to become an embarrassment.

    "Start."

    Fan Xiao Yao tried to be in character as she looked at the camera. "How... How can you do this to me? I have loved you all my life-"

    "Again." Shi Enxi furrowed deeply at how she acted. It was just the start and yet she was not satisfied with it.

    Fan Xiao Yao took a deep breath to calm herself down since she was feeling so nervous. "How can you do this to me-"

    "Your body is too stiff and so is your expression. Didn''t I tell you to act? Why are you narrating the lines?"

    Fan Xiao Yao clenched her fists right, her face was pale. She was about to do it again but the lines she memorized flew away from her mind.

    Ah Jialou and her companions snickered as they saw Fan Xiao Yao act that way. "No wonder she doesn''t get anywhere. No one will accept her with that kind of lousy acting."

    There was no warmth in Shi Enxi''s face. Her patience was running out. She failed all her expectations. She thought that she of all people would understand the character that she was about to play but what was this?

    Everyone sensed the unhappiness coming from Shi Enxi and the atmosphere in the studio was suffocating.

    Fan Xiao Yao grew anxious under the gaze of everyone. She was lowered her head and she felt a heavy weight in her body.

    In the end, she couldn''t do it.

    Fan Xiao Yao felt so horrible in front of the camera. What was she trying to prove? She was a failure... As expected, she really couldn''t do it at all.

    Shi Enxi noticed that Fan Xiao Yao was trying to hide her face from the camera and it annoyed her greatly, "D*mn it! Why are you hiding your face? Are you going to continue in being this weak?! Nothing comes easy! If you want to reach the top, then you have to work for it even if you are under immense pressure! If you don''t have any confidence in yourself, then I guess I am just wasting my time with you."

    Everyone was dumbstruck when they saw how dreadful Shi Enxi was. Her words were heavy and it stung every person''s heart.

    Fan Xiao Yao trembled, at that moment she wished to disappear. Shi Enxi''s words were like a knife that was stabbing her again and again at that moment. Ah... Even Shi Enxi was giving up on her.

    Shi Enxi rested her back against her seat as she tried to contain her anger. "I''ll give you one last chance. If you keep this up, then you should leave the entertainment industry as soon as possible."

    Fan Xiao Yao raised her head in surprise. She was going to give her another chance?

    She didn''t know what to do. How should she prove herself? Why give her another chance when she would only fail her again-

    Fan Xiao Yao''s thoughts were cut off when she saw the look in Shi Enxi''s eyes.

    No, it was not anger. She could see how much Shi Enxi believed in her through her gaze. It was as if telling her: ''I know that you can do better than this.''

    A small tingling sensation started growing in Fan Xiao Yao''s c.h.e.s.t. Shi Enxi didn''t look away from her even once. She was looking straight at her.

    "I''ll give you two minutes to get into character."

    The look on Fan Xiao Yao''s eyes changed. The color was coming back in her pale face. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. Shi Enxi''s words kept on replaying in her mind. This time, instead of hurting her, it was giving her strength. She has always wanted to be a successful actress and to reach that place, she has to take one step at a time.

    She was going to act, not recite lines. Shi Enxi believed that she could do it and that was enough to give her courage. Someone was believing in her so, she needed to believe more in herself.

    She was playing the role of Sun Bore, right? The part she was playing was where she found out that her first love betrayed her. Among all people, she should know that feeling well, right?

    "Times up! Everyone, get ready."

    The workers were stunned for a long time and they were only able to get back on their senses after hearing Shi Enxi''s loud voice. Everyone readied themselves.

    "Start."

    Fan Xiao Yao opened her eyes with tears brimming on the side. Her expression became better, the pained look on her face made their hearts trembled, making them feel that they did something wrong to her.

    Shi Enxi smirked when she saw how good her expression was.

    "How can you do this to me, Zi Xuan? You knew that I have always loved you!" The eyes that were once filled with so much love was now replaced with bitterness and hate. "You said that... That you love me but how could you sleep with her?! Of all the people, why does it have to be Qing Yun?!"

    As much as she tried to hold it in, the beads of water started falling down one after another, without a sign of stopping. "Y-you said that you love me and I took you at your word... How foolish of me..."

    "Tell me, Zi Xuan... Am I not pretty enough? Am I not good enough for you? What do I lack? What does she have that I don''t? Why her?"

 Chapter 36 - Preparation

    By watching at how Fan Xiao Yao acted, everyone felt the emotions she placed in it. Some were even brought to tears as well since they felt the pain and heartbreak from her.

    Even the other new artists in the studio were stunned. Shi Enxi was so strict but her words made Fan Xiao Yao act this way...

    Shi Enxi''s words were the harsh truth when it came to the entertainment industry. If one didn''t have confidence in how they act, they would not get anywhere. Actually, it was just not in acting, it includes in every single thing in life.

    Fan Xiao Yao seemed as if she has become another person completely.

    Ah Jialou scoffed, "How pathetic." She turned away to leave the place. She was already done with her shoot and the only reason she stayed behind was because she wanted to mock Fan Xiao Yao and her manager but after seeing what happened and how everyone was moved by Fan Xiao Yao''s acting, she knew that she cannot openly bad-mouth her in the studio.

    After acting her part, Fan Xiao Yao stood still and tried to calm down a little as she tried to come out of her character. No one uttered a word since a bit of Shi Enxi''s hostility was still lingering.

    Will she be able to pass? Everyone wondered. Even Fan Xiao Yao was a bit nervous on it as she stared at her manager with tensed shoulders.

    Under their gazes, Shi Enxi stood up and walked toward her. She took out a handkerchief from her pocket and handed it to Fan Xiao Yao as she softly said, "See? You can do it after all. If you can do a great job like this, you should have done it in the beginning."

    Shi Enxi finally smiled at her. She always knew that she could do it, she wouldn''t choose her in the first place if she didn''t believe in her. "From now on, you should always give everything when you''re acting."

    Fan Xiao Yao clenched the handkerchief she gave as she stared at Shi Enxi with watery eyes. Shi Enxi may be harsh and strict towards her earlier but she did it for her sake, right?

    Shi Enxi turned away from her and started walking away, "Let''s go. Our job here is over."

    After getting a copy of the video and after thanking the staff, Shi Enxi and Fan Xiao Yao left the studio and headed back to the office

    "I want you to study her character well until the day of the audition. You need to work out your body as well since Sun Bore''s character is a bit tricky. She is the daughter of a general and has a strong temperament."

    Fan Xiao Yao listened carefully at the short summary of the character that they were aiming to get. She obediently nodded at every instruction that she gave.

    "I will give you your daily schedule later."

    "What if I didn''t get the role?"

    Shi Enxi raised a brow in annoyance, "Are you seriously asking me that? Just how much doubt you have in your ability?"

    Fan Xiao Yao lowered her head, her lips were stretched into a straight line. There were other great actresses who are aiming for the role so she wasn''t sure if she''ll be able to successfully get the role.

    "As long as you will listen to me, you will have that role." Shi Enxi said with great confidence. She was not going to back down just because others were aiming for it. No matter who the opponent was going to be, Shi Enxi was going to face them head-on.

    Fan Xiao Yao envied Shi Enxi for being so brave. Wasn''t she scared of anything at all?

    "Do you remember the sword dance you did during our high school cultural event?"

    "A bit of it, yeah, why do you ask?"

    "It will be included in your schedule, I want you to practice it every day."

    Since Fan Xiao Yao promised to obey her, she didn''t ask why she needed to do it. She knew that Shi Enxi knew what she was doing that''s why she was going to put her trust in her. She wanted to do her best so that she wouldn''t disappoint the only person who believed in her acting skills.

    If Shi Enxi was fighting for her, then she will try her best to be strong like her. At that moment, Shi Enxi was her pillar. One day, Fan Xiao Yao wanted to be one of Shi Enxi''s strong pillars too. For that to happen, she needed to build herself up first.

    ...

    Later that day, the short clip of Fan Xiao Yao was posted by Shi Enxi in her Weibo with a caption, ''I just finished reading the book of #The Legend of Da Ying. Here''s one of my favorite scenes!''

    Fan Xian Yao wasn''t famous so no one really knew her. There were only a few people who followed her in her Weibo and they were only the people she was friends with that was why Shi Enxi''s aim was to capture the vid fans of the famous book by adding a hashtag on it.

    At first, her Weibo was quiet but soon, the video was slowly getting discovered and the views started increasing. Even Fan Xiao Yao''s followers increased.

    Shi Enxi wasn''t in a hurry to have the video rise up in one of the most searched on Weibo, what mattered to her was that it was gaining enough attention.

    While she was busy making a schedule for Fan Xiao Yao, her phone started ringing. She looked at it only to see Lu Mello''s name on her screen.

    "Shit... I almost forgot that I''m getting married today..." She mumbled. She picked up the phone and answered the call, "Hello?"

    "Xi''er, I''ll be picking you up there so be ready in fifteen minutes."

    "Okay. I''ll meet you at the parking lot."

 Chapter 37 - Moving out

    As Shi Enxi headed to the parking lot, she saw Lu Mello leaning against his white Mercedes Maybach car. He was wearing a fitted dark blue retro suit which complemented his masculine body. Even just by standing, he has a strong presence as if that of an emperor.

    Lu Mello was looking at his phone with a serious look on his face. With that expression. His perfectly chiseled face and s.e.xy lips we''re enough to drive anyone crazy. He looked like a cold and stoic man. Shi Enxi referred him to be that way instead of his usual cheerful self.

    He came from a powerful family, and he was the inheritor of the biggest company in Asia. He didn''t lack anything, he could simply choose any woman he likes and buy anything wants. She still couldn''t help but wonder why would he agree on marrying her when he already has someone he loves? Aside from that, he already has an idea that she was behind Wang Hao''s case so why was he being so carefree on her?

    Lu Mello noticed Shi Enxi''s presence which made him look at her. His lips curled up into a smile as he kept his phone in his pocket. "Let''s go?"

    Shi Enxi nodded and smiled back at him.

    He opened the door for her and waited for her to get in before he went to the driver''s seat.

    While Lu Mello was driving, he decided to discuss what he planned for the both of them "I''ll give you a day to pack your things and move into my place."

    "That won''t be necessary. I can move to your place today."

    He blinked a few times, a bit surprised by how fast she agreed into moving with him.

    "Married couples shouldn''t live separately, right?" She turned to him with a smile. "I did agree to marry you so it''s only normal for me to agree to do these."

    He chuckled lightly, "I''m glad that we''re on the same page."

    "Tell me something, Lu Mello. Why have you decided to change your mind on Fan Xiao Yao?" She really was curious about why he didn''t take advantage when his mother gave him a chance to let go of their arranged marriage.

    "Didn''t I answered that question already?"

    "You mean that dream you have?" She scoffed. "As if I will believe that."

    "Suit yourself. I will give you the same answer no matter how many times you ask me."

    She pursed her lips and decided not to ask anymore.

    ...

    As they reached the Civil Affairs office, the couple''s wedding procedures we''re processed quickly. It was In just half an hour, Shi Enxi held her marriage certificate in her hands. From now on, she was a married woman.

    "Are you sure that you want to move to my place today?" Lu Mello was back on driving his car but this time, he was heading to Shi Enxi''s condo.

    "Yes. I have already decided on it."

    "We''re not only married but tonight is also our wedding night. You do know the meaning of that right?"

    Shi Enxi turned to him with a brow raised, "Am I going to die for having s.e.x with you?"

    He chuckled, "You seem pretty open about it."

    "I don''t like to go around on things."

    "Oh? Then why are you still denying that you are not the person behind Wang Hao''s accident?"

    Shi Enxi clenched her fists as she turned to look at him. "Why would admit on something like that?"

    "Hm, I guess that''s true. After all, your husband is a detective."

    The car stopped at a red light and Lu Mello took the opportunity to grab hold of her jaw, examining her with his eagle-like eyes.

    Shi Enxi was startled with what he did. As she looked into his eyes, she felt a chill run down her spine.

    "I want you to be honest with me, Mrs. Lu." Lu Mello looked so serious about it that there was no hint of playfulness in his eyes. "You can trust me."

    Trust? That was the only thing that she could never give anyone so easily even if he was asking for it. "If you want my trust then... You have to prove yourself to me, Mr. Lu."

    He placed his thumb on her lips and gently stroked it, "Of course, I''ll work hard for it then."

    They were distracted when the car behind them started honking since the lights have turned green already. Lu Mello calmly leaned back and started driving off.

    Upon reaching Shi Enxi''s place, Lu Mello helped her in packing her things. As soon as they finished packing, Huang Li came.

    Lu Mello''s eyes turned cold when he saw Huang Li.

    Shi Enxi was living with Huang Li all this time?

    She didn''t seem to mind the situation, she looked at Huang Li and smiled a bit. "Gege, I will be moving out today."

    "Moving out?" Hang Li''s eyes swept over Lu Mello. Hostility could be felt between them.

    "Yes, she''ll be moving to my place." Lu Mello casually placed his hand on Shi Enxi''s waist. "After all, it''s only normal for a married woman to stay in her husband''s place."

    Huang Li was surprised with what Lu Mello said. "Married?"

    Lu Mello smirked coldly at him. "We''ll be taking our leave now."

    Shi Enxi rolled her eyes at the way Lu Mello was acting toward Huang Li. He was being childish right now.

    "Gege, I''ll leave this place under your care. If you need anything, just let me know, okay?"

    Huang Li turned to her, calmly. He smiled at her, patting her head. "Hn. Leave everything to me." He turned to Lu Mello and smiled, "Take care of her."

    "Of course I will."

 Chapter 38 - Lip-service

    As they were back in the car, Shi Enxi suddenly remembered something that made her lips form into a mischievous smirk.

    "Let''s pass by the hospital, dear."

    Lu Mello was caught off-guard by how she suddenly addressed him. Despite feeling happy with the way she was addressing him, he felt like she was up to no good.

    "Why the hospital?" He curiously asked.

    She turned to him with a bright smile. "It''s for you, of course. If I am going to ''make love'' with you on our wedding night, I want to be sure that you are clean from any of the s.e.x.u.a.lly transmitted diseases that one can get."

    "..."

    "Darling, if you don''t want to have yourself examined then I guess we have to move our wedding night into another time." She reached out and placed her hand on top of his hand. "You don''t want that, do you?"

    "Why would I have any STDs? I have never slept with any women you know!"

    A small gasp was heard from Shi Enxi, "Oh my! Then you''re still a v.i.r.g.i.n?"

    "..." Lu Mello''s ears became red. How dare she play around with him? If she wanted to play then fine! He''ll play with her!

    "Sweetheart, what''s wrong in being a v.i.r.g.i.n? Shouldn''t that be a great thing?" He took a quick glance at her, his lips curled up into a smirk. "You''re going to be the first woman I''ll taste."

    Lu Mello touched the small touch screen in the car and looked for a nearby hospital. After finding one, he followed the route that was on the map.

    Shi Enxi sighed sadly, shaking her head in disappointment. "Ahh... I prefer experienced men, you know."

    "We can work with that." He chuckled. "It''ll only be a matter of time before I''ll gain enough experience."

    "Oh?" She raised a brow at him, "Are you planning on sleeping around with other women to gain experience?"

    "Of course not. What made you think of that?" He laughed lightly. This time, he held her hand back and brought it to his lips, placing a soft kiss on the back of her hand. "You''re the only woman I have. Since you are my wife, isn''t it normal for me to practice my baby-making skills with you? The more I practice, the more experience I''ll get!"

    "..." Heat spread across Shi Enxi''s face upon hearing his brazen words. For some reason, she could suddenly feel her heart thumping strong.

    Lu Mello saw her red face from the mirror which made his smirk grew. "I will do any tests you want me to do only if you do it with me."

    "H-huh?"

    "It''s only fair for me to know that you''re also clean, right?" He finally parked the car in the hospital''s parking lot. He turned to her and smiled. "Even if you''re a v.i.r.g.i.n like me, we need to do the tests together."

    The look on Shi Enxi''s face changed upon hearing his words. Lu Mello remembered something that he suddenly felt bad for accidentally stepping on one of her mines. The atmosphere in the car became heavy as she suddenly became serious.

    "I''m sorry-"

    "Who said that I was a v.i.r.g.i.n?" She interrupted. Although she was looking at him with cold eyes, she had a mocking smile on her lips.

    He tightened his hold on her hand when she tried to pull it away.

    "I don''t need your pity so don''t give me that look, Mr. Lu. I don''t need your sympathy." She spat coldly.

    She turned away from him, "Maybe I really need to have myself examined, right? Who knows what kind of disease I might have. I''m sure you don''t want to have it, right?"

    "That''s not what I mean, Xi''er."

    She scoffed, "Yeah right." She looked back at him and smiled, "You know what happened, right? You must be disgusted with me so let go of my hand."

    Lu Mello stared at her for a while, not releasing her hand. He could see the hate and anger in her eyes but in them, he could see the sudden disgust she had for herself.

    Shi Enxi felt a lump in her throat but she was not going to give in and show any weakness to him or to anyone. No, she promised that she was already over in being such a weak girl. The fist she was clenching became white but her face remained the same, "Did I change your mind in sleeping with me?"

    She hated Wang Hao so much since he took away her childhood from her. When Lu Mello found out about it, he was filled with anger for Wang Hao. The anger he felt for him was still there even now. It was boiling up inside him that he wanted to hit and kill Wang Hao himself just for the things he did to Shi Enxi.

    The woman in front of him was trying her best to stay strong. She was full of hate that she decided not to give her trust to anyone so easily. That hate blinded her so much that she wasn''t able to see that there were still people around her who truly cared for her in the past. It was because of her hate towards the Wang family that ruined her life. It was because of that hate that she always thought that she didn''t deserve to be happy.

    "You know, Mello... If I am given a chance to change everything, I won''t... They deserve to die. I am going to kill them all over again, even worse than I did in this lifetime!" These were the words she shouted at him before she jumped off the cliff in their past life. The hate she had for them was immeasurable that she even brought it to her deathbed.

    Lu Mello wanted to take that hate away from her. He wanted to let her feel that she didn''t have to hold on that hate and ruin her life for it.

    Shi Enxi thought that Lu Mello released her hand was because he didn''t want to hold her anymore but she didn''t expect him to reach out and touch her cheek gently.

    "You are beautiful, do you know that?"

    "Ah?"

    He removed his seatbelt before he leaned and rested his forehead against her forehead. "Xi''er, I don''t want you to ruin your future because of your past. It may made you the person you are today but don''t let it ruin you. Whatever happened to you, it doesn''t define you right now."

    He closed his eyes, "I may only have an idea on what happened to you but that will not stop me from loving you. The Shi Enxi I know is strong and beautiful."

    Her lips were stretched into a straight line. "How can you say that so easily? ... How can you say you love me?"

    He pulled away from her and smiled genuinely, "I am your husband, my job is to shower you with love."

    Her lips curled up slightly, "I''m not going to fall for that lip-service."

    Lu Mello chuckled lightly, "Well... I guess the only way to prove it to you is by showing it, right?"

 Chapter 39 - My cruel little wife

    "When will we be able to get our results?" Lu Mello asked the phlebotomist who extracted his blood.

    "If it''s not STAT, then you will be able to have your results within 2-4 hours, sir." The phlebotomist said a polite smile.

    "And if it''s STAT?" Shi Enxi was standing beside Lu Mello.

    "It will be within an hour. There will be an additional payment if you want it to be STAT."

    Shi Enxi turned to Lu Mello with a small smile, "Darling, I think it won''t hurt if we''ll pay for STAT, right?"

    "It''s alright, we can wait for two hours instead." He stood up from his seat and held her hand. "I want to pass by somewhere first."

    Shi Enxi sighed. She really wanted to go home and get some rest as soon as possible. So many things happened that day and she still had to unpack her things once getting to Lu Mello''s place.

    Lu Mello saw the disapproving look on Shi Enxi''s face that''s why he decided to give her a little tease to lighten up her mood. He leaned and whispered in her ear, "Are you that excited to have me on the bed?"

    Just like what he expected, Shi Enxi''s face went red when she was reminded of their wedding night. He was still into it? Was he not listening to her earlier? Did he really not care?

    Lu Mello placed his hand on her waist and gently led her out of the extraction room. "There''s a nearby mall here. I can accompany you to buy some s.e.xy u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r for tonight''s event. My favorite color is blue. I think blue undies will look good on you."

    "..." Yup, he really was into it. He even looked excited while talking about it.

    Fine! If he wanted to be shameless, then two can play the game!

    "Do you have c.o.n.d.o.ms prepared in your place?" She asked, her eyes were curled into a crescent moon as she smiled cheerfully at him.

    "Eh? Why do we need c.o.n.d.o.ms?" He faced her after stopping in front of his car.

    "Aren''t you going to practice your baby-making skills with me? That means we can''t have a baby yet until you have gained enough experience."

    He pouted, "Why not? It''s not like you''re going to get pregnant with our first try."

    She shrugged her shoulders, "We can''t really say." Before Lu Mello could retort, she quickly added, "Besides, I''m not ready to have a child of my own yet, Mello. I just started working as a manager and there are still so many things that I want to do and taking care of a child is not one of them."

    He looked at her for a while. Even if he wanted to start a family with her, he didn''t want to force Shi Enxi into it. It was already enough that she agreed to marry her and to have deeper connections with him in bed.

    In the past, she never carried his child. She deceived him and said that is was his when in truth, it was actually Huang Li''s child. He could feel his c.h.e.s.t tighten in pain when he thought about it. He was not going to allow that to happen this time. He has changed so many things in this lifetime and he was pretty confident that something like that will not happen as long as he made Shi Enxi fall for him.

    "Alright. I guess having children can wait." He opened the car''s door for her.

    "Thank you, Mello." Shi Enxi was grateful that Lu Mello was being so understanding to her.

    When she sat on the shotgun seat, Lu Mello leaned to put on her seatbelt before he faced her.

    Shi Enxi was a bit surprised by the closeness of their faces and once again, she could feel her heart pounding loudly. She couldn''t help but get worried since it might be pounding so loud that Lu Mello might hear it!

    She clenched her fist and tried to remain calm, "What?"

    Lu Mello didn''t say a thing, he just leaned and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

    Shi Enxi wasn''t expecting for a kiss so when he did it, her eyes bulge out as if they were going to fall out of her sockets.

    He leaned back and looked seriously at her, "Since you are my wife now, you are not allowed to have any other men in your heart, okay?"

    She snapped out from her trance upon hearing his words. For some reason, she felt something warm growing in her c.h.e.s.t. It was something that she never felt but she didn''t hate the feeling, in fact, she loved the warmth that was growing. "Don''t worry, if it''s loyalty as a wife that you want, then I will give it to you but you have to do the same. I won''t sit still if I found out that you have another woman. Fan Xiao Yao, or whoever she is, I''m going to burn her alive in front of your eyes."

    He chuckled lightly. "Ah, my cruel little wife." He leaned and kissed her forehead. "Be rest assured, you are the only one."

    "Good." She held his collar and gave him a kiss on his lips.

    Lu Mello placed his hand on the headrest for support, his other hand on her waist as he kissed her back.

    Shi Enxi was an amateur in it and she knew that herself that''s why she allowed Lu Mello to take over the kiss. She allowed him to deepen the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck as the kiss they shared became so passionate.

    He was taking in so much in the kiss. With her permission, he slipped his tongue in her mouth and caught her soft tongue.

    Seconds turned to minutes and Lu Mello finally pulled away from it. He panted, "Breathe, little wife."

    Hearing his words, she exhaled hard. She was out of breath, her cheeks were pink and she looked at Lu Mello with glistening eyes. It was Lu Mello''s first time in seeing her so bashful.

    She leaned and buried her blushing face on the crook of his neck.

    She stuttered, "H-How..." She paused and inhaled deeply to calm her shaking self. "How many girls have you kissed to be able to be this good?"

    He chuckled lightly, "Do you want me to be honest?"

    She pursed her lips at his words. Why was it that she was feeling a sting in her c.h.e.s.t?

    He must have kissed so many girls, right? When she thought that he has kissed Fan Xiao Yao this way, she ended up clenching her fists tight until her knuckles went white.

    "You are the only one I have ever kissed."

    She pulled back and looked at him in disbelief. "No way!"

    He smiled at her, "It''s true. I have never kissed another girl. Although I have received kisses from my mother during my childhood days, is that included?"

    "How about Fan Xiao Yao?"

    He blinked a few times, "No. I have never kissed her. I am a gentleman you know. I will never force a kiss on someone if I know that they won''t like it!"

    She raised a brow at him in disbelief, crossing her arms. "A gentleman?"

    He cleared his throat before he reasoned out, "It''s only normal for a husband to kiss his wife, right?"

    How dare he use that card on her!

    "And you were the one who kissed me first, remember?"

    "I didn''t kiss you first!"

    "Yes, you did! I just kissed back!"

    "..." Well... That may be true.

    Shi Enxi sighed in defeat, "Just get in the car already. Aren''t we still going to buy my s.e.xy undies for tonight?"

    "Oh right! Let''s continue this later~"

 Chapter 40 - Spoilt Wife

    Arriving at the mall, Lu Mello accompanied her to the department store and followed her as she really went to buy additional u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r for herself. She even bought additional dresses and other clothing''s that caught her attention.

    "Um... Aren ''t we just here to buy your undies?" Lu Mello once asked.

    Shi Enxi smirked while holding his limited edition black card that has a golden line in it. "I still need to buy that, that and that!"

    When Lu Mello first handed it to her, she was dumbstruck by it since it was the legendary king of all cards. The limit of the card was was extremely high and so was the annual fee although anyone who held the card would receive the first-class service worldwide. The only ones who held this rare platinum card were politicians or billionaires.

    The only reason why Shi Enxi gave in and bought the kind of u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r that Lu Mello wanted for her was that she wanted to try using that card.

    The salespeople who saw Shi Enxi holding out the card instantly treated them like VIPs.

    There were so many things that attracted Shi Enxi. From bags to shoes to accessories, she felt like she could buy anything no matter how big the price was!

    Lu Mello quietly followed his wife and wondered when will she be contented? It wasn''t just one cart that was full, the third cart was almost on it!

    After being roaming around the women''s apparel, they had their dinner in one of the famous restaurants there. Not long, they went back and this time, they entered the men''s apparel.

    "I think you need new clothes!"

    "... No... I have enough clothes and things-"

    "Hush! Listen to your wife, Mr. Lu." Her smile was so wide and her eyes were sparkling brightly like stars that Lu Mello wasn''t able to refute.

    She clung onto his arm and started another round of shopping for him. She made him tried different suits and even shoes. The mall was already closing but Shi Enxi wasn''t in a hurry to go out. As long as they were there then the mall will have to extend their opening hours!

    Their last stop was the jewelry store. "Darling, there''s something lacking in this marriage."

    Even if Lu Mello was tired from walking around, he didn''t complain even once since it was their first day as being husband and wife. He decided to let her be for that day. "Hm? What is it?"

    She raised her hand, "You didn''t give me a ring! You need to buy me one!"

    He smiled at her, "I have already one for you."

    "Then why didn''t you give it to me?"

    "I was planning to give it to you tonight."

    "Oh..." She pouted and looked at the rings in front of her. "Are they better than the ones here?"

    "Of course, after all, it''s a custom-made ring."

    Her eyes glistened in delight, "Alright! I''ll wait until we get home then!"

    Shi Enxi was in a very good mood after shopping with him. Lu Mello''s car trunk was so full that the rest of the things that Shi Enxi bought were placed at the backseat since it couldn''t fit in the trunk anymore.

    By the time they went back to the hospital, they were able to get their results and consult a doctor about it. They were both nonreactive in every test they took and with that, the couple went home.

    Shi Enxi was fast asleep on their way home.

    Upon arriving in the paradise-like estate, Beijing''s most famous and well-known estate. It had tight security and not anyone could enter it so easily.

    Lu Mello''s servants took the things away from the car and brought everything in the master''s bedroom.

    Shi Enxi woke up when she felt Lu Mello''s warm touch. She opened her sleepy eyes only to see Lu Mello''s close face.

    He was carrying her in his arms and was heading to his room.

    "Are we home?"

    Lu Mello turned to her with a soft smile. He was glad that Shi Enxi was considering his place as her home. It looked like allowing her to shop for a while with his card lessened the distance between them.

    "Yes, we''re home." He entered his room and gently placed her on his bed. "I know you''re tired so go to sleep."

    "But..." She paused. It was their wedding night, right?

    He knew what she was about to say that''s why he said, "We can delay our wedding night." He placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "I''ll prepare a warm bath for you, okay? After that, you can continue to have your rest. You can unpack tomorrow instead."

    Shi Enxi watched him head to the bathroom. She noticed that the things she bought for them were placed on one side of the room with her bags beside them.

    Even if there were times where Lu Mello was being shameless and straightforward, his thoughtfulness towards her touched her heart.

    His caring side was new to her. He never stopped her earlier no matter how spoiled she acted. He was very patient on her and he never complained.

    Now that they at home, he didn''t force her into sleeping with him even if she knew how excited he was about it earlier.

    How can he treat her this way even after knowing everything about her? He knew her horrible past, he knew that she was the person behind Wang Hao''s accident even if she continued to deny it. Wasn''t marrying her was a one way of keeping an eye at her? But what was this? Why was he acting like a real husband to a horrible woman like her?

    Her sleepiness was gone despite the tiredness she felt. She got off the bed and went to the bathroom instead.

    Lu Mello was facing his back on her since he was filling the tub with warm water.

    She stared at him quietly before she took her clothes one by one.

    Feeling another presence in the bathroom, Lu Mello turned to look at the person only to find her standing before him in her u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r.

    "Help me wash my back." She unhooked her bra and was about to take it off but Lu Mello was fast enough to grab a towel and wrap it around her.

    "What are you doing?"

    She looked at him and smiled blankly, "Are you blind or what? I''m here to take a bath, although I will need your help to wash my back. How about we take a bath together instead?"

 Chapter 41 - Extra-large c.o.n.d.o.ms

    "If I''m going to take a bath with you, you know that it won''t only be a simple bath, right?!"

    Shi Enxi smirked at how fl.u.s.tered Lu Mello was. "Am I that enticing to you that you wouldn''t be able to control yourself from attacking me?"

    "You''re more than enticing!" He took a step away from her.

    She pulled away the towel that was covering her body before she took a step forward. "Why are you backing away, Mr. Lu?"

    Shi Enxi took the opportunity to corner him against the wall. She placed her hand on his shoulders as she leaned close, pressing her soft b.r.e.a.s.ts against his c.h.e.s.t.

    Lu Mello''s body was well-built and he was even taller than her and yet here he was, being pressed against the wall by his naughty little wife as she teased him. His eyes darkened at her closeness, "Xi''er, don''t."

    She played with his collar for a bit then her fingers went to unbutton the first button of his polo. "Can you resist not having me?"

    "How can I? I really wanted to have a taste of you." His hands traveled to her waist, feeling the softness of her skin against his palm ignited a fire in his body.

    "Then? Why are you holding back? Weren''t you waiting for this earlier? Where''s that desperation you have for me?"

    "I wanted to give you time to decide, Mrs. Lu. I wanted you to be sure of it because once you made up your mind on it, there''s no turning back. You will no longer have a chance to change your mind."

    "My, my, how sweet of you, Mr. Lu." She tiptoed and placed a soft kiss on his neck. She then turned to him, her eyes smiling at him. "Do I look like I am unsure of this? If you continue to resist like this, won''t it be..." She paused and traveled her hand to the tent that was between his t.h.i.g.hs.

    "Won''t it be bad for your body?" She whispered seductively, her eyes were twinkling like stars as she locked her eyes on him.

    As he looked at her, the flames in his body we''re consuming him more and more. "A good wife shouldn''t say such trifling words."

    "And a good husband shouldn''t let his wife wait. It''s our wedding night and yet here I am making advances on you when you should be the one doing it."

    He has never seen her so provocative, even in their past. This side of Shi Enxi could drive any man crazy! Who the hell could resist a woman like her?

    He took her lips and kissed her but this time, a kiss could no longer satisfy him. Lu Mello changed their positions, this time, Shi Enxi was the one being cornered against the wall. He kissed her neck, then collarbone. He slipped her unhooked bra and it fell on the floor. He moved his kisses to her b.r.e.a.s.ts.

    The m.o.a.ns that came from her cheered him into continuing their heated session.

    When Shi Enxi felt that he was about to pull down her only remaining cloth, her u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r, she quickly held on his hands to stop him.

    Lu Mello paused and looked at her with his breath accelerating. His lips were wet, looking so alluring as he licked it with his tongue. Just by the sight of seeing how s.e.xy he did that could make any girls clench their legs. He really was so hot at that moment.

    Shi Enxi''s slight movements brought her closer against him. His bulge was even bigger. Lu Mello looked like he was about to lose control.

    "Mr. Lu... I almost forgot to tell you..." Her lips curled up into a sly smirk. "We can''t do it today. You don''t want to get bloody do you have ?"

    "Bloody?" Lu Mello was in a daze.

    "It''s the second day of my period." She touched his lips with her finger. "I''m sorry to disappoint you, darling. We really have to move our wedding night. If you don''t believe me, you can check on it but it will be nasty, you don''t want that do you?"

    His lips were stretched into a thin line which made him look stern. He grumbled with gritted teeth, "Why do women have to have periods?"

    Lu Mello held Shi Enxi''s hand and brought it to his erection, "I feel so awful."

    Shi Enxi looked down and stared at his tent, "That really looks so awful."

    "Help me with it, sweetheart."

    Shi Enxi''s pink cheeks became red as she shot her head at him. Help him with it?!

    Lu Mello smirked mischievously at her. Did she think that she could just easily escape him after teasing him so much?

    "But darling, I don''t know how."

    "I will teach you."

    He pulled away from her and shortly, a click was heard as Lu Mello unbuckled his belt. He unzipped his pants. With his pants off, Shi Enxi saw the impressive bulge against his u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r.

    This time, Shi Enxi confirmed that those extra-large c.o.n.d.o.ms he bought earlier were really his size! He wasn''t lying about it at all! She even teased him about it earlier, telling him that he just wanted to impress her but... it was true!

    When she saw Lu Mello pulled it out and placed it on her hand, the heat of it made her heart race.

 Chapter 42 - I can hear the both of you, loud and clear.

    Shi Enxi felt her hand was sore after helping Lu Mello in dealing with his business and she was already regretting on teasing him earlier.

    Lu Mello joined Shi Enxi and took a bath together with her. At the end of it, Shi Enxi changed into her pajamas. Lu Mello helped her in drying her hair since she didn''t want to carry any heavy things at the moment.

    "I''m hungry." Shi Enxi sighed.

    "I''m all clean, should I serve myself to you right now?"

    "..." In response to it, a small grumble was heard from Shi Enxi''s stomach.

    Lu Mello chuckled lightly, "Alright, I''ll prepare you some real food."

    After he dried and brushed her hair, he went out of the room to get some food for her.

    Meanwhile, Shi Enxi decided to look around his room. His room was neat and beneath the balcony was the swimming pool. The place was so big and she could see the wide garden from the room as well. It was so beautiful and serene.

    She decided to go out of the room and walk around until her feet brought her to the kitchen. The strong smell of the stir-fried rice Lu Mello was cooking hit her nostrils.

    "So that''s why you''re not coming back yet." She walked toward him and stood beside him.

    "Hm? You couldn''t hold your hunger any longer?"

    "Yep. My stomach is complaining so much."

    "Don''t worry, it''s almost done." He leaned and placed a kiss on her temple before he focused on the food he was cooking.

    A faint blush appeared on Shi Enxi''s cheeks. The way he was treating her was making her heart jump all of a sudden!

    Why was he being so sweet to her? Even if they know each other for so long, this was their first time in being a couple, right? The wall she has for others was something that Lu Mello was breaking off so easily.

    No! She has to stay strong and alert!

    Shi Enxi refused to believe that he was being genuine to her. She just can''t trust him so easily! She was not going to fall for his trap! She only needs to be ready for whatever he has planned for her. For now, she''ll play along with him in their married couples roleplay.

    "Here I was wondering who was in the kitchen, it''s actually just the two of you."

    Shi Enxi turned and saw an elderly woman.

    Lu Mello turned off the stove and turned to the elderly woman with a smile. "Nanny Mo, shouldn''t you be asleep right now?"

    "How can I? I could smell something delicious from my room."

    Lu Mello chuckled softly, "I have cooked enough food for us, you can join us."

    "I would love to." Mo Jing turned to Shi Enxi with a kind smile. "Ah, are you the woman that Mello has been talking about to me lately?"

    Shi Enxi blinked a few times. He was talking about her?

    Lu Mello grinned and place his hand on Shi Enxi''s waist, "Nanny Mo, meet my wife Shi Enxi. Xi''er, this is Mo Jing, the head maid in this place. She is a part of my family here."

    "Ah, so you finally married her?" Mo Jing chuckled lightly. "It''s nice to finally meet you, Madam Lu. You can just address me as Nanny Mo."

    Since Mo Jing didn''t look like a threat to her, she smiled back and politely said, "Likewise, Nanny Mo. Also, you don''t have to address me that way. You can just call me Xixi."

    "Anyway, enough with this formalities!" Lu Mello interrupted with a bright smile on his lips. "Darling, Nanny Mo, please take your seats. It''s almost done!"

    The two women went to the dining table and took their seats.

    While waiting for the food, Shi Enxi decided to have a conversation with Mo Jing by asking, "Nanny Mo, if you don''t mind, may I ask what kind of things Mello told you?"

    "He told me that you were a very beautiful woman." Mo Jing grinned, "And that seemed to be true."

    "If I have to be honest, I always thought that Mello here will end up with someone else."

    Shi Enxi knew who Mo Jing was pertaining to. It looked like Fan Xiao Yao was well known in the Lu family. Everyone approved of her for Lu Mello.

    "But I guess, in life, things won''t always go the way we want." She placed her hand on Shi Enxi''s arm. "The marriage between you and Mello might be abrupt but I know that one day, your feelings for each other will become mutual."

    Mo Jing could see how well-mannered Shi Enxi was. She has been working under the Lu family for years and she has met different kind of people so she could tell if one was just pretending to be nice. She noticed that there was still a bit distance between the two couple but she knew it would only be a matter of time before that would disappear. She saw the chemistry she had with Lu Mello when they interact with each other so she was not totally against her.

    "Thank you Nanny Mo." Shi Enxi smiled shyly at her. "You seems to be really close to him."

    "I took care of him ever since he was a child." Just then, a wonderful thought entered her mind. "Do you want to see his childhood photos?"

    Shi Enxi''s eyes sparkled in delight, "I would love to see some of his baby pictures."

    "Mello has always been an adorable child but now..." She paused and sighed, "Even if he''s the usual cheerful boy I have taken care off, that adorableness of his has leveled up. There were times where I wished that he''ll remain a sweet little boy, you know."

    Lu Mello cleared his throat, a faint blush on his cheeks. "I can hear the both of you, loud and clear."

    Mo Jing chuckled, "It''s not like we''re trying to keep this conversation from you."

    Shi Enxi nodded. She leaned and hugged Mo Jing''s arm from the side, "Nanny Mo is right. What''s wrong with talking about you?"

    "There''s nothing wrong in it." Lu Mello was pleased to see that the two were getting along with each other. He placed the bowls of stir-fried rice with beef in front of them.

 Chapter 43 - Gold digger

    Shi Enxi was in a good mood and had fun talking with Mo Jing especially when she has so many stories that she kept on telling her. If not for Lu Mello, the two ladies would probably keep talking until morning!

    Shi Enxi and Lu Mello went back to their room since it was already late, 1 in the morning.

    She was not feeling sleepy at all plus she was still full so she can''t just go to bed with her stomach full that''s why she decided to unpack her things.

    Including the things that Shi Enxi brought from her condo and the things that she bought at the mall, she couldn''t arrange them all by herself!

    Good thing Lu Mello was there to help her. He brought her things to the walk-in closet he has in his room.

    The closet was so big and the rich wood textures gave a high-class look to this large closet space, everything was arranged so perfectly although Shi Enxi noticed that half of the room was empty. Empty shelves, empty racks, and drawers. Lu Mello brought her things towards that side.

    "I have arranged everything so this part will be for your clothes and other girly stuff."

    Shi Enxi never saw such huge luxury walk-in closet! There was even a sofa inside! What was that for?

    Ah... Marrying Lu Mello was totally the right choice! She knew that his family was a big shot but she never imagined it to be this way! He has a rare black card, he was also living in one of Beijing''s most expensive mansion!

    It was just her first day and yet, he has so many surprises in his sleeves. If it were these kinds of lovely surprise, then she wouldn''t mind being with him at all!

    She really hit the jackpot this time, didn''t she? She really should treat Lu Mello well. Yup! Starting from now on, she was going to be a good wife to him!

    She felt strong arms that we''re wrapped around her waist, "Sweetheart, you can just fix your things tomorrow. Let''s go to bed, shall we?"

    Shi Enxi ended up nodding in agreement. "Okay." She has so many things and she needed more time to unpack it. It was not the right time to fix her things, right?

    They went out of the closet and went to lie down on their bed.

    The moment Shi Enxi lied down on the soft mattress, she sighed in content. This was the first night of her marriage life... The first night of being a Queen.

    She snuggled against Lu Mello when he lied down beside her. "Darling, if you die, will all of your riches become mine?"

    "..." Uh... Die?

    Lu Mello looked at her, a bit startled with what she suddenly said.

    Shi Enxi was in a bright mood. She didn''t need to pretend in front of Lu Mello since she has shown her true colors to him already. She rested her head on his c.h.e.s.t.

    When will his wife stop having such impure thoughts and for once just behave? "I don''t have to die just for you to have everything of mine. You are my wife, all of this belongs to you."

    Shi Enxi was pleased with what he said. She turned to him and leaned, giving him a soft kiss on his lips. "I will trust those words, okay?"

    He chuckled amusedly. "I didn''t know that my wife is actually a little gold digger."

    "Who wouldn''t love gold?" She refuted back. "I''m even willing to marry an old man if he''s this rich! But luckily, you''re the one I married. My husband is handsome and rich!"

    He pouted, "I suddenly feel hurt. You''re only after the riches I have, not the love I have for you."

    She placed her hand on his cheek, "I don''t need you to shower me with your love, just shower me with all of this wealth then I am all yours!"

    "..." This part of his wife was not cute at all! Nope, not cute at all!

    Shi Enxi closed her eyes Nd let out a soft yawn. "I am free tomorrow..." She whispered sleepily. "Darling... There''s this limited edition bag... that will be coming out tomorrow." Another yawn was heard from her. "... I really want to have one."

    Soon after, her breathing became even.

    Lu Mello couldn''t believe that she even dared to ask for something before going to sleep! She didn''t even say goodnight to him! What kind of wife was she?!

 Chapter 44 - Burn his place down

    Early in the morning, Shi Enxi was woken up by loud purrs. She felt her body heavy as if someone was sitting on her.

    Her brows were knitted together since she was feeling so uncomfortable.

    What was Lu Mello up to now? This was the first thought that entered her mind.

    She squinted her eyes open, instead of seeing Lu Mello''s face, she saw a big spotted cat''s face staring down at her.

    "..." It wasn''t just a simple cat... It was a cheetah!

    Shi Enxi felt her heart was in her throat when she saw the cheetah''s standing on top of her.

    "M-Mello..." She tried to call out to him with a weak voice.

    A low growl was heard from the cheetah instead. His eyes narrowed at her.

    Shi Enxi could feel Lu Mello sleeping beside her so peacefully. How can he sleep like a baby when there was a wild animal in their room?!

    Under the blanket, she pinched Lu Mello''s side hardly to wake him up.

    "Ow! Who did that?!" Lu Mello g.r.o.a.n.e.d in pain as he woke up.

    The cheetah turned its head toward Lu Mello.

    "M-Mello..." Even if Shi Enxi loved all kinds of cats, having a wild one in front of her made her scared!

    Lu Mello heard the frightened tone coming from Shi Enxi which made him turn his head to her only to see that a cheetah was standing on top of her.

    Shi Enxi''s eyes were becoming teary. Was she going to be eaten alive by the cheetah? She shuddered at the thought. She was too scared to scream out since she was afraid that the cheetah might suddenly bite on her to shut her up.

    He blinked a few times at the sight. He sat up, chuckling lightly, "Wife, don''t be scared, alright? I''m here."

    How can he be so calm?! He even has the audacity to stroke her hair in front of the cheetah! Can''t he see that she was sinking in the bed because of the weight on top of her?!

    Finally, Lu Mello turned to the cheetah. "Timmy, you''re scaring my wife. Get off her."

    Timmy?

    The cheetah named Timmy turned his curious gaze to Shi Enxi. She was a new face in the house so it was only normal for him to have his guards up.

    "Come on now, Timmy. Be good. Don''t crush my wife any further."

    This time, Timmy got off her and instead, he went to Lu Mello and rubbed his head against him.

    Lu Mello smiled and started petting his head.

    Shi Enxi was still in a state of shock. What just happened?

    She slowly sat up and moved away from them.

    Lu Mello turned to her and smiled. "Xi''er, meet Timmy." He casually introduced to her.

    Timmy once again looked at Shi Enxi.

    "This cheetah... Is yours?"

    "Yes."

    Damn! Super rich people really have it different! Even their pets are something that is not so easy to attain!

    "Timmy, from now on, she''ll be living with us so treat her well, okay?" Lu Mello continued to run his fingers on his fur. "She is a very important person to me so get along with her."

    The animal seemed to understand what Lu Mello was telling. He took a step forward and started sniffing Shi Enxi, as if memorizing her scent.

    Shi Enxi remained still since Timmy was sniffing her all around. After he was done he jumped off the bed and walked toward the balcony.

    She was finally able to breath out after Timmy left the room through the balcony.

    A soft chuckle was heard from Lu Mello. "You''ll get used to him. He always comes to visit my room every morning to check on me."

    "..." Does that mean that she has to experience something like this every morning?! She better close all the windows and even the balcony door every night then!

    As if seeing through her thoughts, Lu Mello chuckled and didn''t say a thing.

    Shi Enxi narrowed her eyes as she looked at Lu Mello. Was he enjoying how scared she was earlier? "What are you laughing at?"

    "Nothing." He lied down and pulled her back to him. "It''s too early, let''s go back to sleep."

    "Don''t you have work?" Shi Enxi didn''t push him away. She remained still in his arms.

    "I cleared my schedule today since you said you are free."

    "..."

    Was he being sweet or annoying?

    Her encounter with Lu Mello''s pet made her remember of her own cat, Vanilla. "Wait, I need to give someone a call."

    "Who are you going to call?"

    "Fan Xiao Yao." After mentioning the name, Shi Enxi looked closely at him to see what reaction he''ll make.

    Lu Mello knew what Shi Enxi was trying to do but he remained calm and normal, showing no reaction to her at the mention of Fan Xiao Yao. He smiled and released her, "Go on."

    Shi Enxi pursed her lips when she didn''t see any changes on him. She was about to reach out her phone when she noticed a ring on her finger.

    The platinum ring had a diamond in the middle and on each side of it, there were three small diamonds. Overall, the ring had 7 diamonds in it. Just by looking at it, she knew that the ring''s price could make anyone''s wallet cry!

    She turned to Lu Mello who has his eyes closed. Did he put it on her last night?

    A small smile appeared on her lips. How sweet.

    She took her phone and was about to dial Fan Xiao Yao but her phone started ringing, it was a call from Huang Li.

    She got off the bed and went toward the balcony. She made sure that Timmy wasn''t around, in case he might jump on her all of a sudden.

    She answered the call, "Hello?"

    "He has woken up."

    Huang Li didn''t have to mention a name, Shi Enxi knew who he was talking about. Her mood changed and her look became dark. "When did he woke up?"

    "Just a few hours ago. What do you want me to do?"

    Shi Enxi took a glance at Lu Mello''s figure that was lying down on the bed for a while.

    Lu Mello was keeping an eye at her right? If she did something and tried to kill Wang Hao again, she might be caught by him. She needed to lie low for now. "Don''t do anything for now."

    "Alright."

    Huang Li understood her situation so he agreed with her. Aside from that, he wanted Shi Enxi to lie low since Wang Hao might come to doubt her if she tried to kill him again.

    "Oh yeah, can you check on Vanilla today?"

    "She should be fine since she''s with Fan Xiao Yao right?"

    She huffed, "I don''t trust her. She might even forget to give Vanilla some food!"

    He chuckled lightly. Vanilla was Shi Enxi''s baby and he knew how protective Shi Enxi could get over her cat. "Alright, I''ll check on her."

    "Thank you, gege."

    "Mm. Anyway, how''s your first day with him? Is he treating you well?" He asked curiously.

    Shi Enxi ended up looking at the ring on her finger and her mood becoming lighter. "Of course. If he''s been treating me badly, I would have burned his place last night!"

    "If you need help, just let me know."

    When she thought of burning his place... She suddenly felt sorry for all the expensive items inside. Nope, she was not going to burn this place down.

    She remembered Lu Mello''s words that everything he has now belonged to her so if she was going to burn the place then wouldn''t she be burning her things along with it? Tch, burning the place down was such a bad idea.

    Hearing Shi Enxi''s lively voice, Huang Li knew that everything was going well on her side. "I should hang up now. I''ll give you a call later after I check on Vanilla."

    "Okay, bye, gege."

 Chapter 45 - Married

    Shi Enxi went back to the bed and lied down beside Lu Mello.

    Feeling her beside him, he turned and hugged her to him. She ignored him and instead she stared at the ring on her finger with a smile.

    It was still so early in the morning, almost 6 am and yet she was now fully awake. She turned and looked at Lu Mello''s sleeping face for a while.

    She snuggled close to him and closed her eyes but the moment she did, she remembered Huang Li''s words which ruined her mood.

    Wang Hao was awake... She was trying to kill him all this time and yet she has to start thinking of another plan all over again. If it weren''t for Lu Mello, she would have taken care of him already.

    She opened her eyes, her face void of expression. She unwrapped Lu Mello''s arm around her before she got out of the bed. She decided to head to the bathroom and take a bath.

    By the time Lu Mello woke up, he saw her all dressed up. She was wearing a black long wig that was similar to her the hairstyle she had back then.

    "Where are you going?"

    Shi Enxi smiled at him, "Since I am free today, I am going to visit my uncle."

    Lu Mello frowned deeply. "You''re going to visit that bastard?"

    "He is still my uncle. And besides, I just want to check on him, what''s wrong with that? I heard that he woke up."

    "Then I''m going to come with you."

    "You don''t have to, I can handle myself-"

    "I am your husband. Don''t you think that it''s just normal for you to introduce me to them as well?" He interrupted her.

    Shi Enxi stared at him for a while, the smile she had on her face disappeared. "I''ll wait for you in the dining room."

    She was about to leave but she was stopped when Lu Mello called her, "Xi''er."

    She turned to him, "What?"

    "Come here."

    She blinked a few times. What was he up to now?

    She walked toward him and stood beside the bed.

    Lu Mello stared up at her and smiled. He stood up and bowed his head, placing a soft kiss of her forehead. "You don''t have to hide anything from me, Xi''er."

    Shi Enxi clenched her fists tight. She averted her gaze from him, "I''m not hiding anything from you."

    She turned away and headed toward the door.

    Lu Mello didn''t stop her. He quietly watched her leave the room. Even if it was not obvious, with the way Shi Enxi was at that moment, he could feel that she was up to no good.

    He heaved out a sigh. She just won''t stop until she gets her revenge, won''t she?

    Should he make a move before she does?

    ---

    Back in Rosarium dormitory, Fan Xiao Yao was already up early that morning to do her exercise.

    Her schedule was full every day since she had to make preparations for the audition.

    The video that Shi Enxi posted using her Weibo account was now one of the most searched topics on Weibo. The video gained so many views and her followers increased in a great amount because of that.e

    Last night, the director of ''The Legend of Day Ying'' even DMed her. Asking her if she was willing to play the role of Sun Bore.

    She didn''t give a reply yet since she still has to let Shi Enxi know about it but Shi Enxi didn''t come home since yesterday. Should she give her a call?

    She was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the doorbell rang.

    When she thought that it might be Shi Enxi, she hurriedly went and opened the door only to see Huang Li standing before her.

    The smile on her face instantly turned into a frown. "What are you doing here? Xi''er is not here."

    "I came to check on Vanilla."

    "Vanilla is doing well with me so you can now take your leave."

    Huang Li remained still in front of her and instead, he smiled. "I have to see her with my own eyes. It''s Xiao Xi''s orders."

    "Do you know where Xi''er is? She didn''t come home last night." Fan Xiao Yao worriedly asked.

    "She''ll be living with Lu Mello starting from now on. She''ll come here from time to time to check on you." Huang Li knew Fan Xiao Yao''s previous relationship with Lu Mello but he didn''t care if she''ll get hurt. He just stated the truth since she was asking.

    "She''s... Living with Mello?"

    "Yes, they''re a married couple now."

    "... Married?"

    Fan Xiao Yao stood still, she could feel her c.h.e.s.t tightening because of the sudden news. She looked at Huang Li and forced out a smile, "You''re here to check on Vanilla, right? Come in..."

    She turned her back to him and headed straight to her room.

    Huang Li knew the look she had on her face well since he was the same after he found out about it. He could see how much she was hurt after hearing the news from him.

    He entered the place and closed the door behind him. He didn''t say a thing, he just went and looked for Vanilla.

    Vanilla was l.i.c.k.i.n.g her bowl of milk that Fan Xiao Yao poured for her earlier.

    Huang Li sat down and stroked her thick fur while she was busy drinking her milk.

    The whole time he was there, Fan Xiao Yao didn''t go out of her room. He was so to leave so it was only normal to let her know, right?

    He knocked on Fan Xiao Yao''s door. "Fan Xiao Yao, I will be taking my leave now."

    No response.

    "Fan Xiao Yao?"

    Out of curiosity, he held the door''s knob and took a peek in. He saw Fan Xiao Yao''s figure on the bed. She was hugging her knees and her face was buried on her knees.

    Was she... Crying? She must be, right? After all, who wouldn''t be hurt after finding out that your close friend and the man you have always loved were already married?

 Chapter 46 - Arent you a busy man?

    Huang Li could see Fan Xiao Yao''s shaking shoulders.

    She was really crying...

    He didn''t want to mind her business but if he left her like that, Shi Enxi might not like it, right? After all, Fan Xiao Yao was now her artist and taking care of her was her job.

    Wasn''t Shi Enxi reading for Fan Xiao Yao''s big screen time?

    What should he do? He was not close to Fan Xiao Yao so he can''t just go and comfort her for Shi Enxi''s sake.

    Just then, he felt Vanilla rubbing her head on his ankle. He looked down and stared at the cat for a while.

    He gently pushed the cat inside Fan Xiao Yao''s room with his foot before he closed the door without making a sound.

    Vanilla was displeased with what Huang Li did. She was looking at the door and meowed loudly.

    Her meows caught Fan Xiao Yao''s attention.

    "Vanilla... How did you come in?"

    The white feline turned to Fan Xiao Yao with a look as if saying, ''Are you an idiot? Do you think that I can open this huge door all by myself?''

    Somehow, the way the cat looked at her reminded her of Shi Enxi.

    Fan Xiao Yao''s lips curled up a bit. She wiped her face dry before she got off the bed and went to pick Vanilla.

    "Meow!" Vanilla tried to struggle from Fan Xiao Yao''s hold.

    "I guess... You don''t like me too, right?" She sat and placed the cat on the ground. "Am I that hateful?"

    Vanilla stared at Fan Xiao Yao''s teary gaze for a while.

    ''Since you''ve been feeding me delicious food, I''ll let you touch my fur just this once silly human!'' Vanilla jumped on her and rubbed its head against Fan Xiao Yao''s cheek.

    Fan Xiao Yao was surprised by what the cat did. Vanilla usually didn''t like being touched by others but at that moment, she was rubbing her head on her!

    A soft chuckle escaped her lips, "You''re just like your master."

    When the cat saw that Fan Xiao Yao was smiling, she jumped off her and turned to the door as if wanting to go out.

    "You want to go out?" She stood up and opened the door for Vanilla.

    Vanilla went out and casually went to the living room.

    Fan Xiao Yao was about to close the door but she suddenly smelt something from the kitchen. She went and saw Huang Li, cooking something.

    Eh? Didn''t Huang Li leave?

    "Why are you still here?" Fan Xiao Yao couldn''t help but ask.

    "Xiao Xi told me to check on you." He smoothly lied.

    "Oh... I see..."

    When he took a glance at her, he saw her red and puffy eyes. He turned back to the omelet he was cooking. "Instead of thinking about other things, you should focus on your work. Do you want to get scolded by Xiao Xi again?"

    Fan Xiao Yao looked at the wall clock and saw that she wasted too much time crying when she should be practicing the sword dance that Shi Enxi told her to do.

    She lowered her head, "I''m sorry."

    Didn''t she tell herself that she should stop being weak? And yet, there she was, being consumed by her sadness again.

    "Don''t apologize to me." He turned off the stove and transferred the food on the plate. "Here, you should eat up first."

    She clenched her fists tight and looked up at him, "Thank you, senior Huang."

    He walked toward her and patted her head, smiling at her. "I''m looking forward to seeing you on the screen."

    Her lips curled up into a soft smile. "I''ll work hard to make everyone love the character that I''ll be playing!"

    "That''s the spirit." He chuckled lightly. "I should take my leave now."

    "Ah, won''t you be joining me for breakfast?" Fan Xiao Yao invited.

    "I am a busy man. I have lives to save today as well."

    "Ohh... I wish you luck then! I hope that you''ll have a successful surgery!" She grinned brightly at him.

    Huang Li stared at Fan Xiao Yao''s smiling face for a while. Despite having red and puffy eyes, her smile was beautiful and genuinely sweet that unexpected warmth rushed in him.

    Fan Xiao Yao was grateful that Huang Li was there. Even if he didn''t do much, what he did make her feel better... especially with the cat. There was no way Vanilla could have entered her room on her own.

    "If you need someone to talk with, just chat me up." Hang Li offered all of a sudden.

    "Huh?"

    "Xiao Xi won''t be always there to listen to your complaints so I''ll lend you my ears."

    "Aren''t you a busy man?"

    "Mm, yeah, I am. Since I am a busy man, expect very slow replies from me."

    She giggled softly at what he said. "I''ll keep that in mind then."

    Huang Li took his phone out, "Give me your WeChat ID. I''ll add you."

    She blinked a few times, "... You were serious?" She thought that he was just kidding!

    "Of course. Besides, if I can''t reach Xiao Xi, I''ll have to contact you, right?"

    "But... There are times where I can''t contact Xi''er either... She usually ignores my messages."

    "Then I guess we have to look for her together." He chuckled. "Well? Are you going to give it to me or not?"

    "Well..." She looked at him for a while before she turned to her phone. "I guess it''s fine." She took his phone and typed her ID in it and added it.

    When Huang Li checked on her profile picture, it was a cute bunny, eating a huge carrot. Aside from that, Fan Xiao Yao''s ID in We Chat was ''CarrotKiller''

    "..." CarrotKiller?

    "There. That should be it. My phone is in my room so I''ll just accept your request later, okay?"

    Huang Li looked at her and nodded a bit, "Okay. I really should get going now."

    "Take care on your way, senior Huang!"

 Chapter 47 - Visitation

    In the hospital where Wang Hao was confined...

    Shi Enxi was carrying a plastic of fruits as she stood in front of Wang Hao''s room. The two guards standing beside the door was looking at her.

    Shi Enxi smiled at them. "I came to visit my uncle."

    The two guards knew who Shi Enxi was but they didn''t know who Lu Mello was. Only family members and Wang Hao''s personal doctor were the ones allowed in the room so they can''t just let anyone in.

    "This is my husband, Lu Mello. Surely you''ll allow him to go inside, right?

    Lu Mello? They were not familiar with that name, they only know the family name Lu.

    Lu was not a rare family name but there was one family that was well-known in the country. As they looked at Lu Mello, he has a serious look on his face and somehow, they felt like they saw him somewhere.

    Lu Mello was not known in the business world yet since he just entered it an took over his family business recently. He liked having a low profile as well so he didn''t go out in public with his family. Aside from that, he was working as a detective so he was busy dealing with different kinds of cases.

    He resembled someone. Who was it?

    Meanwhile, despite the blank look in Lu Mello''s face at that moment, he was celebrating inside since Shi Enxi was introducing him as her husband to everyone! Good! Good! Their relationship was getting better!

    Maybe he should buy her a few more limited edition bags later as a reward for being a good wife?

    Shi Enxi cleared her throat, "Can my husband come in? We came here to visit my uncle after all."

    "Alright."

    One of the guards opened the door for them.

    She smiled at them and thanked them before they entered.

    Shi Anhao was sitting on the chair beside her husband''s bedside and their two daughters were present as well.

    "Hello, Auntie, uncle, cousins." Shi Enxi greeted softly.

    Everyone turned to her.

    Shi Anhao was supposed to say something to Shi Enxi the moment she saw her but when she saw someone with her, she rolled back her tongue. Instead, she smiled at them, "Ah, Xiao Xi, it''s nice for you to come and finally visit us."

    Shi Enxi scoffed inside when she saw how fast Shi Anhao covered her disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e.

    "I''m sorry if I haven''t been visiting you lately. My brother is a strict person when it comes to working." She lied with a small smile.

    This was the second time that Shi Enxi was visiting Wang Hao. The first was when he was brought to the hospital after his accident.

    Shi Nansheng sneered at Shi Enxi. After what happened the last time they met, she was not going to be fooled by this pretentious bitch.

    Shi Enxi wasn''t worried about what Shi Nansheng at that moment. With Shi Ansheng''s pride, why would she tell others that she was beaten up by a weak looking Shi Enxi?

    "That''s understandable." Shi Anhao said with a small nod. Shi Yi has always been strict at work and ever since he took over the company that she and her husband temporary held, she was already planning ways to get it back from him. She turned to Lu Mello, "And who might he be?"

    Lu Mello was standing quietly beside Shi Enxi.

    Shi Ansheng and her sister, Shi Nansheng, were glancing at Lu Mello''s tall and handsome figure since earlier. The reason why they were behaving was they wanted to have a good impression in his eyes.

    Shi Enxi noticed her cousins'' l.u.s.tful gazes which made her sneer inside. "Oh, I brought him here with me since I wanted to introduce to you all to my husband, Lu Mello. He also wanted to visit auntie and uncle."

    "Husband?...!" Everyone was surprised by what she said.

    Since he is a Lu, does it mean that he''s the son of the most wealthy person in the country?!

    "The... Son of Lu Yifeng?" Wang Hao couldn''t help but ask curiously. He was Lu Yifeng once so he couldn''t be mistaken since the resemblance between him and Lu Mello was great!

    Shi Enxi nodded shyly, "We decided to get married first before holding the wedding ceremony. Uncle Wang was still in a coma and I didn''t want him to miss my big day."

    "You still should have told me about it." Shi Anhao had a disappointed look on her face as she looked at Shi Enxi. "You should have introduced him to us, Xiao Xi. I am still your guardian, if your parents were still here, what will they say if they suddenly found out that you decided on something without telling them?"

    Shi Enxi wanted to raise a brow at her. Her guardian? She even dared to mention her parents!

    She clenched tight the plastic she was holding. She lowered her head so that they wouldn''t be able to see her darkened expression and the killing intent in her eyes. With her head down, she looked more like a child who was scolded by her parent only Lu Mello who was standing beside her could see the look on her face.

    "Our marriage was abrupt." Lu Mello''s cello-like voice was heard.

    "Abrupt?"

    Shi Enxi tried her best to keep herself calm. She turned to Shi Anhao, looking uneasy. It was as if she was having a hard time telling the truth but in the end, she spoke up. "It was my brother''s decision and Mello''s parents. Grandma has agreed to it... They wanted the companies to strengthen its partnership with each other."

    Shi Anhao came into an understanding. "Oh... So it''s an arranged marriage? I''ve been away for a while that I''m not updated with any news lately." She heaved out a heavy sigh, she gave her a concerned look, "Since it''s an arranged marriage... You really don''t have a choice do you?"

    She stood up and went toward Shi Enxi. She grabbed her free hand and was looking worried at her, "You should have told me, Xiao Xi. Your parents wouldn''t want to force you in something like this. I could have done something to help you if you don''t agree with Shi Yi and mother."

    She could have done something to try and convince her mother to let him marry one of her daughters instead. Shi Anhao never expected that Shi Enxi would be so lucky to marry someone from the Lu family!

 Chapter 48 - Hypocrite

    Shi Ansheng and Shi Nansheng were filled with jealousy when they found out that Lu Mello was a big shot!

    Wasn''t there news about Lu Yifeng''s son taking over the business? It was said that Lu Yifeng''s son was like him who wanted to maintain a low profile that was why he would usually avoid going out in public.

    Now that the heir of the Lu family was standing before them, they could see how different he was from others! No wonder the air around him was so majestic!

    The side of Lu Mello''s lips curled into a smile. "Xi''er and I are good friends so we don''t mind getting married to each other, right, Xi''er?"

    Shi Enxi slowly nodded, she turned to her aunt and smiled a bit. "Mello is my childhood friend, Auntie so it''s alright. Just like what grandma told us, we will learn to love each other as we go on with this marriage life."

    Shi Nansheng stared at the two for a while. Learn to love each other? Hah! Let''s see that happen! Shi Enxi can''t have someone like him! She is better off with a beggar!

    If the two got a divorce then she surely would have a chance, right? All she needed to do was to make Lu Mello hate Shi Enxi. Yes! That was a good plan! Shi Nansheng was pleased with herself.

    "Ah, the mother is becoming old. She still can''t force someone into marriage. We are living in modern time but if you have made your mind then I guess I can''t have a say in it anymore." Shi Anhao sighed again. She then turned to the plastic bag that Shi Enxi was carrying. "What is this?"

    "I have brought fruits for uncle Wang." She handed the plastic to her aunt.

    Wang Hao, who was quiet since earlier finally spoke up, "Thank you, Xi''er."

    The fat man on the bed smiled at her. "Come here, it has been a while since I last saw you. I heard that I have been sleeping for weeks."

    He still couldn''t believe that Shi Enxi married someone. Oh well, he could easily control her into doing what he wanted to, after all, he has plenty of things to use as blackmail against her.

    Shi Enxi was about to go to him but she was stopped by Lu Mello. She turned to him, not expecting him to stop her.

    Lu Mello turned to his wristwatch, "Ah, look at the time..." He paused and turned to his wife''s relatives. "My wife and I have to pick up my grandmother so we have to take my leave now."

    "Is that so? Then I guess you could just visit some other time." Wang Hao sighed.

    "By that time, Mr. Wang might have been released from here. Look at how healthy you look, I bet you can go after a few days." Lu Mello didn''t want to stay in the room with them any longer.

    Shi Nansheng chuckled lightly, "Yes, brother Mello is right. Why don''t we invite them for a family dinner once dad is out of the hospital? How about it, Xiao Xi?" She was smiling so sweetly at her.

    In that way, she would be able to spend more time with Lu Mello, right? If she would be able to catch her attention then that would be great! Getting Shi Enxi out of the picture was going to be easy!

    Brother Mello?

    Shi Enxi wanted to laugh at how shameless Shi Nansheng was. Her skin was really thick to call Lu Mello that way when this was the first time they''re meeting!

    She turned to her husband and clung on Lu Mello''s arm as if showing off her closeness to him, "Darling, why don''t we do that? I know that your schedule is always full but can we make time for my family?"

    "For your sake then I''ll make time."

    Shi Nansheng clenched her fists right when she saw how close the two were. Weren''t it just an arranged marriage between them? Shi Enxi was getting ahead of herself!

    "Well then, we can''t stay here for long. I hope that you get better soon, uncle."

    ...

    After leaving the hospital, Shi Enxi noticed something different in Lu Mello. He was rather quiet and had a serious look on his face the whole time.

    What''s wrong with him? The air in the car was heavy that Shi Enxi couldn''t tolerate the deafening silence anymore.

    "Are we really picking up your grandma?" She tried to make a conversation with him but Lu Mello remained silent.

    "Mello?"

    "I thought that you knew how to tell a lie from the truth?" Lu Mello''s words seemed cold for some reason.

    He was looking at the scene outside of the glass window, there was no sign of warmth on his face.

    "If you have something to say then say it, I don''t like to play around and guess what your problem is."

    "You don''t like to play around?" He chuckled as if he heard a funny joke from her. "Are you being a hypocrite right now? That didn''t seem to be the case earlier. It seems like you have fun playing along with your relatives."

    Her brow twitched in annoyance, "So what? Do you have a problem with that?"

    "I do." He finally turned to her. "Tell me, Xi''er? Why do you need to hold back in front of them? Why do you have to go along with them? Aren''t you tired of pretending all so nice, so weak in front of them?"

    In the past, the only reason why she was doing that was because she wanted to use Shi Anhao to get into her brother''s nerve. Now that Shi Enxi was getting along with her brother, Lu Mello couldn''t understand why does she have to pretend in front of them?

    "If you continue to be this way then aren''t you just the same as them? Disgusting, two-faced people!"

 Chapter 49 - I want you to trust me

    Shi Enxi''s eyes darkened after hearing what Lu Mello called her. She clenched her fists right and glared at him.

    "What? Are you angry that I called you two-faced?" Lu Mello snickered. "Are you going to kill me?" He tilted his head and showed his neck at her. "Go on, why don''t you do it, sweetheart?"

    Liu Ying, who was in the driver''s seat gulped nervously when he heard how his master taunted Shi Enxi. He could feel how heavy the air was behind him so he decided to close the divider in hope that it would lessen the pressure on his side.

    "What are you waiting?" Lu Mello continued to stare down at her. "Here, why don''t you wrap your pretty fingers around my neck? Just like that night."

    When he saw that Shi Enxi wasn''t moving an inch and that she was just glaring at him, he continued to mock her. "What? Cat got your tongue?"

    He held her hands and brought it to his neck, "Here, I''m already doing you a favor."

    The more she saw Lu Mello''s taunting gaze, the more she felt irritated at him. She wanted to choke him but at the same time, she didn''t want to do what he wanted.

    She pulled back her hands, "Don''t test my patience, Mr. Lu."

    Lu Mello laughed lightly, "Can''t you see that I''m already doing that?"

    He leaned and held her chin, "Are you afraid of them?"

    She scoffed, "Afraid? Why would I be?"

    "Then? I am your husband, I have your back, why do you need to hold back? You don''t have to pretend in front of anyone anymore. You can do whatever you want, be whoever you want." His eyes were like abyss as he gazed at her.

    Shi Enxi felt her heart jump with his words. With a backer like Lu Mello, why does she have to hold back?

    She smirked at him, staring back at him. "Really? If I do whatever I want, you won''t like it. My husband is someone who abides the law, I might be arrested if I do something mean to them."

    "I''ll place you under house arrest." He stroked her lips with his thumb. "I know that you hate them but that doesn''t mean that you have to go as far as to kill them."

    "People like them should be killed." She didn''t show any hint of hesitation on her face, there was no sign of forgiveness towards her relatives.

    "Death is an easy way out, sweetheart."

    Shi Enxi raised a brow at him, "Oh really?"

    "Why yes. Do you know what''s worse than death?" He moved his face closer to her, their lips only a few inches apart. "It''s by living their lives in humiliation to the point where they are the ones who will want their lives to end."

    She never expected that Lu Mello was capable of saying words like that. The dangerous look in his eyes sent shivers in her whole body.

    "And how are you going to do that?" She was still doubting him a bit, after all, she can''t just trust him so easily, right? What if he suddenly betrayed her?

    "Leave everything to this husband of yours." He placed his lips against her soft ones, giving her a small peck before he leaned back a bit. "You can focus on your work and you can leave them to me."

    Shi Enxi''s face remained passive. Should she trust him? There was this part in her that told her to trust her but another part of her didn''t want to.

    Her lips slowly curled up into a smile that her eyes became two crescent moons with it, she threw her arms around his neck. "Ah, I didn''t know that my husband can be this crafty."

    She ran her fingers through his soft hair. "But just like what I told you before, I don''t want words. I want you to prove to me that you are someone I can trust when it comes to these things."

    "Of course, I won''t forget that."

    "Wang Hao." Her eyes turned icy at the mention of the name. "I want to see how you''ll handle him."

    He chuckled, "I am more than willing to take care of him."

    Was Lu Mello really willing to help her? How would he take care of him? Even if she wanted to kill Wang Hao, this time, she decided to sit still and watch how Lu Mello settles things with Wang Hao.

    What if it was actually a trap for her? She needed to prepare for a counter if that was the case! Lu Mello knew how to play his cards well. What if he was actually planning to do something to expose her?

    "Xi''er, even if it''s just this once... I want you to trust me." Lu Mello could see the doubt in her eyes and it pained him to see her that way.

    How can she trust him so easily? Why does he want to have her trust so badly?

    Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt a soft and warm touch on her forehead. It was then that she realized that Lu Mello placed a kiss on her forehead.

    The warm kiss that he placed on her forehead grew in her c.h.e.s.t. As Lu Mello hugged her close, she weirdly felt safe and for some reason, the worries that she was thinking of earlier, disappeared.

    His embrace was warm, and his big, strong arms seemed very protective when wrapped around her frail body. The world around her melted away as she hugged him back, not wanting the moment to end.

    Lu Mello''s hugs were different and the feelings it gave her were something she never felt in a long time from another person. His hugs were somehow similar to the hugs that her parents gave her, to the hug that her brother once gave her.

    She clenched into his clothes and buried her face into his shoulder. Even if she has her doubts on Lu Mello, one thing was for sure... This man... He genuinely cared for her. That alone made her give in.

    "Just this once..." If things went well and he really showed her that he was on her side then she''ll take the risk of putting her trust in him, in opening her heart to him.

 Chapter 50 - Are you broke again?

    After accompanying Shi Enxi in her shopping routine to brighten up her mood, Lu Mello dropped her by the Rosarium dormitory due to her request.

    "Should I come and pick you up later?" Asked Lu Mello, watching her as she took off her black wig.

    "No, you don''t have to. I''ll be staying here today."

    Lu Mello frowned, "Why?"

    "Didn''t I tell you back then that I will only be spending the weekends with you while weekdays are for my work." She looked at him with a smile. "Besides, we can''t continue on our wedding night since I''m still on my period."

    He pursed his lips and crossed his arms, "I do not agree with you not coming home to me during weekdays."

    "Then you just have to get used to it." She tied up her blonde hair into a ponytail before she took her glasses and wore it. When she saw the pout on Lu Mello''s lips, she couldn''t help but chuckle. She leaned and pecked his pouting lips lightly before she went out of the car. "Bye, darling."

    Lu Mello sighed in defeat. He watched Sho Enxi enter the building from inside the car.

    "Mr. Lu, where are we going now?"

    "To work." Lu Mello took his phone out and scanned through his contacts before making a call to someone.

    After a few rings, the call went through.

    "Hello?" A gentle and yet somewhat lazy voice of a man was heard from the other line.

    "Cousin Liqin, are you free?"

    "If you''re going to ask me to help you with something again, you have to pay your balance first." The man''s monotone''s voice said. "You still have a balance of 500,000 RMB and I will not accept any requests until you pay up."

    "..." Didn''t he have a balance of 100,000 RMB? How did it become that much?!

    "Qinqin, we are cousins, how can you treat me that way? I thought that you have given me a discount!"

    "What discount? I didn''t give you any."

    "... Are you broke again?" Lu Mello couldn''t help but ask.

    "..." Xia Liqin, Lu Mello''s cousin was silent on the other line.

    Lu Mello couldn''t help but heave out a heavy sigh when he didn''t hear anything from him. "Your parents are crazy rich and you''re the president of the Xia company, how can you be broke?"

    Xia company was at it''s highest peak so how can a person like him ask for more money?

    "Company money and family money are different matters so this line of work for me is different as well."

    "..."

    If there was someone who was very tight in using money, Xia Liqin would be that person. He won''t even use the money for his own self no matter what. He was living away from his family in a small apartment. He was a very miser man.

    Just like his mother, Xia Liqin was a genius when it came into technologies. Every ability he gained was inherited from his mother, Li Bingbing.

    "Or is it because your sister got your money again?"

    "..."

    Xia Liqin may be a miser man but there could only be one reason on why his saved money would suddenly fly away from him and that was none other than his older sister, Lu Mengjie.

    "Dad won''t still give Jiejie some money, he won''t also allow her to use her cards so everything is blocked. I don''t have a choice but to help her in feeding her men."

    "..." Lu Mello didn''t want to talk about their family matters anymore so he decided to get into the business. "I''ll send you the money right now."

    "Thanks. Anyway, what kind of job are you going to give me?"

    "I want you to dig out every information on a man named Wang Hao."

    "That would cost 2,000,000 RMB"

    "..." What the hell?! Wasn''t that so overpricing?! This was a robbery in broad daylight!

    When Xia Liqin didn''t hear anything on Lu Mello''s side, he sighed. "Fine, I''ll give you a discount. It''ll be 1,500,000 RMB instead."

    ---

    "Xi''er!" Fan Xiao Yao smiled happily when she saw Shi Enxi by the living room.

    Fan Xiao Yao was wearing her bathrobe and had a towel wrapped around her head. "Did you just arrive?"

    "Yes, I did." Shi Enxi was hugging Vanilla in her arms.

    "I heard from senior Huang that you got married to Mello, congratulations."

    Huang Li told her?

    Shi Enxi couldn''t help but analyze the look on Fan Xiao Yao''s face. Her smile was a bit forced but there was no sign of crying in her eyes.

    Fan Xiao Yao felt uneasy with the way Shi Enxi was looking at her so she decided to change the topic, "A-Anyway, I have received a message from director Gao."

    She continued, "He told me that he wanted me to take Sun Bore''s role. I don''t have to join the audition too. I haven''t given him a reply yet since I''ve been wanting to tell it to you."

 Chapter 51 - Youre more tolerable than her

    "Is that so?" Shi Enxi took her phone out to check on the video and it has already gained millions of views in just a few days!

    There were positive comments from the die-hard fans of the novels. Aside from that, there was passerby who was an appearance-obsessed party. Because of them, the post became famous in no time.

    Fan Xiao Yao''s ability to attract people was really astounding! It looked like things were going well for them.

    "Tell him that you are willing to take the role."

    Fan Xiao Yao nodded with a smile. "Thank you, Xi''er, if it wasn''t for you, I won''t be able to get this role so easily."

    "Although it''s mostly my doing but is also because of you. You should put more trust in your skills." Shi Enxi stood up and walked other. She patted her shoulder before she passed her by.

    Despite the pain, Fan Xiao Yao felt earlier after hearing the marriage news between Shi Enxi and Lu Mello, for some reason, when she saw how much Shi Enxi acknowledged her at that moment, her c.h.e.s.t lightened up.

    She has already decided to give up on Lu Mello, right? Now that the two of them were together, Fan Xiao Yao could only wish them a happy marriage.

    ...

    Fan Xiao Yao''s name was already famous, her name was on one of the top searches as well.

    Hen Ruying never expected that Fan Xiao Yao could become so famous in just a few days. He thought that by giving her to the new manager, he would never think that Shi Enxi would use such a method to make Fan Xiao Yao famous.

    One post and yet it became viral?

    Hen Ruying was the best manager in LPM, it was only normal for him to be so competitive. Even if Shi Enxi was a girl, to be able to accomplish something like this meant that her managerial skills were not so simple like what he thought it was going to be!

    At first, he planned in offering his help in exchange for a night with her but who would have thought that she would be able to manage everything by herself?

    No! He can''t allow her to take further steps and outshine him!

    Back in Rosarium Entertainment, in the President''s office.

    Shi Yi was on his phone, talking with the main news sources, "Yes, make sure Fan Xiao Yao''s name won''t disappear from the search rankings. Hmm... Good."

    The media couldn''t offend Rosarium because of how strong it was. They didn''t understand why the President himself was helping a small artist like Fan Xiao Yao.

    In that same day, Shi Yi attended a signing ceremony. It was also there where he would be announcing his collaboration with the Skywort corporation, Lu Mello''s company.

    Lu Mello was going to show his face to the public for the first time. The media were excited and was anticipating his appearance.

    Who would have that there would be a day where the leading company in the business industry would collaborate with one of the big companies in the entertainment industry? Wouldn''t that make Rosarium Entertainment go on par with HR Entertainment?

    Although HR Entertainment and Rosarium Entertainment''s presidents we''re in a good term, the competition between the artistes was still there. HR Entertainment has always been leading in the entertainment industry and it was followed by Rosarium.

    Shi Yi had a tall build and was an uncomparably dashing and Lu Mello was the same. It was as if there were two deities on stage but Lu Mello''s beauty was topnotch, Shi Yi''s fans even squealed when they saw him.

    Shi Enxi was watching the broadcast from her dorm together with Fan Xiao Yao.

    "If your brother was single, I would have dated him instead. In that way, we can be sisters-in-law!" Fan Xiao Yao was hugging Shi Enxi''s arm while looking at the TV with a grin.

    Shi Enxi couldn''t help but agree with what Fan Xiao Yao said. "I prefer you for him than that Weichun. You''re more tolerable than her."

    Fan Xiao Yao turned to Shi Enxi with a pout. What does she mean by more tolerable?

    Shi Enxi took the remote and turned off the TV. She turned to Fan Xiao Yao, "Go to sleep, I need you to be extra beautiful tomorrow."

    "Eh?"

    "Have you forgotten the opening ceremony of ''The Legend of Da Ying?"

    "Oh..."

 Chapter 52 - Fahrenheit is just too much

    At the opening ceremony of ''The Legend of Da Ying.''

    There were a large number of fans that hovered on the fringes. The media we''re flashing their cameras at the casts and crews who arrived.

    Zhen Xiu, a famous actress had won two Academy Awards was the one who was chosen to play the female lead. Standing beside her was Hen Ruying''s main artist, Zi Xuan. Most of the fans there were actually cheering for them.

    The atmosphere was very lively and the reporters were nonstop interviewing the two main lead actor and actress. Although aside from them, the person they were anticipating the most was Fan Xiao Yao. From no name, she suddenly became famous just because of a video. Her acting skills are yet to be seen in person!

    "Director Gao, we heard that the actress for Sun Bore is a rookie, is that right? Your standards for every character is high! We heard some rumors that this rookie actually took a lot of takes before she was able to make the video that went viral. Is that true?"

    Director Gao''s brow twitched. He never heard such rumors about Fan Xiao Yao. Where did that rumor come from?

    "Sun Bore''s character is a bit tricky, do you think that she will be able to pull it off?" One of the reporters added.

    "If you want to know the answer to that, then I suggest you wait for the series to be out." Director Gao chuckled.

    "How come we don''t see the actress for Sun Bore? Is she coming today?"

    Director Gao noticed how the reporters were aiming for Fan Xiao Yao and the questions png after another was getting more aggressive!

    Just then, something caught their attention all of a sudden.

    Fan Xiao Yao went out of a Rolls-Royce car. When they saw her, they were stunned by her breathtaking beauty!

    She was dressed in a baby blue long dress that was custom made for her. The dress covered her c.h.e.s.t but it revealed her s.e.xy and perfect shoulders. Her long black hair was in a loose bun and was secured by a silver pin. She looked so magnificent and graceful and yet so delicate.

    She was the no-name rookie?

    Beside Fan Xiao Yao was Shi Enxi in a female suit. Her blonde hair was eye-catchy enough and so was her beautiful face but it didn''t outshine Fan Xiao Yao. At that moment, every eye was only at Fan Xiao Yao.

    Although it was Fan Xiao Yao''s first time in this kind of event, she was rather calm. Maybe because she was not alone in walking down the red carpet?

    Fan Xiao Yao''s smile and actions captivated everyone. She was a natural in front of all the cameras. She found the perfect angles and she gave perfect expressions. It was like the character of Sun Bore came to life.

    Shi Enxi handed her a pen from the tray. Fan Xiao Yao signed her name on the wall after that the reporters started asking her questions.

    "Ms. Fan, is this your first drama?"

    "No, it isn''t. I actually have taken a few roles but I didn''t have many scenes." Fan Xiao Yao answered honestly with a constant smile on her lips.

    "What kind of roles did you played, Ms. Fan?"

    "Although they were minors, I loved acting so I enjoyed any roles I get."

    Director Gao watched how Fan Xiao Yao dealt with the reporters without the help of her manager. He was pleased to see how professional Fan Xiao Yao was at that moment. He could see that she was a promising seedling and he was glad that he has chosen her to act as Sun Bore.

    After the opening ceremony, everyone gathered in the banquet hall for the evening dinner.

    Fan Xiao Yao was talking with Director Gao and the producer for a while now before she finally excused herself and went to the restroom.

    When she went out, she was surprised to see Hen Ruying waiting for her.

    "My, you must be swimming in happiness now that you have gotten everyone''s attention, Xiao Yao."

    Fan Xiao Yao''s face became blank. She decided to ignore him and to pass by him but she was stopped when he grabbed onto her arm. "Now, now, is this how you treat your Director?"

    "Director Hen, what do you want?"

    "Why don''t we go in somewhere private to talk?" Hen Ruying grinned at her.

    Disgusts filled her face upon hearing Hen Ruying''s words. "There are plenty of other girls, why don''t you invite them instead? You see, I am pretty busy right now."

    "You''ve been entertaining others for a while now so why don''t you entertain me right now?"

    "Xiao Yao."

    When Fan Xiao Yao turned, she saw Shi Enxi walking towards them.

    Her face brightened up when she saw her savior.

    "Didn''t I told you not to talk to people who''s IQ is lower than the room temperature?" She stood before them and crossed her arms. Her eyes landed on Hen Ruying''s hand that was still holding Fan Xiao Yao''s arm.

    Fan Xiao Yao quickly pulled her arm away from his hold before she went to Shi Enxi''s side and hugged her arm. "Is it in Celcius or in Fahrenheit?"

    Shi Enxi smirked at Fan Xiao Yao''s remark, "Xiao Yao, don''t be too mean to our Director. Fahrenheit is just too much."

    Fan Xiao Yao: "Is it?"

    Hen Ruying''s face was red in anger. Of course, he knew what they were talking about! He was not stupid, okay?!

    "Y-You two-"

    "Director Hen." Shi Enxi interrupted him. "You are standing in front of the women''s restroom. If others are to see you here, then you being a pervert will be exposed. You don''t want that do you?"

    She turned to Fan Xiao Yao and smiled, "Let''s go, Xiao Yao. If others are to see us here, they might think that our Director is harassing us."

    With that, Shi Enxi and Fan Xiao Yao left Hen Ruying on his spot without even giving him a chance to retort.

    Hen Ruying''s face was twisted. He was clenching his fists tight.

    Those two... Just because they were able to get a big role, they are already getting so brave! It looked like he needed to discipline them and show them who''s the boss!

 Chapter 53 - Is he your... Husband?

    "Ms. Li, are you married?" Director Gao couldn''t help but ask when he saw Shi Enxi''s ring.

    Shi Enxi smiled and nodded, "Yes, I am."

    "Eh? You''re already married?" Zi Xuan asked in surprise.

    They have heard rumors about her that she used her body to get her managerial position all at once but learning that she was actually married, then those rumors might not be true at all.

    The last time they met, she told him that she has a boyfriend, right? Did they finally got married?

    "Yes, I am." Shi Enxi chuckled lightly.

    Married? Hen Ruying frowned a bit upon hearing their conversation when he returned to their table.

    "Ah, that''s too bad. And here I was planning to ask you out for a date." One of the crew members said in a joking manner.

    "Then I guess I have to reject you now. I am loyal to my husband." Shi Enxi replied.

    The others laugh because of her sudden rejection. The atmosphere in the room was lively and everyone was friendly with each other.

    Zhen Xiu turned to Fan Xiao Yao and smiled, "I look forward to working with you."

    Fan Xiao Yao smiled brightly at her, "Me too! I feel so honored that I am able to work together with one of my favorite idols!"

    Zhen Xiu saw how humble Fan Xiao Yao was and hearing that she was her favorite idol, she was pleased with her.

    "How about me? Am I not one of your favorites?" Zi Xuan went in between them, a playful smile on his lips.

    Although he was not one of her favorites, Fan Xiao Yao knew how to respond at his question. "Senior Zi is also one of the people I look up to."

    Zi Xuan beamed, "That''s great! If you need any help, just let me know. I am your senior so it is normal for me to help my junior~"

    When their dinner ended it was already past eleven. Most of the cast and crew were drunk since they have been drinking since earlier.

    "I''ll drop you off to your place." Zi Xuan offered Fan Xiao Yao with a kind smile.

    Fan Xiao Yao''s face was a bit red because of the liquor. She was leaning against Shi Enxi and hugging her from the side like a koala."Suu-"

    "Thank you for that offer but we can manage." Shi Enxi interjected, politely declining him.

    She has done her research on every cast of the program so that she would be able to handle them if there were problems, especially to artists who liked to step down on their fellow artists just to be more famous.

    Zi Xuan was a well-known player in the entertainment industry. He would always use his good looks and his friendly nature to get along with women. He has dated a couple of actresses and models and yet none of them stayed long in the relationship.

    "Are you sure?"

    "Yes. I can just drop Fan Xiao Yao at home." Shi Enxi only had a juice the whole night. She would always refuse any drinks with alcoholic content in it since her tolerance was very low.

    Hen Ruying went to them to take advantage of the situation. "Fan Xiao Yao looked so drunk, if she faints, you won''t be able to carry her. My place is nearby hers. Since I know the way, I can drop both of you to your places."

    "How kind of you, Director Hen." Shi Enxi wanted to sneer at his words. She could clearly see through his intentions.

    A royal blue Maserati caught the attention of everyone. It stopped at the entrance of the hotel.

    Under the gazes of everyone, a man wearing black pants and a white turtle neck shirt with a black cashmere coat on top went out of the car.

    Everyone stared at the handsome man that walked towards them.

    Who was this man?

    Huang Li stood in front of Shi Enxi and Fan Xiao Yao.

    When they saw him looking at Shi Enxi, they couldn''t help but wonder if he was her husband.

    "Ms. Li, is he your... husband?" Zhen Xiu couldn''t help but ask.

    "Ah, no, no. This is... Xiao Yao''s cousin and a very good friend of mine, Huang Li." Shi Enxi introduced.

    "I''m sorry for troubling you with my cousin." Huang Li took his coat off before he placed it on Fan Xiao Yao before he pulled her to him.

    Shi Enxi sighed in relief when Fan Xiao Yao released her. Her arm was already getting numb because of Fan Xiao Yao''s weight.

    "I''m sleepy." Fan Xiao Yao leaned against Huang Li, her eyes were still closed.

    Fam Xiao Yao was the type of person who would sleep whenever she gets drunk.

    "Anyway, we should take our leave now. Thank you for tonight, everyone." Shi Enxi waved at them before she followed Huang Li to the car.

    Shi Enxi sat at the back together with Fan Xiao Yao who was already fast asleep the moment she got in.

    "I''m sorry for troubling you into picking us up." Shi Enxi said after Huang Li got into the driver''s seat.

    "It''s fine, I was free anyway."

 Chapter 54 - Loyal wife

    Arriving at the dormitory, Huang Li carried the sleeping Fan Xiao Yao to her room and placed her on the bed before he went out.

    "I should get back." Huang Li patted Shi Enxi''s head.

    "Already?"

    "I have patients to take care of."

    "If you were busy, why did you come and pick us up?" Shi Enxi pouted. "You don''t have to do everything I say."

    "I didn''t have any emergencies as of the moment. Besides, the hotel you were at was nearby the hospital, so why not?" He turned and took a glance at Fan Xiao Yao''s sleeping figure on the bed. "You should limit her in drinking alcoholic beverages."

    "Hm, I know. It would be so troublesome if I have to carry her whenever she gets drunk and falls asleep."

    Huang Li raised an amused brow at her, "Oh? You can carry her?"

    She cleared her throat before she corrected what she said, "Don''t you think it would be a pain in the a.s.s if I would always call you out to carry her whenever she is drunk?"

    "Why didn''t you call Lu Mello instead?" Huang Li couldn''t help but ask.

    "Everyone has seen his face already. I can''t let them know that my husband is a big shot. I don''t want others to dirty my shoes by l.i.c.k.i.n.g them."

    Just then her phone started ringing. When she looked at the caller ID, it was none other than Lu Mello.

    "Speaking of the devil."

    Huang Li chuckled a bit. "Since my job here is done, I''ll take my leave now."

    Shi Enxi nodded and smiled at him, "Take care on way back."

    She answered the call after bidding goodbye to Huang Li.

    "Hello?"

    "You''re still awake?" Lu Mello''s deep voice was heard with a hint of surprise.

    Shi Enxi rolled her eyes at his question. "No, I am in the middle of sleep talking."

    "..."

    Shi Enxi went to her room and took off her coat before she unbuttoned the first two buttons of her shirt, exposing her cleavage. "Well? Why are you calling me?"

    "What''s with that tone? Are you in a bad mood?" Lu Mello couldn''t help but ask.

    "No, I am on my period."

    "..." This woman... Where did her sweetness suddenly go?

    "Here I am missing you since you haven''t given me a call even once and yet you don''t seem to be feeling the same way to me, " sighed Lu Mello.

    Shi Enxi''s lips twitched. Did he call just because of that?

    "What was Huang Li doing in your place?" Lu Mello''s tone from the other line suddenly changed at the mention of Huang Li.

    "Huh?" How did he know that Huang Li was at her place? Could he be...

    She walked toward the window of her room and slightly moved the curtain to look down at the parking lot. She saw a silver Bugatti with a tall figure leaning against it. Since it was dark and she was on the fourth floor of the building, she couldn''t see who the person was but since the man looked like he was talking on the phone, she could already guess who he was.

    "Why are you here?"

    "I missed you so I came to see you."

    "..." Weren''t they away for just a couple of days? Tomorrow was weekend so can''t he wait for a couple of hours before she goes home?

    Oh well, that sparkling Bugatti caught her attention. That caused millions of dollars, right? She wanted to touch the car and see it up close!

    "Wait for me there." She ended the call and went out of her room in a hurry.

    Before going out of her place, she made sure that Fan Xiao Yao was in a deep sleep before she rushed out and went to the parking lot.

    Lu Mello was wearing a black business suit with a black trench coat over his shoulders. His brown hair was neatly arranged and his dark amber eyes were sharp and bold, framed with thick lashes. Everything about him was symmetrical, most obviously his cheekbones.

    "Darling!" Shi Enxi pounced at him with a sweet smile on her lips.

    Lu Mello stayed still on his ground but instead of smiling at her, he just raised a brow at her. He was amused by how fast her expressions transitioned. Unbelievable.

    Shi Enxi had her arms wrapped around his neck and she tiptoed to give him a kiss on his cheek. "You should have told me that you were coming to visit me!"

    She should please her husband first so that he would allow her to touch and drive the silver baby that he brought with him!

    He snickered, "If I did, would you have hidden Huang Li from me?"

    "Eh? Why will I do that?" She noticed that Lu Mello had a sour look on his face. That was when she came into realization. Her lips curled up into a smirk, "Don''t tell me that you''re actually jealous?"

    His face remained calm and serious. "Jealous? No, I''m not jealous. I just want to make sure that my wife is not cheating on me."

    He then noticed Shi Enxi''s attire, her cleavage was fully exposed to him. His eyes darkened at it. Did she stand before Huang Li like this?

    Lu Mello''s frosty look sent chills all over her body. She followed his icy glare and saw him looking at her cleavage. She quickly closed her shirt, "What are you looking at?"

    "Did you seduce him this way as well?" His strong hands were placed on her waist, not allowing him to escape him.

    She furrowed her brows deeply, "No. Why will I even seduce him?"

    Lu Mello''s lips were stretched into a thin line. His hold on her waist tightened which made Shi Enxi flinch.

    "Hey! You''re hurting me!" She tried to push him away but he wouldn''t budge at all. Instead, Lu Mello wrapped his arms around her.

    "If I tell you to stop seeing him, will you do it?"

    "..."

    He was not jealous? Ha! Even a child could tell it right away that he was jealous!

    A soft chuckle was heard from her, "Ah, so my husband is really jealous."

    Even if Lu Mello didn''t want to admit it, Shi Enxi has already seen through him so he had no choice but to give in. "Fine. So what if I am?"

    "You''re being adorable right now, darling." She giggled. "You don''t have to be jealous of him. I don''t have feelings for him at all. Huang Li is like a brother to me."

    "Then why was he here earlier? Especially in this time of the night?"

    Her fingers raked his soft hair from behind, making a mess out of it. "He just dropped Xiao Yao and me."

    Her hand traveled to his necktie, wrapping her hand around it. She pulled him down to her level and stared closely into his eyes. "Haven''t I told you that I''ll be a loyal wife to you? Don''t you believe my words?"

 Chapter 55 - Our baby is so beautiful!

    Lu Mello knew how good Shi Enxi''s lying skills were. There were times where he couldn''t see through it but at that moment, as he looked into her eyes, he wanted to believe her.

    He sighed in defeat, resting his forehead against her forehead. He closed his eyes and hugged her close. He was so afraid to lose her even after the betrayal she did in their past life. He couldn''t bring himself to hate her ever since he started loving her.

    "Alright. I''ll trust you with that."

    Lu Mello''s warm hug reached Shi Enxi''s heart. For some reason, being in his arm didn''t seem so bad. If only she could make him truly fall for her, wouldn''t that be so nice?

    If he fell for her then wouldn''t it be a win-win situation for her?

    She peeked at the silver car behind him and smiled. This young rich man hugging her has such an expensive car. How many cars does he have?

    Ah... Her gold digger heart was getting in her head again. Should she hold back a bit? What if Lu Mello gets turned off by her? What if he decided to fall for someone else with a kind heart like Fan Xiao Yao? Or what if he suddenly wants to go back to Fan Xiao Yao?

    Lu Mello noticed how Shi Enxi was staring at his car with deep thoughts.

    He pulled away from her, releasing her from his hug. "Don''t tell me... You only went down to see me because of my car?"

    She snapped out from her thoughts and turned her head back to him. She shook her head, denying, "What? No way! I came here to see you!"

    He crossed his arms, raising a brow. He could clearly see how much her eyes sparkled whenever expensive things were placed before her. "You don''t have to lie."

    He lightly pinched her cheek, "I know how much of a gold digger my wife is now."

    She pouted, "Who wouldn''t be attracted to this million dollars car?"

    "Here." He pulled out the car keys from his pocket. "Want to try it?"

    Try it? He wanted her to drive it? At this late at night?

    "Seriously?!" She squealed happily. She hugged him again before she leaned back and grabbed the keys from him, her eyes sparkling in delight.

    "Look at our baby!" She rushed to the car and carefully touched it. "Our baby is so beautiful!"

    Lu Mello couldn''t help but chuckle lightly, pleased when she mentioned ''our baby'' instead of owning it to herself and using ''my''.

    "Darling! Hurry up! Get in or else I''ll drive without you!" Shi Enxi was now in the driver''s seat, waiting for him to get in.

    Lu Mello went in the shotgun seat and put on his seatbelts. When he looked at her, her cleavage was distracting him. "Why don''t you button your shirt first?"

    She blinked a lot and looked down at her cleavage. She snickered, "Why? There''s no one around here except for you."

    She unbuttoned another one, exposing a part of her black bra. "There. Isn''t this better?"

    He massaged the bridge of his nose. Can''t she hold back and act embarrassed about it like how she reacted earlier?

    Shi Enxi turned and started the car.

    As she drove it to the streets, she headed to the highway so that she could test the car''s full potential.

    At first, Lu Mello didn''t have a problem with Shi Enxi''s driving skills. She was going steady but the moment they reached the highway, in a blink of an eye, she shifted the gear and the car increased its speed into 180 until reaching 200s mph.

    "X-Xi''er, you should slow down!"

    "Slow down? Our baby won''t like it if we slow down." She replied calmly with a sweet smile on her lips.

    "..." Was he going to die tonight? If he only knew that this was going to happen, he would have not given her the car''s keys! If it was him driving, then he didn''t mind driving at such speed but he didn''t know how well Shi Enxi could drive.

    Shi Enxi drifted the car perfectly in every u-turn, she even evaded other cars even if she was driving it in its maximum speed.

    By the time they got back, Lu Mello felt his spirit leaving his body.

 Chapter 56 - Greedy Wife

    "Darling, are you alright?"

    Lu Mello''s face was cold and when Shi Enxi touched him, his hand was cold!

    Did she go too far and scared the shit out of him? What should she do?

    Will a kiss work?

    She decided to give it a try. She leaned and placed a soft peck on his lips and just like magic, the colors in his pale face returned. Lu Mello was finally brought back from the state of shock.

    His eyes landed on her. His wife is so scary! Her driving skills are so crazy! She just drove the car at its full speed!

    "Darling?" Her innocent, worried face was in front of him.

    "You''re not allowed to drive, ever again." These were the first thing he blurted out to her.

    "..."

    "I was supposed to give you this car but I think that''s a bad idea."

    "WHAT?! No way! Since you have given it to me, there''s no taking it back!!" Shi Enxi leaned away from him and instead, hugged the driving wheel.

    Lu Mello had a serious look on his face this time. "I haven''t given it to you yet."

    "You gave me the keys so it''s obviously mine!" Shi Enxi was like a child at that moment, not willing to let go of her newfound favorite toy.

    "Then choose." Lu Mello pulled his black card from his pocket. "This one or the car?"

    Shi Enxi stared at the godly credit card that he was holding. She was only able to use it once but being able to experience using such a card was already such a blessing!

    He was willing to give it to her?

    "You''re willing to give it to me?" Shi Enxi wanted to make sure that he was serious about it.

    "Yes."

    "I will never hold back in buying whatever I want!"

    "It''s fine, you can buy anything except cars."

    Shi Enxi''s lips twitched. That was not fair at all!

    She removed her seatbelt and moved to his side, sitting on his l.a.p. Her big watery eyes were staring straight at him like a puppy. "Darling, can''t I have both instead? This car and that card?"

    "..." Oh shit...

    With Shi Enxi''s cute act and the cleavage that she showing him, she looked so enticing and seductive. His wife was being so greedy!

    "Please? Darling?" She rested her hands on his c.h.e.s.t. She looked at the black card before she turned back to her husband. She even pouted her lips to add more effect.

    When she saw him sighed in defeat, she rejoiced inside her.

    "Alright, but I have my conditions."

    "Then state your conditions." She looked at him with sparkling eyes. "I can give you everything, including my body!"

    "..."

    He sighed for the nth time. He looked at her and gently touched her soft cheek. "You don''t have to offer those things to me."

    She felt her heart race at his words. "Darling..."

    Before she could say anything, Lu Mello continued, "You are my wife, everything you have already belonged to me, including your body."

    "..." It would have been better if he hasn''t said those words afterward.

    He handed her the card and smiled, "Anyway, if you are to have this car then you are only allowed to drive until 80 kph."

    "That''s too slow!" Complained Shi Enxi with a deep frown.

    Lu Mello raised a brow, "Do you want me to get these back from you?"

    He held the card and was about to get it back but Shi Enxi wouldn''t let go. She was even holding the card with both hands! Was she that desperate to have it?

    "160!"

    "100. Take it or leave it."

    "Hubbie!" She w.h.i.n.ed, tears formed at the side of her eyes.

    Lu Mello averted his eyes from her. He has to stick to what he has decided!

    "Fine, if it''s going to be that way, then I will have to take back the things in this car."

    "Huh?" Shi Enxi was taken aback at what he said. What things?

    "They''re in the trunk."

    In a blink of an eye, Shi Enxi went out of the car and went to check on what was in the trunk.

    Lu Mello sighed heavily. In his past, Shi Enxi wasn''t like this at all, even after he married her. She was always so elegant and soft-spoken. Now that he thought of that, was that all an act?

    She was always happy whenever she received gifts from him but she wouldn''t demand for more. Back then, he felt like she was holding back. Was it because she didn''t want to look bad in his eyes?

    He went out of the car and saw Shi Enxi checking out the things he bought for her. She was drooling and ogling at the limited edition designer bags which had real gold and diamonds on them. Aside from that, there were a couple of dresses and shoes that were her size.

    Was this greedy woman her real self?

    She turned to him with a bright smile on her lips. "Darling!" She went and hugged him tightly. "I love you! You''re the best! Best!"

    Lu Mello''s heart jumped when she heard him say the words that he has always wanted to hear from her. "You... Love me?"

    "Well, I love your money and all your riches." She said straightforwardly.

    "..."

    "But you are the man who earns all the money and the man who can buy such things! If you are not here then I wouldn''t be able to have all of these. I won''t be able to marry a wonderful guy like you!" She quickly added with a big grin.

    "..."

    "Hubbie! Darling! Sweetheart! I love you so much!" She tiptoed and pecked his lips. "From now on, I won''t complain! If you want me to drive with a speed limit of 100 then I will happily do it!"

    "..."

    "I love how you shower me with your love" She let out a cute giggle. "Please continue to do so."

    "..."

    Ah... He''s spoiling his evil wife so much... No... It was too much. He shouldn''t have done that. Now how should he discipline her?

 Chapter 57 - He was worse than a pig in heat (EDITED)

    "So, darling, how are you going to go home if you''re going to leave this car for me?" Shi Enxi asked, watching him fastened the buttons of her shirt.

    "I''m not leaving here without you. Did you forget? Tomorrow is weekend," He reminded, "I came here to pick you up."

    "Xiao Yao has a shooting tomorrow, so I can''t go. I have to be there for her."

    "But you promised..."

    "I have a schedule tomorrow so it can''t be helped. If someone tries to mistreat her, I have to be there. I can''t allow anyone to bully my artist," She reasoned out.

    Lu Mello was a bit surprised because of what she said. In the past, Shi Enxi hated Fan Xiao Yao a lot, but looking at how she was treating her now, it looked like their relationship was getting better. He was relieved to see some changes in her.

    "Thank you for taking care of her."

    When Shi Enxi saw Lu Mello''s gentle look, she felt a prick in her c.h.e.s.t. Why was he showing such a face when the topic was about Fan Xiao Yao? Even if he told her that he didn''t have any feelings for her, Fan Xiao Yao was still Lu Mello''s childhood friend. The relationship they had was special.

    "I''m going to make Huang Li-gege date Xiao Yao," She blurted out of nowhere.

    "Huh?"

    "I''m going to make her fall in love for someone else, so that you will focus on me!" Shi Enxi was totally displeased that Lu Mello was still caring for Fan Xiao Yao.

    Instead of taking her word seriously, he chuckled light. "Are you jealous?"

    She scoffed and denied, "Why should I be jealous of her?"

    "I don''t know. Why are you acting like you''re?" Amused, he raised a brow at her.

    She puffed out her cheeks while crossing her arms. She was getting so annoyed when she saw the way he looked at her. "Just go home already! It''s already late, and I still have to wake up early!"

    "How about I stay with you for the night?"

    Stay with her for the night? She scoffed. She was living together with Fan Xiao Yao. Did he want to stay with her, so that he could stay close to his childhood love? No way! She was not going to allow that!

    She kicked his knee in annoyance.

    "OW!" Lu Mello bent and held his aching knee. "What was that for?!"

    "F.u.c.k.i.n.g stupid Mello! Go home! Go take a taxi!"

    She turned and went back to the dormitory, leaving her poor husband outside.

    Her sudden change of mood was unbelievable! This side of her reminded him of his mother when she was pregnant.

    ---

    The next day, Shi Enxi and Fan Xiao Yao were headed towards the place where the shooting of the scene would be.

    Upon arriving at the makeup room, they saw Zi Xuan and Hen Ruying inside.

    When Zi Xuan saw them from the mirror, he turned towards them and greet them with a smile. "Good morning, Ms. Fan, Manager Li!"

    Hen Ruying sneered inside. He had already planned things out to give Shi Enxi a lesson.

    "Good morning, Senior Zi, Director Hen," Fan Xiao Yao greeted softly before she went to her sit.

    "This is the first time that I will be acting together with you." Zi Xuan decided to have a friendly chat with Fan Xiao Yao.

    "If you need any help, just let me know; This senior will happily help you." He winked at her.

    "Thank you, Senior Zi. I will keep that in mind."

    Since there was only one sofa in the room, Shi Enxi didn''t have a choice but to sit together with Hen Ruying while waiting for Fan Xiao Yao to get ready for the shooting.

    "Ms. Li, how have you been?" Hen Ruying moved close to her and smiled.

    Shi Enxi adjusted her glasses and smiled at him. "I''m currently in a good mood, so please don''t spoil it."

    She tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

    When Hen Ruying saw the expensive looking ring, his eyes glistened. "Ms. Li, is that a real diamond?"

    "Oh, this?" She looked at her ring and smirked. "Of course it is."

    "May I have a closer look at it?" Without waiting for her reply, he grabbed her hand and looked at the ring around her finger while his real intention was actually to take advantage by c.a.r.e.s.sing her soft hand.

    Shi Enxi raised a brow and watched Hen Ruying''s l.u.s.tful stares at her smooth skin. She felt disgusted by the way he held her hand.

    "Mr. Hen, don''t test me," Shi Enxi whispered, warning him. She was looking dangerously at him.

    Fan Xiao Yao was busy talking with Zi Xuan while her makeup artist was applying makeup on her, but when she noticed from the mirror how close Hen Ruying was to Shi Enxi, she frowned.

    "Wait," Fan Xiao Yao told the makeup artist before she turned to look at them.

    Zi Xuan seemed to realize that Fan Xiao Yao was distracted by something. When he turned, he saw his manager trying to make a move on Shi Enxi. His eyes darkened, and his face became cold.

    That horny Hen Ruying! Can''t he hold back slightly!? He was worse than a pig in heat!

 Chapter 58 - Im not going

    "Ms. Li, do you want to go and have dinner with me later? I wasn''t able to properly welcome you-"

    Hen Ruying paused when he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was very heavy as if he was being pressed down by a mountain!

    He turned and saw Zi Xuan with an ugly look on his face. "Z-Zi Xuan."

    Zi Xuan turned towards Shi Enxi, and the look that he gave Hen Ruying disappeared. He smiled apologetically at her. "I apologize for my manager''s behavior, Manager Li."

    When she felt that Hen Ruying''s hold on her hand loosened, she quickly pulled it away from him. "Is your manager always like this?" She calmly asked.

    Zi Xuan felt ashamed. He had always known of Hen Ruying''s misdeeds whenever it came to women.

    In the entertainment industry, there were managers who would make their artists drink and sleep with them. Aside from that, there were other unspoken rules between them.

    Hen Ruying was one of those managers who would use his position to threaten other artists; It was more now as he was the director of the talent recruitment department.

    His managerial skills were amazing, but the only problem in him was his dirty personality.

    "I was just joking around." Hen Ruying tried to laugh it off. "Ms. Li, don''t take it seriously. We''re all friends here, right?"

    Shi Enxi wanted to roll her eyes at his words but decided to hold back. She had already started gathering evidence against Hen Ruying; It was just a matter of time before she removed him from his position.

    Zi Xuan gave Hen Ruying a warning look before he turned towards Fan Xiao Yao with a smile. "Are you done? Let''s go together."

    Even though Zi Xuan was a playboy, he was a professional actor who received countless awards already, and that''s why he was LPM''s greatest asset. He was older than Fan Xiao Yao and Shi Enxi by seven years.

    ---

    During the shooting of the scenes, Shi Enxi was pleased with Fan Xiao Yao''s acting ability. Even other artists and the staff were surprised by how good her acting skills were!

    Fan Xiao Yao was still a newbie, so at first, everyone didn''t have much expectations towards her. She was only chosen because of the video. Who knew how good she really was in person!

    As they all watched her act, they realised that Fan Xiao Yao was truly amazing. All her scenes were taken only once as well. If not for the minor artists'' mistakes, the other scenes would have been finished in an instant.

    Director Gao was pleased with Fan Xiao Yao. She was definitely a gem and he was glad that he was able to get her as Sun Bore.

    ...

    Days passed by, and the Golden Eagle Award ceremony came.

    Shi Enxi was planning to humiliate Shi Ansheng, but when she recalled Lu Mello''s words, she decided to not cancel her plans and wait for Lu Mello to make a move against Wang Hao.

    If she attacked Shi Ansheng, she would surely become a criminal, and Lu Mello wouldn''t have a choice but to arrest her. He was already doubting her, right?

    No, she was not going to take the risk. Aside from that, the riches she gained from Lu Mello would disappear!

    Her revenge can wait. For now, she had to be careful since she was being watched by her husband.

    "You can go and attend the award ceremony. I will stay home tomorrow."

    "Eh? I can''t go there by myself!" Fan Xiao Yao pouted.

    "You''re not going to receive any awards yet, so what''s the point of going? Go there and make friends."

    "But Xiao Xi..."

    Shi Enxi sighed heavily. "I will be attending the banquet but not the awards ceremony." She turned to Huang Li. "Go with her tomorrow."

    Huang Li was busy preparing the food. He was caught off-guard by what Shi Enxi suddenly said. "Huh?"

    "You will babysit her tomorrow. Also, don''t let that bastard Hen Ruying come to her. He might abduct her in the middle of the ceremony."

    Fan Xiao Yao: "..."

    Huang Li was quiet for a while before he finally said, "Alright."

    When he realized what day it was tomorrow, he didn''t have a choice but to do what Shi Enxi told him although he couldn''t stop himself from getting worried. Tomorrow was Shi Enxi''s parent''s death anniversary.

 Chapter 59 - A she-devil and a demoness

    Shi Enxi was left alone in the dorm on the following day.

    When she woke up that morning, the first she did was to take a bath and changed into a simple, blue A-line dress with white daisy designs on it. She wore white sandals, matching it with her dress and her black wig, braiding it to the side and making it rest on her shoulder.

    When Shi Enxi looked in the mirror, she was reminded of her childhood days.

    She loved daisies and would always wear clothes with daisy prints on them. Her mother would braid her hair just like this. She looked so innocent and pure. She had always been a cheerful and bright girl during her childhood days, and was her parent''s baby since she was the youngest.

    However, that was supposed to change for she was supposed to have another sibling as her mother was pregnant. It was just too sad that her baby sibling died together with her parents.

    Her eyes were filled with sadness and longingness. There were times where she yearned for her parent''s warm embrace, but she was never going to feel them again.

    When she left the dormitory, she saw a black Maybach car. The glass window rolled down, revealing her brother''s face.

    She walked towards it and opened the car door before getting in.

    Her brother was wearing a black suit, and at that time, he had a gentle look on his face while he stared at her.

    "Sister Bingbing said that we should visit mom and dad together," Shi Yi said, "Let''s go pick her up."

    Shi Enxi nodded silently without saying a word.

    On their way to their older sister''s place, Shi Enxi was awfully quiet the entire time. She didn''t even speak a word.

    Shi Yi didn''t force her to speak; In fact, he was just quiet as well. Whenever they would visit their parents, it was always this way.

    As they reached Lu Xian Yu''s residence, they were invited to the living room in order to wait for their sister.

    While they were waiting, a handsome young man, who had a mixture of Li Bingbing and Lu Xian Yu, entered the living room.

    "Uncle Shi Yi! Auntie Enxi!" Lu Jinnian''s face brightened up when he saw the two. "I didn''t know that you two are coming today."

    Shi Enxi and her brother turned to their nephew.

    Shi Yi smiled. "We came to pick your mother."

    "Eh? What for?"

    "We''re going to visit our parents," Shi Enxi finally spoke up.

    Lu Jinnian understood her words. "Oh...I would like to visit grandma and grandpa too, but I have to take an exam today."

    "That''s fine. You can visit them next time."

    "By the way, how''s your sister?" Shi Enxi asked, smiling at the young guy.

    "Jiejie?" He looked away and scratched his cheek lightly with his finger. "She''s...out there, trying to hide her men from father."

    Shi Yi: "..."

    Shi Enxi laughed lightly at his words.

    Since Lu Mengjie was the only girl among her siblings, Lu Xian Yu was strict with her. They would usually get along with everything except boys.

    She had always known that it was only a matter of time before Lu Mengjie''s father would find out that she was collecting pretty boys.

    "Even her fiance is looking for her."

    Shi Enxi raised a brow. "Sisi is looking for her?"

    If he was looking for her, then Lu Mengjie should have shown herself already!

    Shi Enxi knew how much Lu Mengjie loved her fiance ever since they were children.

    "Yup. Their wedding day is coming close yet sister is nowhere to be found. She hasn''t been contacting me for a while now. It''s really strange." Lu Jinnian was really worried ever since he couldn''t contact her sister.

    "How long has it been since you last talked with her?" Asked Shi Enxi.

    "One month ago. I talked to Qinqing-ge, and it was also the previous month that he last talked to her. Sister had always been good at hiding herself from everyone, but she would always contact us once in a while." Lu Jinnian sighed.

    "How about the Azure Republic?"

    Lu Jinnian shook his head, "We have already asked brother Xukun if he had heard of her there, but he couldn''t find her there too."

    Shi Enxi furrowed her brows. Was Lu Mengjie that desperate to hide from her father? No, Lu Mengjie wasn''t like that. She knew her well.

    "That girl is big enough to handle herself." A beautiful, matured-looking woman entered.

    "Sister."

    Li Bingbing had a sharp look in her eyes. "Just leave her be and let her do what she wants. She''s a strong woman who can beat the shit out of anyone, so what are you worried about?"

    Well...That was indeed true.

    Lu Mengjie was not a naive and defenseless girl. If she wanted to kill someone, she could do it with a snap of a finger. If she wanted to find someone''s deepest and darkest secret, she only needed to type; She was even better than her brother Xia Liqin.

    If Shi Enxi was a she-devil who loved riches, then Lu Mengjie was a demoness who loved to collect pretty men to the point of kidnapping them from their families.

 Chapter 60 - I need to go somewhere

    Wearing a low cut, yellow dress adorned with silver and gold flowers, Fan Xiao Yao''s everlasting beauty shined bright. She gave off a more mature feeling with her dress selection.

    Meanwhile, Huang Li was wearing a grey retro suit with a yellow tie to match Fan Xiao Yao''s dress. He wasn''t wearing any glasses that night and his hair was neatly styled.

    When they walked down the red carpet together, every camera flashed on them.

    Fan Xiao Yao kept a smiling face while holding on Huang Li''s arm.

    Everyone wondered who the handsome man beside Fan Xiao Yao. Was he also a newbie like her?

    Not long, they were able to find their seats.

    "I''m sorry for bringing you to a place like this..." Fan Xiao Yao couldn''t help but apologize again.

    Huang Li chuckled lightly, "That''s the fifth time today, it''s getting annoying."

    "Ugh." She felt as if she has been struck by a bolt of lightning when Huang said she was annoying!

    "I''m already here, might as well enjoy it instead, right? Besides, I don''t mind having the attention everyone is giving me."

    Before Fan Xiao Yao could give Huang Li a reply, she was interrupted by a voice.

    "Ah! Xiao Yao! You actually brought your cousin?"

    Fan Xiao Yao turned and saw Zhen Xiu wearing a green dress with floral designs in it.

    "Well... He suggested on coming." Fan Xiao Yao looked away as she lied.

    Huang Li turned to Zhen Xiu and smiled, "We meet again, Ms. Zhen."

    Zhen Xiu blushed when she saw the irresistible smile Huang Li gave her. He was really handsome and his friendly smile was so captivating!

    Fan Xiao Yao pouted a bit when she saw Zhen Xiu''s reaction. For some reason, there was a bitter feeling welling up inside her.

    "How lucky~ The seat that my manger reserved is beside Mr. Huang!" Zhen Xiu went and sat on the vacant seat that was beside Huang Li.

    Huang Li was now sitting between the two women and Zhen Xiu started interviewing him.

    As Fan Xiao Yao saw how the two were getting along well, she clenched her fists.

    Why was she feeling so uneasy? They were just talking with each other, right? Besides, she didn''t have a right to be jealous since Huang Li was not even- wait, what?

    Fan Xiao Yao bit her inner lip when she found the correct word in what she was feeling at that moment.

    Jealous? Why was she being jealous? It was not like she has feelings for him, right?

    They have actually been chatting with each other lately. Huang Li may reply late but Fan Xiao Yao waited patiently for his replies. There were times where he would call and she always had fun talking with him about their everyday lives.

    Was she... Really falling for him?

    Huang Li noticed that Fan Xiao Yao was quiet. He turned and noticed her spacing out. "Are you alright?"

    Fan Xiao Yao snapped back and forced out a smile, "Mm, I''m fine."

    ---

    The three siblings stood in front of two tombstones in the middle of the day. Shi Yi was holding an umbrella for his sisters.

    They all recalled the times where their parents were still alive.

    Li Bingbing''s mother has always been loved by Shi Fen. It was just a sad thing that Mu Xijiu never felt that way towards him. She was only able to reciprocate his feelings years after her first husband divorced her.

    (A/N: You can read part of their story in Ten Years Late: The Bullied Husband *wink*)

    Li Bingbing was closest to her mother.

    Their accident was sudden and no one expected it to occur.

    "Let''s go." Li Bingbing spoke first.

    "There''s a restaurant not far from here, why don''t we eat there?" Shi Yi invited.

    "I need to go somewhere." Shi Enxi promised Fan Xiao Yao that she was going to attend the banquet that was going to be held after the awards ceremony.

    Li Bingbing stared at her for a while. She heard that Shi Enxi married Lu Mello, she also knew that Lu Mello has someone else he loved so why would he agree on marrying her sister?

    "Don''t hesitate to tell me if you have problems dealing with your husband, okay?" Li Bingbing patted Shi Enxi''s head.

    Shi Enxi smiled, "Don''t worry, sister. Mello and I are getting along together."

    "That''s good." Although Li Bingbing was still planning to check on their relationship. Even if Lu Mello was her best friend''s son, she was not going to show any mercy if he hurted her.

 Chapter 61 - I am his wife

    Shi Enxi left her siblings and headed straight to Lu Mello''s company.

    "I am here to visit, Lu Mello."

    "Have you scheduled an appointment with him?" The receptionist asked.

    "I don''t need to schedule for one. Just tell him that Shi Enxi is looking for him."

    The receptionist''s brow twitched at how arrogant Shi Enxi looked. She may be beautiful but her proud way of talking was so annoying.

    The receptionist was used to dealing with such kinds of people, she tried her best to keep on smiling at her. "May I know your relationship with the President?"

    "I''m his wife."

    "..."

    This woman... how thick was her face? Everyone in the company knew that Lu Mello was single! Did she think that she can deceive her so easily?

    Shi Enxi saw that the receptionist was doubting her words. She only wanted to see Lu Mello so why was this measly receptionist was trying to stop her? It was getting so annoying!

    The receptionist was just doing her job but to Shi Enxi, she was getting impatient!

    "What''s happening here?"

    The receptionist turned and saw Lu Mello''s assistant walking towards them.

    Liu Ying, Lu Mello''s assistant noticed a familiar woman when he entered the building. Was it just his imagination or was she really his Boss'' wife? Wanting to make sure, he approached them.

    When he saw that Shi Enxi turned to him, his eyes bulge out. She really was their Lady Boss!

    "I''ll take care of this." Liu Ying said with a smile.

    The receptionist smirked inwardly. Surely this crazy woman will be kicked out!

    "Madam Lu, are you looking for President Lu?" Liu Ying asked in a polite manner.

    She smiled at him as she replied with a sarcastic remark, "No, I just came here to walk around."

    She crossed her arms, the smile remained on her lips. "No wonder my husband is getting stupid... he''s actually surrounded by a bunch of idiots."

    "..." Was Lady Boss in a bad mood?

    Madam Lu? The woman in the reception area was surprised. She was... telling the truth?! No way! A rude woman like her was their President''s wife?!

    Liu Ying cleared his throat. "Boss is currently in the meeting... but you can wait for him in his office. Come, I''ll lead you there."

    "Wait." Shi Enxi turned to the woman and smirked, "This will be your last day here so why don''t you start packing your things?"

    "M-Madam... what do you mean?" The woman''s face was so pale. She knew what Shi Enxi meant well. She was being fired!

    Shi Enxi frowned, "Do you have a turtle brain?" She turned to Liu Ying who had a worried look on his face "You don''t need people like her in this job. Replace her immediately."

    Liu Ying didn''t know what to do. Should he tell his Boss about this first?

    "Madam, I-I''m so sorry about earlier. But please... Please don''t fire me. I-I have children to feed. I need this work." The woman''s eyes were filled with tears as she begged.

    Shi Enxi raised a brow, "So what? Am I supposed to pity you then and allow you to continue?"

    They already caught the attention of others and no matter how it looked like, Shi Enxi looked like a big bully against the woman.

    "I heard that she''s the President''s wife."

    "I can''t believe he married a rude woman like her."

    "I saw what happened earlier... The receptionist was just doing her job."

    "She''s scary."

    Whispers were heard from different employees that witness the scene.

    Shi Enxi may have an innocent and beautiful face especially when she was dressed so nicely, but her attitude was really bad!

    Liu Ying was getting worried since the image of the Lady Boss was being ruined. She has always been reserved and polite, right? So what happened to her today?

    A glare from Shi Enxi made the whispering stop. She turned to Liu Ying, "Let''s go. Bring me to my husband''s office."

    "Y-yes."

    "Ma-Madam, please give me another chance!" The woman ran after them. She grabbed Shi Enxi''s arm to stop her. She really was that desperate to keep the job.

    "Don''t touch me."

    Just one glance made the woman shut her mouth and unconsciously let go of her arm. The immense pressure coming from Shi Enxi was making her legs tremble!

    "P-Please..."

    Shi Enxi took a quick glance at the woman''s name tag before her lips curled up, a soft chuckle was heard from her. "Why are you taking it so seriously? I was just joking around."

    "..."

    She patted the woman''s head but for the woman, she felt as if Shi Enxi''s hand was like a hammer on her head.

    "Ms. Gu." Shi Enxi was calmly smiling at her. "Go back to your post and do your job well. But make sure never to get on my nerve next time, okay? Let this be a warning for now."

    With that, Shi Enxi entered the private elevator that head straight to the topmost floor of the building. She didn''t bother waiting for Liu Ying who was in a trance ever since Shi Enxi said that she was just joking around with the woman.

    In the end, Liu Ying was left together with the woman.

 Chapter 62 - My t.h.i.g.hs are aching so badly

    Lu Mello was in the middle of his meeting when he suddenly received a message from Liu Ying saying that Shi Enxi was heading to his office.

    He was surprised by the sudden message. What was Shi Enxi doing here? Why didn''t she tell him about it?

    Maybe... She was planning on surprising him?

    He was originally in a bad mood but upon learning that his wife came to visit, he wrapped up the meeting as soon as possible.

    When he arrived at his office, he saw Shi Enxi, eating a slice of cake that Liu Ying served her earlier.

    Shi Enxi turned to Lu Mello upon noticing his presence. "Come here."

    "..."

    Just those words from her, Lu Mello could already tell that she was not in a great mood.

    He walked and sat beside her, "What''s wrong?"

    Shi Enxi didn''t say a word but instead, the moment he was in her reach, she gave him a hug.

    Did something happen? As he tried to think of it, he suddenly remembered that today was the day where Shi Enxi was supposed to ruin Shi Ansheng''s life by sending someone to r.a.p.e her. Aside from that, it was also her parent''s death anniversary so it was a very meaningful day for her.

    He wrapped his arms around her. Did she come to find comfort from him?

    If she was here then her plans against Shi Ansheng wouldn''t take place, right?

    He once asked her not to do anything to her relatives since he wanted to take care of them instead.

    It looked like Shi Enxi was keeping her words.

    The warmth that she yearned, she found it through Lu Mello''s hug. Yup, it was the right choice in seeking him. The heavy feeling that was on her c.h.e.s.t was lightening up.

    "Mello..." She raised her head and looked at him. "I''m sorry for coming without giving you a word."

    He looked back at her with a gentle smile, "It''s alright. You can come anytime you want, you are always welcome here."

    Shi Enxi pouted upon remembering what happened earlier. "If I''m always welcome here, why did one of your employees tried to stop me?"

    "Then... Should I tour you around and introduce you to everyone?" Lu Mello suggested.

    Shi Enxi nodded a bit, "Yes, you should tell everyone that you have a lovely wife."

    He chuckled lightly, "Alright, I''ll do that."

    Just then, they were interrupted by a knock.

    Lu Mello released Shi Enxi from his hug before he turned to look at the door, "Come in."

    Liu Ying entered and looked at Lu Mello, "Sir, Ms. Zhu is here."

    Shi Enxi furrowed her brows, "Ms. Zhu?"

    "She''s one of my business partners." Lu Mello stood up. "Xi''er, why don''t you wait for me in that room?"

    Shi Enxi turned and saw another door in his office. She pouted at him, "What''s in that room?"

    "Come, I''ll show you."

    Shi Enxi followed her husband and entered the room. She was surprised when she saw how big the room was! It was an indoor closet, there were even a sofa and a glass cabinet filled with expensive bottles of wines.

    To have something like this in his office, Lu Mello was indeed so extraordinary!

    "Why don''t you choose a suit for me in the meantime?"

    "Eh?"

    "I''ll be attending a banquet tonight. As for your gown, I will ask someone to bring it here."

    Shi Enxi''s eyes sparkled in delight, "Alright! I''ll choose the best suit for you!"

    ...

    After going out of the room, Lu Mello turned to Liu Ying, "Bring her in."

    Liu Ying nodded and went out. After a few seconds, a beautiful woman entered. She was wearing a purple dress that hugged her body to show off all her curves.

    Lu Mello was back on his desk with a blank look on his face.

    "It''s good to see you again, Mr. Lu." The woman''s sickening sweet voice was heard. "My father was not feeling well so I took his place and came here."

    That was always the reason she gave whenever she visited Lu Mello in his office so he was kind of used with it already.

    Meanwhile, Shi Enxi was having a hard time in choosing a suit for her husband since every clothes in the closet looked good.

    If she was to choose then wouldn''t it be better if it was the same color as the gown that he prepared for her?

    She decided to ask Lu Mello for the color theme but the moment she opened the door, she saw a woman sitting in front of Lu Mello''s desk.

    Wasn''t she Lu Mello''s business partner? Why was she all dressed up looking like a s.l.u.t?

    Zhu Jinyu was busy talking business with Lu Mello. Although she didn''t waste the chance to try and seduce him. Since she was wearing a low cut collar, whenever she bent down, her cleavage was seen.

    "And so, my father thinks it would be better to postpone it." She tucked a hair behind her ear and smiled sweetly at him, "What do you think about it, Mr. Lu?"

    "No, let''s not postpone it. The new product for Cian is ready and-"

    "Darling?"

    Upon hearing Shi Enxi''s soft voice, Lu Mello turned towards her.

    His eyes widened in surprise when he saw her go out of the room. Zhu Jinyu turned and was surprised as well.

    Shi Enxi was wearing nothing but Lu Mello''s big polo shirt that reached until her t.h.i.g.hs. It was a bit disheveled, exposing her smooth shoulder. Although on her shoulder, there was what looked like a hickey. Her black hair was a bit in a mess and her lipstick was smudged.

    She was rubbing her closed eyes, she looked as if she just woke up. "I''m so tired... My t.h.i.g.hs are aching so badly... I hardly walked out you know."

    When Shi Enxi turned to them, her cheeks became red, "Oh my! I didn''t know you were busy right now, darling."

    No matter how one looked at her, she looked like she just woke up after a tiring exercise.

    Lu Mello quickly went to Shi Enxi''s side and took his coat off to cover her. He turned to Liu Ying and glared. "Get out."

    "Y-yes!"

    Zhu Jinyu''s eyes darkened at the sight of Shi Enxi. She clenched her fists tight and tried her best to let out a smile. "Mr. Lu."

    Lu Mello turned to Zhu Jinyu who was standing still, "If you have anything else to discuss, you can talk with my assistant instead. Please excuse me."

    Without waiting for her reply, Lu Mello brought Shi Enxi back to his closet room.

    ...

    When Zhu Jinyu left Lu Mello''s office and the first thing she did was inquire about who that woman was.

    "That woman, who is she?"

    "She is the President''s wife."

    "Wife?!"

    "Yes."

    Liu Ying saw how Lu Mello brought Shi Enxi to his closet earlier before Zhu Jinyu entered the office. There was no way his Boss could touch her in a matter of seconds!

    There was only one explanation for what happened earlier. Lady Boss planned it all!

    That woman was really sly!

 Chapter 63 - Everything of yours is mine

    Shi Enxi was left alone with Lu Mello. As Lu Mello stared at her for a short while, he couldn''t help but chuckle.

    "Why are you laughing?" Shi Enxi had a serious look on her face, her arms crossed.

    "I''m not laughing." He was still smiling tho.

    "Stop smiling!"

    "Yes, ma''am." Lu Mello pursed his lips and tried his best to suppress his smile.

    She took off the coat that he placed around her and threw it to him.

    "Who was that bitch?"

    "I told you, she''s just a business partner."

    She raised a brow, not believing him at all. "That mongrel was obviously flirting with you! It''s so disgusting!"

    It was amusing to see his wife this jealous, he wanted to tease her more, "Why would she even flirt with me? I am a married man."

    "This is so frustrating! So frustrating!" She walked and took the pillows from the sofa. "You sick bastard! You''ve been gathering girls around you, aren''t you?! Why are you so handsome?!"

    "X-Xi-" He was caught off-guard when Shi Enxi started throwing the pillows to him. It was not just that, she took the shoes and threw them to him.

    He tried his best to avoid and block her attacks.

    What was happening to this woman? Why was she acting as if she was suddenly possessed by a devil?

    "First Fan Xiao Yao, now this woman?! How many women are you hiding, you d.i.c.khead?!!"

    "Stop it, Xi''er! No, not that! Don''t throw that!"

    Shi Enxi was holding one of his luxurious wristwatches and was planning to throw it to him.

    "Shi Enxi!" In a blink of an eye, he attacked her and cornered her against the wall.

    "Let go! Let go me!" She tried to struggle free but it was no use. Lu Mello was pinning her wrists against the wall.

    "Enxi!"

    Her lips were stretched into a straight line as she glared at him with her teary eyes. She was on the verge of crying but she refused to let her tears fall.

    They stared at each other for quite a while until Lu Mello finally spoke up, "You''re so freaking s.e.xy right now."

    She chuckled lightly, "Ah, I''m so exhausted of being this pretty and s.e.xy."

    "..."

    "Darling, why are you just staring? Kiss me already."

    "As you wish," Lu Mello smirked and bent down, capturing her lips.

    Shi Enxi closed her eyes and kissed him back. The moment Lu Mello let go of her wrists, she wrapped her arms around him.

    They shared a passionate and deep kiss that lasted for a while. Shi Enxi melted against his kiss. The anger and frustration that she was feeling were replaced by yearning. She yearned more of his touch and kiss.

    The kiss only broke when they have to pull away for air. Both were panting lightly.

    Lu Mello rested his forehead against hers, "I''m not interested in that woman or anyone. You are my only woman."

    Shi Enxi looked at him, her cheeks red, "Really?"

    "Yep, really."

    "Even if she has bigger b.r.e.a.s.ts than mine?"

    "...." Uh... What''s with the b.r.e.a.s.t?

    Anyway, he has to make his wife believe that he was never going to be attracted to other women. "I don''t like extra-large b.r.e.a.s.ts. I prefer b.r.e.a.s.ts like yours."

    "Is that true?"

    Wearing nothing but his polo was really tempting him. If only he could eat her up at that moment!

    "Of course, no one can replace my amazing wife."

    When Lu Mello saw that Shi Enxi has finally relaxed, he reached out and gently pulled down the shirt to expose her shoulder that has a hickey. "This..."

    "Oh, this? I used my makeup to do it." She erased the mark with the cloth. "See?"

    Lu Mello leaned and gave her shoulder a soft kiss, "Let me give you a real one."

    Feeling his kiss, he sent shivers down her spine. She even felt her heart skip a bit!

    "Mello."

    "Hm?"

    "My period ended two days ago."

    He looked at her in surprise. It already ended? Then why was she still acting as if she has menstruation? Women are so hard to understand!

    "You know what that means?"

    Lu Mello''s face brightened up when he heard what she said, "Can I?"

    She smirked at him, "No, not yet. We still have a banquet to attend later."

    "We can just not go." He placed his lips on the crook of her neck. The kiss made Shi Enxi giggle because of how ticklish his light kisses were.

    "Hahaha stop it, Mello." She covered his lips with his palm to stop him from planting ticklish kisses. "You have prepared a gown for me, I have to wear it tonight."

    He held her wrist to uncover his lips, "You can use it some other time."

    "But-"

    Lu Mello placed his finger on her lips before pulling away from her, "Do you know how long I''ve held back? Don''t underestimate my carnal d.e.s.i.r.e, Xi''er. You''ve been inviting me since earlier so don''t regret it now."

    She watched him remove his tie and unbutton his shirt one by one.

    Shi Enxi couldn''t help but gulp as she saw his collarbone, c.h.e.s.t, and those well-defined abs. She even unconscious covered her nose with her hand. Damn! His body was so nosebleed-worthy!

    She dazedly felt a fire was ignited in her body as she continued to stare at him.

    "Come here."

    Without holding back, Shi Enxi leaped and pounced at him. The couple fell on the sofa behind them. "Since you''ve been wanting this, then let''s consummate our marriage, Mr. Lu. Since this is a first for me, I will not hold back."

    He chuckled a bit, "If this is your first, then shouldn''t you be a bit more shy about this?"

    Shi Enxi scoffed. She was not the kind of woman to shy away from what she wanted. "Why would I be shy in front of you? You''re my husband. Your riches are mine, everything of yours is mine, including this body. I have the very right to own it."

 Chapter 64 - Xier, please behave.

    Lu Mello never expected Shi Enxi to be so aggressive even if it was her first. "Let''s go home."

    "Eh?"

    "I don''t want to take your first in a place like this."

    "Alright. Let''s go home and continue it there then." She got off from him and smiled.

    Even if Lu Mello wanted to devour her right there and then, he has to hold back again.

    ...

    Liu Ying managed to take care of Zhu Jinyu. He was currently holding a small box with a red ribbon wrapped around. He wanted to go in and give it to his Boss but what if his Boss was busy ''taking care'' of her?

    If he interrupted the two, Lu Mello might cut off his salary!

    To go or not to go?

    While he was busy deciding, Lu Mello and Shi Enxi went out of the office.

    Liu Ying sighed in relief when he saw them, he rushed to their sides. "Mr. Lu, your order has arrived."

    "What is this?" Shi Enxi asked, looking at the box.

    Lu Mello took the box and kept it in his coat. "I''ll give this to you later."

    Shi Enxi hugged Lu Mello''s arm and smiled sweetly, "Okay. I can''t wait to see what''s inside!"

    While they were heading out, Lu Mello noticed the stares that his employees were giving Shi Enxi. At first, he thought that it was because it was the first time a woman was clinging that close to him.

    "Is that her?"

    "She''s really President''s wife?"

    "Yeah. I feel so sorry for President Lu."

    "He must have been tricked by her beautiful features."

    "If only he knew how nasty she actually is."

    Lu Mello heard some whispering''s coming from other employees. He turned to Shi Enxi and raised a brow. "What did you do?"

    With an innocent, gentle smile, she replied, "I bullied someone."

    "..."

    "Why did you do that?"

    "Didn''t you say that I should not pretend?"

    "..."

    Lu Mello stopped and turned to Liu Ying who was just a few steps behind them. "What did she do?"

    "Well... It''s... um..." Even if lounging wanted to say it, he was pressured by the way Shi Enxi was looking at him.

    Shi Enxi let go of her husband''s arm. She looked around and saw her target, "Let me show you, darling."

    "Wait, Xi''er. Don''t go-"

    "What the hell?!" Shi Enxi''s voice caught the attention of many.

    "O-Oh no! I-I''m so sorry, ma''am!" The female intern reached out and tried to wipe the juice stain from Shi Enxi''s dress.

    "Don''t touch me!"

    Everyone saw what happened. Shi Enxi was just walking as if heading somewhere. The female intern was not paying attention to Shi Enxi since she was looking at Lu Mello and that caused her to bump on to the Lady Boss, spilling the juice on her dress.

    No matter how it looked like, everyone saw that it was the female intern''s fault for not paying attention. It may look like she was the one who bumped to Shi Enxi but that wasn''t the case at all.

    Shi Enxi was cunning enough to make it look that way. She was the one who headed her way and bumped on the female intern.

    Lu Mello massaged the bridge of his nose. He knew that it was clearly Shi Enxi who did it.

    "Don''t you know how much this dress cost?! Aside from that, this is my favorite dress!"

    Even if it was the female intern''s fault, the employees couldn''t help but feel sorry for her. She was surely going to be kicked out by their Boss'' evil wife.

    "That''s enough." Lu Mello finally spoke up.

    The female intern turned to Lu Mello who was approaching them. She looked at him in hope to save her. "President, I really didn''t mean it. It was an accident. Please forgive me."

    "Go back to your work."

    The female intern''s face brightened up. "T-Thank you, Sir-"

    "What?! No way! She has to pay up for the dress she ruined!" Shi Enxi glared at the female intern which made the poor girl tremble.

    Lu Mello placed a hand on Shi Enxi''s shoulder, "Just let it go, Xi''er. I''ll buy you a new dress instead."

    The annoyed look in Shi Enxi''s eyes was replaced by excitement. "Really?"

    This woman... Was this her plan all along? She caused a mess just so that she can have a new dress?

    "Yes." He patted her head as if calming a naughty child.

    Shi Enxi turned to the female intern and huffed, "You''re lucky that my husband is kind! You better not show yourself in front of me, scram!"

    She turned back to her husband and hugged his arm, "Darling. I don''t want to stay here any longer. I can''t deal with idiots anymore."

    Lu Mello leaned and kissed Shi Enxi''s forehead, after he did, he whispered, "Xi''er, please behave."

    "Fine, I will."

    The employees were surprised by how their Boss treated Shi Enxi even though she revealed her nasty character.

    Did he already know it? Or was he too blinded by Shi Enxi''s beauty?

    ---

    Upon reaching their home, Lu Mello and Shi Enxi didn''t delay the d.e.s.i.r.e to have each other.

    Shi Enxi was didn''t stop him, instead, she encouraged him. The hot feeling throughout her body made her yearn for more.

    "Is this really your first, Mrs. Lu?"

    The way her cheeks were red even if she tried her best to remain calm was adorable for Lu Mello.

    Every expression she showed him that moment was genuine. This was the real her.

    "If you won''t believe me, you can check it yourself."

    He smiled and leaned down to place his kiss on her c.h.e.s.t, "That, I will do."

 Chapter 65 - Last one, sweetheart

    Shi Enxi was lying beneath him in her u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r. Her smooth, white skin was so tempting. He wanted to put his mark all over her. He slipped his hand under her garment to feel her wetness on his palm.

    Lu Mello''s kisses, his every touch on her body and inside was driving Shi Enxi mad.

    "Mello... Mr. Lu..."

    Her m.o.a.ns were like music to his ears. He wanted to hear more, he wanted to hear the way she called his name as his fingers brought p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e in her body.

    He continued to plant kisses on her body while his fingers were busy.

    Not long, Lu Mello felt her warm release, making him stop. He pulled his hand back.

    "Look how wet you''ve become for me." His s.e.xy smirk shook her heart. The way he licked his fingers, his sharp gaze made her gulp.

    She rarely felt embarrassed but at that moment, she wanted to hide her body from his eyes but at the same time, she wanted him.

    "Xi''er."

    She glared at him, "I''m going to kill you if you tease me!"

    He chuckled, amused that she still has the mood to threaten him. She was really unbelievable.

    He leaned and kissed her cheek, "No teasing."

    She gathered her courage to remove the rest of her u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r for him. He has already seen her body once so why hold back? "Then what are you waiting for? Aren''t you going to check if I''m still a v.i.r.g.i.n?"

    Shi Enxi was really amusing, so interesting. "Are you that desperate to have me?"

    "You''re the one who''s desperate to have me!"

    He couldn''t help but laugh lightly at her remark. "Yes, yes, you''re right. I''m so desperate to have you."

    She pursed her lips tightly. "It''s my first so be gentle."

    "I will."

    When Lu Mello set his hardened rod free, Shi Enxi gulped nervously. It has been a while since she last saw it. Was he really going to put it in her? Will it fit her?

    "Can I... Change my mind?"

    "No. No backing out." He separated her clenched legs and positioned himself in front of her cavern.

    When he entered her, he felt an obstruction which made Shi Enxi cried out in pain.

    Lu Mello stopped and smiled. She was indeed telling the truth. He was so happy that this time, they were going at each other for real. He leaned, his kisses were fiery and wild as if trying to distract her from the pain.

    "Go on..." She breathed out, her eyes filled with tears.

    "Alright."

    He slowly pushed through until his wholeness was inside her. He waited patiently for her to get used to his size.

    When she gave him a signal, he started moving, gently grinding.

    It wasn''t long before the pain was replaced by p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e. His hot kisses and the p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e he was giving her was so overwhelming. She was familiarizing herself with the feeling but she just couldn''t get used to it as her husband increased his pace.

    It was as something was unleashed inside Lu Mello. Even if he once told her that he''d be gentle, he couldn''t control himself.

    "I''m sleepy, Mello..."

    "One more round."

    ...

    "You beast, I want to sleep! I''m so tired!"

    "Last one, sweetheart."

    After a couple of rounds, Lu Mello finally stopped. Shi Enxi was so tired that she easily fell asleep.

    Lu Mello watched her peaceful sleeping face that looked like an angel. He tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear before he leaned and kissed her forehead.

    Feeling the lovely warmth beside her, Shi Enxi snuggled close against Lu Mello''s c.h.e.s.t.

    What should he do? He didn''t use any protection that night and he was sure that Shi Enxi was going to take a pill so that she won''t get pregnant.

    Even if Lu Mello wanted to have children with his wife, he decided to respect his wife''s decision. If she wasn''t ready to have children then he was willing to wait.

    ---

    Meanwhile, Huang Li accompanied Fan Xiao Yao to the banquet.

    Fan Xiao Yao was expecting for Shi Enxi to come but there was no sign of her. She tried to call her but, Shi Enxi''s phone was off.

    "I need to leave by 9 pm," said Huang Li.

    "So fast? How can you leave earlier than Cinderella? At least accompany me until 12!"

 Chapter 66 - I will join you

    "I''m a busy man." Huang Li sighed.

    "And I am a busy woman!" Fan Xiao Yao huffed.

    Lately, Fan Xiao Yao''s schedule was full not just because of the miniseries she was in, it was also because of the invitations from different TV shows.

    She has just started but she was gaining so much popularity already, because of that, she was considered a threat to other artists.

    She was already considered as a gem by Director Gao. He was sure that her popularity would soar higher once the miniseries was out! He was even sure that she would be nominated as Rookie of the Year as long as she keeps up the good work.

    "Ah, is that Huang Li?"

    Huang Li turned and saw Wang Ansheng and Wang Nansheng walking towards him.

    Wang Ansheng smiled, "My, my, what are you doing here?"

    Wang Nansheng turned to Fan Xiao Yao. She was able to recognize her since her name has been circling around the entertainment industry. "Both of you seem close, are you dating?"

    "No, Gege is my cousin." Fan Xiao Yao quickly replied.

    "Is that so?"

    Huang Li was quiet for a while. He never had any good relationship between the two sisters. He has always hated them.

    During his childhood days, he was a fat kid who usually got bullied by them. They were spoiled and he was forced to get along with them by his parents.

    Upon entering high school, he had lost weight already and he caught the attention of Wang Ansheng. She really was annoying and he hated her more.

    Wang Ansheng: "Oh yeah, Huang Li, why don''t you drop us later? Our driver is sick, so how about taking his place?"

    Wang Nansheng: "Yeah. Your father was once a driver in the Wang family. Driving should be easy, right?"

    Fan Xiao Yao noticed Huang Li''s unusual quietness. She turned to look at him only to see a blank look on his face. Why was he so quiet? He should at least say something to decline them, right?

    If he won''t speak up then fine! She''ll help him just this once!

    Fan Xiao Yao held Huang Li''s arm and smiled at the two sisters. "I''m sorry but my cousin is not a viable right now."

    Wang Nansheng raised a brow, "He looked pretty available to me." She turned to Huang Li, "You''ll drive us home, right, Huang Li?"

    "I won''t." Huang Li finally spoke up.

    "See?" Fan Xiao Yao stayed close to Huang Li, "Gege, let''s go greet Senior Zi Xuan. His mother is one of your patients, right?"

    Fan Xiao Yao dragged Huang Li away from the two.

    Wang Ansheng gritted her teeth as she glared at Fan Xiao Yao''s back. "That bitch."

    "It looks like you have a rival in love, sister." Wang Nansheng smirked, teasing her sister.

    "Shut up. She''s just his relative."

    "Really now? Look at how close they are. The way his cousin looked at him is different too. There''s something off between them."

    ...

    "Thank you."

    Huang Li''s gentle voice was heard in the car.

    Fan Xiao Yao turned to him, blinking a few times. "Huh? About what?"

    "About earlier."

    "Oh... That?" She chuckled a bit, "You don''t have to thank me just because of that."

    The car was quiet again. Huang Li was currently driving and was looking straight on the road.

    In the end, the two decided to leave early. Fan Xiao Yao noticed how Huang Li''s mood dropped after meeting the Wang sisters.

    What could have happened? Fan Xiao Yao wanted to ask but she decided not to pry in his past. If he wanted to tell her about it, he would speak up.

    Upon reaching her place, Fan Xiao Yao unbuckled her seatbelt.

    "Thank you for dropping me."

    "Hm."

    "Goodnight, Gege. Take care on your way back." She leaned and kissed his cheek before she went out of the car.

    Huang Li never expected her to give him a kiss on his cheek. He watched Fan Xiao Yao enter the building she was staying without looking back even once.

    He touched his cheek. He could still feel the kiss that Fan Xiao Yao gave him. The warmth was still there.

    What was that about?

    Fan Xiao Yao''s face was in its deepest shade of red when she realized what she did. She walked in a hurry in embarrassment.

    Why did she suddenly do that? Was she going crazy?! Her body just acted on its own. How will she face him next time?! Thinking of what happened, she didn''t want to show herself in front of him ever again!

    ---

    It was past 9 AM when Shi Enxi woke up. She felt very sore on her lower region, she even has a hard time getting up.

    When she realized that she was alone in the room, she gritted her teeth tightly. She never expected that their extreme active last night would result into this. "BASTARD! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

    She tried to move to the side but it was no use, she didn''t have any strength, she felt so sore.

    It was by then that Lu Mello entered their room with a tray filled with breakfast for her. With a sweet smile, he greeted, "Oh, you''re finally awake."

    He placed the tray on top of the drawer that was beside the bed before he sat beside her.

    "Why are you looking at me like that?"

    If looks could kill, Shi Enxi would have probably killed Lu Mello with her glare already.

    "My body is so full of pain! It''s your fault!"

    Lu Mello cleared his throat, averting his gaze from her. He was feeling a bit guilty for not being able to hold back. "I''m... Sorry for going overboard... I was just too happy."

    "Too happy?! I''m going to kick your ass!"

    "Sweetheart, it''s not good to be this angry in the morning. I have already prepared a warm bath for you. It will help with your body''s soreness."

    How she wished she could just choke him to death!

    "Carry me."

    Without delay, Lu Mello carried his n.a.k.e.d wife toward the bathroom.

    When she saw her body against the mirror in the bathroom, she saw purple marks on her body, especially on her neck and c.h.e.s.t.

    "You f.u.c.k.i.n.g d.i.c.khead! What''s this?!" She cried out. The marks that were on her body together with the soreness she was feeling was stressing her out. "I want a divorce! I don''t want to be with a beast like you!"

    "You''re already married to me so I''m not accepting any divorce until the end of our days." Lu Mello calmly replied with a smile.

    Upon placing her in the bathtub, Shi Enxi splashed the warm water to him. She was like a child who was throwing a tantrum. "Get out! Get out!"

    "Since you have wet me, let me join you in taking a bath. Oh well, I don''t mind taking bath again."

    "..." Shi Enxi became quiet. Her eyes went wide when she saw Lu Mello taking off his wet clothes.

    "W-What are you doing?"

    "I will join you." A sly smirk appeared on his lips.

 Chapter 67 - Bastard! Douchebag! D.i.c.khead! Get out!

    Shi Enxi remained quiet and behaved the whole time after they had another heated session.

    Since she has been away for a while, this was his way of making her stay with him for a while to make up for the time she left him. If she was tired for a couple of days, there''s no way she could go to work!

    Lu Mello was currently washing her. She was afraid that if she complained to him, has might eat her up again. She didn''t want that to happen, her body was already so sore.

    It was like that until he took her out of the bathroom.

    The bedsheets and pillows were already replaced. Since Shi Enxi had a hard time walking, he carried her and placed her down on the bedside.

    He went and took something to wear for her, including her u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r before he gave it to her.

    As Shi Enxi wore her clothes, she didn''t mind showing her body to him anymore, after all, he has seen everything of her.

    "Didn''t you said that you are not a v.i.r.g.i.n anymore?" Lu Mello was the first one to break the silence that was surrounding them. "Last night..."

    Shi Enxi knew what he was talking about. She hugged her knees. "Do you think that I''ve been sleeping around for 20 years after escaping that Wang Hao''s hold?"

    Lu Mello stared at her for a while. He pulled her and held her in her arms. "Then consider me as your first."

    Shi Enxi leaned against him. It has been a while since she has thought of her past. Whenever she was with Lu Mello, she felt loved. She was spoiled by him and everything he has, he never hesitates on giving it to her.

    Even after learning her past, he still looked at her with eyes full of... Love. He never mistreated her once.

    Was it possible for her to have a happy life with him? Was it okay for her to live peacefully with the man who showered her with love?

    Because of Lu Mello''s kindness, it wasn''t hard to love him.

    "Xi''er?"

    She turned to him and stared at his face. He was handsome from the depth of his eyes to the gentle expressions of his voice.

    This man loves her? Why would he love someone like her? She was not a good person at all. There so many girls that were better than her in terms of personality.

    She reached out and held his hand tight. "Don''t leave me."

    Yes, she wanted to stay with him just like this. It looked like she has fallen for him already. She didn''t want those feelings to disappear. She wanted to remain by his side until the end.

    "What are you talking about?" He chuckled lightly, "Of course I won''t leave you."

    She finally smiled at him, smiling so sweetly. Her smile shined like the stars in the sky, with no bright city lights to dim them. It was like the sun opened its eager light to shine about her, only brightening her perfectly aligned teeth.

    Lu Mello was struck by her smile. When did she smile that way to him? No, he never saw her smile so brightly, even in his previous life with her.

    "Darling, I''m hungry."

    "Darling?"

    "Mello!"

    He snapped out of his trance, "Yes?"

    Shi Enxi pouted, "What are you thinking?"

    He was looking at her for so long. What is that?

    "Your smile is so beautiful, it''s turning me on."

    "..." In a blink of an eye, Shi Enxi was already out of his hold.

    "Huh? Why did you move away from me?"

    She grabbed a pillow and was holding it as if it was a weapon for killing. "Don''t come near me you freaking beast!"

    Lu Mello raised a brow, "What did you call me?"

    "Bastard! Douchebag! D.i.c.khead! Get out!"

    His expression became dark and the temperature in the room dropped in an instant. "Come here, Enxi."

    Lu Mello''s deep voice made Shi Enxi''s whole body shiver. This was bad. If she did what he said, he might attack her again!

    "N-no."

    When he moved toward her, Shi Enxi shrunk back until she was finally at the edge of the bed.

    Shit! She was cornered! Oh how she wished that she could run out of he room.

    "H-Hubby, darling, sweetheart, I''m really tired and-and hungry." She stuttered.

    "Hungry? Well then, would you like to try me?" Lu Mello held her feet in place. "How about it, my dear wife?"

    "I-I want to eat something sweet."

    "Should I put chocolate all over my body?"

    "..."

    Shi Enxi was blushing so hard. He was so shameless to the point where it was giving her a headache! Did he think that she would fall for his trap?

    She knew that the moment she would play along with him, he would turn the tables and consume her instead!

    She turned her gaze to the breakfast that he brought earlier. "That one, I want to eat that one."

    "But it''s already cold. It won''t taste good."

    "LU F.U.C.K.I.N.G MELLO!!"

    "Sweetheart, I can''t f.u.c.k myself. I prefer f.u.c.k.i.n.g you." He was grinning playfully at her.

    Since her patience has run out, Shi Enxi pounced over him and started hitting him with the pillow.

    Lu Mello''s laugh resounded in the room. He was laughing so loud while he was blocking her.

    "Stop laughing!"

    But despite that, Lu Mello continued to laugh, he looked so happy, he was surely enjoying the moment they had together.

    "Okay, okay, that''s enough, my tummy hurts."

    She let go of the pillow and aimed for his cheeks instead, pinching them as hard as she could.

    "OOOW! XI''ER!"

 Chapter 68 - Ive got a surprise for you

    After their mini fight, Lu Mello decided to give Shi Enxi her breakfast.

    "I should reheat this first. It has gotten cold." Lu Mello said, getting out of the bed.

    "Make it fast, okay? I''m really starving." She pouted, hugging another pillow.

    "Yes, ma''am." He chuckled. "Oh yeah, you should probably drink this first."

    He gave her the pill that was in the tray.

    Shi Enxi raised a brow, looking at the pill. "What is this for?"

    "Didn''t you say that you didn''t want to get pregnant yet?"

    Shi Enxi stared at the pill for a moment. She was touched with Lu Mello''s gesture.

    He prepared it for her and he respected her decision on not wanting to get pregnant yet. Ah, why is he this kind?

    "Thank you."

    After Lu Mello left the room to reheat the food, Shi Enxi stared at the pill for a while and her other hand obviously went to her tummy.

    She was so sure that she would definitely get pregnant because of their extreme activity last night. How many rounds did they have?

    She drunk the pill and waited for her husband''s return. While waiting, her phone started ringing.

    She looked at the caller ID and saw Fan Xiao Yao''s name on it.

    It was her off so why was she calling?

    "Hello?"

    "Xiao Xi! When are you coming here?"

    "It''s weekend."

    "So? I really wanted to see you! I have something to say!"

    Fan Xiao Yao''s worried voice was mixed with excitement and it made Shi Enxi wonder what happened last for her to act this way.

    "Speak."

    "What? I wanted to tell it to you in person!"

    Shi Enxi sighed heavily. She was still feeling tired but at least it was better than earlier. "Is it important?"

    "Yes, it''s very important."

    "Is your life in danger?"

    "..."

    "Well?"

    "I think so?"

    Shi Enxi turned to Lu Mello who entered the room.

    "Fine, I''ll meet you today. Message me the place."

    Lu Mello raised a brow. Who was she talking to? She was planning to go out today? No way! He has already scheduled a date for them!

    After Shi Enxi ended the call, she noticed how sour Lu Mello''s face was.

    "What?"

    "We have a date today so you can''t just go and see someone else. Didn''t you promise that you''ll spend weekends with me?" He placed the tray in front of her. "So don''t go."

    "I need to. Xiao Yao wanted to see me. She needed to tell me something and it looked urgent." Besides, she was still a bit mad at Lu Mello for going overboard last night and for going on another round earlier at the bathroom.

    "Xiao Yao? What does she want to talk about?"

    "I don''t know. That''s why I''m going to see her." She started eating her breakfast. Soon after, her phone vibrated because of the message that Fan Xiao Yao sent her. It was the address of a cafe.

    Shi Enxi showed it to her husband. "See?"

    Lu Mello''s lips we''re stretched into a straight line. He obviously didn''t want her to go. "Can''t it be done some other time?"

    "She said it''s urgent." She placed her phone down before she continued to eat.

    Lu Mello sighed in defeat, "Alright, I''ll let you go but after, you have to go on a date with me. I''ll pick you up once you''re done."

    "Okay. It''s not like I have a choice do I?"

    He went and sat beside her, watching her eat. Shi Enxi didn''t say anything, she continued to eat quietly.

    She would look at him from time to time but wouldn''t say a word.

    "Are you still mad about earlier?" Lu Mello finally broke the silence between them.

    "No, I''m not mad at you anymore since you''re so handsome."

    He smiled, resting his chin on his palm. "Then I guess I am grateful to have been born this handsome."

    She smiled back at him and feed him some of her food. "Where are you going to take me later?"

    "Guess it." He said before eating.

    "I don''t like to guess." It looked like she just has to wait until she gets there.

    Lu Mello decided not to force her to it, instead, he took her phone. While checking on it, he saw Wang Nansheng''s messages. It was since last week and Shi Enxi has been replying the same reason every time she messaged her.

    Wang Nansheng would invite Shi Enxi to have dinner with them, she also mentioned to bring Lu Mello but Shi Enxi would always reply that she was busy.

    Shi Enxi didn''t mind Lu Mello checking in her phone, she didn''t have anything to hide from him anymore. She didn''t have to pretend in front of him anymore. Even if she told him that she didn''t trust him yet, she couldn''t stop herself from doing it. She was getting too attached to him... Was that a good thing?

    "Have you checked the News?" He handed her back the phone.

    "No, not yet. Why?"

    "I''ve got a surprise for you." He grinned at her.

    Shi Enxi raised a brow. What kind of surprise did he have for her? Did he announce their marriage to everyone?

    Wondering what it could be, Shi Enxi decided to look at the daily News.

    When she saw the headlines, her eyes went wide in surprise. The News was so fresh, it was just released last night and yet the number of people who reacted on it was already unbelievable!

    "W-what''s this?"

    "It''s my wedding gift for you." Lu Mello smirked.

 Chapter 69 - Most expensive accessory

    Wang Hao''s name was in the headline and beside it was the word ''Paedophile''.

    He was a well-known man who would usually give charities and aid for sick children. He even has his own adoption home for the children who didn''t have parents. He would even invite them to his place and spend holidays together with his family.

    Shi Enxi scanned through it, there were photos and even pictures of Wang Hao being close to the children. One of those pictures was him inviting a girl inside his room.

    She turned Lu Mello in surprise. How was he able to get these pieces of evidence?

    She has always known that Wang Hao was a Paedophile, she had tried to send someone to get any evidence of it but Wang Hao was so careful that it was difficult to get one from him. Even the usual girls that he would bring along with him wouldn''t speak up since they were too afraid of Wang Hao. Because of that, Shi Enxi decided to directly kill him instead.

    Now that he has already woken up from his coma a month ago, she never wanted to see him even once.

    "How did you get these?"

    "I''m a detective, it''s my job to investigate things and find evidence against someone I think is a criminal." The left side of his faint red lip tugged upwards creating a proud smirk on his god-like face; casting a spell of l.u.s.t to eyes that dare look his way.

    She was instantly captured by him. She wanted to wipe off his smirk with her lips as she felt indescribable joy and satisfaction. Wang Hao''s downfall was sure!

    "I have already sent someone to put him to prison. This is just the beginning of his family''s ruin." Lu Mello added.

    Shi Enxi placed the tray aside before she leaned and hugged him by his neck. "Hubby, you''re so amazing!"

    "Of course, I am." He grinned, placing his hands on her waist.

    Shi Enxi knew that Wang Ansheng and Wang Nansheng''s lives would be affected since the two of them were famous in the entertainment industry. Their father would surely bring shame on them! The effect was going to be a chain reaction for that family!

    "This is the best wedding gift ever!" She showered his face with kisses and that made Lu Mello laugh.

    His laugh was so contagious that Shi Enxi ended up laughing as well.

    "Okay, okay, that''s enough." He patted her head gently. "I''m not done with the wedding gift. I still have to give you other gifts later."

    "Aww~ You''re definitely the most expensive accessory I have!" She grinned happily. "You''re intelligent, handsome and has a s.e.xy body, the complete luxury package!"

    A faint blush appeared on Lu Mello''s cheeks because of all the praises that Shi Enxi was giving him.

    Her tongue was just not sharp, it also knew how to flatter someone in extreme!

    "I love you, Mello!"

    "Really?"

    "As long as you remain rich and smart and s.e.xy, then yes, I will continue to love you!"

    "..."

    ---

    Shi Enxi was about to leave the mansion but the moment she was about to go out, she saw Lu Weichun entering the place.

    The smile she had instantly disappear upon seeing Lu Weichun''s proud face. She really was so annoyed just by looking at her.

    "I really don''t like her." She whispered to Lu Mello who was walking beside her.

    "She''s my sister, please try to get along with her."

    "Hmp. If not for that, I would have kicked her a.s.s a long time ago."

    "Xi''er..."

    "I''ll behave."

    Lu Weichun smiled upon seeing her brother. She obviously went and ignored Shi Enxi. "Gege, I came here to visit!"

    Lu Mello smiled back at his sister, "You should have given me a message so that I can prepare for your arrival."

    "There''s no need to prepare for that." She chuckled.

    "Good day, sister-in-law." Shi Enxi greeted with a small smile on her lips.

    Lu Weichun only took a glance at her before turning away, "Where''s Timmy and Nanny Mo Jing? I want to see them!"

    Shi Enxi''s lips twitched in annoyance when Lu Weichun ignore her. Was she testing her patience?

    "Xiao Chun, my wife greeted you, don''t be rude." Lu Mello scolded. He was not pleased with the way Lu Weichun was acting towards Shi Enxi.

    His wife was already trying to get along and yet his sister was pushing her away.

    Lu Weichun pouted and turned to Shi Enxi, "Just because you have my brother in your side doesn''t mean I''m going to go easy with you."

    "Lu Weichun." Lu Mello warned. The smile he had on his face disappeared and was replaced by a frown

    "What? I don''t like to get along with people made of plastic. How can you not see how pretentious this bit-"

    "That''s enough." Lu Mello interrupted, the tone of his voice was deadly. "If you''re just here to fight, then you better leave."

    "Ah, darling, don''t take her seriously. You know that Xiao Chun is still young so she''s a bit immature. She must-"

    "Immature?!" Lu Weichun glared at her. Did she just call her immature?

    Shi Enxi looked at her with a smile, "Aren''t you?"

    "Y-you..."

    "I have to go now or else I''ll be late for my appointment. I''ll see you some other time, Xiao Chun." She turned to her husband and tiptoed, kissing his cheek. "See you later, hubby."

    She gave Lu Weichun one last glance before she passed by her.

    "Shi Enxi! Wait! Where do you think are you going?! I''m not done with you yet!" Lu Weichun''s face was red in anger.

    "Lu Weichun!" This time, Lu Mello was really angry.

    "How can you marry a woman..." Lu Weichun trailed off upon seeing the dark look in Lu Mello''s eyes. She has never seen him so furious. "G-Gege..."

    "My wife is older than you, Weichun. You need to learn how to respect her. If you disrespect her, you''re doing the same to me."

    "I... I didn''t mean it like that... You know how much respect I have for you but Shi Enxi is... she is..."

    "She''s my wife and I want you to give the same respect as you give me, understood?"

    How could her brother side against someone like Shi Enxi? This was the first time that her brother was glaring so coldly at her! It was not fair! Shi Enxi was turning her family against her! She was not going to allow that! No way! She has to find a way to open everyone''s eyes against Shi Enxi!

    "Weichun, do you understand?"

    "Yes, I do."

    "Apologize to Xi''er, okay?"

    "Okay."

    For now, she has to lay low. Her brother was already angry at her. Whatever plans she would have, she has to keep it from him. Maybe she should ask for her sister''s help against Shi Enxi, she would surely help her!

 Chapter 70 - Thats not mine

    "Xiao Xi, over here." Fan Xiao Yao waved at her upon seeing her by the entrance of the cafe.

    Shi Enxi walked toward her table and sat on her opposite. "Spit it."

    Fan Xiao Yao pouted. How could she say that the moment she sat down? "Why don''t you order first."

    "Fine."

    The waitress went to their table, "May I take your orders?"

    "I want another slice of blueberry cheesecake." Fan Xiao Yao ordered. "Also strawberry parfait."

    Shi Enxi frowned upon hearing her orders. There was an empty plate in front of her and strawberry milkshake that was already half empty. "Xiao Yao, what did I tell you about eating sweets?"

    "This isn''t much." Fan Xiao Yao always have a sweet tooth and ever since Shi Enxi took over her diet, she wasn''t able to satisfy her sweet tooth.

    "Isn''t much?" Shi Enxi raised a brow. "How many calories do you think one slice of cake has?"

    "You''re too strict."

    "It''s for your own good." Shi Enxi turned to the waitress and smiled. "Cancel her orders. As for me, I want a hot French Vanilla."

    "Yes ma''am."

    After the waitress left, Shi Enxi turned to Fan Xiao Yao. "Now then, what''s the important thing that you want to tell me?"

    A blush appeared on Fan Xiao Yao''s cheeks. She lowered her head and looked hesitant. "Well..."

    Shi Enxi raised a brow at how fl.u.s.tered and shy Fan Xiao Yao was. Why was she acting this way?

    "Don''t tell me that... You have fallen in love with a guy?"

    Fan Xiao shot her head up to her, surprised. "How did you know?"

    Shi Enxi ignored her question, instead, she asked, "Who is it?"

    Fan Xiao Yao became nervous because of the way Shi Enxi was looking at her. Should she tell her? Why was she looking at her as if she was going to choke her?

    Meanwhile, Shi Enxi couldn''t believe that Fan Xiao Yao has fallen for another guy. She couldn''t help but be curious on who that guy might be.

    She started recalling and analyzing the men that Fan Xiao Yao encountered.

    The men who has been close to her for the past two months we''re Zi Xuan and Huang Li...

    Something clicked inside Shi Enxi when she thought of Huang Li?!

    The waitress arrived and placed their orders on the table. "Enjoy."

    After the waitress left, Fan Xiao Yao finally spoke up. "You see... I have fallen in love with senior Huang Li..."

    So it really was him?!

    "What made you fall for him?" Shi Enxi asked curiously. It was not because she was against them, she has already thought of shipping the the two. If Fan Xiao Yao was able to like someone else then she could have Lu Mello all to herself! She wouldn''t have any strong rivals anymore!

    "Senior Huang Li is gentle and kind... Whenever he smiles, my heart would race. Whenever he pats my head, I just couldn''t help but smile from ear to ear. A-Also... Last night... When I kissed him... I feel like bursting!"

    "W-what?!!"

    She kissed him?!

    "But it''s only on his cheek, okay?" Fan Xiao Yao quickly added, she was blushing so hard.

    "I-I know that I shouldn''t be dating yet that is why I know my limits. I will set my distance from him." Fan Xiao Yao knew how much dating could affect her career if the paparazzi we''re able to find out about it.

    Shi Enxi saw how Fan Xiao Yao was serious about what she said. It was a good thing to know that she was taking her job remarkably.

    "If you''re planning to date him, let me know. I''ll handle everything so that will be able to date him freely." Shi Enxi was in a good mood, she was smiling brightly at Fan Xiao Yao.

    "Xiao Xi..." Fan Xiao Yao was so happy to learn how supportive Shi Enxi was. She was really glad that she has someone she could tell things like these.

    "For now, focus on your acting. If you''ll be able to grab an Award, I''ll let everyone approve of your relationship with him."

    Fan Xiao Yao blinked a few times, "Um... How will you do that?"

    "I''m your manager. Leave all the dirty works to me." She took a sip on her drink.

    "I guess I have to work hard on making senior Huang notice me."

    "He likes cute girls like you so you don''t have to worry about it. Just be yourself."

    ...

    After having a few more chats, Shi Enxi received a message from Lu Mello, stating that he was waiting outside of the cafe.

    Fan Xiao Yao and Shi Enxi went out of the cafe soon after.

    Lu Mello was standing beside a black Maybach car, wearing a grey retro suit.

    "I''ll see you tomorrow, Xi''er." Fan Xiao Yao smiled at her although her smile couldn''t be seen since she was wearing a mask to avoid others from recognizing her.

    "You should prepare for the interview you have tomorrow. Ring me if you have any questions."

    Fan Xiao Yao grinned and gave her a salute, "Yes, ma''am, I will do that!"

    She turned to Lu Mello and crossed her arms, "Mello, you better be good to Xiao Xi, okay? I''m going to beat you up if you made her cry!"

    Lu Mello laughed lightly, "I think you should tell that to her. I''m the one being bullied."

    Shi Enxi raised a brow, huffing. "Seriously?"

    He was the one who was bullying her since last night! He was bullying her so badly on bed!

    "You too, Xiao Xi. Be good to Mello." She chuckled.

    "Anyway, I should be going now. See you later."

    "Mm, later."

    Fan Xiao Yao watched her two close friends leave before she turned and started walking away from the place.

    Back then, Fan Xiao Yao would feel pain in her c.h.e.s.t whenever she thought of Shi Enxi and Lu Mello being together but now, she was genuinely happy for them to the point where she could easily smile and stand before them. Why was it? Was it because of Huang Li? She has fallen for someone else... That must be the reason, right?

    "Excuse me, miss."

    Fan Xiao Yao turned and saw a tall, fine man. He was striking like a silver-fox. His appearance alone was seductive despite having a stoic look.

    He was holding a handkerchief in his hand. "You dropped this."

    Fan Xiao Yao was already used at seeing all kind of beauties, since she was an actress, she was surrounded by beautiful face so she didn''t have much reaction upon seeing him.

    She looked at that handkerchief, "That''s not mine."

    "Oh... I see."

    She realized that she saw him at the cafe earlier. His table was not far from the table she was in earlier.

    Was he actually... following her?

    "Please excuse me, I''m in a hurry." She quickly said before she rushed back to her dormitory.

 Chapter 71 - Thank you, Mello

    Lu Mello and Shi Enxi arrived at one of Beijing''s biggest Concert Hall. It was then that Shi Enxi learned that they were attending Lu Xingyan''s Piano concert.

    Just like her mother, Lu Xingyan became a famous Pianist. She was considered a genius in the field and since she has always loved playing the Piano, she has her mother''s help to get to where she was.

    Lu Mello has already reserved a VIP seat for them so they were separated from others. He was sitting beside Shi Enxi. He looked at her and smiled. "You love classical music, right?"

    "I do... how did you found out?" The only person who knew her the best was Huang Li. Did he ask Huang Li about it?

    She may be living with Lu Mello for a while but she didn''t tell him much about herself. Except for her past, Lu Mello was supposed to be clueless about other things, right?

    "I checked your phone''s playlist once." Lu Mello reasoned out.

    In the past, while Shi Enxi was pregnant with Huang Li''s child, she would usually listen to classical music. Of course, during that time, Lu Mello still didn''t found about the child being Huang Li''s. He thought that it was his own child that was why there were times where he would play the piano for her whenever she was in the mood to listen for one.

    Now that he was reminded of the child... Lu Mello felt bitter, he felt something stabbing his heart. He never had a child of his own with Shi Enxi.

    When the concert started, Shi Enxi loved every piece that Lu Xingyan played. The emotions, the technique, everything was perfect. No wonder Lu Xingyan was considered a prodigy in the world of music.

    "Your sister is amazing, Mello."

    Hearing no response from him, Shi Enxi turned to him. He may be watching Lu Xingyan play the piano but his eyes seemed distracted by something.

    Shi Enxi noticed how Lu Mello was in a trance. His expression didn''t look good. What with the sad look in his eyes? The piece that Lu XIngyan was currently playing was a lively piece.

    "Mello?"

    She was able to get his attention back upon placing her hand on his arm.

    He looked at her but he didn''t say anything. The look in his eyes was still the same.

    Shi Enxi was about to ask what was wrong but stopped when she heard the words that came out of Lu Mello''s lips.

    "Have you ever loved me for real?"

    Shi Enxi felt confused with what he asked but at the same time, she felt a prick in her c.h.e.s.t.

    Lu Mello snapped out from his thoughts. He realized that he said something he shouldn''t. He knew that he will never be able to get the answer to that question since it was for the Shi Enxi of the past.

    "Haha, just ignore what I said, Xi''er." Lu Mello turned his gaze back to his sister.

    Shi Enxi lowered her head and bit her lower lip. What was wrong with him? Why was he acting as if she has hurt him badly? Why was she feeling guilty?

    "I may have no feelings for you back then but right now, I do." She held his hand. "You are not hard to love."

    Lu Mello turned to her, chuckling a bit. "As long as I have my wealth and good looks, you will continue to love me, right?"

    Despite the light tone in Lu Mello''s voice Shi Enxi could feel how heavy those words were when she took it in. Those were the words that she would usually tell him whenever she told him she loves him, right? Why did it sound so different when it came from him.

    Lu Mello did so many things for her, things she has never experienced. He was the only person who spoiled her so much.

    "Do you really love me?" Shi Enxi couldn''t help but ask.

    "No matter how many times you ask that, my answer will still be the same. I love you and I will prove it to you every day."

    She has never fallen in love with anyone, even with Huang Li despite being by her side whenever she needed someone. She couldn''t bring herself to love someone when she thought about her past. Who would accept her?

    Back then, Huang Li was the only one who understood her but she could only see him as a brother. The times where Shi Yi was supposed to be there to comfort her during her childhood days, it was Huang Li who acted like a big brother to her. If she had to be honest, she was closer to Huang Li than to her brother.

    After getting close to Lu Mello, she knew that the feelings called ''love'' was starting to grow inside her. She never thought that she who was full of hate was capable of knowing love.

    She never trusted anyone but ever since she met Lu Mello, that changed. She began trusting others, even to Fan Xiao Yao.

    Who would have thought that there would be a day where she became close to Fan Xiao Yao. Even if she acted strict to her, she knew in herself that she started caring for that woman. She has always envied Fan Xiao Yao, she has once wanted to ruin her ''happy life'', she wanted to take away the people that cared for her but then... she ended becoming one of those people.

    Lu Mello''s presence changed so many things in her life. He entered her life and brought colors to it. He became someone so important to her. He has always made her feel special but how about her? Did she ever try to make him feel special?

    Damn it... the current piece Lu Xingyan was making her heart bursts to the point where she wanted to cry.

    "Falling in love with you was like entering a house and finally realizing I''m home."

    Lu Mello turned to her after hearing her words. He was surprised to see her blushing face while she stared back at him.

    The corners of her mouth lift up into a smile, "Thank you, Mello. Thank you for loving someone like me."

    Just by seeing her smile so lovingly at him, something amazing happened, like a light turning on in a dark room, it brought warmth in him. The heavy feeling he had earlier disappeared with no trace left behind.

    "What''s this? You''re being so cute right now, I want to kiss you." He grinned happily at her.

    She leaned and pecked his lips. "Now stop distracting me, I''m trying to enjoy the concert you know."

    "Give me a longer kiss."

    "I''ll give you one later."

 Chapter 72 - Why dont you join us for dinner?

    "Thank you for these flowers, Gege, Sister Enxi." Lu Xingyan smiled gently at the two.

    After the concert, Lu Mello and Shi Enxi went to see Lu Xingyan at the Dressing Room.

    "I am truly happy that both of you were able to come tonight." Lu Xingyan was always calm and soft-spoken unlike her twin sister, Lu Weichun.

    Shi Enxi preferred getting along with her especially when she was a talented musician.

    "Xi''er loved to listen to classical music so I decided to bring her here."

    "You were amazing, Xiao Xing. I love your original pieces too. I''m totally your fan now." Shi Enxi didn''t have to pretend in front of Lu Xingyan since those were her honest feelings.

    "I feel so honored to have my sister-in-law as one of my fans." Lu Xingyan chuckled.

    Lu Mello was happy to see that his sister and wife were getting along. He watched the two talk about music and they easily got close.

    "Why don''t you join us for dinner?" Shi Enxi invited.

    "I would love to but are you sure that you want an extra person on your date?"

    "You can bring your fiance." Shi Enxi grinned. Lu Xingyan''s engagement was well-known.

    Since Lu Xingyan has always been more matured in terms of personality than Lu Weichun, she was able to convince her father in accepting her boyfriend. Lu Xingyan has always been open to her parents, especially to her father, unlike her sister.

    Just then, a knock was heard and a handsome man entered the room. The man was holding a box of cake and a bouquet of flowers.

    He was Lu Xingyan''s fiance but then, their relationship wouldn''t work out because... he was also the man who was fated for Fan Xiao Yao.

    In his past life, the reason why Lu Xingyan broke up with Han Xukun was because of a huge misunderstanding. Lu Xingyan has always been close with another guy. Even though Lu Xingyan would tell him that he was only her friend, Han Xukun had a hard time believing, especially when her friend was gazing at her lovingly.

    After they broke up, that was when Han Xukun met Fan Xiao Yao. At first, he tried to use her to get Lu Xingyan back but then, he ended up falling for her instead.

    He never heard of them after Han Xukun brought Fan Xiao Yao to the Azure Republic.

    "I brought an apple cake for you." Han Xukun always has a serious look on his face but as he gazed down at Lu Xingyan, the look in his eyes softened. "These lilies are for you as well."

    "Thank you, Xukun."

    Lu Mello watched how close the two were. They weren''t always like that. The only reason why they got engaged with each other was because of their cousin, Lu Mengjie.

    Lu Mengjie was supposed to be engaged to Han Xukun but since she has someone else she loved, she introduced Lu Xingyan to Han Xukun.

    Han Xukun never had feelings for Lu Mengjie and just like her, he didn''t want to get married to her. He may be her best friend but he never once grew feelings for her. For him, Lu Mengjie was an impossible case, a pain in the head and a rebel.

    So far, the only one who could handle her crazy antics was Sisi, the man she loved.

    Anyway, back to Han Xukun and Lu Xingyan. They became close because of their love for books. They would get along in everything they do. They have so many similarities that it wasn''t hard for them to fall in love with each other.

    Shi Enxi was staring at Han Xukun for a while. She felt like she saw him earlier... where did she saw him?

    "Ah, you''re the man earlier at the cafe!"

    Han Xukun nodded, "I also saw you with your friend." He pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket. "Is this yours?"

    Shi Enxi blinked a few times, looking at the handkerchief. "Yes, that''s mine. I guess it must have fallen off when I left the Cafe." She took it from him. "How are you doing, brother Xukun? It''s been so long since we''ve seen each other."

    Han Xukun nodded in agreement, "You changed a lot. I was not able to recognize you."

    "You too. That hair of yours is so eyecatching but silver looks good on you."

    Lu Mello cleared his throat. Back then, he may have approved of Han Xukun but after hurting his sister in the past, he became wary of him. "Xiao Xing, you should join us for dinner."

    "Alright."

    What should he do? Since they were going to break up because of a misunderstanding, should he help them and give them advice in their relationship or should he let things go as it is?

    What if someone else was fated for his sister?

    Damn it... He died without learning about that.

 Chapter 73 - Im so lucky

    Upon arriving at the hotel, Shi Enxi never expected to see Hen Ruying entering the same hotel. Why was he here? If he was in a hotel then... could he be meeting someone?

    She used Lu Mello has a human wall so that Hen Ruying wouldn''t be able to see her.

    From afar, he saw him take a room''s card from the receptionist.

    "Why are you hiding?" Lu Mello asked.

    "A cat needs to hide its presence when hunting for a mouse."

    Lu Mello raised an amused brow. He followed her gaze and saw her looking at a fat man who was about to enter the elevator.

    "Sister Enxi, do you know him?" Lu Xingyan asked curiously.

    "No, I don''t. Sc.u.m like him is not worthy for me to know." She turned to Lu Xingyan and Han Xukun, "Why don''t you two go ahead? I just need to take care of something real quick."

    "Alright."

    Shi Enxi hugged Lu Mello''s arm, "And you mister, I will need your help."

    He chuckled lightly, "Yes ma''am."

    Since the hotel was under the Lu family, the receptionist was able to recognize Lu Mello.

    "Good evening sir, ma''am." The woman greeted with a polite smile. "How may I help you?"

    "The man who came earlier, Hen Ruying, what room is he?" Shi Enxi asked.

    The woman in the reception turned to Lu Mello as if asking for his permission. When she saw Lu Mello nod, she turned back to Shi Enxi and smiled. "It''s room 549."

    "Is there someone else who reserved the room?"

    "Yes. The room was reserved under Ms. Shen Jianyue''s name."

    "Did she arrive already?"

    "No, not yet."

    Shi Enxi smirked inwardly. It looked like she would be able to catch the rat this time. "Good."

    She turned to Lu Mello and smiled, "Darling, do you think we can install a recorder inside that room without Mr. Hen realizing it?"

    "That would be only possible if he allowed one of his staff to enter the room."

    "Mr. Hen requested to bring a bottle of wine in his room. If Mr. Lu is okay with it, we can use that chance to put a recorder."

    "Alright, do that. Make sure not to get caught by him."

    ...

    Shi Enxi and Lu Mello went to the dining hall. They approached the table where Lu Xingyan and Han Xukun were.

    After their orders were taken, Shi Enxi was the one who started a conversation. "When are you two going to marry?"

    "We''re not in a hurry to get married so we are taking our time in that. How about the two of you? How is your married life? Are you two already planning on having children?" Asked Lu Xingyan.

    "Our marriage is going well. As for children, I''m not prepared for one yet... Mello and I are still young so we are not in a hurry to have one."

    Lu Mello chuckled, "I''m still trying to convince her."

    "Then you have to work hard for that." Shi Enxi chuckled back. She was actually glad that even if Lu Mello wanted to have children with her, he was not forcing her by planning something nasty to make her pregnant.

    Lu Xingyan: "By the way, how''s your work, sister Enxi?"

    Shi Enxi smiled happily, "I''m going to be promoted as a Director soon."

    "As expected of sister Enxi. I heard from brother Shi Yi that you became sister Xiao Yao''s manager."

    "Yes. I chose her to be my artiste. So far, Xiao Yao is doing well in her job so I don''t have any complaints."

    Lu Xingyan was observing Shi Enxi closely when the topic was changed to Fan Xiao Yao. She even tried to see if there were any changes in her brother''s expression.

    When she saw that both of them weren''t affected because of Fan Xiao Yao, she was convinced that the two has fallen in love with each other.

    Their orders arrived and they had dinner together.

    ...

    While Shi Enxi and Lu Mello were on their way back to their place, Shi Enxi was checking the News concerning Wang Hao. His name was still on the top searches and there were a lot of people who were angry at him.

    The Wang family was full of problems at that moment. They were trying to bring down every article concerning Wang Hao but articles about him kept on showing up, nonstop.

    Wang Hao''s daughters were even too ashamed to show themselves in public. How could they stand by their father''s side when all evidence was pointing to him?

    Wang Hao has been taken by the police and his case would be held in court.

    "What are you looking at?" Lu Mello broke the silence between them.

    "What kind of stone did you use, darling? It''s so amazing that you can hit a lot of birds in one stone. Everyone is cursing the Wang family!"

    Lu Mello chuckled softly, "I can''t let anyone who bullied my wife have an easy way out."

    "Aww~ my hubby is so sweet. I''m so lucky."

 Chapter 74 - He killed them

    Shi Anhao couldn''t believe the News spreading concerning her husband. Despite the photos as evidence, she believed that someone must have fabricated it.

    "Mother, we have to clear father''s name." Wang Ansheng cried. She has a busy schedule, she was currently working with an upcoming movie. Ever since the News about her father  came out, she received different kind of looks from her fellow artists and coworkers.

    As someone who valued her image, Wang Nansheng didn''t like how it was being ruined by the ''fake'' News that was going on about her father. If she tried to protect her father, then the netizens would surely attack her and it will completely ruin her.

    "If we want this to stop, we need to find the person who''s behind all of this." Unlike her mother and sister, Wang Ansheng was rather calm. She was actually trying to analyze things, she was trying to think who the possible person behind everything.

    Shi Anhao gritted her teeth, "Do you think that Shi Yi is behind this?"

    Wang Nansheng: "Shi Yi? Why would he do something like this against us? We''re family!"

    "He must have found out that father was trying to take the company from him." Wang Ansheng said. Shi Yi has control over the media, there was a big possibility that it could really be him.

    "If not him, it must be that sister of his, Shi Enxi." Shi Anhao suggested another name.

    Wang Ansheng''s eyes darkened at the mention of her name. She has always hated Shi Enxi since she was the only girl who Huang Li was comfortable to be with.

    She may have bullied Shi Enxi just for fun but ever since she started liking Huang Li, she bullied her out of hate.

    Wang  Nansheng was reminded of the day where Shi Enxi beat her up together with her friends. It was such a humiliating day for her. She swore to take revenge against her and it was the perfect opportunity to attack her!

    Wang Nansheng sneered, "It must be her, right? After marrying Lu Mello, she surely became brave!"

    "That girl..." Shi Anhao never liked Shi Enxi or Shi Yi since they were the children of Mu Xijiu. Ever since her brother married that woman, every time she tried to humiliate her, Shi Fen would always be there to turn the tables against her.

    She thought that everything would go well after she took care of them and yet, who would have thought that their children were also as much as troublesome as them.

    A hideous smirk appeared on Shi Anhao''s lips. She was able to take care of Shi Fen and Mu Xijiu, she was confident that she could do the same against their children.

    "It looks like, Shi Enxi''s been enjoying her life as Mrs. Lu.'' Shi Anhao chuckled. She turned to Wang Nansheng and smiled, "Do you want to be a Mrs. Lu, my dear?"

    Wang Nansheng grinned, "Mrs. Lu? That sounds amazing!"

    Wang Ansheng raised a brow, "How are you going to make that happen, mother?"

    "Easy. Just leave it to me. For now, we need to do something about your father."

    ---

    Days passed, the first episode of the miniseries that Fan Xiao Yao was in finally came out.

    So many were anticipating the show and after seeing the first episode, it received a lot of positive comments. Fan Xiao Yao didn''t have so many scenes in the first episode but she was able to leave an impact to everyone because of her acting skills.

    The afternoon show gained the highest rating.

    While Shi Enxi was reading the articles, she received notification that she received an email.

    When she took a look at it, Shi Enxi was surprised upon reading its contents.

    It was from a well-known jewelry brand, Chaumet. In the email, it was stated that they wanted Fan Xiao Yao to be their brand Ambassador.

    Damn it... She gave Fan Xiao Yao a chance to shine and yet, she was shining brighter than she imagined.

    As her manager, she was proud of Fan Xiao Yao, she felt like a mother, proud at her child''s achievements.

    Fan Xiao Yao was so busy with promotions and guesting ever since she appeared on TV.

    When Shi Enxi finally found a free time, she went to visit Wang Hao in the prison since it was the day before the court trial.

    They were currently in the interrogation room, alone with each other.

    Wang Hao looked the same, except he got thinner and his complexion was paler. His hands was cuffed on the chair''s armrest.

    "Uncle Wang."

    Wang Hao raised his head and turned to her. He scoffed a bit, "So you finally came to visit?"

    Shi Enxi smiled, "Of course, I just want to check on how you''re doing. Are you getting used here?"

    "Do you think something like this can hold me?"

    He still have the nerve to act tough? Unbelievable. Shi Enxi felt so disgusted at him the longer she stayed but at the same time, she wanted to see him suffer.

    She sneered at him, "Trash like you should rot in prison. I''ll make sure that you will never get out from here."

    "Your mother will say the same she was still here."

    The smile on Shi Enxi''s lips disappeared at the mention of her mother.

    "If I die, will I go to heaven or hell? Your parents must be in heaven, right? They should be thankful that I brought them there."

    Shi Enxi furrowed her brows upon hearing what he just said. The temperature around them dropped a hundred degrees.

    The taunting smirk on Wang Hao''s lips grew wider. "Oops, I shouldn''t be telling you that."

    "You... You know something about my parents'' death?"

    "No, I don''t. Why should I?"

    "LIAR!" She growled loudly and it caught the attention of the police that was listening outside the interrogation room.

    Wang Hao seemed calm despite Shi Enxi''s glare. "Am I?"

    "You..."

    It was as if something snapped in her when she saw Wang Hao''s knowing gaze. The patience she had disappeared and all she could see was red. Shi Enxi reached out and wrapped her hands around Wang Hao''s neck. "DID YOU KILL THEM?!! IT''S YOU, RIGHT?!! THERE''S NO WAY MY MOM AND DAD DIED!!!"

    "H-Help!"

    "I should have known! I should have known that you were behind their deaths!!!"

    The police rushed in towards Shi Enxi and Wang Hao, trying to separate them. "Miss, that''s enough. You are not allowed to attack him!"

    "Miss, stop it!"

    "He killed my parents! He killed them! Let go of me! I''m going to kill him! Let me kill him!!! This f*cking bastard killed my mom and dad!!" Shi Enxi was full of rage to the point tears filled her eyes.

 Chapter 75 - Will you arrest me?

    Shi Enxi was forced to leave the police station because of what happened.

    While she was on her way home, she couldn''t calm herself down. She was boiling in anger after getting Wang Hao''s confession about her parents.

    All this time, her parent''s killer was running free, enjoying his life. He was the one who ruined the family that Shi Enxi cared for. He ruined her life.

    Upon reaching her place, she was greeted by Mo Jing when she entered.

    "Welcome back, Xixi" The elderly woman greeted her. "Dinner will be ready shortly."

    Shi Enxi tried to smile at her, "Thank you Nanny Mo but I''ll be skipping tonight''s dinner. Has my husband arrived?"

    "Yes, he''s currently in his study." Mo Jing noticed that something was wrong with Shi Enxi, maybe it was because of how stiff her smile was. "Is everything alright?"

    Shi Enxi nodded a bit, "Yes. I''m just a bit tired. I''ll be going to my room now to rest."

    Mo Jing watched Shi Enxi climbed up the stairs.

    Shi Enxi hasn''t been at home ever since Lu Mello brought her out for their date. She was living together with Fan Xiao Yao even on weekends because of their busy schedule.

    Since the shooting for the miniseries was almost done, there were a couple of movies that were offered for Fan Xiao Yao. This time, Shi Enxi chose a modern romcom movie entitled ''Please Notice Me, My Wife."

    After changing her clothes, Shi Enxi lied down on the bed, hugging a pillow.

    She wanted Wang Hao to suffer. She really wanted him to die a horrible death! But before that, she wanted to know everything about her parent''s death.

    She wasn''t able to remain calm earlier because of the sudden revelation. She was always s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e when it came to her parents.

    Tears welled up in her eyes at the thought of her parents. If she was able to kill Wang Hao back then, she would never have discovered the real cause of her parents'' death.

    If only she could go back in time and warn her parents about Wang Hao then maybe she could save them!

    "Dad... Mom... I will do my best to bring justice to the both of you..."

    She buried her wet face on the pillow, her sobs were muffled by the soft pillow.

    Just then, a knock was heard and Lu Mello entered the room, Shi Enxi''s back was facing him. "I heard from Nanny Mo that you wanted to skip dinner."

    Upon hearing Lu Mello''s voice, Shi Enxi turned to him, her face wet and puffy.

    Lu Mello stopped on his tracks and was surprised when she saw her crying. "W-wha..."

    Shi Enxi jumped out of the bed and pounced on him. She was hugging him tight and her cries became louder like that of a child''s. She missed her parents so badly, she wanted to see them, to hug them, to talk to them, hear their voices.

    She was like a lost child at that moment. Lu Mello was so confused on why she was crying so hard out of nowhere. Why was she crying? Who made her cry?

    Lu Mello hugged her by her waist and supported her, he didn''t say a word. He patiently waited her to calm down. It was impossible to talk with her if she was crying this way.

    ...

    When she managed to calm down, Lu Mello made her sit on the bedside.

    Shi Enxi''s eyes were red as she turned her gaze to him. "Won''t you ask?"

    "Are you ready to talk?"

    Shi Enxi was touched with what he said. Lu Mello was really kind and sweet. She leaned and rested her head on his shoulder. "I missed my parents..."

    Did she cry because of that?

    "Today... I found out that... My parent''s didn''t die because of an accident... They were killed."

    "What?" Lu Mello was shocked at her words. "Killed?!"

    "Yes... It was Wang Hao... All this time... It was always him." She turned to Lu Mello and held his hand tightly, "I tried to kill him back then, Mello. It was me who caused his accident. You were right, it was me who was behind it all."

    "I know." Lu Mello calmly replied.

    What''s this? Why was he not surprised? She was confessing her sins to him and yet, he still has gentle look in his eyes.

    "I... I tried to kill my own brother. It was me who was giving him poison."

    "I know."

    "Will you arrest me?"

    Lu Mello lightly shook his head, "No, I will not."

    What kind of detective was he? She was already confessing to him and yet he won''t take actions against her?!

    "Why? Why won''t you arrest me? This should be enough to get me in one, right?!"

    "Have you ever regretted poisoning you brother?"

    She was caught off guard by his question. Why? Why was Lu Mello acting this way? Shouldn''t he be angry at her that she lied to him?

    "You regretted it, right? If not, your brother has been longed killed by you."

    Her lips was stretched into a thin line. She lowered her head and let go of his hand.

    The reason why she was confessing her sins to him was because she wanted to be honest with him. She was afraid that if he found out later on that she really was the mastermind, she couldn''t bring herself to think of him hating her.

    "I will never regret on the thing I did to Wang Hao. I will always want to kill him. That d.e.s.i.r.e is stronger now."

    Lu Mello sighed upon seeing how serious Shi Enxi was. The killing intent in her eyes could make someone cower in fear. He wrapped his arms around and rested his chin on top of her head. "You said back then that you were going to leave him and his family to me."

    "No, I can''t do that anymore. Wang Hao killed my parents, I need to deal with him, myself."

    "Then let me help you. I don''t want my adorable wife to turn into a criminal. You can''t kill him, Xi''er. With all the evidence against him, he''ll be proven guilty tomorrow."

    "And then what? He''s going to live his peaceful days in the prison? I want to make him suffer! Torture him! Feed him to the dogs! Burn him alive! Crush his bones and-"

    Lu Mello placed his finger on her lips to make her stop, "Hush, darling. Don''t say such vulgar things."

    He looked at her and smiled, "Do you think that he''ll have a peaceful life in prison? Trust me, sweetheart, I''ll make him suffer there."

    She slapped his finger away and scoffed in disbelief, "How will you make him suffer there?"

    "I know someone who would love to have a new plaything. Once he''ll be transferred to the main jail, he won''t have it easy."

    He slipped his hand under her shirt, he started planting kisses on her neck, "Sweetheart, your enemies are my enemies. They have to get through me first."

    Shi Enxi placed her hands on his c.h.e.s.t, trying to stop him. "M-Mello, stop it... I''m not in the mood."

    "But I am. You''re looking so s.e.xy right now." He continued touching her body, kissing her by her jawline. He used his weight to make her lie down.

    Was this man blind? She knew how ugly she looked like after crying!

    "Mello... I''m tired... And sleepy."

    "We haven''t seen each other for so long, sweetheart. I''ve missed you so much."

    "..." What did he mean by not seeing each other for so long? He was visiting her in her dorm every week!

    "Just one round, please?"

    "..."

    "I won''t disturb you after."

    "... Fine... Just one round."

 Chapter 76 - Her brothers love

    "Xiao Chun, why don''t you join us for dinner?" Mo Jing invited, a gentle smile on her face.

    "I would love to but I''m in a hurry, Nanny Mo. I really need to go somewhere."

    Lu Weichun left the place and drove to Shi Yi''s place in a hurry.

    Shi Enxi was poisoning him? Her own brother? Why would she do that? She really was evil to the core! How could Lu Mello love someone like her? He really was blinded by her!

    She can''t accept this! Shi Enxi was really devious!

    Lu Weichun came to visit her brother, she looked over him in his study but he was not there so she went to his room but the moment she stood by his door, she heard him talking to Shi Enxi and that was where she overheard their conversation.

    She gave Shi Yi a message that she was going to his place. Upon reaching, Shi Yi has greeted her with a warm smile.

    "It''s been a while since we have last seen each other. Does your parents know that you are here?"

    Lu Weichun pursed her lips as sh

 Chapter 77 - I want a change of manager

    Shi Enxi was glaring at Lu Mello who was now wearing his clothes after taking a shower.

    Lu Mello raised an amused brow at her upon seeing her blaming stares. He smirked, "I never promised."

    "Liar! You said that we''re only going to go one round!"

    "You were so beautiful and s.e.xy, Xi''er. If you were in my place, you would have done the same. Only my wife can make me feel this way."

    "..."

    She felt the soreness in her lower part of the body, although it was now tolerable than when they first had s.e.x. She was tired and she badly wanted to sleep but her stomach was complaining, she didn''t have her dinner yet and now she was starving. She didn''t plan on eating that night because of her bad mood but after her excessive activity, she felt the hunger in her stomach.

    "I''ll wait for you in the dining room." Lu Mello walked towards the door. He was about to open it but stopped upon feeling the pillow that Shi Enxi threw at him.

    He turned to her, "What? Do you want to go for another round? I was kind enough to stop in our third round."

    Shi Enxi was blushing so hard at what he said. The smug look on his face was pissing her off!

    When he took a step forward, Shi Enxi jumped out of the bed. In panic, she blurted, "G-go! Go wait for me in the dining room!"

    After that, she ran toward the bathroom and locked it.

    ...

    "I was wondering when you''ll come down." Mo Jing sighed heavily. Since they were not coming down, she actually went to call them but then she found out that they were in the middle of lovemaking so she decided not to disturb them.

    "If you want to cheer her up, you should not starve her!" Scolded Mo Jing.

    A faint blush appeared on Lu Mello''s cheeks. He lowered his head out of guilt.

    "Look, the food has turned cold. Now I have to reheat them."

    "Let me help you, Nanny Mo."

    Lu Mello stood up and went to help her.

    "A woman''s body needs to be healthy, Mello, especially when you plan on making her pregnant," lectured Mo Jing.

    "We don''t plan on having children yet, Nanny Mo."

    "What?! Why? Both of you are married and are at the right age of having children!"

    "We are too busy with our work." Lu Mello reasoned out. "And Xi''er is not ready to be a mother so let''s give her some time."

    "You unruly man! You should try to convince her! I will be here to assist her in taking care of a baby so she shouldn''t be worried about being a mother."

    Shi Enxi was quietly standing at the entrance of the kitchen. Lu Mello was right, she was not ready to be a mother. She didn''t want to be one. Imagining the pain she has to experience when giving birth, her body shuddered. So many people are adopting these days so why can''t they?

    Should she fake a medical certificate stating that she was infertile?

    It may disappoint Lu Mello but she was sure that he would accept it, right?

    "Ah, Xi''er, you''re here." Lu Mello smiled at her upon seeing her.

    Shi Enxi smiled back and went to take a seat. "I could smell the food from the stairs! Oh! We have dumplings too?"

    ---

    "What are you looking at?" Zi Xuan asked Hen Ruying who was busy on his phone.

    Out of reflex, Hen Ruying hid his phone behind him. "N-Nothing. Are you done with the photoshoot?"

    Zi Xuan narrowed his eyes. He saw Hen Ruying grinning from ears to ears like a pervert. What is he up to now?

    "Yes, I am."

    Hen Ruying sighed in relief when Zi Xuan passed by him but the next moment, Zi Xuan grabbed his phone from behind.

    "W-Wha... Mr. Zi! Please give it back!" He tried to get it back from him but stopped upon receiving Zi Xuan''s glare.

    Hen Ruying gulped nervously, "M-Mr. Zi... Please..."

    Zi Xuan didn''t listen, he looked at his phone and was surprised to see the photos of a n.a.k.e.d woman. What''s more surprising was who the woman was, it was Fan Xiao Yao!

    Just then a message popped up saying ''Mr. Hen, have you received the photos? Are those good enough?''

    Zi Xuan opened the conversation and learned that the photos were photoshopped! Hen Ruying paid the sender just to do it for him!

    Was he planning on using the photos as blackmail?

    "M-Mr. Zi... I-I can explain."

    Zi Xuan never expected that Hen Ruying would go this low!

    He deleted the photos before dropping it. He stepped hard on the phone.

    "My phone!"

    "I want a change of manager." Zi Xuan walked out of the room.

    Hen Ruying''s heart dropped upon hearing Zi Xuan''s words. He turned and hurriedly followed him, "Mr. Zi, you can''t do that!"

    Zi Xuan stopped and turned to him with a disgusted look in his eyes, "Are you telling me what to do?"

    "N-no... It''s not like that."

    If he loses Zi Xuan, it would be all over for him! Zi Xuan was LPM''s trump card. He was the only decent artist under LPM and if it reached the higher-ups that Zi Xuan wanted to change his manager, then Hen Ruying was surely going to lose his position as Director!

 Chapter 78 - Another ally

    Shi Enxi was in her office, doing paperwork. She has assigned an intern to accompany Fan Xiao scheduled appointments for the day.

    While she was busy with her work, a knock interrupted her.

    She raised her head and saw Zi Xuan enter the room.

    "Yes?"

    "I apologize for disturbing you, Ms. Li. But I am here to talk to you."

    Shi Enxi smiled politely at him. "Then please have a seat, don''t just stand there."

    Zi Xuan went and took his seat that was before her desk.

    "Well then, what do you want to talk about, Mr. Zi?" Asked Shi Enxi.

    For Zi Xuan to come to her... did something happen between him and Hen Ruying?

    "I want you to be my manager."

    "Huh?"

    "If you would give me your permission, I will call Chairman Shi and ask him for it. I will handle the Human Resources Department so you don''t have to worry about a thing."

    Shi Enxi was genuinely surprised upon hearing his words. She never expected him to choose her as his manager instead.

    "I am not satisfied with Hen Ruying''s work lately. He''s been abusing his position and it''s really getting on my nerve. If others are to find out about the things he has been doing, it will affect me greatly," explained Zi Xuan.

    She chuckled lightly, "I''m surprised that you are actually a pretty decent man, Mr. Zi."

    "Of course I am. I still have my own principles."

    "Is that why you are not dating artists under this company? I have checked your dating history and noticed that you aren''t dating anyone from the same company you are in, even those artists that are under Rosarium." Shi Enxi didn''t need to hide it from him. As a manager, it was only a normal thing to look through the artists that Fan Xiao Yao worked with to avoid problems in the future.

    "LPM is under Rosarium. Rosarium has always been treating their artists well. It was ever since Mr. Shi took over the company. Everyone under it is a family so I can''t be dating my sisters, right?"

    "That''s a weird way of thinking." Although if Zi Xuan was moved under the main office, he would be treated better. He was correct when he said the Rosarium has always been treating their artist well. The artists under it were behaving as well.

    Whenever there was a scandal that was attacking an artist that was under Rosarium, Rosarium would quickly take action and protect their artists. Rosarium is a strict company, so signing a contract with it was not easy.

    When one of the conditions that were stated in the contract was breached, the artist would have to pay a large amount of money and would have to leave the company. The worse punishment they could have was to be blacklisted by Rosarium.

    "LPM is a small company and one of Rosarium''s weakest subsidiary corporations. I am aware that I am this company''s greatest asset, If I leave, I don''t think LPM can continue to stand on its own."

    Shi Enxi raised a brow, "Then why stay if you could request to be moved into the main office?"

    Zi Xuan shrugged, "I don''t want to. The competition is harder there. I don''t like to compete."

    "Ah, too bad. I''m a very competitive person, would you still want to work with me?" She asked, a mischievous smirk on her lips.

    "I have seen how you handle things for Fan Xiao Yao. I don''t mind joining a competition if I have someone I can rely on." Unlike Hen Ruying, Shi Enxi wasn''t using any underhanded tricks that could ruin his image.

    "So, won''t you accept another ally to your side?"

    Shi Enxi stared at Zi Xuan. He was a senior for both Fan Xiao Yao and her. Because of his dating history, Shi Enxi was sure that Zi Xuan wouldn''t try to get things ahead with Fan Xiao Yao. It would be an advantage for her to have him by her side.

    Even without a manager, Shi Enxi knew that Zi Xuan could handle things on his own. What she liked the most in him was his professionalism. He knew how to treat others well.

    He may be a well-known Casanova in the entertainment industry but his fame as an actor wasn''t affected by it. His fans continued to support him. His acting skills were good. He was older than them and has more experience in the entertainment industry. He doesn''t seem the type of person to brag.

    Such a matured man was attractive in Shi Enxi''s eyes.

    "Fine. I''ll accept you but I have my conditions."

    "Sure, what is it?"

 Chapter 79 - Its over

    "It will be the same conditions that I gave Xiao Yao. If you want me to be your manager you will comply through my instructions. Every matter of yours no matter how big or small will be my responsibility. The friends you hang out with, your dating partner, whatever you say and act, you must inform me immediately. You are not allowed to hide anything from me. Once I become your official Manager, just like what you said, you will be my ally and I will be yours."

    Zi Xuan''s smile grew wider upon hearing her words. She was strict, yes, but it was her duty as a Manager to take care of their own artistes.

    "If you want special treatment, you have to look for someone else because I don''t do those." Shi Enxi continued with a straight look on her face.

    He chuckled, "Alright, I''ll comply with those conditions. Dating or whatever it is, you''ll be the first person to know."

    "Good. I know that you will be able to get along well with Xiao Yao but I don''t want you two  falling in love with each other."

    Zi Xuan raised an amused brow, "Oh? Do you have a special relationship with her? I realized that both of you seem awfully close."

    She frowned at him, "What  do you mean?"

    Zi Xuan smirked mischievously, "You being a married woman... is that just a screen? Do you love Fan Xiao Yao? Are you actually a lesbian?"

    Her lips twitched in annoyance. What the hell is going on in the head of this man?!

    "Lesbian your face! I am straight!"

    "So are spaghettis until they get wet."

    "..."

    "I am only interested in men. I don''t have that kind of feeling towards women, especially towards Fan Xiao Yao. I do have a husband and he''s hotter and s.e.xier than any man."

    "Even me?"

    "Yes, even you."

    "To have someone more handsome than me... Now I''m pretty excited to meet him."

    Shi Enxi sighed heavily, "Enough of this. Don''t you have something else to do? Get me the contract so that I can my name already."

    ---

    Ever since Zi Xuan left him, he was trying to think of ways to get him back, He snapped out of his thoughts upon hearing a ring.

    Since Hen Ruying was crashed by Zi Xuan, Hen Ruying received a call from Shi Yi through the telephone in his office.

    "Hen Ruying."

    Hearing that it was Shi Yi, an ominous premonition instantly arose in Hen Ruying''s heart.

    "Zi Xuan has called me earlier, requesting a change of Manager."

    Hen Ruying was surprised at what he heard. Zi Xuan requested for it all at once? Was he that serious about leaving him?

    He replied anxiously, "C-Chairman Shi, Mr. Zi and I just have a small misunderstanding. I will talk to him and fix things between us so until then, can I-"

    "From now on, Zi Xuan will be under Li Xixi."

    "What?! Li Xixi?!" Zi Xuan went to that bitch?!

    "I have another issue I want to discuss with you right now." The change of tone in Shi Yi''s voice made Hen Ruying gulp nervously.

    Did Zi Xuan told him about the pictures? No way! Even if he told Chairman Shi, he wouldn''t believe it easily. Zi Xuan crushed his phone so the evidence was gone!

    "I have received complaints about you."

    "Huh?"

    "You sure have guts to play some dirty tricks under the table. I just emailed you. Go take a look for yourself!"

    Hen Ruying hurriedly opened the latest email from Shi Yi. When he saw the contents of it, his face became pale.

    "I didn''t know that you''ve been enjoying and overusing your position. Harassing a few artists that are under your care, blackmailing them just to force them to sleep with you, collecting private bribes... All of these are violating the interests of the company! Do you think that  you will be able to hide all of these from me?!"

    "C-Chairman Shi... I-I can explain..."

    Shi Yi laughed as if he was hearing a funny joke. "Explain? What''s there to explain when there''s solid proof against you? The company will take legal actions against you so you better prepare yourself!"

    Without waiting for Hen Ruying to speak, Shi Yi hung up.

    Hen Ruying''s body trembled, his face has lost its color.

    "It''s over..." This time, it was completely over for him.

 Chapter 80 - Self-proclaimed best friend

    On that same day, Shi Enxi was promoted and became the new Director of the talent recruitment department.

    Fan Xiao Yao was surprised to hear of the news upon reaching the company.

    Hen Ruying was fired and Shi Enxi took his position.

    Everyone in the company didn''t have any complaints about Shi Enxi becoming the new Director. In fact, they were glad that Hen Ruying was gone for good! He treated everyone in the company harshly, especially towards lower-level employees.

    Hen Ruying was hugging Zi Xuan''s golden t.h.i.g.h so nobody dared to voice their frustrations. He finally got his retribution. He had this coming when he was finally tossed aside by Zi Xuan.

    Fan Xiao Yao entered Shi Enxi''s office and saw her talking with someone on her phone.

    Shi Enxi took a glance at Fan Xiao Yao, he just gave her a nod as if greeting her before she continued to talk with her brother.

    Fan Xiao Yao smiled and went to sit on the sofa, quietly waiting for her.

    "You didn''t have to promote me, brother."

    "How can I not? After all the hard works you did for the company, it is only right to promote you."

    Shi Enxi sighed in defeat, she smiled a bit. "Thank you, Gege."

    "You''re always welcome, dear sister. How about I treat you for dinner tonight?"

    "Just the two of us?"

    "It''s been so long since we''ve last been together. Where do you want to eat? I''ll make reservations right now."

    "I had enough of fancy restaurants."

    "Then street food?"

    Shi Enxi grinned at his suggestion, "Sure! Let''s eat there~"

    Fan Xiao Yao never saw Shi Enxi that happy. She must be really close to her brother. Just by hearing their conversation, it looked like she has to spend her dinner alone again. How nice must it be to have a caring older brother?

    She took out her phone and checked her WeChat. Huang Li hasn''t replied to her message from this morning and she was quite saddened by it.

    Was he so busy?

    Since she would be spending her time alone tonight, maybe she could invite him for dinner? But then... how should he invite him? He was not reading her messages!

    Should she visit him in the hospital?

    She kept her phone and saw that Shi Enxi finally lowered her phone. She stood up and went to her, she smiled, "Congratulations on being promoted, Xiao Xi!"

    Shi Enxi was suddenly reminded of Zi Xuan''s words earlier that made her brow twitched. The smile she had earlier was gone and was replaced by a serious look. She sat on her seat, "Thank you."

    Hm? What''s with the sudden change of mood? She only congratulated her and yet her response was so different!

    Fan Xiao Yao pouted, "Why are you frowning?"

    "I''m not."

    "Yes, you are."

    "I''m not." Shi Enxi replied firmly. She quickly changed the topic by saying, "Anyway, from today on, I will also be handling Zi Xuan."

    "What? Really? You''re going to be senior Zi''s Manager too?" She pursed her lips, "Didn''t  you say that I am the only artist that you''ll take under you?"

    "He chose me to be his Manager."

    "Then you could have said no to it! I don''t like sharing my Manager!"

    "Those words really hurt, junior Fan."

    Fan Xiao Yao turned to Zi Xuan who was standing by the entrance.

    He walked towards her and patted her head, with a mischievous smile, he asked, "Why don''t you want to share Manager Li?"

    Fan Xiao Yao slapped his hand away, still pouting. "Xiao Xi is only mine!"

    Zi Xuan turned to Shi Enxi with a meaningful smile.

    Shi Enxi didn''t like the smile he was giving her. She was fighting the urge to slap it off his face.

    "If Xiao Xi takes you in, she will be more busy." Fan Xiao Yao continued.

    "Too bad, she already signed the contract." He rested his arm on her shoulder and grinned. "So from now on, you have to share her with me."

    Fan Xiao Yao puffed her cheeks out, glaring at the smug look on his face. She was trying her best to hold back since Zi Xuan was still her senior.

    "Since we are here, why don''t we go out and celebrate? It will be a welcome party for me and a celebration for  our lovely Manager''s promotion!" Zi Xuan suggested.

    "I can''t go with you two, I have to meet my brother tonight."

    "That''s alright, we can move it tomorrow, right baby Yaoyao?"

    Baby Yaoyao?

    Fan Xiao Yao frowned at the nickname. "Don''t call me that. We''re not friends."

    "Yes, we''re not. After all, we''re a family. From now on, you can address me as ''big brother'' and I will call you my baby Yaoyao." He ruffled her hair. "If you need help with your lines and scripts, let me know. Your amazing Gege will help you!"

    Fan Xiao Yao: "..."

    Was Zi Xuan always this clingy? It was so annoying!

    Shi Enxi cleared her throat to get back their attention. "It is good to see that both of you are getting along with each other."

    "No, we''re not." Fan Xiao Yao interrupted.

    Zi Xuan chuckled, "I think we are."

    "No, we aren''t-"

    Shi Enxi massaged the bridge of her nose. If she knew that it was going to be noisy between them, she would have left the office already. "Xiao Yao, behave."

    Fan Xiao Yao pursed her lips tightly. She distanced herself from Zi Xuan.

    "Anyway, Zi Xuan is right. If you have trouble in the future concerning your acting skills or lines, you can ask him for advice. He has more experience than you so get along with him, Xiao Yao."

    "I''ll try..."

    "Also, Zi Xuan, don''t get too touchy with Xiao Yao. Flirting with her is forbidden too. I don''t want her to fall for someone like you."

    Fan Xiao Yao huffed, "Who would fall for him? I already have someone else I like."

    Zi Xuan smiled, "Alright. You don''t have to worry about that Xiao Xi. You know that I don''t anyone here. It will be a sin for me if I date my sister, right?"

    "Just make sure that you stay true to your words. If ever the two of you start falling for each other, please let me know."

    "No way! That will never happen! I only like Huang Li!"

    "Huang Li?" Zi Xuan turned to her. "Isn''t he... your cousin?"

    "No, he''s not! He''s Xiao Xi''s best friend! Although, I am also Xiao Xi''s best friend but he''s one level higher than me."

    "Self-proclaimed best friend." Shi Enxi corrected.

    Fan Xiao Yao gasped, turning to Shi Enxi, "You don''t see me as your best friend?"

    Shi Enxi ignored her. She stood up and took her coat, "Since I have nothing else to discuss, I will take my leave now."

    "Ah wait! Xiao Xi!"

    But then, Shi Enxi left the office before Fan Xiao Yao could even complain to her.

    "So baby Yaoyao, why don''t you tell me more about this fake cousin of yours? This big brother of yours is interested~"

    "I have nothing else to say! I will also take my leave now!"

 Chapter 81 - A Devils smile

    Shi Enxi was walking towards her car when she suddenly saw Hen Ruying, standing in front of his car, as if waiting for someone.

    When he saw her, he glared angrily at her. Since they were both standing at the blind spot of the CCTV that was in the bas.e.m.e.nt.

    It looked like Hen Ruying knew where to do his dirty work. For the first time, Shi Enxi was a bit impressed with Hen Ruying.

    She raised a brow, smirking as she watched him walk towards her. "Mr. Hen, fancy seeing you here."

    "Y-You! This is all your fault! Those pictures, that recording! Those complaints, you were behind all of it, aren''t you?!" He was fuming in rage, his eyes bloodshot.

    "So what if it was me?" Shi Enxi replied calmly, looking nonchalantly at him.

    Hen Ruying''s reputation in the company was already messed up and things were already over for him so he didn''t have anything from holding him back in attacking her.

    He raised his hand and was about to give her a punch but his punch was caught by Shi Enxi''s palm.

    "Oh my, you shouldn''t raise a hand towards women, Mr. Hen. That is just so wrong."

    "F*ck you!" He tried to pull his fist back but Shi Enxi hand was holding it tight. It was like an iron clamp, refusing to let go.

    What kind of woman was she? How could a frail-looking woman have this kind of strength?

    She was still smiling but it never reached her eyes. Her bone-chilling gaze sent shivers down his spine. The predator look in her eyes made Hen Ruying step back.

    How could a woman look so devious?

    "Now then, what should I do?" Her smile grew wider and for some reason, Hen Ruying found it creepy.

    Her smile was like that of a devil''s smile. Such intimidation and pressure from her just by the way she looked at him made him tremble.

    He was a man for f.u.c.k''s sake! Why should he be scared of her? A woman smaller than him?

    He gathered his strength and used his free hand to throw a punch at her but Shi Enxi saw through it making her avoid it so easily.

    She was still holding his fist when she leaned back to avoid the punch.

    She held his hand with both hands and faced her back at him. In a blink of an eye, she threw him on the ground.

    "Argh..." Hen Ruying g.r.o.a.n.e.d in pain. "Damn bitch... You will pay for this..."

    "I really didn''t want to dirty my hands with the likes of you." She stepped on his head, her shoe heel was pressing on his cheek. "Insolent fool, know your place."

    She turned away and walked towards her car.

    Hen Ruying felt so humiliated to be taken so easily by a woman like her. He stood up and took his pocket knife.

    Shi Enxi saw him approaching from her car''s glass window. The side of her lip turned up into a smirk.

    "BITCH! TAKE THIS!!!"

    "AHHH!!!"

    A high shriek was heard from Shi Enxi.

    The guards that were at the entrance and exit of the parking lot heard her shriek which made them rush towards where it came from.

    They saw Shi Enxi who was sitting the ground, trembling. She was a few feet away from Hen Ruying''s body. He was lying unconscious on the ground with a knife on his hand.

    "HELP! SOMEONE!" When Shi Enxi saw the guards running towards them, she stood up and ran towards them. She was holding a hand taser. "S-Sir, please help me... M-Mr. Hen... He tried to attack me so... So I have no choice but to use this."

    The guards obviously believed her when they saw how terrified Shi Enxi was. The tears in her eyes were on the verge of falling. Women these days had hand taser with them for self-defense so it was only normal to think that Shi Enxi used it to protect herself from Hen Ruying.

    "Don''t worry Ms. Li, we will take care of him. He will be brought to the police station." One of the guards comforted her while his companions went to get Hen Ruying.

    "W-will he be arrested?"

    "Yes, he will surely be arrested for attempted murder so you don''t have to worry about him, Ms. Li. As long as you file a case against him, he will be put to jail."

 Chapter 82 - Valid Reason

    When Shi Yi got a message from Shi Enxi that she was in the police station, he rushed there without getting many details from her.

    Upon reaching, he found out about Hen Ruying''s attempted murder towards Shi Enxi and that Shi Enxi filed a case against him.

    Shi Yi was furious at Hen Ruying but since everything has been taken care of by Shi Enxi, he decided to put more charges against Hen Ruying.

    No matter how much Hen Ruying denied the charges, with all of the evidence against him, he was forced to call for a lawyer.

    ...

    Shi Enxi was currently inside her brother''s car.

    "Are you sure that you want to continue our dinner tonight?" Shi Yi asked worriedly, watching his sister wear her black wig.

    "I don''t want to ruin my night with you just because of that Hen Ruying." She finally turned to him after fixing her wig. She smiled and held his hand. "Here, how do I look?"

    Shi Yi''s eyes softened as he stared back at her, "Beautiful as always."

    Shi Enxi grinned happily at him, "Of course I am."

    Just then, Shi Enxi''s phone rang. It was a call from Lu Mello.

    She answered her phone, "Hello?"

    "Xi''er, how are you doing?"

    "I''m with my brother right now, we''re going to have dinner together."

    "I see, that''s good." A soft chuckle was heard from the other line.

    Shi Enxi''s lips curled up into a sweet smile. Lu Mello would always check on her during the same time of the night so she has already gotten used to it.

    Shi Yi quietly watched his sister from the side. There was something different in the way she smiled and in her eyes... The look was so familiar. Could she have fallen for Lu Mello already?

    "How''s your work?" Shi Enxi asked.

    "Same as usual. I will be leaving tonight for a business trip to New York."

    "What? You''re leaving tonight? Why didn''t you say it to me earlier?"

    "I didn''t want to disturb you in your work."

    She pouted. If it was him who called her earlier, she could have made time for him. "When will you be back?"

    "I will be back next week. Don''t miss me too much, okay?"

    She huffed, "Who would miss you?"

    "You won''t miss me?" Lu Mello''s sulking voice was heard.

    "Well... Maybe a bit."

    "I will miss you a lot" Lu Mello replied back.

    "You can just call me like this every night." Shi Enxi suggested.

    "Instead of simple call, how about a video call?"

    "Up to you." She chuckled lightly.

    "Video call it is." He happily said. "By the way, have you heard? Wang Hao''s been sentenced to a lifetime in prison."

    "He was? I didn''t check on the News yet." She has been busy that day that it even didn''t enter her mind.

    "You don''t have to. There''s nothing interesting with the News."

    Shi Enxi lowered her head. Wang Hao was going to be transferred to one of the worst prisons soon. Lu Mello promised her that he wouldn''t have an easy life but... She wanted to see him and ask about her parents. Surely he was not the only one behind her parent''s death, right? Her guts were telling her that she should look more into it.

    Lu Mello was worried since Shi Enxi was quiet for a while. He was not there with her so he couldn''t see what kind of face she was making.

    "Once I come back, I will investigate your parents'' death. I will also reopen the case."

    "Mello..."

    "Your problems are my problems so you don''t have to do everything all by yourself. You have me now."

    Shi Enxi tightened her hold on her phone. She wasn''t planning on asking for his help but hearing his words brought comfort in her. She has already given her trust to him and he was someone, someone she was sure that would be by her side through it all.

    "Thank you, Mello..."

    "Anything for you, sweetheart."

    She noticed that Shi Yi was staring intensely at her which made her gulp a bit. "Um, Mello, we should end the call now."

    "Alright."

    "Take care on your way, okay? Call me once you arrive in NY."

    "I will."

    Shi Enxi hesitated a bit since her brother was just sitting beside her but she didn''t want to end the call without saying the words she wanted to say to her husband.

    She looked away and blushed, "Mello."

    "Alright, alright, I''ll end the call-"

    "I love you." She interrupted. She felt her heart race, it was pounding so hard that she felt that it was about to jump out of her c.h.e.s.t. She suddenly felt her face became hot but it must be because she was blushing so hard, right?

    Lu Mello was surprised to hear those words from her since he didn''t expect her to say them.

    "I said I love you, idiot."

    Lu Mello snapped out from his thought, a smile grew on his face. "I love you too, Xi''er."

    "See you later."

    "Mm, yes. See you later."

    After the call ended, when Shi Enxi turned her head to look at her brother, his arms were crossed.

    She raised a brow, "What?"

    "This is the first time I saw you make a lot of faces in one call." He teased. He was actually glad that things were going well between his sister and Lu Mello. It looked like their marriage life was going smoothly.

    Shi Enxi pouted, her cheeks were bright red. "S-So what? I was talking to my husband."

    "Ahh... I also want to get married already."

    "I don''t like Weichun for you." Shi Enxi frankly said.

    Shi Yi knew than his girlfriend and sister were not in good terms as of the moment but he was hoping that one day, they would finally get along together.

    "Weichun is a cute and adorable girl! Why don''t you like her?" Shi Yi pouted.

    "Because I said so! Just marry someone else instead!"

    "You have to give me a valid reason on why you don''t like her for me."

    "She''s annoying."

    "That''s not a valid reason."

    "It is! Break up with her and find someone better!"

    "I''ll do that if you break up with Lu Mello as well." Shi Yi calmly replied.

    "I can''t do that." She huffed. If she broke up with Lu Mello, all the riches she has would disappear! "I love him so I can''t leave him."

    "So do I. I love Lu Weichun so I can''t leave her.

 Chapter 83 - Get in

    "Yuan Song, you can wait for us here." Shi Yi said to his assistant.

    "Yes, sir."

    Shi Yi took Shi Enxi to the busy food street filled with vendors. It was just like the same as back then, they would usually visit the place and eat street food together with their mother whenever their father wasn''t around.

    This time, without their mother, the two siblings started shopping for their favorite food. They ate while they walked and filled their tummies.

    "If mom was here, she would surely buy from every stall." Shi Enxi chuckled.

    "Our mother''s stomach is different from us."

    "Yup, it''s the same as sister Bingbing." She turned to her brother, "We should invite her next time."

    "Yes, we should."

    What should she do? Should she tell Shi Yi and Li Bingbing that it was Wang Hao who killed their parents?

    They have the right to know about it...

    She stared at her brother who was enjoying the food he bought. If she told him about it now, it would just spoil the mood.

    No, not now. She will tell them about it once Lu Mello return.

    ---

    Fan Xiao Yao was wearing a mask and glasses to avoid others from recognizing her when she went to visit Huang Li.

    She was in the lobby when she sent him a message.

    CarrotKiller: [Senior Huang, are you busy?]

    When she received to reply from him, she decided to look for him. She went to the reception area to inquire about his whereabouts.

    She went and asked a random nurse. "Excuse me, miss. May I know what department is Dr. Huang Li?"

    "He''s in the Anesthesiology department."

    "I see. May I know what floor that is?"

    The nurse thought she was just one of his patients so she smiled and said, "It''s on the fifth floor but I''m not sure if he''s there."

    "I see. Thank you."

    Fan Xiao Yao went to the fifth floor and looked for the Anesthesiology department. When she saw the sign in one of the doors, she knocked and entered.

    The only person in the room was a beautiful woman wearing a white coat. When she noticed Fan Xiao Yao''s presence, she smiled and asked, "Yes?"

    "Is Dr. Huang Li here?"

    "Dr. Huang? He''s currently in the middle of a surgery." The woman took a peek on her wristwatch, "It should end after a while. Why are you looking for him?"

    Fan Xiao Yao pursed her lips. He really was that busy?

    She suddenly felt that her presence would just be a nuisance for him. She went all the way to ask him out for dinner but it seemed that she was really going to spend her dinner alone.

    "Oh, it''s nothing. He''s just a relative of mine. I thought that maybe I can give him a surprise." Fan Xiao Yao lied, chuckling a bit.

    "Oh! If you want, you can just wait for him here."

    "No, there''s no need. I''ll just visit him next time."

    "I can let him know you passed by. Just give me your name."

    "It''s alright. I''ll come back some other time. Thank you, ma''am."

    Fan Xiao Yao took her leave.

    A few moments after she left, Huang Li arrived. He was not able to meet her on the way since he used another elevator.

    "Oh! Dr. Huang, you''re finally here!" The woman exclaimed. "A woman came by, looking for you."

    A woman?

    "She said that she was your relative."

    Relative? Was it his mother?

    "She just left not long ago before you came."

    "I see."

    Huang Li went to his desk and took his phone to check on his WeChat. All messages he got came from one person, Fan Xiao Yao.

    He read through her messages and when he saw her latest message, a sudden thought came in his mind.

    Could it be her?

    Since he didn''t have anything scheduled anymore, he was supposed to go home. He removed his white coat and gathered his things. "I''ll take my leave now."

    "Wanna grab dinner together?" The woman grinned at her.

    Huang Li smiled, declining her offer. "No thanks."

    He left the room and waited for the elevator. Upon entering, he decided to give Fan Xiao Yao a reply.

    Huang Li: [I apologize for the late reply.]

    CarrotKiller: [It''s alright. How did the surgery go?]

    Huang Li: [It was successful. Are you free tonight?]

    CarrotKiller: [Sorry. I''m busy.]

    She was busy? So she wasn''t the one who came? Was it really his mother? Maybe he should give his mom a call?

    Huang Li: [I see. Let''s have one next time.^^]

    He kept his phone, not reading her reply. He went to the parking lot and went to his car.

    As he headed his way away from the hospital, he saw a familiar figure, standing alone by the bus stop.

    Fan Xiao Yao?

    She may be wearing a mask and glasses but that eye-catchy. flowery bag of hers was so familiar.

    To make sure it was her, he parked the car not far from her before giving her a call.

    The woman who was standing alone heard her phone ring. She took it out of her pocket and checked it. The woman seemed to be contemplating whether to answer it or not. In the end, when she answered it, Fan Xiao Yao''s soft voice was heard from Huang Li''s phone.

    "Hello?"

    It really was her.

    He couldn''t help but chuckle. He ended the call and slowly drives his car and stopped it in front of her. He lowered the glass window and looked at her.

    "Aren''t you supposed to be busy?"

    Fan Xiao Yao was surprised upon seeing his handsome face. Her heart started racing, she was blushing hardly but because of the mask, it was hidden well.

    Huang Li''s smile was so captivating! How can he have such a killer smile? She felt like she was going to melt just because of it!

    "Superior Huang? W-What are you doing here?"

    ''F*ck! Fan Xiao Yao, are you a broken radio?! Why are you stuttering?! Calm down! Calm down!'' She scolded herself. If Huang Li wasn''t in front of her, she would have slapped herself just to get herself together.

    "I should be asking you that. You were the one who came to look for me in the hospital, right?"

    She averted her gaze from him. "... Yeah..."

    The reason why she told him that she was busy was because she thought that Huang Li might find her clingy and annoying for trying to be close to him.

    They were not even that close and yet she was already acting like his lover.

    "Why are you still standing there? Get in."

 Chapter 84 - Do you have someone you like?

    "How were you able to recognize me earlier?" Fan Xiao Yao asked. She removed her glasses and mask, placing them in her bag.

    "Your bag." Huang Li replied, driving back to her dorm.

    "Huh?"

    Huang Li chuckled lightly, "That neon bag is really eye-catching."

    Fan Xiao Yao turned to her bag and chuckled a bit. Could he have seen her bag whenever he visited her in her dorm?

    Even though it was a small thing, he was able to recognize something that belonged to her and that made her hopeful.

    "Did you eat something for dinner already?" Fan Xiao Yao asked, looking at him while he was busy driving.

    "Not yet. I''ll cook something once we get to your place."

    "I haven''t restocked the food so... Is it alright if we can pass by the supermarket?"

    "Sure. How about Vanilla? Does she still have her food stock?"

    "It''s going to be finished so let''s add that to our list."

    ...

    As they went shopping in the Supermarket, Fan Xiao Yao was only wearing a mask to cover half of her lower face. She was picking the things while Huang Li was pushing the cart, quietly following her from behind.

    After buying the things they needed, they went back to the do and restocked the food in the kitchen.

    Huang Li began preparing the ingredients for their dinner and Fan Xiao Yao helped him in it.

    "Do you know how to cook?" Huang Li asked, looking at the way Fan Xiao Yao chop the potato.

    "Yup, I do."

    Huang Li raised a brow as if not believing her. "Really? What kind of food do you make?"

    "I know how to make boiled eggs and how to make noodles." Fan Xiao Yao grinned proudly at him.

    "..."

    In other words, aside from those, she really didn''t know how to cook.

    "Are those something to be proud of?"

    "Of course! Boiling water is a skill you know!"

    Huang Li chuckled, he was amused by her reply. Most of the women would be embarrassed if they were to say that they don''t know how to cook.

    "Give me the knife. Let me show you how to properly chop the potatoes."

    She blinked a few times, "Eh? I''m chopping it wrong?"

    "It needs to be smaller than that."

    "Oh, I see." She blushed, embarrassed that she was actually doing things wrong. She pursed her lips and handed him the knife.

    Huang Li smiled when he saw Fan Xiao Yao''s embarrassed look, it was rather cute in his eyes.

    She watched Huang Li chop the potato. He even took the other veggies and chopped them, in the end, he was doing all the work.

    "I want to help..." She mumbled.

    Huang Li heard her but he didn''t say anything, the smile on his face was still there.

    "Why don''t you take a seat? This won''t take long."

    Fan Xiao Yao slumped her shoulders. He didn''t want her help, that was obvious. She felt like even if she was trying to get close to him, there was this distance that he putting between them.

    Yes, he was friendly and all but that was just it. He didn''t put any importance on her.

    She sat on the chair and waited for him.

    After placing the food on the table, Fan Xiao Yao quietly ate together with Huang Li.

    She wasn''t starting a conversation with him. She wanted him to start since she was always the one making efforts towards him.

    Huang Li didn''t say a word as well. He didn''t have anything to say to her so he remained quiet.

    "Senior Huang, do you have someone you like?" Fan Xiao Yao finally broke the silence by asking him the question.

    Huang Li was caught off guard by her. If he had something in his mouth, he would have choked on it. "Someone I like?"

    "Yes."

    Huang Li thought that she was just trying to make a conversation so he didn''t find anything wrong with it.

    Fan Xiao Yao gulped nervously as she stared intensely at him.

    Someone he likes? When he thought of it, Shi Enxi''s face appeared before him.

    Yes, if it was someone he liked, he has always liked Shi Enxi but he knew that his unrequited love would never be returned now that Shi Enxi was with Lu Mello.

    He never tried making a move to her since he thought that as long as he was able to remain by her side, it was alright. Even if it hurt him when he found out that Shi Enxi married Lu Mello, he didn''t argue with her.

    He could see how happy Shi Enxi was with Lu Mello. What mattered to him most was that as long as Shi Enxi was happy, he would support her in every way.

    When Fan Xiao Yao saw the soft look in Huang Li''s eyes as he thought of the person he liked, her c.h.e.s.t tightened.

    Even if she wanted to ask who that lucky girl was, she was afraid. She was afraid to know who she was since... There could only be one person who he probably liked... or even love.

    She smiled bitterly, "Haha, just ignore my-"

    "I like Xiao Xi."

    When she heard his straight answer, she felt as if she was stabbed by a knife on her c.h.e.s.t.

    She lowered her head. "I know."

    There was no use in keeping her feelings for him. If she continued on keeping it, he might never realize it.

    If he was able to know her feelings for him, will he start looking at her? Will he feel a bit conscious when he approach her? Will he remember her words whenever he sees her?

    She wanted to know. Even if she was afraid, she wanted to take the risk. She will never be able to take a step forward if she won''t make a move, right?

    The last time she waited, Lu Mello ended up falling for someone else. She never told him about her feelings.

    When she decided to confess and give him an answer, it was already too late. This time, she was not going to hold back. She was not going to wait.

    She may not be ready to tell Huang Li her feelings but when will she be?

    Huang Li chuckled a bit, "Now that I think of it, the person we like are married to each other."

    "No. The person I like is not married." She clenched her fists right before she looked straight at him and continued, "Since the man I like is you."

 Chapter 85 - Be brave

    Fan Xiao Yao could feel her sweating palm, her heart was thumping like crazy and her cheeks were covered in pink. She was staring straight at Huang Li even if she wanted to hide.

    ''Be brave, Fan Xiao Yao. Be brave.'' She kept telling herself in her mind.

    Huang Li was looking at her, the expression he always had was gone. He was completely surprised.

    Fan Xiao Yao was waiting for his reply and the longer he kept quiet, the anxious she got.

    "Senior Huang..."

    Huang Li snapped out from his trance upon hearing her soft voice. Complicated feelings flashed in his eyes upon realizing that Fan Xiao Yao has just confessed to him.

    The side of his lips slowly curled up, the smile earlier returning in his lips. "Thank you, Xiao Yao."

    He turned back to his food and continued eating the rest of the food that was in his plate.

    Thank you? Thank you?! That''s all?! What kind of reaction was that?!

    Fan Xiao Yao frowned deeply, "Huang Li, I like you! I have romantic feelings for you and I''m serious!"

    Huang Li paused from eating, he maintained his calm smile, "Yes, I know. I am grateful for your feelings towards me, Xiao Yao."

    Damn it... Huang Li was driving her crazy!

    "But I''m afraid I cannot reciprocate those feelings."

    Fan Xiao Yao knew that well but it still hurts. She knew that he liked Shi Enxi. "I know that. But that doesn''t mean that I should give up. I will make you fall for me so please give me a chance!"

    "I don''t want to hurt your feelings but I should say this straight as well. Me falling for you... It''s impossible. I am not interested at you, neither do I have feelings for you so please give up. I rather remain friends with you."

    Huang Li''s cold words clenched Fan Xiao Yao''s heart. She felt as if an ice cold water was thrown at her.

    She was instantly rejected. She lowered her head, tears were welling up on the side of her eyes but she refused to let it fall and let him see them.

    "Alright." She stood up and took her plate, "I''m done eating."

    "Xiao Yao... I''m sorry."

    "You don''t have to apologize. I''m going to rest early to night so excuse me." Without waiting for his reply, she placed the dish on the sink before she rushed to her room.

    Huang Li didn''t follow her, instead he let her be. He rejected her so it was only normal for her to have that reaction right? It was not like it was a requirement for him to go and comfort her after he rejected her.

    After eating, he went and washed the dishes. While he was busy washing, he was suddenly reminded of the time where she suddenly gave him a kiss on his cheek.

    Was she already liking him during that time?

    Just remembering it, he could feel the softness of her lips on his cheek.

    What made her like him?

    He was used in rejecting women, even the women in his workplace. He was never interested in anyone. Was Fan Xiao Yao''s reason on liking him the same as others?

    After washing the dishes, Huang Li was supposed to leave but he decided to check on Fan Xiao Yao.

    He knocked at her door. "Xiao Yao?"

    He didn''t receive an answer from her.

    Was she already sleeping?

    Since the door wasn''t locked, he peeked in. He saw her all curled up on her bed and she was hugging a pillow. Soft sobs were heard from her.

    She was... crying? Why was she so badly affected by his rejection? It was not like she has already loved him, right? She said that she just liked him.

    He closed the door and turned away. Even if he was feeling guilty for hurting her that way, if he went to comfort her, it would just hurt her more after all, he was the man who rejected her.

    He should give her some time to settle her feelings for him. Once everything was settled, should he make up for hurting her? Maybe he should treat her?

    She was still a friend for him, plus she has helped him once in escaping Wang Ansheng''s advances toward him.

 Chapter 86 - Bitch, whos stupid?

    "I''ll come and visit you some other time." Shi Enxi said, smiling at her brother.

    "You really should. You should also call me more often."

    "Yes, yes. I will. I really should go now." She leaned and gave her brother a kiss on his cheek, "Take care on your way back, Gege."

    Shi Yi smiled gently, "I will."

    Shi Enxi went out of the car and went back to the dorm. Upon entering her place, she saw Fan Xiao Yao, still awake and was watching a movie while hugging a pillow.

    What made her surprised was that, Fan Xiao Yao''s eyes were red and puffy.

    Did she cry?

    Fan Xiao Yao turned to her when she heard her footsteps, she smiled at her, "Welcome back, Xiao Xi."

    Shi Enxi raised a brow. Fan Xiao Yao''s smile looked stiff and forced. What happened?

    Fan Xiao Yao noticed the weird way that Shi Enxi was looking at her. She averted her gaze and turned back to the TV.

    "The movie I was watching was so emotional." She reasoned out. She reached out for the remote and turned it off.

    "Why are you still awake?"

    "I couldn''t sleep."

    "Then you better sleep now."

    "Can I sleep in your room?"

    "No."

    Shi Enxi was about to leave her there but she stopped in her tracks upon hearing Fan Xiao Yao''s next words.

    "I confessed to senior Huang..."

    Shi Enxi turned to her and saw Fan Xiao Yao with her head down. Just by the looks of it, Shi Enxi could already tell that Fan Xiao Yao was rejected by Huang Li.

    "I''m not interested."

    She left Fan Xiao Yao there and went to her room to change her clothes. After that, she was about to go to the kitchen to get a drink but then, she noticed that Fan Xiao Yao was still on the sofa in the living room.

    Her position was still the same, her head was down and her shoulders this time was shaking a bit. She was crying.

    Shi Enxi ignored her and went to the kitchen.

    Fan Xiao Yao didn''t know why she was crying like this for Huang Li. Did she start loving him?

    The more that she thought of the times where she was with Huang Li, their conversations through messages and calls, the pain in her c.h.e.s.t became intense.

    At that moment, she thought she was pathetic for easily falling in love with him just because he showed concerned for her.

    The more that she thought about it, the more depressed she became. Shi Enxi was even being cold to her about it, it was hurting her. She wanted to complain to her.

    What kind of friend she was for ignoring her? Can''t she see that her friend was in a mess and yet she was being cold to her!

    Just then, she felt someone sit beside her. Fan Xiao Yao turned and saw Shi Enxi beside her, reading a file.

    "You should drink that, it''s good for improving your mental health."

    Improving... Mental health?

    Fan Xiao Yao turned and saw a glass of carrot juice. She turned her gaze back at Shi Enxi. "Xiao Xi..."

    "So weak." She bluntly said. "Drink that and go to sleep."

    Just like that, the complains she had in her mind earlier disappeared. Shi Enxi''s weird way of showing her kindness brought comfort in her c.h.e.s.t.

    "Xiao Xi! I love you!" Fan Xiao Yao pounced and hugged her from the side. She really was her precious friend!

    Shi Enxi frowned deeply. She flicked her forehead, "Stop being so childish."

    Fan Xiao Yao buried her face on her shoulder and just like that, once again, she broke out in tears. "I... It hurts..."

    "I didn''t flick your forehead that hard."

    Fan Xiao Yao pulled away and pouted, "Stupid Xiao Xi! That''s not what I mean!"

    Shi Enxi narrowed her eyes, looking at Fan Xiao Yao''s wet face. "Oh wow, I didn''t think that you have the guts to call me ''stupid''."

    She reached out and pinched her cheeks hard, "Bitch, who''s stupid?"

    "Let go! It hurts!" Fan Xiao Yao cried out.

    Shi Enxi released her cheeks and glared at her, "Stop crying, you''re so ugly!"

    "But it hurts! My cheeks and my c.h.e.s.t hurts!" She started crying out so loud like a child, "Waaaaah!"

    Fan Xiao Yao was once again crying on her shoulder and was clenching her shirt.

    Shi Enxi heaved out a long sigh. It was really so troublesome to have Fan Xiao Yao cry. It was annoying and irritating. She wanted to push her away.

    She reached out and placed her hand on her head. She gave her a gentle pat, then another one, until she continued on doing so to comfort her. She remained quiet and allowed Fan Xiao Yao to pour out her tears on her.

 Chapter 87 - You rejected her

    Shi Enxi waited for Fan Xiao Yao to calm down and as she did, she was reminded of the time where Lu Mello did the same for her.

    When she was the one crying so hard, Lu Mello was quiet as well. His presence meant a lot for her even if he didn''t say a thing. Was it the same for Fan Xiao Yao?

    Shi Enxi didn''t have anything to say to her about the confession she made towards Huang Li. What should she tell her?

    When Shi Enxi felt that Fan Xiao Yao has finally calmed down, she gently broke free from her hug. She took the glass of carrot juice and handed it to her.

    "There are plenty of fish in the sea." That was the first thing that went out of her mouth.

    "Xiao Xi..."

    "But you have to be careful. Don''t fall easily for others just because they are kind to you. There may be plenty of fish in the sea but there''s plenty of trash in the sea."

    "..."

    Ugh... What kind of comforting words were that? Fan Xiao Yao didn''t know whether to laugh or cry.

    "Are you... saying that... Senior Huang is trash?"

    "He''s half fish half trash."

    "..."

    In the end, Fan Xiao Yao burst out laughing because of what she said.

    The blank look on Shi Enxi''s face remained but her eyes softened upon seeing Fan Xiao Yao''s laughing face.

    "Drink that up then go to sleep. It''s already late at night."

    "Can I sleep with you?"

    "No." Shi Enxi took the file she was holding earlier before she stood up.

    "Please?" Fan Xiao Yao was looking at her with watery eyes. At that moment, she was like a rabbit, asking for attention.

    Shi Enxi''s brow twitched. Did she think that it was going to work on her? If it was someone else, maybe her charms would work but she was not someone else. "..."

    "Bring your own pillow and blanket." She turned and left Fan Xiao Yao there.

    Fan Xiao Yao grinned happily. "Thank you, Xiao Xi!"

    ---

    The next day, Shi Enxi woke up early to make breakfast. She didn''t have anything for the day and both of her artists'' schedules were free.

    While she was in the middle of preparing, she heard the doorbell rang so she had to stop and check who came to visit.

    There stood Huang Li, carrying a paper bag.

    Shi Enxi raised a brow, "What are you doing here?"

    Huang Li blinked a few times. What''s with the cold gaze towards him?

    "I brought a carrot cake." He said with a smile.

    "I don''t like carrot cake."

    "I know."

    "I heard that you made Fan Xiao Yao cry."

    He blinked a few times. Was that the reason why he was being cold towards him?

    "You rejected her."

    "I don''t have the same feelings for her so I told her that it would be for the best if we remained as friends."

    Huang Li felt a wave of chills coming from Shi Enxi as soon as he finished saying that.

    "Am I supposed to fake my feelings for her?"

    Shi Enxi gave him a deadly glare at his careless words. "You should have at least tried to work things out with her."

    "I''m not that kind of person."

    "Then scram. If you ever made her cry again, you''re dead."

    Without waiting for his reply, Shi Enxi shut the door in front of him. She was in a bad mood and she was not going to invite him in. He was being inconsiderate. If he has rejected Fan Xiao Yao then why was he still trying to act all friendly?

    ...

    Fan Xiao Yao had woke up not long after Shi Enxi did. She went back to her room to take a bath and change her clothes.

    By the time she went to the kitchen, the food was already prepared and Shi Enxi was just making a carrot smoothie.

    "Eat up. After this, you''re going to accompany me to the mall."

    "What are you going to do in the mall?"

    "I''m going to shop. I need you to come, you''ll carry my things."

    "..." In other words, she was just going to be her slave for the day...

    "Xiao Xi, can you teach me how to cook after we shop?"

    "Why should I?"

    "You''re always the one cooking here... I want to at least cook for you too."

    "I don''t have time to teach you."

    Fan Xiao Yao pouted, "Don''t you think that having cooking skills will be an advantage for me? What if I was suddenly invited to a cooking show? What if in the future I will need those skills for a movie?"

    Shi Enxi could easily see through her. Fan Xiao Yao only wanted to learn how to cook since she felt embarrassed not being able to help out in the kitchen.

    "If you put it that way, alright, I will teach you."

    "Really? Thank you, Xiao Xi! You''re the best!"

 Chapter 88 - Shopping

    Fan Xiao Yao and Shi Enxi went to the mall to shop. Since Lu Mello''s card was with Shi Enxi, she used it in their shopping and as she did, she was treated like VIP together with Fan Xiao Yao.

    Shi Enxi handed a bunch of dresses to Fan Xiao Yao, "Try these."

    Fan Xiao Yao''s eyes sparkled in delight, she excitedly asked, "Are these for me?"

    "No, they''re for me. We have the same body frame so I want to see how it will look on my body."

    "... You can just wear it yourself and look at the mirror!" Fan Xiao Yao pouted, giving back the dresses to her.

    Shi Enxi frowned. She handed the dresses back to her, "Stop complaining and wear them!"

    In the end, Fan Xiao Yao didn''t have a choice but to follow Shi Enxi. She was like a child who couldn''t speak back but obediently follow her mother instead.

    While the two continued on their shopping, Lu Weichun was in the same department store. She was surprised to see the two, walking hand in hand, carrying their shopping bags.

    Why are they together?

    Because of Lu Mello, Lu Weichun thought that Shi Enxi and Fan Xiao Yao would have bad relationsh.i.p.s with each other. They may once be friends but loving the same man could break their friendship, right? That was always the case and yet, why were they hanging out together?

    Lu Weichun wasn''t alone, she had two bodyguards with her. She was a well-known person so she wasn''t allowed to go around without her bodyguards.

    Fan Xiao Yao saw Lu Weichun standing not far from them. She smiled at her and waved, "Xiao Chun!"

    Shi Enxi turned her gaze to Lu Weichun without smiling at all, not even pretending to like her. The distaste in her eyes was seen and that made Lu Weichun frown.

    Fan Xiao Yao noticed the tension between the two women. Are they in bad terms?

    Although Lu Weichun was a bit surprised that Shi Enxi wasn''t even trying to pretend despite being in front of Fan Xiao Yao. She has always hated Shi Enxi for pretending someone she was not, she was a schemy woman with a nasty attitude so why should she like her?

    "Xiao Xi, don''t start a fight here, okay?" Fan Xiao Yao whispered beside her.

    Shi Enxi raised a brow at her. She was not a kid, why was she saying those words as if she was one?

    She reached out and pinched her cheek lightly, "Stop spouting nonsense."

    Since Shi Enxi didn''t exert strength in her pinch, it didn''t hurt Fan Xiao Yao. "Then let''s go greet her."

    Fan Xiao Yao held Shi Enxi''s hand and dragged her towards Lu Weichun, "I didn''t think that I will be seeing you here, Xiao Chun!"

    Lu Weichun chuckled a bit, "Yeah, what are you doing here?"

    "Duh, are you blind? We''re obviously shopping," replied Shi Enxi with a smile on her lips.

    Lu Weichun''s brow twitched in annoyance because of her rudeness. This was the first time that Shi Enxi was really speaking with her that way.

    Fan Xiao Yao cleared her throat, "Please don''t mind Xiao Xi, she''s always on her period."

    "..."

    Shi Enxi furrowed her brows at Fan Xiao Yao''s words. She was not in her period, okay? She just didn''t like Lu Weichun at all!

    Lu Weichun chuckled, "I can clearly see that." She decided to ignore Shi Enxi. "By the way, Xiao Xi, I heard that the first episode of the show you are in is going to be aired tonight. Congratulations, Xiao Yao."

    "Thank you, Xiao Chun, everything went smooth all because of my Manager Xixi." She grinned happily at her.

    Lu Weichun looked at Shi Enxi who was quietly standing beside Fan Xiao Yao, "Thank you for taking care of Xiao Yao."

    She was glad that despite Shi Enxi''s nasty character, she didn''t scheme against Fan Xiao Yao when she took her in as her artiste.

    "You don''t have to say that to me, it is only normal for me to assist this girl."

    "Xiao Xi..." Fan Xiao Yao was touched because of what she said.

    Shi Enxi ignored Fan Xiao Yao''s tearful gaze, "Why don''t we go check out the clothes over there?"

    "Sure! Do you want to join us, Xiao Chun?"

    Lu Weichun didn''t mind going with them, she also wanted to try something to Shi Enxi.

    "Okay."

    Shi Enxi frowned because of what Fan Xiao Yao did. She clearly knew that she didn''t like Lu Weichun a bit!

    "Those shopping bags, why don''t you let my men carry them?" Lu Weichun offered.

    Shi Enxi''s lips curled up. If she was going to join them, then fine. At least she has some use as of the moment.

    She took the shopping bags that Fan Xiao Yao was carrying, and together with what she was holding, Shi Enxi handed hem over to one of Lu Weichun''s bodyguards. "Here."

    The bodyguard took a glance at Lu Weichun and when he saw her nod, he carried them.

    "Ah, wait here, I''m just going to use the restroom." Fan Xiao Yao said with a smile. "I''ll be quick."

    Without waiting for their replies, she left the two women there.

 Chapter 89 - Its all her fault

    Lu Weichun and Shi Enxi was sitting at a sofa near the dressing room, waiting for Fan Xiao Yao to come back. Both were quiet ever since Fan Xiao Yao left them.

    "Just so you know, I don''t like you." Lu Weichun finally broke the silence between them.

    "The feeling is mutual." Shi Enxi replied, smiling calmly at her.

    "I don''t like you for my brother." Lu Weichun said without holding back.

    "So do I."

    Lu Weichun pursed her lips and looked away. Shi Yi and Lu Mello wanted her to get along with Shi Enxi but she was having a hard time doing that.

    "Mello-gege and Shi Yi wanted me to get along with you but I think that''s impossible."

    Shi Enxi nodded in agreement. Mello and her brother have been telling her to at least try to get along with Lu Weichun but every time she saw her, she just couldn''t do it. "They have told me the same too."

    In sync, the let out a heavy sigh.

    Lu Weichun: "I just can''t understand how my brother fell in love with a bitch like you."

    Shi Enxi: "My brother must be an idiot for falling in love with a brat like you."

    The two of them said those words at the same time and hearing each other''s words made them look at each other.

    Bitch?

    Brat?

    Both were glaring and the air around them became thicker.

    Lu Weichun''s two bodyguards who were standing nearby couldn''t help but gulp nervously. The two women looked like they were about to tear each other apart! What should they do?

    Just then, a laugh was heard from Shi Enxi and it was followed by Lu Weichun''s laugh.

    Uh... Are they turning crazy?

    Fan Xiao Yao who was hiding not far from them couldn''t help but think of that. She left the two, hoping that things would work out between them if they were left alone.

    With a nonchalant smile curling in her lips, Shi Enxi reached out her hand to Lu Weichun as if offering a handshake.

    Lu Weichun had the same smile on her lips as she reached out and held her hand.

    The people watching them didn''t know what just happened but from the looks of it, the two women came into an agreement.

    What kind of understanding did they make? They were curious since they didn''t even utter a word.

    But for some reason, the atmosphere between the two became better.

    Fan Xiao Yao decided to go back to them.

    "I''m going to make my brother break up with you."

    Lu Weichun scoffed, "Do you think that I can''t make my brother divorce you?"

    Uh... Aren''t they supposed to be in good terms now? They were smiling and the air around them was light too...

    What the hell was happening?

    Fan Xiao Yao watched the two exchange their numbers.

    Shi Enxi''s name on Lu Weichun''s contacts was ''Two-faced bitch'' while her name on Shi Enxi''s contacts was ''Spoiled brat''.

    When Shi Enxi noticed Fan Xiao Yao''s presence, she stood up. "Good, you''re back. Let''s go to the bags section."

    "O-Okay..."

    Shi Enxi walked ahead without waiting for them.

    Lu Weichun stood up and faced Fan Xiao Yao, "Tell me, Jiejie, don''t you have any hard feelings for Shi Enxi? Because of her, Gege left you. It''s all her fault"

    She was so curious about it so she didn''t hold back in asking. Whatever comes in her mind, she would always speak it out.

    Fan Xiao Yao chuckled lightly, "I did love Mello. It''s not like Mello cheated on me. I never gave him an answer when he confessed years ago. I also made him wait. I was not ready to be with him back then... Xiao Xi is an important person to me too. I got hurt when Mello told me that he has fallen in love with someone else, with Xiao Xi."

    "Then why? Why are you still treating her so kindly?"

    "Two of my best friends are in love with each other. I should be happy for them. Besides, Xiao Xi is the one who is treating me kindly. She was the one who found me during the time I was broken." She smiled gently, "She may be mean most of the time but she has the warmest and biggest heart of all."

    It was really hard for Lu Weichun to believe her words or her brother or Shi Yi''s words since she never saw Shi Enxi that way. They were all saying the same thing about Shi Enxi.

    Fan Xiao Yao patted her shoulder, "You''ll come to understand it one day."

    She went to the bags section and accompanied Shi Enxi in choosing the latest bags.

    Lu Weichun stood there for a while, watching the two women smile and enjoy each other''s company. They were really close from her perspective. Fan Xiao Yao was genuinely enjoying Shi Enxi''s presence. The words she told her earlier was definitely true.

 Chapter 90 - I want to buy this

    "Oh my, look who''s here." A woman wearing a pink strapless dress which specifically showcased her disposition came approaching Fan Xiao Yao when she saw her.

    The woman had long black hair with natural curls and her elegant makeup was perfect. Her whole being gave off a proud and noble air.

    Chen Fanglin was one of Fan Xiao Yao''s classmates during college. They were never in good terms since Chen Fanglin had always used underhanded tricks to suppress Fan Xiao Yao. She was the reason why Fan Xiao Yao couldn''t enter better companies other than LPM.

    Standing beside Chen Fanglin was Qing Biluo, another socialite and Chen Fanglin''s close friend.

    The smile on Fan Xiao Yao''s face disappeared and was replaced by a blank look on her face. "Chen Fanglin, Qing Biluo."

    Qing Biluo snickered, she grabbed the bag that Fan Xiao Yao was holding. "Can you even afford this?"

    "Give it back." Fan Xiao Yao really liked the bag that Qing Biluo grabbed. She was already planning on buying it for herself.

    "Have you paid for it? No, not yet, right?" Chen Fanglin sneered.

    The saleslady who was with Fan Xiao Yao was a bit hesitant but Fan Xiao Yao was a VIP so she has to prioritize her, "Um, I''m sorry madam, Ms. Fan has taken fancy to it first."

    Qing Biluo raised a brow, "So what? She didn''t pay for it yet so I have the right to get this."

    Fan Xiao Yao snatched the bag from Qing Biluo.

    "What are you doing? Snatching the bag from me?!"

    "Just as what you said, no one paid for it so I have the right to take, especially when I saw this first." Fan Xiao Yao remained her ground, refusing to back down.

    "What''s happening here?" Shi Enxi walked towards Fan Xiao Yao side. When she saw two women cornering Fan Xiao Yao, she decided to check on them.

    Qing Biluo raised a brow, "And who do you think you are?"

    "I''m her Manager," replied Shi Enxi, smiling.

    Chen Fanglin scoffed, "Since you''re her Manager, why don''t you teach your artiste some manners?"

    Fan Xiao Yao let out a small laugh, "Manners? Ah! Yes, yes, I should mind my manners, especially when I''m speaking with an hag like you."

    "You wench!"

    Shi Enxi snickered, she never thought Fan Xiao Yao would be able to retort something like that. She turned to her, "Ms. Fan, have you chosen a bag already?"

    "Yes, I want to buy this."

    Shi Enxi took the black card she has and handed it to Fan Xiao Yao, "Here''s your card."

    Chen Fanglin and Qing Biluo stood there in shock  when they saw the rare black card! They only heard of it but could it be the ''king of all cards''?!

    "Thank you, Manager Li." Fan Xiao Yao played along with her.

    "Fan Xiao Yao, have you finally became a mistress?" Qing Biluo asked, smirking.

    "Mistress?"

    Lu Weichun who was not far from them finally approached them. She saw what happened since the beginning and she wanted to see what Shi Enxi would do but she never expected her to hand over her brother''s black card to Fan Xiao Yao.

    "Cousin, there you are!" Lu Weichun went any clung on Fan Xiao Yao''s arms. "Are you done choosing your bag?"

    "L-Lu Weichun?!"

    The two women were surprised when they saw her. What did Lu Weichun addressed Fan Xiao Yao?

    Cousin?! How could they be cousin?! Didn''t Fan Xiao Yao came from a poor family?

    Who wouldn''t know Lu Weichun? She was always active in her social accounts and would post everyday in her Weibo. She was one of the princesses of the Lu family!

    The country may have a two children policy but only the Lu family was exempted of it. That was how powerful and rich they were! Every members of the Lu family was family, and recently, Lu Mello has finally shown his face to the public!

    Anyone from a higher class family would know who Lu Weichun was.

    If Fan Xiao Yao was a cousin of Lu Weichun, no wonder she was able to have a rare black card!

    Lu Weichun turned to Chen Fanglin and Qing Biluo, "What?"

    "N-nothing... It''s just-"

    "Jiejie, let''s go eat. I''ve hungry. Why don''t you just buy that already so that we can get going?" Lu Weichun intercepted. She then turned to Shi Enxi, "Sister Xixi, you must be hungry too, right? Let''s have some ramen!"

    In the end, the trio went to the counter to pay for the things they bought.

    Chen Fanglin gritted her teeth as she watched the trio walk out of the place. "That Fan Xiao Yao... No wonder she''s becoming famous so fast. She has such strong backer!"

    "She must have used a huge amount of money to get to where she is now."

 Chapter 91 - Pretty, isnt it?

    After spending their lunch with Lu Weichun, Shi Enxi and Fan Xiao Yao returned to their place.

    Just like others, Shi Enxi was anticipating the first episode that was going to be aired that night.

    Fan Xiao Yao didn''t have many scenes in the first episode but she left a good impression on everyone especially the part where her character found out that she was cheated on.

    The ratings for the first episode was quite good.

    Shi Enxi knew that Fan Xiao Yao wouldn''t have many scenes in the first few episodes of the series, her limelight was still going to be in the middle of the story.

    Fan Xiao Yao received a message from Huang Li as soon as the episode finished.

    Huang Li: [Congratulations. You were amazing.]

    Simple words from him made Fan Xiao Yao''s heart skip a beat. Even after she got rejected, her feelings for him were still there. The pain may still be fresh but then, it was annoying how much he could make her happy just by a message.

    Carrotkiller: [Thank you. ^^]

    Huang Li: [Can we meet?]

    Shi Enxi noticed that Fan Xiao Yao was blushing and smiling while she was busy on her phone so she decided to take a peek on it. She frowned upon seeing their conversation. "You''re still into him?"

    Fan Xiao Yao turned to Shi Enxi, a bit startled. She hid her phone from her, "Well..."

    "He''s just going to hurt you."

    "We''re still friends even if I like him... Also... He''s single... Maybe I can make him like me?"

    Shi Enxi flicked her forehead lightly, "Don''t come crying to me if he rejected you again."

    Fan Xiao Yao pouted, rubbing her forehead. "I''m not!"

    "At least try to play hard to get with him. Don''t go easy with him if he ever falls for you."

    She giggled softly, "Yes ma''am."

    "I''m going to have my rest early." Shi Enxi went to her room, leaving Fan Xiao Yao there.

    She took out her phone and sent Huang Li a message, [Make her cry and you''re dead.]

    Those were the same words she told him earlier that morning.

    Fan Xiao Yao was so naive and stupid. She was rejected by Huang Li last night and yet, she was still trying to get in touch with him after she was been comforted.

    What was more irritating for Shi Enxi was how much she cared for Fan Xiao Yao.

    Ever since she took her in, all envy and hatred she had for Fan Xiao Yao was gone. She didn''t have anything to be envious about and she had no reason to hate her.

    Maybe she was just frustrated... Fan Xiao Yao was still weak in Shi Enxi''s eyes but at least she was making progress.

    Fan Xiao Yao grew attached to her like a puppy that wouldn''t stop on following her.

    ...

    Shi Enxi was about to go to sleep when her phone suddenly rang. It was a video call from Lu Mello.

    Shi Enxi got up and quickly fixed her hair the moment she saw his caller ID.

    She didn''t answer her phone since she went to change her pajamas into a nightdress.

    Just when Lu Mello was about to hang up, Shi Enxi finally answered the call.

    Lu Mello was wearing a suit, and his handsome face was seen on the screen.

    "What took you so-" Lu Mello trailed off upon seeing Shi Enxi''s attire on the screen.

    Her cleavage was seen and the nightdress she was wearing was a see-through dress! She wasn''t wearing a bra and the way Shi Enxi held her phone only made him see the upper part of her b.r.e.a.s.ts. Her blonde hair was tied into a messy bun. The skin on her neck and shoulder was so smooth and tempting, making Lu Mello unconsciously gulp.

    What is she up to now?

    He was sitting at the back of the car, alone and yet he still turned his head to make sure that he was the only one who was there.

    Liu Ying was on the driver''s seat and was so focused on driving.

    Lu Mello had to close the divider just to make sure that no one was going to see his wife looking so captivating and seductive. He felt blood rushing through his lower region. The more he looked at her, the bigger the tent was in between his pants.

    Damn it... His wife was being naughty! How can she dress this way in front of him?! Didn''t she know the side effect she can give him by wearing such s.e.xy clothes?!

    "Finally, you called!" Shi Enxi''s sweet voice was heard.

    Oh, how he wished he was there beside his wife right now! It was tempting him to fly back to her side!

    Lu Mello tried his best to calm down. He smiled back at her, "I just wanted to check on you. You didn''t answer my call all at once, were you sleeping?"

    "Nope, I was just at the bathroom. I just finished taking a shower." She smoothly lied. "By the way, how are you doing there?"

    "I''m on my way to meet a friend."

    Shi Enxi raised a brow, "Gender?"

    "He''s a man, don''t worry."

    "I''m not worried." She huffed.

    "Do you usually sleep in this kind of clothes? You never wear one at home."

    "I just bought this earlier." Shi Enxi grinned happily at him. "Pretty, isn''t it?"

    "Won''t you feel cold?"

    "Well yeah... That''s why I''ve decided to wear this kind of nightdresses whenever you''re here. At least I have you to warm me up every night, right?"

    This woman... Was she going to seduce him every night?

    "Then why are you wearing one right now?"

    "I wanted to show it to you!" She chuckled. "Now let me see how hard you got after seeing me like this."

    "..."

 Chapter 92 - Do you need time to jerk off?

    "Well? Won''t you let me see how hard you became for me?" She continued to tease him.

    Lu Mello''s eyes darkened, "Do you think that you will get away with this?"

    "Oh my, I''m scared." She smirked playfully. "How will you punish me when you''re a thousand miles away, darling?"

    "I''ll show you how I''m going to punish you for being a naughty wife once I come back."

    She giggled, "My, oh, my, it looks like I have to hide from my husband."

    Lu Mello sighed. She has become brave just because he was not there with her on the bed. Although it was not like he didn''t like this part of her. He was quite amused by how she was being ''sweet'' to him.

    "Mrs. Lu, please behave yourself."

    "I am always behaved, Mr. Lu." She grinned at him.

    "Yes, yes, please continue to do so."

    Shi Enxi was happy to see him through the call. Whenever she spoke with him, her mood would automatically lighten up.

    "Don''t you dare meet any women behind my back, Mello, or else I''m really going to divorce you!"

    "Don''t you trust me?" He was kind of hurt that she was still doubting him until now.

    "I trust you but I don''t trust the women around you, so be careful, okay?"

    These words... He heard them before. Where did he hear them?

    Ah! These were the same words that his mother told his father back then when he was away.

    His gaze became soft and his heart warmed up. He never expected that he would hear the same words, especially this time, from his beloved wife. "Don''t worry, as soon as I finish my work here, I''ll fly back to you."

    "Be sure to take care of yourself."

    "I will. Anyway, you should get some rest now."

    "Don''t you want to talk to me anymore?" She pouted a bit. Even if she was sleepy earlier, she wasn''t feeling the same since she was talking with him.

    "I''m almost at my destination."

    "Oh, do you need time to jerk off?"

    "..."

    Even if Lu Mello didn''t want to admit it, he really wanted to have a cold shower for his awakened beast.

    Shi Enxi''s lips curled up into a playful smirk, "Go on, I want to watch you do it."

    "..."

    Lu Mello sighed heavily, "Xi''er, I really am going to end the call now."

    Shi Enxi pouted, even if she wanted to tease him more, she decided to stop. "Fine, end it then."

    "Are you angry?"

    "Why should I be? You are so handsome, I can''t get angry at you." She huffed.

    He chuckled lightly, "I am so grateful to have been born with this face."

    She touched her screen as if to touch his cheek. "Let''s go for another date once you come back."

    "Where do you want to go?"

    "I''ll think about it. There are a lot of places to choose from, I can''t decide where to go yet."

    "Then just let me know once you do."

    She stared at his face for a while. Oh, how she wished that he was beside her. "You should end the call, if you won''t, I''m going to speak nonstop with you."

    "Fine, fine. I''ll call you back tomorrow."

    "See you later, darling." She smiled sweetly at him as she added, "I love you..."

    Lu Mello could never get used to her telling those words and at the same time, he couldn''t help but think if she really meant them.

    Shi Enxi pouted when she didn''t hear a reply from her. Pink blush was evident on her cheeks and it was clearly seen since the room''s light was still on. "Hey, I said, I love you."

    The gentleness in Lu Mello''s eyes was seen as he smiled lovingly at her. Her words were really for him... "I love you too, Xi''er."

    After their call ended, Shi Enxi lied down on her bed and hugged a pillow. As she closed her eyes to sleep, she remembered Lu Mello''s gentle gaze. A faint smile grew on her lips. She really has fallen in love with him.

    She never thought that it was possible to love him. Back then, she didn''t like him one bit. She even found his advances annoying.

    How nice it was if such peaceful days could continue. She was once full of hate but with Lu Mello around, she finally found happiness, she finally felt how it was to be loved.

    Just by thinking of him leaving her frightened her deeply. If her current happiness was just a dream, she would do anything to keep on dreaming.

 Chapter 93 - Im being followed

    Days passed and Shi Enxi assigned personal assistants for Zi Xuan and Fan Xiao Yao since she was becoming busy as a Director.

    At the end of the week, Lu Mello finally arrived back in China. While he was on his way, he decided to give Shi Enxi a call but when he turned on his phone, he saw that he received a lot of missed calls from Lu Weichun.

    She has been trying to call him since earlier.

    He was about to call her back when his phone began ringing, Lu Weichun was calling him again.

    For her to call him like this... What could be the reason?

    For some reason, he couldn''t help but worry. He answered the call, "Xiao Chun?"

    "Finally! Why are you not answering my previous calls?!"

    "I just got off the airport. What''s the matter? Why do you sound... panicked?"

    Based on the background noise on Lu Weichun''s side, he could tell that she was driving. Not just that... She was driving at a fast speed.

    "Gege, I''m being followed..." Lu Weichun''s coughing voice followed.

    "Damn it..." She muttered but her weak voice was clearly heard by Lu Mello.

    He became alarmed upon hearing his sister that way. He straightened his back and quickly asked, "Where are you?"

    "I''m on my way to our villa. I''m just trying to lose them first before heading there."

    "Keep your GPS on, alright? I''ll be there in no time." Even if Lu Mello tried to sound calm, he was anxious and his hand was trembling.

    He turned to Liu Ying, "Stop the car."

    "Yes, sir."

    "Get out!"

    "Huh?"

    Lu Mello went out of the car''s backseat and pulled Liu Ying out of the driver''s seat. He was in a hurry to drive it so as soon as he got in, he drove at full speed.

    "Brother... I''m scared..." Lu Weichun''s trembling voice was heard from the other line since the call was still on. "My sight is becoming blurry... I''m losing too much blood... It''s too painful..."

    Lu Mello''s heart sank when he heard his sister''s shivering voice. Just by how she spoke, he could tell how scared she really was. "I''m coming, Xiao Chun! I''m coming!"

    Lu Weichun felt her consciousness was fading away. She knew that her brother wouldn''t be able to reach her on time, "It''s her... Be careful of her, Gege..."

    "Her? Who are you talking about?"

    "S-Shi Enxi..."

    It was as if everything stopped when Lu Weichun heard Shi Enxi''s name. She was... behind this?

    "Enxi... Shi Enxi''s-"

    A loud crash was heard and the call was disconnected.

    "Xiao Chun? Weichun!!"

    Lu Mello''s heart raced, the feeling he has at that moment was similar to the time where he was about to lose Shi Enxi in his previous life.

    He tried to call Lu Weichun again but he couldn''t anymore.

    Lu Mello refused to believe that Lu Weichun had an accident. She was a stubborn and troublesome girl! She was going to be okay, right? Right?

    (Four hours ago...)

    Shi Enxi woke up, feeling unwell. Even if she felt feverish, she didn''t want to skip work.

    She headed to her work that way. While she was busy with some files, Lu Weichun came in.

    Shi Enxi raised her head and raised a brow upon seeing Lu Weichun, "What are you doing here?"

    "Am I not allowed to visit my sister-in-law?"

    "If you''re just going to make a problem here, I suggest you leave. I''m busy right now so I can''t entertain you."

    Lu Weichun pouted, "You didn''t give me a reply!"

    Shi Enxi''s brow twitched in annoyance. Was this girl an idiot? Did she have to visit her just to tell her that?

    "I''m busy."

    Lu Weichun puffed out her cheeks. She was actually inviting her to have lunch with her that day but receiving no reply from Shi Enxi, she didn''t have a choice but to get to her instead.

    She was refusing her calls and was only seeing her messages. Can''t she at least appreciate the effort she was making to get along with her?

    Lu Weichun walked towards her and held her wrist. She was about to pull her when she noticed how hot she was. "You... Do you have a fever?"

    "I don''t have a fever so can you kindly let go?"Shi Enxi glared at her.

    Lu Weichun let go of her wrist and instead, she placed her hand on her forehead. "Xixi, you''re burning!"

    Lu Weichun''s loud voice was giving Shi Enxi a headache. She skipped breakfast since she didn''t have an appetite so she felt really weak at that moment.

    "Let''s go to the hospital."

    "No, I''m fine."

    "Stop being stubborn! If Gege was here, he would surely drag you out. Besides, if you continue to leave this untreated, your fever will get worse and you''re just going to give a problem to others here."

    Shi Enxi pursed her lips tight. What Lu Weichun said was correct but she never liked hospitals at all ever since her parents died. She couldn''t bear to stay long in a building filled with sick people.

    "I''ll just call Huang Li, he''s a doctor."

    Shi Enxi took her phone and tried to call him but his phone was off. He would only turn off his phone whenever he was preparing for surgery.

    "Looks like he''s busy." Lu Weichun crossed her arms. "You need to go to the hospital."

    She heaved out a sigh in defeat, "I''ll go... But you have to come with me."

    "Well, duh, I''m obviously coming with you. I can''t let a sick person drive."

    In the end, Shi Enxi didn''t have a choice but to go to the hospital with Lu Weichun. While on their way, Shi Enxi fainted in the car because of her weak body.

 Chapter 94 - I dont want you

    Shi Enxi opened her eyes, only to find herself inside a hospital room. She could already tell that since the smell of disinfectant was in the air.

    She was feeling a bit better for some reason. Was it because of the medicine that was given to her through the IV drips or was it because she has taken some rest?

    Her stomach growled and she squirmed in her bed to try to silence the rumbling. She glanced at the clock; there were only two more minutes until lunch.

    She heard the door creak and she saw Lu Weichun, holding a lunchbox.

    She walked towards her, placing the lunchbox on the bed table. She helped Shi Enxi in getting up, she even placed a pillow on her back to make her comfortable. "No wonder people bring flowers in the hospital since every room is so dull."

    Shi Enxi couldn''t argue with that, especially when she thought the same.

    "You really should take care of your body, sister-in-law. No matter how workaholic you are, you should always think of your health especially when you''re pregnant."

    "Huh?"

    Pregnant?

    Lu Weichun thought that Shi Enxi knew that she was pregnant that was why she gave her a good scolding but when she saw her surprised face, she realized that... Shi Enxi didn''t have an idea about it...

    "I''m pregnant?" How could that be? She was in birth control pills!

    "You didn''t know?"

    Just then, the doctor, followed by a nurse, entered the room.

    "Oh good, the patient is finally awake."

    Shi Enxi turned to the doctor, her face pale. "Is it true? I am pregnant?"

    The doctor smiled, "Yes, you are. You are almost two weeks pregnant ma''am. Congratulations."

    Two... weeks?

    "How is that possible? I''m taking birth control pills."

    Lu Weichun furrowed her brows. Just by looking at Shi Enxi''s reaction, she could tell that... She was not happy about being pregnant.

    "Although birth control pills have a high success rate, they can fail and you can get pregnant while on the pill. Birth control pills are 99 percent effective with "perfect use," which means taking the pill at the same time every day without missing a dose. The birth control pill is very effective if a person takes it correctly and does not miss any pill days. Many women accidentally miss a dose or forget to start a new pack of pills. When that happens, the chances for an accidental pregnancy go up." The doctor explained.

    It has been months already and every time she spent her weekends with Lu Mello. She had been taking pills every week but not only daily basis. If she knew that something like this would happen, she would have made him wear c.o.n.d.o.ms instead!

    Shi Enxi clenched her fists right, her face was drained of life.

    She can''t be pregnant, she was not ready for it. She didn''t want to become a mother. She didn''t want to have a child yet.

    The doctor noticed the look on Shi Enxi''s face. He was actually used in seeing the same looks and they were all coming from mothers that weren''t ready to have kids. They mostly chose to abort the baby in their stomach.

    "Since it is just two weeks of pregnancy, there is still no embryo but your body is already preparing for it. If you come back next week, having an abortion will be-"

    "Abortion?!" Lu Weichun gasped out loud. She turned to Shi Enxi with a glare.

    From the way Shi Enxi looked, she could tell that she was planning on one. "Don''t you dare have an abortion without telling my brother, Enxi!"

    Shi Enxi calmly turned to the doctor, "I will think about it."

    The doctor was staring at Lu Weichun then to Shi Enxi. Just by hearing what Lu Weichun said, he could tell that they were about to argue about keeping the baby.

    "I''ll check on you later." The doctor excused himself and left the two women in the room.

    "What do you mean by you will think about it? Are you crazy?"

    "I don''t want the baby." Shi Enxi said with a blank look on her face. But despite that, she felt a pang on her c.h.e.s.t when she said that.

    "You heartless bitch! That''s my brother''s baby! I am that baby''s Auntie so you can''t just say that."

    "I want to be alone right now. Can you leave the room?"

    Lu Weichun clenched her fists right when she saw how Shi Enxi was void of emotions. The anger burning within her was driving her crazy!

    "Shi Enxi, before you make a decision, please give it a careful thought... Also, think about my brother. If you are not going to tell Gege about it, I will be forced to say it to him."

    With that, Lu Weichun decided to leave the room to give Shi Enxi some time to think about it.

    The room became quiet after Lu Weichun left. Shi Enxi placed her hand on her tummy, "I don''t want to have you..."

    Her stomach grumbled and her eyes landed on the lunch box that Lu Weichun brought for her. She was starving, she wanted to eat but thinking of her pregnancy was making her appetite disappear.

    Tears formed in the side of her eyes as she clenched on her shirt.

    "I''m sorry... I''m sorry... I''m sorry..."

    If Lu Mello learned that she was pregnant, she was sure that he would want to keep the baby. He would never even agree on her decision on aborting it.

    Her lips quivered as tears continued to flow down her cheeks like a broken dam. "I don''t want you... I can''t have you... I''m sorry... I''m sorry..."

    Because of her carelessness, she became pregnant. She shouldn''t have trusted the pills only, she should have become so careful. What should she say to Lu Mello?

    What if... She had the abortion today? He will never learn about it, right?

    What about Lu Weichun? She was going to tell Lu Mello if Shi Enxi was didn''t.

    Her sobs filled the room, her body trembled and the more she cried, the heavier her body felt, especially her c.h.e.s.t. She felt as if a knife was stabbing her c.h.e.s.t.

    "I don''t want you... I don''t want you..." She kept on telling herself, more like, she was chanting it, as if she was trying to convince herself that she didn''t want Lu Mello''s baby at all.

 Chapter 95 - Where are you?

    "Miss, we have been following her for a while. She brought her friend to the hospital." A man reported through the call.

    "She''s at the hospital?" A woman''s voice was heard from the other line.

    "Yes. Lu Weichun is currently here in the parking lot. I have hacked on the surveillance cameras that are around here, should I make a move?"

    "Yes, make sure you kill her today."

    The call ended and the man wore his gloves and a black cap before he went out of the car.

    Lu Weichun was trying to call her brother but her calls wouldn''t reach him at all.

    As she continued to try on calling him, a man bumped into her and as he did, she felt a pain in her stomach.

    It was then that she realized that she was stabbed by the man who bumped into her.

    She turned and saw the man, looking at her with cold eyes. He was holding the knife covered with her blood.

    What the hell...? She never thought that someone would try to kill her.

    The man was about to approach her again but this time, Lu Weichun forced herself to block the man''s attack despite the pain on her stomach.

    "W-Who are you?!"

    The man didn''t say a thing. Since Lu Weichun was wounded, he was stronger than her. He pushed her wish made her fall on the ground.

    Lu Weichun g.r.o.a.n.e.d in pain. It really hurts a lot.

    "You are Shi Enxi''s sister-in-law, I''m sorry, you have to die. If you want to blame someone, blame Shi Enxi for going against my master."

    Could he be after Shi Enxi? Was he trying to frame Shi Enxi by killing her?

    The man tried to kick her again but Lu Weichun managed to evade him by moving to the side.

    She took the proper spray that was in her pocket and used it against the man, spraying it on his face.

    "ARGH! DAMN WOMAN!" The man covered his face, his eyes were stinging because of the pain.

    "Boss!"

    Lu Weichun turned and saw another man getting out of a car.

    He has a companion?!

    Instead of calling for help, Lu Weichun got up and went to her car that was nearby. If she went back to Shi Enxi, she was afraid that the men that were after her would try to do something too.

    Shi Enxi was in her disguise, if they found out the woman she was with was actually Shi Enxi, then they would surely come after her.

    The only reason why they couldn''t come after her was because Shi Enxi was using a disguise.

    Lu Weichun wasn''t going to take the risk, especially when Shi Enxi was pregnant.

    She entered the car and started driving out the parking lot. Her free hand was putting pressure on her wound while the other was on the driver''s wheel.

    "She''s escaping! Go after her!"

    "But how about you-"

    "Don''t mind me! We need to kill her today! We can''t let her escape!"

    Lu Weichun knew she has to call her brother. If there was anyone who could help her, it was none other than her brother.

    She tried calling him until he finally answered.

    ...

    The black luxury car ran on the highway like crazy. It was followed by several traffic police cars but Lu Mello didn''t care. He had to get to where his sister was as soon as possible.

    He tried to call her a few times but she wouldn''t answer and it made him eager to reach her.

    The GPS he followed finally brought him to where she was.

    There were a couple of police cars and an ambulance.

    He saw a car that was badly crashed against the railings.

    He felt his heart jump when he saw that the car was Lu Weichun''s. The only thing that gave him hope was that Lu Weichun''s body was not in the car.

    "What happened here?!" Lu Mello asked a police officer in panic.

    "Sir, you are not allowed to be in the crime-"

    Lu Mello showed him his badge, "Now tell me what the hell happened here?! Where''s the owner of the car?!"

    Seeing his badge, the officer didn''t have a choice but to tell him what happened. "A witness saw a man dragging out a woman from the car. The woman was barely conscious when he dropped the woman on the river. The man who dropped her escaped and we are currently finding for the woman''s body in the river."

    Lu Mello felt heavens falling on his shoulders. He became conscious and gloomy. His heart was breaking into pieces as he recalled Lu Weichun''s last conversation with him.

    Lu Mello went to the car and saw the bloodstain on the driver''s seat. Beside it was Lu Weichun''s phone.

    He took the phone and stared at the broken screen. He checked on her WeChat and saw the messages that Lu Weichun shared with Shi Enxi.

    They were arguing in their old messages until Shi Enxi stopped replying to her. The last message that Lu Weichun sent Shi Enxi was that she was going to her place.

    Shi Enxi was the last person Lu Weichun contacted... She was also the last person she was with... Meaning, there was a high probability that Shi Enxi was the suspect.

    If the police were to learn of this, they would surely try to contact Shi Enxi and investigate her too.

    "Don''t stop until you find my sister."

    "Sister...?" The police officer was shocked

    "Let me know if you got a lead. I need to go and see someone." Lu Mello''s face was void of emotions, his eyes cold.

    ---

    "Do you want some juice?" Shi Yi asked Shi Enxi who was sitting on the sofa.

    Shi Enxi shook her head. Her face was still pale but it was a bit better than earlier.

    "Are you sure you''re okay?" Shi Yi asked worriedly.

    Shi Enxi''s head was down. She was contemplating whether to tell Shi Yi about her problem or not.

    She was about to speak up when her phone suddenly vibrated. She checked on the message and saw that it was from Lu Mello.

    [Where are you?]

    Why was he looking for her? Did he finally come back from his business trip?

    The more she thought about it, the more she became nervous. Even if she wanted to see him at that moment, she was afraid.

    [I''m at my brother''s place. I won''t be going home tomorrow, I''ll be staying here for the weekend.]

 Chapter 96 - Im not lying

    The moment Lu Mello reached Shi Yi''s place, Lu Mello received a call from the police officer he talked with earlier.

    "Hello?"

    "Sir, we have found a dead body of the woman. She has a stab on her stomach. We would like you to come here to confirm if she really is your sister."

    They found a dead body...?

    He knew that Lu Weichun was wounded and the body they found was also wounded. Even if he refused to believe that the body they found was his sister, he couldn''t help but doubt.

    "Sir?"

    Lu Mello couldn''t hear a thing, it was like time stopped and he was slowly breaking apart. His eyes started to become misty for some reason.

    He didn''t know what it was about Lu Weichun, but she attracted disaster wherever she went even when she was little. She was a naughty, spoiled and stubborn girl.

    Among all his siblings, Lu Weichun was the most spoiled by their parents. She was the total opposite of Lu Xingyan who was always behaved.

    His sister was dear to him just like his other siblings. He watched her grow together with her twin sister.

    He could still remember clearly when his mother gave birth to his twin sisters. The first time he saw them, they were sleeping so peacefully. They were both cute and adorable like an angel. Lu Weichun who was sleeping beside Lu Xingyan smiled at him for the first time, as if greeting her brother. Her smile was like a spring, full of life.

    Memories of their childhood days flashed before his eyes and those memories were suffocating him.

    Didn''t Lu Weichun usually bring her bodyguards with her? Why was she alone during the time she was attacked?

    Was it because... She had to meet Shi Enxi?

    The more he thought about it, the more blinded he was at that moment.

    He knew that Shi Enxi and Lu Weichun were not in good terms... He knew what Shi Enxi was capable of... His mind couldn''t help but doubt her since all evidence was pointing at her.

    The call has long ended but Lu Mello gave the police officer a message, saying that he was going to check the body later.

    He was still hoping, hoping that the body didn''t belong to Lu Weichun. He actually preferred it if the body wasn''t found. At least there would still be hope for him, hoping that his sister was still alive.

    He walked out of his car and looked at the mansion''s entrance. He tried his best to calm himself, his emotions were in turmoil inside him. How should he ask Shi Enxi? What if... She really was behind it?

    He thought that he would be able to hold back and rationalize things but the moment he saw Shi Enxi walkout, it was as if someone stabbed him on his c.h.e.s.t.

    Shi Enxi was capable of killing anyone she hated, she even killed her own brother in the past so why would she hold back from killing Lu Weichun?

    The News about Lu Weichun''s accident was already out. When Shi Enxi learned about it, she was surprised.

    Even her brother has to rush out to check if the News were real.

    "Mello, I heard about what happened to Weichun." Shi Enxi''s face was full of concern.

    The News only stated that Lu Weichun''s body was missing after somebody tried to kill her.

    For some reason, the concern on Shi Enxi''s face looked fake for him.

    He took large strides towards her, he grabbed her arm and with bloodshot eyes, he glared angrily at her. "Stop pretending!"

    Shi Enxi was startled by his sudden outburst. "W-what do you mean?"

    The more Lu Mello saw her reaction, the angrier he got. His body was trembling in fury. As the bloodstained car flashed before his eyes, he started losing himself.

    He laughed coldly, "Hahaha I thought that you can change, what a fool I am... Stop pretending, Shi Enxi. You''re only making yourself look like a fool."

    Was Lu Mello... suspecting her?

    "Did you ordered Huang Li to kill her? A witness saw the man who killed her. It was him, right?"

    "No, it was not him. I am not the one who tried to ki-"

    "Shut up! I know that it''s you! I know that you don''t like Lu Weichun but... but you didn''t have to kill her... She''s my sister, Enxi... MY SISTER!! Do you think that... that just because I love you, I will tolerate everything and turn blind?" Tears brimmed on the side of Lu Mello''s eyes as he tightened his hold on her arm.

    The love he was feeling for her was slowly turning into hate, the pain he felt was swallowing him. It was as if someone was pouring acid on his soul.

    The eyes that were once filled with so much purpose and love were now replaced with bitterness and hate.

    Despite the pain that she was feeling from Lu Mello''s hold, seeing him that way was suffocating her. Sudden fear enveloped her.

    "It was not me, Mello... I didn''t do it. It wasn''t me!"

    "Stop denying it. All the evidence points to you."

    Lu Mello released her arm, his gaze turned cold as frost. The pain he had in his eyes was gone. "I''m afraid I cannot turn blind with what you did this time. I would really appreciate it if you could hand yourself to the police. Don''t make me force you, Shi Enxi."

    Lu Mello turned and was about to leave her but he was stopped when Shi Enxi grabbed on to his arm.

    "It wasn''t me, Mello!" Her tears rolled down her cheeks as she desperately held unto him. She was afraid of losing him. If she let him go of him now, she might not be able to have a chance to talk to him again.

    "Let go, Enxi." His face showed no warmth or gentleness, it was like he turned into a different man.

    "Why won''t you believe me?!"

    "Believe you?" He chuckled as if hearing a funny joke. "Why should I? If you can kill your own brother, how much more your sister-in-law?"

    "I-I didn''t kill my brother."

    "You tried." He held her wrist and pulled her hand away. "I did love you, Enxi... I love you so much to the point where I am willing to give you my own life... But why my sister? Why do you have to be like this? No matter how much you hate my sister... Why can''t you hold back? Did you ever love me?"

    He turned and walked away from her, heading towards the car.

    "Don''t go... Please don''t go." She begged as she went after him. "Mello... D-didn''t you promise me that y-you will never leave me?" This time, she held his hand.

    "I did, but after what you did, how can I stay with you? If I won''t bring justice to my sister, what kind of brother will I be?"

    "Give me a chance to prove that I''m innocent so, please... Don''t leave me... It really wasn''t me... You know that I love you. I will never try to take Weichun''s life!"

    "How many more lies will you tell me?"

    "I''m not lying." She leaned and hugged him close. "Please believe me... Please... Please don''t leave me, Mello."

    Lu Mello stayed quiet for a while. It was hard for him to see Shi Enxi like this. She always has a strong front, she never begged. This was the first time he saw her this way... But... It was all an act, right?

    He held his shoulders and pushed her away. "That''s enough lying, Enxi. Aren''t you tired?"

    Shi Enxi shook her head, her face was full of tears. "Don''t go... Don''t leave... I''m pregnant! You can''t leave me! I''m carrying your child!"

    Shi Enxi didn''t have a choice but to tell him about her pregnancy to make him stay.

    Lu Mello was surprised. Pregnant?

    "Stop lying."

    "I''m not lying! I''m not! We can go to the doctor! I am not lying, I''m pregnant, Mello... So, please... Please don''t leave me."

 Chapter 97 - Please trust me

    When Shi Enxi saw that Lu Mello was just staring blankly at her, her heart was full of anguish.

    "I have a medical certificate with me. If you think that I forged it, then we can go and see the doctor. We can go to any hospital you want, I am not lying. I''m pregnant and you''re the father."

    Upon hearing her, Lu Mello recalled the time in his previous life where Shi Enxi called him and told him the same thing. She was pregnant and he was the father.

    Although, that was a lie... He wasn''t the father at all.

    "If... If you''re going to leave me... Then... I''m going to abort this child!" Shi Enxi threatened him.

    The side of Lu Mello''s lips curled up into a ridiculing smile, "Why am I not surprised? If you can kill your brother, my sister... How much more an innocent child? Aren''t you a murderer since the beginning? A ruthless, cruel murderer."

    Her hold on him loosened after hearing his cold words. She felt her heart was being squeezed so badly. His every word was stabbing her like a knife.

    Every word she said to him was being twisted. Why? Why was he not believing her? No matter what she told him, he just won''t believe her.

    Lu Mello opened the door of the car, he looked at her. "Get in."

    When she heard his words, she looked at him in hope that he was finally believing her.

    His blank stare squelched that hope on her c.h.e.s.t.

    "A-are you... Are you going to take me to the hospital?"

    Lu Mello didn''t give her an answer, he just stared at her as if waiting for her to get in.

    Shi Enxi''s lips were stretched into a thin line. She didn''t want him to leave him but at that moment, she was also afraid to go with him since he was not telling her where they would go. What if he brought her to the police station?

    She is innocent.

    She clenched her fists tight. She was afraid that... No one would believe her. What if... No one will believe her?

    What kind of evidence did Lu Mello have for him to suspect her?

    Fine. He can bring her wherever he wants, even to the hospital. If she tried to run away, Lu Mello would only doubt her more so she has to prove that she was innocent.

    Shi Enxi went in the car and Lu Mello closed the door after. He headed to the driver''s seat and drove out of the place.

    They were both quiet the whole way, Lu Mello didn''t say a word while Shi Enxi did the same. No matter how much she tried to convince him, he wouldn''t listen.

    They shortly arrived at the hospital where the woman''s body was brought.

    Lu Mello had to confirm that the body really belonged to his sister. Aside from that, he wanted to observe Shi Enxi''s reaction.

    Lu Mello''s heart was pounding loudly when he saw the body covered by a white cloth on the table.

    He was afraid to see the body... What if... What if the woman was really his sister?

    Shi Enxi didn''t expect that Lu Mello would bring her there. She saw how Lu Mello was hesitating on seeing the body.

    He was scared...

    Shi Enxi looked at the body on the table. She did not kill Lu Weichun, neither did she order someone to do it.

    Yes, she didn''t like her but she didn''t hate her as well.

    Lu Mello was preparing for the worse when Shi Enxi decided to walk and pull the covering.

    "Shi Enxi!" Lu Mello was surprised by what she did.

    Shi Enxi ignored him, she stared at the body in front of her.

    The face has so many wounds, making the woman unrecognizable but the woman''s body frame was the same as Lu Weichun''s.

    "W-Weichun..." Lu Mello took a step closer, his eyes were filled with tears.

    "No, it''s not her."

    Lu Mello was startled by what she suddenly said.

    "Look closely. The length of her hair is not right. It''s an inch shorter than Lu Weichun''s hair length." She touched the hair, her red and puffy eyes narrowed, "Weichun''s hair was curled earlier. Even if it got wet, there should be at least have a bit of wave."

    The length of the hair? How the hell would he know the length of his sister''s hair when it has been a while since he last saw her?

    "Are you sure... Are you sure that she''s not Weichun?"

    Shi Enxi nodded. "I''m pretty sure it''s not her. You can run a DNA test if you want."

    "Look at her nails, Weichun has small nails but this woman has long nails."

    Now that she mentioned it, Lu Mello realized that Shi Enxi was right. The body frame and hair color may be similar but the tiny details such as the size of the nails were a big advantage to tell if the person was the same or not.

    Shi Enxi finally turned to Lu Mello, "I didn''t kill her, Mello. I am innocent. Even if it''s hard... Please believe me. I will never do something that will make you hate me."

    Whoever was trying to frame her, Shi Enxi wouldn''t forgive that person.

    Hope filled Lu Mello''s heart, hope that his sister could still be alive. As for Shi Enxi, even if he wanted to believe her words, Lu Weichun''s last words were ringing in his ears.

    "She told me that it was you."

    "Huh?"

    "Lu Weichun called me and told me that it was you."

    Shi Enxi gritted her teeth tight. Why? Why would Lu Weichun tell him that she was trying to kill her?

    "If it was me, I will not be dumb enough to let her know that I am after her life. I believe that Weichun must be trying to say something related to me."

    She reached out and held his hands, "Please trust me. I really am telling the truth, Mello."

 Chapter 98 - His confusion

    Lu Mello was blinded with his rage and the pain of losing his sister. She was his family, a person he cared for and loved so much. Learning that she was murdered was something that brought chaos inside him.

    He didn''t know who to believe, everyone could be the suspect, including his wife. It was just, more evidence was pointing at Shi Enxi. Even if it broke his heart, he couldn''t let her get away this time, after all, it was all about his sister''s murderer.

    Learning that the body that was found wasn''t his sister, relief filled his whole being. Even if it was just a small possibility, he really hoped that his sister was still alive.

    Shi Enxi''s words woke him up.

    What if... She really didn''t do it? Then he was accusing Shi Enxi of something she didn''t do.

    But he clearly remembered Lu Weichun''s last words. She told him to be careful. Be careful of her.

    When Lu Mello asked who it was, Lu Weichun said Shi Enxi''s name. How could he be wrong? He clearly heard it.

    What if Lu Weichun was actually trying to say something else to him?

    He was brought back from his thoughts when Shi Enxi held his hand. Her warm touch spread through his body.

    "It wasn''t me... Please believe me, Mello."

    He stared at her, Shi Enxi was really desperate to make him believe that it wasn''t her.

    Lu Mello''s cold facade finally cracked. He pulled her in his arms and buried his face on her shoulder.

    "It''s not you?"

    Shi Enxi''s lips quivered, tears formed in her eyes when she was suddenly hugged by him. She hugged him back and cried, "It''s not me... I can never kill her... It''s not me, it''s not me... Not me..."

    Lu Mello wanted to believe her, he really did. It was just... Knowing what kind of person she was in his previous life, it was hard and yet, he somehow felt a bit of relief when she told him that it was not her who tried to kill his sister.

    Shi Enxi felt Lu Mello''s hug tightened around her. She felt her shoulder becoming wet.

    Lu Mello was crying. His warm tears drenched the part of her shoulder.

    He was having a hard time. One was his sister, one was the woman he really loved the most.

    In the past, after finding out that Shi Enxi was behind the case he was handling, it broke him. Should he go arrest her? He couldn''t bring himself to do it no matter how much he thought about it. He knew that it was wrong to keep it hidden from his team but he didn''t have a choice but to do it. The suspect was his wife and he was a detective, it was his job to catch the culprit.

    He avoided her in the past and didn''t even try to discuss the matter to her. If she learned that he actually knew about the crimes she committed, she would surely try to run away and hide.

    In this lifetime, a man tried to murder Lu Weichun and all evidence was pointing to her so how can he not doubt her? The more Shi Enxi begged to trust her, the more it was harder for him.

    She was dear to him despite her evil nature but his sister was also dear to him.

    After Shi Enxi pointed out that the dead body that was found didn''t belong to Lu Weichun, he was so relieved and a glimmer of hope filled his whole being, hope that Shi Enxi was actually telling the truth. He didn''t want to hate her but he wasn''t able to control his emotions every time he thought about Lu Weichun.

    Shi Enxi didn''t hear a thing from Lu Mello but she knew that he was crying, his trembling shoulders gave it away.

    "I''m sorry..." A faint whisper was heard from him.

    She never thought there would come a day where she would beg someone to stay with her. She loved Lu Mello, she really did. He gave her the happiness she never thought of having.

    Back then, she really was so blinded by her hate and revenge. She never thought that she would fall in love. The moment she started loving Lu Mello, she gave him all of her love.

    It was all or none, that was always the case for her, there was no in-between.

    Lu Mello brought light in her dark world. She thought she would lose that light because of what happened, because of the hate that she saw in his eyes.

    It pierced her heart and it shattered all her being. She was not the kind of person who would beg, who would try to desperately hold on to someone and yet, she went out of character earlier just for the sake of making him stay, of asking him to believe her.

    This man, in his arms, taught her that she was capable of falling in love.

    She was not a Saint, she was an evil person and he knew that... he knew that... No wonder he doubted her. He already knew the sins she committed, she already confessed that she tried to kill her brother and Wang Hao.

    It pained her that he doubted her. It pained her greatly that her when he said those cold and heartbreaking words. He knew what kind of person she was... So... So it was only right for him to accuse her the moment he got a piece of evidence.

    If she was in his position... She would probably do the same. It was his sister, and learning that his beloved sibling was murdered, who would not explode?

    His sharp words crushed her since... He didn''t even try to ask her about it...

    His words were like a sword, cutting her into pieces and yet... The moment she heard him apologize, she couldn''t bring herself to blame him.

    She was hurting so badly and yet... his sorry was enough.

    "It''s going to be alright... We will find her... Weichun is alive... She''s a stubborn girl... She will never allow anyone to kill her so easily."

    The comfort that was brought by Shi Enxi''s words eased the grief inside him.

    It''s not her... It''s not her... She couldn''t be the one who tried to harm his sister, right?

    Lu Mello wanted to believe her... He wanted to...

    He was afraid that Shi Enxi''s concern was just an act. He really hoped that it really wasn''t her. Just like a prayer, he kept on wishing, hoping...

    ''Please, don''t let her be the person behind Weichun''s case.''

 Chapter 99 - Hurry up

    Shi Enxi wanted to stay strong for Lu Mello. She wanted to be there for him in his darkest hours. He was always there for her, even after she confessed everything to her, he didn''t leave her side.

    At that moment, Lu Mello was having a hard time. Despite the painful words he said to her, it was alright. Lu Mello wasn''t in his right mind.

    She wanted to understand him. He was only acting that way because of his sister, right?

    And yet, the pain he inflicted her remained.

    Lu Mello managed to calm down thanks to Shi Enxi. After discussing things with the police, Lu Mello went brought Shi Enxi to his car.

    "I need to go to my parents'' place and explain Lu Weichun''s situation to them. I need to tell them that the body that was found doesn''t belong to my sister."

    Shi Enxi nodded weakly, "Okay..."

    Lu Mello felt so guilty when saw how pale she was. He clenched his fists tight. "Earlier... I-"

    "It''s alright..." She tried to smile at him. "I understand."

    Lu Mello clenched his fists tight when he saw how forced her smile was. "It''s not okay."

    "Mello, let''s not talk about this. Didn''t you say that you have to go and see your family? They must be in a panic... You need to help them understand the situation first. So you really should go now. I''m just going to grab a taxi and go home."

    "Enxi..."

    "Please, Mello... Let''s not talk about it right now..." She felt so exhausted, physically and emotionally. She felt her body becoming hot. Was her fever coming back?

    "Let me drop you."

    "I''m fine..." She trailed off, her body staggered as her legs lost its strength.

    Lu Mello was surprised to see her faint, he reacted fast enough to catch her in his arms. "Enxi!"

    When he held her, he felt her burning skin. Seeing Shi Enxi''s unconscious state made Lu Mello panic.

    He carried her and gently placed her in the car to bring her to the hospital.

    ...

    "Mr. Lu, your wife is pregnant. Her fever is caused by stressed and it is bad for the baby. If you want her to have a normal pregnancy, then please refrain from stressing her out. Women in their pregnancy period are s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e, especially to things around them."

    Lu Mello continued to listen to what the doctor was telling him.

    Pregnant...

    He suddenly remembered that Shi Enxi did tell him that she was pregnant... It was true... She was not lying.

    "Mr. Lu?"

    "Mr. Lu!"

    Lu Mello was snapped out of his thoughts, "Yes?"

    The doctor sighed. Lu Mello wasn''t paying attention to him!

    "It''s important to watch over your wife''s mental health. Women mostly have a miscarriage during their first trimester. If the hold of the fetus in the mother''s w.o.m.b is not strong, she could have a miscarriage."

    Miscarriage?

    Lu Mello turned to Shi Enxi who was lying unconscious on the bed. He was the one who caused her to be this way. He jumped into conclusions without properly talking to her.

    "Thank you, Dr. Lin. I will watch over my wife."

    Lu Mello was left alone with Shi Enxi after the doctor left.

    He sat on the chair beside Shi Enxi''s bed. He reached out and held her hand.

    He stayed that way for a while until his phone started ringing. When he looked at it, it was a call from his mother.

    He went out of the room to answer the call.

    The moment he did, he heard Xia Meilin''s crying voice.

    "Mello! Is it true? Y-Your sister... Weichun is..."

    "Mom, calm down. The body that was found didn''t belong to Xiao Chun."

    "Really? Darling, Xiao Xing, it''s not Weichun."

    "See? You should calm down, Meilin." Lu Yifeng''s calm voice was heard in the other line.

    "How can I calm down? It''s our daughter''s life that we''re talking about! Anyway, how is she? Where is she? Is your sister alright?"

    Lu Mello didn''t want to lie to his parents, he doesn''t know whether his sister is still alive or not. He was hoping that she would be in good hands tho.

    "We still don''t know her whereabouts but I believe that she''ll be fine. Xiao Chun is stubborn. She won''t let anyone kill her so easily."

    "Even if you say that, we need to find her! I can''t rest until we did!" Xia Meilin was so worried of her daughter''s wellbeing. She fainted after hearing the news and as soon as she regained her consciousness, she called to Lu Mello.

    "I will do something about it. I promise to find her, mom."

    Xia Meilin''s sobs we''re heard from the other line. As a mother, it was heartbreaking to learn that someone tried to kill her child.

    "Mello." This time, Lu Yifeng''s deep voice was heard. "Come home. I want to talk with you."

    "Dad, I can''t right now. I''m in the hospital."

    "In the hospital? Why are you there?"

    "My wife is pregnant and she currently has a fever, I need to watch over her."

    Lu Yifeng was quiet for a while. Only Xia Meilin''s soft sobs we''re heard.

    "Alright. Take care of your wife and your child."

    "C-child?" Xia Meilin was surprised when she heard Lu Yifeng say that.

    "Shi Enxi is pregnant." Lu Yifeng answered.

    "Dad, I need to end the call now. I''ll let you know if I am able to get some information about Weichun."

    "Alright. You can focus on looking for her, I will take of the person who tried to harm my daughter."

    ...

    Lu Mello returned to the room after he spoke with his parents. When he looked at the bed, he was surprised to find it empty.

    Did Shi Enxi left?

    He rushed out of the room and started looking for her. He caught a glimpse of her in the elevator that was about to close.

    "Xi''er!"

    Shi Enxi turned her gaze to him. Her eyes looked tired and her face was still pale.

    He thought that he wasn''t going to reach the elevator in time since it was only a few inches left before the door slid close. He didn''t expect it to stop and slid open.

    "Hurry up. I want to go home." Shi Enxi weakly said

    Even if Lu Mello wasn''t able to hear it because of their distance, he was able to read them on Shi Enxi''s lips.

    He hurriedly went before the elvator''s door would slid close again.

    They were the only ones in the elevator.

    "Enxi, why did you left your room? Come, let''s go back!" He held her hand and was about to drag her out but she tried her best to go against his hold.

    "No. I want to go home." She stubbornly remained on her ground.

    "You can''t, you have a fever!"

    "I don''t like to stay long in the hospital... Please, I just want to rest at home."

    If he was to use a bit of strength, he would be able to pull her out but instead of doing that, he went to her side and pressed the button to close the elevator''s door.

    He was still holding her hand as he stood beside her. "You''re pregnant, you should be more careful of your health."

    She rested her head on his side with her eyes closed. She didn''t say a thing. She was quiet the whole time.

 Chapter 100 - Get out

    "Good job. I have sent you the money already." A woman''s voice was heard from the other line.

    "Yes, I just received it."

    "I have another job for you. The next target is Shi Yi. With him gone, Shi Enxi''s relationship with Lu Mello will be severed completely."

    "Yes, ma''am."

    After the call ended, the man wearing black clothes kept his phone.

    "Boss, are you sure that Madam won''t find out about what we really did?" The man sitting on the driver''s seat asked.

    "As long as we keep quiet about it, she won''t know about it. We are the only ones who know the truth."

    "What if that woman is still alive?" His companion asked worriedly.

    "That''s impossible. She may have escaped but with that kind of blood loss, she will surely die."

    (5 hours ago)

    Lu Weichun''s car crashed on the railings when she tried to avoid a car.

    The car that she evaded stopped and a man came out in a hurry.

    "Master, this doesn''t look good! What should we do?"

    A man in a black suit was sitting on the backseat. He opened the car door and went out. "Let''s get her to the hospital."

    His assistant hurriedly went to get Lu Weichun out of the car. "She''s heavily injured! She''s losing too much blood!" His assistant said in panic after placing Lu Weichun on the ground.

    "Move." The man gazed down at Lu Weichun''s body and saw that most of her bleeding came for a stab on her stomach.

    He knelt and tore his sleeves. After tying it around her stomach to apply pressure on it, he carried her. "We can''t stay here for long! Let''s go, she needs to be treated as soon as possible!"

    The man brought Lu Weichun in the car and left in a hurry.

    Meanwhile, the men who tried to kill Lu Weichun, Chen Gao and Xin Jun, reached a few seconds after her saviors left.

    They found the car empty

    "Shit! She escaped! Madam won''t be pleased if she learned that we didn''t kill her today, boss!"

    Chen Gao clenched his fists tight. What should he do? They needed the money and if she learned that they failed, she won''t give them a single cent!

    A car stopped and a woman came out of the car. She stopped because of the car accident that happened.

    "This is bad, have you guys called for an ambulance? The police?" The woman worriedly asked.

    A thought suddenly came in Chen Gao''s mind. The woman''s body frame was similar to Lu Weichun. If he wounded her face, others won''t be able to recognize her.

    ...

    After disposing of the woman''s body, Chen Gao turned to his car and called, "Ming Ren."

    A woman with short hair and weak features came out of the backseat, "Yes, brother Chen?"

    "You stay here and act as a witness."

    "Okay."

    Chen Gao turned to Xin Jun, and ordered, "Dispose of any identifications that belonged to the woman. Look into her car as well."

    "Brother Chen is so smart!"

    "Of course he is, without him, we would have been caught by the police a long time ago!"

    "That''s enough. We can''t let anyone see us together so hurry up."

    ---

    "Here, Nanny Mo Jing made porridge for you. It will be good for you and the baby." Lu Mello placed the bowl of porridge on the bed table.

    "I don''t feel like eating..."

    "Xi''er, you have to force yourself to eat." He sat in front of her. "I''ll feed you."

    Shi Enxi''s lips we''re stretched into a thin line. She really didn''t want to eat anything as of that moment. When she saw him reach out for the spoon, she grabbed it before he did. "I can do it myself."

    Lu Mello felt that she was trying to avoid him. He felt more guilty than ever because of what he said earlier.

    He lowered his head, "I''m sorry... About what happened earlier."

    Shi Enxi paused for a bit before she continued to eat without saying a thing.

    "Enxi... I should have trusted you."

    "Then why didn''t you? Even if I tried to comfort myself, telling that you are only acting that way because of your sister''s situation... The pain won''t go." She placed the spoon down and turned to him. "Do you know how much it was hurting me when you were accusing me of something I didn''t do? If I wasn''t afraid of losing you, I would have left you now! How can you doubt me, your wife?! Is it because I tried to kill people back then?!"

    A loud crispy slap was heard in the room.

    Lu Mello''s cheek was stinging in pain and was burning red because of the slap Shi Enxi gave him.

    "Get out. You''re making me lose my appetite."

    "Xi''er..."

    "I said get out!"

    Lu Mello didn''t want to anger her any further. Despite wanting to stay by her side, he was worried that he would just end up hurting her more so he didn''t have a choice but to go.

    "Let me know if you need anything."

    Shi Enxi ignored him. She took the spoon and she continued eating the porridge instead.

    After she had her fill, Shi Enxi called Huang Li. He was the only one she could go to whenever she was down.

    Huang Li answered the call within seconds. "Hello, Xiao Xi?"

    "Gege, are you busy?"

    "No, I am not."

    "Where are you?"

    Huang Li noticed how weak Shi Enxi''s voice was so he ended up getting worried, "Is everything alright?"

    Alright? No, everything is not alright. Everything was breaking into pieces.

    "Xiao Xi?"

    "I''m at Mello''s place. Pick me up right now." Shi Enxi ended the call after.

    She got out of her bed. She went and changed her clothes before she went out of the room. She was surprised to see Lu Mello, standing beside the door.

    Was he standing there since earlier?

    Lu Mello straightened himself. He noticed how dressed she was so he curiously asked, "Where are you going? You should be resting."

    "I don''t want to stay here. I want to stay at Huang Li''s place for the night."

    Huang Li''s place?

    "Xi''er." Lu Mello warned. He never liked Huang Li and knowing that she was going to his place made him cautious.

    Shi Enxi raised a brow and crossed her arms, "What? Are you going to lock me up in our room and suffocate me until I forgive you?"

    "That''s...-"

    "Not going to happen." She continued. "Mello, I really need some time to think and I can''t do that with you here. Don''t worry, I will take care of the baby and our health. I will also come back once I have calmed down."

    "But Enxi... Do you really have to stay with Huang Li?"

    Shi Enxi''s lips curled up a bit, "Are you doubting me again? Do you think that I will cheat on you?"

    "I didn''t mean to put it that way."

    "But you already have." She passed by him. "Your presence is suffocating me right now. It''s bad for our baby so I will now take my leave. Please don''t stop me."

 Chapter 101 - Look. Its him again

    "Xiao Xi!"

    Fan Xiao Yao was standing beside Huang Li when she called for her.

    Lu Mello was relieved when he saw Fan Xiao Yao with Huang Li. He was worried that Huang Li would take advantage of the situation to get Shi Enxi from him.

    "What are you doing here?" Shi Enxi asked, raising a brow.

    "I was with senior Huang when you called him."

    She was visiting him in the hospital, she brought dinner for him. They were eating together in the hospital''s cafeteria when Shi Enxi called Huang Li.

    "I see. " Without asking any further, Shi Enxi turned to Lu Mello. "I should go."

    Without waiting for his response, Shi Enxi entered Huang Li''s car.

    Huang Li noticed that something was wrong between the couple. He turned to Lu Mello and noticed the complicated look in his eyes. "What happened?"

    "Yeah, what happened?" Fan Xiao Yao followed. "Are you two fighting?"

    "We have a bit of disagreement." Lu Mello sighed. "Please watch over her, she still has a fever. Make sure she gets well."

    "Xiao Xi''s sick?" Fan Xiao Yao furrowed her brows together. Why did she not notice it? She was with Shi Enxi earlier that morning but Shi Enxi was still looking fine.

    "Mello, I heard what happened to your sister..."

    "Don''t worry, my sister is fine. The woman in the news is not my sister. I already saw the body with Enxi."

    Fan Xiao Yao sighed in relief. She actually tried calling Lu Mello but his line was busy since earlier so she thought that he was busy solving the case. Aside from that, Shi Enxi was away since earlier. They were probably together.

    "Anyway, please take care of her. She''s mad at me so... I can''t watch over her even if I want to. Also, don''t make her carry anything heavy, don''t allow her to overwork. Enxi''s pregnant, she needs to be careful of the things around her."

    "Xiao Xi''s pregnant?!"

    Lu Mello nodded with a small smile on his lips. He looked at Huang Li and saw how surprised he was as well.

    "I''m going to be the baby''s godmother!" Fan Xiao Yao excitedly proclaimed. She turned to Huang Li and grinned, "Senior Huang, should we start making our own too?"

    Huang Li smiled and patted her head, "You still have a long way to go before you can get there with me."

    Fan Xiao Yao pouted. She was glad that Huang Li wasn''t pushing her away and that he was still treating her nicely despite the advances she had for him.

    Lu Mello watched how close Huang Li and Fan Xiao Yao were. He never thought of them being together, after all, Fan Xiao Yao was supposed to be with Han Xukun.

    "Are you all finished talking? Can we get going?" Shi Enxi''s voice was heard from inside the car.

    "We should get going. Don''t worry, we will watch over her." Huang Li told Lu Mello with a smile.

    Lu Mello watched them enter the car and leave.

    Should he stop getting worried about Huang Li? He said ''we'' instead of ''I''. He was pertaining to Fan Xiao Yao too, right?

    ---

    Since then, Huang Li stayed with Fan Xiao Yao and Shi Enxi. Just as they promised, they took care of Shi Enxi until she got well.

    When she began going back to work, Shi Enxi started receiving flowers and lunchboxes every day, during lunch. It all came from one person, it was none other than her husband, Lu Mello.

    He may be busy looking for his sister''s whereabouts but he never missed a day in sending her flowers and lunch. It was his way of trying to ask for her forgiveness.

    Shi Enxi couldn''t get mad for long, especially when she loved him. Even so, she refused to see him.

    "Are you still mad at him?" Fan Xiao Yao asked, sitting beside her.

    "No..."

    "Then?"

    Fan Xiao Yao was the only girlfriend that was close to Shi Enxi and yet, she was still a bit hesitant on telling her what happened.

    "You know, Xiao Xi, if you love him, you should accept all his sides, good or bad. Mello is a good man but he is not perfect. I don''t know what really happened between you the two of you but whatever it is, you need to talk to him."

    Shi Enxi stared at her for a while, not expecting Fan Xiao Yao to say something like that. "Hee~eh. What is this v.i.r.g.i.n reciting about love?"

    Fan Xiao Yao blushed heavily, "Whether I am a v.i.r.g.i.n or not has nothing to do with this!! Why are you suddenly attacking my v.i.r.g.i.n.i.t.y?!!"

    "Oh, so you really are a v.i.r.g.i.n." Shi Enxi smirked teasingly. "Do you want me to order Huang Li to take it?"

    Fan Xiao Yao''s eyes sparkled in delight. "You can make him do that?"

    "Are you an idiot? Of course not, as if he''ll listen to me."

    "You can try..." She muttered. "Ah! Stop distracting me! What was I trying to tell you again?"

    Shi Enxi lied down and rested her head on Fan Xiao Yao''s l.a.p. She has been feeling drowsy so lately, was it because of her pregnancy?

    "Xiao Yao... I don''t want this baby. Can you carry it for me instead?"

    "..."

    She was only using her pregnancy to make Lu Mello stay. If it wasn''t for that, maybe she had already aborted the baby.

    "Are you that angry at him?"

    Shi Enxi didn''t say a thing. She just closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.

    Fan Xiao Yao sighed. "Xiao Xi, Mello''s been trying to keep in touch with you. Do you know how annoying it is for him to send me messages every day?"

    "Really?"

    Fan Xiao Yao took her phone and showed the messages to her. "Look! He''s so worried about you! He''s messaging me every hour, asking how you are doing! Who won''t be annoyed? He''s interrupting my time with senior Huang! If he wasn''t my friend, I would have blocked him already!"

    Shi Enxi scanned through the messages and just like what Fan Xiao Yao said, every message was about her.

    She smiled a bit despite Fan Xiao Yao''s complaints. The warmth in her c.h.e.s.t was spreading throughout her body. "He should have messaged me instead if he wants to know how I''m doing."

    "Did you think that I didn''t say that to him? I''ve been telling that to him but his replies are the same! He said that he didn''t want to disturb you! I really can''t believe him, he''s doesn''t want to disturb you and yet it was alright for him to disturb me?!"

    *Ding!*

    A message popped on Fan Xiao Yao''s screen. When she looked at it, her frown turned ugly. "Look. It''s him again."

 Chapter 102 - He snapped out

    Shi Enxi was staring at the message that Lu Mello said. He was asking if how she was doing and if she was already asleep.

    "You know, at first, I found it sweet that he''s been worrying about you but this is too much! He''s disrupting the peacefulness of my phone. I''m so glad that we didn''t end up together if he''s going to be this annoying."

    Shi Enxi ignored her and instead, she grabbed her phone and replied.

    Carrotkiller: [I''m still awake.]

    A few seconds after she replied, Fan Xiao Yao''s phone began ringing. Lu Mello was calling.

    In an instant, Shi Enxi ended the call.

    "You''re right, he''s annoying." Shi Enxi smiled, giving back the phone to Fan Xiao Yao. "You should block him."

    "Since I have your permission, I will do-"

    *Ding doing!*

    "Oh shit! Don''t tell me he''s outside?!" Fan Xiao Yao started panicking. "This is too much! Too much!"

    Shi Enxi got up and walked to open the door. Instead of seeing the person she was expecting, it was just Zi Xuan.

    "Uh... What''s with that disappointed look?"

    "Why are you here?" She crossed her arms.

    "I heard you''re pregnant so I came here to visit you." He grinned happily at her. "I''m going to be an uncle!"

    Uh... This scene is so familiar...

    "Gege, you''re here! Come in, come in!" Fan Xiao Yao''s lively voice was heard behind.

    Gege?

    Since when did they become close?

    Shi Enxi sighed heavily. She turned and went back to sit on the sofa. She took Fan Xiao Yao''s phone and saw that Fan Xiao Yao did block Lu Mello on WeChat.

    "Why did you block him?"

    "Because you said so," replied Fan Xiao Yao after placing the plastic bags that Zi Xuan was carrying earlier on the table.

    "Are you an idiot? Why did you do it?"

    "Gege, look, Xiao Xi is bullying me since earlier!"

    Zi Xuan patted her head, "There, there, Xixi is always like that. Get used to it."

    "Shouldn''t you be siding with me? Why are you siding with her?"

    "I brought ingredients for hotpot! Let''s have one tonight!" Zi Xuan grinned, ignoring Fan Xiao Yao.

    "Did you brought melons with you?" Shi Enxi turned to Zi Xuan.

    "Yup, I heard from Yaoyao that you''ve been craving melon lately."

    "Slice me one."

    "What''s this? I''m a guest here, shouldn''t you be treating me better than that?"

    With a blank look on her face, Shi Enxi replied, "If you want to feel special, then you should go home instead."

    "Why are you so mean to me?" Zi Xuan wiped an invisible tear from the side of his eyes. He went and hugged Fan Xiao Yao from the side. "Yaoyao, Xixi''s being cold to me too."

    "See? See? Look at how mean she is!"

    "I''m back." Huang Li entered and the moment he did, his eyes landed on Zi Xuan and Fan Xiao Yao.

    Fan Xiao Yao''s face brightened upon seeing him, she happily greeted, "Senior Huang, you''re back!"

    Huang Li was looking at Zi Xuan''s arms that we''re wrapped around Fan Xiao Yao''s waist.

    For some reason, there was this unexplainable feeling welling inside his c.h.e.s.t.

    This man... Why is he hugging Fan Xiao Yao?

    "Both of you have met each other already, right? Senior Huang, this is Zi Xuan."

    "It''s nice to see you again, Mr. Huang." Zi Xuan smiled, he realized the

    Huang Li nodded and smiled, "Likewise."

    Shi Enxi looked back and forth from Zi Xuan and Huang Li and smirked inwardly.

    "Zi Xuan, you brought ingredients for hotpot, right? Huang Li is a great cook. He can help you in preparing." Shi Enxi suggested.

    "I don''t know how to cook." Zi Xuan smiled. "I just bought the ingredients so that I can have the opportunity to taste Yaoyao''s cooking."

    Yaoyao?

    Huang Li''s brow twitched at how intimate Zi Xuan was calling Fan Xiao Yao.

    "My cooking will send you to heaven." Fan Xiao Yao turned her head to look at him. Their faces were close enough but Fan Xiao Yao who was already used with Zi Xuan''s gestures didn''t mind.

    "Really?! Then I can''t wait to taste your cooking! It must be so delicious!"

    "It''s always burnt." Shi Enxi said with a smile. "So you''ll literally go to heaven."

    As if something snapped inside Huang Li, he went in between them, separating the two.

    "Xiao Yao, why don''t you help me in preparing instead?"

    "I can also help." Zi Xuan offered.

    Huang Li plainly smiled at him, "Didn''t you say that you don''t know how to cook?"

    "I was just kidding. I''m know how to cook and I''m pretty confident with my skills." He grinned proudly at him.

    "Come, Yaoyao, let''s wash the veggies~"

    "Sure!"

    Huang Li''s lips twitched in annoyance. In the end, the three of them prepared the ingredients for the hotpot.

    Zi Xuan was about to sit beside Fan Xiao Yao but the space beside her ended up being taken by Huang Li.

    Shi Enxi wanted to laugh since she never saw Huang Li become so jealous.

    She moved from Fan Xiao Yao''s side and decided to sit on their opposite side.

    Zi Xuan gave Shi Enxi a knowing look before he smiled and sat on Fan Xiao Yao''s other side.

    Huang Li glared in annoyance at Shi Enxi. Why did she change seats?

    The four started eating and it was rather quiet. The atmosphere between Huang Li and Zi Xuan was heavy.

    Zi Xuan took his phone out and checked on something.

    "Ah! That phone case!" Fan Xiao Yao was the first one to break the silence between them when she saw the cartoon wolf with a red bowtie on his phone case. "It''s Mr. Weiwei!"

    "Oh! I didn''t expect to know his character."

    "Look." Fan Xiao Yao showed her phone case. Instead of a wolf, it was a rabbit in a dress with the same design.

    "What''s that?" Shi Enxi asked curiously.

    "These characters came from a children afternoon cartoon show. It''s actually cute. This is Ms. Carrots, she is the main character in the show. Mr. Weiwei loved Ms. Carrots but sadly, he has been put into exile by Mr. Black. He is the male lead in the story and he also likes Ms. Carrots. It''s a children''s show because every episode is so funny." Fan Xiao Yao explained.

    "I didn''t know that you are actually watching the same show. Our phone cases are so cute!"

    No matter how it looked like, from another''s view, it was like a couple case.

    Huang Li grabbed Fan Xiao Yao''s wrist and pulled her to him since she was leaning close to Zi Xuan.

    "What... What''s wrong, Senior Huang?" Fan Xiao Yao blushed hard because of their closeness. She felt her heart was like about to explode because of his sudden gesture.

    "I thought that you smell good, Xiao Yao." He calmly said while her wrist was close to his nose.

    "R-Really? Does it smell too much? I actually bought a new perfume..."

    Shi Enxi who was quietly enjoying her food and watching the show chuckled.

    Huang Li obviously changed the topic and snatched her away. He was trying to mount.

    Zi Xuan placed some meat on Fan Xiao Yao''s plate. "Yaoyao, you should eat more. Have more meat."

    Fan Xiao Yao turned and pouted, "I don''t want to get fat."

    "If you eat these, I will give you the carrot muffins I brought."

    "Really? That''s a promise, okay? You have to give them to me after this-"

    "Wait.a.moment." Huang Li''s face was dark, the smile was gone from his lips.

    Huang Li stood up and erupted like a volcano. "Can you stop coming in between us? Moreover, can you stop calling her too intimately?!"

    "Ah... He snapped out." Zi Xuan and Shi Enxi said at the same time.

 Chapter 103 - Karaoke battle

    Fan Xiao Yao was surprised by Huang Li''s sudden outburst. He was usually calm and he was full of smiles but at that moment, he was acting like a totally different person.

    "Xiao Yao, let''s change sits." Huang Li said with a grim look on his face.

    "Huh?"

    "You''re being childish, Mr. Huang. Why are you acting like a jealous boyfriend when you''re just Yaoyao''s cousin?" Zi Xuan taunted.

    Jealous? Is he jealous? "..."

    "Zi Xuan met the bullseye of Huang Li and now he can''t talk back." Shi Enxi muttered as if broadcasting the situation.

    "Yaoyao, your cousin is really rude and he''s-"

    "I am not Xiao Yao''s cousin and stop calling her ''Yaoyao''!"

    Meanwhile, Fan Xiao Yao was blushing and smiling like crazy.

    Did she hear it right? Huang Li is jealous?

    "He''s really jealous." Shi Enxi was so amused by how Huang Li was acting. Since their childhood, she never saw him lose his calm.

    "So what if it''s jealousy?! I am about to go crazy because this douchebag is getting along with Xiao Yao and he''s calling her so intimately!"

    "Now he''s freaking out..." Shi Enxi and Zi Xuan muttered in amus.e.m.e.nt.

    "Can you stop calling her so intimately?!"

    "No, I can''t." Zi Xuan smiled. "If I was her boyfriend, it wouldn''t concern much if another man called her this way."

    As if adding fuel to the fire, Zi Xuan continued, "Besides, you''re not even her boyfriend. You''re embarrassing yourself, so better stop that."

    Once again, Huang Li was been silenced by Zi Xuan.

    "Hey-mmph!"

    Fan Xiao Yao was about to say something in defense but Shi Enxi interrupted her by putting meat in her mouth.

    Shi Enxi placed a finger on her lips as if telling her not to interrupt the two.

    "Unless you''re in love with her or so, you can''t tell me what to do."

    Fan Xiao Yao who has long moved out between the two men was now sitting beside Shi Enxi.

    "Gege is so strict." Fan Xiao Yao whispered to her.

    "The power of jealousy is working so strong to Huang Li." Shi Enxi whispered back.

    "Sorry, that''s impossible." Huang Li said with a serious look on his face. "I don''t love her."

    The smile on Fan Xiao Yao''s lips stiffened upon hearing what Huang Li said.

    Shi Enxi narrowed her eyes. Why was he still denying his feelings when it was already so obvious?

    Zi Xuan was about to say something but Huang Li continued to speak, "But I like her. My feelings are not that deep enough to call it love."

    The pain Fan Xiao Yao felt instantly faded the moment she heard him. He likes her?

    "Oh my gosh, you''re confessing?" Shi Enxi asked, her eyes sparkling in delight.

    Fan Xiao Yao''s face was in it''s deepest shade of red while Huang Li had a faint blush on his cheeks.

    Everyone was quiet after Huang Li''s confession.

    Zi Xuan turned to Shi Enxi, "I think... we should leave them alone."

    Shi Enxi stood, taking the plate of melon with her. "Come."

    "H-hey... Where are you going?" Fan Xiao Yao wanted to hide from Huang Li at that moment. She was feeling so embarrassed that she didn''t want to be left alone but them.

    Shi Enxi patted her shoulder while Zi Xuan patted her head as if telling her that they were rooting for her.

    The two may seem to leave the room but they were just actually standing outside, eavesdropping.

    Shi Enxi lightly clapped Zi Xuan''s hand and smiled, "Good job."

    "You better treat me out for this."

    Zi Xuan received a message from Shi Enxi earlier about helping Fan Xiao Yao out with Huang Li. He smoothly got into character and cornered Huang Li to force him out to confess.

    Zi Xuan had his share in dating and his experience in a relationship gave him an easy time on how to work things out between Fan Xiao Yao and Huang Li.

    Based on experience, a threatened man will never sit still and watch the girl he likes taken by another man.

    Back in the dining room, Huang Li was the one who spoke first. Since he has already said out his feelings for her, he didn''t have a choice but to continue on pursuing her.

    "I like you."

    "I-I like you too..." Fan Xiao Yao shyly replied. For some reason, the awkwardness in the atmosphere around them was eating her up.

    "I know but... I won''t ask you to be my girlfriend."

    Zi Xuan rolled his sleeves up and glared, "This man... After all the trouble I went, he''s still going to play hard to get?!"

    Shi Enxi held him back, stopping him from going in and from ruining the moment between Huang Li and Fan Xiao Yao. "Calm down."

    "Why? Am I not good enough to be your girlfriend?" Fan Xiao Yao''s voice was heard inside the room.

    "No, it''s not like that." Huang Li lowered his head. "You see... This relationship might not work since... I''m actually quite heavy."

    Fan Xiao Yao: "..."

    Heavy?

    "Eh? Even if you look so slim... Is it visceral fat?! Is it okay to eat all that meat? It has a lot of calories you know!"

    Huang Li: "..."

    He sighed heavily, "I don''t mean my weight. That''s too cliched... What I mean is being heavy in relationsh.i.p.s."

    "I see! Being heavy in a relationship is not a good feature, right?"

    "Yes. I will be honest with you." He clenched his fists and took a deep breath before he said, "I''ve been secretly following you during my day off. I even followed you to the karaoke bar that you always go to in your free time."

    Shi Enxi furrowed her brows. What''s Fan Xiao Yao doing in a karaoke bar?

    Fan Xiao Yao was surprised to hear him say that. She never even told Shi Enxi that she was going there to steam off. There were times where she would want to be left alone and that was when she used the opportunity to go there.

    "Well... If you told me, we could have a karaoke battle!"

    Huang Li: "..."

    Zi Xuan: "..."

    Shi Enxi: "..."

    Zi Xuan facepalmed himself, "She''s too pure for this world."

    "How stupid can she get?" Shi Enxi heaved out a long sigh.

 Chapter 104 - Why are you crying?

    "It doesn''t turn you off?" Huang Li asked, looking straight at her.

    Fan Xiao Yao smiled, "Nope, not at all. So that means you were troubled because you thought that it wouldn''t work well with me?"

    Huang Li nodded, "Yes."

    She chuckled lightly, "If that''s the case then you don''t have to worry! You don''t have to follow me secretly like a stalker, if you want to come along with me, you could just have told me."

    Huang Li smiled helplessly. Fan Xiao Yao never had any impure thoughts, she may be naive but her innocent side was making her more adorable. It made him want to keep her away from others and protect her.

    "Can I be your girlfriend now?" Fan Xiao Yao smiled, blushing.

    "Alright, but I have some concerns."

    "Sure, tell me about it!" Fan Xiao Yao asked, smiling. She was so happy that her relationship with Huang Li was finally progressing.

    "Stay at least one meter away from Zi Xuan." He was so serious about it to the point where he was frowning at the mention of his supposedly ''love rival''.

    "Can I still talk to him?"

    Huang Li pursed his lips. Even if he didn''t like the idea of her talking with him, Huang Li didn''t want to suffocate her by his possessive nature. "Fine, you can talk to him."

    "Great! Then I guess we''re now an official couple!"

    Huang Li chuckled when he saw her smiling from ear to ear. "Come here."

    Fan Xiao Yao obediently went to his side. When she did, Huang Li pulled her in his arms.

    She didn''t expect him to give her a hug but the way he hugged her melted her.

    "I''m going back to my room." Shi Enxi said, giving the empty plate to Zi Xuan.

    "I really don''t want to go and ruin the mood." Zi Xuan pouted.

    Shi Enxi ignored him and instead went to her room.

    With no choice left, Zi Xuan entered the room. "Um... I should go home now. I can leave the dishes for both of you, right?"

    Fan Xiao Yao leaned back from Huang Li''s hug and turned to Zi Xuan. "No way! You have to come and help us wash the dishes!"

    "Uh... Do I really have to be a third wheel between you two?"

    ---

    The next day, Shi Enxi was woken up when she heard the doorbell ring a few times.

    What is Fan Xiao Yao doing? Can''t she go and get check who it was?

    In her annoyance, she went out of her room. She went and checked on Fan Xiao Yao''s room first. She saw her sleeping, cuddling like a kitten beside Huang Li.

    "Dammit... Are they deaf?"

    In the end, Shi Enxi when to check on who it was.

    To her surprise, she saw Lu Mello standing before her the moment she opened the door. He was holding a bouquet of roses.

    "Xi''er."

    It took a week before she finally saw him again. Even though it was just a week, she felt like it has been months. She really missed him a lot.

    "What are you doing here?"

    "I''m here to pick you." He replied, a small smile on his lips. "Aren''t you supposed to go home during weekends?"

    "Let me prepare, why don''t you get in first?"

    Lu Mello was relieved when Shi Enxi was treating him nicely. He was a bit worried that she might still not want to see him.

    "These are for you." He handed her the bouquet of roses.

    "Thank you."

    After inviting Lu Mello inside, she went to the kitchen to get something for breakfast. After she did, she went to get herself ready.

    Shi Enxi didn''t have to bring anything with her when she went out with Lu Mello.

    "How are you?" He tried to make a conversation with her since she was too quiet inside the car.

    "You''ve been checking me for days, you should have the answer to that question."

    Lu Mello''s lips were stretched into a thin line. Was she still angry at him?

    He wanted to ask her but what if she really was still angry at him? It was already good for him that he was able to invite her home.

    Upon reaching home, Shi Enxi directly went to their room to continue her rest there.

    "Xi''er, can we talk?" Lu Mello once again tried to get to her, this time, in their room.

    She turned to him and looked at him with a blank look on her face. "What do you want to talk about?"

    "About... What I did to you back then... I''m sorry."

    She scoffed, "Do you think a simple sorry like that will fix this problem between us?"

    He lowered his head and clenched his fists tight.

    She raised her hand and was about to give him a slap but she couldn''t do it. She lowered her hand and clenched it tight. She really missed him.

    She leaned and rested her head on his c.h.e.s.t.

    Lu Mello didn''t expect her to do something like that since he thought that she still was mad at him.

    He missed her... Without holding back, he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her in his warm embrace.

    "You have to make it up to me..."

    "I will..."

    "You have to pamper me more..."

    "Okay..."

    "You have to love me more..."

    "Okay."

    "Never hate me."

    "I won''t."

    "You have to trust me more. Don''t ever doubt me."

    "Okay."

    "I... I will never lie to you, in this marriage... so don''t ever doubt me."

    "I won''t. I will listen to what you have to say before coming into a decision." He promised.

    "You have to fulfill all your promises to me."

    "I will."

    She raised her head and stared at his face. She saw how teary his eyes was and it made her chuckle a bit. "Why are you crying? It''s so unmanly."

    She reached out and wiped the tears that formed on the side of his eyes.

    "Don''t worry, I won''t cry-"

    "It''s okay." She interrupted him, smiling. "You can cry in front of me. Only in front of me, okay?"

    "I don''t want you to see this weak side of mine." Men always want to show their women how strong they are and Lu Mello was one of them.

    "I''m your wife, it''s okay to show them to me." She leaned and kissed his cheek, "I deserve a special treatment. I don''t mind seeing all your sides... Happy... Angry... Sad... I want to see them all so it''s alright, I... I will do my best to understand all your sides."

 Chapter 105 - Were keeping this child

    "Did you know, when my mom was pregnant of me, she was also craving for melon." Lu Mello said, smiling and was happily feeding Shi Enxi with the melon that was sliced into small pieces.

    "Really? Now that I think of it, ''Mello'' is a unique name. Don''t tell me that it came from the name ''melon''?"

    "Yeah, I preferred being called that way since I was little. It''s a good thing that my name was changed. You wouldn''t believe what my mom tried to name me."

    Shi Enxi grinned, "Is it Xiao Gua (Little Melon)?"

    It wasn''t hard for Shi Enxi to guess it since she thought that Xia Meilin might have named him after the fruit.

    Lu Mello''s ears went red in embarrassment when he heard that name. "Don''t you dare mention that name."

    It was fine if he was still a kid but he''s all grown up now and that name didn''t fit his manly side at all!

    "So you''re supposed to be Lu Gua, eh?" Shi Enxi teased. "Xiao Gua sounds adorable tho. Maybe I should call you that way starting from now on?"

    "Enxi..." Lu Mello''s face was dark. He shouldn''t have told her that his mother named him after a fruit.

    She laughed lightly, "I''m just kidding~ You''re no more little Melon. You''re a big Melon now!"

    Lu Mello sighed. He placed the piece of fruit in her mouth to stop her from talking.

    Shi Enxi was enjoying the fruit and in the middle of it, she started feeling unwell. She covered her mouth and rushed to the bathroom to throw everything out.

    Lu Mello went to her side and rubbed her back. It was normal for pregnant women to have this kind of symptoms. Lu Mello has seen his mother this way whenever she was pregnant but he still couldn''t help but get worried about his wife''s health.

    After gargling and cleaning her mouth, Shi Enxi went back to their bed. "I really hate this... Every day it''s always like this."

    "It will only be for a few months."

    Shi Enxi was sitting and resting her back on the headrest, her hand was on her tummy.

    "I honestly don''t want to carry this child right now." She didn''t want to hide her real feelings from her husband so she decided to be honest with him. "It''s not too late to... you know, abo-"

    "No." Lu Mello interrupted her, not wanting to hear the word that she was about to say. He sat beside her and held her hand. "I know that you are not ready to have our child but you can''t think of doing that, Xi''er. This is our child, it has already a life and he or she is growing inside you."

    Shi Enxi lowered her head. Even if that was the case, she didn''t want to be a mother yet. "We can always have another child..."

    "But we can never have this child again. Every child that will be formed is different, they''re not the same, Xi''er. If you aborted this child, it doesn''t mean that he will come back once you get pregnant again. Even if you are not prepared, we have to take responsibility for forming this child. I will take care of you and the child, Enxi... So, please... Don''t hate our child..." He held her hand tight and Shi Enxi could feel how much he wanted to keep the child.

    She knew that he will surely have this kind of reaction that was why she wasn''t planning on telling him about her pregnancy back then but because of the situation they had, she ended up telling him to force him to stay.

    She knew that Lu Mello would be able to convince her to keep the child if she told him about it. She was still afraid but at least, she wouldn''t be alone, right? Lu Mello was going to be there.

    "Alright..." She let go of his hand and decided to lie down. "We''re keeping this child."

    Lu Mello sighed in relief. He pulled the blanket until her shoulders. He reached out and stroked her hair gently, the black roots of her hair were growing long. It would only be a matter of time before her blonde hair would be gone.

    "Xi''er, you should grow your black hair."

    "I will grow it long once Xiao Yao will receive a Best Actress award."

    "When will that be?"

    "Around next year... That is if my calculation is correct."

    "That long?" He gave out a long sigh. "By the way, how''s your brother?"

    "I''ve been trying to contact him for a while now but it''s not working. Ever since he left me in his place, I haven''t seen him at all." Shi Enxi said worriedly. "He''s not even going to his work when I tried to contact his assistant. If this goes on, I have to take his place temporarily."

    "Have you told him that about Weichun?"

    She nodded, "I sent him a message, telling him that Weichun is not dead and that the body found wasn''t hers. I think he''s looking for her. He''s madly in love with your sister so he probably can''t sit still."

    She turned to him, "Have you found out about her whereabouts?"

    If there was something, he would probably go to his sister''s side already. "Nothing. My dad is also working, searching for the man who tried to kill her. From what I got, I have only found out the ones after Weichun is a team. They are an organized team and they plan their moves carefully. One of them has his ways of hacking the surveillance cameras and the team leader, as usual, is the brain of their team. Dad has a hard time looking for them."

    "Eh? Even uncle Yifeng has a hard time searching?"

    He nodded a bit, "Yes. If they are this good, this is probably not their first. They are an experienced group, it won''t be easy to look for them."

    "Have you tried contacting sister Bingbing? Maybe she could help?"

    "Dad is currently working with her. Even I asked my cousin Qinqing for help. I can''t believe that there''s someone who could hide this well. It also could be possible that they are out of town now."

    "Guess we only have to set a mousetrap." Shi Enxi suggested.

    "What do you mean?"

    "If they were after Weichun, I''m pretty sure they have a few people on their list. If we got a hold of that list, we will be able to catch them in their next attack."

    "I have thought of that too... It''s just... I don''t know what kind of reason they have to attack my sister. What are their intentions? They could be working for someone that dislikes Weichun too. If that''s the case,  it will really be hard to find them." Lu Mello has been working on the case for days. The suspects were careful enough not to leave any evidence and they even tampered the nearby surveillance cameras so he really was clueless at what kind of people the suspects were.

 Chapter 106 - Nightmare

    In the middle of the night, Shi Enxi who was sleeping was sweating a lot and her brows were furrowed together as if she was having a nightmare.

    "No!" Her eyes snapped open and she got up all at once. She was panting as if she ran a hundred miles.

    What was that dream about?

    Even if she was awake she could clearly remember how her dream went. It was flashing clearly in front of her eyes.

    "I... killed them..." She whispered to herself. It was only a dream but why did it felt so real?

    She killed her brother, then her relatives. In her dream, she married Lu Mello for the sake of ruining Fan Xiao Yao. She was pregnant with Huang Li''s child and lied to her husband.

    She did so many terrible things in her dream. She even successfully killed Shi Anhao but then, she had to kill Huang Li since he was blackmailing her about their secret relationship. If she didn''t want Lu Mello to hate her, she willingly went to see Huang Li behind Lu Mello''s back.

    What kind of nightmare did she just had? Her heart was pounding fast.

    At the end of her dream, she killed herself by jumping off the cliff but... Lu Mello jumped with her.

    As she recalled that part of her dream, tears started streaming down her cheeks. Even after everything she did to him... Lu Mello was willing to die for her.

    It was just a dream but why is she crying like everything really happened?

    "It''s my fault... I''m sorry for giving you a hard time, Xi''er..." Those were his last words in her dream.

    She shook her head as if disagreeing with his words. Why was he saying that? it wasn''t his fault, she was the one who gave him a hard time!

    Why? What''s with this nightmare? Why was it bringing pain in her c.h.e.s.t?

    She was so ruthless... and cruel to Lu Mello... but even after she betrayed him... He still loved her...

    She was snapped back from her thoughts when Lu Mello''s phone began to ring.

    It was then she noticed that she was alone in the room. Where was he?

    She wiped her tears dry before she reached out and check on who was calling Lu Mello this late at night.

    She rubbed her eyes and looked again. It really was her brother and he was calling Lu Mello.

    Why was he calling him when he could have called her first? Did Lu Mello know her brother''s whereabouts all this time?

    She answered the call but didn''t say a thing.

    "Mello, I found Weichun." Shi Yi''s voice was heard from the other line. "I''m sorry for not contacting you for a while but I''ll explain everything to you. I''ll send you the address."

    "My husband is not here." Shi Enxi finally spoke up.

    "Xiao Xi?"

    Shi Enxi''s lips quivered as she tried her best to stop from crying. Damn hormones. Her emotions were becoming unstable than ever.

    "I''ve been worried sick you know! You haven''t contacted me even once! Where the hell are you? Why didn''t you call me? Why are you calling my husband instead of calling me? Stupid brother, stop making me worry!"

    It was quiet in Shi Yi''s line for a while. Who knows what he was thinking.

    "I''m glad that you''re doing fine, Xiao Xi." The gentleness in his tone was suddenly heard.

    "Shithead..." She wiped her tears with her sleeves. "Where are you, I''m going to your place right now."

    "No, you can''t come here. They are probably waiting for you to lead the way to me."

    "What do you mean?"

    "It''s a long story. You have to let Mello know about this, Xiao Xi."

    Just then, Lu Mello entered the room. He was surprised to see Shi Enxi awake and was talking to someone on his phone.

    "Alright. You better have a good explanation for disappearing without a word." She turned to her husband and gave him the phone. "It''s my brother, he wanted to talk to you."

    "Shi Yi?" Why was Shi Yi calling him?

    "He said that he found your sister."

    Hearing her words, Lu Mello grabbed his phone back and talked to Shi Yi.

    While Lu Mello was speaking with her brother, she got off the bed and went to him, giving him a hug as if to find comfort from him.

    Lu Mello didn''t realize the change in Shi Enxi, he just thought that just like usual, she wanted a hug from him.

    He wrapped an arm around her, hugging her close while he continued to get the details from Shi Yi.

    Just like what she thought, hugging Lu Mello was making her feel better.

    That was just a dream, right? It was just a nightmare... none of those happened. Her brother is alive, her relationship with Fan Xiao Yao is good and Huang Li was not acting like an over-possessive Yandere 1  who loved her so much. In fact, he likes Fan Xiao Yao.

    Maybe her hatred can run so deep to the point of wanting to kill her relatives but with Lu Mello beside her, she was not a person who is driven by hatred and revenge anymore.

    Shi Enxi was quietly listening to their conversation and the more she listened, the more her mind started thinking of the possibility that the men who tried to kill Lu Weichun could be after her brother too... Is that the reason why he suddenly disappeared?

    What if her brother found out that someone was actually after him as well?

    No matter how she thought of it... what if the real target was actually her?

    She pulled away from the hug and went to sit at the bedside.

    If she gave it a careful thought, she realized that someone was actually targeting her. They tried to kill Lu Weichun and by doing that, they managed to frame Shi Enxi. If Lu Mello didn''t intervene with the case, the police would have long taken her for interrogation, right? After all, she was the last person to have talked with Lu Weichun.

    Her relationship with Lu Mello was almost severed. If he didn''t take her to see the dead body that was found, and if they didn''t found out that it was actually the body of another person, her relationship with Lu Mello will be severed completely.

    Now... those people are after Shi Yi. If they killed him, the company will be handed to her and who knows, she might be framed by those people again. They might make it look like she ordered her brother to be killed just to have the company.

    Ah... in the end, they were after her, right? She was their main target...

    After ending the call, Lu Mello felt a sudden chill. The temperature of the room was akin to an ice room.

    He turned to Shi Enxi who has a bone-chilling smile on her lips. He never saw her smile like that. It made all the hair in his body stand!

    Her emotions were not easily hidden on her face. Her golden curls and fair skin against the white nightdress made her look heavenly but with the way she smiled, she was like an angel who turned into a devil.

    This smile was so similar... almost similar to Li Bingbing''s smile whenever she was about to ruin someone. Well, they were actually the women who tried to cling to his uncle Lu Xian Yu.

    The only difference between Li Bingbing and Shi Enxi''s smiles was that... Shi Enxi''s smile was a smile of ice and fury. It was as if she was ready to tear someone to pieces.

    It was just a smile but it made Lu Mello unconsciously put his guards up.

    "Darling...  they wanted to play with me. How cute."

    H... Huh? What does she mean? A yandere is often sweet, caring, and innocent before switching into someone who displays an extreme, often violent or psychotic, level of devotion to a love interest.

 Chapter 107 - I cannot unlove you

    No matter how bone-chilling her smile was, Lu Mello reached out and patted her head, he was doing it as if he was petting a cat.

    The evilness of his wife was showing up again so he has to contain it by giving her head pats. The air around them became lighter and Shi Enxi''s devilish smile disappeared. She was looking at him like an innocent kitten, wondering why he was patting her head.

    Although he couldn''t help but wonder who the unlucky person was... To be able to get into his wife''s danger zone, he must be tired of his life, right?

    He sat beside her. As if speaking to a child, he asked, "Tell me, who are you planning to bully?"

    "I''m not going to bully anyone." She pouted, leaning and hugging him from the side.

    "I''m going to ruin someone''s life!"

    "..." Uh... Aren''t they the same thing?

    "I just realized that... The people that are after Weichun and Gege are actually targeting me. Their backer must be Shi Anhao or one of their daughters!"

    He blinked a few times, "How can you say that?"

    "They''re trying to frame me and ruin my life! If they killed Weichun, you will surely start hating me. If they killed my brother, the company will be given to me and then they will surely do something to make it look like I killed my brother just to get the company! Did they think that I will not realize all of these? They are a bunch of idiots! F.u.c.k.i.n.g ugly shitheads! Those old farts are going to get it!"

    He stroked her head, trying to calm her down. "Calm down, Xi''er. If you stressed yourself this much, it will be bad for our baby."

    She puffed out her cheeks and obediently became quiet beside him.

    Lu Mello had already thought about the same possibility so he wasn''t surprised when Shi Enxi said her thoughts. If it was really Shi Anhao or her daughters, then catching them in action will be hard.

    "If you have come up with a plan against them, you have to tell me, okay?"

    She turned to him and replied, "I''m planning to kidnap them and feed them to the sharks. We can also feed them to Timmy but I''m afraid that Timmy might have an upset stomach so I guess sharks will do."

    "..."

    No matter how he thought of it, Shi Enxi can''t be serious of it, right?

    "I''m really itching to beat them up."

    "Me too." He nodded in agreement. After all, who wouldn''t want to do it after they tried to kill his sister?

    He held her hand and kissed the back of it. "I will be going tomorrow to see my sister, do you want to come?"

    "Should we set a trap for that group of killers?" Shi Enxi smirked.

    He chuckled a bit, "A trap? As long as it won''t endanger you, then sure. I''ll work with you. Tell me all about it first thing in the morning, for now, you have to rest."

    She nodded obediently and went to lie down, "You should go to sleep too."

    When she woke up earlier and found him gone, she thought that he might be in his study room, busy working.

    She snuggled close to him the moment he lied down beside her.

    As she was reminded of her nightmare, she somehow felt a bit scared of falling asleep again. What if she dreamed of it again?

    "Go to sleep, Xi''er."

    Instead of closing her eyes, she turned her gaze to him. "Mello... What do you think of me?"

    "Huh?"

    "How did you fall for someone like me?"

    His lips curled up into a smile, "I wonder... How did I fall for you? I think that''s one of the biggest mysteries in my life."

    "Mello, I''m being serious right now."

    "Let''s see... I have always thought that you were an angel when I fell in love with you." They were already married in the past when he began falling in love with her.

    During that time, her ''caring and sweet'' nature made him fall for her. She was a ''loving wife'' who was always there for him.

    Even if Shi Enxi was the reason why his relationship with Fan Xiao Yao was broken back then, he didn''t blame Shi Enxi for it. He has always thought that he was also at fault.

    Maybe his kindness was also to be blamed. He should hate Shi Enxi but he didn''t.

    After she gave birth, they became closer to each other. Taking care of the baby brought them closer. That was when his feelings started growing for her.

    "But who would have thought that you are actually a devil in disguise?" He chuckled lightly. "It was already too late for me. I cannot unlove you."

    Shi Enxi lowered her head. Why was it a certain scene in her dream was appearing in her mind after hearing what Lu Mello said?

    She tricked him into taking care of someone else''s child, she even acted like a good wife to him just to get close with him.

    She never once thought that she would end up falling for Lu Mello instead. He was a caring husband in her dream.

    The moment Lu Mello fell in love with her, he started showering her with love and because of that, the happiness she never thought of having was given to her by him.

    "Knowing you better made me fall deeper for you so I guess, there''s really no turning back now." He smiled, resting his chin on top of her head.

    She was quiet for a while, her face was buried on his c.h.e.s.t.

    Lu Mello thought that she must have fallen asleep already until she spoke up again.

    "If I was a cruel and ruthless liar, will you still love me?"

    Huh?

    He turned to her, he couldn''t see her face since it was buried on his c.h.e.s.t.

    "I am not a good woman..."

    "So?" He smiled, hugging her close. "Do you have to be a good woman for me to love you?"

    She pursed her lips right. She finally looked at him, the pain in her eyes was seen. "I... I think that you deserve someone better."

    "Whether I deserve someone better or not is my choice. You''re the perfect woman for me so I can''t ask for more." His gentle gaze c.a.r.e.s.sed the pain that was on her c.h.e.s.t.

    "You''re so good with flattery!"

    He chuckled lightly, "If I can''t convey my feelings with words, do I need to show it to you?"

    Shi Enxi felt him stroke her waist. She gave his hand a slap before she glared at him. "I''m pregnant."

    "That doesn''t mean we can''t do it, right?"

    She turned and faced her back on him, "I''m not in the mood."

    He leaned and kissed the crook of her neck. "Come on, sweetheart. It''s been so long."

    The light kisses he was making on her neck was giving her goosebumps. She tried to push his head away from her neck. "Mello, stop it!"

    "If you want me to stop, go to sleep."

    "How can I fall asleep if you''re disturbing me?!"

    He smirked mischievously, "Ah... That''s too bad then, I guess I have no choice but to continue. Besides, didn''t you tell me earlier that I should love and pamper you more?"

    "This is not what I mean! Mello!!!"

 Chapter 108 - Awake

    (A few days ago)

    "Doctor Tang, how is she?" A man wearing a black suit asked.

    "Her condition is stable, Mr. Bai. If you brought her later, I''m afraid we couldn''t save her."

    Bai Jingye, the man who saved Lu Weichun was relieved. It was a good thing that he decided to bring her to Doctor''s Tang place instead of the hospital.

    Doctor Tang''s place was closer to where the accident happened. He was worried that if he brought her to the hospital it would be too late.

    "This woman..." Doctor Tang trailed off.

    "She is the lover of a business partner of mine." Bai Jingye said.

    "Mr. Bai, should I cancel your appointment with Mr. Shi?" Bai Jingye''s assistant asked.

    "No. Tell him to come here. His woman is with me."

    When it came to the business industry, everyone knew Lu Weichun''s face. She is the daughter of the famous Lu Yifeng and she had been showing her face a lot in the public.

    She had her internship under Shi Yi and during that time, Bai Jingye has already seen her, following Shi Yi as his assistant.

    Because of their closeness and how Shi Yi easily got jealous, Bai Jingye had already found out their real relationship.

    ...

    It didn''t take long before Shi Yi arrived in Doctor Tang''s place.

    He was lead to the room where Lu Weichun was recovering. He saw her on the bed, unconscious. Beside the bed was the IV drip.

    Shi Yi turned to Bai Jingye, his eyes full of gratitude for what he did for Lu Weichun.

    "Mr. Bai, thank you for saving her. I am indebted to you. If you need anything, just let me know. I will go to your side with no hesitation."

    Bai Jingye smirked, "I only did it out of the goodness of my heart but if you say that, then I will remember your words."

    Shi Yi knew what kind of person Bai Jingye was but even so, if it wasn''t for him, who knows what may happen to Lu Weichun.

    "I don''t think we have the time to talk about our companies right now." Bai Jingye took a glance at his wristwatch, "I have a flight to Switzerland tonight."

    Bai Jingye''s assistant handed his boss the files.

    "You can take a look at this. If you agree with it, then you can just sign it up. I don''t think there would be many discussions on this contract."

    Shi Yi accepted the file and scanned it. Just like Bai Jingye said, there was not any problem with the contract for the new collaborations of a product. Even if that was the case, Shi Yi wasn''t planning on signing it all at once.

    He was a careful person, he just scanned it and he might have missed an important part. "I can''t sign this now but I will email it to you after I''m done going through this."

    Bai Jingye thought that he was able to take advantage of the situation but it looks like Shi Yi was still careful as ever despite half of his thoughts were worrying about Lu Weichun''s wellbeing.

    "Alright." Bai Jingye smiled, "You can just email it to me. I will be taking my leave now."

    "Oh yeah." Bai Jingye stopped from his tracks before he turned to Shi Yi. "You should take care of your woman. The people after her could be after you too. You should watch your back."

    ...

    "Mr. Bai, Madam has called. She said that your wife has successfully given birth to a son."

    Bai Jingye''s expressionless face remained the same even after hearing what his assistant said.

    Just like usual, his Boss really cared less for his wife. Zhao Lei, Bai Jingye''s assistant, knew that his Boss was just forced to marry his current wife because of his grandfather''s request.

    If not for Bai Jingye''s grandfather, he would have married the woman he loves.

    Bai Jingye''s phone rang and when he looked at the caller ID, his eyes turned colder.

    He handed his phone to Zhao Lei. "Tell Mengjie I''m busy."

    "Yes, sir."

    ...

    Shi Yi watched over Lu Weichun the whole night. Despite wanting to transfer her to his place, he was worried that the people that tried to kill her might learn that Lu Weichun is actually alive. Her life might be put in danger again if that was going to be the case.

    Even if he wanted to tell Lu Mello about Lu Weichun, he couldn''t help but get worried. What if Lu Mello was being watched?

    Early that morning, Shi Yi went back to his place to get some of his things. While he was on his way back, heading to Doctor Tang''s place, Shi Yo noticed that he was being followed by a white van.

    He remembered Bai Jingye''s words and because of that, his guards went up. His instincts told him that they might be the same people who tried to kill Lu Weichun.

    Since he was being followed, he tried to lose them from his tracks. When he was able to do it, he went to where Lu Weichun was.

    His phone was turned off in fear that someone might try to track him.

    He remained in Doctor Tang''s place for days until Lu Weichun finally woke up.

    Lu Weichun was weak and she had a hard time speaking. It was then that he decided that it was about time to let Lu Mello know where his sister was.

    He should warn him about the people that were after him. If he did, Lu Mello might be able to think of something to catch them right?

    "Shi... Yi..." Lu Weichun''s weak voice snapped Shi Yi out from his thoughts.

    Shi Yi went to her side and held her hand, "I''m here Chun''er. I''m here."

    Tears brimmed on the side of her eyes. She was relieved to see him when she woke up. His mere presence made her feel safe. Shi Yi''s warm touch made her feel that she was still alive.

    He reached out and wiped the formed tears beside her eyes, "Are you hungry? You must be hungry, right? Ah, I should call Dr. Tang to have a check on your condition."

 Chapter 109 - Stupid Couples

    Shi Enxi was on her way to work when she noticed that a car was following her until LPM''s parking lot.

    At first, she thought that maybe the car''s owner was just a staff in LPM but when she saw that no one came out, she remembered Lu Mello''s words.

    It looks like the men after Lu Weichun was trying to find Shi Yi''s whereabouts through her.

    Did they think that Shi Enxi could have probably known of her brother''s whereabouts?

    Yes, she did. But she was going to have to play with them for a little while.

    She was just a distraction so that Lu Mello could go to the address that Shi Yi sent him.

    Shi Enxi headed straight to her office and began looking for a new movie for Fan Xiao Yao.

    ''The Legend of Day Ying'' took half a year to be completed and when it went out, the series was so successful.

    There were a couple of movies that were offered to Fan Xiao Yao but Shi Enxi hasn''t chosen one yet.

    What movie should she choose? She was planning on taking a modern movie for Fan Xiao Yao.

    As she looked through the list, she decided to separate all the modern rom-com movies from the rest and allow Fan Xiao Yao to choose one later.

    It was almost lunchtime when Fan Xiao Yao arrived with her assistant.

    "Xiao Xi, I''m done with the magazine photoshoot. I''m free for the test in the afternoon. Let''s have lunch together!"

    "Is Huang Li busy?"

    "..." Fan Xiao Yao pouted. How can she easily see through her?

    Huang Li was busy in the hospital so she decided to ask Shi Enxi instead.

    Shi Enxi stood up and grabbed her bag, "Let''s go."

    She turned to the assistant she assigned for Fan Xiao Yao. "Come and join us, Qiao Nuan."

    Qiao Nuan beamed in delight. She has always admired Shi Enxi ever since she was able to remove Hen Ruying from the company. "I would love to!"

    Just like a little girl, Qiao Nuan followed Shi Enxi and Fan Xiao Yao out of the office.

    "Are you getting used to assisting Xiao Yao?" Shi Enxi asked.

    "Yes! Ms. Fan is really friendly and is easy to get along with."

    "How many times do I need to tell you that you can just call me ''Xiao Yao''?" Fan Xiao Yao complained, pouting.

    "Ignore her." Shi Enxi smiled, "Are there people who are making problems at work?"

    Qiao Nuan shook her head. Shi Enxi''s name as Li Xixi became famous in the Agency after Hen Ruying was put to prison.

    "How about with others?"

    "We handled them well."

    Qiao Nuan turned to Fan Xiao Yao. There may be some artists from other Agencies that are trying to bully Fan Xiao Yao but she has been supporting her well.

    The underhanded tricks that others were trying to do against Fan Xiao Yao all failed.

    Fan Xiao Yao followed Shi Enxi''s instructions, she was careful and she didn''t trust anyone except for Qiao Nuan.

    They entered a nearby restaurant that was just walking distance from the company.

    The moment Shi Enxi entered, a woman bumped unto her.

    Shi Enxi lost her balance because of the impact but luckily, Fan Xiao Yao and Qiao Nuan held her arms to keep her away from falling.

    They knew that Shi Enxi is pregnant so if she had a bad fall, she might have a miscarriage.

    "Hey! Watch where you''re going!" Qiao Nuan angrily shouted.

    "I''m sorry, it''s my fault. Are you alright?" A long-haired woman asked worriedly.

    "I''m fine," replied Shi Enxi, standing straight. She felt her heart jumped when she thought that she was about to fall. Her hands were on her stomach as if protecting it.

    The woman sighed in relief, "Thank goodness. I really didn''t mean to bump into you."

    "Next time, please be careful." Fan Xiao Yao said with a serious look on her face.

    "What''s happening here?" A tall, bulky man approached them.

    "Ah, everything is fine, brother Xin." The woman smiled at the man. "I accidentally bumped at her but I already apologized."

    "You''re clumsy as always, Ming Ren." Xin Jun patted Ming Ren''s head before he turned to the Shi Enxi and the others. "I apologize on behalf of my little sister."

    "Everything has already been settled. If you''ll excuse us." Shi Enxi lead the way to a vacant seat.

    Qiao Nuan was still glaring at Ming Ren but she didn''t say a thing. She followed Shi Enxi together with Fan Xiao Yao.

    ...

    "That''s her? She looked so different from the picture that was given to us." Ming Ren asked Xin Jun the moment they went out of the restaurant.

    "She came out from Lu Mello''s place earlier. It must be her."

    "Are you sure that she''s Shi Yi''s sister? Why is she working in a small company instead of their company?"

    "I don''t know what reason she has but ever since Shi Enxi stopped being Shi Yi''s secretary, Li Xixi appeared out of nowhere and entered this company." Xin Jun was good in gathering important information using his skills as a hacker. "Make sure to do your part well once you enter the company. Brother Chen Gao needs you to keep an eye on her at work."

    They were heading toward the car that was waiting for them.

    Meanwhile, Shi Enxi chose the spot beside the glass window.

    Her eyes unconsciously followed Ming Ren and Xin Jun and she ended being surprised when she saw that they entered the same car that followed her that morning.

    She smirked. Oh. It''s them? She finally saw them.

    What were their names again? Brother Xin and Ming Ren?

    Did they think that she wouldn''t be able to recognize their car''s plate number?

    She took out her phone and sent a message to Lu Mello.

    ---

    Lu Mello took out his phone after feeling it vibrate in his pocket.

    When he looked at his inbox, he saw that it was a message from Shi Enxi.

    Shi Enxi: [I met the people that followed me earlier. The woman''s name is Ming Ren and she addressed her companion as ''Brother Xin'']

    Lu Mello: [You met them?]

    Shi Enxi: [I''ll tell you later.]

    Lu Mello: [Alright. Be careful. I''ll pick you up later.]

    "Brother, is that Xixi?" Lu Weichun asked.

    Lu Mello turned to her and smiled, "Yes. She found out something about the people that were after you."

    Lu Weichun furrowed her brows together, "You shouldn''t be putting her to risk. She''s pregnant. I was attacked in a parking lot so they can do the same for her. You should be more careful, gege!"

    "I know. I have already assigned people to secretly watch over her."

    "You should tell her to take a break from work."

    "If I did, she still won''t listen."

    "Then make her listen! What kind of husband are you if you can''t even make your wife listen to you? Stupid couples!

 Chapter 110 - Someone better

    Lu Mello and Shi Yi brought Lu Weichun back to the Lu household. She was in a wheelchair since her injuries weren''t completely healed yet.

    "Sister Weichun!" A little boy came running towards her when he saw her by the entrance.

    The boy was followed by his younger brother. "Jiejie!"

    Yangyang and Tingting gave Lu Weichun a hug. It has been a while since they last saw her so they really missed their older sister a lot.

    "We missed you, jiejie!" Yangyang pouted cutely. "Did you brought toys with you?"

    Tingting nodded in agreement. Every time Lu Weichun was gone, she would always come back, bringing toys and picture books for her little brothers.

    Lu Weichun patted their heads and smiled, "I''m sorry, this time, I haven''t brought anything."

    Yangyang: "Eeeeh?? Whhhyyyy?"

    "Xiao Chun!" Xia Meilin''s eyes were full of tears when she saw Lu Weichun''s state. She went and joined them in hugging her.

    "Ah, not too tight!" Lu Weichun complained, pouting.

    Xia Meilin leaned back from the hug, "What happened to you? Tell me, who did this to you?"

    "Mom, I will explain it later." Lu Mello came in between. He turned to Lu Yifeng who just approached them. "I would also like to talk to you, dad."

    Lu Yifeng nodded quietly. He turned to Shi Yi who was standing behind Lu Weichun. "Take her to her room, she needs to rest."

    Lu Mello has already notified his father that it was actually Shi Yi who found Lu Weichun and seeing how concerned he was towards his daughter, Shi Yi was able to earn some brownie points from Lu Yifeng.

    Aside from that, Lu Yifeng was told that the people that tried to kill his daughter was now after Shi Yi. Those people may be good at hiding their tracks but knowing who their target was a great advantage for him.

    ...

    Lu Mello was brought to his father''s study room. There, he told his parents about their current situation.

    "I believe that they are also the same people who were behind Shi Fen and Mu Xijiu''s death." Lu Mello said honestly. "I''m still trying to look more into them. For now, Shi Enxi found out the names of two members of the group. Ming Ren and a guy who she addressed as brother Xin''."

    Xia Meilin gasped, "Uncle Shi Fen and Auntie Xijiu''s were murdered? How is that possible? Didn''t they die because of an accident?"

    "Xi''er told me that Wang Hao told her that her parent''s death wasn''t an accident."

    The police back then has looked over the incident and didn''t saw any foul play. Even during that time, Li Bingbing who thought that someone may have caused their accident found no evidence to prove it. In the end, she was convinced that it was a pure accident.

    "Does Li Bingbing?" Lu Yifeng asked.

    Lu Mello shook his head. "Not yet." His wife should tell her about it, right?

    Xia Meilin: "Then we should tell her. Bingbing needs to know this."

    "I will leave it to my wife. She will tell her brother and sister about it."

    "If they are this good, Xian Yu might know something about this group. They could be a group of mercenary even, we need to gather as much information against them. As for the one who hired them..." Lu Yifeng trailed off and turned to Lu Mello, "Is it really the Wang family?"

    "I don''t have enough evidence but my guts are telling me that it''s them. I''ve already assigned my team to investigate them secretly. They are currently going undercover."

    ---

    "The audition for ''Please Notice Me, My Wife'' is near, make sure to get the main female lead." Shi Enxi told Fan Xiao Yao.

    "I''ve read the script and there are so many bed scenes there despite it being a Romcom movie." Zi Xuan said, turning to Fan Xiao Yao. "Are you sure about it? Will your boyfriend mind it?"

    "It''s all an act, I''m pretty sure he will understand it." Fan Xiao Yao smiled. "Besides, seeing him all jealous is cute! He''s turning to a totally different person and I want to see him get jealous all over again."

    Zi Xuan grinned, "Want me to help you with it?"

    "Gege, you have already helped me last time and I''m really grateful for it but this time, I want to do it using my own abilities. My relationship with Hubby Li is not progressing since he''s also a beginner in love. He''s still treating me the same. Whenever I try to give him a kiss, he would always block me! It''s really frustrating!"

    Fan Xiao Yao was only able to accept Zi Xuan as her friend after he told her that he knew ways where he could make Huang Li fall for her. Since then, she started calling him ''Gege''.

    Zi Xuan sighed heavily. After going through all the trouble of putting them into a relationship, now the problem was different. He felt sorry for Fan Xiao Yao. "That man is really a loser. Why don''t you find someone better?"

    "No thanks, even if he''s like that, I love him."

    "My baby Yaoyao is so sweet." Zi Xuan patted her head. "How about this? Why don''t we go to a bar tonight and set a trap for him?"

    Fan Xiao Yao''s eyes sparkled in delight upon hearing Zi Xuan''s suggestion. "Tell me all about it!"

    Shi Enxi: "..."

    These two are so easily distracted. Weren''t they just discussing Fan Xiao Yao''s upcoming audition for a movie?

    It was not like she was worried, she was confident about Fan Xiao Yao''s ability as an actress. It was just... News about Wang Ansheng going for the audition for the same movie made her all cautious.

    She needed to plan something out against Wang Ansheng. If she was the one behind those people, then she should try to get her!

    Shi Enxi looked at her wristwatch before she stood and left Zi Xuan and Fan Xiao Yao in the office. They were so consumed in planning things for the night that they didn''t realize that Shi Enxi has long left them.

    "Ms. Li, here is the list of the recruited models." Qiao Nuan went and handed it to Shi Enxi.

    Shi Enxi was planning to take in a model under her management. Shi Nansheng is a model so if she planned on taking her on, she needed someone to go against her.

    She gave a quick look on the list and her eyes narrowed upon seeing ''Ming Ren'' on it.

    Wasn''t she the woman that she met during lunch earlier this day?

    Aside from that, there was another familiar name that caught her attention.

 Chapter 111 - Announcement

    Shi Enxi paused from walking, she turned to Qiao Nuan, "This woman, I will take her under me."

    She pointed at a name on the list. "Send all information regarding her in my email. I will see the newcomers tomorrow."

    "Yes, ma''am."

    Shi Enxi went to the meeting that was scheduled. Since she was only there to listen about the reports, by the time it ended, it was already eight in the evening.

    She took her phone from her pocket and sent a message to Lu Mello.

    She returned to her office to gather her things and some files before she went out of the building.

    She saw a black Maybach, waiting at the side of the street. Two black cars in front and in back was parking. It caught the attention of many, including people from LPM.

    Damn it... Was Lu Mello trying to make a scene? Didn''t she tell him that she wanted to keep a low-profile? Was he trying to let everyone know that he was her husband?

    Liu Ying went out of the car and upon seeing him, everyone was surprised.

    "Hey, isn''t he the right-hand man of Lu family''s successor, Lu Mello?"

    "I saw him on the TV too! He''s always following his boss like a shadow!"

    "If he''s here... then could it be that Lu Mello is also here?"

    "Kyaaa! I want to see him!"

    Liu Ying opened the backdoor of the car. Lu Mello went out. He was dressed in a maroon suit, he was like a king who went out of his car. The noble air around him and his majestic features was imposing. His photos in the business magazines didn''t do justice for his godly looks. He was a hundred times hotter in person!

    Shi Enxi wanted to turn away and avoid meeting Lu Mello''s eyes but he has long seen her ever since she got out of the building.

    He walked towards her with a dashing smile that could make any panty fall.

    "OMG! is he walking towards Director Li?"

    "Why is he walking towards her? Do they know each other?"

    "Could it be... Director Li is... Lu Mello''s mistress?!"

    "Mr. Lu is married to Shi Enxi, right?"

    "Dammit, this Li Xixi is shameless! Isn''t she married already? Isn''t she afraid that her husband might catch her?!"

    The whispers from the other people surrounded them. Some even start taking photos of the two.

    Shi Enxi glared at the man who was standing in front of her, she hissed at him, "Are you crazy?"

    "I came here to pick up my wife." Lu Mello''s voice was heard by many, especially those who were standing close.

    "Wife?! Am I hearing things right?!"

    "But isn''t his wife our big boss'' sister, Shi Enxi?"

    More people came to watch over them. They were gaining a lot of attention, especially Lu Mello who was a big shot in the business industry.

    Shi Enxi gritted her teeth. She tried her best to remain calm. She was also confused about why Lu Mello was suddenly doing this. Did he eat something weird? Damn it! What should she do? Her cover is blown by him!

    "Mrs. Lu, let''s go?" Lu Mello offered his hand to her.

    Shi Enxi forced out a smile and accepted his hand. She was holding it tight as if trying to break his bones.

    Lu Mello''s brow twitched because of the pain but he kept on smiling at her.

    His wife''s strength was so scary! How can a small hand have such a crazy hold?

    In the end, Shi Enxi didn''t have a choice but to follow Lu Mello inside the car. They left the onlookers shocked and confused.

    Shi Enxi noticed something different in the car. The Maybach''s backseat became softer than before. Hot water and a blanket were also provided for her. The driver drove significantly slower than usual. The car ride was so smooth that Shi Enxi didn''t notice any bump rides on the way.

    She turned to Lu Mello with a deep frown, "What''s the meaning of this?"

    Lu Mello blinked a few times, blinking innocently. "What do you mean?"

    Shi Enxi clenched her fists right. "Don''t play with me now, Mello! You know what I''m talking about!"

    Lu Mello pouted, "I''m keeping my promise."

    "What promise?!"

    Lu Mello felt as if he was been greatly wronged by her. Why was she so mad?

    "You asked me to love you more, pamper you more and I agreed to it ao here I am, keeping my words."

    "..."

    Lu Mello took a small plastic container from the corner, he opened it and inside were sliced melon. He took a piece by poking it with the fork before he placed it in front of his wife''s lips. "Ah."

    Shi Enxi was still glaring at him but the sweet scent coming from the fruit was making her drool. She opened her mouth and allowed him to feed her.

    The coolness coming from the fruit with its natural sweetness helped in subsiding the anger she was feeling.

    "How is it? Is it good? I made sure to choose the sweetest melon for my lovely wife."

    After chewing and gulping the piece, she opened her mouth again. "More."

    Although she didn''t give him an answer, it was already clear. She loved the fruit.

    "Since you''ve been craving a lot for melon, you must be craving so badly for me, right?" Lu Mello said with a charming smile on his lips.

    Shi Enxi''s brain automatically placed sparkling filters around him. Despite that, a blank look remained on her face. "Do you want me to puke on you?"

    "..."

    After a short moment of silence, a soft chuckle was heard from Lu Mello. "Here, sweetheart, have more of this melon. You can have me later."

    Shi Enxi moved closer to him and allowed him to continue feeding her.

    With her angry mood all gone, Lu Mello decided to discuss the topic that he was avoiding earlier.

    "Xi''er, I think it''s about time that you let everyone know that you are Shi Enxi."

    Shi Enxi paused in chewing, her blank stare landed on his face.

    Uh... Is she going to get angry again?

    Lu Mello placed another piece of melon on her lips. Shi Enxi didn''t say a thing but she happily accepted the last slice.

    Lu Mello cleared his throat and was about to start talking again when Shi Enxi interrupted him to it.

    "You have already told everyone about me, what''s there to announce?"

 Chapter 112 - A gentleman uses his mouth, not his fist

    Shi Enxi wasn''t grumpy anymore after she had the melon that Lu Mello brought for her. Aside from that, she was very comfy with the new seat and a warm blanket on her t.h.i.g.hs.

    It was a success in Lu Mello''s part. He knew that if he was going to pick her up that way, she would surely get mad to him so to make it up, he planned everything ahead of time.

    "Those culprits have already seen through your disguise. Allowing others to know who you really are will help in having more eyes around you, those people will have a hard time trying to make a move on you." Lu Mello explained. "From now on, have more people around you and don''t let anyone strange approach you."

    She scoffed, "I can handle them all by myself. If they attacked me altogether, it will be easier for me to beat them up."

    "That may be true if you aren''t pregnant, but you are. You have to be more careful for the sake of our child." Lu Mello seriously said.

    Shi Enxi''s lips were stretched into a thin line since she couldn''t argue back to him. What he was saying was true. She shouldn''t act careless anymore.

    What happened earlier that lunch was proof that anything could happen. If it weren''t for Fan Xiao Yao and Qiao Nuan, she would have fallen hard on the ground and ended up having a miscarriage.

    If she wasn''t pregnant, falling down wasn''t an issue but at that moment, she felt her heart jump on her throat, her palms were sweating at the thought of falling. She instinctively tried to protect her child from the impact in case if she really did fell.

    "Do you understand what I am trying to say now?" Lu Mello held her hand and c.a.r.e.s.sed the back of it with his thumb. "Please be more careful. Our child''s life is also in the line."

    "Alright." She leaned and rested her head on his shoulder. "I will be careful."

    Lu Mello was relieved that Shi Enxi was listening to him this time.

    "Mr. Lu." Liu Ying''s voice was heard from the front seat.

    "What is it? Are we being followed?"

    "No, no one is following us. The car that was on our watch has changed its route. Should we send men to follow them?" Liu Ying asked.

    "No need. Let them leave. If they noticed that they are being watched, they might try to disappear from our radar."

    Those men well-trained and were a group of experts. It was already hard to keep track of them. If not for having Shi Enxi act as prey, they might still be looking for them.

    Lu Mello was about to ask Shi Enxi about her parents'' death when he suddenly noticed that she has fallen fast asleep.

    He smiled helplessly upon seeing her innocent sleeping face. He placed a hand on her tummy, gently rubbing it. "I wonder... Will you turn out to be a little villain?"

    Shi Enxi was the type of villain who didn''t like to strike with her own hands unless it was necessary. She liked to stand in dark places where people couldn''t find her and execute crafty plots. She destroyed people through subtle means and set them up for a hard fall.

    In the past, she only ordered Huang Li to do the dirty work The only people that she killed with her own hands were Shi Yi, Shi Anhao and Huang Li, after he betrayed her.

    The saying ''A gentleman uses his mouth, not his fist'' was perfect for Shi Enxi. It was just... She wasn''t a man.

    Although Lu Mello agreed with that saying. He didn''t like to use his fist as much as possible, especially when he was set on destroying someone.

    He preferred scheming and let others do the work. Maybe that was one thing he had in common with Shi Enxi.

    ...

    Upon reaching their place, Shi Enxi was wakened up by Lu Mello.

    Mo Jing greeted the two together with the other servants.

    "The dinner is already prepared. After you changed your clothes, come down and eat." Mo Jing invited with a gentle smile on her lips.

    Shi Enxi smiled back at her, "Thank you, Nanny Mo."

    "Mello, your mother called. She said that she will be visiting us tomorrow." Mo Jing said, turning to Lu Mello. "She said that she''ll be coming here with your aunt Bingbing."

    Shi Enxi blinked a few times, "Jiejie is going to visit too?"

    "Yes."

    Lu Mello frowned inside. What was his mother trying to do? Didn''t he already tell her that telling the truth to Li Bingbing will be Shi Enxi''s job?

    He knew that his mother was just trying to help. She was close to Shi Enxi''s mother, Mu Xijiu. It was only normal to feel concerned but he just couldn''t help but think that she was meddling, especially when he has already told to leave everything to him.

    His mother was really a worrywart whenever it came to important matters such as these.

    Lu Mello brought Shi Enxi in his room. Should he tell her about the possible reason why they were going to visit her tomorrow?

    Shi Enxi turned to Lu Mello and narrowed her eyes, "Was it your doing?"

    Ah... His wife is really sharp. Having a quick-minded woman as his wife was also scary.

    "I think so."

    "What did you told them?" Shi Enxi crossed her arms.

    He averted his gaze from her, "Err... I only told my parents about it. I haven''t said anything to your sister."

    "What did you told them?" She repeated.

    "I told them that... Your parents didn''t die because of an accident and that there could be a possibility that the people who killed them may also be the people who are now after you and Shi Yi."

    Just like what he expected, the latter part of what he said was new so Shi Enxi was surprised by what he said.

    "They could be... The people who killed my parents?"

 Chapter 113 - Are you busy?

    Lu Mello approached her and held her hands. He knew that he shouldn''t be stressing her out with her parent''s death but it was her parents, he has to tell her about it.

    She looked at him, her face didn''t show any kind of emotions. There was no anger even, her eyes were just blank and cold.

    He gently touched her cheek, "I''m still trying to get more information. Didn''t I say that I will help you? Your problems are my problems so you have to share it with me. I will not fail you, I promise."

    Shi Enxi''s lips curled up. The warmth of his palm was spreading throughout her body. No matter how badly she wanted to seek revenge for her parents, she has to remain calm and level-headed, or else, she could ruin her life.

    She was glad that Lu Mello was there for her, that he was someone she could share her pain and problems. If he wasn''t there, maybe she could be losing her sanity over this matter already.

    Her emotions should be harder to control especially when she is pregnant but Lu Mello was keeping her emotions in check. He knew what to do whenever she was about to spit fire.

    "Keep me updated if you gained something about them, alright?" Shi Enxi smiled, leaning against his touch.

    "You''re not angry that I told my parents?"

    "The more help we can get, the better. Father-in-law is so capable, while I''m sure my mother-in-law won''t stop pestering him to help us." She chuckled lightly, "I''m so lucky to have caring in-laws."

    If she put it that way, then Lu Mello was relieved.

    "Nanny Mo Jing must be waiting for us, I''m also hungry already." She pulled away from him.

    ...

    Zi Xuan and Fan Xiao Yao went to a classy and luxurious bar where most high-profile people go. It was a bar that a normal person couldn''t easily enter because of security reasons.

    For someone to enter the Dusk-Dawn Bar, they needed to have a membership card.

    Loud Jazz music was heard upon entering the place and there were a couple of well-known artists around. Fan Xiao Yao never knew that such a place existed.

    Fan Xiao Yao never liked places like these but she only because of wanting to make a move against Huang Li.

    "What if he''s busy and won''t come?" Fan Xiao Yao asked worriedly.

    "What''s more important than his work? It''s you of course."

    Fan Xiao Yao frowned, "His work is more important. I prefer him to save more lives than spend time with me."

    "There are so many doctors that can take his place-"

    "If that''s what you think, then I should just go home. I can''t force him to come here just because of my selfishness."

    They were planning to drag Huang Li out but when she thought of him being busy in saving others, she suddenly felt guilty. Shouldn''t she be an understanding girlfriend for him?

    "Alright, alright. We''re not going to force him. Why don''t you ask if he''s busy? If he''s not, then we can continue on with our plan." Zi Xuan sighed. She really was too good for Huang Li.

    Fan Xiao Yao took out her phone and messaged Huang Li.

    Carrotkiller: [Are you busy?]

    She thought that he wasn''t going to reply to her at all but after a few seconds, she received a reply from him.

    Bunnylover: [No. I''m on my way home. Do you want anything for dinner?]

    A wide grin was seen on Fan Xiao Yao''s lips, she turned to Zi Xuan, her smiling face was so bright that Zi Xuan was tempted to wear sunglasses. "He''s free!"

    "Let''s commence our plan."

    Fan Xiao Yao nodded and replied, [I''m done having my dinner. Take care on your way home. Good night.]

    ...

    Huang Li was on his way to the Rosarium dormitory. Ever since he got together with Fan Xiao Yao, whenever he found free time, he would give her a visit in her dorm.

    Upon reaching the place, since he had a spare key, he entered the room. He thought that Fan Xiao Yao was there but when he found the place empty, he frowned.

    He took out his phone and sent her a message.

    Bunnylover: [Where are you?]

    Seconds passed and it turned into minutes. Huang Li patiently waited but there was no reply from her.

    For some reason, he began getting worried. What if she was taken advantage of someone?

    He tried to call her but her phone was just ringing for a while.

    He thought that she wasn''t going to answer but at the last second, she did.

    "Hellooo?"

    Huang Li frowned upon hearing her how slurred her voice was. The music in the background was loud and he could at once tell that she was probably in some club or bar.

    "Where are you?"

    "Hubby Li, I miss youuuuu!"

    "Fan Xiao Yao, where are you?" Huang Li''s tone was dead serious.

    "I''m in DD Bar- Hey, stop touching!"

    "But you lose our bet, didn''t you agree to dance with me if I won?" A man''s voice was heard from the other line.

    "I diiiid! But I didn''t say you can touch meeee! Leggooo!"

    Huang Li rushed out of the place and headed to his car. He knew where DD Bar was, it was not too far from where he was.

    He drove at high speed and it was only a matter of fifteen minutes when he arrived at the Bar.

    There were two large men guarding the entrance of the place and people with membership cars could only enter.

    Huang Li obviously didn''t have one so when he tried to go, he was blocked by those men.

    "Sir, please show us your membership card if you have one."

    Huang Li''s face was so dark and gloomy, if he has to throw them out of his way, he didn''t mind doing it but before he could even try it, a woman''s voice interrupted.

    "Huang Li?"

 Chapter 114 - Love advice

    Huang Li turned and his expression became cole upon seeing the woman who called him.

    It was none other than, Wang Ansheng.

    She was dressed in a very s.e.xy and revealing red dress with a faux fur coat on top. Her black hair was styled into a ponytail with a few strands of her hair on the side of her face, shaping it well. She was wearing long diamond earrings and she really looked beautiful and got at that moment.

    She has two companions who were dressed for the party as well.

    Wang Ansheng turned to her companions and smiled, "You can go ahead."

    Her companions eyed Huang Li, he was a tall and handsome man that can catch any woman''s attention so he obviously piqued their interest.

    "Is he your new boyfriend?" Ran Piao, one of Wang Ansheng''s companion asked.

    "Miss, is he with you?" One of the guards interrupted.

    Wang Ansheng went and clung on Huang Li''s arm, "He''s with me, right, Huang Li?"

    Oh, so he really was her boyfriend... Wang Ansheng''s companions thought.

    Even if Huang Li wanted to pull his arm away from Wang Ansheng''s hold, he needed to get in the bar so, in the end, she tolerated her touch.

    They entered the bar and the moment they did, Huang Li pulled his arm away from her. Without saying a word, he turned and left Wang Ansheng''s group.

    "A-Ah! Huang Li, wait!" Wang Ansheng hurriedly went to follow him but she lost sight of him since he disappeared into the crowd.

    "Are they really dating?"

    "Who knows? Let''s just leave them be and enjoy the party instead."

    Huang Li was looking for Fan Xiao Yao all over the place and found her sitting at the counter, talking with a silver-haired man.

    Feeling a sudden chill, Fan Xiao Yao instinctively turned to Huang Li.

    Ah... He really came.

    His tall and straight figure was heading her way. As he walked towards her, there was no expression on his face although his eyes give it away. His dark and gloomy eyes were fixed on her.

    He attracted the attention of the nearby girls that looked over his way.

    A woman decided to approach him, with a seductive smile, she greeted, "Hello there, handsome."

    Huang Li ignored and passed by her, not even giving her a glance.

    The woman''s face went red in embarrassment when she was ignored by him.

    "H-hey!"

    Huang Li finally came into a stop, he was standing in front of Fan Xiao Yao who was smiling at him.

    Instead of feeling scared because of how gloomy he was, she was rather happy to see him that way.

    Fan Xiao Yao noticed the woman who tried to hit on him earlier so she stood up from her seat and wrapped her arms around Huang Li''s neck. "You came!"

    The woman stopped when she saw what Fan Xiao Yao did. No wonder he ignored her... He actually has a woman already.

    Unlike Wang Ansheng, Fan Xiao Yao was wearing conservative clothing. She was wearing a white long sleeve blouse and pants. Her hair was arranged neatly into a ponytail. Her make up was so simple but it made her look more natural.

    Seeing her lovely, smiling face made him sigh. Wasn''t she supposed to be drunk? Why does she look fine?

    "Is he your boyfriend?" The silver-haired man that was talking with Fan Xiao Yao earlier asked.

    "Yup, he is." Fan Xiao Yao proudly said. She pulled away from Huang and clung on his arm instead. "This is my boyfriend, Huang Li. Huang Li, meet Han Xukun, he is Lu Xingyan''s fiance."

    Lu Xingyan''s fiance?

    Huang Li turned to Fan Xiao Yao with a frown, "Was he the one who tried to touch you?"

    She blinked a few times and giggled, "No one tried to touch me. That man earlier was Gege. We were just acting it out. He''s over there."

    She pointed at a table where Zi Xuan was. He flirting and was surrounded by girls.

    "I''m sorry for deceiving you." Although Fan Xiao Yao was apologizing, she was smiling from one ear to another. "You easily get jealous, don''t you?"

    He pursed his lips and reached out to pinch her cheek, "You made me really worried."

    Fan Xiao Yao laughed lightly despite him pinching her cheek, "Did you think that I will get drunk? I''m not allowed to drink alcoholic beverages you know."

    Han Xukun who was watching the couple in front of him ended up smiling a bit, "I think I should get going now."

    Fan Xiao Yao turned to him and nodded "You really should. Remember what I told you, okay? You should trust Xiao Xing more. You know what kind of person she is, she will never cheat on you. It''s just your jealousy poisoning your head."

    Huang Li blinked a few times. They were talking about Han Xukun''s relationship problem?

    No wonder Fan Xiao Yao looked so serious earlier when he saw her talking with him.

    Han Xukun chuckled lightly, "Don''t worry, I will remember your words. Until we meet again, Ms. Fan."

    "If you need more love advice, you know where to find me. I am under Shi Enxi''s management so we''ll definitely help you out with your trouble." Fan Xiao Yao grinned.

    Han Xukun gave her a nod before he bid goodbye to them.

    Huang Li went and sat on the seat that was beside Fan Xiao Yao''s seat. "What was that about?"

    "Oh, it was nothing. I thought that he was my stalker so I went to give him a piece of my mind but end up being wrong. After a few conversations, we talked about our love life. I talked about you and he talked about Xiao Xing." She honestly replied without even holding back a thing.

    Huang Li turned to her glass of carrot juice and sighed. "So? Why did you want to bring me here?"

    Fan Xiao Yao grinned, "I just want to see you get jealous again."

    "..."

    "Since I have attained my goal, let''s go home?"

    Huang Li massaged the bridge of his nose. What kind of ideas were popping in her mind? He didn''t know whether to laugh or cry but Fan Xiao Yao was really unpredictable.

    "Oh yeah! How were you able to get in? Do you have a membership card? I was only able to get in because of Gege."

 Chapter 115 - Shes lying, right?

    Huang Li was about to give her an answer when someone came and interrupted them.

    "There you are! I was looking all over for you!" Wang Ansheng took the empty seat that was beside Huang Li''s.

    Fan Xiao Yao frowned upon seeing her. She held Huang Li''s arm and instinctively tried to pull him away from Wang Ansheng who was trying to move close to him.

    Huang Li stood up from his seat and went to Fan Xiao Yao''s side.

    Wang Ansheng raised a brow when she realized Fan Xiao Yao''s presence. "Oh, Huang Li''s cousin, you''re also here."

    "I''m not his cousin. I''m his girlfriend." Fan Xiao Yao corrected. She was hugging Huang Li''s arm protectively.

    Wang Ansheng frowned. Her guts were right! Back then, when she saw the two together, her instincts were already telling her that something was going on between the two!

    She clenched her fists out of jealousy although her real feelings were hidden by her smile. She was still an actress and her skills as an actress were really good since she has more experience than Fan Xiao Yao. Hiding her real thoughts and feelings was an easy thing to do for her.

    "Oh, really? Both of you are dating? Then why didn''t you say so back then?"

    "We still haven''t confessed with each other back then so we didn''t have a choice. It was easier to introduce Huang Li as my cousin instead of my crush." Fan Xiao Yao answered bluntly.

    Wang Ansheng turned to Huang Li and was about to ask him something but Fan Xiao Yao didn''t give her that chance, "If you mind, please take off your l.u.s.tful stares from my hubby Li."

    "So what?" Wang Ansheng stood up and she was an inch taller than Fan Xiao Yao. "Did you know? You''re totally different from Huang Li''s type."

    Huang Li glared coldly at Wang Ansheng, "Wang Ansheng."

    "Oh my, didn''t you tell her about us?"

    Fan Xiao Yao scowled, "So what if you have a past with him, I don''t care!"

    "Yes, we may have a past but I don''t think that''s over." She reached out and trailed her fingers on Huang Li''s c.h.e.s.t but her hand was slapped away by him in disgust. "Those times we have together, don''t you miss them?"

    Huang Li held Fan Xiao Yao''s hand, "Let''s go."

    But before they could leave, Wang Ansheng''s next words stopped Fan Xiao Yao.

    "He never touched you, didn''t he?"

    Fan Xiao Yao turned to Wang Ansheng was smirking at her. "Or kissed you? Do you know why that is?"

    "Ansheng!"

    Huang Li''s loud voice caught the attention of many, they were looking at them as if wondering what was happening.

    Although Wang Ansheng didn''t stop despite the attention they were getting from others.

    "Did you really think that he''s a beginner like you?" Wang Ansheng crossed her arms.

    "I don''t care." Fan Xiao Yao clenched her fists right.

    "Really? The reason he can''t even do it is because of me."

    "You''re lying."

    "Am I? Why don''t you ask Huang Li?"

    Fan Xiao Yao''s lips quivered, she was afraid to ask him.

    "Don''t listen to her, Xiao Yao. Let''s go." Huang Li tried his best to remain calm but he was panicking inside.

    Fan Xiao Yao turned to him with her tearful gaze, "She''s lying, right?"

    Huang Li felt a knife was stabbed on his c.h.e.s.t when he saw her that way. He couldn''t give her an answer but that only made Fan Xiao Yao think that Wang Ansheng was saying the truth.

    She pulled her hand away from him and run out.

    "Xiao Yao!"

    Huang Li was about to follow her but Wang Ansheng stopped him by grabbing on his hand. "Don''t go."

    He turned to her, his eyes were now as sharp as knives, and it sent shivers in her body.

    Huang Li took a tissue from the tissue box that was at the counter and poured it with wine. The next thing he did surprise everyone.

    He grabbed her head and rubbed the wet tissue on her face.

    "HEY!! OUCH! STOP!"

    When Huang Li finally let go, Wang Ansheng''s make up was ruined.

    "Bwah!" She was finally able to breathe. She felt something on her cheek. When she took it, it was her false eyelashes. "What the hell?! N-No! My make up!"

    Huang Li''s deadly glare was so terrifying that he didn''t even hold back even under everyone''s watchful gazes. "You ruined my time with Xiao Yao. You ruined her mind." He reached out, "Should I rip off your real eyelashes too, bitch?!"

    Wang Ansheng felt so humiliated that she wanted to hide. "H-Huang Li... H-how can you embarrass me like this?"

    "It''s because I can." He turned away and left the place, leaving Wang Ansheng under everyone''s watchful stares.

    Huang Li would usually hold back but this time, he just couldn''t do it after what she did.

    He started searching for Fan Xiao Yao. He rang her phone but she wasn''t picking up.

    Where the hell did she go?

    "Have you found her?" Zi Xuan went after Huang Li.

    "Not yet."

    "You look over there, I''ll search for her in the opposite direction."

    Even if Huang Li didn''t like him, he didn''t have a choice but to ask for his help.

    He continued to look for her, he was even calling out for her name. He still couldn''t find her.

    After a while, Zi Xuan came back, "She''s not around here. Do you think she went home?"

    "I''ll let you know if she did. Call me if you found her." Huang Li went to his car and started driving back to the dorm.

    As he did, it started raining.

    He really hoped that Fan Xiao Yao has already reached home. What if she was still walking and was suddenly caught in the rain?

    There was a nearby park by the dorm. When his car passed by, a white figure caught his attention.

    He stopped his car and squinted his eyes, trying to get a better look at the figure that was sitting on the swing. If it wasn''t for the heavy rain, he could have seen her already.

    The more he looked at the figure, he realized that it was similar to Fan Xiao Yao''s

    He went out, holding an umbrella and rushed to her side. "Xiao Yao!"

    Fan Xiao Yao was drenched and she was not moving an inch from the swing. She was just sitting there. She didn''t even look at Huang Li when he called out to her.

    "Xiao Yao, let''s go home. You''ll get sick if you stay here any longer."

    She finally looked at him, her eyes red and puffy. If it wasn''t for the rain, her crying face would have been easily seen. "Huang Li..."

    He pulled her up and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, "Let''s go home, Xiao Yao."

    Fan Xiao Yao''s shoulders were shaking. Was it because she was feeling cold or was it because she was crying?

    He took off his coat and wrapped it around her before he led her to his car.

 Chapter 116 - Special moment

    Huang Li prepared a warm bath for Fan Xiao Yao and after she took a bath, he prepared a warm milk for her, bringing it in her room.

    "Here, have some milk."

    Fan Xiao Yao accepted the milk and she stared at it for a while. After drinking the milk, Huang Li took the towel to dry her hair.

    She pursed her lips tight, Wang Ansheng''s words were still replaying in her mind. Her c.h.e.s.t felt so heavy and she was feeling so depressed about it.

    "What she said... Is it true?" She finally spoke out. "Do you still love her?... Is that''s why you won''t kiss me or even try to touch me?"

    It''s not like she was going to easily lose his v.i.r.g.i.n.i.t.y to him but she was willing in some time in the future, especially when they have a better understanding with each other. She really loves him and she was willing to marry him in the future.

    "No, it''s not like that. I never loved Wang Ansheng." He sat down beside her.

    It was something he never opened up even to Shi Enxi. During the time where they were separated, Wang Ansheng never stopped pestering him.

    Huang Li''s parents worked under the Wang family. His father died together with Shi Enxi''s parents since he accompanied them to their destination.

    During the first year of high school, Wang Ansheng started liking Huang and she blackmailed him by telling him that she would tell her mom to fire his mother if he wouldn''t date her.

    He didn''t have a choice but to do whatever she wanted. He was a man so at first, he didn''t mind sleeping with her. He didn''t have anything to lose, his heart became cold.

    He never cared for anyone except for Shi Enxi since even if he didn''t tell her about it, the pain they shared was the same. They were taken advantage of by being weak.

    Father and daughter were the same. They were filthy and disgusting. They were never good people even during the start. Wang Hao and Shi Anhao were a bad example as parents. They took advantage of everyone and belittle them just because they were wealthy. They always hunger for more power, wanting to be the first.

    "Wang Ansheng is the second to the person I hate the most. The first one is her father, Wang Hao." He turned and faced her. "I didn''t want you to know my horrible past with her since it is just a loveless relationship."

    "Then... Why are you holding back from me? Whatever past you have, I don''t care. I fell in love with you because it''s you. I don''t care if you''re a beginner in love or not. I don''t care if you had s.e.x with Wang Ansheng. All I am asking is, why are you holding back from me? Why are you avoiding me whenever I try to make a move to you? Is it true? Are you thinking of her whenever-"

    Fan Xiao Yao''s words were interrupted, her lips were sealed by Huang Li''s soft and cool lips.

    She was surprised that he suddenly kissed her. Her heart was beating like crazy and she felt her face heat up.

    He leaned back and touched her cheek gently, "You are special to me. I don''t want to treat you like others. I know everyone has their own opinion about this... But when you turn kissing into habit, I think it loses its meaning."

    Fan Xiao Yao never thought that Huang Li was this kind of man. Hearing him say that she was special to him was enough to ease her throbbing heart.

    "I want to treasure every moment...  I do feel like kissing you whenever you''re being cute or whenever you tell me that you love me..."

    Her lips finally curled up into a soft smile, "Then kiss me whenever you feel that way. The kisses that I will be receiving from you is always special for me. How about s.e.x?"

    "I don''t want to do it just because of l.u.s.t. I also want it to be extra special, I want to save it until our honeymoon. I only want to make love with you once we''re married." He answered honestly.

    She was touched by his kind and gentle words. She never thought of that way. He didn''t want to touch her just because of the heat of the moment.

    But what caught her attention was the ''honeymoon'' part.

    "You''re willing to marry me?"

    "Of course I am. What''s the use of having you as my girlfriend if I''m not going to marry you in the end?"

    She has also the same thoughts and she was happy that he was thinking of the same thing as well.

    "If that''s the case, I can''t wait to get married to you!" Fan Xiao Yao smiled happily.

    He tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear, "Let''s not rush things, Xiao Yao. I want you to be sure of your decision."

    "Do you want me to be with someone else?"

    Huang Li frowned, "No."

    "So do I. I don''t want anyone. I want to spend my days with you. I don''t want others."

    He has never met someone so pure as her. Fan Xiao Yao''s view was interesting and most of them were the same as his.

    "Can I have another kiss?" She asked straightforwardly, a blush on her cheeks. "We''re having a special moment right now."

    He smiled gently at her. If it was her, he was willing to spend the rest of his life with the woman like her.

    If he had to be honest with himself, he never thought of falling hard for Fan Xiao Yao. He even once thought that maybe, his feelings would disappear eventually.

    When he thought of being away from Fan Xiao Yao, he felt a sudden suffocation. He didn''t want to be separated from her.

    He leaned and this time, he gave her a long, loving kiss. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer without breaking the kiss.

 Chapter 117 - Lu Mellos Mistress

    Shi Enxi was staring at her own reflection. She had hair so black against the skin so white and it made a contrast that only served to make her look so captivating. Her short hair has grown a few inches over the past months. It was already reaching until her c.h.e.s.t. She applied her usual style of makeup and put on a blood-red lipstick. She looked more like her old self. She still has the same elegance and maturity around her. She is the epitome of remarkable elegance and class.

    She preferred wearing a business suit instead of dresses whenever she went to work. It was easier for her to move around and it made her look more professional.

    "Are you ready?"

    Shi Enxi turned to Lu Mello who was already in his grey suit. He looked dashing as usual and his regal demeanor was always on point.

    "Just in time." She walked towards him and fixed his necktie for him.

    Lu Mello stared at her and smiled. She looked so different from her black hair. It reminded him of the time where they already had a son.

    Shi Enxi was pregnant and this time, she was carrying his child. Would they have a son too? He really was excited to have a child of their own.

    ...

    Just like how he picked her yesterday, he dropped her at her workplace with his men.

    "I don''t need bodyguards." Shi Enxi said with a frown on her face.

    "You are pregnant. I''m not taking the risk in putting you and our child in danger."

    She raised a brow, crossing her arms. "How about our plan?"

    If the enemies saw how Shi Enxi was tightly guarded, they would have a hard time in trying to get unto her. Aside from that, it would put their guards up and they might back away from her until an opportunity will arise.

    "Shi Yi can take your place. I already have spoken to him about it, he''s willing to do it."

    Shi Enxi furrowed her brows upon hearing what Lu Mello said.

    Her brother was going to take her place? No way! She was against the idea! If the enemies were able to corner him just like what they did to Lu Weichun, his life will be put to danger.

    As if knowing what Shi Enxi was thinking, Lu Mello continued, "Now do you understand the worry I have for you? It is not just you, our child''s life will be put in danger."

    Shi Enxi pursed her lips and clenched her fists tight. The only reason why they weren''t trying to capture the suspects was that they wanted to bring out the real mastermind.

    "Don''t worry, I already have assigned men to observe them. If they try to do something fishy against your brother, we will get them and interrogate them the hard way instead."

    She heaved out a sigh. She didn''t have a choice but to listen to him instead. She decided not to tell about Ming Ren since Lu Mello might not like the plans she has against her.

    She went out of the car and looked at Lu Mello who followed her. "I will only allow one guard to follow me around."

    Lu Mello nodded in agreement. He turned towards the group of guards that was inline.

    "Hao Qiang." He called.

    A man went to approach them. His long hair was tied into a low ponytail and it rested on his shoulder. He has a soft, feminine features that made others usually mistaken him as a woman. Even his body was slim and slender.

    Shi Enxi leaned and whispered to Lu Mello''s ears, "Is he gay?"

    Lu Mello faced her with a look saying ''Are you seriously asking me that?''

    Can''t she see how many he walks? Oh well... He can''t really blame him since he had the same thought back then.

    "No." Lu Mello replied with a whispering tone. "Although he''s not interested in women."

    Shi Enxi frowned, "Then he''s obviously gay."

    Hao Qiang cleared his throat to get their attention. He was standing right in front of them and because of his sharp hearing sense, he could clearly hear them.

    With a gentle smile, Hao Qiang replied, "I''m As.e.x.u.a.l."

    Shi Enxi: "..."

    Lu Mello: "See?"

    "Anyway, Hao Qiang, I will assign you to watch over my wife."

    Hao Qiang took over Zhao Long Ji, the captain of the Lu -family''s trained fighters. He was Zhao Long Ji''s disciple and is considered as the best fighter among the Lu family''s Pride One.

    "I will guard Mrs. Lu with my life so leave it all to me, Master." Hao Qiang smiled, placing a hand on his c.h.e.s.t.

    "I should get going." Shi Enxi didn''t have any problem in being accompanied by Hao Qiang, she just wanted to let Lu Mello leave already.

    They were getting enough attention from the people nearby.

    Lu Mello held her waist and pulled her close, he leaned and captured her lips, kissing her sweetly in front of everyone.

    Shi Enxi''s face went bright red. She didn''t mind being kissed by him but if it was before the eyes of many, who wouldn''t feel embarrassed?

    Lu Mello finally pulled away, a manly grin was plastered on his lips. "I''ll pick you up later so wait for me, okay?"

    Shi Enxi simply gave him a nod before she turned and hurriedly left him there.

    "See you later, master." Hao Qiang waved. He turned and followed Shi Enxi.

    ...

    Just like what Shi Enxi expected, she was being stared at by every worker she passed by.

    "Is that Li Xixi?"

    "You mean Lu Mello''s mistress? How can that be?"

    At first, they weren''t able to recognize her because of her sudden change in appearance but after having a closer look, they saw the similarities from her previous disguise.

    They never saw Shi Enxi in person, or even once because of the low profile she has back then. No matter how Shi Enxi looked at that moment, the image that others have in mind didn''t match her at all.

    "She''s really Director Li!"

    "She looked so different with black hair and without glasses."

    "Isn''t she supposed to be Shi Enxi?"

    "Do you think someone like her could be Shi Enxi? Our big boss''s sister?"

    "Yeah! If she really was our big boss'' sister, he wouldn''t be putting her here. He will surely give her a bigger position in the main company."

    "She''s definitely Lu Mello''s mistress! No wonder she is able to climb up."

    "She must have used Lu Mello''s help."

    "Fan Xiao Yao is so lucky to have Director Li."

    "No wonder Fan Xiao Yao was able to rocket high so fast. From ''nobody'' to ''Rookie fairy'', it must be because of Director Li''s underhanded tricks."

    "And now she''s bringing another man... How shameless!"

    Hao Qiang felt uncomfortable with all the whisperings coming from the staff around them.

    Who do they think they are? They have no right to belittle Madam!

    Hao Qiang couldn''t tolerate everyone''s disgusting stares. He was about to say something but he heard Shi Enxi say with her smooth voice, "Ignore them."

    "But Madam...You shouldn''t allow them to step on you like this. If you don''t speak up, this rumor will crush you."

    Shi Enxi smiled at him. For some reason, Hao Qiang felt a chill despite her smiling face.

    "Do you think I''m the type of person who can be easily stepped on?"

 Chapter 118 - Child Prodigy

    Shi Enxi was staring intensely at Ming Ren who was standing in front of her.

    Ming Ren could feel her cold sweat roll down her temple, she couldn''t help but somehow let out a nervous gulp.

    What''s wrong with this woman?

    Qiao Nuan told her that Shi Enxi wanted to manage her but after arriving and meeting Shi Enxi, she broke out into a cold sweat since Shi Enxi was looking closely at her every move.

    Aside from that, Shi Enxi''s appearance looked exactly the same as the picture that was given to them. It was only... She was cold and scary instead of having a gentle and kind look in her eyes.

    Was she acting this way because of what happened yesterday? Didn''t she apologize for it already?

    Shi Enxi''s lips finally curled up, "I apologize for checking you out. Your body proportions and your height are perfect for modeling."

    ...Ah? She was checking her out?

    She may not be as beautiful as Fan Xiao Yao but all her features we''re perfect for the famous beauty standard that netizens set for models.

    Lemon seed face, big eyes, and most importantly, she must be skinny and tall.

    "Tell me, Ms. Ming, why do you want to be a model?"

    ''To keep an eye on you until I am ordered to kill you.''

    Ming Ren wanted to answer her that way but if she did, Shi Enxi would never allow her to be by her side.

    Ming Ren is pretty confident with her modeling skills. If her mind wasn''t poisoned by Chen Gao, she would probably pursue modeling.

    She has already prepared an answer for Shi Enxi since she was expecting her to ask her that question.

    "Fashion is a deep passion of mine. To be a model, it takes more than just a pretty face. I think modeling is an expressive art form and tells a story without words. You can show movement in a still picture, and I think that it is incredible to be able to have that skill."

    Shi Enxi smiled at the beautiful answer that she gave her. She rehearsed well in front of her.

    "I am expecting great things from you, Ms. Ming." She looked at Qiao Nuan and took the doc.u.ment from her hold. "I will personally handle all your schedules as your manager but first, read to this contract. If you have agreed, then sign it."

    Hao Qiang knew that Shi Enxi wanted to keep an eye on Ming Ren but it was still dangerous, especially when Ming Ren was one of the people who are after her.

    After reading through the contract, Ming Ren signed her name.

    "Qiao Nuan, can have you already assigned someone to assist Ms. Ming in her first shoot?"

    "Yes, ma''am. I have already assigned Ms. Liang to assist her."

    "Excuse me..." Ming Ren interrupted their conversation. "Director Li... Aren''t you going to um... Come with me for the first shoot as my manager?"

    Shi Enxi snickered, "I''m a busy woman, Ms. Ming. I can''t accompany you. I will only be managing your schedules but Ms. Liang will accompany you to the places where your photoshoot is held. She will be my representative in the meantime. If you are not satisfied with her after working with her, you can just let me know about it."

    "I see, thank you, Director Li."

    ---

    Later that day, Shi Enxi personally accompanied Fan Xiao Yao for the audition for the movie ''Please Notice Me, My Wife''.

    The female lead in the movie is a strong-willed woman who lost the memories of her past because of an accident. While she has no memories of the past, she married a rich man, the second male lead, because she once helped his grandfather. There was no love in the relationship and aside from that, she was always bullied by the second male lead''s family.

    The female lead was already pregnant of someone''s else child before she got married to the man

    Despite how heavy it looked like at first, it was actually a rom-com movie, especially once the real father of the child, the main male lead that the female lead was carrying finally came into the scene.

    It was later found out that the marriage between the female lead and the second male lead was fake.

    The movie was going to be directed by one of the new promising Directors.

    Fan Xiao Yao was preparing for the audition at that moment. There were a couple of known artist that wanted to have the main female lead.

    Shi Enxi went in the restroom at that time so Fan Xiao Yao was sitting alone, reading a part in the script.

    The audition for the main female lead included acting together with a genius child actor named Wen Zhou who was invited by the Director himself. Luckily, the child actor Wen Zhou accepted the role after reading through the script.

    While everyone was busy preparing, a child who was followed by his two bodyguards arrived.

    Despite being seven years old, he was small but handsome. The only thing that made him different from other children was the blank look on his face. The arrogant and confident air that the child gave off was felt by everyone except Fan Xiao Yao who was looking at her script and was concentrating on it.

    It was only normal for others to look highly at Wen Zhou since he is the son of the late Superstars Wen Donghai and Feng Yuemin who died in a plane crash and since then, Wen Zhou''s uncle took him in.

    Wen Zhou went out of the backstage and directly went to the stage.

    Not long after he arrived, two people came in after. It was Wang Ansheng and Chen Fanglin.

    When Chen Fanglin saw Fan Xiao Yao, she was instantly annoyed by her presence.

    What is this bitch doing here?

    Wang Ansheng thought the same. It was because of Fan Xiao Yao that Huang Li has treated her badly the last time they met.

    They went and stood in front of Fan Xiao Yao.

    "Fan Xiao Yao."

    "Fan Xiao Yao."

    The two newcomers said at the same time.

    Wang Ansheng and Chen Fanglin ended up looking at each other. They only knew each other by name and they weren''t acquainted.

    Fan Xiao Yao raised her head and was startled to see two bitches in front of her.

 Chapter 119 - Dont get in my way

    Shi Enxi was looking so pale when she looked at her reflection on the mirror. She has been feeling nauseous since earlier. She retouched her makeup to hide her pale face before she finally went out of the restroom.

    Upon returning to the site, she saw Wang Ansheng and Chen Fanglin, cornering Fan Xiao Yao.

    She massaged her temple when she felt a sudden headache after seeing them.

    "Are you alright, Mrs. Lu?" Hal Qiang quickly went beside her, looking all so worried.

    "I''m fine." Shi Enxi was already getting annoyed.

    She walked towards the three and called out, "Fan Xiao Yao."

    Wang Ansheng and Chen Fanglin turned to Shi Enxi. Wang Ansheng snickered upon seeing her, "What are you doing here, Shi Enxi?"

    Shi Enxi raised a brow, crossing her arms in the process. "Why are you asking a question with an obvious answer? Are you that dumb?"

    Wang Ansheng wasn''t expecting for Shi Enxi to talkback. Ever since little, Shi Enxi remained quiet whenever she spoke.

    Shi Enxi''s sharp look was so different than her usual smiling face.

    Wang Ansheng gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. Shi Enxi sure got brave after marrying someone like Lu Mello.

    "Ms. Wang, the audition for the second female lead has started. Your turn will be coming soon." Wang Ansheng''s manager said as she approached them.

    Second female lead?

    After the scandal with Wang Ansheng''s father, her popularity became low. Even if Wang Ansheng wanted to take the main female lead''s role, it would only lessen her chance of getting it because of the importance the Director was putting in that role. Her best choice was to get the second female lead and show others how hardworking she was since the second female lead''s role was trickier. The character endured so many hardsh.i.p.s and was constantly framed by others.

    Wang Ansheng turned to Shi Enxi and glared before she walked out, following her manager to another room.

    Chen Fanglin chuckled lightly, "I''m here to take the main female lead. Don''t get in my way."

    Fan Xiao Yao stood and went beside Shi Enxi. She just smiled at Chen Fanglin without saying a thing.

    It was not like she was going to get the role just because she said so. Unless... She paid a huge amount of money just to bribe the Director and others.

    If that was the case Fan Xiao Yao wasn''t surprised at all, Chen Fanglin was the person who would snatch every major role that Fan Xiao Yao wanted using her money back then.

    The only difference from the past was... Fan Xiao Yao wasn''t alone this time.

    Shi Enxi one told her that as long as she gives a great performance on stage, her talent would surely move other''s hearts.

    ...

    Chen Fanglin was the first to go on stage to act her part with the child genius Wen Zhou.

    Fan Xiao Yao was watching her by the backstage.

    Despite using money to get the role, Chen Fanglin''s acting skills were great. She could get into the character just within a few minutes.

    "Mommy, are you still fighting with daddy?" The cold demeanor from earlier when Wen Zhou arrived was now gone. It was as if he turned to a normal kid.

    "What? No way. Your dad is the one fighting with me!" Chen Fanglin acted, crossing her arms.

    From the script, she learned that the main female lead was a spoiled girl who grew up from a rich family. After regaining her memories, it was only normal for her to act all spoiled again.

    Wen Zhou sighed heavily, he averted his gaze at her. He didn''t want to see his parents fighting at all so he displayed an awful look on his face, "You''re always fighting with dad..."

    Chen Fanglin approached Wen Zhou and smiled a bit, "It''s not like I wanted to fight with him... It''s a very complicated matter, baby."

    Chen Fanglin was following everything that was written in the script, even the emotions that were stated in it. She looked like a real mother but at that moment, Director Yu found something lacking as he continued to watch her act.

    Not long, others turn came and the emotions they acted were just the same with what Chen Fanglin did, except that, Chen Fanglin''s acting was a bit more motherly than the others.

    Fan Xiao Yao''s turn came. The Director and the Screenwriter has already a bored look on their faces. They weren''t expecting much from her anymore.

    Fan Xiao Yao bowed and as soon as she was given the go signal, she went into character.

    "Mommy, are you still fighting with daddy?" Wen Zhou''s acting we''re still on point even after repeating and getting bored of it.

    "What? No way..." Fan Xiao Yao trailed off. She looked away and pursed her lips, "Your dad is the one fighting with me..."

    Just like others, Wen Zhou watched how different she acted in the scene.

    She was giving off a different vibe too. It looked more like she too didn''t want to fight with her husband but she didn''t have a choice.

    "You''re always fighting with dad..."

    In the script, whenever the child caught his parents fighting, it would always look like the main female lead was starting it when in reality, she was just trying to talk things out with her husband.

    Fan Xiao Yao finally turned to Wen Zhou, she approached him like what the others did but then, she picked him up in her arms. "It''s not like I wanted to fight with him..." She hugged him close, and by doing that, she was able to hide the pained expression that surfaced on her face from him. "It''s a very complicated matter, baby..."

    Wen Zhou was surprised, it was different from the script but he knew that after years of acting, not everyone goes by the script. Besides, what she was doing was more appropriate than what was on the script.

    He wrapped his arms around her neck, hugging her back. It was as if he could feel how hurt she was from the hug so he ended up comforting her, "I''m always going to be by mommy''s side but I really hope mommy can get along well with daddy."

    He said the same lines on the script but because he was being led by Fan Xiao Yao''s acting, the feelings became different than what he would put earlier.

    After the scene ended, Fan Xiao Yao placed Wen Zhou down and smiled.

    "Ms. Fan, can you do scene 48 next?" Director Yu asked as if he wanted to confirm something.

    This time, the scene didn''t have Wen Zhou in it. Aside from that, it showed the main female lead''s cunning and devious side, totally the opposite of what she acted.

    Shi Enxi watched Fan Xiao Yao do the scene, she knew that she would do just fine since Fan Xiao Yao''s interpreting skills were on point.

    Fan Xiao Yao must have felt something lacking in the scene she performed earlier so she ended up doing it her way.

    Chen Fanglin was busy on her phone that she wasn''t able to see the act Fan Xiao Yao did. Fan Xiao Yao didn''t hold any importance to her, after all, she was confident that she will end up having the role.

    Chen Fangling''s manager arrived shortly after, she leaned and whispered, "Ms. Chen, everything is ready."

 Chapter 120 - I am not selling talent

    "My lady, your tea is ready."

    "Oh my, thank you."

    "Ah, how exhausting. I wonder why they always make me wait at the audition." Chen Fanglin sighed. She was sitting at the corner of the room and had two bodyguards serving her.

    "Even though Lady Chen''s appearance and skills clearly surpasses everyone else''s, you still have to accept these types of audition, my lady." Chen Fanglin''s manager, Qi Xiu said as she stood beside her.

    "I know right."

    Everyone was looking her way, stunned. They were waiting for the result of the audition.

    Fan Xiao Yao was sitting beside Shi Enxi quietly and was just looking at the script.

    Shi Enxi noticed how nervous she was. She sighed, "What are you so nervous about? You did great."

    "I''m just worried... That girl uses her family''s power, not her own. She has been always doing that. I can''t compete against money."

    That was what made Fan Xiao Yao give up whenever she was going against Chen Fanglin over a role they both wanted to have. Whenever she was about to move up in the industry, Chen Fanglin was always there to block and push her down.

    "Talent is something you can''t buy." Shi Enxi crossed her arms, resting her back against the chair. "You should stop having those negative thoughts. You are my artist, be more confident."

    She knew that there were times where Fan Xiao Yao''s depression could linger in her anytime and that she needed constant reassurance but it was starting to get on her nerve.

    "Understand, Xiao Yao? From the moment you became my artist, you''re not allowed to let others prey on you. Running away is not an option." She looked ahead. "I never have a weakling as my friend."

    "Xiao Xi..."

    "My, my, what is this? You''re giving her a pep talk?" Chen Fanglin walked towards them, a smirk on her lips. "You should have quietly withdrawn, Fan Xiao Yao. You really are annoying with that I-want-to-act attitude of yours. If not for your s.l.u.tty manager, you won''t be even able to reach where you are now."

    Fan Xiao Yao stood up and gave Chen Fanglin a sharp look. "I don''t mind you badmouthing me... but badmouthing Xiao Xi? Do you have a death wish?"

    The other artists around them started looking their way, wondering what kind of commotion they were making.

    Chen Fanglin scoffed, "Death wish? Shouldn''t it be the other way around?"

    Her bodyguards went and stood behind Chen Fanglin, they were all glaring down at Fan Xiao Yao. Just one word from their master, they would throw Fan Xiao Yao out of the place to humiliate her.

    Fan Xiao Yao gritted her teeth and clenched her fists.

    A soft laugh was suddenly heard from Shi Enxi who was quietly sitting. She stood up and smiled at Chen Fanglin, "Ms. Chen, I advise you not to make a scene here if you don''t want to be addressed as a ''Bully'' in tonight''s headlines. You''re Xiao Yao''s senior in this industry, should you be acting this way?"

    Chen Fanglin frowned and turned her gaze to some of the artists who were holding their phone. Even if their cameras we''re not pointing at her, who knows if someone was actually taking a video secretly?

    No matter how it looked like, Chen Fanglin was the one who started ''bullying'' Fan Xiao Yao.

    Chen Fanglin clicked her tongue and turned away without saying a thing, she went back to her seat.

    ...

    A check with a huge amount of money written was laying on a small coffee table. The judges that were there were starting at it, their eyes stuck on the paper.

    Just then, Wen Zhou placed his short legs on the table with a loud ''BAM'' which snapped everyone out.

    "Sorry, would you clear this garbage and get out of here?" Wen Zhou had an innocent smile on his lips but the air he was emitting was so heavy.

    The men that Chen Fanglin sent gulped nervously when they saw how scary the small boy was.

    "And pass this message to your missy. I am not selling talent." Wen Zhou added before he turned to the Producer. "Right, uncle?"

    "Of course, dear nephew." A blond-haired man who was sitting beside the boy said before he took a sip of his cup of tea.

    Ling Yao was one of Wen Zhou''s uncle, the chairman of the leading company in the entertainment industry, one of Ren Shiyuan''s close friends. The only reason why Wen Zhou agreed to be in the movie was that, together with Director Yu, Ling Yao went and asked him to be in it.

    "But Producer Ling, she is the daughter of the CEO of Chen Corporation, it will be a great opportunity to-"

    Producer Ling Yao turned his gaze to one of Chen Fanglin''s men who just spoke. "I am not going to repeat myself. We have already decided on an actress."

    ...

    "After saying that, he kicked us out of the room." The man said from the other line.

    Chen Fanglin tightened her hold on the phone. "Is that Producer an idiot?!"

    She was currently inside the women''s restroom, talking on her phone.

    "All of you, how can you retreat so easily?! Go back and convince them!"

    The plan to buy over the judges and the producer was a failure. She couldn''t sit still knowing that her usual plan was not working.

    Just then a knock was heard and her manager''s voice was heard from outside. "Ms. Chen, they will be announcing the results now."

    For some reason, Chen Fanglin was feeling so nervous.

    Ha! Her acting skills we''re still better than everyone, right? Why should she be worried? She was always better than Fan Xiao Yao. There was no way that Fan Xiao Yao can get the role from her.

    She went out of the restroom and went back to the room but when she did she was surprised by what she heard.

    "Ms. Fan Xiao Yao has been chosen for the main female lead. Thank you for participating in this audition."

    Shi Enxi patted Fan Xiao Yao''s shoulder, smiling at her. "Congratulations."

    Fan Xiao Yao was smiling happily at her, it was as if she still couldn''t believe that she got the role.

    Wen Zhou walked towards Fan Xiao Yao and smiled cutely at her, "Congratulations, big sister Yaoyao."

    Fan Xiao Yao turned to the little boy and was attracted by his cute and innocent smile. "Thank you, Little Zhou!"

    Shi Enxi turned to Wen Zhou with a blank look on her face. For some reason... She felt something similar from him. What was it?

 Chapter 121 - Chairman Shi is here

    Wen Zhou turned to Shi Enxi and tilted his head to the side in an adorable manner, "Yes?"

    Shi Enxi smiled at the boy, "Your acting earlier was pretty good."

    "Thank you." The boy simply said before he turned his gaze back to Fan Xiao Yao, "I look forward to working together with you, big sis Yaoyao."

    Shi Enxi''s brow twitched when she saw how the boy smoothly tried to ignore her.

    It was so obvious that he preferred talking with Fan Xiao Yao than her.

    Ah, now she knew why she felt something similar to him... The boy wasn''t as innocent as he looked. It was as if they were born from the same kind of devil.

    He looked so innocent, even his smile was adorable but... He knew how to use his craftiness and kept it hidden from others.

    Just when she was about to interrupt, her phone began ringing. She took her phone out and saw that it was Lu Mello calling her.

    "Ah, please excuse me." Shi Enxi walked away from the two before she answered the call. "Hello?"

    "Sweetheart, are you done with your work?" Lu Mello''s gentle voice was heard from the other line.

    Shi Enxi unconsciously smiled upon hearing his voice. "Yes. I''ll be going back to my office right now."

    "You can just tell me where you are, I''m going to pick you up."

    Now that she was no longer in disguise, she didn''t have to reject his offer.

    "No, just pick me up in my office. I just have to pick up a few doc.u.ments there. Hao Qiang is with me, so you don''t have to worry about anything."

    "Alright. I''ll see you at your office."

    "Your brother is with me."

    "Eh? He is?"

    Lu Mello handed the phone to Shi Yi.

    "I heard from Mello that you''ll be meeting Jiejie and Aunt Meimei, I want to come along." Shi Yi''s voice was heard from the other line.

    "But..."

    "You are going to tell Jiejie about our parents, right? I have to be there."

    Shi Enxi knew that after what happened, Shi Yi must have done his own investigation and just like her doubts about her parents'' death, she knew Shi Yi was also thinking the same this time.

    Aside from that, it was the same people who tried to kill Lu Weichun, how can he just sit still?

    "Alright..."

    "Xiao Xi, please take care."

    "Yes, you too, Gege."

    After the call ended, Shi Enxi went back and interrupted the two. "Xiao Yao, let''s go."

    "Okay. See you soon, Little Zhou." Fan Xiao Yao smiled, patting the boy''s head.

    Wen Zhou waved at her and watched them go. After they left, the innocent smile he had on his lips disappeared.

    Producer Ling went and approached him, "Let''s go, Wen Zhou. You still have to go and have dinner with your uncle Ren Shiyuan and his wife tonight."

    ...

    "Oh my gosh! Chairman Shi is here!"

    "Why is he here?"

    "He might have heard about Li Xixi, right? She''s Lu Mello''s mistress..."

    "Is he going to directly fire Ms. Li?"

    The staff were whispering to each other as they watched Shi Yi head to Shi Enxi''s office.

    When he entered the office, Shi Enxi was still not there.

    "Ms. Li has not yet arrived" Qiao Nuan, Shi Enxi and Fan Xiao Yao''s assistant politely said as she stood before him.

    "I see. I''ll just wait for my sister in her office." Shi Yi entered Shi Enxi''s office and waited inside.

    "Sister?"

    "His sister?"

    "So it''s true? Li Xixi is really Shi Enxi?"

    "No way!"

    Everyone who heard what Shi Yi said was so surprised. If she really was his sister then that meant, Shi Enxi was not a mistress but Lu Mello''s real wife!

    "Ha! I always knew that groundless rumor wasn''t true." One of the employees said.

    "Yeah, yeah. I heard that Ms. Li- I mean, Ms. Shi Enxi only disguised herself to check on our company."

    "I agree. If she didn''t do that, do you think trash like Hen Ruying would be found out?"

    Qiao Nuan sighed when she saw the employees started changing sides after knowing the truth.

    "Don''t you all have work to do?" Qiao Nuan scolded. "Chairman Shi is here. Work properly."

    The whisperings were quietened after Qiao Nuan''s scolding. She was still under Shi Enxi so it was only proper to follow what she said.

    ...

    Not long after Shi Yi''s arrival, Shi Enxi came with Fan Xiao Yao and Hao Qiang.

    Shi Enxi noticed the change in looks from the employees around her. Instead of disgusts that they showed early this morning, they were looking at her with respect.

    "Director Shi, your brother is waiting for you in your office." Qiao Nuan reported.

    Ah, so that''s why there was a sudden change in everyone''s look. Rumors do fly fast inside the company.

    She didn''t have to deal with them, especially when the only presence she needed to remove them was her brother''s presence.

    It was just a minor problem that didn''t need her attention that was why she was just ignoring them earlier.

    Shi Enxi entered her office and saw her brother sitting on the sofa.

    "Xiao Xi!" Shi Yi smiled upon seeing his sister. He stood up and was about to give her a hug but was stopped by Shi Enxi who reached out her hand and pushed his c.h.e.s.t lightly.

    "Chairman Shi, please behave yourself." She cleared her throat before she turned to Fan Xiao Yao. "You should go home. Qiao Nuan will drop you."

    Fan Xiao Yao giggled and found how adorable Shi Enxi was when she was feeling embarrassed. "Okay, but first..." She paused and turned to Shi Yi with a grin, "Long time to see, Gege."

    "It has been a long time indeed. I heard that you''ve been doing well here lately." Shi Yi smiled, giving Fan Xiao Yao a pat on her head.

    "We''re not here to hang out. Xiao Yao, go home. Also Chairman Shi, we still have an appointment with our sister and my mother-in-law, we can''t make them wait."

 Chapter 122 - Snow Orchid and Snowman

    "Lu Mello is waiting at the parking lot."

    "Why didn''t he come with you?" Shi Enxi asked, raising a brow.

    "Well... That''s..." He paused and looked ahead.

    Shi Enxi frowned, "What?"

    "You''ll see."

    As they went out of the building and headed to the parking lot, they saw Lu Mello leaning against Shi Enxi''s beloved car, the silver Bugatti.

    It has been a while since she has last seen and used the car. She has been so busy lately that the car she usually used whenever she was going to work was her usual low profile car. Aside from that, it was either she was dropped and picked by Lu Mello''s men that she wasn''t given a chance to enjoy using her baby.

    "Baby!" Shi Enxi rushed towards the car and hugged it. "Did you miss me? I sure did!"

    "..." Lu Mello was staring blankly at Shi Enxi. Wasn''t she supposed to greet and hug him first?

    He felt like it was the wrong choice to bring her car out.

    "Xi''er."

    Shi Enxi finally turned and gave her attention to her husband after hearing his voice.

    "Oh hubby, you''re also here!"

    I was standing here since earlier, alright?!

    He reached out and lightly pinched her cheek in annoyance.

    The moment she saw the car, everything was a blur for her, including her handsome husband!

    Since he wasn''t pinching her cheek that hard, she didn''t feel any pain. She ended up chuckling. She leaned and hugged him, "Hubby, don''t get jealous over a car."

    He raised a brow, "Who''s jealous?"

    "You are." She giggled lightly before tiptoeing and giving him a kiss on his cheek. She found it adorable whenever he was getting jealous over things that he shouldn''t be jealous too, especially when they were just things, not people.

    Ah, her husband loves her too much, doesn''t he?

    Shi Yi cleared his throat as if to remind them that he was still there with them. "We should go."

    "I''m driving!" Shi Enxi said excitedly.

    The colors in Lu Mello''s face was drained upon hearing her excited remark. "No."

    Shi Enxi furrowed her brows at him. "No?"

    "As long as you promise me to drive slow, then I will allow you." Even if he said that, he already handed the keys to her.

    "Slow is for the weak!" Shi Enxi w.h.i.n.ed, pouting.

    "Enxi." Lu Mello warned, crossing his arms.

    When Shi Enxi saw the look on his eyes, she knew that if she would continue to argue with him, he will probably confiscate her car.

    "But since I''m pregnant, it can''t be helped." She quickly added.

    And so in the end, Shi Enxi was the one who drove the car.

    Shi Yi was sitting at the backseat, alone.

    "How''s Weichun?" Lu Mello asked, starting a conversation with Shi Yi.

    "She''s doing well." Shi Yi has been visiting Lu Weichun every day to check on her despite having to face her father, Lu Yifeng.

    The securities in the Lu Residence became so right ever since what happened to Lu Weichun. Even Lu Xingyan was required to bring her bodyguards no matter where she went.

    "So Gege, who''s going to tell Jiejie about our parents?" Shi Enxi asked while she was driving.

    "Aren''t you going to tell her?"

    "Why me? I''m the youngest, you should be the one telling her. You''re older than me."

    Telling Li Bingbing about their doubts could be a little bit challenging for them since they were both afraid of their eldest sister.

    "Don''t you dare use that card on me, Xiao Xi."

    Shi Enxi grinned, "I just did, Gege."

    Shi Yi sighed heavily. He was just glad that Xia Meilin was going to be there with them. At least their backup was strong enough in case Li Bingbing will suddenly go wild...

    But they have to admit, having Li Bingbing with them was going to be a big help. It would become a lot easier for them because of their sister''s great skills.

    Li Bingbing may have tried to look into their parents'' accidents and may have found nothing back then but it was because of the people behind it.

    The people behind it were experts and they were able to cover their tracks proficiently.

    Upon reaching Lu Mello''s place, they saw Li Bingbing and Xia Meilin sitting on the sofa in the living room. Although there was an additional person in the room, it was Nian Jiezhen.

    "Finally, you''re here." Li Bingbing turned to them with a smile.

    "Jiejie." Shi Enxi went and gave her sister a hug. "I''m happy to see you here."

    Then she turned to Xia Meilin and gave her a hug as well. "Mother-in-law."

    "It''s been a while, Xiao Xi." Xia Meilin said softly, hugging her back. She leaned back and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, "It''s so nice to see you back with your beautiful black hair."

    Shi Enxi chuckled lightly, "I got tired of blonde hair."

    "Oh? You dyed your hair blond?" Nian Jiezhen blinked a few times, looking at them.

    "Yes, aunt Jiezhen." Shi Enxi went and hugged her as well. "It''s good to see you here."

    "I brought Zhenzhen along. I think that she''ll be of great help with cases such as this since she once worked with the FBI." Xia Meilin said, looking at her son.

    "Being a housewife is so boring. Taking care of loud children and such." Nian Jiezhen sighed.

    "You''ll get used to it." Li Bingbing chuckled.

    Nian Jiezhen: "I don''t think I''ll ever get used to it."

    "I heard that your second child is a boy, Aunt Zhen." Shi Yi went and took a seat beside his sister.

    "A boy as pretty as my husband." Nian Jiezhen gave out a helpless smile. "Xixi, I heard from Meilin that you''re pregnant."

    "Yes, I am." Shi Enxi placed a hand on her tummy. "I''m two months pregnant."

    "Have you checked on your baby''s gender yet?" Xia Meilin excitedly asked.

    Lu Mello went and sat on Shi Enxi''s other side, he held his hand and smiled, "Not yet."

    "I prefer giving birth without knowing my child''s gender yet for the excitement." Shi Enxi said with a smile.

    Li Bingbing: "Have you decided on a name?"

    Xia Meilin: "Oh! I want to name my grandchild!"

    Lu Mello cleared his throat, "W-we already have decided on a name, mom."

    "We did?" Shi Enxi turned to her husband, a bit surprised.

    Lu Mello knew that his mother''s naming sense was bad, if not for his father, he will never be able to change his name.

    "Yes, didn''t we decide that you''ll think of a boy''s name while I''ll think of a girl''s name?"

    "When did we-"

    "If we ever have a girl, I plan on naming her Xuelan 1 . Since we will be having the baby in Winter, I think it will for well with the name, don''t you think?" Lu Mello suggested.

    Xuelan was indeed a beautiful name. Shi Enxi never thought that Lu Mello was already thinking of a name for their child.

    "If the child is going to be a boy?" Nian Jiezhen asked, looking at the couple before her.

    "Xue... Xueren." Shi Enxi thought in a whim. "I think it will be adorable to name him Xueren. He''s going to be my little snowman."

    "It would be nice if both of you will have twins instead." Shi Yi chuckled.

    "Yes, there''s a high chance of having twins, especially in Mello''s genes."

    "That... The doctor said that it''s only one... He never mentioned about twins." Shi Enxi smiled a bit. It somehow made her worried when she thought of having twins.

    "Anyway, other than talking about my sister''s pregnancy, I''m pretty sure this is not the main reason why you called us here, Meimei. You said that you''ll tell me here." Li Bingbing didn''t hold back from being blunt. She placed her cup of tea on the coffee table before looking sharply at them. Xuelan= Snow Orchid

 Chapter 123 - Dada, I love you!

    With tension in the air that Li Bingbing was giving, Shi Enxi finally spoke up.

    "Before Wang Hao''s trial, I went to see him..." She paused, hesitating because of her sister''s heavy gaze. "During that time, he said something that caught my attention."

    "And what is it?" Li Bingbing asked, crossing her arms.

    "He sent our parents away. Although he didn''t give me a proper confession, I can feel it... Wang Hao and his wife, Shi Anhao are the ones behind our parents'' death!"

    "Is that so? Do you have any evidence to prove that?" Li Bingbing was rather calm when she asked the question. She took her cup of tea and took a sip from it.

    "I have sent my men to watch over Shi Anhao and her daughters. So far, we still don''t have anything against them." Lu Mello sighed. "We were hoping that you could help us with this."

    Shi Enxi nodded at her husband''s words. "The men who tried to kill Weichun... the ones who are after me could be the same people who were behind our parent''s death, Jiejie."

    "We don''t have much information about them. I tried asking your son, Liqin about it but he said that unless we give him their real names, he won''t be able to find anything about them."

    Li Bingbing raised a brow. That son of hers can''t find any information about those people?

    if it was Xia Liqin they were talking about, she couldn''t help but doubt it.

    Li Bingbing: "How about facial recognition?"

    Lu Mello: "Liqin said that the only possibility why they can hide is that... they have a hacker in their group."

    "Even if they have a hacker in their group, he couldn''t be better than Liqin right?" Xia Meilin knew how gifted Xia Liqin was. He inherited his techno-skills from Li Bingbing.

    "That boy has still so much to learn." Li Bingbing sighed.

    "If what you say is true, that Shi Anhao is behind your parent''s death and the people after you right now are working under her... I think there could be a possibility that they are a group of mercenaries." Nian Jiezhen finally spoke, looking at them. "I have looked on Lu Weichun''s case, and just like brother Yifeng said, they are good at what they are doing. I spoke to Weichun, it was risky of them to attack her in the hospital''s parking lot because of the surveillance camera."

    Lu Mello: "I''ve looked into it already. There was a glitch in the video and it didn''t show that my sister was attacked. They tampered on the cameras."

    "They know what they are doing. They are an organized group. They have planned everything out well that I can say. For them to be this good... it''s either they have been doing this kind of job for years or they are just that smart."

    Shi Yi: "What if it''s both? That''s going to be a pain in the a.s.s."

    Li Bingbing placed her cup of tea back on the table, "If it''s mercenaries we''re talking about, I know someone who can help. If those mercenaries are using fake names, I''m pretty sure they can''t change their faces."

    "I only have a photo of one member with me." Shi Enxi knew what her sister was talking about so she took her phone out.

    "Let me make a quick call." Li Bingbing dialed her husband''s number on her phone.

    ...

    Somewhere in Europe...

    A man wearing a black retro suit was standing in the middle, surrounded by dead bodies with one man, kneeling in front of him, begging to be spared.

    The strong scent of blood filled the place but that didn''t matter for the kneeling guy. The bone-chilling gaze that Lu Xian Yu was giving him was something that made his whole body shiver in fear.

    Lu Xian Yu''s eyes were hidden behind a pair of round sunglasses that mirrored the scene in front of him.

    "Please... Please don''t-''

    "Dada, I love you!"

    "I wuv you!"

    The man''s begging voice was suddenly interrupted by Lu Xian Yu''s loud ringtone.

    Yes, he was using his children''s cute voices when they were young as his ringtone.

    Lu Xian Yu took out his phone to check on who was calling him. When he saw that his wife was calling him, he raised his sunglasses up, resting it on his head before answering the call with a cheerful voice.

    "Sweetheart~ I''m so glad that you''re calling me right now! Did you miss me?

    "..." The guy on the ground was left speechless by Lu Xian Yu''s sudden change in attitude.

    "Are you busy?" Li Bingbing''s voice was heard from the other line.

    "No, I''m not doing anything important as of the moment."

    The guy was looking at Lu Xian Yu in disbelief and at the same time, he felt offended. He was begging for his life and yet it was not important for him?!

    "M-Mr. Lu, please let me go."

    As if suddenly remembering the guy on his knees, Lu Xian Yu sighed before saying, "Hang on, hon."

    He pressed his phone on his c.h.e.s.t before he turned to the guy, glaring at him. "It''s rude to interrupt."

    And with that, Lu Xian Yu finally shoots the guy dead before going back to his phone call. "Sorry about that. What were you saying again?"

    "I want you to look into someone also, the people related to her. I''ll be sending you her photo."

    "Her photo?" Lu Xian Yu ended up gulping nervously. Did he do something wrong again? He made sure not to approach any woman on his trip.

    Was it a photo of one of his exes in the past? Did one of them went and tried to pick a fight on her again?

    As if knowing what he was thinking about, Li Bingbing chuckled lightly and said, "Don''t worry, I wouldn''t be asking for your help if it was just one of your shitheads."

    "Then, what is it about?"

    "The woman in the photo that I am about to send you is a mercenary. Tell me if recognize her. If not, help me look into her."

    ''I don''t think that you will need my help in this, Bingbing."

    "Sadly, I do. You have more knowledge than me when it comes to this matter. Especially if a person is a mercenary."

 Chapter 124 - She did it on purpose

    Shi Yi was listening to Li Bingbing''s conversation with her husband. She was calmer than how he expected her to be... which is good.

    Li Bingbing was someone he never wanted to cross with. Even his sister, Shi Enxi didn''t want to do it.

    After the call ended, Li Bingbing turned her gaze to Shi Enxi. "Whether or not what you are saying about those merchants are true, I will still help you. I can''t allow anyone to bully my baby sister, right? As for Shi Anhao-"

    "Leave her to me, Jiejie." Shi Enxi interrupted. "She''s mine to play with."

    If there was anyone who Shi Enxi was willing to personally deal with, it was none other than Shi Anhao.

    "Alright. I''ll contact Mello once I''ve got something from Xian Yu."

    Lu Mello gave her a grateful nod, he turned to Nian Jiezhen, "Sister Zhen, I will need your help in looking deep into cases similar to this."

    ...

    Li Bingbing and the others stayed a bit longer and even joined Lu Mello and Shi Enxi for dinner. Nian Jiezhen and Xia Meilin left after dinner, but Li Bingbing stayed for a while longer.

    "Shi Yi, you can wait for me in the car, I have something to ask Enxi." Li Bingbing went and stood beside Shi Enxi.

    "Okay." Shi Yi went to his car and waited for her.

    "What is it, Jiejie?"

    Li Bingbing heaved out a heavy sigh before asking, "Have Mengjie contacted you?"

    "Mengjie?"

    She didn''t hear from Lu Mengjie for almost a year already. It was not unusual since she would go out of reach for months. If there was someone she would usually contact, it was none other than her half-brother, Xia Liqin.

    "No, she hasn''t contacted me. How about Liqin?"

    "Mengmeng would usually contact Qinqing every month but he isn''t receiving any calls from her, neither can he contact her. Xian Yu cannot find her and so do I. That girl is so good at hiding but I can''t help but get worried... What if something already happened to her?"

    "I''ll be more worried about the other person''s safety." Lu Mello chuckled a bit, "Mengmeng is... not easy to take care of."

    Li Bingbing raised a brow, "And what the hell do you mean by that, Mello?"

    "W-What he means is that... Mengjie is not someone easy to mess with, Jiejie. Also, she can''t just disappear from the face of the earth."

    "Her men doesn''t know where she is."

    "You asked them?"

    "Liqin did. Xian Yu is still looking for her." She sighed again. "That girl is in serious trouble once she comes home. I have already told Xian Yu back then not to spoil her so much."

    A small smile appeared on Shi Enxi''s lips, "I''ll contact you if I see her or if she calls me, Jiejie."

    "Thank you, Enxi. I should take my leave now."

    "Take care."

    After Li Bingbing left, Lu Mello brought Shi Enxi inside.

    "Mello, what do you think happened to Mengjie?" Shi Enxi was really close to Lu Mengjie since they grew up together. She also couldn''t help but get worried after what Li Bingbing said to her.

    "That... I really do not know. One thing I know, Mengmeng will show herself to everyone if she wanted to."

    ...

    Weeks passed ever since and the first day for the movie Fan Xiao Yao was in finally arrived.

    The shooting was going on smoothly, especially for Fan Xiao Yao. She thought that everything was going well but Wang Ansheng has something else stored for her.

    Fan Xiao Yao was wearing a long green dress, for the next scene. While heading to the scene, she suddenly felt the end of her dress being stuck on making her slip all of the sudden towards the props.

    "Watch out!"

    "Ah!"

    "Wen Zhou, are you alright?" Wang Ansheng rushed to the little boy''s side.

    It was a good thing that Wen Zhou was only a few feet away from the props that fell or else, he could have gotten an injury.

    "I''m fine."

    Wang Ansheng stood and looked at Fan Xiao Yao, scolding her, "Fan Xiao Yao, what are you doing? How did you manage to fall on such a smooth ground? Was this intentional?!"

    Fan Xiao Yao was surprised by the sudden turn of events, she quickly denied, "I didn''t do it in purpose."

    "Do you know how dangerous it was? Wen Zhou could have been got hurt!"

    Was... Wang Ansheng targeting her and making her look bad in front of the crew?

    Fan Xiao Yao knew that Wang Ansheng didn''t like her but does she have to go this far?

    Fan Xiao Yao bowed and apologized to a crew member, "I''m sorry for messing up the place."

    "Don''t worry, no one is hurt and nothing serious happened to the props..."

    "Who knows if she did it on purpose..." Wang Ansheng insisted.

    Could she be the one who stepped...

    Fan Xiao Yao''s eyes turned cold as she stood straight, "I don''t know how I suddenly tripped but I never did it on purpose."

    She looked around and smiled upon seeing a CCTV, "Look, this place has a camera, do you want to check out what really happened?"

    Fan Xiao Yao held her skirt and looked at the end, " I wonder why my dress has another footprint..."

    She turned her gaze back to Wang Ansheng who started to sweat coldly, "I sincerely apologized because I caused trouble to others but since you question the purpose of my falling down, shouldn''t we get to the bottom of this?"

    "Forget it, let''s not waste time and get to work." Wang Ansheng''s secretary interrupted.

    "S-she''s right, filming comes first." one of the crew members said.

    Qiao Nuan gritted her teeth as she watched Wang Ansheng go, she whispered, "Xiao Yao, you shouldn''t let that bitch go."

    "Never mind, Xiao Nuan. If she tries something next time, she won''t get away so easily. Besides, look at the way others are looking at her."

    No one spoke about it but the gaze that the crew members gave Wang Ansheng was enough to tell that they didn''t like her at all, after what happened. No matter how nice she would act towards others, it wouldn''t move their hearts knowing what kind of person she really was.

 Chapter 125 - Do you want to play with me?

    For the next few days, Shi Enxi was observing Ming Ren closely, just in case if she tried to contact her companions again.

    She has to admit, Ming Ren was really careful. She took jobs that she was given and she was slowly gaining popularity.

    Shi Enxi''s office...

    She was busy reading a bunch of paperwork that her brother, Shi Yi sent her.

    Shi Yi was supposed to be the bait but Chen Gao and his group didn''t make a move against him at all.

    Catching the culprits was harder than they thought. After Lu Weichun''s case, Chen Gao and his group were waiting in the shadows for the right moment, for the orders to abduct Shi Yi.

    A sudden ring was heard the made Shi Enxi snapped out of her thoughts.

    She looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Li Bingbing who was calling her. She placed the doc.u.ment she was reading on the table before she accepted the call.

    "Hello?"

    "I found them. Ming Ren''s real name is Jiang Yan. Her companion''s names are Chen Gao, who happens to be the leader of the group and Xin Jun, that bastard who graduated at Harvard University and is top of his class. No wonder his group is so hard to track on because of him."

    "Then should I-"

    A knock interrupted them and Ming Ren went in, "Director Shi, are you busy?"

    "Ming Ren, why don''t you take a sit first?" Shi Enxi intentionally mentioned her name for Li Bingbing to hear.

    "Enxi, I suggest you capture that bitch and use her against their group leader." Li Bingbing said through the other line.

    She chuckled softly, "Yes, we can schedule the meeting tomorrow, Mrs. Gu."

    "I''ll give the rest of the details to Mello, he''ll fill you up later."

    "I understand."

    Ming Ren was sitting still on the sofa, waiting for the call to end. She didn''t notice anything strange because of how smooth Shi Enxi was able to act on the phone.

    Hao Qiang entered the room and walked towards Shi Enxi, " Here''s the melon shake that you wanted, Director Shi."

    "Thank you." Shi Enxi accepted the drink before she turned to Ming Ren. " What brought you here, Ming Ren?"

    "I was wondering if it is alright to move all my appointments for Friday on the next day?"

    "And why is that?"

    "It''s my brother''s birthday... I was hoping to spend the day with him." She lied without even batting an eye.

    "His birthday? If that''s the case, I will clear your schedule for Friday." Shi Enxi turned to Hao Qiang and smiled, she finally gave him a signal by tapping her finger twice.

    "Thank you, Director Shi! I''ll make it up to you once I come back!"

    "You don''t have to. I would like to meet your brother but sadly, my schedule is full for Friday..."

    "That''s alright, I can introduce gege to you one day." Ming Ren stood up and bowed at her. "I should take my leave now."

    "Mm... Take care."

    The moment Ming Ren turned her back to them and was about to walk toward the door, Hao Qiang hit her nape to make her lose her consciousness. He caught her body in his arms.

    ...

    Ming Ren woke up, she found herself inside an empty room. She was sitting in the middle, her hands and feet tied against the chair.

    She tried to struggle but it was no use, she couldn''t even move her hands and feet.

    The last thing that she remembered was that she was about to leave Shi Enxi''s room but... She blacked out all of a sudden.

    Did Shi Enxi finally found out about her? No way... She has been so careful for Shi Enxi to notice anything wrong with her.

    The door of the room was slowly opened, revealing Hao Qiang, standing tall.

    "You..." She mumbled through gritted teeth.

    Hao Qiang just smiled before moving aside, allowing Shi Enxi to enter the room.

    "Finally, you''re awake, Ms. Jiang Yan."

    Ming Ren, who''s real name is Jiang Yan, was surprised upon hearing her real name. It has been a long while since someone last called her that way.

    "I-I don''t know what you''re talking about." Jiang Yan denied, averting her gaze from her. "Who''s Jiang Yan?"

    She turned to her with a confused look, "Director Shi, why are you doing this? Please let me go..."

    "Oh come on, Ms. Jiang. I heard that Ming Ren is the name of the girl Chen Gao loved." Shi Enxi approached her. She leaned and placed her hand on her shoulders. "Sadly, she died in an accident."

    She clenched her hands into fists upon hearing what Shi Enxi said but she refused to admit anything.

    "What are you talking about? I don''t know any... Please let me-ah!" She suddenly let out a groan in pain.

    Shi Enxi squeezed her shoulders, digging her nails against her in the process. Her dark look sent shivers over all Jiang Yan''s body.

    "Oops. Sorry." She finally let go of her shoulder. The dark look on Shi Enxi''s face disappeared and was replaced by a smile.

    "Please stop pretending, Ms. Jiang. Do you think someone insolent like you can deceive me?" She chuckled lightly.

    "Do you think someone like you can replace Ming Ren in Chen Gao''s heart just because you look like her? Does he even see you as Jiang Yan?"

    "Shut up!" Jiang Yan finally snapped out at her. "You don''t know anything!"

    Chen Gao was always kind at her, he was the one who saved her and gave meaning to her life. Because of Jiang Yan''s deep love for Chen Gao, she was willing to do anything for him, including her pretension as Ming Ren.

    A mischievous smirk appeared on Shi Enxi''s lips. She somehow looked like a fox that was up to something.

    "I don''t know anything?" She laughed lightly, "I do know something like... You''re just a sacrificial pawn for that bastard Chen Gao? Do you think that... He''ll come and save you? Ah, of course, he''ll try to save you. If not for your face, he''ll definitely just leave you to die."

    "That''s not true! F.u.c.k.i.n.g bitch! A s.l.u.t like you should rot in hell!"

    "Oh, are you insulting me?" She snickered. "Please try again. You can do better than that."

    Shi Enxi turned to Hao Qiang and took a syringe from him. She faced Jiang Yan, a bone-chilling smile plastered on her lips. "Jiang Yan, do you want to play with me?

    "Don''t worry, the rules are simple." She took off the syringe''s cap and went near to her.

    "N-no... D-don''t touch me!"

 Chapter 126 - Im not falling for that trick... again.

    He never expected her to be so... different. Hao Qiang once taught that Shi Enxi was a kind person who couldn''t even lift a finger to kill an ant.

    Oh yes, she wouldn''t kill an ant but she was going to kill a person!

    His Master, Lu Mello, will surely not allow it because of his work.

    "Madam, I think we should tell Mr. Lu that we have finally caught Jiang Yan." Hao Qiang suggested.

    "What? No way." She huffed. "He doesn''t need to know yet. I still want to play around with her."

    She looked at the glass window of the door. Inside, Jiang Yan was sitting in the middle, her face was wet with tears.

    She was mumbling something to herself as if she was saying something to convince herself. To keep her sane.

    Hao Qiang peeked and gulped a bit. He couldn''t help but get nervous after what Shi Enxi did. She gave Jiang Yan a drug that can cause hallucinations. The drug didn''t have a quick effect but while waiting for the drug to take effect, Shi Enxi has been feeding Jiang Yan''s mind with words that turned her to how she is at that moment.

    "But the poison..." Aside from the drug that was injected into Jiang Yan, she was also given a slow-reacting poison by Shi Enxi.

    "She''ll live for a week, don''t worry."

    Even if Shi Enxi told him not to worry, Hao Qiang couldn''t help but worry. If Lu Mello will know of it, he would definitely go against what Shi Enxi wanted to do.

    "If you tell my husband, I''m going to choke the life out of you." She turned and walked out of the place.

    "..." Hao Qiang instinctively touched his neck. For some reason, he felt like Shi Enxi would really do it if he disobeyed her.

    "Guard her well." She ordered the two men that she hired to watch over Jiang Yan and the place.

    ...

    Lu Mello''s Office:

    "Mrs. Lu, Chairman Lu is currently in a meeting. Please wait here." Liu Ying said after opening the door for her.

    He watched Shi Enxi walk towards the couch, "Would you like me to get you something? A drink? Food?"

    "No thanks. I don''t need any."

    "I''ll just be outside. Please let me know if you want something later."

    "Thank you."

    After Liu Ying left the room, Shi Enxi stood up and went towards Lu Mello''s desk.

    As she went and sat on the swivel chair, the first thing that caught her attention when she looked at the best was a framed photo of hers.

    In the picture, she was looking somewhere else and was smiling so sweetly.

    She took the picture frame to look closely at it. Ah... It was a stolen photo.

    The photo was taken during the time where Lu Mello gave her one of those limited edition bags that she has now.

    She realized that she never did have a decent photo with him. Just like him, she also has stolen photos of him, more on his sleeping face.

    She opened his laptop and saw that it was asking for a password.

    "Let''s see... If it''s him..." She paused to think.

    It was either their marriage date or her birthday. It could also be the first day they met.

    She decided to input their marriage date and tried it.

    "Oh, it''s right!" She chuckled. "He should put a stronger password."

    Shi Enxi started checking the folders on his laptop. It was mostly cased files and business files.

    "Boring." She sighed.

    "Ahem."

    Shi Enxi shot her head up, being startled by another voice.

    Lu Mello went walking towards her, "What are you doing?"

    "Checking your files." She honestly said, before she went back to check the other folders.

    "You''re touching my stuff without my permission." He stood behind her.

    "So? I am your wife. Everything of yours belongs to me."

    "Ah... I can''t argue with that, especially when I''m blessed with your presence." He chuckled. He leaned down to her level and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Well then, what are you doing here, Mrs. Lu?"

    "I came to pick you up." She finally turned to him and smiled. She stood up and wrapped her arms around his neck.  Shi Enxi gently leaned in and kisses Lu Mello''s warms lips. Unable to contain himself anymore, Lu Mello held her head in his hands and pulled her into a fiery and passionate kiss. Her hands worked their way around his body, feeling each crevasse, each line along his perfect physique.

    After who knows how long, they finally pulled apart and opened their eyes. They stared at each other, deep into each other''s eyes. Lu Mello''s full of wonder and love, Shi Enxi''s full of passion.

    Before Lu Mello could say a thing, Shi Enxi smirked, "We can''t. I''m pregnant and you''re never gentle on the bed so we can''t."

    Lu Mello''s face darkened at what she said. "I can be gentle."

    "Nope, not falling for that trick... Again." She huffed before she let go of him. "Anyway, I have a check up today. I want to know the gender of our baby."

    "Aren''t we going to wait until you give birth?"

    "We have to buy clothes and other baby stuff you know. Even if I have 5 and a half months left, we need to prepare the things."

    Lu Mello raised an amused brow at her. Knowing her, he couldn''t help but wonder why she was suddenly to it.

    He was happy to see her like this but something... He felt something strange.

    "Okay, what did you do this time?" Lu Mello inquired.

    The side of Shi Enxi''s lips twitched, her smile became stiff. "What do you mean? I didn''t do anything."

    "Enxi." Lu Mello crossed his arms and was looking closely at her.

    Seeing her reaction made him so sure that she definitely did something.

    "I really didn''t do anything, okay? Come on, let''s just go already. We''ll be late for my checkup." She turned and rushed out his office.

    Lu Mello narrowed his eyes as he watched her go.

    He was about to follow but then, he suddenly noticed something.

    The bodyguard he assigned for her... Where was he?

 Chapter 127 - Youre lucky that I love you

    Lu Mello and Shi Enxi were looking at the monitor and they could see the heartbeat from there.

    Shi Enxi was already 3 months and a half pregnant, her baby bump was growing well.

    "Congratulations Mr. Lu, Mrs. Lu, you''re having a girl." The doctor said with a pleasant smile.

    That is when it hit her, she really is truly becoming a mother.

    She refused to see their child for the past months since she felt like she was not ready to have more attachment towards the baby.

    She has to admit that there were times where she was being so careless that if not for Lu Mello or Hao Qiang''s reminders, she might have already lost the baby.

    Thinking of losing the baby made her c.h.e.s.t tightened. She didn''t want to lose the baby. No, it wasn''t because of wanting to please Lu Mello anymore. This time, it was because of her genuine feelings for their child.

    "A girl..." Shi Enxi''s eyes that we''re locked on the monitor softened. She turned to Lu Mello and smiled sweetly at him. "We''re having a girl, Mello."

    Lu Mello gently smiled back at him. He was holding her hand the whole time and the warmth from it was spreading throughout his body. "I bet she''ll be so pretty like you."

    "Of course she''ll be."

    "Just continue on eating healthy food and have a proper rest for your body. From what I see, the baby is growing healthy. I advise you to avoid things that can be stressful for you and your child, Mrs. Lu." The doctor turned to Lu Mello, "You too, Mr. Lu, please don''t stress your wife. Both of you should work together and continue to be careful for the sake of the child."

    "I understand." He stroked Shi Enxi''s knuckles with his thumb, looking at his wife with unreadable eyes.

    ...

    "We still have time to go to the mall." Shi Enxi grinned happily at him, let''s check and buy some things for our daughter.

    "Okay." Lu Mello was looking ahead, driving at a slow speed.

    Shi Enxi noticed Lu Mello''s unusual behavior at her. He seemed to be fine while they were with the doctor earlier so why did his attitude suddenly change?

    "Mello, are you alright?" She reached out to check his temperature on his neck.

    "I''m fine." He smiled a bit. "By the way, where is Hao Qiang, Xi''er?"

    "Ah, Hao Qiang? I made him go home today. I have a few days off so I''ll be at home."

    Lu Mello sighed heavily, "I don''t like it when you lie to me, Enxi. Me of all people."

    Shi Enxi pursed her lips upon hearing his words. Did Hao Qiang tell him about what she did?

    "Ming Ren... No, Jiang Yan, you brought her somewhere, right?"

    Shi Enxi clenched her fists.

    So Hao Qiang really did tell him! That son of a bitch!

    "He told you?" She finally asked, looking at him. It was no use lying around him anymore especially when he already found out.

    "I asked him. Also what you did to her."

    She huffed, not hiding her malice towards Jiang Yan anymore. "So? She needs to know who she''s messing with."

    "You know that I''m a person under the law. I can''t let you do something like that."

    "Then turn a blind eye to it just like what you do to Brother Xian Yu." She crossed her arms and was pouting.

    "Uncle Xian Yu is a different case. Even if I know, I am not allowed to go after him."

    "I''m your wife, why won''t you allow me?"

    He parked the car on the side of the street before he turned to look at her with a troubled expression on his face. "That''s the point, you are my wife. I am working with the police."

    "Do you expect me to be a good wife then? Here''s what, Mr. Lu. You married me and you know that I am not that good of a person so work with it." She ended their argument when she turned away from him.

    No matter how it looked like, Shi Enxi was not going to listen to his argument anymore.

    "Xi''er." He heaved out another sigh. It was really hard for him to allow her to do things she wanted especially if it''s killing someone.

    "How about this? You can do whatever you like with that woman except for killing her?" Lu Mello tried to convince her into an agreement.

    Shi Enxi lowered her gaze and was quiet for a while.

    Lu Mello couldn''t read her since he couldn''t see her expression.

    A soft chuckled was suddenly heard from her, "Heh... You really don''t want me to kill?"

    She looked at him, it was as if her eyes could lit up a dark room. She languidly continued, "You''re right, I can''t dirty my hands."

    Lu Mello finally sighed in relief. Thinking that he was finally able to convince her.

    "I should let someone else do it."

    "..."

    It was amusing to see the sudden change in Lu Mello''s expression. She was not serious with it, she only wanted to tease him a bit.

    She decided not to kill Jiang Yan for the sake of her husband but it doesn''t mean, she''ll give her an easy time.

    When Lu Mello noticed Shi Enxi''s face filled amus.e.m.e.nt, he narrowed his eyes.

    "You''re adorable, darling." She giggled lightly, giving his cheek a pat. "We should get going, we still have to buy things for our baby girl."

    "You''re lucky that I love you or else I won''t be tolerating this." He huffed before he faced ahead and started driving the car again, heading to a Mall.

    "I love you too, darling." Shi Enxi was clearly enjoying her moment with her husband. Being with him really brightened her mood.

    She was glad that she married him, that she was able to have him for herself.

    Thinking back to the things they have been through before their relationship started, she found it funny, especially during the times where she tried to push him away.

    Ah... Instead of pushing him away, she ended up being pulled by him.

 Chapter 128 - He never loved you

    Somewhere in Beijing Northern District...

    "Xin Jun, have you heard anything from Ming Ren?" A mature looking man entered a dark room.

    The only source of light came from a monitor and a keyboard that Xin Jun was using.

    "No, not yet. Don''t worry about her, she''ll surely be here in the afternoon." The bulky looking man sighed, "If you''re so worried about her, why don''t you go and pick her up? I''m busy keeping an eye at that Shi Yi."

    Chen Gao turned away and left the room without saying another word at him.

    They have been keeping in contact with their benefactor for a while now concerning their target, Shi Yi.

    Even if Shi Yi looked so easy to handle, Chen Gao didn''t want to make a move yet ever since they found out Lu Weichun was actually alive.

    He was sure that the Lu family was already looking for them. Going out and attacking Shi Yi carelessly could be hard. What if he was being watched secretly?

    Unlike Shi Yi who was an easy target, Shi Enxi was harder to approach all because Lu Mello''s men were guarding her well.

    Shi Yi wasn''t their main target, it was Shi Enxi. The hatred their backer has for Shi Enxi was so much that they were ordered to get everything done by this month.

    It takes time and effort to scheme against someone''s death. Especially if he wanted to make it look like an ''accident''.

    His only chance was to use Jiang Yan as a bait to lure Shi Enxi out from the guards around her.

    *Ring* *Ring*

    Chen Gao snapped out of his thoughts when he heard his phone ring. He looked at the caller ID ''Ming Ren'' on his phone''s screen. His eyes softened upon seeing the name.

    "Ming Ren?" He answered the call.

    "Brother Chen..."

    Chen Gao''s eyes turned cold upon hearing the voice from the other line.

    Yes, the only thing that kept him reminding that Jiang Yan was not Ming Ren was all because of her raspy voice.

    "Where are you? Have you forgotten what day it is today? Tch, Ming Ren is not a forgetful person."

    Hearing Chen Gao''s indifference in the tone of his voice, the more Jiang Yan became depressed. "I''ll meet you there in an hour."

    "You better come quicker than that. Also, I sent you a dress in your place yesterday, wear it. Make sure to keep it clean and neat. That dressed belonged to Ming Ren."

    "Yes."

    ...

    Inside a neat looking apartment, Jiang Yan was sitting on a sofa and was looking blankly at the phone after the call.

    Shi Enxi kept the phone and smirked, "Ming Ren this, Ming Ren that... He never gets tired in-"

    "Stop it."

    Shi Enxi raised a brow, looking at her.

    "I don''t want to hear that bitch''s name ever again." Jiang Yan spat coldly.

    "Ah, my poor Jiang Yan." Shi Enxi went and gently stroked her hair. "You deserve better than that man. See? I told you, all he cares about is his dead fiance. He may have saved you in the past but that isn''t the truth, you know that."

    Jiang Yan''s parents were killed by Chen Gao''s men. They were supposed to kill her too but after Chen Gao saw her resemblance with his diseased fiance, he decided to take her in.

    At first, Jiang Yan never knew that it was actually Chen Gao''s men who killed her parents. She has always thought that it was someone else. He even killed those members for her just to make her believe his lie.

    Shi Enxi was the one who gave her all the evidence that those men were actually working under Chen Gao, that they were ordered to kill her family.

    "He never loved you." Shi Enxi whispered poisonous words in her ear. "If he did love you for who you are, he will never use you as a bait for me. He will never put you in harm''s way."

    Shi Enxi turned to Hao Qiang, "But here is a man, who loves you for who you are not because of being ''Ming Ren''. You don''t have to pretend in front of him."

    Jiang Yan raised her head and turned to Hao Qiang''s gentle gaze.

    ...

    Five days ago, after Shi Enxi left that old and cold abandoned place, Jiang Yan was left with Hao Qiang as her guard.

    Of course, Hao Qiang wouldn''t go against Shi Enxi''s orders even if he wanted to tell Lu Mello about what happened.

    To his surprise, later that day, Lu Mello called him and even ordered him to tell everything that Shi Enxi did that day.

    After receiving an order from Lu Mello to give Jiang Yan an antidote for the poison that Shi Enxi gave, he went to do what he was ordered to do.

    Later that night, he received a specific order from Shi Enxi.

    He didn''t have a choice but follow every instruction she gave him.

    He released Jiang Yan and brought her to his place.

    Of course, after gaining her strength back, Jiang Yan tried to escape Hao Qiang''s place but failed. She tried to find ways to contact Chen Gao but she wasn''t given a chance to do so.

    Hao Qiang never beat her no matter how many times she tried to escape from him within a day. He remained calm and was treating her well even after she was treating him badly.

    In the end, when nothing seemed to work, she tried talking things out to Hao Qiang.

    In the end, she was not able to convince him but within that short time, everything went according to Shi Enxi''s plan.

    The night before Shi Enxi came and Lu Mello came, Hao Qiang ''confessed his love'' for Jiang Yan, that he has already started liking her from afar before Shi Enxi even ordered him to capture her.

    At first, Jiang Yan didn''t believe him. Her love for Chen Gao was deep... at least that was what she thought.

 Chapter 129 - Hes sick

    "Do you know that he even called my husband just to give you the antidote? He went that far, just so that you can live." Shi Enxi said besides Jiang Yan and held her hand. "You don''t know how much I wanted to kill him for telling my husband about it. If not for my husband''s kindness, Hao Qiang will be long dead."

    Shi Enxi saw Jiang Yan''s complicated look and just like what she wanted, the concerned look on her eyes was enough to get things according to her plan.

    It was scary... Shi Enxi''s mind games we''re scary to the point of even making Jiang Yan believe that Hao Qiang actually liked her when in reality, he was just ordered by Shi Enxi to lie.

    Lu Mello knew that Shi Enxi was playing with fire by trying to deceive Jiang Yan. If Jiang Yan found out the truth behind Hao Qiang''s ''feelings'', things could go wrong.

    Jiang Yan is one of their important cards to get to Chen Gao and Xin Jun. Once she agreed on being their spy, it would be easier to gather evidence against Shi Anhao would be next.

    "I know that what I did to you was wrong but it was all to protect myself and the child I am carrying. If I allowed you to do what you want... You would have killed me, right?" This time Shi Enxi was putting another act.

    Jiang Yan finally faced Shi Enxi.

    She was right, if Shi Enxi didn''t capture her first, she would have killed her already... Under Chen Gao''s orders of course.

    "Besides, we wouldn''t have found out the truth behind your parents'' death if things didn''t go like this."

    "Get straight to the point." Jiang Yan stared blankly at her.

    She was still mad at Shi Enxi and she still hated her after what she did to her. Aside from that, she almost became crazy. If not for Hao Qiang who was loyal to Shi Enxi, she would have attacked the bitch the moment she saw her earlier.

    "We want you to be our spy against Chen Gao." Lu Mello finally spoke up.

    Jiang Yan turned to Lu Mello, a frown on her face. "Why should I work for you?"

    "Chen Gao killed my parents. You know that." Shi Enxi paused, "He also killed your family, including your siblings, right?"

    Jiang Yan wasn''t working with Chen Gao yet during the time where her family was killed. She was still leading a normal life so she really didn''t know much about anything that happened before she joined Chen Gao''s group.

    "Alright. I''ll help you in one condition."

    ---

    "Are you sure that we can trust her?" Lu Mello asked while he was driving, heading back home.

    "I don''t trust her at all but we Hao Qiang to watch over her."

    Lu Mello sighed, "I can''t believe that you forced Hao Qiang into something like that."

    "He said that he didn''t mind it." She smirked, "Besides, he''s as.e.x.u.a.l, right? He seems to be doing well in making Jiang Yan believe that he''s really into her."

    Lu Mello chuckled lightly, "He had his share of relationship in the past."

    "He does seem to be the player type..." Shi Enxi paused, she looked at Lu Mello in surprised. "He''s been in relationsh.i.p.s?"

    "Hao Qiang''s my roommate during college."

    Lu Mello and Hao Qiang seemed to be at the same age. But how did Hao Qiang ended up working under Lu Mello?

    As if knowing what Shi Enxi, Lu Mello continued, "Hao Qiang''s family worked under the Lu family for a long time. His father is my grandfather''s right-hand man while his mother was the head maid during my grandmother''s time. I was only able to meet Hao Qiang after visiting my great grandfather''s place during my younger days."

    ...

    Arriving at their place, Mo Jing greeted them from the entrance.

    "Welcome back Mello, Xixi. Your grandma, Jing Yue is here."

    "Grandmom is here?" Lu Mello was surprised by his grandmother''s sudden visitation.

    "It''s been so long since I last saw mother-in-law." Shi Enxi excitedly smiled.

    Mother-in-law?

    Mo Jing turned to Shi Enxi in confusion. Shouldn''t she address Jing Yue as grandmother too?

    Lu Mello chuckled lightly, "Xi''er is Aunt Bingbing''s sister so I guess, it is only right that she address grandmom like that."

    He turned to Shi Enxi and smirked, "Should I call you Auntie?"

    Shi Enxi frowned deeply, "Quit it. I''m too young to be called that way. Besides, you''re way older than me, dear husband."

    "Finally, both of you are here." Jing Yue stood up and a gentle smile was plastered on her lips after seeing the two enter the living room.

    Shi Enxi met Jing Yue a few times during her younger years, it was during the times where Jing Yue would visit Lu Xian Yu''s family.

    Jing Yue went and gave Lu Mello a hug before she turned to Shi Enxi and hugged her as well. "It''s so great to see that my two beloved children are together."

    Shi Enxi smiled, "You should have told us that you are coming here."

    "It won''t be a surprise anymore if I did. Oh my! Look at this!" Jing Yue placed a hand on Shi Enxi''s tummy. "What a beautiful baby bump. I heard from Meimei that you and Mello are expecting a girl. Have you decided on a name?"

    "We''re planning to name her Xuelan." Lu Mello said with a soft smile.

    "Xuelan? That''s a beautiful name."

    "It''s almost time for dinner, you should join us, grandmom." Lu Mello invited.

    "Sure, sure. I''ll be going to Bingbing''s place after dinner."

    "Ah, won''t you be staying here for the night?" Shi Enxi asked, hugging Jing Yue''s arm.

    "I can''t sweetheart. I have already promised Bingbing that I''ll be staying in her place. Besides, my son, Xian Yu is sick, I have to check on him."

    Lu Mello and Shi Enxi was startled by the news that they ended up asking at the same time, "He''s sick?"

    "Yes. I hope Mengmeng can come back for her father''s sake. She''s Xian Yu''s little girl, I heard that he''s been looking for her for a year now and yet, there''s no news about her. Even I am starting to get worried."

 Chapter 130 - Midnight snack

    Shi Enxi and her husband learned that Lu Xian Yu was only having a fever but Li Bingbing was already making a fuss over it.

    It was most likely because of what she experienced back then. Shi Enxi knew that her sister wouldn''t be able to sit still or sleep well because of how worried she was whenever her children or husband was having a fever.

    She took care of her first late husband, Xia Sinian, who died because of sickness so it was hard for Li Bingbing to see one of her loved ones getting sick.

    Xia Meilin or Jing Ruo would usually come over to assist Li Bingbing in taking care whenever someone in her family has a fever.

    Jing Ruo left after spending her dinner with Lu Mello and Shi Enxi.

    Inside their bedroom...

    "We should visit your sister tomorrow." Lu Mello suggested, looking at Shi Enxi''s worried face.

    "Okay."

    He reached out and held her hand when he saw that she was still in a daze, her mind flying somewhere. "Xi''er... Don''t worry, your sister will be fine."

    "I''m also worried about Mengjie... Do you think something bad happened to her?" Shi Enxi finally turned her gaze to him.

    "I don''t know. We can only wait for her to show up."

    Lu Mello leaned forward and kissed her. "Don''t worry about others, okay? Give me all your attention tonight."

    She pouted, looking at him. "Tch, you''re being such a big baby right now, wanting my attention..."

    "Now I''m a big baby?" He chuckled lightly. "Let''s see if you can still say that after I''m done with you."

    When he leaned and kissed her again, she kissed him back with more fervor. Shi Enxi reached out her hands, running them slowly up into his wavy hair and down over his thick shoulders and along his strong arms and around to his brawny back, holding his gorgeous male body against hers.

    The way his kiss deepened made her feel like she was about to melt. She felt his tongue inside her mouth, exploring every side.

    She only pulled away when she was out of breath. Instead of stopping, Lu Mello bowed his head, placing his lips on the crook of her neck.

    "M-Mello... " Shi Enxi breathed out, she was panting lightly because of the kiss. "We can''t."

    "I''ll be gentle." He whispered. She could feel his warm breath against her skin.

    Shi Enxi didn''t want to believe him but the heat she was feeling, also with the hormones working on her, it was really hard not to give in to her urges.

    When he kissed her lips again she found herself carried away by a fantasy of such pure ego that she could hardly admit even to herself that she was truly enjoying it, wanting him to do more for her.

    "Damn you."

    She pushed him down the bed. Standing at the foot of the bed, she began taking off her clothes. First, she undid her shirt, button by button, taking her time. Underneath she had on a skimpy black bra, her b.r.e.a.s.ts swelled from the confines of the lacy garment.

    Her skin was flawless and watching her undress in front of him was already making him hard. He wanted to have her so badly.

    She went and sat on his l.a.p, this time, she undid his shirt.

    "Be gentle, okay? It''ll be bad for our baby if you lose control."

    "I know... But what can I do? You make me lose control." He leaned and placed soft kisses on her shoulders.

    She looked at him, raising a brow. "If you''re just going to end up losing control then let''s not do it."

    "No, no, no. I promised to be gentle." He held her close, refusing to let go of her.

    Shi Enxi sighed heavily giving in to him.

    He kissed her once again, little by little, the kiss was going deeper and deeper. She could feel how she was being infiltrated little by little, his hand traveled towards her back, I hooking her bra, while the other assisted her waist.

    The room was filled with an ambiguous atmosphere as they continued on their heated activity until both of them were n.a.k.e.d in the room.

    Becoming impatient, Lu Mello finally slipped himself inside her.

    Just like he promised, he was slow, rhythmic, gentle, moving in and out of her.

    The sweet spasm went through her. It has been a while since she has felt the same p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e from Lu Mello and she wanted more, she was greedy for more.

    He saw it in her eyes. He is a man who would mostly give in to his wife''s d.e.s.i.r.e. Having the same d.e.s.i.r.e as her, he happily obliged.

    He made sure not to get too rough with her. The night was long, doing a few more rounds wasn''t a problem but Lu Mello knew that he has to make her rest.

    At the end of their tiring activity, Shi Enxi was lying close to him, too tired to even get up and wear her clothes.

    Lu Mello was lying down beside her and was looking at the ceiling, feeling content with what happened. "You can visit your sister next time."

    "Mm... I''ll do that..." She whispered sleepily. She only wanted to sleep at that moment to ease her aching body.

    Why does her body need to ache every time they did it together? Was Lu Mello too strong for her or was she too weak to handle it?

    Her stomach grumbled in the middle of the night, just when she was about to sleep.

    Lu Mello turned to her after hearing it, "Are you hungry?"

    Shi Enxi was blushing in embarrassment, not wanting yo admit that she was. It was so unladylike to have her stomach grumble that loud.

    Another grumble was heard from her which made Lu Mello chuckle. He sat up and looked at her, "Let me guess, melon?"

    Shi Enxi looked at him, nodding shyly, "Yes please..."

    He leaned and kissed her forehead before he got out of the bed. He took his clothes and wore them. "Let''s have our midnight snack, shall we?"

 Chapter 131 - Calm down?

    Lu Xian Yu was lying down on his bed, covered with thick blankets and he was looking so pale because of his fever.

    Li Bingbing was sitting on the chair beside their bed, she was holding his hand, her eyes filled with worry. The doctor has already checked up on him and told her that he was just having a high fever and that he was no longer in danger from the poison that entered his body.

    He prescribed medicines for him but despite that, Li Bingbing still wanted to bring her husband to the hospital just to be sure.

    She finally stood up and was about to get her phone when she suddenly felt Lu Xian Yu''s hold on her hand tightened. "Don''t... It''s just a fever..."

    She gritted her teeth as she looked at her stubborn husband, "How many times do I have to tell you to stop looking for fights! Now look at you, you''re so sick! The poison could have killed you!"

    Just like what she said, while Lu Xian Yu was looking for his daughter, he met people that wanted his life and while traveling places, he got poisoned by one of those that were after him.

    "Madam, your sister, and her husband are here." A butler announced from outside of the room.

    Li Bingbing was still glaring at Lu Xian Yu for a while.

    Lu Xian Yu smiled a bit with a helpless look in his eyes, "I''ll make it up to you..."

    "Just make sure you do." She turned away and left the room.

    ...

    In the living room...

    "We brought some fruits for brother Xian Yu. We heard what happened from his mother." Shi Enxi gave her a basket of fruits.

    Li Bingbing sighed, "That stubborn jackass just won''t quit."

    Shi Enxi saw how tired Li Bingbing was. Her face showed how worried she was for her husband despite her sharp words towards him.

    "Mom, I found her." A man with messy hair and obvious eye and under his eyes entered the room. The man turned his blank eyes towards Shi Enxi and Lu Mello. "Oh... We have visitors."

    Shi Enxi: "You found her?"

    Xia Liqin nodded a bit, "Yeah... She''s in Japan."

    Li Bingbing sighed heavily, "And I still have to deal with a troublesome daughter." She turned to Xia Liqin, "Qinqing, schedule me a flight tonight."

    "I... don''t think that you''ll be able to drag her a.s.s home, mom." Xia Liqin was hesitant about whether to tell his mother the situation of his sister. He, himself, was surprised after learning Lu Mengjie''s situation.

    Li Bingbing raised a brow, "And why is that?"

    "It''s better if we hide her... Si Hongqi will seriously go mad if he found her..."

    Shi Enxi furrowed her brows upon hearing what Xia Liqin said. Si Hongqi is Lu Mengjie''s fiance and he is known to be a calm and collected man. She never saw him get furious despite how much Lu Mengjie did crazy things.

    "Is she... pregnant?" Shi Enxi asked curiously. "With another man''s child?"

    Yes, that could be the only reason to pull out the devil inside Si Hongqi.

    Lu Mello and Li Bingbing were surprised by what Shi Enxi said.

    "Pregnant with another man''s child?" Lu Mello repeated, looking at Shi Enxi in confusion.

    Shi Enxi grew up together with Lu Mengjie so she knew what kind of person she was and also the people around her. Lu Mengjie was basically her best friend if she has to put their close relationship into words.

    "Is that true, Liqin?" Li Bingbing questioned her son with a stern look plastered on her face.

    Xia Liqin averted his eyes from his mother. He knew that his sister was surely going to get it from their mother this time. He didn''t have a choice but to tell his mother the rest, "Worse... She is already married. She gave birth two months ago."

    Li Bingbing''s face darkened. Everyone in the room could feel the temperature drop.

    ''Ah! Mother is turning into a dragon! She''s turning into a dragon!'' Xia Liqin feared his mother more than he feared Lu Xian Yu. He ended up hiding behind Shi Enxi.

    Shi Enxi was also nervous, if there was someone she feared the most, it was her sister. She was definitely scary when angry. She was the only person she was willing not to mess up with.

    Lu Mello was looking at the two who were like scared kittens upon seeing how angry Li Bingbing was.

    Well... He was the only brave one in the room to speak up after seeing how monstrous she became. She looked like she was about to skin a bitch.

    "Sister Bingbing, please calm down."

    Li Bingbing turned her sharp gaze to Lu Mello, she smiled at him but despite that smile, the whole room was still under pressure. "Calm down? I''m calm right now, Mello."

    But despite saying that, she was itching to destroy the room out of her anger.

    "Mengjie must have a reason behind why she hid this from everyone." Lu Mello continued.

    Li Bingbing smirked, "Oh, I would love to hear her reason."

    "Liqin." She turned to her son. "Prepare for a flight tonight. We''re going to pick up your sister."

    "I''m-" Xia Liqin''s voice squeaked. A blush appeared on his cheeks out of embarrassment. He was a man with a deep voice and yet he squeaked in front of others. He cleared his throat and tried his best to sound calm, "I''m coming?"

    "Of course, sweetheart. You''re coming with me."

    Xia Liqin turned to Shi Enxi as if asking for help.

    Shi Enxi placed her hand on his shoulder and with her gaze, she told him, ''You have to go or else, who will stop Jiejie from beating Mengjie?''

    Despite not saying anything, Xia Liqin was able to understand her gaze. He wanted to cry. If he tried to stop Li Bingbing, he might end up being beaten as well.

    Shi Enxi definitely didn''t want to deal with their problem. She has enough problems to take care off and she definitely didn''t want to add another one.

    ''Sorry Mengjie, it looks like I won''t be able to help you this time.''-Shi Enxi

 Chapter 132 - Time is money

    "Enxi, you''re coming with us." Li Bingbing said, turning to her sister.

    "Eh? Why should I come?" Shi Enxi couldn''t help but ask.

    Why was her presence needed?

    "My wife is pregnant, sister Bingbing." Lu Mello interrupted.

    Li Bingbing raised a brow, "And so? No one said that a pregnant woman can travel."

    Shi Enxi ended up gulping nervously, "I don''t think you will need my help, sister."

    "I need a distraction to catch my prey."

    If Lu Mengjie found out that Li Bingbing was in the country, there was a high possibility that she would end up running away instead of the moment she sees her.

    Shi Enxi was her daughter''s best friend so she was the perfect bait.

    Lu Mello was against the idea, "But-"

    "How about you think of it this way, Mello? If Enxi is with me, the men after her wouldn''t be able to follow her. She''ll be safer if she is out of the country. You can take care of Chen Gao and his men without worrying about your wife."

    "Jiejie," Shi Enxi frowned. She wanted to deal with Chen Gao herself, after all, he was the one who killed her parents.

    On the other hand, Lu Mello was somehow convinced by Li Bingbing''s words.

    When Shi Enxi saw the look on her husband''s face, her frown went deeper.

    "No, I''m staying."

    He reached out and held her hand, "Your sister is right, Enxi."

    "But Mello..."

    "I''ll capture Chen Gao for you and after that, you can do whatever you want to him."

    She pursed her lips, "You can''t give him to the police."

    "I know. I''ll send my own men to get him."

    As long as Chen Gao wasn''t killed by his wife, he can always put him to jail after her interrogation.

    In the end, Shi Enxi didn''t have a choice but to agree with Lu Mello "Fine... I''ll go then."

    Lu Mello turned to Li Bingbing, "How long are you planning on staying in Japan?"

    Because of Lu Xian Yu''s situation, Li Bingbing didn''t want to stay long in that country, "As soon as possible."

    "No, you have to stay there at least a week or two, until Chen Gao is caught."

    "Liqin can stay with her but I''ll be coming back with Mengjie as soon as possible."

    Lu Mello nodded at the plan. He turned at Xia Liqin and saw his frowning face.

    "You have to pay me up. I''m going to be babysitting your wife you know."

    Shi Enxi and Li Bingbing turned to him.

    "I''m not staying there with her if I''m not going to get paid. Time is money." Xia Liqin pouted, crossing his arms.

    Lu Mello ended up chuckling, "Fine, fine, how much?"

    Shi Enxi: "You''re going to pay him?"

    "5M per day," said his cousin, showing his five fingers at him.

    Shi Enxi''s brows ended up furrowing together, "That''s too expensive!"

    "No, it''s not. You are pregnant. I have to follow you around. It''s going to be tiring so 5M is a reasonable price," explained Xia Liqin.

    He was the type of person who liked staying inside his rooms for days to play his games. He would only go out of his cave whenever he has to meet his business partners but aside from that, most of the fieldwork was done by his assistant. Company meetings were usually done by video calls. A total introvert.

    Because of his prowess, he was monitoring his workers'' moves from his cave, making sure that they were doing their jobs properly.

    Li Bingbing ended up sighing, "Are you going to make your mother pay you too?"

    "Yes. It''ll be 15M from mother."

    "This shameless child!" She ended up glaring at his son. "Are you lacking so much money?!"

    "No."

    "Then why are you charging me so much- no, why are you even charging me?! I am your mother! Liqin, don''t challenge my bottom line!"

    Xia Liqin went and sat on the sofa, "This is a risky trip and I might end up getting a heavy injury."

    His mother ended up crossing her arms as she looked at him with disbelief, "How the hell are you going to end up having a heavy injury?"

    "Mom is surely going to beat up Jiejie and I''m sure that I''ll end up getting beaten in the process. Sister Enxi won''t be able to stop mom so I''ll be the one doing all the work. It should be 10M for medical expenses, 20M for lost labor cost, 10M mental injury compensation, and so on but since you are my mother, I gave you a huge discount."

    Shi Enxi and Lu Mello were looking at the shameless man in front of them.

    Li Bingbing ended up rolling her sleeves up, "How about I beat you up right now?"

    Xia Liqin ended up standing again, he went and used Shi Enxi as a human shield. "That will cost 50M!"

    Li Bingbing was already angry because of her daughter and now, her son was adding up to the problem.

    Lu Mello pulled his wife away from Xia Liqin, "Sister Bingbing, I really think that you should discipline Qinqin well."

    "Yeah, I also think that you should." Shi Enxi chimed in.

    Xia Liqin took a step back every time his mother took a step forward towards him.

    "O-okay! Okay! I won''t let mother pay!" Xia Liqin exclaimed the moment he was cornered by Li Bingbing.

    She smiled at him and patted his shoulder, "Good. You can charge anyone except me, understand?"

    He nodded vigorously like a little child.

    Shi Enxi pouted, "What do you mean by that? That''s not fair you know."

    Lu Mello nodded at his wife''s words, "We''re still your family. You shouldn''t charge your family."

    Xia Liqin turned to them, "I only listen to my mother."

    Shi Enxi turned to her sister, "Jiejie."

    "You''re now rich enough to pay him so it should not matter, right?"

    Shi Enxi scowled, she crossed her arms and scoffed. "Damn rich people."

 Chapter 133 - I miss her

    It was decided that Shi Enxi was going to go to Japan with her sister and nephew.

    That night, Lu Mello dropped them to the airport. He was sad that he has to be separated from his wife again for a while but because it was for her safety, he didn''t have a choice but to do so.

    "I''ll call you from time to time." Shi Enxi said, stroking her husband''s cheek with his thumb.

    He held her hand and kissed her palm, "I''ll do my best to solve this problem as soon as possible."

    She nodded a bit, smiling in response. She knew that if it was Lu Mello, he would surely do it. It was just... She couldn''t help but worry, he was dealing with an expert like Chen Gao after all.

    "That''s enough trifling, it''s time to go. Mother already went ahead." Xia Liqin said while looking at them with a tired gaze.

    Lu Mello turned to him and smiled a bit, "Take care of her."

    "Yeah, yeah, just pay on time. It''s 5M every day." Xia Liqin said, reminding him.

    Shi Enxi rolled her eyes at him. Xia Liqin was really something else, "It''s not like we''re going to forget it."

    "I know. I''m just making sure."

    Well... Love for money was in their blood so she can''t really blame him.

    "I should go," said Shi Enxi as she turned back to Lu Mello.

    He sighed helplessly, he held her by her cheek before he leaned and kissed her lips lovingly.

    She closed her eyes and kissed him back. She was going to miss him despite knowing that they would just be separated for a short while.

    Xia Liqin turned away when he saw them kiss, pouting.

    "Stupid couples." He muttered under his breathe.

    Of course, it was only normal for a single man like him to feel bitter. He didn''t like the dog food that was being fed to him.

    After a short while, Shi Enxi pulled away from the kiss. If she continued kissing her husband, she might change her mind and stay instead.

    "I love you..." She whispered softly. She didn''t want to go without saying those words.

    Lu Mello''s lips curled up into a gentle smile. She was his dream and his world. He was willing to do anything just for her to be safe.

    "I love you too." He kissed her forehead and let her go after. "Take care, Enxi."

    He watched her walk away with Xia Liqin. He stayed there for a while before he turned and left the place.

    ---

    While they were in the middle of their flight, Xia Liqin was sleeping and so was Li Bingbing. Shi Enxi was the only one awake.

    She has already told Huang Li to watch over Fan Xiao Yao while she was gone and also to act her eyes towards Jiang Yan especially when the day of her meet up with Chen Gao was approaching.

    She wanted to be there just to make sure that he was captured but it was now impossible.

    There were so many things in her mind but she was only able to calm down when she stroked her growing tummy. Her Little Snow was slowly growing inside her.

    Shi Enxi''s parents died and only her father''s body was found. There were times where she wished that her mother end up living, somewhere out there.

    This was the time that she ended up thinking of her mother.

    If her mother was there, would she be happy to learn that she''s pregnant just like others were?

    "You''re still awake?"

    Shi Enxi turned and saw Li Bingbing, awake, she was looking at her with sleepy eyes.

    "I can''t sleep..." She whispered softly.

    "You should get some rest. It''s bad for your health and also the baby if you won''t get some rest."

    Shi Enxi sighed, "I know."

    "What''s bothering you then?"

    "Our parents'' killers."

    At the mention of that, the sleepiness in Li Bingbing''s disappeared, her expression turned cold, "We''ll get to them. Your husband is already working on that while we''re here."

    "Mmm..." She closed her eyes and was quiet for a short while before she spoke up again, "Our mother''s body wasn''t found... Only our dad''s... Do you think... she''s out there? Alive?"

    "Don''t put your hopes up, Enxi." Even if Li Bingbing wanted that to happen, it was impossible. She also hoped the same back then, she tried looking for any clues about her mother but she found none. So many years have already passed and there was no news about their mother''s body or her whereabouts.

    Shi Enxi ended up sighing. Her sister was right. If their mother was alive, then she would have shown herself already.

    Their mother was a fighter. One could say that their feisty personality were all inherited from Mu Xujiu.

    She was the mother demon that gave birth to two dangerous devils.

    Li Bingbing reached out and held her sister''s hand, "I miss her too."

    Shi Enxi rested her head on her sister''s shoulder. Yes, she was missing her mother as well. Not just her mother but also her father.

    Shi Anhao deserved to rot in hell for what she did to their parents. Shi Enxi was going to make sure that her auntie will receive the punishment she deserved. She will not rest until she does so.

    "Good night, jiejie." She sleepily whispered.

    "Good night." Li Bingbing stroked her sister''s head gently, watching her as she slowly fell asleep.

    Li Bingbing watched her sister grow when she took her away from Shi Anhao.

    She knew that Shi Anhao has always disliked Mu Xujiu... No, instead of dislike, the correct word was ''hate'' and because of that, she became a hindrance in her mother''s relationship with Shi Fen.

    She has never expected that all this time, She Anhao went too far just to break their family.

    Just like Shi Enxi, she wanted to take revenge for their parents.

    She was Shi Yi and Shi Enxi''s older sister and yet, she failed in protecting her two younger siblings from Shi Anhao when they were children and now, she was failing as a sister.

    No, she was not going to allow that to happen anymore.

    Despite Shi Enxi wanting to take care of Shi Anhao, Li Bingbing didn''t want to sit still this time without doing anything.

 Chapter 134 - Bai Mengxi

    "Did Xi''er told you when she will come back?" Fan Xiao Yao asked while watching Huang Li prepare dinner for her.

    "No, she didn''t tell me but I don''t think it will take longer."

    Fan Xiao Yao sighed. She didn''t know what was happening on Shi Enxi''s side since she didn''t tell her.

    Aside from that, Fan Xiao Yao was currently busy shooting for the rom-com movie that she was it.

    So far it has been going smoothly, Wang Ansheng was staying low since others were being wary of her after what happened.

    She stared at Huang Li''s back for a while. She hasn''t told him yet that she was working on the same movie with Wang Ansheng and that... the movie has a couple of bed scenes.

    "How''s your work lately? Are you working on a new show?"

    Ah... what should she say?

    "Mm... It''s a movie this time."

    Huang Li placed the food on the table before he looked at her, "How''s it going?"

    "Well, it''s going fine, I guess. I''ve been chosen as the female lead this time."

    "Really? What''s the story about?" He asked as he took a seat in front of her.

    "It''s a love story..."

    Huang Li was filling the bowl with rice but when he heard what she said, he ended up pausing. He turned to her, "Then... you must have kissing scenes, huh?"

    Fan Xiao Yao averted her gaze from him as if trying to escape his gaze, "Yes..."

    "Is that all?"

    She gulped nervously. There was no escaping it, she knew that Huang Li was still going to find out about it once the movie comes out.

    "Also bed scenes..."

    The moment she said that, she felt a sudden hill coming from Huang Li.

    When she turned to look at him, the expression on his face was dark.

    "How can you shoot a bed scene with someone when we''re not even having s.e.x yet?"

    "I''m not going to do it for real. We''re just going to act!" She quickly explained.

    He crossed his arms, raising a brow at her, "Then how about the kiss?"

    The kiss...

    Yes, she was going to kiss her partner in the movie for real so she didn''t have any excuse for that.

    "It can''t be helped. It''s my job to act."

    Huang Li frowned deeply. Just imagining another man was about to kiss her was making her blood boil.

    Fan Xiao Yao stood up and went to sit on the chair that was beside him, "Bunny..."

    She rested her chin on his shoulder and was looking closely at him, using her cute charms against him, "Bunny, bunny."

    Ugh...

    Huang Li ended up massaging the bridge of his nose.

    "You''re also the same you know, because of your work, you have seen plenty of women''s bodies!"

    "They don''t mean anything to me. They are my patients."

    "Same goes for me, the kiss I''ll be giving in my work means nothing so it''s not counted. It will only have a meaning if you''re the man that I''m kissing."

    "Since I''m tall, I have big b.o.o.b.s, I dress well, and I''m extra cute... I''m forgiven!" She grinned widely at him.

    Huang Li ended up smiling helplessly at her, "You''re forgiving yourself as you please huh."

    She giggled, she leaned and pecked his cheek, "Bunny Li is the best. The food will get old, let''s eat, let''s eat~"

    ---

    Shi Enxi and her companions found where Lu Mengjie was staying and it was in the province of Kyoto.

    She was living together with the Bai family and just like what they found out, Lu Mengjie gave birth to a son.

    It was hard, not being able to approach Lu Mengjie because of the security around her but thanks to Li Bingbing and Xia Liqin''s prowess in technology, they were able to make a plan on how to corner Lu Mengjie when she went out to the mall.

    It was actually Shi Enxi who approached her when they saw her sitting alone in the cafe.

    Lu Mengjie was holding a book, she looked so absorbed with it. Her red lips formed into a smile and a natural pink blush spread across her cheeks as she continued to read. She has hair as black as coal and skin as white as snow. Her big eyes black eyes were so focused on the book that she didn''t notice Shi Enxi who approached her.

    She looked like a living doll that the people who saw her ended up turning their heads just to look at her beauty.

    Even Shi Enxi has always admired Lu Mengjie''s beauty since they were young. She''s definitely a goddess on earth.

    When Shi Enxi sat on the seat in front of her, Lu Mengjie finally lifted her head to look at her.

    Shi Enxi gave out a small smile, "Long time no see, Mengmeng."

    The expression that Shi Enxi was expecting from her was different. Instead of looking surprised, she ended up looking confused instead.

    "Eh? Are you talking to me?"

    "Who else? What''s with that expression, Mengjie?" Shi Enxi raised a brow.

    "I think you have mistaken me for someone else... My name is not Mengjie, it''s Bai Mengxi."

    This time, Shi Enxi ended up furrowing her brows. No, she couldn''t have mistaken. She was sure that the woman in front of her was Lu Mengjie.

    "Quit playing around."

    "I am not."

    Shi Enxi tried her best to remain calm. She could see that the woman in front of her wasn''t acting at all... in fact, she was actually being serious.

    She inhaled deeply before letting out a long sigh, she turned her gaze back to her and smiled, "I can''t be mistaken. You really look a lot like my childhood friend."

    "Eh...? Really?"

    Unlike Lu Mengjie who always looked sharp and attentive, the woman in front of her was different. She looked so gently and... soft-looking. There was no craftiness in her eyes. She looked like an innocent sheep actually.

    Shi Enxi nodded, "Yes. If you don''t mind me asking you... Do you have a small scar on your shoulder."

    This time, the woman was surprised. How did she know that she has a scar?"

    "Y-yes..."

    "How about a mole on your hip?"

    The woman nodded again, "H-how did you know?"

    "It''s because my best friend, Lu Mengjie has those. I am pretty sure that you are her." Shi Enxi took her phone out and opened her gallery.

    "If you won''t believe me, then look at these photos."

    She showed her the photos of them together when they were in college.

    "It''s... me..."

 Chapter 135 - Bai family

    Not far from them, Li Bingbing and her son, Xia Liqin were watching the two women talk.

    They weren''t able to hear anything but base on Shi Enxi''s expression, something was wrong.

    Also, Lu Mengjie somehow looked different, no, not look, it was the air around her was different.

    Also, the way she dressed was not her usual style.

    Li Bingbing stood up, "I''m going."

    Xia Liqin hurriedly held his mother''s hand to stop her, "Mother, don''t beat her up here. Not in front of others."

    Li Bingbing frowned, she ended up fl.i.c.k.i.n.g Xia Liqin''s forehead, "I''m not going to beat her up."

    Even if Li Bingbing was angry at her daughter, she wasn''t going to humiliate her in front of other people.

    She walked towards Lu Mengjie and Shi Enxi.

    The two were busy talking that their attention was only disrupted when Li Bingbing sat beside Lu Mengjie, it was as if she was cornering her against the glass window.

    Meanwhile, Xia Liqin ended up sitting beside Shi Enxi.

    Lu Mengjie ended up looking at Li Bingbing, "Excuse me?"

    Her mother gave her a smile, "Long time no see, dear daughter."

    Daughter?

    Lu Mengjie turned to Shi Enxi as if asking for answers.

    Shi Enxi sighed heavily, "Mengmeng, she''s your mother. Real mother. And this guy here is your brother, Qinqin."

    She turned to her sister after, "Jiejie, she lost her memories, she can''t remember anyone, including her own family."

    "What?!" Xia Liqin''s loud exclaim was heard which made the people around them turn his way.

    Even Li Bingbing was surprised because of what Shi Enxi said.

    "My... Mother and... Brother?" She gazed at Li Bingbing then to Xia Liqin. It was too much for Lu Mengjie.

    "Apparently, Mengmeng here got into an accident," explained Shi Enxi.

    "This better be not one of your tricks, Mengjie." Li Bingbing glared at her daughter.

    She shrank back, afraid of her mother''s gaze, "I-I''m sorry... I really can''t remember..."

    "Mom, what if it''s real?" Asked Xia Liqin worriedly. "Don''t scare her, mom."

    Shi Enxi nodded in agreement, "Mengmeng, why don''t you tell us again what happened?"

    Li Bingbing pursed her lips. They were looking for her for a year already and yet, she was here all this time? Living as someone else? No wonder... No wonder they weren''t able to find her so easily.

    Lu Mengjie wanted to hide, she was really confused but... If the people with her were really her family, then she has to find out if it''s real.

    "I... I woke up in the hospital. I honestly didn''t remember anything, even my own name... The only thing I remembered was... Meng. Grandpa Bai thought that maybe Meng was a part of my name. Well, now that you all are here, it looks like it really is... Mengjie, Lu Mengjie, that''s my real name, right?"

    Xia Liqin nodded vigorously, he reached out and held her hand gently, "Yes, that''s your real name, Jiejie. You don''t have to worry anymore, we will help you regain your memory."

    For some reason, Lu Mengjie felt something warm growing in her c.h.e.s.t when she saw Xia Liqin''s gentle gaze. Was he really her brother?

    "Continue."

    Her thoughts were interrupted by Li Bingbing''s voice.

    She was still scared of Li Bingbing, she never expected that her mother was going to be a strict and serious woman.

    "Grandpa Bai told me that I saved him... He was so thankful and since I lost my memories since I saved him, he took me in his family."

    "Grandpa Bai? What''s his name?" Shi Enxi inquired.

    "His name is Bai Keran."

    Li Bingbing frowned. Bai Keran? So it really was the Bai family that she was thinking about.

    There was only one prestigious Bai family, back then, it was on the same level as the Lu family, the only difference was that, they do not have any immunity against the government.

    Bai Xiuying was Lu Yifeng''s ex-fiance. She even ordered Xia Meilin to be kidnapped back then.

    She was now gone tho, Lu Xian Yu took care of her and was never to be seen again.

    Since then, the Lu family and the Bai family became a complete rival.

    Bai Keran is Bai Xiuying''s father. Did he know that Lu Mengjie is a part of the Lu family?

    That can''t be possible, if he knew then he wouldn''t take Lu Mengjie and take care of her.

    "I was married to his grandson and now, we have a child."

    Xia Liqin frowned, "Did he force you to marry him?"

    Li Bingbing''s blood started boiling when she thought that Bai Keran forced her daughter.

    Lu Mengjie shook her head lightly, "No... He didn''t. I fell in love with his grandson and since I save grandpa''s life, he gave me his permission to marry into the family."

    "We can''t take Mengjie back," said Shi Enxi. They can''t take her back with her memory gone.

    Xia Liqin scowled deeply, disapproving of his auntie''s words, "What? No way! We have to bring jiejie back. We need to help her regain her memories!"

    "Liqin, Enxi is right. We can''t bring your sister back yet."

    If Bai Keran learned that Lu Mengjie is a part of the Lu family, who knows what will happen.

    Aside from that, they can''t just take her away when the Bai family has her daughter''s child.

    "But mother-"

    "Not yet, Liqin. She can''t come with us yet." Li Bingbing repeated.

    "I... also don''t want to go. I have a family here... Maybe one day, but not now." Even if Bai Keran accepted her in the family, that didn''t mean that she was accepted by everyone else.

    Aside from that, she loved her husband, Bai Jingye. There were so many reasons for her to stay.

    "That''s fine." Li Bingbing held her daughter''s hand. "Mengjie... You have to keep your real name from the Bai family."

    Shi Enxi ended up looking at her sister. Was it because of the rivalry between the Lu family and the Bai family?

    In the business world, everyone knew that the two families were not getting along together.

    Li Bingbing continued, "You need to keep your identity a secret if you want to protect yourself and your child."

    This made Lu Mengjie wonder more but if it was about the safety of her own child, then she didn''t have a choice.

    "You don''t have to worry about a thing, we will keep in touch with you. For now... You have to lay low from the Bai family. Don''t be deceived by them, okay?"

 Chapter 136 - Chained Wolf

    Actually, in her stay in the Bai family, she already knew the true colors of the members so it was only right to keep quiet about her real identity.

    "But miss-I mean, mother... Won''t the Bai family find out my real identity? The Bai family has so many connections..." She asked worriedly. The Bai family would surely know who she really was sooner or later. There was no way a family like theirs can''t know it.

    Xia Liqin smirked, "Jiejie, you have always been an amazing person in hiding you know. Even when we were kids. If you can hide your identity from me and mother, how much more the Bai family?"

    Eh...? She is actually an amazing person? She can hide her identity? Is that why they weren''t able to find her at once?

    Li Bingbing nodded at her son''s words, "You don''t have to worry about that. Just be safe, okay? We have your back."

    Lu Mengjie was touched by her mother''s words. It was actually comforting, knowing that she has someone she can depend on. She has someone on her side and it brought warmth inside her to the point her eyes became teary.

    She tried her best to hold back her tears. She didn''t want to cry in front of them after all.

    She has always thought that Bai Keran was the only person on her side but that wasn''t the case. There were people who really cared for her and that was her family.

    The good thing about Lu Mengjie even before was that she tends to have a low profile so not many know of her or have seen. She was the kind of person who went to different countries in search of beauties.

    If she was not doing that, then she would be in her hideout with her men.

    Now that she remembered her daughter''s harem, Li Bingbing turned to look at her son, "Do you know where her men are?"

    "Yeah... But I''m not going to tell you." It was his secret with her sister after all.

    "They probably are looking for Mengjie as well, you have to deal with them and explain the situation to them. It will be bad if one of them found out where she was. Also... You can''t let ''him'' know about this."

    Lu Mengjie''s situation might become worse, especially now that she is married and has no memories of them.

    Those powerful men were well-trained people. They were all dangerous. Lu Mengjie has high standards when it comes to collecting men and she was the only one who was brave enough to control them.

    They have to hide her away from them, especially from Lu Mengjie''s fiance.

    Shi Enxi was really worried for her sake. She also knew that Bai Jingye, Lu Mengjie''s husband was one of Shi Yi''s friends.

    Yes, the Lu family and Bai family have rivalry but Bai Jingye didn''t care much about it since he was still working with Shi Yi who was now in partnership with the Lu family.

    Because of that, a feud ended up happening inside the Bai family.

    There was even news recently that Bai Jingye''s brother was going to become the new head of the family instead.

    "Since I''ll be staying here for a while, we can meet each other a few more times." Shi Enxi offered.

    Xia Liqin nodded in agreement, he turned to his mother, "How about you, mom?"

    "Your father is sick, I have to return at once." Now that they have found Lu Mengjie, it was no use if she was going to stay in Japan for long. She can''t bring her daughter back as well so it was better for her to return alone.

    "My father is... Sick? My father?" Lu Mengjie was surprised to hear that. For some reason, she felt her c.h.e.s.t tightened when she heard what her mother said.

    Li Bingbing saw how worried her daughter was. Even if she didn''t have her memories, she was sure that her daughter was subconsciously feeling something for them.

    "It''s nothing serious, Mengmeng. Uncle only has a fever." Shi Enxi said, trying to reassure her.

    Lu Mengjie ended up believing her and this made her sigh in relief, "Ah... I''m glad."

    She wanted to visit her father, know what kind of person he was but her situation wouldn''t allow her to do so.

    Was her father looking for her also? Was she the reason why her father ended up getting sick?

    When those thoughts entered her mind, she suddenly felt so guilty. Inside her, she wanted to go, she wanted to let her father know that she was fine but then... She was like a wolf, chained, and couldn''t run free.

    What the current Lu Mengjie lacked was the confidence in standing against the people who bullied her. She was now a coward who would shrink away in fear and hide.

    It was not only Shi Enxi who was sad about this fact, but Li Bingbing and Xia Liqin were also too.

    "Can I hug you?" This time, Li Bingbing was gently gazing at her daughter. She really did miss her a lot and after learning what happened to her, it really pained her.

    Lu Mengjie hesitated at first but upon seeing her mother''s gentle gaze, she finally nodded, giving her permission.

    Li Bingbing reached out and carefully pulled her daughter in her arms

    Lu Mengjie ended up snuggling in. At that moment, she felt her mother''s arms squeezed a fraction tighter which made her breathed more slowly, her body melting into her mom''s as every muscle lost its tension.

    In her mother''s arms, she was safe and her worries disappeared like rain on summer earth. In that embrace, she was cocooned better than any butterfly-to-be. She felt her soft skin and the gentle squeeze on his own.

    The warmth she was receiving was so familiar. Yes, her body remembered her mother''s warmth.

    Tears formed on the side of Lu Mengjie''s eyes. Her mother, her mother was there for her.

    Xia Liqin and Shi Enxi quietly stared at the mother and daughter duo, allowing them to enter their own world as they finally got reunited again.

 Chapter 137 - Call

    "Just contact us anytime, jiejie." Xia Liqin smiled.

    She looked at him and smiled, she leaned and hugged him, "Thank you, brother."

    "Just call me ''Qinqing'' like you usually do." He chuckled, hugging his sister back.

    She pulled away and nodded a bit before she turned to her mother, Li Bingbing. "I''m sorry, I can''t drop you to the airport tonight..."

    "It''s fine." Li Bingbing patted her head, "I''ll visit you from time to time. Next time, bring your son with you. I kinda wanted to see him."

    Shi Enxi chuckled, "You''re now a grandma, jiejie, you''re getting old."

    Li Bingbing frowned a bit. She lightly pinched her sister''s cheek, "Aren''t you the same?"

    "Ugh. I can''t believe I have a grandson in this age."

    They ended up laughing together because of that.

    "I would love to introduce him to you..." Lu Mengjie said softly but her eyes showed sadness, "It''s just... He is not allowed to go out... The Bai family won''t allow me to bring him outside."

    Shi Enxi furrowed her brows together, "What? Why?"

    Lu Mengjie lowered her head, "They won''t allow it."

    Li Bingbing sighed heavily. Of course, they wouldn''t allow it. That child is the next generation of the Bai family after all.

    "What''s his name, Mengmeng?" Her mother asked instead, diverting them from earlier''s question.

    "Bai Xiumin, his name is Bai Xiumin."

    "Do you have a photo of him?" Shi Enxi asked.

    Lu Mengjie nodded, she took her phone out and showed them her son''s picture.

    The raven-haired baby was sleeping on the photo that Lu Mengjie showed them. His skin whiter than milk, his cheeks were rosy and chubby.

    As she swiped and showed them the other photos, they saw his doll-like black eyes.

    "He looks so cute!" Shi Enxi happily smiled and as she saw the photos, she unconsciously placed her hand on her tummy.

    She couldn''t help but wonder if her child was going to look cute like Lu Mengjie''s child.

    "He looks like you as a baby." Li Bingbing chuckled softly. "He''s adorable."

    "I can''t believe it, I have an adorable nephew..." Xia Liqin was starting closely at the photo.

    If only her son was allowed to bring outside, Lu Mengjie would have proudly introduced her son to them.

    "Xiao Xiumin eh?"

    "I call him Xiao Lang." Lu Mengjie said with a small smile.

    Little Wolf?

    "Whenever I look at him, he reminds me of a little wolf." She chuckled.

    Li Bingbing smiled, "Well, at least you didn''t forget that you have always loved dogs."

    Even as a child, Lu Mengjie was fond of dogs, especially wolves.

    ...

    After meeting with Lu Mengjie, Shi Enxi went back to the hotel that she was staying in.

    Li Bingbing had to go back to China since she reserved the earliest schedule of the flight. Xia Liqin went to drop her to the airport.

    Lately, Shi Enxi has been feeling drowsy and easily tired because of her pregnancy.

    She lied down on her bed and hugged a pillow.

    When she remembered Lu Mengjie''s baby, she placed her hand once again on her tummy, "If you''re not going to be as cute as Mengmeng''s child, I''m going to give you up for adoption."

    But when she thought it out, there was still a high chance that her baby was going to be cute. Lu Mello''s genes were great and so was hers. They both came from beautiful families.

    Wait... "My mother''s not that pretty..."

    My Xijiu has average looks.

    "If you''re not going to be cute, that''s fine. Just make sure you''ll have my mother''s looks."

    While she was there, speaking alone with herself, her phone rang.

    She looked at it and saw that it was a call from her husband.

    She answered it, "Hello?"

    "You''re still awake?"

    She rolled her eyes at his stupid question, "No, I''m not. So, why did you call?"

    He chuckled a bit, "I just wanted to check on you. Why do you sound like your in a bad mood?"

    "My menstruation came."

    "..." Eh?

    "But... You''re pregnant..." He trailed off.

    "Now I''m not."

    "..."

    When he heard that answer from her, he suddenly panicked. "Xi''er!"

    Shi Enxi ended up laughing, "I''m kidding, I''m kidding."

    The look on his face right now must be priceless. Oh how badly she wanted to see it.

    "Please don''t joke around like that." Lu Mello sighed. He almost had a heart attack.

    "I''m sorry, " She chuckled lightly. "By the way, we found Mengmeng."

    "Is she... really married now?"

    "Yeah... To the Bai family''s Bai Jingye."

    Lu Mello was surprised to hear the name. Bai Jingye? "How about her fiance?"

    Shi Enxi sighed, "Apparently, Mengmeng lost her memories so she can''t really remember anything about that. Her situation is very complicated right now."

    It was another shocking revelation for him. He didn''t expect things to go that way.

    "Mello, don''t tell anyone about this, okay?"

    "I''m hurt. Since when did I become a blabbermouth?" He pouted.

    "I''m just saying." Besides, telling these to him only proved that she already trusted him. She knew that he was not the type of person to talk about such things to others so she didn''t think twice in telling him the news.

    "By the way, how are things there?"

    "So far, things are going smoothly. She''ll be meeting Chen Gao tomorrow."

    Ah, it was finally tomorrow. They were finally going to capture that man tomorrow.

    "Please be careful..." Shi Enxi softly whispered.

    She was hoping that everything will go according to their plan so that she can go to his side.

    "I know..." His gentle voice was heard from the other line. "I miss you, Xi''er..."

    Oh, how he wished to have her by his side right now.

    "I miss you too..."

    Just like him, Shi Enxi was longing to be in her husband''s embrace.

    "It''s getting late, we should get some rest now."

    "Mm... Good night, Mello."

    "Good night."

    She kept her phone under the pillow after ending the call.

    It wasn''t hard for her to fall asleep since she was already sleepy in the first place.

    By the time Xia Liqin arrived, it was already late in the evening. His room was just next to Shi Enxi''s.

    He didn''t sleep at once, instead, he took his laptop out just to video call someone.

    "Hello?" A man''s low voice was heard when the call went through.

 Chapter 138 - Im going to kill you

    It was the day where Jiang Yan was finally meeting Chen Gao.

    She was wearing a greenish-blue gown made of soft, satiny fabric, long and loose. A semicircular, high collar made of silk-like materials. She walked as lightly. A puff of wind swept through her hair before it slipped into the streets, rusting the leaves that were on the ground.

    The dress she was wearing was Ming Ren''s favorite. It was a dress that Chen Gao bought for his deceased lover in the past.

    She was standing by the bus stop, waiting for her ride, waiting for Chen Gao to pick her up there.

    Not far from her, Lu Mello''s men were hiding, observing her from afar. They were all in disguise.

    Not long, a white van stopped and the door by the front was opened.

    Xin Jun went out and looked at her with a small smile, "Good to see you again."

    Jiang Yan smiled, "It''s been a while."

    He escorted her to the shotgun seat and closed the door before he went and sat behind.

    Jiang Yan really looked a lot like Ming Ren and this melted Chen Gao''s heart.

    "Ming Ren..." He gently touched her cheek, a soft smile was plastered on his lips. He leaned and pecked her soft lips.

    If before, his gestures made Jiang Yan''s heart race, this time it wasn''t the same. She felt disgusts inside. He was not seeing her, it was Ming Ren.

    He killed her beloved family. Her father, mother, and even her younger brother...He mercilessly killed them all. If she didn''t look like Ming Ren, then he would have killed her a long time already.

    He was manipulating her all this time.

    Anger burned inside of her but she didn''t allow it to reach on her face. She smiled shyly at him, "Gege..."

    "Let''s go. I made a reservation at your favorite restaurant."

    He always did every year, during Ming Ren''s birthday.

    Jiang Yan has already told Lu Mello and the others about it.

    Soon. Soon... She would be able to get her revenge against him for killing her family.

    She didn''t care about her life anymore. All she wanted to do at this moment was to torture Chen Gao just like how his men tortured her family in front of her.

    Lu Mello has already promised that he would not have Chen Gao have it easy once they captured him. That was all she wanted. She wanted him to feel despair.

    Ah, she can''t wait to see his face once he found out that she betrayed him.

    Upon seeing the van leave, Hao Qiang, one of Lu Mello''s men, took his phone out and called his master.

    The call was at once answered since Lu Mello was waiting for it for a while now.

    "He''s coming." Hao Qiang reported.

    ...

    Sun and Moon Restaurant.

    Xin Jun was in the van, waiting for them there in the parking lot and while he was waiting, a group of Lu Mello''s men went and captured him first.

    Meanwhile, the customers that were around were actually Lu Mello''s men in disguise. He rented the whole restaurant so the whole place was under his control. There was no escape for Chen Gao this time.

    Jazz music was playing inside the restaurant. Chen Gao and Jiang Yan were sitting and were eating together.

    "You seemed to be awfully quiet, Ming Ren." Chen Gao said while watching her eat in front of him. "Don''t you like the food."

    "Yes, I don''t." She said without holding back. Her act as Ming Ren should end here.

    "But it''s your favorite."

    "No, it''s not." She stopped from eating the Peking duck before she turned to him with a blank gaze, "This is not my favorite. My favorite is roasted pork belly."

    Chen Gao frowned. If not for her voice, his little fantasy of Ming Ren was perfect. Her voice reminded him of who she really was. A fake.

    "This is not how Ming Ren is supposed to be." Chen Gao said, the gentleness in his eyes gone.

    Jiang Yan smirked, the coldness in her eyes seen, "It''s because I''m not her."

    "Do you want to die?" He gritted his teeth, clenching his fists tight.

    "Will you really be able to kill me?"

    Of course not. Even if he threatened her, he was not going to kill her. Her very face was the reason.

    But even if he couldn''t kill her, he has other means of punishing her.

    Lu Mello, who was sitting behind Chen Gao all this time. He was also in disguise.

    "Jiang Yan-"

    Chen Gao felt something pressed against his neck.

    Jiang Yan smirked as she watched Lu Mello press his gun against Chen Gao''s neck.

    She wiped her lips with a napkin before she stood up, "He''s all yours, Mr. Lu Mello."

    Lu... Mello?! As in Shi Enxi''s husband?! What was he doing there?! Why was he there?!

    "Thank you for your hard work, Jiang Yan. You can take your leave." Lu Mello said with a small smile.

    "Jiang Yan! What''s the meaning of this?!" The betrayal she made surprised Chen Gao.

    "I''m pretty sure that you know what this means," she snickered as she saw how quickly the surprise in his eyes turned to anger.

    Chen Gao saw the customers around them turned their gaze to them without doing a thing despite seeing Lu Mello, pointing a gun on him.

    Was this all... planned out?!

    "Do you think that you''ll be able to get away with this?!"

    "Yes, I clearly do." Jiang Yan turned and walked away.

    "Ming Ren!-"

    Lu Mello pushed his head against the tabled before he took his hands and handcuffed them.

    "You''re coming with me." He calmly said.

    Chen Gao tried to struggle free but Lu Mello was using his weight to press him down.

    "Thank you for making things easy for us."

    Chen Gao was infuriated with Lu Mello''s words, "I''m going to kill you, you son of a bitch! I''m going to kill you!"

    "I will like to see you try."

 Chapter 139 - Wild woman

    For the following days before Lu Mello caught Chen Gao, while Shi Enxi was in Japan, she would usually spend her time together with Lu Mengjie and Xia Liqin.

    She was only able to know that her husband finally caught Chen Gao when he gave her a call while she was in the middle of spending her time with Lu Mengjie in the cafe that they would usually meet.

    "Finally." Xia Liqin said with a bored look after Shi Enxi told him the news. "It''s about time you know."

    "How about I tell my husband not to give you the money for this week?" Shi Enxi smiled before she took a sip of peppermint tea from the teacup.

    Xia Liqin frowned, "You should stay true with your words."

    "I never agreed in the first place. It was Mello who did. And besides, what are you going to do if we don''t? Blackmail us?" She smirked mischievously. "Blackmail us with what?"

    "I-I..." Xia Liqin couldn''t think of any to use against her, "I''m going to report you to the police!"

    "Sure, sure. Go ahead. I''m looking forward to it."

    He pursed his lips. Of course, he wouldn''t be able to do it too because of his mother, Li Bingbing. He didn''t want to receive her wrath.

    Since they were kids, it was always like that. Shi Enxi would always use Lu Mengjie or their mother against him. It was not fair.

    "At least pay half..." He faintly whispered, the imaginary dogears of his were down.

    "I''ll have to leave tomorrow." Shi Enxi said as she ignored him instead. She was only willing to spend money on the things she loved and that''s totally not Xia Liqin.

    "You''re already leaving?" Lu Mengjie was saddened by the news.

    Xia Liqin was still pouting as he rested his chin on his palm as he looked at his sister, "Don''t worry Jiejie, I''ll be staying here with you."

    He was not going to allow the Bai family to play dirty with his sister after all. She was alone in that family and she needed someone she could rely on.

    "You don''t have to..." She muttered. She appreciated how concern he was for her but there must be other things that he should be working on, right? "Don''t you have work?"

    Shi Enxi scoffed, "There''s no changing his mind, Mengmeng. By this time, I''m pretty sure you now know how bad his sister complex is towards you."

    "It''s not that bad..." Xia Liqin pouted, not totally denying it which made his sister chuckle.

    "I wonder about that." Lu Mengjie patted his head. It was not hard for her to get close to her brother again despite losing her memories. In fact, she never felt uncomfortable being with them. She was able to easily open up to them. Maybe it was because they were really that close in the first place.

    "Besides, she''s old enough to take care of herself." Xia Liqin pouted, crossing his arms. "I''m not going to babysit her anymore."

    "I don''t need you to ''babysit'' me in the first place." She huffed. "It''s Mello who wanted it."

    "And it''s him who should pay for my babysitting work!"

    "He''s my husband. He will do what I say. He will only listen to me."

    Once again, Xia Liqin pouted angrily at her.

    Lu Mengjie chuckled at how the two were bickering with each other. She turned to her and reached out to hold Shi Enxi''s hand, "I hope you can visit us from time to time."

    "If I did, I''m afraid that... others might find out about it. I can''t guarantee that your..." She paused before she looked at Xia Liqin, "Ex-fiance won''t be able to find you..." She turned her gaze back to her niece, "Qinqing being here with you is fine, at least he can make sure that you are well hidden from the people who are searching for you, including your father."

    Lu Mengjie''s lips we''re stretched into a straight line. This was something she felt guilty about... Knowing that she has a fiance she loved and yet she ended up marrying another man because of her memory loss.

    Ever since Shi Enxi told her about it, she sometimes wondered what kind of person her fiance was but she didn''t bother asking them. She was now a married woman. It was wrong to yearn for another man when she already has a husband... Even if that husband didn''t pay attention to her.

    Shi Enxi was staring at Lu Mengjie since she became quiet after what she said. She received a scolding gaze from Xia Liqin because of that.

    "What?" She raised a brow at him.

    "Oh well, it''s not like I can do something about it, right?" Lu Mengjie didn''t want to give them any trouble after all.

    "No, you will able to do something about it once you gain your memories back." Shi Enxi corrected. "I''m pretty sure you''ll be able to be who you really are once they''re back." She smiled, holding back her arms. "The Lu Mengjie we all know is the type of person who won''t let anyone stop her from doing what she wants."

    "Except for Sisi." Xia Liqin added, "He''s the only person who can handle you well... and also me of course."

    "Yes, her fiance." Shi Enxi chuckled. "That''s why you decided to play hide and seek with him, the world as your playground."

    "Why do I sound like a... wild woman?"

    Shi Enxi grinned as she replied, "Because you''re one!"

    Xia Liqin nodded in agreement, "A lovely wild woman."

    =============

    A/N:

    Kindly read this story in app or site ONLY

    PLEASE DO NOT SUPPORT PIRACY SITES. This does not give Authors the support they deserve.

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 Chapter 140 - She truly is evil

    The next day, Shi Enxi left Japan and flew back to Beijing.

    When she arrived, at the airport, she saw a familiar figure. The man was a clear head higher than most men. He had dark eyebrows, which sloped downwards in a serious expression. His usually playful smile had drawn into a hard line across his face.

    That handsome man was standing tall and was wearing shades as he patiently waited for her arrival.

    There were women who were glancing his way, some even tried to approach him.

    "It''s Lu Mello!"

    "He''s so handsome in person!"

    "Who do you think is he waiting for?

    "Who knows? I want to have his autograph!"

    "Can I have him sign my panty?"

    "Shameless woman! That''s a good idea!"

    "I really want to take a selfie with him!"

    No one dared to approach him because of the majestic presence he was giving. Aside from that, he has two bodyguards standing behind him.

    At first, Lu Mello''s eyes were cast to his phone and then he raised his head and look around to check whether his wife has arrived. Lu Mello sure has the kind of face that stopped people on their tracks.

    "Darling!" Shi Enxi called out with a bright smile. Her heels clicked as she walked towards him.

    When he saw her, he reciprocated her smile. He walked toward her as well and gave her a hug upon reaching her.

    "That''s his wife, right?"

    "So pretty!"

    "Lu Mello''s so sweet! He personally came to pick up his wife!"

    They started taking photos of them and posted it on their Weibo.

    "How''s Japan?" He asked after he placed a kiss on her forehead.

    "Well, I have so many things to tell you but first, let''s grab something to eat. We''re really hungry now." She gently rubbed her baby bump.

    Lu Mello''s eyes softened at her small gesture, The side of his lips curled up into a smile. A gentle smile was plastered on his lips, "Then I guess I have to feed you both a lot huh?"

    "Yes, yes. We can discuss things while eating as well." She clung on his arm and smiled.

    ...

    "So you''re telling me that you the messages that Shi Anhao sent on Chen Gao''s phone is enough evidence to arrest her?" Shi Enxi asked as she paused from eating the food in front of her.

    "Yes." He placed more vegetables on her plate to which his wife obediently ate. "That''s why once she''ll be caught, she''ll be questioned by the police, once proven guilty, she''ll be imprisoned."

    Shi Enxi pouted, "Why am I not satisfied with that?"

    "That''s why I''m planning to keep the phone from the police first. Since they don''t know her involvement yet, we will give bigger meat for Shi Anhao."

    "By bigger meat you mean..."

    "The company your brother is handling." He said with a serious look on his face. "She''ll try to go for your brother just to have that company, right? We will gather more evidence by then."

    She raised a brow at what he said, "You do know that she''s not only after my brother right? She''s also after me. What if she has other pawns under her?"

    "If that''s the case then what do you have in mind?"

    "I want her to have a horrible death for killing my parents."

    Lu Mello sighed heavily, "We know that you are not allowed to that right?"

    "Can''t you turn a blind eye on it and let me have it my way?" She looked at him with a pout on her lips.

    Lu Mello didn''t want her to do the things she did in the past life. He wanted her hands to be clean of blood that''s why he has been trying to stop her from killing people she hated.

    "Xi''er." Lu Mello stared at her with a helpless gaze in his eyes, "I don''t want you to kill." He honestly said. If he has to plead just for her to stop then he was willing to do so.

    "Some people are like slinkies. Not good for much, but they bring a smile on your face when you push them down on the stairs."

    "..."

    She truly is evil.

    "Then she can have a death penalty." He was still trying to change her mind about it. "Also, you''re pregnant right now. Stressing yourself is bad for our baby."

    "Being pregnant is restricting my movements." She crossed her arms. She looked at her baby bump and pouted, "Grow fast so that I can remove you out of my body, you little parasite."

    "..."

    He cleared his throat, "That''s... Not a good way to address our child, Xi''er."

    She huffed, "But it''s true. This one is a parasite. It keeps on asking for food!" She turned to her food and continued eating them. She had already finished a bowl of sliced melons and dumplings.

    "I want another order of dumplings. Oh, also I want more melon."

    "Are you sure...?" Lu Mello asked as he watched his wife eat. "It''ll be a waste of food if you won''t be able to finish it in the end."

    "That''s why you''re here, right? If I can''t finish then you''re my trashcan."

    "..."

    Why did that sound a compliment and an insult?

    She really can''t hold back her sharp tongue...

    In the end, Lu Mello didn''t have a choice but to order more food for her and when she wasn''t able to finish it, he finished the rest for her.

    =============

    A/N:

    Kindly read this story in app or site ONLY

    PLEASE DO NOT SUPPORT PIRACY SITES. This does not give Authors the support they deserve.

    Support the Author of this story by donating at:

    paypal.me/berriapplepi

    Not only me but other Authors spend a lot of time and effort in writing stories for you and your fellow readers so please support us by reading this story in only.

    Your beloved Author,

    BerriApplepi

    Contact me at:

    IG: @berriapplepi

    Twitter: @berriapplepi

    Discord: discord.gg/z56kkGG

 Chapter 141 - Do you still want to go?

    "Huang Li, are you done?" Fan Xiao Yao asked while sitting on the bed, hugging her neon bag and was waiting for him. "Let''s go already."

    "Five more minutes." Huang Li said while he was busy typing on his laptop. He was in the middle of making his report.

    They were mostly busy with their works so the times that they were together weren''t that much. Whenever they were at home together, since they were both tired, they would either go to sleep or laze around in the bed.

    She crossed her arms, pouting as she was looking down at him. He already said that five minutes ago...

    She got off the bed and went to him, standing behind him.

    Huang Li was wearing a loose shirt and he wasn''t even prepared to go out yet.

    Because of frustration, Fan Xiao Yao leaned down and bit on his shoulder, startling him.

    He slightly turned his head to look at her, "You..."

    "Let''s gooo Xiao Xi and Mello is waiting-"

    She was interrupted when he turned and pounced on her, biting her back on her shoulder.

    "Huang Li!" Fan Xiao Yao was surprised by his sudden attack, she pouted.

    He pulled away and looked at her dangerously, like a predator, eyeing his prey.

    Fan Xiao Yao blushed deeply as she felt his hand on her waist, slowly pulling her to him. "If you''re going to make love with me right now, go take a shower first!"

    He ended up chuckling at what she said. He made her sit on his l.a.p instead, caging her between his arms before he looked back at his laptop and continued typing.

    She pursed her lips again before sighing, "I''m useless."

    There was nothing she could do to help him in his work.

    "No, you''re not."

    "Really?"

    "Yes, you''re not useless. You can be used as a bad example."

    "Huang Li!" She looked at him angrily, hitting his c.h.e.s.t on the process.

    He laughed lightly, "I''m kidding." He leaned and kissed her cheek before he continued typing. "I''m almost done."

    "You''ve said that a few minutes ago!" She complained.

    "I did." He said, smiling.

    "Come on, do that later!" She hugged him by his waist and muzzle her face on the crook of his neck. "Huang Li! Huang Li! Mr. Huang, let''s go!"

    Fan Xiao Yao was so excited to see Shi Enxi again so obviously she was not going to stop bothering him until he gives up.

    Huang Li sighed and turned to her, "Xiao Yao."

    She raised her head and smiled, "Are you done?"

    "Can you let your upper lip touch the lower?" He said with a small smile.

    Fan Xiao Yao obediently followed which made her lips stretched into a straight line.

    "Good girl. I''ll be done soon." He patted her head before turned and continued typing on his laptop.

    She ended up blinking a few times.

    Wait a minute...

    Fan Xiao Yao looked at him with a furious glare, "Did you just tell me to shut up?!"

    The side of his lips curled up into a small snicker, "I don''t know."

    "Huang Li!" She exclaimed.

    "I''m almost done." Hang Li calmly said.

    "Fine! I''m never going to talk to you again!" She tried to get off his l.a.p but Huang Li held her down by wrapping an arm around her waist.

    "Just a few more minutes." He kissed her temple before he continued working on his report.

    Fan Xiao Yao was still mad at him so she decided to ignore him.

    By the time he was done, he looked at Fan Xiao Yao''s pouting face. She was still quiet and just as she said, she wasn''t planning on speaking to him anymore.

    "Xiao Yao." He looked at her and smiled, "I''m done."

    She averted her gaze from him.

    So what if he''s done? She was mad at him!

    "Do you still want to go?" He was curling a strand of her hair with a finger.

    "I''m going ahead!" She got off him and was about to walk away but he grabbed her by her wrist and pulled her back to his l.a.p. Again.

    He pinched her chin lightly and smiled, "Still mad? We can''t go if you''re still mad at me." He leaned down and captured her lips.

    Fan Xiao Yao was surprised by his sudden kiss, she tried pushing him away but he wouldn''t budge. His kiss was melting her so in the end, she gave up and kissed him back.

    He didn''t let go when he felt her kissing him back. Instead, he deepened the kiss, kissing her passionately to the point her lipstick got smudged.

    Fan Xiao Yao loved it whenever he was kissing her that way. The warmth of his tongue inside her mouth, exploring her every corner made her body lose its strength.

    She really wanted to give herself to him. She was so in love with him that she couldn''t stay mad at him for so long.

    They only pulled away when they were out of breath. Both of them were panting as they looked into each other''s eyes for a while.

    Huang Li stared at her fl.u.s.tered face. He reached out and gently stroked her red cheek with his thumb. "Still want to go?"

    "Will you... do more if we stay?"

    Huang Li has always been controlling his d.e.s.i.r.es whenever it came to Fan Xiao Yao. He wanted to treasure every moment with her, he didn''t want to startle her with the kind of man he actually is.

    Since Fan Xiao Yao was sitting on his l.a.p, she could feel something hard below her which made her blush.

    "Maybe? So... Do you still want to go?"

    "Depends if..." She smiled cheekily, her cheeks we''re tainted with bright red color. "Is it big?"

    "..."

    =============

    A/N:

    Kindly read this story in app or site ONLY

    PLEASE DO NOT SUPPORT PIRACY SITES. This does not give Authors the support they deserve.

    Support the Author of this story by donating at:

    paypal.me/berriapplepi

    Not only me but other Authors spend a lot of time and effort in writing stories for you and your fellow readers so please support us by reading this story in only.

    Your beloved Author,

    BerriApplepi

    Contact me at:

    IG: @berriapplepi

    Twitter: @berriapplepi

    Discord: discord.gg/z56kkGG

 Chapter 142 - I bought a rope

    Huang Li never expected to hear something like that from her.

    He knew that she has always wanted to sleep with him but to ask that specific question... He didn''t know whether to laugh or cry.

    "Do you want to find out?"

    Fan Xiao Yao''s heart was racing fast. Are they finally going to do it?

    The excitement she felt grew inside her body. "If I said yes... Will you let me?"

    Ah... This woman was just too adorable that he really want to devour her right there and then.

    "Since this is your first, I''ll go easy on you." He said as he reached out and unbuttoned her polo shirt.

    His words made her shake her head in a frantic manner, "No! Don''t go easy on me! Let''s go wild!"

    "..."

    The way she was acting was as if she really was thirsty for him and this made him go speechless.

    "If you have any kink, let''s do that too! I definitely want to try it! Doing the traditional way is boring!" She took off her shirt for him.

    "..."

    She got off his l.a.p this time and since Huang Li was in the middle of his trance, she wasn''t stopped by him.

    She took off her clothes in front of him before she opened her arms, her face was on its deepest shade of red. "Come, I''m ready!"

    "..."

    She was like a happy bunny, waiting to be eaten by a wolf. She was happily offering herself to him.

    Huang Li was speechless for a long time.

    "Hubby Li, come, come, I''m ready! Should I take off my u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r too? Oh, wait! Do you want me to serve you first?" Her eyes landed on the tent between his boxers, making her gulp and blush.

    Base on the outline... It really looked big...

    She has watched too read too much hentai manga and she has waited for this day to come.

    He ended up chuckling, finally giving in to her. He stood up and went in front of her. His gaze traveled from her toe to head.

    Fan Xiao Yao fought the urge to cover her c.h.e.s.t. She really was feeling shy, standing there in her u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r in front of him.

    He reached out and gently touched her blushing cheek. "There''s no going back from here."

    "Don''t worry, I don''t even want to go back." Fan Xiao Yao replied.

    He chuckled at her brave words. "I''m never going to give you to others."

    "Don''t worry, I don''t want others. I only want you." She said, looking straight at him with seriousness in her eyes.

    He traced her jawline with his finger, "There''s no escaping this now."

    "I''m not even trying." She huffed.

    His finger traveled down to her neck, then down to her shoulder, collarbone, and it stopped on her cleavage.

    The way his finger traced those parts sent shivers down her spine. She was not afraid but she was a bit nervous.

    The way how she tried her best to put on a brave front turned him on even further.

    "Are you sure about this?" Huang Li wanted to make sure for the last time.

    Fan Xiao Yao pouted, "Stop asking questions and make love with me already!"

    The side of his lips curled up into a gentle smile. She truly was so adorable...

    "Alright. Wait on the bed."

    Her eyes sparkled happily. She obediently went and got on the bed, sitting in the middle.

    "We''re going to do it my way."

    She nodded happily, "Are you going to tie me up? Put blindfold on me?"

    "..."

    "What position are we going to do right now?" She asked curiously, grinning at him. "Oh! I have a c.o.n.d.o.m prepared!" She went to the drawer that was beside the bed. "I don''t know your size so I bought it in all sizes. There''s no carrot flavor so I guess strawberry flavor will do. I also bought this one, a glow in the dark c.o.n.d.o.m. We can use it later tonight. I''m excited to see your d.i.c.k glow in the dark with the c.o.n.d.o.m!"

    "..."

    She prepared a c.o.n.d.o.m...

    She bought it in all sizes...

    Strawberry flavored...

    Glow in the dark...?

    Fan Xiao Yao prepared so much for this moment...

    "Oh yeah! I bought a rope! Rope for bondage play! I definitely want to try it out too!"

    "..."

    She was asking his kink earlier but... It was more like she actually has the person with one...

    Fan Xiao Yao turned to him, her eyes sparkling in expectation. "I''m free for three days, we can try it all out."

    "..."

    Was this the result of rejecting her advances for so long?

    That innocent face of hers was looking at him, waiting for him to decide.

    He took off his shirt and approached her.

    "You''re not going to blindfold me?"

    He chuckled, "No." He replied as he got on the bed.

    "Tie me?"

    "Not today."

    "But... But..." She looked at him with a cute pout on her lips.

    "Let''s take it easy right now."

    "But-"

    "You have to allow your body to get used to me first before we go on the intense activity. It will be too much for your body if we do it now." He leaned and pecked her pouting lips before he placed his hand behind her, unhooking her bra. He made her lie down and went on top of her.

    "I do exercise regularly so my body is in a pretty good condition." She tried to convince him.

    He smiled, "We still have so much time ahead of us, let''s not rush, okay? We can do it..." He paused and kissed her by her neck before he continued, "One. By. One... All the things you want us to do. For now, let''s take this one easy, okay?"

    She blushed hard upon feeling how his kisses started traveling from her neck to her c.h.e.s.t.

    =============

    A/N:

    Kindly read this story in app or site ONLY

    PLEASE DO NOT SUPPORT PIRACY SITES. This does not give Authors the support they deserve.

    Support the Author of this story by donating at:

    paypal.me/berriapplepi

    Not only me but other Authors spend a lot of time and effort in writing stories for you and your fellow readers so please support us by reading this story in only.

    Your beloved Author,

    BerriApplepi

    Contact me at:

    IG: @berriapplepi

    Twitter: @berriapplepi

    Discord: discord.gg/z56kkGG

 Chapter 143 - We had s.e.x

    That same weekend, Lu Mello came home from work only to see Shi Enxi, standing at the sofa.

    "What are you doing?" He asked, raising a brow.

    "I live here you know. I can stand wherever I want, thank you very much."

    "..."

    This scene was so familiar... Where did he see this again?

    Ah... It was in his past life.

    "Where''s the spider?" He calmly asked, looking at his wife.

    Shi Enxi quickly pointed at the coffee table, "Under the table."

    He went and searched for the spider under the coffee table and when he saw it, he reached out and caught it.

    "Kill it!"

    "They eat other bugs you know."

    "I don''t care!"

    Lu Mello sighed. Instead of killing it, he went to the window and released it there.

    "Why did you let it go? What if it comes back?" Shi Enxi said with a panicked look on her face.

    "It won''t. Besides, spiders like that are harmless." He said as he walked back to her.

    "Harmless your face! They can kill and they''re creepy!" Shi Enxi said in her defense.

    "That spider is a wolf spider. It''s a common house spider, it''s not poisonous."

    "It''s a WOLF spider!"

    Lu Mello chuckled at how adorable she was being right now. "I''ll call someone to clean up the spiders in the house."

    "You better should!" She looked around for a while before she finally went down the sofa.

    Shi Enxi has always been afraid of spiders and Lu Mello learned about it when the exact same scene happened in the past.

    He leaned down and kissed her forehead, "By the way, it''s time for your weekly checkup with the doctor."

    "Okay, but first, let''s pass by Fan Xiao Yao''s dorm. I have to get some of my things there."

    "Alright."

    ...

    Arriving at the dormitory, since Shi Enxi has a spare key, she entered the place and headed directly inside.

    Upon entering the scent of food entered their nostrils.

    "Wait here." Shi Enxi said to Lu Mello.

    She went to the kitchen and saw Huang Li''s bareback with scratch marks on it. He was half-n.a.k.e.d and only has his pajama on.

    She ended up gasping out loud, "What the f.u.c.k?"

    Since Lu Mello followed behind her, when he saw that scene, he quickly used his hand to cover his wife''s eyes.

    Huang Li turned when he heard them. He was surprised to see the two there. "Why... Are you here?"

    Shi Enxi slapped her husband''s hand away and looked at Huang Li in disbelief, "You didn''t!"

    Lu Mello went in between them to cover his wife''s sight from Huang Li''s half-n.a.k.e.d body.

    "LU F.U.C.K.I.N.G MELLO! MOVE AWAY!" She has some questioning to do right now.

    Lu Mello didn''t move, instead he looked at Huang Li and glared, "Wear something!"

    Shi Enxi looked at her husband in disbelief. Was he seriously getting jealous right now?

    "Where''s Xiao Yao?" She turned away and stomped her way to Fan Xiao Yao''s room, just like an angry mother.

    "W-wait Xiao Xi-"

    Upon opening the room, Shi Enxi was shocked by what she saw. Fan Xiao Yao was on the bed, sleeping, wearing nothing but Huang Li''s shirt.

    Before Lu Mello could take a look, Shi Enxi quickly shut the door and turned to him with a glare. "Go away!"

    Lu Mello looked at her in confusion. "What?"

    "Are you seriously going to ask me what?!" She was fuming like an angry demon.

    "I''ll give you an explanation, just lower down your voice and don''t disturb Xiao Yao. She''s tired."

    This time, it was Lu Mello''s turn to be shocked.

    Fan Xiao Yao?

    He turned his cold gaze to Huang Li.

    Huang Li wanted to hide at that moment. It was like there were two demons in front of him, waiting to stab him if he said one wrong word.

    "Well?" Shi Enxi crossed her arms, scrutinizing Huang Li with her deadly gaze.

    He couldn''t think of any excuse to give her so he sighed in defeat, "We had s.e.x."

    Shi Enxi raised a brow, "I can obviously see that."

    On the other hand, Lu Mello was taken aback. Fan Xiao Yao? With Huang Li?

    He has already thought that maybe it wasn''t bad that they''ll end up together but he never thought that they were actually already in a relationship!

    "What kind of explanation do you want me to give? I''m dating her so it''s normal for us to do this. I''m pretty sure that''s the reason why you''re pregnant with Lu Mello''s child now." Huang Li said in his defense.

    Shi Enxi sighed heavily, "Just don''t get her pregnant. She still has so many things to do."

    "I know." Aside from that, Huang Li wasn''t ready to be a father as well.

    Shi Enxi turned to her husband and saw his shocked expression, "Since they''re grownups, I''m pretty sure they know what they''re doing."

    Lu Mello snapped out of his trance and turned to his wife, "You knew that... they were dating?"

    "Yeah. Isn''t it obvious back then?"

    He was always focused on Shi Enxi so it wasn''t really obvious for him.

    "Anyway, before I forgot the doc.u.ments, I''ll go get it now." Shi Enxi went to her room and took some files from her desk before she went out, "Let''s go, Mello."

    Lu Mello nodded. He looked at Huang Li and narrowed her eyes, "You better take care of her."

    "I know. You don''t have to tell me that."

    =============

    A/N:

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 Chapter 144 - Cutest baby in the world

    Lu Mello brought his wife to the hospital after passing by the dorm.

    Shi Enxi visited her doctor for her weekly checkup.

    On the monitor, Lu Mello and Shi Enxi could see their growing child as the doctor was doing an ultrasound on her tummy.

    It was nerve-wracking for Shi Enxi. A new human was growing inside her stomach. On the other hand, Lu Mello was filled with joy to see that their child was growing healthy inside her. It wasn''t a new thing for him since he has already experienced taking care of his mother when she was pregnant with his siblings. Although it was different this time, it wasn''t his sibling inside the belly but his own child.

    It was Lu Mello''s first time in accompanying his wife there so the feeling that was growing inside of him was so overwhelming.

    "Do you want to know the gender of your child?" The doctor asked with a smile.

    Shi Enxi turned her gaze to her husband and smiled, "I think it''s about time."

    "I think so too." Lu Mello said with a smile as he held his wife''s hand.

    The doctor smiled back at the sweet couple before her. She turned to the monitor and pointed, "See this? If a child has this, it signifies that the child you''re having is a boy."

    A boy?

    For some reason, Shi Enxi couldn''t stop herself from tearing up. "A boy..." She turned to her husband with her tearful gaze, "We''re going to have a son..."

    "A son." Lu Mello chuckled. He was stopping himself from tearing up when he saw his wife''s tearful gaze. He leaned and kissed her forehead.

    "As long as you follow my advice, especially on your diet, then you will have a normal pregnancy."

    Shi Enxi chuckled, wiping the tear that formed on the side of her eyes, "I feel like eating more melons."

    ...

    After her checkup, the couple decided to have their dinner outside in their favorite restaurant.

    "Let''s start buying things for our son." Shi Enxi suggested with a grin on her lips. "Also let''s start preparing his room."

    Lu Mello placed his share of beef meat on her bowl of ramen before asking, "When should we start?"

    "Tomorrow?"

    "Alright." He replied with no hesitation. Even if there was a scheduled board meeting the next day, it was not going to stop him from putting his wife first. "Let''s do it in the afternoon."

    She nodded happily and continued eating. She gently rubbed her baby bump, "Two more months and we can finally hold you."

    If at first, she was reluctant about having the child, that feeling was finally replaced thanks to Lu Mello''s constant nagging.

    She may not be ready to become a mother, she doesn''t know how to take care of a child but with Lu Mello beside her, she was confident that everything would go well for them.

    Lately, she has stopped thinking about her revenge. She wanted to focus on giving birth to her son first.

    The doctor said that stress can be harmful to the baby so as much as possible, she wanted to stop stressing herself with her revenge. Aside from that, she wasn''t worried about Fan Xiao Yao''s acting anymore. She was steadily gaining fame. The assistants she assigned were doing their jobs well. If there was something major going on then of course she has to personally handle it.

    Her due date is in December and she was planning to finally take a leave from her work.

    "I suddenly remembered something..." She paused from eating her second bowl of ramen.

    "Hm?"

    "We have already decided on a name, right?" She grinned at him. "Lu Xueran, our baby snowman."

    Lu Mello blinked a few times. Lu Xueran? He remembered that moment where they decided a name for their child when Xia Meilin asked them.

    "It''s a good name... I think." He muttered the last part.

    "After shopping, let''s pass by your parent''s place." Shi Enxi suggested. She wanted to ask his mother some tips on how to take care of a baby.

    Well, it was the best idea to ask her instead of her sister, Li Bingbing.

    ...

    Lu Mello was already done eating, he was just watching his wipe devour the food in front of her. Her appetite became big and she was gaining weight but he didn''t mind that. She looked like a squirrel in his eyes.

    "I think our baby''s going to be big." He joked. His chin was resting on his palm as he stared at her.

    "A fat baby." Shi Enxi paused and imagined it. She giggled, "He''s definitely going to be the cutest then!"

    He chuckled lightly, "Really?"

    She didn''t mind having a fat child. "They are soft and squishy. They''re adorable when they run too. Besides, with our genes mixed, we''re definitely going to have the cutest baby in the world!"

    As she continued talking about their baby being the cutest, he continued staring at her. The music in the background became silent and she was the only one he could hear.

    This time, the child she was carrying was his. He was so sure of it. If all this time, their smooth relationship was just a dream then he preferred staying asleep. He never wanted to wake up from this dream.

    Seeing how lovely her smile is and how genuine she looked at that moment brought warmth in his c.h.e.s.t. Her voice was like music in his ears. He was will to do anything just to make her this happy.

    "I want more of this fish cake." Shi Enxi said, pointing her chopsticks at a plate that had one piece of the food left.

    Lu Mello turned and searched for the waiter with his eyes and when he saw one, he raised a hand.

    Just then, the sound of bells was heard from the door, signifying that another customer arrived.

    Two handsome men entered, one was shorter than the other. One was wearing a student uniform while the other was wearing a suit.

 Chapter 145 - Block them

    The man wearing a suit has a pixie haircut and was shorter than his companion and has feminine features. The women, including the waitresses, looked at him as if they saw a fairy enter. Aside from that, even his companion was so good looking.

    What''s so special with this day?

    First, it was the sweet and heavenly looking couple, Lu Mello and Shi Enxi who arrived in their restaurant now there were two panty-dropping handsome men that entered the place.

    Behind them, two more average-looking men followed and both were wearing the same uniform.

    The man in a suit was smiling and talking to his companion but he stopped upon seeing a familiar face. His eyes brightened and he approached Lu Mello and his wife.

    "Gege!"

    Lu Mello turned and saw the two men, he smiled upon seeing them. "Zhizhi, Jinnian."

    Shi Enxi turned and saw two familiar faces. One was her nephew, Lu Jinnian, Li Bingbing, and Lu Xian Yu''s son while the other was Ren Shiyuan and Nian Jiezhen''s daughter, Ren Xiaozhi.

    Yes, the man in a suit is actually a girl.

    Just like her father, Ren Xiaozhi took delight in crossdressing.

    "Sister Enxi, you''re here~" Ren Xiaozhi grinned. She looked at the empty dishes on the table then to her baby bump. "I heard from mom that you''re pregnant. Looks he''s pretty healthy if you''re feeding him with all this food."

    "Of course he is." Shi Enxi chuckled.

    "But daaaaamn... Did you finish all these?" Lu Jinnian asked, looking at the empty dishes.

    Shi Enxi pouted, "Of course not! Mello here is eating with me you know."

    "But..." Lu Jinnian trailed off, looking at all the empty bowls and plates on her side of the table.

    "Well, we''re not going to disturb your dinner." Ren Xiaozhi smiled. "I''m here to treat my students."

    Lu Mello blinked a few times, "Treat them?"

    "Yes. I did promise that I''ll treat them if they managed to top my subject." She explained. She turned to her three male students and smiled. "Why don''t you go to a vacant table and start ordering?"

    "Can we order anything?" One of the boys asked.

    "Hey Hanru, she said that we can order whatever we want earlier so don''t ask again." Lu Jinnian pouted.

    "Yeah! Don''t ask or else she''ll change her mind." One of the boys chimed in.

    "Anyway, please excuse us." Lu Jinnian said as he turned to Shi Enxi and her husband. "Sister Enxi, you should come and visit us sometimes."

    "I will." She smiled.

    Lu Jinnian and Ren Xiaozhi left their table after to accompany their companions.

    Shi Enxi was looking at Ren Xiaozhi from her table and commented, "If only she is not younger than and if only she''s a real man then I will definitely try to seduce her."

    Lu Mello shot his head to his wife and frowned, "Good thing she isn''t."

    She turned to him and smiled in amus.e.m.e.nt, "Don''t tell me that you''re getting jealous?"

    He scoffed, "Who said I''m jealous?"

    Shi Enxi smirked and teased, "It''s all written on your face."

    "It''s not." He huffed, crossing his arms.

    "Whatever you say." She chuckled. She took the plate of half-eaten fishcake and gave it to him. "I''m full, you eat these." She also gave him the other leftovers.

    This was the reason Lu Mello wasn''t eating much at first. He knew that once she was finally full, the leftovers will be given to him.

    After eating everything up, Lu Mello paid for everything before he left the place with his wife.

    They only waved as a goodbye to Ren Xiaozhi and Lu Jinnian.

    The moment Shi Enxi entered the car, she rubbed her belly. "Baby, you''re making me eat so much. It''s not good for mommy. I''m getting fat."

    "That''s why the doctor suggested that you should also do your daily exercise." Lu Mello chuckled, putting on the seatbelts.

    "Right." It was already a routine for her but with all the food she is eating during breakfast, lunch, and dinner, she needed to do more than her usual!

    "By the way, Mello, I want to have a maternity photoshoot." Shi Enxi suggested as she turned her head to her husband as he started driving.

    "I think that''s a good idea."

    "We should attend a childbirth class too."

    "A class?"

    She nodded and smiled, her hand gently rubbing her baby bump, "In preparation for giving birth. I want to be super healthy for our child."

    Lu Mello appreciated the effort that his wife was giving. At least this time, she was genuinely happy about having their child.

    "Okay. Let''s do that."

    While they were heading home, Lu Mello noticed the same car was following them and this made his guard go up.

    He has always known that dangers we''re lurking in the dark so even if he went out with his wife alone, he has already sent his men to keep an eye from afar. They should have notified him if there were some strange people following them.

    Lu Mello eyed Shi Enxi who was fast asleep before he looked back on the road. He didn''t want to wake her up and worry her. He was avoiding that.

    Just then, his phone rang. It was a call coming from one of his men.

    He put on his AirPods and answered the call.

    "Sir, a car is following you."

    "I noticed." He wanted to scold them for realizing late but Shi Enxi was sleeping so he needed to make his voice as low as possible.

    "Block them." He ordered.

    "Yes sir."

    After the call ended, from the rearview mirror, Lu Mello saw how his men''s car went in between to separate their cars, blocking the black car that was following earlier.

    The driver of the car that was following them seemed to realized something so he turned the other way and stopped pursuing Lu Mello''s car.

    Who could that person be?

    Lu Mello already has Chen Gao and his companion. He has been updating and replying to Shi Anhao''s messages so that she won''t realize that her men have been captured.

 Chapter 146 - Your tummy is big

    "Have you lost them?" A woman, sitting on the backseat of the car asked. Her face was covered with the shadow in the car. She was tapping a finger on her leg.

    "Yes madam." The driver said.

    Lu Mello''s men followed them earlier after finding out that their boss was being followed.

    The woman sighed heavily, "I can''t believe that she''s pregnant."

    It has been so long since she last saw Shi Enxi. She was actually surprised when she saw her in that restaurant earlier.

    Aside from being married to Lu Mello, she was now pregnant with his child.

    While she was busy in her thoughts, she was snapped out when she heard her phone rang.

    She took it from her bag and answered it, "Hello?"

    "Mom, it''s getting late. Where are you?"

    "I''m on my way home, sweetheart."

    ...

    The next day, early that morning, Shi Enxi woke up like she usually did to start her routine exercise although this time, Lu Mello accompanied her all throughout which she greatly appreciated.

    "Here." He handed a towel to her.

    "How long will you be at work?" Shi Enxi asked as she wiped her sweat with the towel he gave her.

    "A couple of hours but don''t worry, I''ll be back after lunch."

    "Can I come?" She asked as she turned her head to him.

    He blinked a few times, "What are you going to do there?"

    "Wait for you?"

    "Won''t you be bored?"

    "I can just watch some movies or read some books while waiting for you, you know." She didn''t have anything to do at home so she might as well waste her time in his office.

    "I guess that''s fine." He held her waist to support her, "Come, let''s clean up."

    ...

    Arriving at the company building, the employees ended up looking at Lu Mello and his wife. It has been months since Shi Enxi visited the company so most of them were surprised to see her pregnant.

    They all knew that Shi Enxi has a terrible personality so no one dare tried to meet her eyes.

    Shi Enxi waited in her husband''s office. She was behaved and didn''t make any problem for anyone.

    While reading a book, she fell asleep on the couch and this was the scene that Lu Mello reached when he returned to his office after attending a board meeting.

    They said that pregnant women liked sleeping so he decided not to disturb her since they have all the time they needed in the afternoon.

    He placed his coat to cover her body before he went back to his desk. Before he started reading on some doc.u.ments, he decided to send a message to someone.

    After a while, a knock was heard and Lu Mello''s secretary entered, bring the food he ordered inside.

    It was almost lunchtime so when the food that Lu Mello ordered arrived and was placed on the coffee table, the scent of the food entered Shi Enxi''s nostrils and woke her up.

    "Oh, you''re finally awake." Lu Mello said with a smile. "I''ve already ordered food for our lunch. We can eat it here." It would save the trouble of walking around for his wife as well.

    Shi Enxi felt her stomach grumble and this made her chuckle, "Xiao Xue is hungry."

    "Of course he is." He chuckled. Lu Mello reached out to the container of winter melon and opened it before giving it to her.

    ...

    Shi Enxi and Lu Mello were looking at the kid''s item in the department store. From baby cribs to clothes to toys to children''s picture books.

    While they were in the toys section, Shi Enxi saw a familiar face, it was none other than When Zhou, the child actor. He was looking at some toy car while he was being followed behind by his bodyguard.

    Wen Zhou was surprised to see Shi Enxi there when he saw her. Of course, he knew who she was since she was with Fan Xiao Yao during the audition.

    "Is Yaoyao-jijie with you?" This was the first question that the child asked when he approached her.

    Shi Enxi raised a brow at his rudeness. He didn''t even greet her first when he saw her.

    "I wonder. Can you see her standing beside me?"

    Wen Zhou pouted, "I''m not blind."

    "I never said you are." She huffed.

    "Hon, have you decided on what to buy?" Lu Mello asked as he approached his wife from behind.

    Shi Enxi pointed at the whole aisle of socks for babies. "I want all of these."

    Lu Mello: "..."

    When Zhou''s eyes landed on Shi Enxi''s baby bump, "You''re tummy is big."

    "Yes, I just ate a whole baby that''s why it''s big."

    The child looked at her in horror, believing her words.

    Lu Mello turned to the child his wife was talking to. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw him there. "You..."

    "Mello, meet Wen Zhou, a big fan of Xiao Yao." Shi Enxi introduced to which the child ended up blushing shyly.

    He didn''t deny that he was a fan. He was getting along so much with Fan Xiao Yao and was liking her to the point where he became her fan.

    "Jijie1 ... Do you know what''s Yaoyao-jijie''s favorite food?" The boy shyly asked.

    Shi Enxi scoffed. And now he''s acting all cute just to have his way on her? Did he think that she''s the type of person who can be easily deceived by his cuteness?

    "She likes carrots. Just give her anything with that flavor."

    "Really?" Wen Zhou''s eyes sparkled in delight which made him look adorable in Shi Enxi''s eyes.

    "If you''re planning on stealing her heart, you have to work hard." She patted his head, "She''s already taken."

    Wen Zhou''s smile became stiff. "Yaoyao-jijie... is taken? B-But she said that she will wait for me!"

    "Really?"

    He nodded his head frantically, "Yes!"

    While Shi Enxi was teasing the little boy, Lu Mello was quietly looking at their interactions.

    If Wen Zhou didn''t show up, he might have forgotten something important that happened in his past and how Wen Zhou is connected to Shi Enxi. Big siste

 Chapter 147 - Its time to go

    In the past, Lu Mello was able to meet Wen Zhou because of his uncle, Ren Shiyuan. It was during the time where he was looking into Shi Enxi''s case.

    Wen Zhou was living with Ren Shiyuan and Nian Jiezhen. They were the ones who took him in after his adopted parents died. Wen Zhou''s real parents were none other than Shi Enxi''s parents.

    He later found out that Mi Xijiu actually survived the accident. That was all he found out from Nian Jiezhen. He wasn''t able to get more details from it since Shi Enxi called him. It was during the same day where they both died.

    "Anyway, Jijie, Gege, I''ll be taking my leave now. I still have to meet my mom."

    He was meeting Mu Xijiu?

    "Take care on your way back." Shi Enxi said with a smile. "Don''t go running in the street."

    Wen Zhou pouted and huffed, "Why should I run?" He turned and left them there.

    "Come, darling. Let''s buy shoes for our son."

    ¡­

    "Mello, you''ve been quiet since earlier." Shi Enxi said, snapping him out of his thoughts.

    They were currently inside the car, they were being droved back by one of his men.

    "Is there something that matters?" She asked curiously as she reached out and held his hand.

    He turned his soft gaze to her. Should he tell her about her mother? Was it the right time to tell his wife about her?

    Lu Mello was worried about how it might affect his wife. Of course, it was going to shock her but he also knew that his wife wouldn''t sit still. He knew how much she loved her mother, her parents. They were the cause of the reason why she became her the person she was today.

    "You''re thinking of something again." Shi Enxi narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing him closely. "What is it?"

    "I was thinking about..." He trailed off to think of an excuse.

    "About?"

    "Designing our son''s room." He replied, looking at her with a smile. "What if he won''t like the color of his room?"

    "Don''t boys always love the color blue? Besides, it''s also pleasing to the eyes. We can also paint his room with the color green. The color is good for the eyes." She said with a grin. Whenever it came on the topic of their son, her eyes would always sparkle and it was such a lovely sight for him.

    He chuckled, "Okay, we can do that."

    Lu Mello decided not to tell his wife about her mother yet. He wanted his wife to focus on her pregnancy first since they were at a crucial time now. It was better not to stress her out with the problems that kept on rising around them.

    As much as possible, Lu Mello wanted to hide her from all of the things that were trying to distract her from their family.

    First, it was Chen Gao, now, someone else was trying to follow them.

    A sudden thought entered his mind when he thought about it. For some reason, the person who first entered his mind when he thought about the one who followed them last time... was none other than Shi Enxi''s mother.

    He has already caught Chen Gao and they were deceiving Shi Anhao, delaying her plans by giving her the wrong information.

    What if that person was actually Mu Xijiu? There could be that possibility too. Was she checking on her daughter?

    For now, what he can do is to meet Mu Xijiu behind his wife''s back.

    If she was here, there was a possibility that she was going to go after Shi Anhao and if she was, then they can just work together.

    ¡­

    Meanwhile, after visiting the mall, Wen Zhou went and passed by the hospital to meet his mother.

    Upon entering the building, he saw his mother by the lobby, sitting in her wheelchair and was patiently waiting for her son with the bodyguard that was standing behind her. Despite wearing a facemask, Wen Zhou seemed to recognize her at once.

    "Mom!" The child rushed to her with a bright smile on his face but that was covered by the mask he was wearing.

    Since Wen Zhou is a child actor, to stop others from recognizing him, he was wearing a facemask.

    "Are you done with your checkup?" The boy asked, smiling behind his mask.

    "Yes."

    "Did it go well?" He asked worriedly.

    "Of course." She reached out and patted her son''s head. "Have you bought the thing you wanted?"

    "Yes!" He happily nodded at his mother,  "I also met Xi-jijie at the mall." The child said with a cute grin. All this time, he was acting distant from his own sister because of his mother''s orders.

    "Enxi?"

    Mu Xijiu felt a tug on her heartstring. Oh, how she wished to be with her children right now but they all have their separate lives now. Oh, how she wished to be together with them again.

    She knew that she could bring them together by showing herself to them but right now, there were things that she needed to take care of.

    Eight years ago, the scheme Shi Anhao made against them caused the death of her husband, Shi Fen. He died protecting her.

    It was unbelievable, how can someone be so cruel to the point of killing her own brother? Shi Anhao is so ruthless!

    Mu Xijiu recently gained her memories back. For eight years, she lived in the dark, with her memories gone. Not only her memories but her ability to walk.

    If not for Wen Donghai and his wife, Ren Yuemin, she would have longed died with Shi Zhou inside her.

    Shi Anhao and Wang Hao, those monsters broke the family she treasured. How could she just sit still now that she was back?

    "Yup. She was shopping stuff for her baby." ShiZhou''s1 voice brought her out from her deep thoughts.

    Mu Xijiu turned to her son and inquired, "Was she alone?"

    "No, Mello-gege was with her."

    "I see..." Mu Xijiu trailed off.

    "Madam, young master. It''s time to go." The butler reminded. "We''ll be late for our flight if we delayed any longer." Instead of ''Wen Zhou'' I will start writing his name as ''Shi Zhou'' since he is Shi Fen and Mu Xijiu''s son.

 Chapter 148 - Why did he die?

    Inside the dark prison room, a man was standing in front of a mirror, staring at his own reflection.

    He wiped the bloodstain that dripped on the side of his lips. His left eye was swelling and had a purple coloration around it.

    He lost so much weight, there was no chubbiness in his body anymore. He even couldn''t eat well despite having daily food rations.

    Damn it! Damn it all! Ever since he was placed in prison, every day was endless suffering for him. No one was helping him. Even the guards on duty were turning a blind eye on the beatings he received from the other prisoners.

    Sometimes, it was the guards themselves that were making fun of him.

    Oh, how he wished for it to end. He promised inside that once he gets out of that filthy place, he was going to make everyone pay!

    His thoughts of revenge were disturbed when he heard the metal clang.

    "3405, someone wants to see you." The guard said indifferently.

    Wang Hao turned and saw the lean guard, looking coldly at him.

    "Who...?" He curiously asked. He wasn''t receiving any visitors for months. Even his wife and daughters didn''t visit him.

    He knew that they were being careful, especially when there were people that were carefully guarding their steps so he couldn''t blame them

    "A woman."

    In an instant, Wang Hao''s eyes were filled with hope thinking that it was his wife. It has been so long since she visited him. If she was there, that could only mean that she already has a plan on getting him out, right?

    Wang Hao followed the guard and went to the visiting area. Handcuffs were placed around his wrists before he was allowed to enter the room.

    He saw the woman''s back, she was sitting in a wheelchair and beside her was a man in a suit.

    "Anhao..."

    What happened to her? Why was she in a wheelchair?

    He approached her, a guard following behind. When he saw the woman''s face from the side, his eyes widened in disbelief.

    "Mu Xijiu...? I... Impossible!"

    Mu Xijiu turned her cold gaze to the man standing at the side, looking at her in horror as if he has seen a ghost. She let out a chilly smile, a smile so familiar, the smile Shi Enxi once showed him.

    "Brother-in-law, how do you do?"

    "H-how can this be? W... Why are you still alive?"

    "I guess the god of death treasures me." The demoness chuckled, "He even blessed me by saving my son. Can you believe that?"

    Mu Xijiu was pregnant during that accident so one can say that it can only be a miracle that she survived such an accident.

    But only she knew what happened. It was because of Shi Fen''s sacrifice that''s why she was able to live with her son. Shi Fen used his body to protect her from the crash.

    Ever since her memories returned, she could clearly remember her last moment with her husband.

    ...

    (Flashback)

    Shi Fen was lying on top of her, badly wounded. Glass shards were stabbed at his back.

    "X-Xijiu..." His weak, raspy voice woke her up.

    She squinted her eyes open, her sight blurry but she could see her husband''s figure on top of her. "S-Shi Fen.."

    He coughed out blood on the side, "I... I''m sorry..."

    She rather be with him until death so she didn''t even try moving away from him. Tears slowly rolled down her cheeks, she hardly whispered, "T-till... death do us part..."

    It was alright for her to die, at least she could be with the one she loved. At least they were together.

    She felt him place a hand on her tummy. Her sight was getting dark but she could make out the smile on her husband''s lips.

    Before she lost her consciousness, she heard his faint voice, "T... Tsuki ga... kirei... desu ne?"

    Ah... Those words again... The same words he said during high school... The same words he told her before he left her back then...

    She has always wondered back then what those words meant. Why would he always tell her ''The moon is beautiful, isn''t it?'' in Japanese? But after she married him, she finally found out what those words meant.

    In Japanese, ''the moon is beautiful, isn''t it?'' actually means ''I love you.''

    Ever since high school, he has always been confessing to her without her knowledge. He was her best friend. A best friend who loved and waited patiently for her.

    Even after she got married to another man, even if she already has a child, he loved her continuously. He didn''t care if she has a daughter or if she was a divorcee. Even if everyone was against them being together, he stayed strong for them. His love for her was so pure, so genuine.

    He may be her second husband but he was the only man who truly loved and cared for her. The man who waited for so many years just to have her back.

    Mu Xijiu thought that they were going to die together but, she was saved. The people who found them couldn''t save her husband since he dealt the most damage in his body and lost too much blood.

    She was in a coma for three years and when she woke up, she had no recollection of her past but.. why was it she felt so empty inside? As if something precious was taken from her?

    Mu Xijiu only found out the reason behind it why after so many years.

    It was because... She lost the love of her life.

    Why? Why was she allowed to live? Why was she saved? Why can''t they let her follow him instead?

    The pain of losing someone, even if so many years have passed felt so fresh for her, it was so unbearable.

    She was depressed for months. If not for her son, Shi Zhou, she would have killed herself already just to follow her husband.

    But still... Why did he have to die? The man who showered her with kindness? She should be the one who died! Unlike Shi Fen, she was a woman with many sins. Shi Fen didn''t deserve to die. A good man, a man who only showed kindness to others. A man who only knew how to love his family.

    Why did he die?

    Even at his last breath, he did everything just to save her. Fate was so cruel. Very cruel. Why did it allow her to meet him if, in the end, fate was just going to take him away from her?

    It made her question so many things but among those questions, the biggest one was... Did she not deserve to be happy?

 Chapter 149 - The root of all their hardsh.i.p.s

    (Present)

    It was impossible! How can she still be alive? How was she able to survive such a crash?

    No wonder... No wonder her body couldn''t be found! She actually lived! That bitch actually lived!

    "W-why are you here?" Wang Hao nervously asked, clenching his fists tightly.

    "To see the horrible state you''ve been in." She snickered. "It looks like my son-in-law did a good job in punishing you."

    Since she regained her memories, it was only normal for her to get an update on the enemies that tried to take her life.

    "You deserve to be in this hell after what you did to Shi Fen and me." She said through gritted teeth.

    She knew?!

    "M-Mu Xijiu, I don''t know what you are talking about." He tried to act all innocent but his stuttering gave him away.

    "Stop acting dumb!" She shouted angrily.

    Of course, it surprised her, learning that Shi Anhao and Wang Hao were the ones behind that accident. It was all thanks to Wen Donghai that she was able to get the information regarding the people who were behind that accident. The accident that took Shi Fen''s life.

    "Don''t worry, you''ll be with your wife soon. I''ll make sure to send her in hell too." Mu Xijiu snickered.

    "Don''t you dare touch her!" He growled at her, glaring angrily.

    She laughed at his words, as if she heard the funniest joke ever, "Or what? You can''t even do anything from here."

    Wang Hao took a step towards her but his arms were grabbed by the prison guard behind him, stopping from taking any step closer to her.

    "See?" She scoffed, "How pathetic."

    That was the only thing she wanted to do. She wanted to let Wang Hao know that she was alive and that, she knew who was behind that accident.

    Mu Xijiu knew that Shi Anhao wasn''t contacting her husband so he has no way of informing his wife. Even if he did, it will already be too late.

    She turned her cold gaze to her bodyguard, "Let''s go."

    "Mu Xijiu! You''re not going to get away with this!" Wang Hao was being held down by the guard behind him. "I will kill you if you even come near her! I WILL KILL YOU!!!"

    She found it funny, Wang Hao''s words. They''ve risen the sleeping demon inside her. They can''t blame her now if she became ruthless.

    "Yes, Madam." The bodyguard held the wheelchair''s handle and pushed it out of the room.

    Dong Hao''s screams were heard.

    "MU XIJIU!!! COME BACK HERE!!! MU XIJIUUUU!!!"

    Nothing was holding her back from turning herself into an evil woman, even her children. She may be working as with the law back then but her principles have changed ever since her man was killed.

    Tooth for a tooth. A hand for a hand. Life for a life. That was what she wanted. Shi Anhao was not going to get away even if she is Shi Fen''s sister.

    She has always shown her malice to her. Shi Anhao never stopped showing her hate no matter how many times Shi Fen tried to talk it out of her.

    After taking her revenge against Shi Anhao, she was planning to follow her husband. She didn''t want to live any longer without him. To live with him in the afterlife, that was what all she wanted.

    The only thing that was driving her right now revenge. Anyone who will try to stop her will only burn with her fury.

    It doesn''t matter how long it would take before she could destroy the woman who betrayed her own brother. Shi Anhao betrayal was something unforgivable. That was why Mu Xijiu couldn''t believe that what happened was just a pure accident. The person who she doubted was none other than Shi Anhao. Wen Donghai only helped her in confirming it.

    Sadly, Wen Donghai and his wife died. They died in a pure accident not unlike what happened to Mu Xijiu and her husband, a man-made accident.

    Shi Anhao was the root of all their hardsh.i.p.s and Mu Xijiu was going to drag her to hell.

    ...

    "Wen Zhou went to Guangzhou?" Lu Mello was surprised. He went to Nian Jiezhen''s place to find him only to find him gone.

    "How about Mu Xijiu?" He asked, carefully observing Nian Jiezhen''s reaction.

    "Mu Xijiu? Who''s Mu Xijiu?" Nian Jiezhen was utterly confused.

    Did Mu Xijiu use another name?

    "How about his mother?" He asked a different question this time.

    "Are you trying to make fun right now, Mello? Cause it''s not funny at all. Wen Zhou has no parents." She huffed, crossing her arms.

    How can that be?

    The only thing he could think about was that... Mu Xijiu was hiding her identity from everyone. The last time who talked with him was Ren Shiyuan... It could only mean that, he might be the only person who knows something about what''s really happening.

    "Ah... I''m sorry. I must have made a mistake." He smiled a bit, "Anyway, thank you for your help, sister Jiezhen."

    Nian Jiezhen watched Lu Mello leave. She heaved out a heavy sigh. That boy... Just what is going on with his mind? Who was he looking for?

    In the end, Lu Mello went to HR Entertainment to meet Ren Shiyuan. In his past life, it was Ren Shiyuan who told him about Wen Zhou and Mu Xijiu. If he tried to act clueless in front of him, he was not going to believe him. No matter what, Lu Mello was going to make him speak.

    Since Ren Shiyuan was in the middle of a meeting, he waited for him in his office.

    While he was patiently waiting, he heard his phone rang. He took it out from his pocket and looked at the caller ID, it was a call from his wife.

    When he answered it, instead of hearing his wife''s voice, it was Fan Xiao Yao''s voice that came out from the other line.

    "Mello! You have to come to the hospital! Quick! X-Xiao Xi is... Xiao Xi is having an emergency delivery!" Panic was heard in the tone of her voice.

    It was as if the world around Lu Mello stopped when he heard Fan Xiao Yao''s words.

    "Mello! Lu Mello! Are you there?!!! Mello!!!"

 Chapter 150 - Born from the same kind of devil

    (2 hours ago)

    Shi Enxi went to Fan Xiao Yao''s place after Lu Mello left since she wanted to personally ask her about something.

    Inside the dormitory, Fan Xiao Yao was there, reading her lines from her new role while Zi Xuan was accompanying her.

    "Our amazing Director Lu is here~" Zi Xuan happily grinned upon seeing her after he opened the door for her.

    "Xiao Xi is here?" Fan Xiao Yao placed the script aside and stood up from the sofa just to check on who was at the door.

    Shi Enxi smiled, "I came to visit."

    "Alone? Tsk, tsk. Mr. Lu shouldn''t let his pregnant wife roam outside alone." Zi Xuan pouted as he stood aside to allow her to come in.

    "He has something to take care of."

    "Xiao Xi, you''re here!" Fan Xiao Yao happily greeted her best friend. She went and hugged her by her arm. Her eyes landed at her bulging baby bump. "Ehehehe~ Look at how he''s growing."

    She reached out and even stroked her baby bump in a gentle way.

    Shi Enxi didn''t mind Fan Xiao Yao stroking her tummy like a grandma. Since she was not a threat, she let her be.

    "I''m going to be an uncle soon." Zi Xuan smiled helplessly, looking at her baby bump.

    "Who said you can be his uncle?" Shi Enxi crossed her arms, raising a brow him.

    "Like it or not, I''m going to be his uncle... Maybe godfather is better? What''s his name?"

    Shi Enxi didn''t actually mind having him as an uncle for her child since Zi Xuan is a famous star and having him around for her son was going to be a good thing. "Lu Xueren."

    "Huang Li and I are going to be his godparents you know." Fan Xiao Yao made Shi Enxi sit on the sofa. "Do you want anything to eat? Drink?"

    "Yes, yes, we can get you something." Zi Xuan chimed in.

    She looked at the two who were treating her carefully, and gently. She wanted to roll her eyes since she found it annoying.

    Shi Enxi just wanted to visit Fan Xiao Yao to get an update not to be taken care of by them.

    "I heard from Qiao Nuan that you''re working on a new project." She eyed the script that was lying on the sofa. "Another project with Wen Zhou."

    She could understand why that is. Ever since the movie got out, Fan Xiao Yao, Wen Zhou, and Fan Jingli''s names became famous in social media. The movie had an excellent rating and Shi Enxi was sure that it was going to be nominated in the Golden Rooster Awards.

    "Yes! This time, we''re working on a traditional movie." Fan Xiao Yao excitedly said.

    "The last project, you were working with Wang Ansheng, right?" Shi Enxi''s eyes turned cold. "I heard what happened to her... Is it your doing?"

    There were rumors that were spreading lately about Wang Ansheng. She may have lay low ever since the last incident but Shi Enxi found out from Qiao Nuan that a day before their movie''s last shoot, Fan Xiao Yao and Wang Ansheng got into a fight.

    Fan Xiao Yao nervously gulped. She averted her eyes, avoiding Shi Enxi''s inspecting gaze, "I didn''t do anything wrong. It was her who started it and I just retaliated."

    Zi Xuan looked at the two girls, back and forth to them. "A month ago, Wang Ansheng has been caught carrying drugs..." He trailed off and looked at his manager, "Fan Xiao Yao''s doing? What do you mean by that?"

    "That''s why I''m here to ask her in person. How did Wang Ansheng end up being caught?"

    Shi Enxi knew that Wang Ansheng was not going to do anything that can attract the netizens after what happened to her father.

    "Fan Xiao Yao." She narrowed her inquiring eyes at her. "What happened?"

    "That''s..." Fan Xiao Yao sighed in defeat. She was not really planning on hiding it from her. It was just, she was not ready to tell what happened yet.

    "Spit it out. Now."

    "Wang Ansheng was supposed to frame me with the drugs. Wen Zhou saw her putting it in my things so after Wang Ansheng left, he transferred it back to her bag and I caught him doing that." She sighed and lowered her head. "I didn''t want to frame her but Wen Zhou... He was already a step ahead of me..."

    Shi Enxi was surprised upon hearing her words. Wen Zhou? He was the one behind it?

    "To make matters worse, he acted against Wang Ansheng, telling the police that she has been mistreating him... So in the end, after she was caught by the police, the Director decided to change the actress. Only her scenes are being replaced."

    "That boy... I never thought that he can be so devious at such a young age! He literally schemed against Wang Ansheng!" Zi Xuan said in surprise. He felt chills run down his body upon thinking that a boy was capable of ruining one''s reputation.

    Shi Enxi has always felt something about Wen Zhou, something familiar even when she first met him. She has always thought that the boy wasn''t as innocent as he looked. It was as if they were born from the same kind of devil.

    He looked so innocent, even his smile was adorable but... He knew how to use his craftiness and kept it hidden from others.

    A demon can recognize its own kind and Shi Enxi was able to see through the child in their first meeting.

    He finally showed his real colors huh?

    "I guess I will have to thank him." Shi Enxi snickered. It was only normal to thank him since he has taken care of one of her targets. She was just actually waiting for an opportunity to attack Wang Ansheng once she started striking on Fan Xiao Yao but who would have thought that Wen Zhou ended up doing the work?

    She looked at the woman in front of her, "Fan Xiao Yao, you need to be careful around that boy, do you understand?"

 Chapter 151 - Tell me the truth!

    "But... Wen Zhou and I are in good terms." Fan Xiao Yao couldn''t imagine Wen Zhou harming him especially when they were having a good relationship.

    "Don''t get into his bad side. He may help you up but he can also bring you down. You have already seen what he can do so you have to be careful."

    It was going to be troublesome if they ended up becoming enemies with Wen Zhou. He is still a child and if things went south, netizens would surely take his side.

    How is such a boy like this? Is it possible that someone else is controlling him from behind?

    "Xiao Xixi is right." Zi Xuan has already been in the entertainment industry for so many years. He survived different kinds of scheming and he knew the reality inside the industry. It was just surprising for him that someone young like Wen Zhou is already capable of doing something like that. "Yaoyao, you have to be careful. You can''t trust anyone so easily."

    "I understand..." Fan Xiao Yao was sad about the fact that even she has to be careful of a child like Wen Zhou. He was like a brother to her and he already has a soft spot in her heart so it was actually hard for her.

    "Anyway, both of you look free, why don''t you accompany in shopping?" Shi Enxi smiled as she invited them.

    "Shopping?" Zi Xuan repeated, blinking a few times.

    "I''m planning to buy bed covers for my Xiao Xue. It''s fine if you don''t want to-"

    "I want to go!" Fan Xiao Yao''s face instantly brightened up.

    Zi Xuan smiled, "It sounds fun. Is this going to be our bonding time~?

    ...

    Lu Mello''s men followed their Madam all throughout the time from a distance. Of course, they couldn''t just let her go out without security since they have been ordered to guard her at all times.

    Zi Xuan went out of the car after it was parked by Shi Enxi''s driver.

    Shi Enxi and Fan Xiao Yao followed after him. They entered the Mall and went to the department store.

    It was all going well, everything looked normal but something unexpected happened.

    While the trio was enjoying their lunch, in the middle of it, Shi Enxi felt dizziness. It was only a matter of second before she fainted.

    Zi Xuan and Fan Xiao Yao panicked, even the men who were following from them from a distance were surprised.

    "Quick! Bring madam to the hospital!" One of the men shouted before he turned to the other companion. "You! Take Three with you and don''t let anyone else leave this place!" Anyone could be the culprit.

    Shi Enxi was rushed to the hospital and that was when Fan Xiao Yao called Lu Mello.

    Lu Mello rushed to the hospital after receiving the call from Fan Xiao Yao. He directly went to where the emergency room was, panting, and had a panicked look on his face.

    "W-what happened?" He asked, looking at Fan Xiao Yao and Zi Xuan.

    "T-The... d-doctor found poison in Shi Enxi''s blood..." Fan Xiao Yao tried to explain but she kept on stuttering because just like Lu Mello, she was panicking. Her face was wet with her tears. She was so worried about Shi Enxi.

    Poison?

    Lu Mello frowned, his face darkened, "Poison, from where?"

    "I-I don''t know!"

    "We ate outside... Someone must have poisoned Xiao Xixi''s food." That was the only thing Zi Xuan could think of.

    Lu Mello glared at Tang Luo, one of his men who followed him. "Go and investigate that place now!"

    "Y-yes!"

    Lu Mello could feel his hands sweating, the uneasiness in his c.h.e.s.t grew. He punched the wall, making his fist bleed, Pouring all his anger into that punch.

    "M-Mello..." Fan Xiao Yao''s face was wet with tears. She didn''t have any words to comfort him.

    "Xiao Xixi will be fine... Your son will be fine." It was Zi Xuan who tried to comfort them. "They''ll be fine... They''ll be fine..."

    "Let''s get your hand checked, Mello..." Fan Xiao Yao said, looking at his hand as blood dripped from it. "Mello..."

    In the end, Lu Mello went with Fan Xiao Yao to the nurse to treat his wound before they went back and waited.

    They waited for hours and those hours felt so long for them. They couldn''t calm down, it was so agonizing, waiting for news about Shi Enxi and the baby. Lu Mello even received a report from his men that they couldn''t find the person who poisoned Shi Enxi which only angered him more.

    While waiting, Huang Li came since Fan Xiao Yao has contacted him as well.

    "Huang Li!" Fan Xiao Yao rushed to his side and cried.

    He gently held her shoulders and asked her with a worried look, "I-Is it true?"

    Fan Xiao Yao could only give a nod. Before she could open her mouth and say something, their heads turned when they finally saw the doctor in scrubs come out.

    Lu Mello rushed to him, "H-how is my wife? My son?"

    "We were able to save the mother but as for the baby..." The doctor lowered his head. "I''m very sorry, sir. The amount of poison inside your wife''s body may not be enough to kill your wife but... It''s enough to kill the baby."

    The doctor''s words were like cold water, being splashed on Lu Mello''s face. He looked so pale as if the life in him was s.u.c.k.e.d out by something. His body trembled as he looked at the doctor in disbelief. "N-no... No... That''s not true. My son is... You''re lying... You''re lying, right?"

    His son is dead? That was not a funny joke. Lu Mello couldn''t believe him at all.

    Even Fan Xiao Yao and Zi Xuan were surprised when they heard the news.

    In anger, Lu Mello grabbed the doctor''s clothing, glaring at him. "You must be lying! Tell me the truth!"

    "Mello!" Fan Xiao Yao and Zi Xuan hurriedly went to stop him from hurting the doctor.

    "Tell me the truth!"

 Chapter 152 - Can I see him?

    When did Lu Mello last cry? It has been so long but each time he did, it was always because of Shi Enxi.

    This time it was because of their son. The son who they were not given a chance to meet. The child that he has always yearned from her.

    In this life, she was carrying his child but fate was so cruel.

    He tried his best not to cry for the sake of his wife as he watched her lie down on the hospital bed.

    His eyes landed on her stomach, the baby bump... gone.

    He reached out, his hand trembling, to his wife''s hand.

    "I''m sorry... Enxi... I''m sorry..."

    He promised her that he was going to protect her, that he was going to protect their son but he failed.

    In that moment of loss, his world collapsed. Tears streamed uncontrollably, like water breaking out from a dam. He felt his heart being cut open, it was so suffocating.

    She was still there. He has to protect her. He has to protect her from all this pain.

    His tears were endless and so was the pain.

    Was this a punishment for marrying a woman like Shi Enxi? Or was this a punishment for her countless crimes in the past?

    Was fate trying to turn her into a monster again by taking away their child?

    He didn''t care. If someone was trying to turn her into a shrewd monster, he was going to stop them no matter what. He was not going to allow anyone to take away the happiness that his wife deserves.

    He wiped off his tears dry and tried his best to calm himself.

    He stood up and left the room to make a call.

    ...

    When Shi Enxi woke up, it was dark since it was around 3 or 4 in the morning.

    Her hand instinctively went to her stomach. She felt so empty when she realized that the baby bump was gone.

    "Where..."

    Lu Mello woke up when heard her hoarse voice.  He sat straight and looked worriedly at her, "How are you feeling?"

    "My baby... Where is my baby?" That was the first thing she asked when she looked at him.

    Lu Mello''s face looked weary and he was quiet for a short while which made her nervous.

    "Mello? Our son... Where is he?"

    He managed to force out a smile. The lump in his throat was stopping him from speaking but he tried his best to speak out, "He''s fine."

    When she heard his words, she sighed in relief. The uneasiness she felt since she woke up disappeared, "Can I see him?"

    "Not yet. Your body is too weak and since you just have given birth early, he''s being taken care of by the doctors and nurses." The more he lied, the more it was harder for him to look in his wife''s eyes. "You don''t have to worry, he''s a premature baby so the nurses and doctor need to keep an eye on him just to make sure that he''s fine."

    Shi Enxi wasn''t able to see through it because of how dark the room was. Only the dim light coming from the lamp was seen so she couldn''t see Lu Mello''s face clearly.

    "When can I see him?"

    He became quiet again but only for a few seconds, "After two weeks... You can see him after two weeks."

    "So long..." Shi Enxi was saddened by it.

    He held her hand, "Our son is weak... He needs to be monitored for now."

    Shi Enxi heaved out a sigh in defeat. She couldn''t do anything about it if that was the case. She badly wanted to see her son but she also wanted him to grow healthy and strong. "What happened? Why did I end up giving birth a month early?"

    "Xi''er, you need rest." He dismissed the question, trying to avoid it. He pulled the blanket up until her shoulders.

    "But..."

    "If I tell you now, it will only make you restless. Our priority right now is your health." He gently said.

    "Okay..." Shi Enxi was so obedient that time, must be because she was also feeling weak and didn''t have enough strength to argue. It was not hard for her to fall back to sleep.

    Meanwhile, Lu Mello stayed awake since then, staring at his wife''s sleeping face.

    He knew that hiding their child''s death was wrong but he knew that if she found out about it, she might completely turn insane.

    She was so excited to welcome their child. For months, they kept on preparing things for him. Even the room was already prepared.

    He was willing to keep the pain of loss to himself. He was not going to share it with her. After what she has been through, he was not going to add more tragedies in her life.

    He will protect her happiness... Even if he has to lie to her for the rest of their lives. He was willing to do everything just to keep other''s mouths shut.

    The death of their son was the beginning of his ruthlessness. The sleeping beast inside him awakened from its slumber.

    He tried to be a good person, a man protecting the law but in the end, that image and mentality were now gone.

    He was never going to forgive the people who tried to kill his wife. They may have snatched their happiness from them but he was not going allow them to break Shi Enxi even further.

    If in the end, he, himself, will be the one to turn into a devil, then so be it. They can''t blame him if he deals with them cruelly.

    He may be a man with principles but ever since he married Shi Enxi, his wife became his principles.

    The overwhelming presence coming from Lu Mello filled the room.

    It was then, his phone vibrated, signaling a message. He took it out from his pocket and checked it.

    [Boss, we are able to find a baby with your description.]

    He replied with [good] before he deleted the chat.

 Chapter 153 - I am your mother

    The people who came to visit Shi Enxi was limited. Lu Mello even warned everyone who knew about what happened that they should keep the truth a secret from his wife and the other people who didn''t know it.

    Fan Xiao Yao, Huang Li, and Zi Xuan were in difficulty when Lu Mello told them about his decision. At first, they were against it but considering how much it will affect Shi Enxi, it was Huang Li who first agreed with Lu Mello.

    He knew how bad Shi Enxi could get. She has lost too much and losing her child would probably make her go crazy.

    On the other hand, it was hard for Fan Xiao Yao to lie to her that was why, after visiting her once, she never visited her again while Shi Enxi was in the hospital.

    When everything was settled, Lu Mello went to get the baby from an orphanage to adopt him. It was hard, looking for a baby with what he had in mind especially when he didn''t even know how his son looked so he could only imagine.

    The baby looked weak and small. His head has a few strands of black hair, looking like an old man''s head. Despite looking weak, one can say that the baby was actually cute because of the chubbiness of his cheeks.

    Lu Mello knew that Shi Enxi would probably want to have a cute looking baby.

    It was difficult for him to hold the infant, thinking that the baby was going to be a replacement for their dead son but he didn''t have a choice. He needed to get used to it especially when he was going to be with Shi Enxi. He processed the doc.u.ments and even decided to give the boy a different name.

    "I can finally see our son?" Shi Enxi was excited, her eyes were even sparkling because of it.

    "Yes." He smiled. It was hard for Lu Mello to see his wife like that but he kept his pain inside, not showing it on his face. "Come, let''s go see him."

    They went to the NICU, Lu Mello pushing the wheelchair that his wife was sitting on.

    "Where?" She asked excitedly.

    "Over there, at the corner."

    With the nurse''s assistance, they approached the baby that was inside the baby incubator.

    Lu Mello was still nervous. What if her mother''s instincts told her that it wasn''t her real child?

    Shi Enxi stared at the infant inside. She was quiet for a short while which made her husband even nervous.

    "That''s not my baby."

    Lu Mello was startled by her words. Was she able to tell?

    Even the nurse that was with them was sweating anxiously.

    A pout appeared on Shi Enxi''s lips, "My baby is supposed to be chubby. I''ve been eating a lot you know. Where did all that food go? Why is my baby small and not chubby?"

    Despite saying those words, her eyes were gently gazing at the child inside. She reached out and placed her hand outside of the incubator. "He''s so cute tho... I guess he''s my baby."

    Lu Mello, together with the nurse ended up sighing in relief.

    "Maybe we''re going to have an intelligent baby." He joked.

    "If all that food''s nutrients went to his brain I bet he''s going to be a genius boy! Xiao Xue is still so cute~" Shi Enxi giggled, happily looking at the baby.

    "I decided to change his name to Lu Mingyu1 ."

    Shi Enxi frowned, looking at her husband, "But we have already decided on a name."

    He patted his wife''s head and smiled as he reasoned out, "It''s the name that entered my mind when I first saw him."

    She pouted. It was not like a bad name tho. She looked at the baby and whispered, "Mingyu..."

    "Fine but I''m going to name our next, baby, okay?"

    "Okay."

    ...

    That same day in the hospital, inside a private room, there was a baby sleeping soundly inside an incubator.

    Tiny toes peek from his blanket. His head, a crazy mass of brown curls. The baby was chubby, chubby bracelets where the fat folded at his wrists and ankles.

    The woman who was sitting beside it was staring quietly at the infant.

    "How many more weeks?" The woman asked.

    "One more week before the baby can be discharged from the hospital, ma''am." The doctor said. It was the same doctor who was in charge of Shi Enxi''s surgery.

    "I never thought that Lu Mello was going to go as far as taking a fake child with him."

    A man, leaning against the door was looking at them with a serious expression on his face. "You promised not to harm the child."

    The woman chuckled, "Did you become attached to Enxi, Zi Xuan?"

    "I''m not as ruthless as you. I will never harm a baby."Zi Xuan replied with a glare.

    "But you almost did when you gave her the poison."

    "You said that it won''t harm the baby."

    "And you believed me." The woman snickered, crossing her arms.

    "Because you promised." He stood straight. "If you lied, I can always tell them about you."

    It was as if the woman heard a funny joke, "Do you think you will have the chance to tell them about me? I can just kill you, you know."

    "You can kill me but if you did, the evidence I have against you will be automatically sent to Shi Enxi and her husband." Zi Xuan smirked. He has always been careful that was why he has never put his guard down when it came to the woman in front of him.

    The woman''s eyes darkened. "What happened to you? You are supposed to be my loyal dog. Have you forgotten what I did for you or do you want me to remind you again? I am your mother."

    That was her famous move, she would use his guilt against him but it was not going to work on him again. He has long paid his debt to her.

    He only lowered his head to show that he was submitting to her by feeling guilty. "I''m... sorry, mother." Bright Jade

 Chapter 154 - Its okay to stop

    "Yu''er, welcome to your room!" Shi Enxi happily said as she entered the baby''s room while carrying him in her arms. "Well... You will use it once you grow but for now, you will sleep in mommy and daddy''s room, okay?

    The room was big, it was filled with toys on one side and children''s books on the bookshelves. The color of pastel mint green had a cooling and pleasing effect in the eyes. The room was perfectly planned and designed for boys.

    The infant only snuggled against her warmth like a kitten which made her heart melt. His black, round eyes were looking at her innocently.

    "I guess you love mommy more than your room, huh?" She giggled. "But you should at least appreciate mommy and daddy''s effort for making your room, baby."

    She sat on the sofa and watched him play with her shirt.

    From the door, Lu Mello was quietly staring at the scene before him with mixed feelings. His eyes were filled with emotions one cannot tell.

    The pain inside him only made him quieter, there was no joy in him. He only felt relieved that his wife was happy and alright.

    Shi Enxi noticed how quiet Lu Mello was so she called him, "Mello."

    "Hm?"

    "Come here."

    Lu Mello obediently went and sat beside her. "What is it?"

    "I''ve been thinking..." She moved her gaze back to the child in her arms. "I want to be a full-time mom."

    Her gaze was soft and gentle as she enjoyed watching her ''son'' drink from her b.r.e.a.s.t.

    "I don''t know if I''m going to be a good mother but... I want to be one for our Yu''er."

    When she first held him in her arms in the hospital, she felt a tug in her heart. She wanted to protect him at all costs, she wanted to be good for him.

    "I want to focus on our family." In other words, she wanted to let go of her plans for revenge. "I know I shouldn''t be saying this... I know that I should be bringing justice to my parent''s death but..." She paused and turned her gaze to him, "After having Yu''er... I want to put our family first."

    "Are you going to let go of Shi Anhao?"

    She lowered her head at her husband''s question. She still hated her when she thought of that woman but whenever she looked at their son, those feelings of hate would just fade. Shi Enxi didn''t want to be a person who was filled with hate. She wanted to let go of her past.

    "No... We already have Chen Gao, my brother will know what to do." She looked at him. "But I want to stop getting involved with her anymore."

    It was as if she turned into a whole different person. Shi Enxi only wanted to be a loving mom to her son and let go of the burdens she was carrying.

    Lu Mello was quietly looking at her. In his mind, he wondered if Shi Enxi would say the same if she learned the truth but... He preferred this type of her. It reminded him of their peaceful relationship in the past. The time where he didn''t know that she has actually done many evil deeds.

    "I want to be a good mom for Yu''er..." She said softly as she leaned and placed a soft kiss on the infant''s forehead. "I want to be a... good person for him."

    Having him was like having a new life. She wanted to be peaceful this time. She didn''t want her child to experience what she had. She wanted him to have a family full of smiles just like how her family was when her parents were alive.

    Seeing her this way made it even harder for Lu Mello.

    If she finds out what happened... Will she hate him? Will she go back to her usual self? He wondered.

    This side of Shi Enxi was so familiar... It was just like in his past where she was a gentle mother and loving wife.

    Back then, he had always wondered if that was all an act but this time he knew that it wasn''t. Shi Enxi always had this side of her.

    Being with him, having a family, acting like a good wife and a good mother, it was all a part of her. This side was only seen when they had the child. The child was Shi Enxi''s turning point, even in the past.

    If Huang Li only didn''t bother her about her revenge for Shi Anhao, maybe her dream of this happy family would continue.

    Lu Mello was not going to allow anyone to break this family in this life. This time, he was going to properly do his job as a pillar of this family.

    "You''ve been so quiet lately, Mello."

    He was brought back from his thoughts by his wife''s voice. He noticed that she was now staring at him, giving a worried look.

    He chuckled a bit and lied, "I guess I''m just tired. Work has been piling up lately in the company."

    "I''m sorry... I''ve been giving you work too... especially with Chen Gao and Shi Anhao..."

    "It''s fine. Don''t worry, all you have to do now is focus on our son. As for Shi Anhao, she has committed a crime to your family, you can just leave her with your brother, Shi Yi, and your sister Bingbing. I will work together with them in catching her."

    "They won''t blame me if I didn''t help them, right?"

    "What are you saying? You have already done your part. You caught Chen Gao and now, let them do the rest. I''m sure that your siblings will also want to take care of her."

    Lu Mello is right... Shi Enxi thought as she turned her gaze back to her Little Jade.

    "You are a mother now, they''ll understand." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders before he leaned and kissed her temple. "My wife, it''s okay to stop."

 Chapter 155 - Silly girl

    "I have warned my sister so many times and now look at what''s happening to her?" Wang Nansheng sighed, looking at her mother.

    Shi Anhao was massing the bridge of her nose, things were really getting bad for her family.

    Just like her husband, her youngest daughter was put to prison because of drug use. Even if she wanted to bail her out, it won''t be that easy so she didn''t have a choice but to wait for a few months before she could do it.

    Unlike Wang Ansheng, her sister, Wang Nansheng knew when to stay low.

    Now that her family has a bad reputation, it was hard for her to continue working as a model.

    "I''ll be leaving for a while, mom." There was no use in staying in the place. "The best thing to do is step back and regain our strength. Wait for everything to cool down before striking again." Wang Nansheng suggested.

    "I''ll message Chen Gao to monitor Shi Yi instead and not to make a move for now." It was annoying for Shi Anhao that Chen Gao was failing in the missions she was giving him but she really couldn''t blame especially when Lu Mello was involved.

    Wang Nansheng didn''t say anything anymore, she quietly left the room. She went out of the place and drove herself back to her condo.

    On her way, there was a black car that went in front of her car. At first, she didn''t think of anything strange about it since there were cars trying to overtake others. She never thought that the car would suddenly stop making her turn the wheels just to avoid it but in the next second, her car ended up crashing into a post.

    The last thing that she remembered before her consciousness faded was a man in a suit, opening the side door.

    The navy blue Rolls-Royce car that has been following behind came to a stop. At the backseat, a woman was calmly staring at Wang Nansheng''s car. She quietly watched as the man in suit carried Wang Nansheng and brought her inside the black car.

    After putting her in the backseat, the man in the suit turned his gaze towards her, giving her a nod.

    "Madam, we have her." The driver said.

    "Make sure to remove her things and change the plate number." Mu Xijiu said with a small menacing smile on her lips.

    "Yes, ma''am." The man on the passenger seat went out just to follow her order.

    ...

    Huang Li has been quiet ever since what happened with Shi Enxi and this didn''t go unnoticed.

    Fan Xiao Yao was currently in his condo, the condo he once shared with Shi Enxi.

    She was staring at her phone for a while, blankly gazing at the message that Shi Enxi sent her.

    "I don''t think I can see her yet." She sighed.

    "You''re an actress, all you have to do is act." Huang Li said, placing a mug in front of her before taking the seat beside her.

    "Easier said than done." She turned her gaze to him, "Are you sure that you want to quit your work?"

    He only gave her a nod as a response. If he was going to kill someone this time then he didn''t have the right to be a doctor anymore.

    "Why?"

    She didn''t hear any answer from him. He was just looking down at his hands. For some reason, she felt something wrong... The blank look in his eyes was giving her a bad feeling.

    She reached out and held his hand, "Huang Li..."

    He looked at their hands. He closed his eyes and held her hand back. "You know that I love you, right?"

    "I would usually say yes but what is this all about?"

    Once again, he was quiet. He opened his eyes and turned his gaze to her, a small smile appearing on his lips.

    "I love you..." But there was another woman who was more important than her, another woman who he was willing to sacrifice everything. The woman he first loved. She was someone he couldn''t just forget.

    The way he said those words only made Fan Xiao Yao nervous even more. For some reason, she could feel her c.h.e.s.t tighten. "Huang Li..."

    "I''ve always said that you deserve someone better."

    "And my answer will still be the same. I don''t want someone better, I want you." She was not going to go back from those words even if she will meet someone better than him.

    Tears spilled from her eyes, her lips quivered as she forced herself to ask him, "A-Are you... going to leave me?"

    Seeing her that way pierced his heart. The pain was suffocating him. With his other hand, he reached out and wiped her tears with his thumb. "Why are you crying? I''m not going anywhere."

    She sniffled, "Really?"

    He let out a helpless smile, "You''re such a crybaby, you know that?"

    A pout appeared on her lips, "Don''t blame me! You''re the one making me all nervous!"

    He chuckled lightly, "Sorry." This time, he leaned close to her and gave her a hug, the smile on his lips disappeared. He closed his eyes, hiding the emotions inside, "I''m sorry."

    Fan Xiao Yao was still feeling uneasy but the warmth from his hug was something that always comforted her. "I love you..." She softly whispered, burying her face on her shoulders. "You''ve made me love you so much you know..."

    "Mmm..."

    "I don''t want others."

    "Mmm..."

    "You''ll be the last man I''ll love."

    "..." He became stiff at those words.

    "I''m going to stay single if it''s not you..." She continued to whisper to him. She pulled away and looked at him with her eyes full of tears. "That''s why you''re not allowed to go anywhere."

    "Silly girl." He wiped the tears that formed at the side of her eyes with his thumb before he leaned forward, placing a soft kiss on her lips. "You''re such a silly girl you know..." He whispered after the kiss.

 Chapter 156 - Promise

    In the middle of the night, while Fan Xiao Yao was asleep, Huang Li woke up. He stroked her face lightly with his thumb as he stared at it.

    "I''m sorry..." He whispered softly before he leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

    Huang Li didn''t have a choice. Fan Xiao Yao will only hold him back and make things harder for him. It pained him, knowing that he has to leave her like this.

    He loves her so much but he once promised Shi Enxi that he was going to protect her and to be there for her in times of trouble.

    Someone wanted her life. Someone wanted to ruin her happiness so how can he just turn a blind eye to it when he can actually do something?

    Before he could leave the bed, Fan Xiao Yao grabbed his arm.

    "Huang Li..." She opened her sleepy eyes. "You''re leaving..."

    He was surprised by her words. Did he wake her up? He was actually trying to be as gentle as possible when he touched her earlier. He should have been more careful instead.

    She sat up and covered her n.a.k.e.d body with the blanket. She lowered her head. "I can''t stop you... Can I?"

    "Xiao Yao..."

    "I will wait... So don''t end our relationship..." She released his arm.

    He could see tears falling on the blanket and his c.h.e.s.t tightened at the sight of it.

    She finally turned her wet gaze at him, forcing out a smile. "I will wait for you... Okay?"

    It even made it harder for him, seeing how Fan Xiao Yao was trying to be understanding for him.

    He pulled her into his warm embrace all of a sudden. How can he deserve someone like her?

    She buried her face on his shoulder as she hugged him back. Even if it was the cruel truth, she has always known that if Huang Li was going to choose between her and Shi Enxi, he will never choose her. It was the harsh reality for Fan Xiao Yao.

    She couldn''t hate him for it. She couldn''t even hate Shi Enxi... She has always known that even if she was trying to win over Huang Li''s heart...

    She was the type who was willing to sacrifice and give more to others. Her martyr heart was not something she could just harden especially when it came to the two people that are close to her.

    She pulled away from the hug and wiped her tears before she forced out a smile for him. "I won''t stop you from leaving so you have to promise me that you''ll come back, okay?"

    "Okay..." If she put it that way, Huang Li couldn''t really leave her.

    "Say... Do you love me?" She asked as she lowered her head once again. The nervousness in her eyes couldn''t be seen because of the darkroom.

    "I do." He replied. There was no sign of hesitation in him. He was sure of his answer. "I love you, Xiao Yao."

    She smiled bitterly, "How about... Xiao Xi? Do you still love her?"

    Her question took him by surprise. It caught him off-guard.

    On the other hand, Fan Xiao Yao refused to look at him since she was scared. She regretted asking the question as soon as she said it.

    Cold sweat dripped down her forehead. Her hands were sweating and she was feeling so uneasy the more Huang Li stayed quiet. Her anxiety was getting ahead of her.

    What should she do? She wanted to open her mouth and tell him to forget about it but her mouth wouldn''t to her. No words were spilled and it only made the air around her heavier.

    "I once loved her." Hang Li''s voice was finally heard. "I know that my actions right now are making you doubt my love for you but... I really do love you, Xiao Yao."

    The warmth coming from his hand was slowly spreading in her body. It was as if a light was slowly growing inside the darkness within her.

    It was so comforting, so cozy.

    "I love you but I can''t just ignore the things that are happening to Xiao Xi." He brought her hand to his lips, placing a soft kiss on it. "Even if I love you... I cannot break my promise with her. I am supposed to be there... To help her..."

    She finally raised her head just to look at him with a gentle gaze in her eyes, "Then I''m not going to make you choose anymore..."

    She pulled her hand away from his hold and reached forward to touch his heel instead. "Xiao Xi is also my friend... If I am in your position, I might probably do the same."

    He never received such kindness in his life. It was only when he met Fan Xiao Yao. Her kindness, her gentle touch, her soft gaze... It was so different, he wanted to continue on feeling her touch... He wanted to continue seeing her.

    Her presence meant so much for him. As he gazed back at her, it was as if he was seeing an angel in human form right now.

    "I want to help you... But as you can see, I''m a useless girl. I''m not smart like you, or Xiao Xi. I am useless-"

    "You''re not useless." He placed a hand on top of her hand that was touching his cheek. "How can you be useless when you''re the source of my strength?"

    Her heart raced at his words. Tears welled up in her eyes. She never thought that she was going to receive such kind words from him.

    "I may not see you for a while but... I promise to come back." The moonlight that entered through the window showed Huang Li''s gentle smile as he made his promise to her. "After everything is over... Let''s get married."

    Her eyes went wide with his words. Did she hear it right?

    "Are you... Proposing right now?" She was still looking at him in disbelief.

    He chuckled lightly, "I don''t have a ring right now tho..."

    "I don''t care. If you''re proposing right now, propose me in a different way." Tears streamed on her cheeks despite her words. The happiness she was feeling was just too overwhelming.

    He wiped her tears with his thumb, "How should I propose when I don''t have a ring?"

    "I told you that I don''t care if you have a ring or none."

    "Then... May I stop your period for nine months?"

    "..." She didn''t think that he was going to propose that way but... She did tell him to propose in a different way.

    "Yes!" She replied with the sweetest smile she can muster. The happiness inside her was just so overwhelming. "But you can do that after we get married hehehe~"

    Fan Xiao Yao''s tears continued to flow down her cheeks as she smiled at him. It was more beautiful than anything he saw in his life. It was something he will never forget.

 Chapter 157 - Briefcase

    Upon arriving at the parking lot and Huang Li approached a black car and entered it.

    "Let''s go." He told the driver who was waiting for him since earlier.

    The driver didn''t say anything, he only started driving the moment Huang Li got in.

    The ride was quiet until they reached the villa located in the West of the city.

    Huang Li was led by a butler to a room and when he entered the room, he saw a woman sitting in a wheelchair.

    "Aunt Mu." Huang Li greeted with a small smile. "I''m glad to see you alive."

    Mu Xijiu smiled back, "I''m happy to have you here, willing to help me, Huang Li. I was worried that you might reject the invitation I sent you."

    "How can I?" After what happened to Shi Enxi, he was not going to sit still. It''s about time to go after those who wanted her dead.

    Huang Li was actually surprised when he first learned that Mu Xijiu, Shi Enxi''s mother, is alive. She contacted him not long after she visited Wang Hao.

    The first he wanted to do when he found out about it was to tell Shi Enxi about her mother but Mu Xijiu was against it. She only gave him one reason. "It''s not time." There were so many things to take care of first, she can''t involve her pregnant daughter and she needed to focus on other things first.

    "I heard what happened to my daughter." She lowered her head, her eyes filled with mixed emotions of sadness and pity, "Her child is dead?"

    He clenched his fists upon remembering that day, "Yes. Poison. Someone tried to poison her."

    "They tried to kill a pregnant woman... They really have no forgiveness, don''t they?" Rage filled Mu Xijiu''s eyes as she thought of what happened and her unborn grandchild.

    "Do you know the person behind it?" Huang Li inquired.

    Mu Xijiu became quiet, "I only have a list of names." Of course, she wasn''t sure who was the person behind her daughter''s case but she already has a hunch. "I want you to investigate them.*

    "I know someone who can investigate better" Huang Li didn''t want to involve but... He knew that the person in his mind will definitely be going to involve himself after what happened. "I think Lu Mello will be able to help us better. After what happened, I''m pretty sure that he''ll be more than willing to help us." Huang Li suggested.

    "Lu Mello..." She trailed off. Shi Enxi''s husband?

    "He has more experience when it comes to investigating someone. I don''t really have to mention you to him if you don''t want to let him know about you. He''ll help because we''re talking about Xiao Xi."

    "Then let''s do it that way."

    ...

    The more Lu Mello hid things from Shi Enxi, the more he feared of being hated. He was only doing what he thought was right. Aside from that, he still has to find a good place on where to bury his dead son. He couldn''t bring himself to look at the body. His c.h.e.s.t ached whenever he thought about what happened.

    Days passed, he quietly watched Shi Enxi take care of the baby he adopted for her. He would always watch them whenever he was at home and as he did, he would quietly wish that his wife will not notice anything weird... Hoping that she will not notice that the baby wasn''t hers.

    Lu Mello had so many things in his mind and his thoughts were being lost at that moment, inside his office. He couldn''t concentrate on the doc.u.ment he was holding. He was been staring at the same page for almost an hour.

    While he was thinking of ways on how to find the person who killed his son, his phone lit up and vibrated. A message popped out of the screen.

    He looked at it and saw that it was from an unknown number. He opened the message and the contents were only an address of a place.

    Another message followed from the same number.

    [I''m not your enemy.]

    He furrowed his brows. What is this?

    Lu Mello tried to call the number but his call didn''t go through since the person on the other line has turned off his phone.

    Of course, he was not stupid enough to just blindly believe the message. What if it''s a trap?

    Instead of going to the place himself, he decided to order his men to check the place out.

    Later that day, Tang Luo, one of his men, called.

    "Boss, we have arrived in the place. It''s an abandoned warehouse, there''s nothing inside except for a briefcase."

    "A briefcase?"

    "Yes... The thing is, it is only filled with photos." Tang Luo reported.

    Photos?

    Lu Mello suddenly remembered the message, ''I am not your enemy.''

    Was someone actually trying to help him? He couldn''t help but be curious.

    "Bring it here." Lu Mello ordered.

    "Yes sir."

    ...

    Tang Luo arrived and showed the briefcase to his boss.

    Lu Mello. Upon seeing the photos, his eyes widened in disbelief. He was so shocked when he saw the images.

    Inside the briefcase, it was filled with photos of Shi Anhao, a doctor, and a baby.

    The photos were obviously taken at a bad angle but the faces of Shi Anhao and the doctor were clearly seen. The other photos inside were the photos of a baby.

    At first, Lu Mello was confused. What''s with the photos?

    Shi Anhao? Baby?

    His heart raced the more he thought about it. Could it be...

    It was until he saw a photo of Shi Anhao leaving the same hospital while carrying the baby.

    A sudden thought entered his mind. Could the baby be...? Could it really be...? How could it be possible?

    He was in a trance.

    Lu Mello quickly took the photo of Shi Anhao with the doctor. His hand trembled upon looking at it. It was the same doctor who was in charge of Shi Enxi''s surgery.

 Chapter 158 - How cute

    Lu Mello never thought that Shi Anhao was going to steal his son from them.

    For what purpose? Because of wanting to ruin Shi Enxi and her brother? Because of their inheritance? She wanted to have the whole company to herself or was this a revenge for putting her husband in jail?

    But to involve a child is just... so cruel! Too cruel! That woman has no forgiveness! She stole a child... His son! This was something unforgivable!

    He only thought that she might be the person behind his son''s death... He was happy to know that his son is alive but still, what she did is inexcusable.

    He tried to dial the number that messaged him earlier and this time it was ringing. It ringed for minutes and the longer it ringer, the more frustrated Lu Mello became.

    He could only hope that whoever was behind it was really helping him... What if he was lying and was just trying to provoke him?

    Was all of this true?

    Shortly after he tried calling the number, he received another message.

    [Tell Shi Enxi.]

    Tell her? If he did then she''ll find out about the truth about the adopted child he gave her!

    "Sir, should we trace this number?" Tang Luo asked.

    Lu Mello snickered, "He won''t even answer my calls, how can we trace it?"

    Even if he wanted to know who was behind, there was no use of it unless... Xia Liqin was around.

    At the thought of Xia Liqin, he looked at Tang Luo, "Ready the car. We''re going to visit sister Bingbing."

    "Yes."

    Tang Luo turned and left him alone in the room.

    Lu Mello stared at the photo of the baby and was able to see a resemblance despite being an infant. Shi Enxi was right... she was expecting a fat baby and there he was... their baby was really fat... so chubby.

    The more he stared at the photo of the baby, the more warmth spread on his c.h.e.s.t. Even if it was just a photo, he could tell that the infant was really his child.

    His eyes became blurry and misty because of the tears that were forming on the side of his eyes.

    A tear ended up dropping on the picture he was holding.

    He was so relieved... So relieved that his son is alive.

    Lu Mello covered his eyes with his hand as more tears rolled down his cheeks. It was as if the heavyweight on his c.h.e.s.t was lifted up after seeing his own son''s photo.

    The side of his lips slightly curled up into a small smile.

    "Xueren..." He looked at the photo again, stroking it with his thumb. "You''re alive..."

    His son is alive...

    "Don''t worry, your dad will come and save you." He wiped his tears off with his palm before he placed the photo inside his coat''s pocket. He looked at the other photos that were in the briefcase before he closed it.

    He stood up, carrying the briefcase.

    If Shi Anhao was planning to use his son against them, then she will only fail. He was not going to allow her to take any step further.

    ...

    "Thank you for visiting, Xiao Yao. " Shi Enxi said, smiling while carrying her son.

    Even though Fan Xiao Yao was hesitant about visiting her, the moment she received. a message from Shi Enxi, she couldn''t help but go.

    Huang Li told her to watch over Shi Enxi while he was away and she was going to do that, she wanted to keep his promise to him.

    Since Fan Xiao Yao was already done shooting both the series she was in and the movie that was going to be out next week, she only has a few things set in her schedule.

    Fan Xiao Yao stared at Shi Enxi who was carrying the baby that Lu Mello adopted and replaced for their real child.

    This is the part where her acting skills will be tested.

    If there was anyone who could easily see through her acting, it was Shi Enxi so it was really challenging for Fan Xiao Yao to act like her usual self. What if she suddenly noticed something wrong with her?

    Her mind began making excuses in advance.

    "Xiao Yao, meet my son, Lu Mingyu." Shi Enxi said with a bright smile.

    The baby was already three months old. Yes. It has already been three months ever since she last saw the woman she was afraid of meeting.

    Fan Xiao Yao turned to the baby who also looked at her with its black eyes.

    "Uwu!" The baby smiled brightly, showing his toothless gums.

    She couldn''t deny how cute the baby was. The resemblance couldn''t be seen and wasn''t obvious yet since he was still small.

    "Ah, Yu''er, don''t play with my hair." Shi Enxi lightly scolded as she took the strand of her hair away from his reach.

    Fan Xiao Yao chuckled, "How cute." That was her honest thought.

    It wasn''t the baby she was complimenting but Shi Enxi. She has never seen this motherly side of her. Just watching how gentle her expression became when looking at Lu Mingyu was something precious.

    If it was someone who didn''t know her, they wouldn''t even think that behind Shi Enxi''s gentle motherly expression was actually a cold demon inside.

    Now that she thought of it... Yep, she definitely didn''t want to see that part of her precious friend ever again.

    Shi Enxi handed her son to nanny Mo Jing, "Nanny Mo, please bring Yu''er to his room, it''s time for his nap."

    The old lady smiled as she gently carried the baby in her arms, "Why of course. Let''s go, Xiao Yu."

    Shi Enxi smiled as she watched Mo Jing bring her som to his room. "Ah... Being a mother can be really tiring too." She went and sat on the sofa.

    "I can see that." Fan Xiao Yao chuckled, "You usually care about your appearance but look at you now."

 Chapter 159 - Cool off

    Shi Enxi was on her pajamas and her hair was tied up into a messy bun. She looked totally different from her usual neat self. It was like she transformed into a real normal mother... Not like a rich mother.

    She really looked so gentle and kind whenever she was holding Lu Mingyu. She looked like a caring mom and the people who saw it, especially when they knew what her personality is like, will most likely be left dumbstruck.

    Even with Mo Jing around, Shi Enxi preferred taking care of the baby herself and spend more time with him. Well... She really had to spend more time with him. It was hard being a mother, she has to constantly check on her son, his every cries summoning her presence at once. It was tiring, so tiring.

    What was actually more surprising was the fact that Shi Enxi was patient about it the whole time. Not once did she thought of complaining about how hard it was to be a mother. She has been expecting it already and she was able to cope up with the hardship thanks to Mo Jing''s assistance and help.

    She really seemed to have turned into a completely different person at that moment...

    "Yu''er is such a cute boy. I really thought that he was going to be a fat baby once I give birth to him since I''ve been hoarding a lot of food while I was carrying him." She said as she gave Fan Xiao Yao her usual smile. "But instead, I ended having a small child."

    Fan Xiao Yao gulped nervously, she was suddenly regretting that she went and visited her. She tried her best to remain as calm as possible as she moved her eyes towards the plate of cookies that were on the table. She smoothly avoided Shi Enxi''s gaze by looking there. She reached out and took a piece of cookie, "Did you ask the doctor about it?"

    "Yes, I did." She chuckled lightly, "and the doctor said that is was only normal. There are mothers like me who eats a lot give birth to small babies."

    "But Xiao Yu seemed to grow now." Fan Xiao Yao turned her gaze back to her after calming her inner self. She smiled, "And he looked so healthy." She began eating the cookie she took after.

    "Why of course, I don''t want him to be weak when he grows. I''m his mother, I should be feeding him well."

    She chucked as she joked, "You sounded like you''re fattening him up just to eat him after. What are you, a witch?"

    "A witch?" It made her laugh, "Maybe I am but being a good or bad witch all depends on me and since I''m a witch, everyone should watch their backs." She said meaningfully. "They shouldn''t underestimate a witch like me, you know."

    Fan Xiao Yao didn''t think much of it since she knew how scary Shi Enxi was when she is angry. Not just a witch but she can turn into a demoness too. Everyone should really watch their backs whenever they were dealing with someone like her.

    "So, how are you and Huang Li-Gege doing?" Shi Enxi asked as she took the pitcher and poured water in their glasses.

    "Well..." Fan Xiao Yao trailed off, averting her gaze from her by watching her pour water on their glasses. It was also a way to think of an excuse to tell her. "We decided to have a cool off."

    Shi Enxi knitted her brows together as she frowned at what she said. She placed the pitcher back on the table, "Cool off?" She repeated. "What do you mean by ''cool off''? Did you both fight?"

    Fan Xiao Yao lightly waved her hand in disagreement, "No, no. We didn''t fight." Fan Xiao Yao wasn''t lying but she didn''t know how to tell her what really happened since the reason behind it was because of her. At that moment, she decided to say as an excuse, "He''s busy and so am I. With our plates full, we don''t have that much time with each other... I don''t want to be a clingy girlfriend too that''s why we came into agreement that we should focus on our works first."

    Shi Enxi was staring at Fan Xiao Yao for a while as if trying to see through her words but as she gave it a thought, they were right. She didn''t know that Huang Li quitted his work yet so she thought that with him being so busy in the hospital and with Fan Xiao Yao''s Filming Award Ceremony coming up, it was going to be busy for her as well.

    She once promised her that if she gained an award, she was going to help her in publicizing her relationship with Huang Li.

    "Well, I guess that''s alright..." She paused and looked at the glass on the table before she wrapped her fingers around it and brought it to her lips, taking a sip of water from it.

    Fan Xiao Yao inwardly sighed in relief. She was glad Shi Enxi believed her. She was hiding too many things from her it made her feel like she was carrying the heavens on her shoulders. That''s how guilty she felt.

    "... if you put it that way," Shi Enxi continued.

    She suddenly felt a chill run down her spine as the room''s temperature dropped. Fan Xiao Yao''s heart began raising as cold sweat rolled down her temple. Why was she suddenly feeling all nervous?

    The glass was placed back on the table and Shi Enxi turned her gaze to the woman sitting across her.

    Fear instantly took over Fan Xiao Yao''s body when she saw the way her friend smiled. It was bone-chilling to the point that her legs were unconsciously trembling.

    Whenever Shi Enxi smiled, her eyes would always turn into a crescent shape. Her smile was always beautiful but this time, it was also terrifying.

    "Now let''s get down to business, shall we?"

 Chapter 160 - Bad news

    "Did you really think that I will be deceived by you? I was once your manager, Xiao Yao." Shi Enxi leaned back, resting her back against the sofa as she crossed her legs. "Do you think that I won''t notice how everyone''s acting strange around me?"

    Fan Xiao Yao lowered her head, her lips stretched out into a thin line and her fists clenched tightly. "I..."

    "Since everyone gave me homework, I don''t have a choice but do it, right?" Shi Enxi interrupted. "Don''t worry, I did my homework. All you have to do is check them." She said with a smile. Her eyes may be smiling but the coldness in it was enough proof that she was not pleased.

    "X-Xiao Xi, I-I can explain." There was no use hiding it now, Fan Xiao Yao was sure that Shi Enxi found out the truth already. The only question bothering was... How? How was she able to find out about the truth?

    From what she knew, Shi Enxi has been staying at home and whenever she went out, she was always with the bodyguards that Lu Mello appointed for her so how was Shi Enxi able to find out?

    A soft chuckle was heard from the woman sitting across her, "There''s no need to explain."

    The heaviness in the room was suffocating enough for Fan Xiao Yao. "B-but..."

    "I just want you to confirm everything, Xiao Yao. I''m not angry." The smile didn''t leave her lips to which it only made her friend become fidgety.

    She may be saying that she was not angry but Fan Xiao Yao didn''t feel that way! She felt like her friend was really angry!

    "Now then, let''s get on with the homework I did, shall we?" She lazily leaned forward, resting her chin on her palm. "I know that Yu''er is not my son, am I right?"

    "H-How... how did you find out?" Fan Xiao Yao finally asked.

    The answer to her question was already seen on her pale face. It was as if a ghost frightened her because of its sudden appearance. "So I''m right. It was actually easy to find it out," she smirked. "I just have to make the doctor speak."

    ...

    "What do you mean Dr. Rui is not here?" Lu Mello asked out of frustration.

    The nurse gulped nervously as she saw how dark Lu Mello''s expression was. She answered with a stutter, "H-he quitted last month..."

    The nurse that Lu Mello was talking with at that moment, she happened to be the doctor, Rui Gao''s girlfriend that was why after he found out about it, he went to meet her. She was the one who took the baby out of the operating room and exchanged it with a dead one. She was in cahoot with her boyfriend but she never met Shi Anhao. She was only used by her boyfriend to assist him.

    The only reason why the nurse was willing to help Lu Mello was because of the fact that he was willing to help her escape the situation. Aside from that, she felt so guilty after what she did. Her license will be surely revoked because of what she did. She was only forced to partake in it thanks to her boyfriend. Besides, it was better to come clean especially when they were against the Lu family although she would probably keep it a secret if Lu Mello hasn''t gone to her.

    She was not willing to talk if no one was going to ask her about it.

    Lu Mello clenched his fists tightly as he tried his best to control himself from punching the wall. He kept on telling himself to calm down no matter how angry he was that moment. "Last month..."

    He was too late... He was planning to use the doctor as someone who can testify against Shi Anhao but now, he was too late. He didn''t have any leads anymore. He could use the nurse but it wasn''t going to be enough since he can only use her against her boyfriend.

    "Do you..." He paused and inhaled deeply as he tried his best to calm down. "Do you know where he is right now?"

    The nurse shook her head, "No, I don''t. He stopped contacting everyone after he quit. I also tried to contact him but I couldn''t reach him."

    Lu Mello couldn''t help but think that it was possible that Shi Anhao silenced him by the use of other means but he could also have gone out of the country to hide.

    "Do you know where he is staying?" He inquired.

    "We were staying together, Mr. Lu. He hasn''t come home ever since he gave his resignation letter."

    "I see." He gave her his business card, "Contact me if he ever reached out to you."

    After leaving the hospital, while Lu Mello was sitting at the backseat of his car, his phone began to ring.

    When he looked at the called ID, Li Bingbing''s name came up.

    It has just been a day since he went to ask her help on tracking the phone number. Was she able to track it? If she did then that was fast.

    "Hello?" He answered the call.

    "Hi cupcake, I have bad news for you." Li Bingbing said from the other line.

    Lu Mello sighed heavily. He shouldn''t have put his hope up. "You aren''t able to track the number?"

    "No. In fact, I was able to track it and the bad news is that the number is from a dummy phone so I can''t really track the person you want. Whoever that person is, he sure knows how to cover his tracks. I tried to look into the surveillance cameras that were in the place but he chose a street with so many blindspots." She explained.

    "It''s alright. I''ll think of another way to look for him." He knew that it was going to be hard in the first place.

    "I know that it''s for your case, I''m sorry if I can''t help you this time."

 Chapter 161 - You win

    "Like what I said, being good or bad will all depend on me." Shi Enxi said as she looked at her neatly trimmed nails. "But what Shi Anhao did is unforgivable. It looks like I have to deal with her soon. Does she think that I can''t follow her to Thailand?"

    Fan Xiao Yao looked at her in confusion since she didn''t know that Shi Anhao was actually the one behind it. Aside from that, she also didn''t know anything aside from the fact that Lu Mello adopted a baby for the replacement of his dead child.

    "I need to get my son back too." She sighed. "I can''t believe that I''m going to be a mother of two."

    "Get... your son back?" It was only normal for her to be surprised since she has no idea of it. "W... what do you mean?"

    When Shi Enxi saw how real Fan Xiao Yao''s shocked gaze was, that''s when she knew that her husband, Lu Mello has been keeping things from others. She chuckled as she thought of that, "As you can already guess, my son, Xue''er is alive. It''s just... right now, that wench, Shi Anhao has him."

    "He''s alive? But... but how?" She was still confused at how that can be possible.

    Shi Enxi didn''t say anything and instead, she remained quiet. She wasn''t going to tell everything to her.

    "If you know who''s behind, then why does Huang Li have to put his life at risk going?" Fan Xiao Yao suddenly got frustrated when she thought of it.

    Shi Enxi raised a brow as she turned her gaze at her, "What do you mean by that?"

    Her eyes shifted to the side and became glazed with a glassy layer of tears. She clenched her fists tightly as she lowered her head.  "Xiao Xi... You know that Huang Li cares so much for you... After what happened to you, he couldn''t just sit still you know. Because of you, he left his work... Because of you, he''s willing to risk his life..."  Fan Xiao Yao knew that Huang Li and Shi Enxi were childhood friends, they grew up together and that... She was also his first love. She couldn''t just ignore the feelings of jealousy inside her no matter how much she tried to understand them.

    As she blinked, tears dripped from her eyelids and slid down her cheeks, trickling one by one on her l.a.p. She bit her lip tightly in an attempt to hide any sound that wanted to escape from her mouth. "Why...?"

    Her lower lip quivered as words slowly made their way out of her mouth. "Why¡­" She began, yet what followed was engulfed in the tremors. "Why does it have to be you?"

    Her shoulders were slumped and tears continued to flow unchecked down her cheeks, "Even if he told me that he didn''t love you anymore... I know that... that is not true. You will always come first..."

    It was Shi Enxi''s turn to be surprised as she listened to Fan Xiao Yao''s words. She only sees Huang Li as a brother figure and he never really made a move on her so hearing that Huang Li has feelings for her was surprising enough.

    "No matter what... You will always come first to him." Her nails dug inside her palms as her c.h.e.s.t tightened in pain. "I let go of Mello... I gave him to you... So... Why can''t you give Huang Li to me?"

    Shi Enxi''s brow twitched as she felt offended by what she did. She gave Lu Mello to her?

    But before she could open her mouth, Fan Xiao Yao continued, "Why does it always have to be you?" She turned her tearful gaze at her. "What wrong did I ever do to you?"

    Her question was like a dagger that stabbed Shi Enxi on her c.h.e.s.t. She sat still, her body stiff. The guilt sat not on her c.h.e.s.t but inside her brain. What she had done she could not un-do.

    "You act as if I owe everything to you... But you give me only apathy. I know... I know that you are just using me. Tell me, Xiao Xi? When did you last cry because I was hurt, or come running because you thought I needed help? Among all of the people you can torment, why does it have to be me?" Fan Xiao Yao''s heartbreaking questions kept on coming. At that moment, all the feelings she has always kept in bursts out as if her glass was finally filled and the water in it kept overflowing that she couldn''t control herself anymore. Right at that moment, she reached her limit. "Why can''t you just allow me to be happy?!"

    "Xiao Yao..." Shi Enxi straightened her back. She tried to reach out to her as she softly said, "Calm down..."

    "Calm down? Calm down?! How can I be calm down when it''s you?! You''re taking everyone I love from me! Huang Li will never choose me... He will never choose me, Shi Enxi... No matter what I do... Even if I beg... He will always choose you..." She buried her face on her palms as she cried out. "Mello chose you... And now, Huang Li did... I will always be a second choice, won''t I?

    "That''s not true." Shi Enxi stood up and went to sit at her side. She reached out to hold Fan Xiao Yao''s hand only to be pulled away by her.

    "Stop pretending... You can stop pretending now, Shi Enxi." She lowered her hands and looked at her, her eyes were filled with nothing but dejection and loneliness.

    The words she spoke were daggers and the looked in her eyes were like venom. At that moment, Shi Enxi saw the hate in Fan Xiao Yao''s eyes.

    "W-what wrong have I ever did to you... or to anyone? Tell me, Xiao Xi... Am I not allowed to be happy?" The side of her lips curled up as she forced herself to smile. "This is enough... You win. My life is already ruined by you. Are you satisfied now?"

 Chapter 162 - Im greedy

    If it was the Shi Enxi of the past then Fan Xiao Yao''s words would be nothing to her, she wouldn''t be affected. Her cold, stone heart will never be move but at that moment, she felt so suffocated because of the heaviness she felt in her heart.

    Her heart was not cold, it wasn''t made of stone anymore. She began caring for the woman beside her ever since she took her under her wings.

    What''s more painful for Shi Enxi was the way Fan Xiao Yao smiled at her. The more she looked at that bitter smile that was plastered on her lips, the more it was hard for her to open her mouth and say something.

    Fan Xiao Yao wiped her tears off her cheeks before she took her bag and stood up. She wanted to leave the place after venting out on her but before she could even leave, Shi Enxi stopped her by grabbing her hand as she finally managed to say something. "X-Xiao Yao..."

    Tears escaped her eyes, running away upon her cheeks, For some reason, Shi Enxi felt that if she allowed Fan Xiao Yao to leave at that moment, she will never be able to see her again.

    Fear filled her c.h.e.s.t when it entered her mind. The thought of it scared her. Who would have thought that she will be afraid of losing the person she once hated?

    "Let go of me..." Fan Xiao Yao said without turning to her since she didn''t want to see Shi Enxi''s face. She tried to pull back her hand away from her hold but it only made the other woman hold on to her even tighter.

    "Shi Enxi, let go-" She stopped upon feeling the hug that her friend suddenly gave her. Because of that hug, she burst out in tears again.

    "Xiao Yao..."

    Fan Xiao Yao tried to struggle but it only made Shi Enxi tighten her arms around her. No... She didn''t want to let her leave. She was not going to allow her to leave... She didn''t want to lose her.

    Shi Enxi''s lips trembled as she tried her best to speak out the words she has never told her even once, "I... I''m sorry... I''m so sorry, Yaoyao."

    Her body stopped resisting with the words Shi Enxi said. It was as if Fan Xiao Yao felt her heart shudder when she heard the words she never expected to hear from her.

    Shi Enxi has never apologized to her. She has always pushed her away even after getting along with her. She has never opened herself completely to her.

    There was something in her apology, a pain behind it but it was genuine and the woman who wanted to leave could feel it.

    "I..." It was hard for Shi Enxi to say it out but it was now or never. Fan Xiao Yao has always been honest to her just like right now. "I''ve always... always been envious of you..."

    Once again, her words surprised her friend. She never thought that someone like Shi Enxi would be jealous of her. She has nothing, no family, she wasn''t that smart and she wasn''t even that rich. The only thing she was proud of was her acting skills but... Shi Enxi was better than her in so many ways so how can she be jealous of her?

    "You... were always filled with smiles... You were always genuinely loved by others. You can always... always make others easily like you... easily love you..." She buried her face on her shoulder, drenching that part of Fan Xiao Yao''s shirt.

    She became stiff when she felt the wetness on her shoulder. It was the first time she has ever seen Shi Enxi cry.

    "We both lost our parents... And yet... I''ve always wondered... How can you still be filled with love? How you never hate this cruel world? How can you still show pure kindness? I-I''ve always been envious, Yaoyao..." It was not easy for her to be honest especially towards the woman she has always seen as a rival. A small audible sniff was heard from her before she continued, "Despite our similarities... You turned into someone I couldn''t be... Someone I have once wished to become... But as you can see, that didn''t happen."

    She loosened her hug as she closed her eyes, "I turned into someone full of jealousy... Full of hate... I ended up becoming the opposite of who I wanted to become that''s why... I tried to steal everything from you... I wanted to steal the love everyone has for you..."

    "Ha..." A small, mocking chuckle escaped from Fan Xiao Yao''s lips. "And now, you did. You stole Mello''s love and now, you stole Huang Li''s love-no, you didn''t steal his love, his love has always been with you from the start... That''s what you want, right? Now... you have all their love."

    "No, that''s not what I want now." She slightly leaned back, revealing her face full of tears. She let go of her and this time, she held both of her hands as she looked straight into her eyes. "During my childhood, Huang Li was the only person who became my friend... Who never betrayed me... The only person who was willing to stay by my side... He''s my family. But you see, I was greedy... I continued to be one even when we grew up. It''s true... I tried to steal away Mello from you... I tried to use you for my own gain. But..." She gave her hands a squeeze, "Yaoyao... Even after what I did... You never stopped being my friend... No matter how many times I tried to push you away, you kept on being kind to me..."

    Once again, her tears streamed down her cheeks. It wasn''t just her tho, it was also Fan Xiao Yao. They both were crying.

    Shi Enxi lowered her head as she cried out, "T-Thank you... Thank you for being my friend... Even after my betrayal, you kept on staying by my side... I-I know that I don''t deserve having you as my friend... But... Yaoyao, I''m greedy... I still want you to be my friend... To be my best friend... My sister... I''m sorry... I''m sorry for being a bad friend to you... Please forgive me."

 Chapter 163 - Try and taste some other desserts out there

    Apologizing was something rare for someone like a proud person like Shi Enxi that was why when she apologized to Fan Xiao Yao, it was real.

    How can Fan Xiao Yao not give in when Shi Enxi was being honest with her feelings? She knew that it wasn''t easy for her to do it but she was touched with the effort she gave no matter how small it was.

    Lu Mello arrived, seeing the scene of two crying women, hugging each other. He didn''t know what happened that was why he decided not to disturb them and spoil their moment. He passed by their room without being noticed and headed to his study. Even Mo Jing who passed by earlier told the other servants not to enter the room.

    When the two women finally calmed down, they sat beside each other. The room became quiet but the silence around them was not filled with awkwardness. In fact, it was as if they just gave each other a moment to breathe.

    Shi Enxi suddenly felt shy as well since it was the first time that she confessed her feelings to Fan Xiao Yao. She has never been so opened even towards Lu Mengjie. Right at that moment, she doesn''t know what to say.

    The bottled feelings that were finally let out also lightened the burden in Fan Xiao Yao''s c.h.e.s.t. Aside from that, hearing Shi Enxi''s genuine apology for the first time ever... She couldn''t help but be satisfied.

    "I didn''t know you can actually cry like this," teased Fan Xiao Yao as a small giggle escaped her lips, breaking the silence between them.

    "Shut up..." One couldn''t tell if the redness of Shi Enxi''s face was because of how hard she cried earlier or because of the tease Fan Xiao Yao told her.

    The smile remained on her lips tho, she held Shi Enxi''s hand and looked at her, "I guess we''re dating." Of course, that was just a joke as she tried to lighten up the mood between them.

    A chuckle was heard from Shi Enxi, "I''m married."

    "Bummer."

    Shi Enxi turned to look at her and smiled, "Xiao Yao-"

    "That''s not what you called me earlier," she interrupted with a pout on her lips.

    Once again, Shi Enxi felt embarrassed. She wasn''t used to it after all. "What time is it already? I think you should leave now."

    "What? You''re making me leave already?" Fan Xiao Yao pouted, "It''s not even sunset yet. Besides, you still have so many things to tell me. Oh, and you should also call Huang Li, give him a good scolding, and tell him to come back. He only listens and obeys you after all."

    "You''re still bitter about it?" She leaned forward and grabbed Fan Xiao Yao''s bag, taking out the phone. "Why don''t you call him?"

    "As I said, he will never listen to me."

    Shi Enxi raised a brow, "I know what kind of person you are. Have you ever tried stopping him tho?"

    She lowered her head and pursed her lips. She was now fiddling with her fingers as she thought about it.

    Now that she thought of it, she didn''t even try stopping him. She wanted to be an understanding girlfriend and not clingy.

    "You know, Xiao Yao-"

    "Yaoyao" Fan Xiao Yao interrupted again only to correct her.

    Shi Enxi cleared her throat, "Y-Yaoyao."

    "Yes?" This time, she raised her head to look at her.

    Shi Enxi sighed, "What I''m trying to say is... It''s okay to be selfish you know. If you want to stop him, then stop him. If you want to be clingy, then be clingy. Two people are supposed to work in a relationship, not one." She placed the phone on her l.a.p. "So call him and tell him to come home."

    "What if he doesn''t want to?" She was still hesitant about it since she has always thought that Huang Li will never choose her especially when the reason he is out right now is because of Shi Enxi.

    "Then threaten him." Shi Enxi huffed. "He should be treating you properly. You are his girlfriend so he should be putting you first instead."

    The side of her lips curled up into a small smile as she heard Shi Enxi''s comforting words. She held the phone and looked at it for a few seconds before she moved her gaze back to her friend. "It''s alright. He''s your family and even if he loved you once, you are still his family. I don''t think I should come in between-"

    "That''s bullshit." Shi Enxi spat, her brows knitted together, forming a frown. "I told you, you should be selfish sometimes. I know that you are a kind person but there are times where you need to put yourself first than others. You should put more value on yourself." She huffed and crossed her arms. "Huang Li''s making you run after him. You shouldn''t run after him, Yaoyao. It''s the s.p.e.r.ms that swim towards the egg, not the other way around. Men are meant to run after you."

    "..." Fan Xiao Yao was left speechless. She doesn''t know what to tell after hearing what she said.

    "Let me repeat, it''s the s.p.e.r.ms that swim towards the egg so you better know your worth. If Huang Li is not making you feel important enough, then you should let him know about it."

    "... How?"

    "Break up with him."

    "..."

    "Let me be honest with you," she paused as she placed her hand on top of her.

    Uh... Aren''t you being so honest enough? Fan Xiao Yao thought.

    She gave her hand a squeeze before she continued, "I know how much you love Huang Li. In fact, you showed it to me earlier but... you shouldn''t be blinded on him. There are so many men out there, some are sc.u.ms, some are better but Yaoyao, you should open your mind. Try and taste some other desserts out there."

    "..." Once again, Fan Xiao Yao was left speechless.

 Chapter 164 - Youre not angry?

    Fan Xiao Yao cleared her throat before she began speaking, "I don''t think I can do that... I love him..."

    Breaking up with Huang Li was the last thing she wanted to do. Just like what she said to him back then, she didn''t want any other men.

    "I know you do but if you''re only getting hurt because of him, then it''s better to end the relationship. No matter how much you love him, being in a toxic relationship will only do you no good." Shi Enxi tried explaining it to her. Of course, she wanted them to be happy but if being with each other will only bring them pain and make them question their worth, then it is better to break up. Maybe somewhere, in the long run, they might be able to grow and understand.

    "I''m not in a toxic relationship with him." Fan Xiao Yao pouted, crossing her arms as she disagreed with her.

    "But he''s making you question your worth. That''s toxic enough." She leaned back and rested against the sofa, she raised her head to look at the ceiling. "If you tried breaking up with him and he does not rush back to your side to ask why then that only means that he doesn''t value you that much."

    Fan Xiao Yao suddenly felt uneasy and frightened because of what she said since it has truth in it. It even made it harder for her to call this time.

    Will he really come back to her if she tried to threaten him with break up? Will this show how much he values their relationship?

    "What if... he''s in the middle of doing something important?" She asked as an excuse. "Or... What if he''s on the ship or plane right now?"

    "Then you can just give him a one or two days time to swim or fly back to you." Shi Enxi casually answered as if it was an easy question.

    "Then... Tell me, Xiao Xi... Are you going to do the same if it''s Mello?" Fan Xiao Yao suddenly asked while looking at her the phone she was holding for a short while before she turned to look straight at her friend. "What if Mello will put other things first before you? What if he cheats? What if he got busy with work? He won''t always have time for you..."

    Shi Enxi smirked, narrowing her eyes as she titled her head to the side to look back at her. "If he cheated, then I''m going to burn that bitch and castrate my husband. If he''s busy with work then I just have to go to his workplace and steal him away for even a few hours."

    "..."

    "If I was in your position, I''ll definitely slap some sense on Huang Li."

    "That''s not the right thing to do, Xiao Xi... I know that you''re trying to help me but I don''t think you understand. I know for sure that Huang Li loves me so why should I make things complicated to him? He has other problems to deal with and I don''t want to be one. You''re right, I should be selfish sometimes but there are also times where I should be understanding and selfless for our relationship. You said it yourself, he''s like a family to you. You are also like a family to me. I''m sorry for blaming you earlier. I guess... I just want to vent out these bottled feelings to someone."

    "Also, if one of my family gets in trouble, I will probably do the same as Huang Li and try to help if I know that I can help." Her soft lips stretched into a smile but didn''t quite reach her dark eyes. "Sometimes, holding on to his promise is enough. I will patiently wait for him. I may be doubting his love but... I wanted to trust him too. I don''t want to be blinded by my selfish thoughts... Being selfish can also ruin a relationship you know and I don''t want that. That''s why... I''m going to put more trust in him."

    Once again, her eyes were lit with sadness, and the forced expression of the contrary on her mouth would have looked comical to Shi Enxi if it didn''t make her heart feel heavy. For a few moments, she stared at Fan Xiao Yao, thinking about what she said.

    She was right. If Huang Li, or even anyone she cared for got into trouble, she would also do the same. She finally heaved out a sigh of defeat.

    "But I have everything in my hands now. He doesn''t have to help me so just call him and make him spend more time with you. He doesn''t have to do anything now that I have everything in my control."

    It took a while for her to prepare her cards but now that she has everything in her hands, soon, Shi Anhao will be taken down.

    "Alright, I''ll call him." She finally lifted her phone and began dialing Huang Li''s number but her call didn''t go through since his phone was turned off in the other line.

    She sighed and looked at her, shaking her head a bit, "His phone is off."

    "Just give him a message then. He''ll definitely see it if he turns it back on later." Shi Enxi reached out an patted her shoulder to comfort her a bit.

    "Okay. By the way, Xiao Xi, aren''t you mad at Mello for hiding what really happened to you?" Fan Xiao Yao asked, changing the topic as she kept her phone back to her bag.

    "No, not really. I''m actually surprised that he was willing to go that far." She chuckled lightly. "It''s actually sweet."

    "You''re not angry? At all?"

    "Am I really that scary when I''m mad?" She raised a brow in amus.e.m.e.nt.

    "Hell yeah. Very scary." What made her scary after all was actually because of the things she can do out of anger.

    "I''m not going to tell you everything but all I can say right now is that, everything went according to the plan." She gave her a smile that seemed so genuinely sweet but for some reason, it sent chills down Fan Xiao Yao''s back.

 Chapter 165 - Mr. Rat

    A few months ago before Shi Enxi gave birth...

    The cold breeze blew against the busy street of Beijing. A white Roll-Royce car stopped in front of the hospital building. A woman dressed in maternity clothes came out of the car after the door was opened for her by her bodyguard. It was that time of the week where she would go to the hospital to have her weekly checkup.

    As usual, she went to her doctor''s office but when she saw through the glass window of the door that the doctor was speaking with someone else, she decided to wait outside.

    While she was waiting, her phone rang and so, she stood up and answered the call as she walked away from the doctor''s office. Since she was within the bodyguard''s sight, he didn''t follow her.

    "How was it?" Lu Mello asked from the other line.

    His call was already a routine for Shi Enxi. Whenever he was not able to come with her during her checkup, he would always give her a call just to check on her.

    "The doctor is still speaking with someone else." She replied with a small smile. "Haven''t I told you that I''ll call you after my checkup?"

    "Can''t help it, I''m missing my wife''s voice right now," said Lu Mello with a flirtatious tone on his voice.

    She rolled her eyes at his cheesy remark, "Now that you heard my voice, I''ll be ending the call now, okay? Bye, darling."

    She didn''t wait for his reply and instead, she ended the call there and then. She turned and was about to head back to where the doctor''s office was but she stopped on her tracks when she saw a familiar figure.

    The man was wearing a mask but she was able to know who he was by seeing a glimpse of his eyes. Despite that, she still wasn''t sure if he really was the man she knew but her instincts were telling her to follow him and so she did.

    "Madam?" The bodyguard stood up and was about to follow her.

    "Stay here," She said with a smile as she looked at him. "I''m just going to use the restroom."

    "But-"

    "It''s just over that corner." And with that, she hurriedly left.

    The bodyguard didn''t find anything wrong with it. He has been assigned to guard her and every few minutes, she would usually go to the restroom. It was a normal thing for pregnant women.

    Shi Enxi was able to catch up to the man that she saw earlier and he haven''t noticed that she was following him at all so when he reached the parking lot, he lowered his mask.

    Shi Enxi was not that far from him so she was able to see his face and that only confirmed her thoughts although she was still surprised to see him there.

    Why was he in the hospital? Why was he seeing an OB-GYN? Did he get someone pregnant? That could be possible, right? The fact that he has been sleeping with other women, the possibility wasn''t that low. But... shouldn''t he be seeing the doctor WITH the woman he i.m.p.r.e.g.n.a.t.ed instead? So why was he alone?

    Shi Enxi''s head was filled with questions that can only be answered by the man himself. Since it was someone she knew, she began approaching him from behind.

    The man stopped in front of his car upon hearing his phone rang. He took it out of his pocket and answered the call, "I''ve already spoken with the doctor that''s in charge of Shi Enxi''s pregnancy."

    She stopped a few feet away from him. Okaaaay... That wasn''t that she was expecting to hear. He came there to speak to the doctor because of her?

    Since she wanted to hear more, she quickly hid herself to the nearest car.

    "He''s willing to work together with us as long as we pay him well."

    "..." Willing to work together with them? Who was he talking with?

    "Yes... I haven''t visited her yet but I''ll keep you updated concerning Shi Enxi."

    Shi Enxi''s brow twitched. Why does his conversation to whoever was on the other line was suddenly making her uneasy?

    As soon as the call ended, Shi Enxi stood and finally called him, "Zi Xuan."

    Zi Xuan was startled upon hearing his name. He turned to the woman who called him and his body instantly became stiff.

    The side of Shi Enxi''s lips lifted up into a smile. "My, oh, my. What do we got here?"

    The surprised look on Zi Xuan''s face was enough proof that he was up to something together with the person he spoke with earlier. The only problem she has at that moment was what should she do to make him spill everything out? Easy. She only has to act as if she knows what he cooking. Time to play some mind games with this man.

    Zi Xuan wasn''t sure if she heard his conversation with Shi Anhao but he decided to cover it by using his acting skills. "Huh? Xiao Xi? What are you doing-" He paused as he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

    "I have always felt a rat near me but you see, the rat knows how to hide so it was giving me a hard time catching him for so long."

    He tried his best to continue with his acting. He was able to remain calm because of it and instead, acted all confuse, "What do you mean?"

    The temperature around them suddenly dropped after she said that. "Well, well, I''m now feeling the presence of this rat."

    Shi Enxi''s sharp gaze sent shiver on Zi Xuan''s whole body. "It''s actually surprising that the rat actually happens to be this six feet tall." She crossed her arms and gave him a bone-chilling smile. "I finally caught you, Mr. Rat."

    Zi Xuan took a step towards her, "Xiao Xi-"

    "I suggest you stand still, Mr. Zi. If you take any step closer to me, I can''t promise you that my bodyguard won''t shoot your leg."

 Chapter 166 - Golden card

    Shi Enxi''s sharp gaze sent shiver on his body. It was as if she was watching a cornered prey closely. "It''s actually surprising that the actual rat happens to be this six feet, tall man." She crossed her arms and gave him a bone-chilling smile. "I finally caught you, Mr. Rat."

    Zi Xuan took a step closer to her, "Xiao Xi-"

    "I suggest you stand still, Mr. Zi." She interrupted, stopping him from approaching her. "If you take any step closer to me, I can''t promise you that my bodyguard won''t shoot your leg."

    Of course, that was a lie but it was enough to alarm Zi Xuan to the point where his eyes roamed their surroundings. He was sweating profoundly especially his hands. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead, his face was as white as a sheet. It was obvious that he was so nervous.

    Even if he couldn''t see where the bodyguard was hiding, it gave him the idea that her guard was surely pointing his gun on him. He finally heaved out a sigh in defeat. "Xiao Xi, I can explain."

    She smirked inwardly after finally hearing what she wanted to hear from him. "Then you better start and convince me on why I shouldn''t capture you right now."

    Once again, he sighed. Since he thought that she found out about it already, there was no use in hiding. "You have to believe me when I say that I''m not your enemy."

    She snickered, "Really now? How can I believe you when you''re working with my opposer?" Since she still didn''t know who was the mastermind behind him, it was only safe not to mention any name. All she has to do is make him say it.

    "I may be working with Shi Anhao but that''s because I need her trust. If I have her trust then it will be easier for me to pull her down."

    "..." Shi Anhao? He was working with Shi Anhao?

    Her eyes narrowed as it darkened and became cold. The atmosphere around them became heavy. Among all people... it was Shi Anhao...

    She couldn''t hear the words coming out from Zi Xuan''s lips anymore as her mind went blank. Well, it hasn''t really gone blank since her brain began connecting the dots concerning the reason why Zi Xuan could possibly in the hospital and that could only be because of the fact that Shi Anhao wanted to scheme against her using her pregnancy.

    A laugh escaped her lips which made Zi Xuan stop from trying to explain things to her.

    "That bitch..." She looked at him and smirked, "Zi Xuan, give me one good reason why I shouldn''t kill you right now?"

    "I can help you." He said without hesitation. "I know that it will be hard for you to trust me but just like you, I hate her, Xiao Xi. She may be the woman who gave birth to me but... I will never accept her as my mother. Her family has dealt more damage to me than good."

    "She''s your... mother?" Shi Enxi was obviously surprised by what he said. How was that possible? If she calculated it correctly, Zi Xuan and Shi Anhao should have at least nineteen years difference. If she really was his mother then could that mean that Shi Anhao gave birth to him during her teenage days?

    He lowered his head and clenched his fists tightly. As much as he hated to admit that Shi Anhao is his mother, he nodded a bit. "Before she married Wang Hao... she was dating my father during high school and soon, she became pregnant during her first year of college. She could have aborted me but she used me to hold on to my father. But after giving birth to me... my father''s family became bankrupt and she left me with him."

    Shi Enxi could already guess what happened after but his sad past wasn''t enough to give him back the trust she had for him but... yes, there''s always a but.

    "I know how much you hate her. You don''t have to trust me right now but all I ask you right now is to help me."

    That''s right, Shi Enxi cannot waste such an opportunity, she could use Zi Xuan against Shi Anhao. Having him was like having a golden card.

    And so, Shi Enxi began working together with Zi Xuan and showed her loyalty to her by telling her Shi Anhao''s plans of poisoning her and taking her child away.

    She didn''t plan on diverting from Shi Anhao''s plans so she decided to use it against her by going on with it and deceive everyone around her.

    Shi Enxi didn''t want to put her son''s life at risk that was why before the plans were taken into action, she went to ask a doctor if it was alright for her to give birth early, one to two weeks early before her due date. Since the doctor said that it was possible through cesarean, she went on her plans.

    The day when the plan took place, Zi Xuan never gave Shi Enxi any poison. In fact, her fainting was all an act. The only reason why Shi Enxi allowed Shi Anhao to take her son was all because of Zi Xuan. He already proved to her that he could be trusted that was why she left her son in his care.

    It was also her who ordered Zi Xuan to install hidden cameras to capture the pictures that were sent to Lu Mello.

    Zi Xuan could have just sent the photos to Lu Mello already after what happened but he waited for Shi Enxi''s orders that were why he was only able to give him the photos a few months after she gave birth and everything went smoothly according to her plan. Now, all she has to do was wait. Despite having all the important cards in her, the timing was important as well.

    She was like a cat, hiding and patiently waiting for its prey to come out of its hole.

 Chapter 167 - Genes I guess

    (Present)

    "I''ll go and visit you tomorrow." Shi Enxi said as she dropped Fan Xiao Yao in front of her car.

    Fan Xiao Yao grinned, "Then let''s go shopping tomorrow, okay? Bring Ming''er with you."

    "I will." She chuckled lightly. "Also let me know if Huang Li called or messaged you. That man needs to step up his game."

    "Don''t worry, I will so you better give him a good scolding okay?" She gave Shi Enxi a hug before she pulled back and entered her car.

    After bidding goodbye to Fan Xiao Yao, Shi Enxi was told that her husband arrived earlier and was in his study. Of course, she was surprised by his early arrival but when she learned the time he arrived, she found out that it was during the time where she was crying with Fan Xiao Yao.

    Since dinner was being prepared by the servants, she decided to go to Lu Mello''s study.

    She knocked at his door but there was no reply.

    "Mello?" Since he didn''t hear any response from inside, she carefully pushed the door open. She took a peek only to see her husband, staring at a doc.u.ment. He was looking at it so hard to the point where he was not aware of his surroundings. It was obvious enough that his mind was flying somewhere else.

    "Darling?" She called as she took a step in and closed the door behind her.

    Lu Mello finally snapped out of his thoughts by her voice. He turned to her and smiled a bit, "Ah, Xi''er, you''re here."

    She sighed, "You''re burying yourself with work again." She walked towards him and went behind him. She placed her hands on his shoulders as she leaned forward and rested her chin on top of his head. "It''s almost time for dinner."

    He placed the doc.u.ment down on his desk. He wasn''t able to read it since he ended up thinking of ways on how to contact the person who sent him the photos. Aside from that, searching for the doctor who disappeared was also giving him a headache.

    Shi Enxi transferred and went to sit on his l.a.p instead. She held his cheeks with both hands and pouted, "Look at the bags under your eyes. Even with them, how can you still look so handsome?"

    He ended up chuckling at what she said, "Genes I guess." He wrapped his arms around her waist before he leaned forward and captured her pouting lips by placing a soft peck on them.

    She giggled lightly, "And now, our son has inherited those great genes."

    When she mentioned about their son, Lu Mello''s smile became stiff. He was reminded of the message he received.

    Should he tell her that their son is alive?

    "Your mind is flying off to somewhere again." She pouted. "How about you tell me what''s bothering you? Maybe I can help?"

    He sighed heavily, "Xi''er..." He held her hands and gave them a squeeze. "I want you to remain calm as much as possible, okay?"

    Was he finally going to tell her the truth? Shi Enxi thought.

    She was actually planning to tell him everything if he became honest with her first. She knew that what he did, adopting a baby just to replace the son Shi Anhao took, was all for her. She never expected him to do that. She already prepared herself to act how heartbroken she was losing her son but he did something she never imagined in her life.

    How can she actually get angry? She was the one who hid things from him so she was actually the one who was more worried, thinking of how he would react after learning the truth but... everything has a time. Shi Enxi was the type of person to strictly stick on her plans, not changing them for the sake of others unless it was necessary.

    It''s not like she didn''t trust her husband. She knew that he will surely go against the plan of using their son that was why she kept quiet all this time. Even if she said that she was willing to let Lu Mello handle Shi Anhao, those were all empty words. She was not going to sit still and be a good girl. If she can solve her own problem herself then she would.

    She didn''t need so much help, Zi Xuan and Jing Yan were enough. Besides, Shi Enxi was the type of person who uses others for her plans, she only has to find the right pawns to use and sadly, Lu Mello wasn''t the kind of pawn she was looking for so even if he offered to help her, she could only put him behind and use him in case of emergency.

    "Huh? What''s this?" She tilted her head to the side, acting all clueless. "Why do you look like you are about to drop a bomb right now?" She joked.

    Even if she said it as a joke, Lu Mello remained serious. "You have to promise me first."

    "Promise you what?"

    "That you''ll remain calm."

    Shi Enxi chuckled a bit, "As long as it''s not about you having another woman then okay, I promise to remain calm." If it were the old her, she would be enjoying this moment, the moment where Lu Mello looked like a fool. The old her may enjoy it but the present her didn''t. She felt guilty for tricking, for deceiving everyone but... it was all for the sake of her plans.

    Yes, Lu Mello is smart... with the right information around him, he can put the pieces together but she intentionally took some of those pieces, like... allowing the doctor to move into his hometown and giving Zi Xuan tips on how not to be tracked by her husband. Because of those, Lu Mello''s hands are empty that was why right now, she could see how troubled he is.

    She will never become a good person. No, never. She will always be evil. It will always be a part of her.

 Chapter 168 - Liar

    "Alright, I promise," said Shi Enxi as she unwrapped her husband''s arms around her waist. She remained still on his l.a.p and held his hands instead. This was the moment of truth between them, she knew that just by looking at him.

    Lu Mello remained quiet as he stared down at their hands. He held her hands back and gave it a light squeeze. The last thing he wanted from Shi Enxi was for her to hate him. It was something he never wanted to happen. He was afraid that by telling the truth, she would look at him with eyes full of malice but he needed to take that risk. He didn''t want her to hear the truth from someone else.

    Something like this could be used to make a dispute between them and he was not going to allow anyone to take that chance especially when he knew that it was going to be harder for them if that became the case.

    "I... really don''t want you to hate me." His voice broke as he said those words.

    On the other hand, Shi Enxi''s heart trembled, making her feel guilty for keeping things from him. "Why will I hate someone I love?"

    His head was still lowered and a bitter smile found its way on his lips, "I''m afraid that love might disappear one day." Or maybe within this day, after he told her the truth. He added in his mind.

    "I should be the one saying that." Shi Enxi stated as she released one of his hands and reached out to touch his cheek instead to make him face her.

    She did so many terrible things and yet, Shi Enxi kept on wondering why Lu Mello love her.

    If they were living in a book, she was sure that someone like her would surely make up into a hateful villain... an antagonist who deserves nothing but all the bad things in the world after all the hateful things she did.

    Even now, she was willing to use their son just for the sake of her revenge. What kind of mother was she? She was willing to put her own son at risk! No good mother would do that!

    She may have told Lu Mello that she wanted to change and that she wanted to focus on becoming a good mother but that was impossible for her after what she did.

    During the time when they thought that Lu Weichun died, Shi Enxi never imagined feeling such heart-wrenching pain when Lu Mello didn''t believe her. His painful words were like daggers and those sharp words were the truth. It showed how bad of a person she was.

    Lu Mello raised his hand, gently placing his hand on top of hers that was touching his cheek as he gazed down at her with his kind, beautiful black orbs. "I don''t think there will be a day where I will stop loving you."

    Liar. She thought.

    "You almost did when you thought that I killed your sister, Weichun." She said without holding back as she slipped her hand from his hold and lowered it.

    "No, I didn''t." He replied as he continued to stare back at her.

    "What if I happen to kill her? Will you still love me?" The way she scrutinized him was as if she was finding faults from him, trying to see the truth in his words.

    "I will continue to love you." He honestly said. "But at the same time, I''ll hate you." He added.

    "Ha," she chuckled at his answer. "Is that even possible? How can you love and hate at the same time?"

    For some reason, even with the topic they were currently having, the heavy atmosphere that surrounded them earlier was slowly fading out.

    "You can put it this way; I won''t be able to move on from you since you will be the only woman I will truly love despite the fact that I hate you."

    This time, the side of her lips curled up into a smile, "Aren''t you just putting yourself in despair by doing that?"

    He smiled back at her. This time, he was the one who reached forward and touch her cheek, "What can I say? I really do love you that much. You are the only one for me."

    "You really are hopeless aren''t you?"

    He leaned forward, their foreheads almost touching, "What can I say? I''m quite a hopeless romantic, aren''t I?"

    She chuckled lightly, "Mm, that, I agree. You are a fool for loving someone like me."

    "Yes, yes, I''m a fool."

    "And stupid." She added, a small giggle escaping her lips.

    Lu Mello couldn''t help but let out a helpless smile as he gazed into her eyes; her eyes were like two rare gems, each time more beautiful with every glance. "Am I?"

    "Yes, you are." This time, she hugged him by his neck and closed in, taking in the small space between them as she placed her lips against him.

    He closed his eyes and kissed her back, slowly and gently. Oh, how he wished for time to stop during sweet moments like this. He just wanted her to be in his arms and to kiss her and hold her endlessly.

    They continued to share a loving kiss until the one who initiated it was also the one who ended it.

    "You have my answer, Mello." She whispered after pulling back a bit from the kiss. "Just like you... I guess I''m a fool and stupid when it comes to this love."

    How could she hate him when he was the only man who saw the beauty inside a dark and horrible person she was? It was as if they both came from the same puzzle box. They were like puzzle pieces who complete each other despite how imperfect they were; one holding the other''s sanity. They were each other''s pillars but at the same time, they were each other''s worst enemy.

 Chapter 169 - Real Mastermind

    Lu Mello stared at her for a few seconds after hearing what she said. It was as if he finally heard the answer to his fearful thoughts of telling her the truth.

    She released her hug from his neck and rested her hands on his c.h.e.s.t instead. She felt his c.h.e.s.t rise and sink as he let out a sigh in defeat. Whenever it came to her, he was helpless. "Where should I start?"

    "Start anywhere you like, I''ll listen." She said with a small smile, knowing what he has to say already.

    He lowered his head and was quiet for a while. It was as if he was put in a tight position when he thought about what he should say to her.

    On the other hand, Shi Enxi waited patiently for him to talk. She didn''t rush him. Just like him, she was in deep thought on whether or not to tell him the truth as well. She was in a dilemma of whether or not to act clueless of what he was about to say.

    "Mingyu... is not our real son." He suddenly said as if dropping a bomb without even giving the other person a warning.

    He raised his head to look at her and quickly said in a panic, "Xi''er, I can explain." He was afraid that she might suddenly have a violent reaction.

    "I know." She interrupted as she gazed back deeply into his eyes. "Mello, I know."

    He was startled by her words, not expecting her to say and act so calmly. "You... y-you know?" He stuttered.

    Shi Enxi slowly nodded as she finally confessed to him. "I know what you did... How you adopted Yu''er and exchanged him for our son who was taken by Shi Anhao."

    Once again, he was shocked by her revelation. His eyes were so wide, it was as if they were going to come out of their sockets.

    She averted her gaze from his eyes, feeling guilty of what she has done but if she was given another chance to change things, she was going to do the same and lie. That''s how horrible she was as a mother.

    Lu Mello remained quiet as his wife began telling him about what happened and how she planned everything and the fact that Zi Xuan was working for her.

    If there was someone who she was willing to tell her plans to, it was none other Lu Mello. She was contradicting herself by not telling him of her plans earlier and that was all because she knew that he was going to go against the fact that she was putting their son at risk. It was such a sad fact that for revenge, she was willing to use their son. She still wanted Shi Anhao to have a terrible death.

    "I''m sorry for not telling you." She said after telling everything to him.

    The quietness in the room grew after what she said. The atmosphere was heavy and suffocating for Shi Enxi especially when she didn''t know what kind of face he was making.

    "You..." He started. For some reason, a chill ran down her spine upon hearing how close and deep his voice was. "You were willing to put our son at risk."

    She closed her eyes, "I''m sorry."

    "Sorry? Are you really sorry?" His voice reverberated in her ears like a clap of thunder, such was his rage.

    Shi Enxi was already expecting him to get angry at her and she was willing to accept whatever harsh words he''d sprout at her but she ended up being surprised by what she heard next. She felt his c.h.e.s.t tremble as the sound of a deep chuckle was heard from him.

    She was confused by it which made her raise her head to look at him but the moment she saw his cold eyes, she couldn''t bring herself to look away anymore. His eyes were like a black hole, pulling her dangerously.

    "Just how crazy can you get, Xi''er?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "I can''t believe that you still ended up being the real mastermind behind our own son''s disappearance."

    He thought that he would be able to change her but from the looks of it, she was still the same woman in the past, a woman driven by revenge.

    "I was foolish to believe you. And here I thought that you were willing to focus on our family. That was also one of your lies, right?

    A sour smile was seen on her lips after hearing the words of her beloved husband. She finally stood up from his l.a.p, "I know that by doing this, I can never be a good mother."

    "Not just a good mother, I guess you can''t even become a good wife." He replied with a blank look in his eyes as he gazed at her face. "He''s our son. OUR son. Yours and mine."

    His sharp words sliced into her heart but despite the pain, the bitter smile remained on her lips as she asked him, "Do you hate me now?"

    He finally broke their eye contact as he lowered his head and stood up. The betrayal he felt tore his heart to pieces. He couldn''t believe that his own wife, the mother of their child was willing to put their innocent son into danger. "Tell me where our son is."

    "I can''t. It''s not time-"

    "DAMN IT, ENXI!" He glared furiously at her. "You may not care but I do! I will no longer put my son in danger!"

    "Our." She replied calmly. She corrected, "Our son."

    He laughed blankly at her words, "Fine, don''t tell me where he is but once I find him, I will not give you a chance to be his mother!"

    She was startled at what he said, "You won''t dare!" She glared back at him. She shouldn''t have told him about the truth. She should have kept it. She was regretting it now.

    "I may love you but you''re going too far by putting our own son at risk! We already have a family, Xi''er! By doing something like this, you''re only breaking this family apart!"

 Chapter 170 - Make him stop

    Lu Mello''s words slapped her with the harsh truth. Everything backfired to her but despite that, just like what she said, she didn''t regret her actions and that was what made her even crueler.

    "For goodness'' sake, you are a mother now, Enxi!" His holler made her flinch as she finally lowered her head. "You can''t just be selfish and do whatever you want! You can''t just put an innocent baby''s life at risk! The fact that he''s our son is worst! I can''t believe that you are willing to sacrifice our son! OUR SON!!!"

    "I-I''m not sacrificing him," she stammered.

    "Really now?" He scoffed. "Have you ever thought of the possibility that your plan can fail? Once it fails, it can cause our son''s life!" He gritted his teeth in frustration. "Have you ever thought of that?!"

    Tears welled up in her eyes. Of course, she thought of that but she was confident that her plans will work out. She was confident that she would be able to save her son in time. She never has time to think whether or not her plans will go south. She was so focused on ruining Shi Anhao.

    "Enxi, tell me, where are they?" Lu Mello forcefully asked. Seeing her cry was making it hard for him to stay angry at her but he has to. Shi Enxi has to realize that what she was doing was wrong. She shouldn''t be putting their son at risk.

    In the end, Shi Enxi finally gave in as she whispered with her broken voice, "Thailand."

    Lu Mello didn''t say anything anymore. He didn''t reach out to comfort her and instead, he turned away and left in a hurry.

    Shi Enxi felt her legs tremble. Her body wobbled but she managed to support herself by holding on the desk. She has no words to tell him. She has no strength to stop him from ruining her ruthless plan against Shi Anhao.

    Ah... just like back then, it was always Lu Mello who ruined her plans. From killing her brother to Fan Xiao Yao up til now. It was always now. He was the only one who understands how her mind worked and because of that, he knew what words to say to break her.

    She was already given a chance to fix her life and yet she ruined it again by blinding herself with revenge the moment she was given the chance to do it.

    Tears continued to roll down her cheeks, dripping down her shirt. She covered her face with her hands. As much as she thought that she deserved happiness, in the end, she ruined it.

    She was a horrible mother and wife. She couldn''t help but think that maybe this family doesn''t need her. Lu Mello deserved to have a better wife, her son deserved to have a better mother who was willing to do anything to protect him, not put him at risk.

    The fact that she was the woman who couldn''t give that wife and mother to them torn her apart.

    She wiped her tears as she told herself, "Enough crying Enxi. You have work to do."

    After calming herself down, she went out of the study and went downstairs and as she did, she heard her husband in the living room, talking to someone through his phone. "Prepare the jet." He ended the call after.

    When he turned, he saw Shi Enxi, her eyes red and a bit puffy because of the cry earlier.

    "I''m coming with you." She said with a serious look on her face.

    Lu Mello''s face remained the same just like when he left earlier, blank. "We''re leaving after dinner."

    ...

    Two days after. Phuket, Thailand.

    Inside a mansion, a loud cry of the baby was heard.

    Shi Anhao who was reading a book ended up frowning in annoyance. She angrily shouted, "Make him stop crying!"

    The hired nanny flinched upon hearing Shi Anhao''s shout. She was carrying the baby and was rocking him in her arms, "Shh, shh, please be quiet."

    But it only made the baby cry harder, piercing the ears of anyone who heard it.

    Shi Anhao couldn''t take it anymore. She stood up and went towards the nanny who was carrying the baby. "Can''t you just cover his mouth with something?!"

    "B-but madam... h-he''s a baby..." The nanny stuttered nervously.

    "I don''t care! Make him stop cryin-''

    "Shi Anhao." A man entered the room, holding a plastic bag with milk for the baby in it. "I just went out to buy milk and yet you''re already fighting with the baby again."

    Shi Anhao scoffed at what he said. "Now that you''re back, make him stop."

    Zi Xuan sighed heavily at how impatient she was. Well, he really couldn''t blame her. She lost contact with her daughter and ever since, she couldn''t settle down.

    He walked towards the nanny. He placed the plastic bag he was holding before he said, "Give him to me."

    The nanny sighed in relief, glad that he was finally back. She handed the baby to him, letting him carry the child.

    "There, there." He muttered as he gently rocked the baby in his arms. He turned to the nanny, "Prepare the milk."

    The nanny nodded obediently and hurriedly took the plastic bag and went to the kitchen.

    Meanwhile, Zi Xuan went to the baby''s room after he managed to calm him down. When the nanny returned, he took the bottled milk and gave it to the child.

    While he was watching over the baby that was in the crib, he felt his phone vibrated. Since he was alone with the baby in the room, he took it out of his pocket to check it.

    It was a message from someone named ''Cat'' saying, [Midnight.]

    That was the only message written but for some reason, Zi Xuan didn''t look confused. He deleted the message and kept his phone after.

    He turned to the child inside the crib, a small smile escaping from his lips as he mumbled, "Finally."

 Chapter 171 - Chance

    The moment Lu Mello and Shi Enxi had their dinner together to the moment they reached the airport and entered the Lu family''s private jet, they never said a word even once.

    The deafening silence around them was enough to suffocate them. It was obvious enough from the eyes of others that the two were in a fight.

    Shi Enxi sat on the seat that was on the opposite corner where her husband was. Before the jet took off, she sent a message to Zi Xuan before she turned off her phone.

    Both of them couldn''t even blink a sleep with how things were between them, their minds running off to somewhere.

    In the middle of their flight, Lu Mello finally stood up and went to take a seat beside his wife who has her eyes closed, pretending that she was asleep.

    He took the blanket and placed it over her which made Shi Enxi flinch upon feeling his sweet gesture.

    Despite what she did, he still cared for her even now. It was something heartwarming but at the same time, the pain in her heart grew.

    She felt like crying again, wanting to let out all her burden but she stopped herself. It was not the time to cry.

    Suddenly, she felt something warm and soft on her forehead which slowly spread in her body. It was so comforting that she felt the pain in her c.h.e.s.t lessened.

    It so happened that Lu Mello actually placed a soft kiss on her forehead before he went back to his seat.

    Gestures like these, coming from him was something that made her restless but at the same time, calm. She couldn''t help but feel safe and sound whenever he was there with her.

    She finally opened her eyes. It was so hard to contain such overwhelming feelings. With her husband being like this, it only made things harder for her, made her feel more guilty, thinking that she doesn''t deserve someone like him but at the same time, she didn''t want to let him go.

    She turned and saw him pour wine in his glass. Just like her, he couldn''t fall asleep. She grabbed the blanket that he placed on her and looked at it for a while.

    Unconsciously, her tears dripped on it. It was her tears that kept her broken soul alive in the furnace of this pain. Perhaps that''s what saved her from becoming a monster, a person indifferent to suffering and sorrow. She really was ruining her life, wasn''t she?

    She tried her best to control her cry but the soft sobbed that escaped her lips didn''t go unnoticed by her husband.

    He turned and saw her that, surprised that she was awake and crying. In reflex, he hurriedly went to her side, taking the seat beside her.

    Lu Mello reached forward, placing his hand on her shoulder, "Xi''er, are you alright?" Did she have a nightmare?

    Alright? She thought. For some reason, the question made her smile bitterly. Does she look alright? She was obviously not!

    His question made her cry harder, her sobs getting loud. The muscle on her chin trembled like a small child.

    Worried, Lu Mello pulled her into his arms. "Shh, shh, don''t cry, I''m here."

    She felt frustrated that she couldn''t stop herself from crying out like an idiot. The walls that held her up collapsed so easily in his presence. She was supposed to keep her mind calm and yet here she was, crying in her husband''s arms.

    With her being like this, Lu Mello couldn''t stay cold and ignore her. He couldn''t stay angry at her. He knew what she has been through better than anyone. Even if he was trying his best to understand her, every person has their limit and what Shi Enxi did made him reach that but just like what he told her, even if one day, he came to hate her, she will always be the woman he loves. He just couldn''t stop caring for her.

    He patiently comforted her until she was able to finally calm down. He took out a handkerchief from his pocket and used it to gently wiped her face.

    She raised her head and looked at him with her red and puffy eyes, "Why... why are you like this?" Her voice was almost in a whisper since she felt her throat dry after crying. "You are supposed to be angry..."

    He looked at his wife with a helpless gaze, "Do you think I can keep on ignoring you when you''re being like this?"

    Once again, she felt like she was only troubling him. "We should end this... let''s have a divor-"

    Before she could even finish what she was about to say, Lu Mello flicked her forehead. "Don''t even suggest that. If there''s one thing that I won''t do, it will be divorcing you."

    "B-but... you said that... I''m not allowed to be a mother to our son!" Once again, she burst out crying. "I''m a bad mother and a bad wife!"

    "So what if you''re a bad mother and a bad wife?" He gently cupped her wet cheek as he continued, "I married you and I will regret doing that even if you turned out this way. Yes, I might get angry, I might even hate you but my love will still be there."

    She sniffled, "H-how can you keep on tolerating me like this?" It was only making things harder for her. No normal person will want to be in a toxic relationship like this. She turned a blind eye on the struggle he had, played with his feelings, and ignore how broken he was all because of how selfish she was.

    He stroked her cheek with his thumb, "Because I believe everyone deserves another chance."

    She lowered her head, "But I wasted it..."

    "Did you?" He raised her face to make her look at him. The gentleness in his eyes was seen again, a kind smile plastered in his lips.

 Chapter 172 - Wall between them

    Lu Mello''s features may be more on his father''s side but his personality was more on her mother. His patience and kindness were always there in him especially when it came to the person he loves; seeing the goodness in them.

    "Here, drink this." He handed a glass of water after Shi Enxi finally calmed down.

    She took the glass and sipped a few of its contents. She became quiet after letting out the heaviness inside her by crying.

    "Are you... still angry?" She softly asked with a bit of hesitation heard in her voice.

    He chuckled a bit at her question, "Yes, I am." Although it was hard to believe when he was acting this caring to her.

    "Then why are you smiling?" She couldn''t help but ask.

    "It''s because I''m angry." He took the glass from her and placed it on the table before he fixed the blanket over her. "Now go to sleep, it''s late. I''ll wake you up once we arrive."

    It was then that the flight attendant went to inform them, "Mr. Lu, Mrs. Lu, we''ll be landing soon."

    Shi Enxi chuckled at what she said. She looked at her husband, "I''ll sleep later."

    ...

    As the plane landed on the ground, a black Maybach was waiting for them outside together with Lu Mello''s men who were all dressed in black suits.

    Shi Enxi entered the car and was followed by her husband.

    "How do you plan on capturing Shi Anhao?" Shi Enxi asked Lu Mello while they were inside the car.

    "By taking her by surprise." He said while looking at the scenery they passed by through the car''s window. "I will be working together with the local PD."

    She lowered her head and pursed her lips, not liking his plans at all. She closed her eyes and remained quiet as she rested her back against her seat.

    "When do you plan on doing that?" She asked again.

    "Within this week." He replied, not giving her a specific time. This time, he was only being careful in case his wife might try to get ahead of him again.

    This time, Shi Enxi didn''t say a thing as her mind began on flying off somewhere while her eyes were close.

    When he noticed how quiet she became, he turned to her and saw her that way. "Let me handle this, Enxi."

    It was not like she has a choice. The men around them were all loyal to him. "Hm."

    He reached out and made her head rest on his shoulder, "I''ll wake you up once we get there.''"

    "Okay." She snuggled close against his warmth and hugged him from the side, seeking comfort in him but for some reason, it wasn''t enough with how things were at that moment.

    Things were still not good for them despite how they were at the moment. It was as if even with how close they were right now, there was an invisible wall building up between them and they both could feel it but they remained quiet, not saying a word about it. There were so many things that bothered their mind and their focus should be there first, especially when those things were all about how to get back their son.

    ...

    The next day, Shi Enxi was studying the blueprints of the mansion that Zi Xuan sent while Lu Mello was away.

    With the evidence Lu Mello obtained, he began working together with the local police department, planning on how to capture Shi Anhao and her men.

    Meanwhile, Shi Enxi had other plans that were why she contacted Zi Xuan. She didn''t want Shi Anhao to use her son as a hostage that was why it was better if he could get her son out of the place before the operation started.

    She was in a disguise whenever she went out since she didn''t want Shi Anhao''s men to see her there. What was surprising tho was when she saw Huang Li in town.

    She remembered what Fan Xiao Yao said that Huang Li was trying to find Shi Anhao and end her.

    The men that Lu Mello brought were all loyal to him and if she asked one of them help with the plans she has in mind, she was sure that they were going to tell her husband about it. Having Huang Li there was an opportunity for her. He was someone who can help her.

    She stood up from her seat and left the cafe just to follow Huang Li to the parking lot.

    "Huang Li-" She paused from calling him when she saw a familiar face. It was a face she could never forget especially when there are times when she would dream of her together with her father.

    There was no mistaking it, that woman was her mother. Mu Xijiu was sitting at the backseat of the car.

    What is the meaning of this? How is this possible?

    She rushed towards the car before it could even leave. If that woman was really her mother then why did Huang Li keep it from her?

    Noticing someone approaching, Huang Li turned and knitted her brows upon seeing a man approaching them.

    Why does he look familiar? He thought as he looked at Shi Enxi''s disguise.

    Shi Enxi was wearing men''s clothes and her short, black hair was tied into a low ponytail, a few loose strands shaping her face. She was wearing glasses and because of her makeup skills, she was able to make herself look more like a man.

    "May I help you?" Huang Li asked in English upon seeing her stand beside the car.

    She took off her glasses and raised a brow, "Gege, I think you need some explanation to do." She turned her longing gaze at her mother after saying that to him.

    Mu Xijiu''s eyes slowly went wide in realization, "Xi''er..."

    Huang Li was surprised to see her there as well. No wonder he looked familiar, he was actually Shi Enxi in disguise!

    Shi Enxi''s lips trembled, she felt a lump in her throat as she forcefully said out, "Mom..."

    It was really her, right? She really was alive?

 Chapter 173 - Common Enemy

    Reuniting with her mother was something that Shi Enxi never thought especially when she has always believed that she was already dead.

    The happiness inside her grew. She was currently inside the car with her mother, hugging her close like a child. She deeply missed her after all.

    "How about dad?" Shi Enxi couldn''t help but ask as she looked at her mother with a hopeful gaze.

    The sad look in Mu Xijiu''s eyes was enough to tell her that her father wasn''t as fortunate as her mother.

    "I''m sorry, Xi''er." Mu Xijiu said softly, stroking her hair.

    It was still a painful thing to learn that her father didn''t survive but the fact that her mother was still alive brought enough comfort to her.

    As they arrived at the place where Mu Xijiu and Huang Li were staying, they greeted by a young boy, a boy so familiar to Shi Enxi. What was surprising was the way the boy addressed Mu Xijiu.

    "Mom!" The boy happily greeted as he came running towards her.

    Mom? Shi Enxi furrowed her brows, turning her gaze towards her mother. Why was Wen Zhou calling her mother ''mom''?

    It was then that Shi Zhou noticed Shi Enxi''s presence in the place which made him turn to her after giving their mother a hug.

    At first, he looked surprised to see his older sister there.

    "Xi''er, meet Xiao Zhou, your brother." Mu Xijiu said, introducing the boy to her.

    Brother...? No wonder... no wonder she has always felt something towards the boy whenever she saw him. She has always thought that his features were quite similar to her parents. Aside from that, she knew how crafty and mischievous the boy was so it also made her think back then that they might be born from the same kind of devil. Who would have thought that they were actually real siblings?

    "Xi-jiejie..." Shi Zhou let out a cute smile as he looked at her.

    She inhaled deeply then exhaled in one go, trying to take in the information that was being given to her. "Why haven''t you told anything about this?" She looked at Huang Li to which he averted his eyes from her, feeling all guilty for keeping it from her. She then to her mother. "Does gege and jiejie know about this?"

    "No, they don''t..." Mu Xijiu paused upon seeing the frown on her daughter''s face. She sighed and continued, "I was planning on keeping this, not until I''ve taken care of Shi Anhao."

    Shi Enxi snickered, "Right. Our common enemy."

    "Let''s continue in my study." Her mother said before she turned to Shi Zhou, "Xiao Zhou, why don''t take accompany Huang Li in preparing lunch for us?"

    Shi Zhou obediently nodded before turning to Huang Li and taking his hand, dragging him to the kitchen with his tiny body.

    Huang Li remained quiet as he followed the child. He knew that the explanation he has will have to wait for later.

    Mu Xijiu took a glance at the butler to which he understood. He went and began pushing the wheelchair she was sitting on. "Follow me, Xi''er."

    And so, Shi Enxi followed her mother to the study room.

    "Let''s start by answering your questions." Mu Xijiu said after she watched another servant place the drinks on the coffee table.

    "How did you survive?" Was the first thing she asked her mother with no sign of hesitation.

    A small smile appeared on Mu Xijiu''s lips, "Right to the point hm?"

    "I need answers, mom."

    She lowered her eyes towards the glass that was on the table before she reached out and took it. After taking a sip from the juice, Mu Xijiu answered, "How else? It was your father who saved me..."

    It was still a painful memory for her despite the years that passed by. "I lost my memories a few months after I woke up from my coma. It was Ren Yuemin who helped me and her husband. Later on, after they died, Nian Jiezhen helped me in hiding my identity."

    A crease appeared between her brows upon hearing what her mother said, "Nian Jiezhen?"

    All this time... she knew that her mother was alive?

    "Don''t blame her, sweetie. It was me who told them to keep it a secret when I regained my memories." She explained with a sad smile plastered on her lips.

    ----

    AUTHOR''S NOTE:

    Sorry if I have to put it here. I have reached the limit of AN''s Thought box when I placed this there (T.T)

    Hi everyone! To all my dear, beloved readers. I will be stockpiling chapters for September release so this will be the last update for this month for this book. I''m sorry for the bad news. (T^T) Well... just kidding XD I will be giving mass release (MR) once this book reaches the top 30 (yes, I have high expectations lol).

    You see, this author of yours needs to have a driving force now that I have more time to write. Sadly, laziness gets ahead of me. I''m so sorry (T^T). I''m doing this to challenge myself to write more and to challenge my dear readers too. I noticed that this book has so many readers but they''re mostly quiet and lazy to vote for this book XD

    You don''t have to worry about the number of chapters for the MR. It will be 5-10 chapters MR WEEKLY and 1-2 DAILY chapters. That is IF we''ll be able to MAINTAIN this novel''s rank, which is within top 30 (which I highly doubt so I''m confident that I won''t be giving weekly MR xD).

    I''m doing this because VOLUME 1 of this book is almost over. I plan on writing VOLUME 2 next year but I love this book so much so I''m still thinking about whether or not to continue after VOLUME 1. This will all depend on how my dear readers do in this challenge since weekly MR means writing more than VOLUME 1 XD. Yes, you read that right. VOLUME 1 is coming to an end.

    Let me give you some spoiler for VOLUME 1''s ending: I''ll make sure to leave everyone hanging. Sorry for being a bully XD

    I guess that''s all I have to say right now? Are you up for the challenge? :3 I sure am! :D

    Love,

    BerriApplepi

 Chapter 174 - Its just a scar

    She truly was her mother''s daughter. Mu Xijiu used her own son as a spy without even thinking of the risk that surrounded her child. It was not something she could be proud of.

    Even if her mother was to justify it by saying that Shi Zhou was an intelligent boy, the fact that he still was a child was there.

    Discussing things with her mother further opened her eyes to what she did. She was just not a horrible mother, she was a monster for using her own baby.

    Shi Enxi was horrified at the thought but that was the truth and it only made her decision firm.

    After discussing the plans with her mother, Shi Enxi went to see Huang Li.

    "Xiao Xi... I''m sorry for keeping it from you." Huang Li apologized, his head down.

    "What''s done is done." She replied, unfazed. "I''m here because I have something else I want to discuss with you."

    He turned his head to her, looking at her serious gaze.

    ...

    After meeting with her mother, on her way, she received a call from her husband.

    "Where are you?" Lu Mello asked from the other line.

    "I''m heading back to our place." She calmly replied.

    "I see. Have you talked with Zi Xuan about taking our son out of the place?"

    "Yes, you don''t have to worry about it. Everything will be ready by Friday. We will have our son back." She may have told him that but she has other things planned for that week especially when she was now working together with her mother.

    Mu Xijiu wanted to capture Shi Anhao to give her the torture that she deserved.

    It so happened that her mother actually has Shi Anhao''s daughter with her and was holding her as a hostage. The best payback for Shi Anhao was to see her own daughter suffer.

    Capturing Shi Anhao was not going to be easy, especially when she was going to be heavily guarded. But it was not going to be a problem for Shi Enxi with the right plan and right man for it.

    Arriving back at the hotel room, she saw Lu Mello, sitting at the couch, reading one of the doc.u.ments he brought for work.

    She approached him, taking a seat beside him. Even if they were not in good terms, Shi Enxi wasn''t going to hold herself back from snuggling unto him. She wanted to spend most of her time with him right now.

    "Mello, I''m hungry." She muttered while burying her face at the crook of his neck.

    Lu Mello breathed out. Her effect on his was too much even by a simple sweet gesture like this.

    He placed the doc.u.ment on the side before he reached out and placed his hand on her waist. "You haven''t had your lunch yet?"

    She leaned back a bit just so she could look at his face, "Darling, what I mean is... I''m hungry for you."

    In an instant, Lu Mello''s cheeks went red. He was obviously caught off guard by her.

    A mischievous smirk appeared on her lips as she reached out and placed her hand in between his t.h.i.g.hs, giving him a stroke.

    He quickly grabbed her wrist to stop her but it didn''t stop his manhood from forming a tent on his pants.

    "Xi''er." He warned, gazing straight into her eyes to which she ended up starting back at him. She was obviously not going to give up.

    As they stared back at each other, even with no words, they looked like they were speaking with their eyes and as it did, the heat in their bodies spread, yearning for each other''s warmth.

    In the next second, they found themselves kissing each other roughly.

    Shi Enxi had to adjust herself by going on top of him, taking a sit on his l.a.p, and kissing him more while her hands busied itself from unbuttoning his shirt. Their tongues battled for dominance.

    On the other hand, her husband slipped his hands under her shirt but the moment he touched the scar on her stomach, he stopped and pulled away from the kiss. Both were panting and out of breath.

    Lu Mello continued to stroke the scar, feeling it under his palm as gentle as he could.

    "What''s wrong?" She couldn''t help but ask as she placed her hand on top of his c.h.e.s.t.

    "Is it painful?" He suddenly asked out of nowhere.

    Shi Enxi ended up chuckling, "It has been long healed, Mello. It''s just a scar now."

    He was still looking at her stomach but after a moment, he finally looked at her, "I shouldn''t have forced you."

    She blinked a few times in confusion at the words he suddenly said. "What do you mean?"

    He closed his eyes and leaned forward to her shoulder, resting his head there. "I forced you to carry our child."

    The sudden pain in her c.h.e.s.t surprised her. It was as if she was stabbed by a dagger that came out of nowhere.

    She lowered her eyes and bit her lower lip, not knowing what to say to him.

    "I''m sorry." He apologized.

    Shi Enxi remained quiet. The warmth she felt earlier disappearing and was replaced by immense pain.

    She couldn''t really say that it was alright, that it was nothing when what he said was real.

    In the first place, she didn''t want the child. She was only forced to keep it just so Lu Mello won''t leave her after he blamed her for her sister''s death.

    If she has to be honest to herself, carrying the child for the first month has been awful for her especially when she didn''t want to be pregnant yet.

    She smiled bitterly, "What''s done is done." She truly was an awful person.

    "You really are being a mood killer right now, you know." She sighed heavily.

    He was quiet but what surprised her was when she felt the clothing on her shoulder where he was burying his face was becoming wet.

 Chapter 175 - Caged bird

    The warm tears that drenched Shi Enxi''s shirt made her go stiff.

    Whenever he cried, there was no use of thinking, she knew that it was the real deal. As Lu Mello remained quiet, she didn''t know what to say.

    Instead of saying something, she reached out and run her fingers through his soft hair.

    "I... I''m sorry..." He forcefully whispered in between his cries. "I... ended up pushing you..." Ever since he came to the realization earlier, he couldn''t help but think that it was his fault that she turned evil again.

    If he didn''t force her and instead, respected her decision on not wanting a child, maybe, just maybe, she wouldn''t have to become a horrible mother who used her child for her gain. He was the one who pushed her to do it. If only he was attentive enough.

    What if they ended up having a child after the problem with Shi Anhao was solved instead? What if he waited? Their lives could have been better. They won''t have to fight and keep things from each other.

    No matter how much he thought of it, he couldn''t stop blaming himself. He was afraid that she would do things that would turn her completely ruthless. He pulled her away, drag her away from things that would poison her mind, including her revenge for Shi Anhao. In the end, the things he did pushed her in the abyss.

    She may have thought that he was a man who was willing to embrace the darkness inside her but it was actually the other way around. He was trying to run away and drag her away from it. He tried to change her. he never accepted her for who she really was.

    The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. He was the one pushing her away from him. He was suffocating, drowning with the fears, fears concerning her. He was a coward. He was afraid of her, of what she could do.

    Who knew how long he cried on her shoulder? Shi Enxi was there, quietly sitting on his l.a.p while stroking his head.

    He could feel his legs becoming numb but he didn''t care. The pain inside him was overwhelming. It was at that moment that he felt how close she was and yet, far.

    Just like her, he couldn''t help but ask himself: how did he end up loving her?

    In the past, all she did was lie and betray him, and yet, why did he continue to love her? Why did he love her? He loved her so much to the point where he was willing to die together with her.

    Was this a curse? A family curse perhaps?

    He remembered how his mother, Xia Meilin once told him that she hated his father, Lu Yifeng, to the bones. She hated him so much but... how did she end up loving him again? Were their souls entwined with each other? If so, does that mean his soul was also entwined to Shi Enxi?

    No matter how much he gave it a thought, there were no answers to his question. The only answer he can up with was... Shi Enxi was the only one for him. Maybe they were really meant to be together even in the past? Or maybe... this was fate''s way of telling that no matter how much they force to be together, they will always end up being separated, one way or the other, even to the next life?

    Problems are meant to make relationsh.i.p.s stronger but... what''s this? He could feel Shi Enxi slipping off from his fingers. The more he tried to hold tight on her, the faster she slips. It was unfair. Truly unfair.

    When he found out that he traveled back in time, he wanted to save her and yet... was he really saving her? Or was he just pushing her on edge? Things were never going to be easy for them.

    "Mello..." Shi Enxi''s sweet voice was finally heard, bringing him back to reality before the darkness in him can even consume him whole. Her voice was enough to pull him out of his despair.

    He felt her warm palms on his cheeks as she placed them there just to make him look at her.

    There were no more tears flowing from his eyes as if he drained every tear inside when he cried earlier.

    She stared into his red eyes, not speaking a word for a few seconds. Who knows what was going in her mind but one thing was for sure, with the way she was looking at him, things were not going to get better.

    Her voice may be enough to pull him out of his despair and yet, the look in her eyes pushed him back to it. For some reason, he couldn''t brush off the anxiety inside him when he saw the way she was looking at him.

    "I''m not going to ask for a divorce but... after everything is over, can you let me go?"

    As her reflection was reflected in his eyes, what Lu Mello could see at that moment was a bird, a bird who wanted to fly out from the cage that was built around her. It was a cage that he unconsciously placed around her.

    He knew how hard it must have been for her to tell him those words. He could still see the pain and sadness in her eyes but the wanting to leave was there.

    He felt a lump in his throat but he forced out a question, "Where are you going?"

    The side of her lips curled up, a rueful smile was plastered on her face.

    There were no answers heard from her but her smile was enough to give him the reply to his question.

    Even if he was to say something to stop her, he was only going to clip her wings again. He already did that once, he didn''t want to do it again.

 Chapter 176 - Im not hungry

    Shi Enxi wasn''t asking his permission, she was only letting her husband know a part of what she planned. They needed time to be alone and hopefully, during the time when they are not together, they would find answers to the questions they were seeking.

    That afternoon, as they once again shared another kiss, this time, nothing stopped them from entwining their bodies. They have limited time left but they wanted to share whatever''s left with each other.

    The heat in the room rose up as m.o.a.ns and hard breathing were filled. Two n.a.k.e.d bodies were now seen on top of the bed, one over the other.

    The room was filled with an ambiguous atmosphere by the time they were finally tired.

    Lu Mello fell on her side. He was panting but was slowly catching his breath.

    Shi Enxi moved, snuggling against the warmth of his body. She closed her tired eyes and before she fell asleep, a soft whisper was heard from her. "I love you, Mello."

    Those words were enough proof that even if they were going to go their separate ways, Shi Enxi was going to come back and with that, he held on to her words.

    He pulled the blanket on top just to cover their bodies before he hugged her close to him. He closed his eyes as he placed a soft kiss on his wife''s forehead.

    "I love you too..."

    ...

    Later that afternoon, Shi Enxi woke up with her body sore but she managed to bring herself to the bathroom to take a shower.

    She felt her stomach grumbled, demanding food from her.

    While she was in the middle of taking a bath, the bathroom''s door went open, and hearing it, she turned to its way as she covered her c.h.e.s.t by reflex.

    Lu Mello took a step in, n.a.k.e.d. His well-toned body was enough to make any women drool and beg for him to take them but... Shi Enxi had already satisfied her d.e.s.i.r.es to have him. At least that was what she thought.

    He looked at his wife''s face before his eyes traveled to her slender body which was now filled with his marks.

    "Oh. It''s just you." She lowered her arms before she turned away and continued to massaged her scalp with her fingers.

    On the other hand, once again, Lu Mello was easily turned on by his wife. He approached her and took a step in the shower area before he reached forward and hugged her from behind. His hands were once again placed on her tummy. He was stroking the scar there fondly.

    "Darling, we already have enough s.e.x for today." She said with her eyes still close but the blush on her cheeks remained when she felt his hardened rod, pressing against her back, teasing her.

    "But I don''t think I had enough of it." He huskily whispered against her ear.

    "Come on, I''m hungry you know." She w.h.i.n.ed as she slightly turned her head just to glance at him.

    He smirked as he refuted, "I''m also hungry. Still hungry for my wife."

    "I''m serious." She said with a pout on her lips.

    "So am I." He replied.

    When she felt his hand travel to her womanhood, a m.o.a.n escaped from her lips upon feeling his finger inside her.

    She quickly placed her hands on top of his arms, clenching it. "M-Mello..." She breathed out.

    "One round." He whispered again in her ear.

    The way he said it I''ve her goosebumps and at the same time, it only made her yearn for him again.

    She finally gave in to the temptation he was giving her, "One round..."

    This time, Lu Mello kept his words and finished their session in the bathroom with one round. Shi Enxi was easily weakened and the complaints that her stomach was giving her only made it worse.

    After their bath, Shi Enxi was back to the now cleaned bed. The covers and everything was replaced with new ones by the housekeeper that her husband called before he entered the bathroom earlier.

    She was now lying down on the bed in her pajamas while hugging a pillow while she waited for the food that Lu Mello ordered for them. Not long, he came back with it.

    Since Shi Enxi didn''t want to leave the bed just yet, the food was brought in the bedroom and was placed on the small bed table.

    It was already dinner and city lights could be seen from the glass window in the room.

    "Slow down, the food will not run away." Lu Mello said with a small smile as he watched his wife devour even his share.

    It really was a good thing that he ordered a lot especially when he knew how much appetite his wife has when she was really starving.

    "Shut up." She scolded before she continued to eat the food in front of her.

    He reached out and was about to wipe the side of her lips with his thumb but his hand ended up being slapped away by her. "Don''t disturb me."

    "You have a few crisps over there." He pointed.

    "I don''t care." She wasn''t worried about maintaining her image anymore whenever she was with him.

    That was another good thing when they were together, she could be herself without worrying about him since he knew her the most.

    Although after saying those words, she stopped and looked at him with a smile instead. "Fine, clean it for me."

    He gave her a helpless look as once again, he reached out and wipe the side of her lips with his thumb.

    "You haven''t touched the food."

    "I''m not hungry."

    "Liar." She pouted. She was guilty of eating his share but there was still enough left. Instead of arguing with him about not eating, she began feeding him instead.

    At first, Lu Mello stared at her, giving her a ''what are you doing?'' kind of look.

    "They said that food becomes tastier if it''s fed. Here, I''m doing you a favor so be grateful." She chuckled.

    He smiled back at her and this time, he began eating the food that she was feeding him.

 Chapter 177 - Darling... Im sorry

    Just as expected, Shi Anhao didn''t suspect anything from Zi Xuan.

    Later that night, he drugged everyone''s drinks or food with sleeping powder and while everyone was asleep, he sneaked Lu Xueren out of the mansion and met Shi Enxi at the back gate with a car, waiting for them.

    Finally seeing her son was something that warmed her heart. Just as she expected, like in the pictures Zi Xuan sent, her son was chubby and cute.

    Zi Xuan gently gave the baby to her after entering the car. "We should get going."

    "Not yet." Shi Enxi said while staring in a loving way at her son. She gently stroked his soft, fat cheek with her thumb, "Xiao Xue..." She leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on the sleeping child''s forehead. "I''m sorry..." She whispered.

    It was then that his miniature fingers grasped hers, and held tight. He opened his eyes, waking up from his slumber. His face glowed from a light within. Somehow, it felt like he knew that his mother was finally there that he ended up smiling adorably, showing off his toothless gums.

    She held him tight in her c.h.e.s.t as tears welled up in her eyes. The sudden protectiveness every mother felt towards their children came rushing in her. How could she put her own son in danger?

    "I''m sorry... I''m sorry, baby..." She whispered as she cried. "I''m sorry for being a bad mother..."

    On the other hand, despite how happy Zi Xuan was to see that they were finally together, he still couldn''t help but feel nervous especially when they were just outside of Shi Anhao''s place.

    "I really don''t like to spoil this moment but... Xiao Xixi, we need to go." He said while looking at them. It won''t be long before someone will realize that the baby is gone.

    Shi Enxi remained quiet. She looked at her son one last time before placing one more kiss on his forehead. She turned to Zi Xuan and forced herself to hand her son back to him. "I''ll have to finish this... So Zi Xuan, please bring Xiao Xue back to his father..."

    Zi Xuan frowned I confusion, "Xixi, what are you planning?"

    She wiped her tears dry, and her eyes flashed coldness, "Ending this once and for all."

    "Don''t act rashly now, Xixi. Your husband, Lu Mello will come tomorrow, right? Let him handle Shi Anhao. Don''t put yourself in danger."

    "I have already gone this far, Zi Xuan." She said, looking seriously at him. "If I back down now, then everything will be pointless. I have to kill Shi Anhao myself."

    The opportunity was already there before her, she can''t just let go of it. Besides, she has already planned things out with Huang Li who was sitting in front.

    Lu Mello was clueless about her plans for the night. While he was asleep, he sneaked out just to get here.

    Shi Enxi turned to Huang Li who was sitting in front. "You have to take them away from here."

    "Going inside without a companion is dangerous." Huang Li said with a frown.

    "They are all drugged, you don''t have to worry." She opened the car''s door, ready to leave the vehicle.

    "Xiao Xi-" Huang Li tried to stop her but was interrupted.

    "Gege, you promised."

    Huang Li sighed in defeat. He did give her his word when she spoke to him back then.

    "Then... Once you face her, then remember your family. I know Shi Anhao did a lot of terrible things but killing her this way won''t bring jus-"

    Shi Enxi left the car before he could even finish his sentence. It was obvious enough that she didn''t want to hear his words.

    She looked at them from outside, "Leave." She said one last time before she turned away and headed in the place where Shi Anhao was staying.

    The house was awfully quiet. Everyone was in a deep sleep, including the guards. They were all deceived by Zi Xuan who they thought was their ally.

    Since she has already memorized the blueprints of the place, thanks to Zi Xuan who once helped her with it, she managed to sneak in Shi Anhao''s room.

    There she saw the woman, sleeping soundly on her bed.

    At that moment, Shi Enxi was filled with deep rage as she slowly and quietly approached the sleeping woman who caused her nightmares, a woman filled with pure evil.

    She took the knife out and raised it in the air, ready to stab the woman on the woman in bed.

    As her grip around the handle tightened, for some reason, her hand began shaking.

    Shi Enxi, what are you doing? Stab her already! She scolded herself.

    But no matter how much force she put, the knife remained raised in the air, trembling.

    Get done with it already!

    Shi Anhao was the woman who ruined her life, who destroyed it. She hated the woman to the core so... Why was she hesitating now?

    This was the moment that she has always been waiting for! She has been always dreaming of this day! This should be one of the greatest moments in her life but... Why was her body trembling?

    She felt her c.h.e.s.t tighten, suffocating her as she remembered all the bad things Shi Anhao did. She hated her so much. She wanted her dead but... Her body just won''t listen to her.

    In this life, she hasn''t killed anyone yet. Not her brother, not Huang Li, or not even the enemies that came after her and that was all because of Lu Mello who changed her mind and heart. In this life, she never took a life.

    A metal clang was heard in the quiet room. She finally released the knife which hit the ground and despite that sound, Shi Anhao remained sleeping.

    Shi Enxi came into realization and that was... She couldn''t kill the evil woman despite the hate inside her. She couldn''t bring herself to kill her.

    She looked at her trembling hands, the same hands that carried her son earlier. Was it because of him?

    When she thought about carrying him again, hugging him again, she couldn''t bring herself to do it with dirty hands. Just imagining it was a torture to her.

    Killing Shi Anhao wasn''t going to be a nightmare for her, it was having her hands covered with blood.

    In the end, she called the police, the same local police that her husband Lu Mello worked together with before she called Lu Mello as she walked out of the room.

    "Huh? Xi''er?" His groggy voice was heard in the other line.

    "Darling... I''m sorry." Her soft voice was heard.

    "What do you-" He paused, realizing that she was not there with him. "Where are you?"

    "I''m at Shi Anhao''s place."

    "WHAT?!!"

    "You see, I couldn''t wait and..." She paused and sighed. She was about to continue when she suddenly felt a sharp pain on her back. "Argh..." She g.r.o.a.n.e.d in pain.

    "Xi''er?"

    The phone fell from her hold, falling on the ground.

    Shi Enxi turned to look at who stabbed her and there she saw Shi Anhao in her nightdress, smiling previously at her.

    "My, my, what a surprise, Shi Enxi. I never thought that I''ll see you here."

    END OF VOLUME 1

 Chapter 178 - Youre doing great

    Just as Shi Enxi foretold, Fan Xiao Yao won the Best Actress Award, Excellence Award, and even Rookie Award. Aside from that, just as she promised, Huang Li returned to her, and not long, their relationship became known to the netizens.

    Some were against it and yet, most of her fans cheered for her. She became busier with work and she continued to gain popularity but after a while, she decided to take a break just so she can focus on Huang Li.

    They began living together after he came back from Thailand. He even built a clinic beside their house and if she has to be honest, the neighborhood loved him and began calling him the ''town''s doctor''.

    "Mwwiiilk!!!" A cute shout was heard.

    "Coming, coming. Your milk is almost ready." After heating the bottled milk a bit, Fan Xiao Yao went to the chubby child who was holding on the railings of the crib while he was sitting down. "Here you go, baobei1, warm milk for you, just like you ordered!"

    The child held on the bottle and happily drank the milk she prepared.

    When she saw his satisfied look, she grinned at him before she turned to look at Huang Li who has fallen asleep on the sofa with another child sleeping on his c.h.e.s.t.

    She sighed and walked towards them. She didn''t want to disturb their naps but she was scared that Huang Li might end up pressing the baby if he turned.

    As gentle as she could, she carried the baby and transferred him, placing him inside the crib, beside his brother.

    "Xiao Xue, don''t disturb your brother, okay?" Fan Xiao Yao softly whispered. "Shhh."

    Lu Xueren stopped drinking his milk and copied her by hushing as well, "Shhh~"

    She reached out and gently patted his head, "Good boy, baobei."

    Just then, Fan Xiao Yao was suddenly startled when she felt a pair of arms around her. Good thing, she covered her mouth, stopping herself from making noise.

    "You''re doing great..." Huang Li''s soft, sleepy voice was heard behind her.

    He leaned forward just to rest his chin on her shoulder.

    "Don''t surprise me like that." She whispered, a scolding him that way.

    "You woke me up when you took Xiao Yu." He g.r.o.a.n.e.d.

    "Not my fault. At least I haven''t woke him up." She said in a hushing manner.

    The good thing about Lu Mingyu was that when he fell asleep, he slept like a rock, unlike Lu Xueren who was easily woken up even by the smallest sound.

    Huang Li buried his face in the crook of her head from his position and inhaled her sweet scent. Oh, how he loved having her there with him. That was all he could ask for right at that moment.

    "Uwp! Uwp! Upwitty!" They were disturbed by Lu Xueren who was now standing in the crib, raising his hands up as if wanting to be carried.

    Huang Li turned to the little chubby kid, "You''re heavy, I don''t think I can carry you."

    "Nonsense." Fan Xiao Yao gave his arm a light slap. "Xiao Xue is not heavy at all."

    "Then be my guest and carry him." He released her from his hug just so she can go and carry the boy.

    The moment she did, a groan escaped her lips because of the boy''s heaviness. Whenever she carried him, her arms would at once go tired.

    "You sure are one healthy kid." Fan Xiao Yao said, placing a kiss on the child''s chubby cheek She turned to Huang Li, asking for help a few moments later since her arms began to turn numb.

    "See? I told you?" Although he still went and carried the boy for her to help her up.

    Taking care of Lu Mello''s sons during the weekdays was never easy but she viewed it as a preparation for becoming a mother.

    They were already almost two years old, meaning, five months have passed ever since Shi Enxi disappeared, five months since Shi Anhao was arrested and now was sentenced to a death penalty.

    Fan Xiao Yao pitied Lu Mello, he was searching for his wife everywhere, and yet, there was no sign of her.

    Shi Anhao claimed that she killed her and threw her body to a place where it can never be found by them.

    Every time she accompanied Lu Mello to visit Shi Anhao just to inquire about her about the whereabouts of his wife, she would never fail to taunt him.

    "You should have heard her cry!"

    "You should have heard seen her! The look in her face was so satisfying!"

    "She asked for help, calling your name every time I stabbed her! Hahaha!"

    Those were the same words she shouted at him. Each time he visited her, he would always go out of control but was always stopped by the guards before he could even kill Shi Anhao.

    That night, from what she heard from Huang Li, the police arrived before he could. He was not given a chance to even touch a strand of Shi Anhao''s hair when they arrested her. They said that when they found Shi Anhao, Shi Enxi was already gone but the scene was covered with blood. Too much blood.

    Shi Anhao didn''t have a scratch on her so it was suspected that the blood found belonged to Shi Enxi.

    During the months she disappeared, Fan Xiao Yao never failed to check on Lu Mello and his sons. She felt responsible, as Shi Enxi''s best friend, to look after her family. At least that was the only thing she could do until she came back... she hoped so.

    Lu Mello refused to hold a funeral for his wife, he refused to believe that she was dead and so was she. Fan Xiao Yao, together with Huang Li, refused to believe that she was dead. Not someone like Shi Enxi.

    If there was someone who could escape death, it was going to be none other than her. She was sure of it.

    "Xiao Yao." Huang Li''s voice brought her back to reality.

    "Mm?"

    "Should we get married?" baby

 Chapter 179 - Youre here

    Get married? A blush was seen on Fan Xiao Yao''s cheeks when she was asked of the question.

    She was already ready to get married to him and more than that, she was even willing to start a family. At the thought of it, she couldn''t help but get excited.

    "Should we?" She asked back as she shyly looked at him.

    She started at him as he carried the child in his arms. He looked great, he was amazing with the kids as well. Huang Li was perfect. He was prepared to start a family with her. What more could she ask?

    "I am the one asking you." He replied with a grin.

    She raised a brow and grinned back at him, grinning playfully. "And I asked you back." She stepped forward and stood in front of him.

    "Mwa! Ma!" Lu Xueren suddenly stretched his short arms towards her, wanting to be carried by her again.

    Fan Xiao Yao''s smile became stiff. She could never get used to being called ''Ma'' by the little child that belonged to her best friend. She could never replace her as a mother, she didn''t want to.

    Just then, they were interrupted by the sound of a doorbell.

    "I''ll get it." She quickly said, relieved that she was saved from that awkward situation.

    Huang Li knew how uncomfortable she would become whenever the boys called her that way. He couldn''t blame them. Every time the boys called her that, he would either save her from it or stay quiet.

    When Fan Xiao Yao opened the door, she saw Lu Mello standing outside with his usual tired-looking eyes. Dark bags were seen under his eyes since he had been working late ever since his wife disappeared.

    A small smile appeared on his lips, "I''m here to take the kids back."

    "Oh... They''re currently having their afternoon nap..." She was a bit hesitant to give them when she saw how pale he was. She can''t just allow him to drive the kids home when he was looking like he was going to faint any second now.

    "Why don''t you come in first? You really looked tired. You can have some rest first." She moved to the side, allowing him to enter. "I''ll prepare the guest room."

    "Thank you. I appreciate it." He replied as he entered. He took off his shoes and worked the indoor slippers that Fan Xiao Yao gave.

    "Yaoyao, who is it?" Huang Li asked as he went out of the living room while carrying the boy, Lu Xueren.

    Lu Mello turned their way and when he saw his son, a small light flashed in his dead tired eyes. His hardened features even softened.

    "Oh... Mello, you''re here." Huang Li said with a small smile. Just like how he normally did whenever he arrived, he went to Lu Mello and gave him the child.

    "Dada!" The boy happily exclaimed, hugging his father by his neck when he was carried by him.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#''re-here_48313493971071808">#''re-here_48313493971071808</a> for visiting.

    "You''ve gotten heavier. Again." Lu Mello chuckled, holding up his son in his arms.

    Fan Xiao Yao smiled at the scene. Ever since Shi Enxi disappeared, Lu Mello had been smiling less but whenever he was in the presence of his sons, he retorted back to his usual self.

    She headed to the guest room to prepare the bed. She knew how tired and sleepless Lu Mello was after all. The guest room was always used by him since she insisted on letting him sleep there before leaving. A little rest and sleep were more than enough just to get one''s body going again.

    After she fixed the bed, she went out of the room and went to the living room where Lu Mello was sitting on the sofa, having a few chats with her lover, Huang Li.

    "The room is prepared. If you want to take a bath, I''ve already placed some spare clothes inside." Fan Xiao Yao said after she stood beside Huang Li.

    Lu Mello lifted his head and gave her a smile, grateful that they were helping him out in taking care of the kids. He could have just hired a nanny for the kids he didn''t trust them. Even if Nanny Mo Jing were to take care of the two kids, she wouldn''t be able to protect them if something happened. He was just being careful after what happened. He wanted to hide his sons away from the public''s eyes as well. He didn''t want to let them know that he had kids just to be safe.

    "Xue''er, it''s time for you to have your nap time too." Fan Xiao Yao added.

    Lu Mello stood up and gave his son for her to carry. He looked at the child one last time before he went to the guest room.

    Fan Xiao Yao gently cradled the boy in her arms, helping him fall asleep faster.

    "I''ll be going to the supermarket. Will you be fine here?" Huang Li asked, turning his gaze to her.

    She chuckled and replied, "Of course. Let''s have beef stew later."

    "Alright."

    And with that, Huang Li left the place, leaving her with the kids.

    After Fan Xiao Yao managed to put Lu Xueren to sleep, she carefully, gently, and slowly placed him back inside the crib, beside his brother.

    She stared at them with a soft gaze for a few seconds but was disturbed when she heard her phone rang. She hurriedly went and took the cellphone that was laying on the edge of the coffee table. She made sure that Lu Mello was in his room while Huang Li has already left before she answered the call.

    -----

    A/N:

    Hello everyone! I will start updating MEC again! Yay! Thank you for patiently waiting and for supporting this book endlessly~

    Volume two will be more about FXY and HL while SE is gone. As for how long this volume will be, if I am to estimate the overall chapters, it might reach 300s. Just thinking about it makes me excited! This might be my longest work so far and I hope will stay with me until the end~<3

    I''ve decided to put a schedule for a chapter update. I will be updating this book every MWF. <3 If I''m not that busy, I might update more chapters on other days but for now, the sure schedule would be MWF. (^^) Although for now, I''m setting up Privilege for this book so the updates won''t be seen for this week''s schedule.

    Join me on this journey once again <3

 Chapter 180 - Freedom

    Fan Xiao Yao didn''t want to disturb the kids that was why she pressed on the volume button to silence the ringtone. After she did so, she checked on the caller ID and found out that it was a call from an unknown number and yet, it was a number she recognized.

    She left the living room in a hurry and went inside her room, locking it in the process. She answered the call soon after, pressing the phone against her ear.

    "You shouldn''t be calling me right now." She scolded in a whispering tone. "Mello''s here. What if he caught us?"

    "Ah... I''m sorry for troubling you, Xiao Yao. I just want to check on my sons." A woman''s smooth and calm voice was heard from the other line.

    "We can''t have a video call right now. What if Mello suddenly comes out of nowhere?" Before the woman on the other line could say something, Fan Xiao Yao continued, "You know what? I love that idea. I hope he catches us so that he''ll stop worrying about you. If you want to have time for yourself then at least let him know about it. Don''t stress him out this way, Xiao Xi."

    The person Fan Xiao Yao was talking with, Shi Enxi, became quiet at her words.

    "I should tell him right now that you''re alive and is in Thailand!" She was mad. She was already on the verge of telling the truth to Lu Mello. The guilt sat not on her c.h.e.s.t but inside her brain and this gave her sleepless for nights.

    "Xiao Yao..."

    "This is too much, Xiao Xi, even for me. I tried to keep quiet for months but this is torturing me too especially when I saw how Mello is. This is just too much! I can''t do this anymore!" She yelled out of frustration. "Mello is also my friend and seeing him being in pain because of you hurts me too. You''re being selfish like this, Xiao Xi." Fan Xiao Yao lectured. "You know what? What you''re doing right now is only making me hate you."

    ...

    Five months ago...

    (Recap)

    Shi Enxi entered the room and there she saw Shi Anhao, sleeping soundly on her bed.

    At that moment, Shi Enxi was filled with deep rage. The need for revenge was like a rat gnawing at her soul, relentless, unceasing, it could only be stopped by the cold steel of a rat trap, a trap she would devise herself. Her need for revenge was like an abscess on the skin of the soul that could only be cured by the cruel sharp steel point of revenge. Festering like a septic wound, and the only effective antibiotic is cold hard revenge. Savage. Spiteful.

    As she slowly and quietly approached the sleeping woman who caused her nightmares, the woman who was filled with pure evil, she balled her fists tight for a second before she took the knife out and raised it in the air, ready to stab the woman in bed.

    As her grip around the handle tightened, for some reason, her hand began shaking. It was trembling by itself as if it had a mind of its own.

    Shi Enxi, what are you doing? Stab her already! She scolded herself.

    But no matter how much force she put, the knife remained raised in the air, trembling. Her eyes began dripping tears for no known reason.

    Get done with it already!

    Shi Anhao was the woman who ruined her life, who destroyed it. She hated the woman to the core so... Why was she hesitating now? This was the moment that she has always been waiting for! She has been always dreaming of this day! This should be one of the greatest moments in her life but... Why was her body trembling? Why was she crying?

    She felt her c.h.e.s.t tighten, suffocating her as she remembered all the bad things Shi Anhao did. She hated her so much. She wanted her dead but... Her body just won''t listen to her.

    It was her tears that kept her soul alive in the furnace of this pain. It was what saved her from becoming a monster, a person indifferent to suffering and sorrow.

    In this life, she hasn''t killed anyone yet. Not her brother, not Huang Li, or not even the enemies that came after her and that was all because of Lu Mello who changed her mind and heart. In this life, she never took a life.

    The sound of a metal clang was heard in the quiet room. She finally released the knife which hit the ground and despite that sound, Shi Anhao remained sleeping.

    Shi Enxi came into realization and that was... She couldn''t kill the evil woman despite the hate inside her. She couldn''t bring herself to kill her.

    She looked at her trembling hands, the same hands that carried her son earlier. Was it because of him?

    When she thought about carrying him again, hugging him again, she couldn''t bring herself to do it with dirty hands. Just imagining it was a torture to her. If she held this revenge in one hand and her son on the other, she would rather choose him. Killing Shi Anhao wasn''t going to be a nightmare for her, it was the thought of having her hands dirty, covered with blood.

    No matter how much she hated Shi Anhao, she was not a killer. No, she was not going to allow Shi Anhao to turn her into a killer. She was not going to allow her to influence her decisions and life.

    For her son, for the family she has, for the friends she gained, Shi Enxi was not going to allow Shi Anhao to take over her mind anymore. She was not going to allow anyone to control her mind, her decisions, and even her heart... She was going to free her from the shackles that chained her down. She was not going to allow anyone to tie her down, including her husband, Lu Mello.

 Chapter 181 - Favor

    In the end, Shi Enxi called for the police, the same local police that her husband Lu Mello worked together with. After calling them, she called Lu Mello next as she walked out of the room.

    "Huh? Xi''er?" His groggy voice was heard in the other line.

    "Darling... I''m sorry." She said softly.

    "What do you-" He paused, realizing that she was not there with him. "Where are you?"

    "I''m at Shi Anhao''s place." She replied in a soft, whispering tone. She looked around, making sure that no one was awake.

    "WHAT?!! SHI ANHAO''S PLACE?!"

    "You see, I couldn''t wait and..." She paused and sighed. She was about to continue when she suddenly felt a sharp pain on her back. "Argh..." She g.r.o.a.n.e.d in pain.

    "Xi''er? Hello? Xi''er?"

    The phone fell from her hold, falling on the ground.

    Shi Enxi turned to look at who stabbed her and there she saw Shi Anhao in her nightdress, smiling previously at her.

    "My, my, what a surprise, Shi Enxi. I never thought that I''ll see you here."

    "Enxi? Hello?" Lu Mello''s shout was heard coming from the phone but Shi Anhao kicked it away without breaking eye contact from the wounded woman in front of her. "ENXI?!"

    "You really thought that you can outwit me huh?" Shi Anhao let out a creepy laugh as she watched Shi Enxi stumble. "I''ll kill you, then your so-"

    Shi Anhao was cut off when someone hit her nape to render her unconscious making her fall on the ground.

    Behind her, a woman stood. It was the nanny that Shi Anhao hired to take care of the baby. The woman was staring blankly at the unconscious body that was laying on the ground. "I''ve always wanted to do that to her." She dusted off her hands.

    "You''re... late... Jiang Yan." Shi Enxi said weakly as she leaned against the wall for support.

    Jiang Yan was the woman who once worked with Chen Gao. Shi Enxi contacted her after she found out about Zi Xuan. She was only willing to help her since it was a way of repaying her for setting her free from Chen Gao. She was someone that Zi Xuan didn''t know about, she was Shi Enxi''s back up plan just in case Zi Xuan would try to betray her.

    Chen Gao may be Shi Anhao''s lackey but his group wasn''t known to her so she wasn''t able to recognize Jiang Yan when she was hired as the baby''s nanny.

    "I need to make sure that the guards were truly asleep." Jiang Yan said, rushing to her side to help her balance herself. "The knife''s still in your back!"

    "Don''t remove it..." She replied as she began to pant. "I... won''t die just because of a stab..." As long as the knife was there, she wouldn''t bleed out.

    Just as they were about to leave the place, a thought entered her mind. She stopped and mustered up the strength to remove the knife from her back, making blood ooze out from her wound, dripping to the floor.

    "Are you crazy?!! Why did you do that?!"

    "Let''s get going already..." Shi Enxi said weakly.

    Jiang Yan had to apply pressure in her back just so she won''t bleed out. She tried her best to rush outside towards the car that was waiting for them.

    Instead of heading to the hospital, due to Shi Enxi''s request, they headed to a local clinic just to get her wound treated there.

    After she recovered, the only person Shi Enxi contacted was Fan Xiao Yao during the day of her the Award Ceremony.

    "We thought that you''re dead, Xiao Xi! This is great!" Fan Xiao Yao exclaimed happily. "We should let Mello know about this. I''m sure that he''ll be delighted-"

    "Xiao Yao, can I ask you a favor?" Shi Enxi interrupted.

    "Eh? Well... Sure, I guess you can as long as it''s something I can do." She replied.

    ...

    (Present)

    Shi Enxi was currently in Japan, living in the same town where Lu Mengjie and her brother, Xia Liqin was.

    She was inside the apartment room she currently was staying at with a phone pressed against her ear.

    "This is too much, Xiao Xi, even for me. I tried to keep quiet for months but this is torturing me too especially when I saw how Mello is. This is just too much! I can''t do this anymore!" She yelled out of frustration. "Mello is also my friend and seeing him being in pain because of you hurts me too. You''re being selfish like this, Xiao Xi." Fan Xiao Yao lectured from the other line. "You know what? What you''re doing right now is only making me hate you."

    Shi Enxi knew that what she was doing was wrong, she should have told others that she was alright but the thought of seeing Lu Mello, hearing his voice again somehow scared her. She was scared that the moment she saw him, she heard him, she would end up going to his side. She wanted a break from him, a break from everything back at the mainland.

    The only reason why she called Fan Xiao Yao was to check on her kids from time to time, making sure that they were alright.

    "You''re being really selfish right now. Mello is your husband, you have children waiting for you here. You have a family!" Fan Xiao Yao continued. "The moment you agreed to marry Mello and have a family with him, that''s where you stop being selfish and start being selfless for them!"

    Her words were like a dagger to her, piercing through her c.h.e.s.t, cutting her into pieces since she was entirely right. But... Just because she was right didn''t mean Shi Enxi would comply with her words no matter how painful it was.

    "I will call you some other time then... Once Mello''s not around."

    "W-Wait! Xiao Xi, you can''t just-"

    Shi Enxi ended the call, cutting off Fan Xiao Yao.

 Chapter 182 - Let go

    Fan Xiao Yao sighed heavily. She just couldn''t understand Shi Enxi anymore. Why was she even doing this? Why was she torturing the people around her this way? Shouldn''t she be glad that Shi Anhao was arrested? Without any more problems around, things should go well for her so why?

    She heaved out another sigh and kept the phone in her pocket before she opened the door to step out of her room but the moment she opened the door, she saw Lu Mello, standing in front with a blank look in his eyes. His hair was still wet and water was dripping down on his shoulder.

    Fan Xiao Yao almost let out a gasp since he startled her by his presence. Because of how nervous she was, she didn''t notice that he was standing in front of her, shirtless. "M-Mello..."

    Did he hear her conversation with Shi Enxi? The more she looked at him with her nervous gaze, she couldn''t help but think that he knew! What should she do? What should she say?

    "She''s alive?" Was the first thing that came out of Lu Mello''s lips.

    "H-huh? Who''s alive? Who are you-"

    She was cut off when all of a sudden, Lu Mello''s first came flying, hitting the doorpost. Because of it, his knuckles bled. This time, he was glaring coldly at her, "I''m not deaf, Fan Xiao Yao. I know what I heard." He just wanted confirmation.

    Her legs began to tremble in fright. She has never seen Lu Mello act this way, especially towards her. He was serious. Dead serious.

    "Well? Is it her?" His icy glare sent shivers down her spine. She visibly wilted as his glare s.u.c.k.e.d something out of her.

    Her lips moved by itself as she finally admitted, "Y-yes..."

    The moment she said that his eyes darkened and he pulled away from her, straightening his back.

    Fan Xiao Yao couldn''t read him at all especially when he turned his back on her and headed back to the guest room.

    After he left, she breathed out heavily since she was holding her breath earlier when he glared at her. She may not be able to read him but there was only one thing she knew... He was angry. Extremely angry.

    What should she do? Should she contact Shi Enxi? She was torn, confused, and frightened.

    As a friend then the right thing to do was... she should probably stay neutral from now on.

    She held out her phone and messaged Shi Enxi, [He knows. I''m sorry.]

    She didn''t receive a reply but she could see that it was read by her friend.

    Why did it have to turn out this way?

    ...

    Lu Mello was sitting at the edge of the bed, his hands balled into fists as his eyes were filled unexplainable mixed emotions. He felt angry, sad, betrayed, and glad that she was alive.

    He wanted to ignore the other feelings that were welling up in his c.h.e.s.t. He should be glad that she was alive. That should matter the most, right? So why was he feeling furious? Betrayed?

    He swallowed that anger when it was a fire-seed, forgetting to drink something cool, and so it grew in his belly until it came out as hot as any dragon has ever flamed... on the person, he loved most. How quickly his love turned to hate, as if he didn''t even have to fight it. He allowed that negative emotion swallowed him and pour acid into his soul. He fought for the good memories they shared in the past. He has always thought that maybe he could change her, he could turn her into a better person. He may have brought changes in her life but... Shi Enxi remained heartless... Heartless to him. He fought for the reasons to be kind. He fought to keep himself empathic even as every terrible thing happened to him. But every person has its limit... Right now, he reached that limit.

    He could hear her voice even though she hasn''t seen her in months. He could remember the stupid things she used to say, all those catch-phrases, what did they all mean anyway? He loved her, but when a wolf came to their door, she became another wolf... and there''s only one way that can end.

    Tears dripped down, one by one as he covered his eyes with his hand. The mixed feelings inside of him were so overwhelming. It was too much for him even if he loved her deeply.

    He longed to see her, to talk with her. He was glad that she was

    A knock was heard but he ignored it. It was probably Fan Xiao Yao. He didn''t feel like talking to anyone, especially to Fan Xiao Yao. He never thought that she would keep something this important from her.

    The more he thought about it, the further he fell into the abyss, being consumed by its darkness. His c.h.e.s.t that was burning in anger slowly turning cold and with it, his heart.

    He should be glad that she was alive. He should. But what was this feeling?

    "Mello..." A soft voice was heard from outside. "I can explain..."

    Explain? What good will explaining their situation do now? What kind of explanation will she give? No matter, he didn''t want to hear any right now.

    "Please hear me out..."

    Hear her out? The person he should be hearing out, the person who should be giving him an explanation right now was none other than his treacherous wife.

    He knew that she wanted to have a moment to be alone by herself but did she have to do this? Torture him? Even if it was not for him, how could she abandon their children like this? He knew that he made some mistakes by why did she have to be this ruthless? Has she never thought about their kids?

    This was it. He gave up. He was not going to run after her anymore. She could do whatever she wanted to and he wouldn''t care anymore. If she wanted to be freed then so be it, she was free to do whatever she wanted to do.

 Chapter 183 - Milk

    Fan Xiao Yao stood in front of the door, waiting for Lu Mello to open it. She really wanted to explain herself but when she heard no answer from him, she decided to give him time and finally left. She was worried but she couldn''t do anything. She couldn''t just force herself in. If he needed time then that''s what she was going to give him.

    She headed to the living room just to ponder about what would happen now? Would Lu Mello ask her about Shi Enxi''s whereabouts once he went out of the room?

    She was willing to tell him where she was just so they could fix things out. She really wanted them to mend their relationship but in her view, Shi Enxi herself was the one pushing everyone away, including Lu Mello. Even if she was Shi Enxi''s friend, she was confused about why she was doing such things.

    "What''s with the long face?" Huang Li asked. He arrived back from his grocery and he had entered the living room just to see her looking so anxious. Did something happen while he was gone?

    Fan Xiao Yao didn''t notice his arrival because of her deep thoughts. She turned her eyes to him, she felt like crying since she was also having a hard time, it wasn''t just Shi Enxi and Lu Mello. Right now, she was in between them and it was only making things complicated for her.

    "Huang Li..." She stood up and went to him, ready to pounce on him.

    When he saw that she was going to attack him with a hug, he lowered the plastic bags he was carrying, placing it on the ground before catching her in his arms.

    Fan Xiao Yao hugged him by his neck and buried her face on him. "I don''t know what to do..." She felt so guilty for lying to everyone. The guilt was eating her up that in the end, she spilled out her warm tears on him. It was as if the dam inside her broke. She tried her best not to cry out loud especially when the kids were asleep.

    Huang Li blinked a few times in confusion when he felt her warm tears and heard her soft sobs. "What happened?" He asked in worry, wondering what troubled her to make her cry this way.

    Fan Xiao Yao wanted to tell him everything but at the back of her head, she was still contemplating. He was her only comfort right now from all the troubles she was having.

    Huang Li was patiently waiting for her to tell him and when he realized that she was not going to speak, he didn''t force her, and instead, he waited for her to calm down.

    He made her sit on the sofa before he went to the kitchen just so he could get her a drink.

    Fan Xiao Yao sniffled, her head down and her puffy, red eyes were staring at her hands. She was staring so intensely at them as if it was enough to bore holes on her palms.

    She felt so guilty for lying to Lu Mello, to Huang Li, to everyone. She knew she had done something pretty awful when she had to work so hard to justify it. She may have told Lu Mello that she wanted to give an explanation to him but now that she thought of it, there was no excuse she could give. She felt like she was about to have one of those episodes where she would sulk and be depressed. It was not good. That was not good. She shouldn''t let the negative emotions engulf her.

    "Here, have some warm milk. It will help you relax."

    She was saved from her gray thoughts when she heard Huang Li''s voice. It sure did grab her attention when showed the mug in her view.

    She lifted up her head a bit just to look at his gentle gaze before she accepted the drink, wrapping her fingers around the mug''s handle while she placed her palm on the cup itself. It was just the right warmth and she felt it travel from her palm to her arm. She brought it close to her lips and took a sip on it. Just a small sip was enough to warm her body, relaxing her tensed muscle and bringing comfort to her tired eyes. She drank half of the milk before she lowered the cup down. She suddenly felt sleepy. Maybe it was because of her salty eyes? Or maybe it was the milk? Warm milk always helped her in falling asleep.

    Huang Li on the other hand was quietly sitting beside her, staring at her. He gently rubbed her arm just so she could further we at ease.

    "Thank you..." She whispered softly as she rested her head on his shoulder.

    He never asked her what made her cry. If she wanted to tell it to him, then she would have done so already. Whenever it came to her, he was rather patient, giving her all the time she needed.

    "Do you want to go to our room and get some rest?" He asked. This time, he was stroking her hair.

    Fan Xiao Yao wanted to take the opportunity to free her mind from her troubles. She should just worry about it once she wakes up, right?

    "Will you stay until I fall asleep?" She asked softly, almost whispering.

    "If that''s what you want." He replied, placing a delicate kiss on her temple.

    And so, Huang Li accompanied her to their room and made sure that she has fallen asleep.

    His mere presence was enough for Fan Xiao Yao. He was all that she needed. He knew what to do whenever she was stressed, or tired, or sad. He was currently the person who understood her the best. Right now, he was not only her lover but he was also her best friend and brother. Someone she could depend on.

 Chapter 184 - Caught

    Huang Li was the only person awake that afternoon. Since he was uncharged of preparing food, he began making dinner for them.

    As he was doing so, he noticed Lu Mello enter the kitchen.

    "Oh, you''re awake." He said, giving him a glance before he continued on chopping the tomatoes.

    "I can''t sleep." He sighed. "I think I should get going now."

    Huang Li paused just to look at him again, "Are you sure?" The dark bags under his eyes were obvious that Huang Li was worried he might end up falling asleep on his way back to his place.

    "Yeah..." He muttered. Lu Mello went to get a glass and placed it on the counter before he moved towards the ref, opening its door just so he could take out a jar of water and fill the glass with its content. "I should leave with the kids after this."

    "You can have dinner first you know." Huang Li offered.

    "It''s a long way home from here." Lu Mello replied.

    "But the kids will be hungry on the way." He refuted. "You should just stay for dinner." He insisted.

    He sighed in defeat. In the end, Lu Mello couldn''t refuse knowing that he was right. After drinking water, hydrating himself, he watched Huang Li prepare the ingredients for tonight''s dinner. He wanted to help but he was not in the mood to do so.

    Huang Li noticed something wrong with the other man but just like how he usually does it, he remained quiet. He was not the type to ask, he would rather have him voluntarily say what was on his mind instead of forcing others to say it out.

    "Did you know that Enxi''s alive?" Lu Mello''s sudden question startled him, making him turn his wide eyes to him.

    "What?" Did he hear it wrong?

    Lu Mello made sure he was done chopping since he didn''t want Huang Li to have an accident. Judging by the other man''s genuine surprise, he already knew the answer to his question.

    "What do you mean?" His attention was now focused on Lu Mello. He heard his question correctly, right? He asked him whether he knew that Shi Enxi was alive.

    Well if he had to be honest, deep inside, Huang Li had always known that Shi Enxi was alive. He believed. She was not someone who could be easily killed. Not the relentless but cautious Shi Enxi. She had always filled her sleeved with backup plans if something went wrong with her plan A. Her body wasn''t found and he didn''t believe Shi Anhao''s words that she killed her.

    At first, when he learned about it, his reaction was the same as Lu Mello. He regretted leaving her that night. He even went to look for her, helping Lu Mello out in searching for her whereabouts but they never saw her, there was no clue, even her shadow wasn''t seen.

    When he returned to the Mainland, he went back to Fan Xiao Yao. He stayed by her side during the time where she mourned for her friend. On the other hand, the thought, the belief that Shi Enxi was alive kept him sane during that time. He blinded himself with the idea of ''to see is to believe''. As long as he had not seen Shi Enxi''s dead body, he was willing to blindly assume that she was alive.

    Although... Now that he heard Lu Mello say it, it was still different. The information he gave him was something that never failed to shock Huang Li. It was still different from naively assuming.

    "She called earlier."

    Huang Li couldn''t see the look in Lu Mello''s eyes since he lowered his head but he knew that by the sound of his voice, he was not happy about something.

    "I caught Xiao Yao talking to her." Lu Mello continued.

    Ah... So that''s why he was not glad about it. He CAUGHT Fan Xiao Yao.

    Did she always know that Shi Enxi was alive then? If so, then she completely fooled him with her acting. She truly deserved that ''Best Actress Award''. He wasn''t feeling mad that she kept it from him. Shi Enxi had probably told her to keep it hidden from them. Was this always her plan? If so, why did she have to keep it from him? He was the closest to her. Was she doubtful that he might end up stopping her instead? If so, then she was right to think of that. He was totally against of such a plan. He would even try his best to prevent her from leaving. If he was the person she contacted, he would have easily given Lu Mello her whereabouts.

    Shi Enxi probably saw that coming. They knew each other for years. They were together since childhood. They endured all the hardsh.i.p.s that were thrown at them. Back then, they only had each other but this time, other people entered their lives.

    Unlike him though, he thought that it was probably harder for Lu Mello. He was busy with work, the kids, and also for searching for her body. Lu Mello had the toughest part. Huang Li could only guess that he might be feeling played by Shi Enxi right now. All those hardsh.i.p.s were in vain if she, herself was the one running away from him.

    Now that he thought of it, why was she running away? Things were already done, right? Shi Anhao was already in jail. Even he pondered about that thought. He was confused. What did Shi Enxi want to attain by doing this? She was practically destroying the family she gained.

    Aside from that, he was also surprised to also learn that Shi Enxi managed not to kill Shi Anhao. It truly was shocking, knowing how deep her hatred ran for that woman.

    The sound of a laugh broke him out of his thought, making Huang Li focus on Lu Mello. He laughed, a bitter, sarcastic laugh. "She''s driving me insane. She really is."

 Chapter 185 - Hes still here?

    Huang Li couldn''t agree more with what Lu Mello said. It was not him but Shi Enxi was driving everyone insane. Right now, he couldn''t understand her anymore, he didn''t know what was running through her mind.

    "Huang Li." Lu Mello turned his attention to him. With a smile that didn''t reach his eyes, he asked, "Do you want to go out for a drink tonight? After dinner?"

    For a drink? Did he mean by getting drunk?

    "How are you supposed to go home if you''re drunk?" He raised a brow at him.

    "You don''t mind me staying here for the night, do you?" Lu Mello wasn''t feeling like going home to the place he once lived with his wife. It was filled with memories of her. He was afraid that he might end up turning entirely insane.

    Huang Li didn''t mind it tho. He was just going to accompany him, it was not like he was going to drink until he drops. Lu Mello needed someone to keep an eye on him and that was what he was going to do.

    ...

    Fan Xiao Yao woke up thanks to the alarm clock that Huang Li set up for her. Slowly and reluctantly, she uncovered her face. She blinked, closed her eyes, and blinked again. From the window, she could see that it was already nighttime. The lights in the room weren''t on so she found herself inside a quiet, and dark room. Her phone was still ringing because of the alarm. She reached out and tapped on the screen, turning the alarm off.

    She sat up, dragged her feet off the bed, and rubbed her knuckles onto her eyes, brushing off the remainders of sleep from her eyes. She stood up and headed straight to the door, pulling the door open. She left the bedroom and the first thing she did was to pass by the guest room just to check on Lu Mello but he wasn''t there.

    Did he already leave?

    She was about to head to the living room but she heard sounds coming from the kitchen, two men talking.

    Fan Xiao Yao began taking light, slow steps just so they won''t hear her coming. She wanted to know what they were talking about so she ended up eavesdropping on them from a safe distance.

    "I still have to meet Yaoyao''s parents." Hang Li''s voice was heard, coming inside the kitchen.

    Parents? Fan Xiao Yao''s eyes went vacant at the mention of her parents. Why did he want to meet her parents? Her family at present was... something she didn''t want to introduce to him.

    "I can''t believe you proposed to her without giving her a ring." A sigh came from Lu Mello after he said that.

    "I want to propose to her again. Properly."

    When Fan Xiao Yao heard Huang Li''s reply, she covered her mouth with her hands, startled by his words.

    Propose again?

    Just at the thought of it made her heart race. She could feel her cheeks burn up and at the same time, the warmth was welling in her c.h.e.s.t.

    "I also want to introduce her to my parents."

    His parents? He wanted to introduce her to his parents?

    The side of her lips curled up into a smile. That would be lovely. She could only hope that his parents would like her.

    "Anyway, I should wake up Yaoyao now. She probably slept in." Huang Li said.

    Hearing him, Fan Xiao Yao panicked and quickly head off to the stairs and stopped in the middle of it. She turned and acted like she was just heading her way down.

    Huang Li came out of the kitchen and saw her going down the last stair step. "Oh, you''re awake." He smiled, approaching her. "Just in time for dinner."

    "Mm..." She faked a yawn. "I don''t think I''ll be sleeping early today."

    "That''s fine. Mello and I planned on going out for a drink."

    She blinked a few times, turning her gaze to him. "Eh? He''s still here?"

    "Yeah. He wanted to stay here for the night so I guess you have to watch over the kids while we''re out."

    Fan Xiao Yao''s lips were stretched into a straight line. Even if Lu Mello sounded better when she heard him talking to Huang Li, she was actually more worried about how to face him after what happened between them. How should she act? Should she just be her usual self?

    When they entered the dining room, she saw Lu Mingyu sitting on the baby seat while Lu Mello was carrying Lu Xueren in his arms. He walked towards the other, empty baby seat, and placed the boy there before he turned his eyes on them when he noticed them enter.

    He didn''t say anything and instead, he sat on the chair in between the kids.

    Fan Xiao Yao couldn''t help but gulp nervously but she tried her best not to show that she was still affected and was still feeling guilty for lying to him. She sat on her usual seat, beside her lover and beside Lu Mingyu.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#''s-still-here_48866216265172707">#''s-still-here_48866216265172707</a> for visiting.

    As they all began their dinner, Lu Mello never spoke a word to Fan Xiao Yao. If not for Huang Li and the little boys, who were keeping the mood light, things would have gone awkward.

    Well... It still was, at least for Fan Xiao Yao. She couldn''t even look her childhood friend in the eye and instead, she distracted herself with the little boy beside her. Feeding him and was wiping his lips and hands clean from time to time while Lu Mello did the same to Lu Xueren.

    On the other hand, Huang Li didn''t fail to notice such a scene and for some reason, he could feel small jealously brewing in his c.h.e.s.t especially when he knew their past. He knew that he shouldn''t be feeling that way, he knew that it was wrong but he couldn''t help it. They both looked like a family right now and it was making him uncomfortable.

 Chapter 186 - It got frozen

    After having their dinner together, Fan Xiao Yao collected the dishes with the help of Huang Li. Meanwhile, Lu Mello accompanied the kids in the living room, watching them play.

    In the kitchen...

    "I''ll be going out with Mello after this." Huang Li said while helping his lover with the dishes. He was the one in charge of drying the plates with a towel while Fan Xiao Yao was the one washing it clean.

    "Where are you going?" She asked, glancing at him before she returned her gaze to the cup she was rinsing.

    "We''re going for a walk... And a drink."

    Ah yes, she remembered him telling her that earlier. "Just don''t stay up late."

    "Don''t worry."

    ...

    Fan Xiao Yao was left alone with the kids after the two men left. While she was trying to put the kids to sleep in their room, her phone began ringing.

    Once again, Shi Enxi was calling her and Fan Xiao Yao knew why... It was all because of the kids. She wasn''t able to see the little boys earlier.

    She answered the call and pressed the phone against her ear, "Xiao Xi..."

    "Can I see them now?" Shi Enxi''s smooth and yet cold voice was heard on the other side.

    Fan Xiao Yao pursed her lips. No matter what she says now, she knew that Shi Enxi would just ignore her. She sighed and tapped the phone''s screen, turning the voice call into a video call.

    On the screen, she saw Shi Enxi''s blank gaze and expressionless face. It was as if she had turned into a different person that way. Fan Xiao Yao couldn''t read or see through her at all.

    She heaved out another sigh again before she turned the phone, making it face the boys who were inside their crib.

    "Xiao Yu, Xiao Xue, look, it''s your mommy." Fan Xiao Yao said, trying to put on a smile for the kids.

    "Mwoma?" Lu Xueren lifted his head just to look at the phone screen. When she saw the woman on the screen, he smiled widely and reached out his hands, "Mwoma!"

    On the other hand, Lu Mingyu crawled closer towards the phone and smiled cutely, "Mimi!"

    Shi Enxi''s blank front broke, a small smile appearing on her lips. "Yu''er, Xue''er..."

    While watching the scene unfold before her, Fan Xiao Yao couldn''t help but think how Shi Enxi could tolerate being away from her kids like this. If she was worried about them, if she wanted to see them, shouldn''t she just come back for them? If she was in her shoes, she couldn''t tolerate being away from her children this way.

    As usual, Shi Enxi didn''t say much to the kids, she just watched the two boys easily get distracted by the plushies beside them, completely ignoring her again. She would just quietly watch them for a few minutes before ending the call but this time, instead of ending the call, she spoke, "Xiao Yao, can I talk with you for a second?"

    Fan Xiao Yao blinked a few times, pulling back her phone, making it face her. When she looked, Shi Enxi had already turned the video call back to a voice call.

    She pressed the phone against her ear, "Yes?"

    "Is Mello still there?" Shi Enxi asked. Since the kids were still there, she could tell that he was still either at the house or he left, leaving their sons there.

    "Yes and uh no? I mean, he went out with Huang Li." She walked and stood beside the window, looking at the scenery outside. The lamp posts lightened the empty streets. Since it was still early at night, a few people were seen walking.

    Shi Enxi was quiet for a short moment after hearing Fan Xiao Yao''s reply.

    "Oh yeah... He also found out..." She trailed off and was hesitant to continue.

    "He found out about?"

    "You... Haven''t you read my message? He heard me talking to you..."

    Once again, the line on the other side became quiet which worried Fan Xiao Yao. This was what she wanted but why did she feel nervous?

    After a few seconds, Shi Enxi finally asked her, "What did he say?"

    "He said nothing." Although Fan Xiao Yao could tell that Lu Mello was angry about it. "Xiao Xi... I really think that you should think about what you''re doing."

    "If you have nothing else to say, then I''ll be ending this call." With that, she ended the call, not waiting for the other woman to speak.

    The side of Fan Xiao Yao''s lips were stretched into a straight line after hearing the mechanical beep from her phone.

    She sighed heavily and shook her head. If Shi Enxi thought that she could keep on running away, on avoiding this then she was wrong. Fan Xiao Yao had the urge to fly to where she was but he couldn''t do that right now since she didn''t know where her exact location was.

    ...

    "Are you sure that you''re not going to let him know that you''re here?" A man asked. He has messy hair and dark circles were seen under his eyes. He was wearing a comfortable hooded shirt and baggy pants.

    "How many times do I have to repeat myself?" Shi Enxi asked with an irritated tone in her voice. She even raised a brow, looking at the man who was sitting comfortably on the sofa.

    "Why are you here anyway?" She crossed her arms, looking coldly at him. "I don''t need you to babysit me, Liqin."

    Xie Liqin pouted, "You''re so grumpy." He laid down on the sofa just so he could irritate her more. "I''m out of food. Also, I don''t have money for food... I was wondering if I can borrow some money from you?"

    "..." Shi Enxi looked at the shameless man in disbelief. How could this man even become poor when he was the infamous streamer in Vtube and CEO of Xie Company? What was he even doing with his money?

    "Don''t you have a credit card?"

    "It got frozen." He replied.

    "And your other one?" She raised a brow.

    "Frozen too..."

    How in the world was that even possible? "I don''t believe you. You need to do better than that."

    "It''s true! I was rolling up some characters in a game and the bank thought my credit card was used by a child so they froze it."

    "..."

 Chapter 187 - I can help you

    Inside a local bar...

    The smoke twisted in its artistic way, forming curls in the gloom, illuminated only by the age-speckled bar lights. Along the wall was every hue of amber liquid in their inverted bottles.

    Somewhere, in the table that was located at the corner, there sat two men, one was drinking, gulping everything up from a bottle while the other man was quietly watching his friend. A couple of empty bottles were seen at the table.

    Huang Li looked at the bottle he was holding. The content of it was not even half. It was his first bottle and he hasn''t sipped much into it since he was amazed how Lu Mello managed to stay up despite drinking that much alcohol.

    Well, it seemed like he was one of those people who had a high tolerance when it came to alcohol.

    Lu Mello on the other hand was quiet the whole time while consuming his drinks. He never said a word ever since he took his first sip earlier. No one knew what kind of thoughts were going in his mind.

    Huang Li didn''t bother talking to him even if he knew that he should have at least say something to him but he wondered if it would help him since the advice he had set for him was something advantageous for Shi Enxi.

    What should he do? He really felt sorry for him.

    "Does she even love me at all?" Lu Mello suddenly asked out of nowhere, catching the other man''s attention.

    Huang Li knew that he should carefully think of an answer to give him but before he could even open his mouth, a woman approached them, shamelessly taking a seat beside Lu Mello.

    "Wow! Did you drink all of these?" The woman asked, looking at Lu Mello in amazement.

    The woman was really pretty and she was wearing a dress that bragged her voluptuous figure. Brown hair framed a heart-shaped face with expressive eyes bright with humor. A dazed expression dominated her features. Her voice was low and echoed together with the music playing in the room. Her cheekbones sat high on her face and a smile that sent people running and screaming curved her lips.

    Yes, she was attractive. She could have easily got any man she wanted but not Huang Li and Lu Mello. No one could compare to the beauties of the women they loved.

    Lu Mello stared blankly at her, his eyes followed her every movement. From the moment she closed into him to the moment she shamelessly and playfully placed a hand on his c.h.e.s.t. "Have I seen you seen you somewhere sir?"

    "Did you now?" Lu Mello replied.

    Huang Li slightly shook his head, not liking how things are going at that moment. He didn''t know whether or not Lu Mello was drunk. Since he was entertaining the woman beside him, he could not allow them to interact any further.

    He grabbed Lu Mello''s arm, pulling him away from the woman even if it''s just a bit. "Excuse me, he''s with me."

    The woman blinked a few times in confusion when she saw how protective Huang Li was towards his friend. "Oh my, I''m sorry... I didn''t know that you two were together."

    Huang Li: "..."

    What made the situation worse was when Lu Mello rested his head on Huang Li''s shoulder, closing his eyes without saying a word.

    "Please don''t get me wrong. I didn''t think that he was your boyfriend."

    The bar was filled with different kinds of people so it was not that surprising to see different kinds of couples every now and then.

    Huang Li wanted to say something in his defense but he was too shocked to even say a word. "W-we''re not... not..." He stuttered. Before he could even finish what he was saying, the girl interrupted him. "It''s okay, you don''t have to be shy about it."

    Huang Li: "..."

    "Your boyfriend looked so drunk now tho."

    Huang Li cleared his throat to regain his composure as he was able to calmly say, "He is not my boyfriend."

    The girl giggled, obviously not believing him. "Okay."

    Since he didn''t want to prolong his stay at the place by arguing, he stood up and supported Lu Mello by putting his arm around his shoulders and carrying most of his friend''s weight to his side.

    The girl stood up, "I can help you." She offered with a smile.

    "No thanks. I can manage." Huang Li retorted. "Besides, my place is just close by."

    "I insist." The woman grabbed Lu Mello''s other arm and placed it around her shoulders as well. "Let''s go?"

    Since the girl looked persistent, Huang Li sighed in defeat. They ended up going out of the place with the help of the girl.

    ...

    After placing Lu Mello inside the taxi, Huang Li turned to the girl who helped him. "Thank you. How should I repay you?"

    "Oh, there''s no need to repay me. I did it out of the kindness of my heart." She even placed a hand on her c.h.e.s.t, acting like she was such an angel for helping him which kinda made it looked comical.

    Huang Li couldn''t help but chuckle, "Right." If she didn''t dress like a bitch, he would have believed her and would not think that she had an ulterior motive for helping them instead.

    "My name is Kobayashi Hana. Always happy to help." She grinned at him.

    Kobayashi Hana?

    "You''re Japanese?" He didn''t notice at all especially when she was speaking Chinese fluently.

    She grinned at him, "Surprise, surprise, and more surprises to come if you come to know me." She winked playfully at him.

    "Right..." He sweats dropped. "Anyway, thank you again. We''ll take our leave now."

    Hana nodded and waved at him. She watched him enter the taxi and before the car went off, she quickly said, "Take care on your way, Mr. Huang Li!"

    Huang Li''s eyes went wide as he turned his head to the girl standing outside, waving and smiling at her.

    He was not able to say anything since the taxi was already on its way to his place.

    That girl... How did she know his name when he clearly remembered that he never introduced himself to her?

 Chapter 188 - Shes busy with work

    Arriving at his place, Huang Li supported Lu Mello until the door. His mind was still flying at what happened earlier. He couldn''t stop thinking about it. How did Hana manage to know his name? Should he feel threatened? What if she was actually a dangerous person? He decided to worry about it later as he rang the doorbell and it was shortly answered by Fan Xiao Yao who opened the door for them.

    Her eyes instantly landed at the drunk Lu Mello before it traveled back to him. "How many bottles?" She asked.

    "Seven." He replied.

    Fan Xiao Yao frowned, "He''ll definitely damage his liver!" She held on Lu Mello''s other arm and helped Huang Li in dragging their friend to the guestroom.

    The smell of alcohol was strong that Fan Xiao Yao''s nose ended up scrunching. She even held her breath until they were able to drop him on his bed.

    She heavily breathed out and mumbled afterward, "Seriously, this guy..."

    Huang Li crossed his arms and followed in agreement, "Yes, seriously, this guy."

    Fan Xiao Yao leaned and hugged him from the side, "I really don''t like this."

    "You''re not the only one." Things were getting complicated for Lu Mello and Shi Enxi. He could only hope that in the future, he wouldn''t have such a problem in his married life with Fan Xiao Yao.

    ...

    Lu Mello left the following day with his children and ever since then, he had never brought his kids back to Huang Li and Fan Xiao Yao''s place. He didn''t want to bother them anymore especially when he learned that Huang Li was already planning to make a move of Fan Xiao Yao. He didn''t want to cause any more trouble for them since they have a life of their own.

    Since he wanted to make sure the kids were going to be safe, he made sure that only trusted servants who worked for the Lu family for years were staying at his place.

    He may be busy and was rarely at home but he always made sure that the kids were being taken care of properly. He never forgets to check on them properly.

    It was until one day, while he was at home, he never expected to see his mom and dad visiting him.

    His parents, Lu Yifeng and Xia Meilin, ever since they retired from their works, they have been traveling to different places together. Sometimes, they would bring their younger sons, Lu Yangyang and Lu Tingxiao with them.

    Xia Meilin may have grown old but she looked younger than her age. Her skin was still flawless, especially her face. One could only wonder what kind of skincare routine did she have. Her hazelnut short hair rested until her shoulders. She radiated elegance and beauty. A respectable woman. She was always pampered by her husband and it showed how lovely she still looked. As they say, a woman loved by her partner would never stop shining. They were like a flower, being nurtured with water every day.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#''s-busy-with-work_48978288336494793">#''s-busy-with-work_48978288336494793</a> for visiting.

    Meanwhile, the thing could be said to Lu Yifeng. The older he got, the more his majestic presence grew. Strands of white hair were mixed with his jet black hair and yet, it only made him look even manlier.

    This couple never amazed the people who saw them.

    The servants quickly recognized them that''s why they made way for them. Steward Cai hurriedly rushed to the living room just so he could announce their arrival to his Master, Lu Mello. "Sir, your parents are on their way here."

    Lu Mello tore his gaze away from the book he was reading just to look at the other man. "My parents?" He asked, a bit startled. His parents never told him that they were going to come and visit him that day.

    He soon saw them enter the living room. He stood up and approached his parents, "Mom, dad... What a surprise."

    Xia Meilin giggled, "You don''t look surprised tho. Ah... Let me look at my precious son." She gently placed her hands on her son''s cheeks. "You keep on getting handsome just like your dad." She grinned.

    Lu Mello chuckled lightly, "I guess that''s a good thing huh?"

    She chuckled lightly, "Of course it is!" She pulled him into a hug to which he hugged her back. "I missed you."

    "Me too..." Lu Mello whispered.

    After his mother released him, he turned to his father, Lu Yifeng, and hugged him as well. "Dad."

    The corner of his lips curled up into a small smile as he hugged him back, "Son."

    "Oh my! Look at those precious boys!" Xia Meilin exclaimed upon seeing Little Jade (Xiao Yu) and Little Snow (Xiao Xue) playing together with their toys on the carpet.

    Lu Mello pulled away from his father just to watch his mother approach the kids.

    Little Jade looked up and so did Little Snow, they were looking curiously at the stranger who sat with them.

    "Hello sweeties, I''m your grandma." She happily introduced herself to them.

    Little Snow: "Grama?"

    Little Jade: "Nama?"

    The boys said at the same time, tilting their heads to the side, looking so adorable that way.

    "Are they twins?" Lu Yifeng asked of curiosity. It was impossible to give birth to two boys in one year unless they were twins.

    "No. One is adopted." Lu Mello answered honestly.

    Xia Meilin turned her eyes back to her son, looking at him in confusion, "Adopted?"

    "It''s complicated." He didn''t want to tell his parents the troubles that happened in his family.

    "What''s their names?" His mother asked as she carried Litte Jade up, making him sit on her l.a.p. She obviously couldn''t carry two kids especially when Little Snow was fat.

    "Lu Mingyu and Lu Xueren." Lu Mello answered.

    "Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue, such cute names." Xia Meilin giggled softly. "Anyway, where''s your wife?"

    The side of his smile twitched and became stiff when he heard his mother asked about Shi Enxi. He tried his best to remain calm and luckily, his parents weren''t able to notice anything when he casually replied by lying, "She''s busy with work."

 Chapter 189 - Fan Xiao Yaos Past

    Since Fan Xiao Yao was on a break from fame, she became Huang Li''s assistant in his clinic. She was even able to gain a few medical knowledge whenever she heard him talk with one of his patients.

    Things were actually going well so far for the both of them... until Huang Li brought up the topic about her parents.

    "Yaoyao, can I meet your parents?" Huang Li asked while they were in the middle of having their dinner.

    The chopsticks she was holding paused in the air as she turned her startled gaze at him. "W-what?" She stuttered.

    It was not like she didn''t hear what he said. It was the other way around, she heard his words, one by one, so clearly. It was the ''parents'' word that made her shock.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#''s-past_48982965287445988">#''s-past_48982965287445988</a> for visiting.

    On the other hand, Huang Li didn''t think much about why she was so shocked. He only thought that his question might have caught her off-guard. "I want to meet your parents." He repeated.

    Fan Xiao Yao has never told him about her parents. Just the thought of them made her covered in a cold sweat. Her shoulders slumped down, her brows creased and face tense.

    What should she do? Should she introduce him to her real parents or to the man who took care of her?

    Her uneasiness didn''t go unnoticed by Huang Li. It only made him ponder on why she was acting that way. With a worried look, he asked with a concerned tone heard in his voice, "What''s wrong?"

    The side of her lips was stretched into a straight line. She lowered her hand, placing the chopsticks down. She knew that she should tell him. She should not hide any secrets from him. He was going to be her husband so it was only normal for her to tell her worries and problems, right?

    She inhaled deeply as if to calm down and prepare herself mentally.  She didn''t want to break down. What she was about to share with him was something she had never shared except for one person.

    She breathed out a long sigh before she began speaking, "Can we finish our food first?" She had already lost her appetite but she was not the kind of person to waste food, especially Huang Li''s cooking. She would never waste the food he cooked.

    "Alright," replied Huang Li.

    Every time he was being like this, not forceful, Fan Xiao Yao couldn''t help be glad. Huang Li was such a wonderful person. He deserved the best, he deserved everything and for that, she was willing to be the best. She was willing to give him everything.

    ...

    Living room...

    "To be honest, I don''t want you to meet my parents, Huang Li." Fan Xiao Yao said straightforwardly, her head hanging long. She was looking at her hands, fiddling her fingers uneasily.

    What she said surprised her lover. Huang Li was looking at her in confusion, "Why?" He couldn''t help but ask.

    "You see... Ever since that happened... My parents changed."

    He knitted his brows together, puzzled at what she said. And so, he decided to listen attentively at what she was about to tell him.

    Fan Xiao Yao lifted her head this time, glancing at him, her mouth pursed but slightly open and loose. Her eyes were fixed as if she was looking at something a yard behind his head. She was quiet for a whole minute.

    "Yaoyao?" He called her name.

    She blinked, refocused. "How old am I back then?" She asked the question for herself. "I was young and yet, I can still remember that day." She continued.

    "I was five years old I think?" She paused, lost in the war again but this time, it was only in a matter of seconds. She opened her mouth and began sharing her past with him. How it all started.

    It was just like any other normal day- no, it was weekend and her parents decided to go hiking with her together with a family friend, Yong Weiqing. They never thought that by going to that secluded area, they would witness something bloody.

    Two men were discarding the body at the flowing river while a woman watched them under a tree''s shade. They were seen and were captured since the two men who threw a body at the lake happened to be experienced fighters. Her father and his friend, Yong Weiqing was overpowered by the men. Yong Weiqing was able to grab Fan Xiao Yao and escape the place.

    And so, her parents were captured. The woman, Yong Biqi, Xia Meilin''s real mother, used Fan Xiao Yao''s parents as hostages. She was able to contact him since Yong Weiqing was her brother. She blackmailed him and forced him to do her bidding.

    After the evil lady was captured, managed to save her parents but it was too late, both of them were traumatized by the tortures they received. Everyone thought that they would die but they survived. Since they were incapable of taking care of their daughter, while they were being treated, Yong Weiqing took Fan Xiao Yao into his family.

    They were kind. She was even able to get along with his son. She stayed at their place for almost two years until her father was discharged. He was the only one who was able to recover, not her mother.

    She lived back with her father but he was not the same father she knew anymore. He was distant and cold. He busied himself with work. Fan Xiao Yao had to take care of herself, she became responsible for the house at such a young age. She never told others how sad, how lonely she was. Every time she got home, it was always empty. She would always eat alone. She would always stare at her parents'' photos before going to sleep. She was having a hard time, she felt suffocated.

    The only good thing was that, her father never forgot to leave her some money but aside from that, he would ignore his daughter. He couldn''t even look at her in the eyes.

    Fan Xiao Yao hid all her pain, all her hardsh.i.p.s under a smile.

 Chapter 190 - The scarred Cinderella

    It was until her Yong Weiqing, the man who cared for her visited her and found out about it. He took her in and what was painful for the young Fan Xiao Yao was when her father never even said a word about it.

    After reaching high school, she left the Yong family and began living by herself. She took part-time jobs just so she could sustain her everyday need even if the Yong family was giving her monthly allowance. She was saving up money for college. She didn''t want to depend on the Yong family. They were not rich, they were just like any normal middle-class family and they still helped her. They showed her too much kindness and the only way she could repay them was to at least send them money every month once she became successful. She still did even up to this day. She was forever grateful for their help.

    When she entered college, she learned later that her father remarried after filing a divorce with her mother who was not even in her right mind anymore. It was the first time Fan Xiao Yao tried to fight for her family, for her mother who was in such a disadvantageous situation.

    Her father changed so much. Too much. When she faced him, the way he acted broke her heart. It was as if he wanted to break from his first family.

    Right now, when she learned that Huang Li wanted to get her parents'' blessings, she was troubled by it. She didn''t have a family. The Yong family, despite their kindness to her, were not her real family even if she thought of them as one.

    Yong Weiqing and his wife were so kind to her but she couldn''t bring herself to face them anymore. She was not a part of their family. The trouble she caused them was enough.

    When Huang Li told her that he wanted to meet her parents, she couldn''t help but think... Did she even have one?

    She even considered herself a bad child since after the argument she had with her real father after she failed in convincing him to not file a divorce, she stopped visiting her mother. She couldn''t bear to see her situation. She always ended up crying whenever she saw her, her poor mother who would stare at the window for the whole day without moving an inch or saying out a word.

    Fan Xiao Yao told herself that she wouldn''t break down after confiding her past to Huang Li but why? Why couldn''t she stop her tears?

    Shi Enxi was right. She was such a crybaby.

    At times like these, whenever she recalled her parents, she wanted to go back to the time where they still happy. She tried her best not to think of them since it only made her yearned for those times where they were complete, where her parents were still laughing, where they were still deeply in love with each other, where they spoiled their daughter by showering her with their love. She yearned so much of those times. She wanted to go back in time and if it was possible, she could have warned them not to go hiking.

    The world turned into a blur, and so did all the sounds. The taste. The smell. Everything was just gone. Fan Xiao Yao paused trying to hold back the strange feelings rumbling inside her but she couldn''t.

    "I... I want to go back..." She wanted her dad and mom back. So many tears burst forth like water from a dam, spilling down her face. Her chin trembled as if she was a small child. She breathed heavier than she ever had before. She was gasping for air that simply wasn''t there. Her throat burned, forming a silent scream.

    She had never cried this way for a long time since the day where she wanted to end her life, the day where Shi Enxi saved her, stopped her from killing herself because of her depression.

    When the wracking sobs passed she cried in such a desolate way that no-one could bear to listen for long. She had gone from gregarious to hanging by a thread, a transformation no-one knew how to reverse. Even Huang Li didn''t know what to say when he saw her break. All he could do was hug her.

    This was her deepest wound, a wound that never healed even to this day.

    "I-I''m sorry... I''m... sorry... Sorry... Mom... Dad..." Her voice trembled as she hardly muttered those words out. She wanted to save them but she couldn''t do anything, not even one thing. She couldn''t even bring them back. Maybe if she became more loving to her father back then when he returned, she could have done something. She could have warmed his heart. If only she tried her best to reach him out. Maybe. Just maybe.

    Huang Li rubbed her back gently trying to calm her. He never wanted to see her this way. He never expected that she had such a past. He wanted to say something but what should he say? Everything was going to be alright? An old wound like hers couldn''t be healed by those simple words. "Xiao Yao..."

    She clenched on his shirt and buried her face on his shoulder as her tears continued falling. "D... Don''t hate me... Please... P-please don''t hate me..."

    Those words were not for Huang Li, it was for her parents. The threads of every happy memory she could ever once recall, all but disarray of strings scattered in her mind. At that moment, it was as if her child self was the one speaking out those words.

    He felt his heart squeeze. He hugged her close. Even if those words were not for him, he closed his eyes and answered, "I will never hate you..."

    It may not come from her parents but his words were like magic that brought warmth and comfort to her aching heart.

 Chapter 191 - Next week

    Huang Li stayed by Fan Xiao Yao''s side until she was able to calm down. No, she didn''t calm down. She cried herself to sleep. It was another release that she needed.

    It was already late at night. Their neighbors were probably already asleep. The sound of her sobs and cries came to stop. The room became silent. Only their breathing and the tick of the clock was heard.

    He carried her into his arms, in a bridal style, bringing her to their room. He gently and carefully placed her down on the bed, pulling the blanket up until her shoulders and watched her sleep for a while, and at that moment, he made a promise that he was going to stay by her side and take away as much pain as he could from her.

    Some people leave after finding out how broken a person was. They were people who couldn''t handle the burden of taking care of such a person since they were not strong enough to take care of such a person. But Huang Li wasn''t like that. Seeing this side of her, learning her past, even if it was such a hurtful thing for him to see her that way, only brought him closer to her. They were both broken people who were brought together to complete each other. They were each other''s pillar.

    He reached out and carefully brushed a stray strand of her hair away from her face. He leaned forward, bending down just to place a soft, loving kiss on her forehead. "Everything''s going to be alright." He was going to make sure of that for her.

    He was planning on proposing to her after getting her parents'' blessings it seemed like that wasn''t needed at all. It seemed like he needed to get his plans started.

    ...

    As Fan Xiao Yao woke up from her deep slumber, everything was blurry for a second until her sight cleared up and what greeted her was Huang Li''s peaceful sleeping face. It was rare for him to oversee this way so it kind of surprised her to see him still asleep.

    What time was it?

    She was about to turn but stopped when she felt Huang Li''s arm around her waist. She was about to carefully move his arm away when she suddenly felt him pull her closer to him.

    "It''s too early..." Huang Li mumbled. "It''s still early..."

    She lifted her head a bit just to look at him again. "You''re awake."

    "I''m sleeping." He retorted while his eyes were still shut.

    "People who are sleeping don''t talk back." She pouted a bit.

    He remained quiet this time as if showing that he was now sleeping.

    She chuckled a bit before she buried her face on his c.h.e.s.t.

    "I''m... sorry for troubling you last night..." Fan Xiao Yao apologized, her eyes were still puffy because of last night''s crying.

    "It''s alright. You didn''t trouble me at all." He replied.

    "See? You''re awake!" She leaned back a bit from the hug just to look at his face again.

    "I''m trying to sleep." He slowly opened his eyes, meeting her gaze.

    They stared at each other for a short moment. The side of their lips slowly curled up and they ended up smiling at each other.

    "You''re the best." She snuggled unto him this time.

    "I know." He chuckled, resting his chin on top of her head.

    They stayed like that for a while, enjoying each other''s company until Huang Li broke the silence between them. He was hesitant at first but decided to ask her. "Do you want to see her?"

    She knew who he was talking about. It was her mother. She wanted to see her. She knew that her condition may still be the same as back then but... with Huang Li by her side, she knew that things would get better. She may have broken down earlier but she didn''t want to deal with her past. Huang Li''s presence helped her even if he didn''t say words of comfort. His presence was enough. She was not alone anymore. She has him. She was going to marry him, start their own family. She was going to a parent with him. His presence helped her realize that it was about time to close that chapter of the past and look forward to the future, the future that he was going to share with him.

    "Yes..." She replied honestly. "I want to see her..." She was still her mother after all. It has been years but it was time to face her past and accept reality.

    With a gentle stroke her hair, closing his eyes. "Then let''s go see her together."

    They didn''t have anything scheduled that day, it was weekend so they were free the whole day. Despite that, he still asked her just to make sure, "Today or some other days?"

    Even if she was willing to see her mother, right at that moment, Fan Xiao Yao was not ready. "Next week... can''t we see her next week?

    She closed her eyes and burying her face on his c.h.e.s.t, inhaling his scent; the ocean, and citrus. It was the cologne he used the longest and it seemed to blend in with his body. His scent always had a calming effect on her. Whenever she was inside his strong arms, she had always felt the safest.

    "Next week?" He asked the question smoothly, the baritone of his voice reverberating through his c.h.e.s.t. "Okay. Next week it is then." The low rumble of his voice was comforting as it wrapped around Fan Xiao Yao and carried her off to a world where his voice was the power that could change everything wrong in the world.

    She flushed lightly. Ah, his voice was so s.e.xy. Really s.e.xy this way. She would never get tired of hearing it every day.

    Just like what Huang Li said, it was indeed early for them to get up. She ended up drifting back to a peaceful slumber.

 Chapter 192 - Walk me down the aisle

    The psychiatric ward was once called an asylum, yet it was no place to seek asylum, not the true meaning of the word. It should be a place of refuge from the storms that hurt the mind, a place of love and sanctuary, a place to be welcomed into arms that would hold one until the entire self was soothed, content simply to dwell in those moments with the person, being their anchor, the pillar in their hurricane.

    The b.a.r.e walls and b.a.r.e floors as reflections of what the place really was, as if the building itself was trying to tell the staff what they had built and perpetuated. Then there were the windowless rooms, the lack of real light, the doors without handles for the patients with worse conditions. It was the world''s most obvious constructed metaphor for emotional indifference.

    Gu Haiyang, Fan Xiao Yao''s mother was located in a nicer room with a room that showed the beautiful scenery of the garden.

    When Huang Li and Fan Xiao Yao entered the room, they saw a woman, sitting in her wheelchair, staring out of the window, not moving an inch. It was as if she had been paralyzed in her seat. It was just like how Fan Xiao Yao remembered in her last visit which was almost five years ago.

    "Mom..." She called, carefully approaching her mother.

    She received no response or reaction.

    Fan Xiao Yao took a seat on the chair beside the window that was facing her.

    Her mother had a blank look on her face, her eyes empty. Her almond-colored hair was kept short, until her shoulder. Her skin was as pale as snow but it was just like how Fan Xiao Yao remembered her. Her mother was always pale-looking even if she was fine.

    The sweet smell of jasmine lingered in the air and it came from the bouquet of jasmine that Huang Li was holding. Jasmine was Gu Haiyang''s favorite flowers after all.

    Fan Xiao Yao inwardly sighed upon seeing her mother''s lack of reaction. She tried her best not to cry even though it was hard for her to see her like that. "Mom, I want to introduce someone to you. He is my fiance."

    Huang Li only approached and stood on his lover''s side after receiving a glance from Fan Xiao Yao. "Hello, Mrs. Fan. My name is Huang Li."

    It was as if they were talking to a wall. Every word they said never reached her mother.

    "I heard from Yaoyao that Jasmine''s are your favorite flowers. Let me put this in a vase." He walked towards the empty vase that was on top of a drawer beside the bed.

    Meanwhile, Fan Xiao Yao remained on her seat, staring at her mother. She reached out and held her hand, feeling her mother''s warmth through it. Her lips trembled as her eyes became glossy. "Mom... I''m sorry for not visiting you..." She lowered her head. "I''m really sorry for being a bad daughter to you..."

    Huang Li who heard her words slightly turned to look at Fan Xiao Yao. He couldn''t do anything at the moment since this was her time with her mother. He shouldn''t disturb them.

    She wiped the tears that formed with her free hand and chuckled a bit. "As you can see... Guess I''m still a crybaby huh?" She gently rubbed the back of her hand with her thumb. "You know mom, I became an actress and I even won lots of big awards!" She laughed a bit. " But I decided to stop since I''m going to get married soon... I really wish that... you can come... to my wedding. If it''s possible, I really want you to walk me down the aisle."

    Since Fan Xiao Yao was looking at their hands, she wasn''t able to catch how Gu Haiyang''s left brow twitched for a second.

    "We actually already bought a house. You can live with us." She smiled. "Oh yeah if you''re wondering what kind of person my fiance is, he''s really kind and loving. He''s a doctor too. He was working at a hospital once but he decided to build his own clinic. The townspeople love him." She chuckled as she continued to tell her mother about Huang Li. She wanted to focus on the good memories so that she won''t end up crying again. "I''m pretty sure that you''re curious about how I met him."

    Meanwhile, Huang Li quietly left the room. Fan Xiao Yao may have told him that she wanted him to be by her side the whole time earlier but from how he saw how she was able to manage not crying out, he decided to give the mother and daughter duo some privacy.

    Fan Xiao Yao continued to tell her mother what happened to her throughout the years and she stopped when her mother finally turned her gaze at her. Gu Haiyang turned, but too slowly to be normal.

    What was different this time in her eyes was that... it was no longer empty?

    Words left her. Fan Xiao Yao stared into those bright black eyes that twinkled with light in them. She could even see her own reflection in her mother''s eyes. Her mother was looking at her... She was looking at her. Her heart fell silent.

    Gu Haiyang saw the shock register on her daughter''s face. The side of her lips slowly curled up, a small smile played on her lips. "Yao... Yao..." Her voice was a bit raspy, her throat dry. It was as if she was learning how to talk again.

    Fan Xiao Yao''s face washed blank with confusion like her brain cogs couldn''t turn fast enough to take in the information from her wide eyes. Every muscle of her body just froze before a grin crept onto her face, it soon stretched from one side to the other showing every single tooth. "M-mom?"

    Her mother blinked slowly, life filled her eyes as she started more at her daughter. She even tried to squeeze Fan Xiao Yao''s hand but she didn''t have enough strength. Her body was weak because of a lack of exercise.

    "Mom!" Tears were spilled as Fan Xiao Yao leaned forward and hugged her.

 Chapter 193 - Proposal

    Who would have thought that one day, Fan Xiao Yao would be able to pull her mother out from the darkness? She never thought that such a day would actually come. Having her mother back brought out the inner child inside her, the child who yearned for her mother''s warmth. Who longed to have her back.

    She relaxed into her arms so fully it''s like they were one organism, melted together. She had a look of contentment on her face, the kind. She had everything he wanted in life right there, bouncing up back.

    The nurse was called soon after and was followed by the doctor.

    After watching the doctor check on Gu Haiyang''s condition, Fan Xiao Yao went back to her mother''s side and listened to the doctor''s diagnosis. When they made sure that she was fine and her condition was stable, they permitted Fan Xiao Yao to sign the discharge papers within that day.

    "I hope you don''t mind bringing my mother to our place." Fan Xiao Yao was currently speaking with Huang Li outside of her mother''s room.

    He reached out and held her hand, smiling gently at her. "Why would I mind? Now that you have your mother back, I can ask her for her blessing, right?"

    She chuckled lightly and happily, "I guess you can do that now... But for now, let''s give her time to recover."

    He leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "Of course, of course. As much as I want you for myself at home, I guess I have to start sharing your attention with your mother."

    "I''m really happy right now." She closed her eyes with a contented smile on her lips. What was lacking in her life was only her parent, her mother.

    ...

    Bringing Gu Haiyang to their place wasn''t a bad decision. She was slowly gaining her strength back and every morning, Fan Xiao Yao would accompany and assist her mother for a walk, to strengthen her legs again.

    One day, while Fan Xiao Yao was out in the market, Huang Li was left with the older woman.

    "Here, have some tea, Auntie." Huang Li offered, placing the tray with teacups and a plate of macaroons on the coffee table.

    "Thank you." She smiled at him. "Why don''t you take a seat and join me?"

    This was actually an opportunity to talk with him without her daughter being around. During the past days, Fan Xiao Yao never left her mother''s side. She was like a kitten who followed her mother around the place. Huang Li, on the other hand, was busy with the clinic so they weren''t really able to have a deep conversation with each other.

    Huang Li saw this as an opportunity to ask for her blessing as well so as soon as he took a seat on the sofa, he didn''t hesitate on saying, "Mrs. Fan, I''m planning on proposing to your daughter soon."

    Gu Haiyang blinked a few times in confusion. She placed the teacup back on the table before turning back her gaze at him. "Haven''t you proposed to her already? Considering that she is calling you her ''fiance''?"

    "I did tell her that I want to marry her and... I did ask her hand for marriage but I want to do a proper proposal for her." He paused and took out a small maroon box. He opened it and inside of it was a ring with a big diamond in the middle of the band of platinum gold. "I wasn''t able to give her this ring back then."

    "Oh my, that sure is a beautiful ring. I''m sure that she will love it." She smiled although it died faster than wisps of smoke dissipated after a candle flame has been snuffed out. "But my daughter is more precious than any gold, silver, or diamonds in this world." With a serious look in her eyes, she asked, "Do you really love her? How much do you love her?"

    Huang Li wasn''t surprised when he saw her get serious. It was only for a parent to worry about their children after all. In fact, he was glad that she still cared for her daughter after all these years. She didn''t become like her husband who became cold towards Fan Xiao Yao after he recovered.

    "I love her, ma''am and I don''t think my love for her can be measured. I wish I can explain how wonderful she is. How I could look into her eyes and never get tired of their beauty. How the sound of her voice gives me butterflies. How seeing her walk into a room never failed to make me smile. When I wake up in the morning, I think of her. Before I go to sleep, I think of her and all those hours in between, even if we are not together, I think of us. As you can already see, she has consumed my wholeness. My heart, body, soul, and mind. I will only love her for the rest of my life and to the next."

    Gu Haiyang''s mouth twitched and was fighting a smile as she listened to all his words. She could tell that he was serious and he genuinely meant those words but she couldn''t help but feel afraid for her daughter. "My ex-husband once told me something similar to what you said." And yet he left her. He should have stayed by her side until she recovered but he didn''t. She couldn''t blame him tho. They were tortured and he saw how his wife was defiled in front of him. Who would want a broken, dirty person as their wife?

    Huang Li reached out and held her hand gently, "I am not your husband, Auntie. I swear that I will never hurt your daughter no matter what. She has accepted me as a whole despite all my imperfections and so will I."

    Her eyes became glossy as tears formed in them. She held back his hand, placing her other hand on top of his. She was grateful and happy to have him as her daughter''s lover. "Thank you..." Just like what Fan Xiao Yao told her, he was indeed a wonderful person.

    ---

    A/N:

    Oh wow! What a surprise! I can see the book going up in ranks! :D My dear readers have woken up from their graves! I''m so happy! XD

    As a thank you gift for your power stones, your support, and undying love for this book. I will be giving 3 chapters mass release on Saturday (10/17)! <3

    If ranks keep on getting higher, I will give you all another thank you gift, and this time, 5-7 chapters mass release! <3 If you''re wondering what rank will unlock this mass release, hmm... Maybe around top 90s?

    The higher the rank is, the more frequent the mass release will be. Maybe I might also give mass release once a week once it will reach higher ranks so keep on showering your love, support, and power stones for this book! <3

    And once again, since we''re already here, I would like to announce to everyone that this book will reach 300s chapters. As for when will the story focus back on Shi Enxi and Lu Mello... *drum rolls*

    SPOILER ALERT! (SKIP IF YOU DON''T WANT SPOILERS!)

    .

    .

    Around chapter 220-230s? If I estimated it correctly. Fan Xiao Yao''s spotlight and focus will only be short so don''t worry. She will meet Shi Enxi in the future and once she does, meaning, she will leave the country just to drag her back *winks* The story will focus back on SE and LM once they meet again.

 Chapter 194 - Childhood friend

    Supermarket...

    Fan Xiao Yao was wearing a facial mask so that people who knew her, her fans, and people who simply watched her shows wouldn''t recognize her.

    One time, while they were in the city, she had to stay at a shopping department inside the mall for hours since people began asking for her signatures and photos. It was then she realized how famous she actually was. She could have just declined them all but she was still a public figure and she already knew how the paparazzi worked. It was a good thing that Huang Li was able to save her from the sea of people. His presence made girls fangirl over him. Since the public already knew that he was her boyfriend, the people present fangirled over the couple. When Huang Li politely requested for the people surrounding them to move aside, they listened. Maybe it was because of how charming his smile was when he showed it to them when he kindly asked them to make a way for them.

    What happened at the mall soon spread in Weibo. They were a couple that most people admired and respected. Even Huang Li''s previous patients commented and praised him. Those who read their comments began liking Huang Li more.

    It was one of the reasons why they had to move to a small town away from the city just so they could live their peaceful lives away from the media.

    Fan Xiao Yao filled the cart she was pushing with food. As she was about to reach out and pick the pack of carrot juice, she saw another hand reaching out for the same product. Luckily, Fan Xiao Yao was able to hold it first. She turned her head to the person beside her and as she did, her eyes went wide upon seeing a familiar face.

    The man has the swagger of someone she didn''t even want to lock eyes with, let alone cross. The lumberjack shirt he wore was loose, odd, he didn''t look like he could possibly have lost weight. His curls were midnight black and his eyes were dark brown, framed by graceful brows. The side of his lips raised into a boyish grin, "I know it''s you. Never thought I''ll see you here, Yaoyao."

    "Y-Yong Liwei..." She muttered and stuttered.

    What was he doing here?

    It was a good thing that she was wearing a mask but her eyes showed him how surprised she was. She quickly tried to regain her composure by forcing out a smile behind the mask.

    "At first I thought that it wasn''t you but you reached out for the carrot juice so this time, I was sure of it." He said, the boyish grin on his lips was still plastered on his face.

    She released the pack of carrot juice, slowly retracting her hand away from it. "Wow... Never thought that I''ll see you here..."

    "Right?" He chuckled. "Long time no see!" In a blink of an eye, he attacked her with a hug. "I missed you!"

    She was startled by it but seeing the usual him only made her sigh and smile in defeat. It was not like she hated him, she was actually also happy to see him again. She gradually hugged him back and gently patted his behind.

    "I missed you too..." She whispered.

    He pulled away a bit just so he could look at her, "How long has it been hm? You''ve gotten pretty famous too. Mom and dad are so proud whenever they saw you on the Tv you know." He laughed lightly. "You should come and visit them. They missed you."

    "Yeah, I will visit them sometimes..." She didn''t mind visiting them once. And besides, she also wanted to invite them to her wedding in the future. They were people who helped her during elementary and high school. Even if they were not her real family, they treated her as one. Aside from that, they were a family friend so she was pretty sure that they would be happy to know that her mother finally recovered after long years of waiting. "Anyway, what are you doing here?"

    "I''m checking out the new mall here. How about you?"

    "I''m living here..."

    "Really?" He grinned. "That''s great! We can hang out more while I''m still here! You can tour me around the town."

    She chuckled a bit, "I''m not sure about that since I''m already busy with other things but you can come and pass by my place for free dinner."

    "Oho? You''re not going to serve burnt food for me, won''t you?" He teased.

    She rolled her eyes, "Oh please, that was so many years ago. I was in high school. You''ll be surprised by how well I can cook now."

    "Now that''s interesting. I can''t wait to try out the food you cook!"

    "How about having your lunch at my place? I''m in charge of cooking for lunch." She turned to the watch around her wrist just to check on the time. "I''m pretty sure mom and Huang Li won''t mind having a guest." She turned her gaze back to him and grinned behind her mask but the way her eyes smiled; turning into a present moon shape was enough to show it.

    "Your mom?" He asked in confusion.

    "I have so much to tell you! I bet auntie and uncle will be shocked too!" Her eyes were sparkling brightly in delight just by talking about her mother. She was that happy to have her back.

    "Alright..." He trailed off, chuckling at how adorable she looked when she suddenly got all excited but then, the smile on his lips slowly faded out when he remembered something. "Oh yeah, ''Huang Li'' is the name of your boyfriend, right?"

    "Fiance." She corrected, suddenly looking so proud. "He''s my fiance. You should meet him, he''s pretty cool!"

    He pouted, "I can''t believe that you''re going to marry earlier than me."

    She crossed her arms and smirked, "Now that you said that, I suddenly remembered our bet back then."

    "Bet? What bet?" He asked, acting all clueless. He knew what it was tho, he remembered the bet they made when she was in high school.

 Chapter 195 - Yong Liwei

    "Ha! Don''t act like you don''t know, gege!" She huffed. "The first person who''ll get married between us will receive two months'' supply of her favorite food from the loser. The first person who''ll have a child will receive a month''s supply of diapers from the loser." She grinned playfully.

    Yong Liwei scratched his nape and averted his eyes from her, "Ah... That bet."

    "Yes. This bet. Looks like I will be getting married ahead of you, gege."

    He looked back at her and huffed, "What? Who said you''ll win? I can just propose to my girlfriend tomorrow and marry her next week." He lied.

    She raised a brow, giving him a scrutinizing stare to which he looked away again.

    Fan Xiao Yao ended up giggling upon seeing through his lie, "I was just kidding. That was such a childish bet after all."

    He inwardly sighed in relief before letting out a chuckle, "Yes. Childish. Anyway, are you done with your grocery?"

    "Yup!" She picked the pack of carrot juice and placed it inside the cart. "I''m done. How about you?" She looked at the basket he was carrying.

    "Me too. Let''s go pay up so that I can finally have lunch with you after."

    ...

    Huang Li opened the door and was surprised to see Fan Xiao Yao standing beside a man who was helping her in carrying the groceries.

    "Love, meet Yong Liwei. He''s a childhood friend of mine. I met him at the Supermarket." She took a step forward, tiptoeing just so she could kiss him on his cheek. "He''ll be joining us for lunch."

    "Oh, I see." He didn''t give much thought about him, instead, he carried the plastic bags that Fan Xiao Yao was carrying before looking at the other guy, taking a step aside. "Please, come in."

    Yong Liwei gave him a small smile and muttered, "thanks," before he entered the place.

    "Mom," she hugged her mother.

    "Welcome back dear." Gu Haiyang smiled. She turned her gaze to the man who came in and was followed by Huang Li.

    "Oh yeah, meet uncle Weiqing''s son, Yong Liwei." She introduced him to her mother.

    "My, you were a boy the last time I saw you." Gu Haiyang warmly welcomed their guest. She even went to him and gave him a hug.

    Yong Liwei chuckled, "and sister was pregnant of Yaoyao during that time." He was older than her daughter by almost twelve years old back then so he could clearly remember her.

    "By the way, I should start preparing food for lunch. Mom, please entertain our guest." Fan Xiao Yao grinned. She took the plastic bags that Yong Liwei was carrying before she followed Huang Li to the kitchen.

    And so, her mother accompanied their guest in the living room and talked about the old times with him. The two seemed to have gotten close with each other.

    Meanwhile in the kitchen...

    "What''s he doing in this town?" Huang Li asked while he began refilling the cabinets with the things she bought.

    "It''s work. He said that he''s in charge of building a new mall in this town." Fan Xiao Yao replied, putting on the apron and trying the ribbon behind her.

    "Ah, I saw the construction in the south part of the town. I think the mall''s going to be bigger."

    "I guess that will be a good thing. This town needs a Mall. We won''t have to go to the city anymore." She chuckled.

    The town lacked a Mall. It was mostly boutiques at the side of the streets located near Central Park. The small town was slowly expanding that was why it was only normal to add more attractions inside.

    Not long, after cooking the food for lunch, they began preparing the table, filling it with plates, bowls chopsticks, and the food.

    "Wow, did you made all of these?" Yong Liwei asked in amazement, looking at the food on the table.

    "No. Huang Li cooked the chow mein, hot and sour soup, and mom''s favorite, honey chili potato. I cooked this. Fresh poultry cuts smothered with wheat powder and boiled in olive juice." She said with a wide grin plastered on her lips.

    Gu Haiyang: "..."

    Yong Liwei: "..."

    Huang Li, the one who suggested the name was just quietly smiling at his seat. (^^)

    Yong Liwei was looking at the food she cooked, dumbstruck. He didn''t even know what to say.

    "It''s fried chicken." Fan Xiao Yao''s mother finally said, taking the words out of their guest''s mouth.

    "She actually improved a lot this time." The teacher, Huang Li, complimented. "It was burnt the last time she cooked one."

    Gu Haiyang sighed, "No wonder you''re in charge of cooking every day."

    Her daughter pouted at her mother''s words, "I improved a lot you know!"

    When Yong Liwei snapped out of his trance, he ended up laughing, "Yeah! From eggs to chicken!"

    Gu Haiyang giggled, "I think I can also give my daughter some lessons on how to cook whenever you''re busy with work."

    "I would really appreciate that." Huang Li said with a smile.

    "Argh! Enough talking about my cooking skills! Let''s just dig in already!" Fan Xiao Yao g.r.o.a.n.e.d, rolling her eyes.

    And so, they sat around the table and began eating their lunch. They continued to talk about a few more topics as they did which liven the mood around them.

    "Thank you for the wonderful lunch." Yong Liwei said as he walked beside Fan Xiao Yao and Huang Li who was now attending him to the door. "I would like to stay longer but I''m a busy man."

    "You can visit us anytime you want. You''re always welcome at this place." Huang Li said warmly.

    "Thanks, bro." He replied with a small smile. "Do take care of Yaoyao and auntie."

    "I will. Don''t worry."

    Fan Xiao Yao opened the door for him and before he could leave, she gave him a hug. "Take care on your way back."

    Yong Liwei patted her head and chuckled, "Yeah, thanks."

 Chapter 196 - Lu Xingyans Book

    Just like what she told Yong Liwei, Fan Xiao Yao decided to visit his parent together with her mother. Gu Haiyang also agreed with the idea. She wanted to thank them personally for taking care of her daughter.

    Yong Liwei helped them by letting his parents know that they were arriving that day.

    Despite having successful children, Yong Weiqing and his wife lived in a simple, small house located in Sichuan. It was far away from Beijing but it was worth the travel. They had to stay for four days there. Huang Li wasn''t able to come with them since he had other things to do.

    They were warmly welcomed by Yong Weiqing and his wife. They were actually surprised at first when they learned about Gu Haiyang but at the same time, they were happy for her.

    ...

    Meanwhile, Huang Li was left alone in their place and was busy preparing for his proposal for Fan Xiao Yao.

    While she was away, he decided to visit Lu Mello and ended up meeting Lu Xingyan, Lu Mello''s younger sister instead.

    She was sitting on the sofa in the living room, waiting for her brother''s arrival. Her c.h.e.s.tnut-colored hair was woven into a braid, resting on her shoulder. She hasn''t noticed his presence since she was too focused, looking at a book. He could see the floaters, those few long, elegant strands of hair she always kept at bay with a hand as she read. Her expression was so far away. Her eyes seemed to follow those pages delicately. Her fingers would stroke the words elegantly.

    He took a step forward and then followed by his other foot as she began approaching her. He suddenly noticed how old the book looked, each page was almost brown and when she turned another, some pages were even torn. It suddenly made him wonder what kind of book was she reading?

    As he was finally a few feet away from her, she finally seemed to notice his presence. Lu Xingyan lifted her head and straightened her back. She blinked a few times upon seeing an unfamiliar face.

    "Yes?"

    Huang Li turned his gaze to her. He smiled a bit and greeted, "Hello. I''m a friend of Mello. My name is Huang Li."

    Her eyes widened a bit upon hearing his name but the look of surprise soon disappeared as soon as it came. "Oh!" She closed the book and placed it on her side before she stood up and reached out her hand to him for a handshake. "My name is Lu Xingyan, his sister."

    "It''s nice to meet you."

    "You too. Please have a seat." She offered to which he followed. She soon said after as soon as she sat on the sofa again, "My brother is currently on his way back from a meeting. I already gave him a call earlier so he should be on his way back." She turned to a servant who entered the room and ordered her to get them some drinks and snacks.

    Huang Li never met Lu Mello''s sisters but he saw them appear on Weibo sometimes. If he remembered correctly, Lu Xingyan should be the famous pianist sister of Lu Mello.

    Since Lu Xingyan wasn''t the talkative type, the room was awkwardly quiet so he decided to start some small talks with her.

    "You have a twin, right?" He started.

    "Yes. Her name is Lu Weichun."

    "Ah, right. She''s Shi Yi''s girlfriend."

    "Fiance." Lu Xingyan corrected him. "He already proposed to her."

    "Oh..." Did Shi Enxi know this? Even if she was gone now, he was pretty sure that she would come back just to attend her brother''s birthday, right?

    Once again, the room became quiet. Lu Xingyan looked hesitant about something. It was as if she wanted to ask him a question but she couldn''t bring herself to do it. Not being able to handle it anymore, she decided to excuse herself.

    While she was away, Huang Li was curious about the old, worn-out book that she was reading earlier so he went and took it but the moment he held the book, he felt an ache in his head. He stumbled a bit because of the sudden dizziness as well that he ended up sitting on the sofa, the same place where Lu Xingyan sat earlier.

    It was only a matter of seconds before the headache disappeared and his head became clear again.

    Huh? What was that about? He thought but didn''t really think much of it. He had been sleeping late the past few days so that''s must be the reason why he was suddenly feeling unwell.

    He turned his focus back on the book and slowly, carefully opened it. When he did, he saw it blank which only made him confused. He turned page after page until he reached the last but there was nothing, not even a word. Strange.

    Didn''t he saw Lu Xingyan reading the book earlier? If it was actually blank then what was she reading?Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#''s-book_49026132376353895">#''s-book_49026132376353895</a> for visiting.

    "Shit!"

    He raised his head and turned to look at the shocked Lu Xingyan. Her face instantly became pale as if blood was drained from it.

    He closed the book and smiled a bit as he apologized, "I''m sorry for checking out your book without permission." He placed it on the side and stood up.

    "I-it''s fine." She stuttered, watching him go back to the couch he was originally seating on earlier. She rushed back to the sofa and picked the book, this time, placing it inside her bag.

    "If you don''t mind me asking, the book''s blank so... what were you reading earlier?" He questioned out of his curiosity.

    "Oh, this book? I was not reading anything. This is actually a sketchbook and I was trying to think of something to draw earlier." She replied, smiling a bit at him.

    "I see. So you like to draw?"

    "Yes."

    If it was a sketchbook, why did he saw her stroke the page as if she was stroking words and sentences? Did he really see it wrong? He must have seen it wrong, right? It must be because of the headache that he started mistaking the things that he saw.

 Chapter 197 - Record of first lives

    Huang Li never asked about the book after that and decided to patiently wait for Lu Mello''s arrival.

    Soon after, the person they were waiting for finally entered the living room. Lu Mello knew that his sister was waiting for him but he never thought that Huang Li would be there too since he never received any messages from him... Well, he didn''t check his phone yet so he wasn''t able to see the message that Huang Li sent him earlier.

    "I think you should talk with your friend first." Lu Xingyan said with a small smile. "I will wait for you in your study room."

    Lu Mello nodded, giving her a nod. "Okay."

    After Lu Xingyan left, Lu Mello turned to Huang Li and smiled, "What brings you here?"

    "I was actually wondering if you can help me with my proposal for Yaoyao." Huang Li said, straight to the point.

    A grin spread over Lu Mello''s face, wide and open, showing his white teeth. "About time! So, what do you want me to do?" He walked towards the sofa and took a seat there.

    Huang Li began discussing his plans with him to which Lu Mello listened carefully and from time to time he gave him suggestions. He was happy to help him and be his wingman, after all, Fan Xiao Yao was still an important friend in his life.

    Lu Mello appreciated the effort Huang Li was giving just so he could plan the best proposal for his childhood friend.

    While they were discussing things, Lu Mello couldn''t help but remember how things were supposed to be in the past; Huang Li as the notorious villain that helped Shi Enxi with the crimes she committed and Fan Xiao Yao, the woman who didn''t have it easy when it came on her love life.

    Lu Mello had a huge part in breaking Fan Xiao Yao''s heart because of what happened in the past. He once loved her but things didn''t go well between them because of Shi Enxi. They both fell for the traps set for them and above all, he never expected to fall for her later in their life.

    After all the things she did to him, why did he forgive her? Why did he continue to love her? He could have avoided her instead in this second life. He could have stopped her plans and protect his relationship with Fan Xiao Yao but no, he didn''t do that since his feelings for his childhood friend were long gone.

    Shi Enxi affected his life so much that even up to this day, he was painfully loving her. He didn''t have to... He could just stop loving her. She was a ruthless, heartless woman who was up to this day, kept on hurting the people around her. She was evil. Truly evil and yet... He couldn''t stop loving her even if he gave up on going after her. It would take time for him to move on from her.

    "You know... Mello... I always wished for a beautiful life..."

    These were the words Shi Enxi told him in the past. In his previous life.

    "And... I''m happy that you made me experience one... even if it''s just for a short while."

    He was trying his best to give her this life now. He tried his best to stop her from doing the crimes that would shatter this opportunity in this life so why? Why was she gone now? Where did he go wrong?

    After all these hurtful things she did, after the constant betrayal she did, why couldn''t he hate her?

    "Even if it''s just you... please don''t hate me... I don''t want you to hate me."

    He could hear her voice as if she was there right now, speaking beside him. She always sounded strangely melodic. Her voice was sweet but venomous, like cupcakes sprinkled with poison.

    "Stupid Mello..."

    Yes, he was stupid. He was a fool for loving a woman like her but he couldn''t help it. He couldn''t control his heart, his love, his feelings.

    "It would be nice if Xiao Xi can come..." The words he heard came from Huang Li, snapping him out of his deep thoughts.

    A small, bitter smile escaped Lu Mello''s lips, "I don''t think she will." That was one thing he was sure about.

    Huang Li sighed, knowing that he was right.

    Lu Mello turned his gaze to him and stared at him for a while. He never thought that he would be speaking with Huang Li like this when... he was supposed to be his rival in love and yet, here he was, loving the woman Lu Mello was supposed to love in the past. It was kind of funny how fate played their lives this way. Too many unexpected things happened in this life.

    "Anyway, thank you for helping me out." Huang Li said with a smile. "I should probably get going now."

    ...

    Lu Mello entered his study and saw his sister, Lu Xingyan, waiting for him on the sofa, holding an old book. The same book that Huang Li saw earlier.

    She turned her eyes to him, a serious expression plastered on her face. She patted the space beside her. "Gege, I want to show you something."

    He blinked a few times in confusion but he still went and took a seat beside her.

    Lu Xingyan turned her gaze back at the book, "Did you know...?" She paused, giving the book cover a soft stroke.

    "Know what?" He asked.

    "The men in the Lu family only end up loving one woman in their life. It''s in our family''s history."

    "Huh?"

    Lu Xingyan lifted her head just to look at him. Her eyes impossible to read. "If the first life didn''t go well, they are given a second chance to work things out. You, dad, great grandpa... And a few more men in the Lu family."

    His brain stuttered for a moment and his eyes take in more light than he expected, every part of him went on pause while his thoughts tried to process her words.

    She opened the book and the words that Huang Li didn''t see earlier appeared on every page. "Now I understand why mom said she hated dad. I''ve read what happened to you and Enxi-jiejie too... This book is like a record of all the first lives of the men in the Lu family as well as some of the women in the family."

 Chapter 198 - Live alone

    "H-how''s that possible?" He asked, stammering.

    Lu Xingyan turned the page to the chapter where Lu Mello''s first life was written and made her brother read it.

    The room was quiet for a while as Lu Mello began reading the chapter. The more he read it, the more surprised he was at how accurate it was.

    ''They were always meant to be together.'' was written at the end of the chapter.

    "I found this book at our Great Granpa Lu Qian''s old house." Lu Xingyan said while watching her brother register what was happening.

    "Do you remember the story that Great Grandpa Lu Qian told us before we go to sleep whenever we spent the vacation at his place?"

    "You mean the... ''The Hunter and the Hermit''?"

    She nodded a bit, "I think it has something to do with this." She sighed. "Back then, when I was in high school, I began having weird dreams... At first, I thought it was just nightmares but then, I found out later on that it was not." She took the book and turned the pages until they reached another chapter. "I didn''t travel back in time like you and dad but I was able to avoid the original tragic event through my dreams. I believed this was supposed to happen. As you can see, the words in this chapter are almost faded, unlike yours and dad. It must be because this didn''t happen at all."

    He once asked his father, Lu Yifeng if it was because of their family bloodline but he didn''t know the answer. Now that her sister was here with the book, explaining things to him, it was slowly getting clear for him.

    "I need to look more into this that''s why I plan on asking dad and mom about this. I just want to let you know about this first after I read what happened in the past."

    "Wait." Lu Mello suddenly remembered something, "Dad said that mom regained her memories of the past later on. She does not have the Lu family''s blood so how''s that even possible?"

    "It''s because she is the woman fated for dad. Dad made a huge mistake to her and he could only be forgiven completely if she regained her memories. At least that''s my theory."

    With butterflies in his stomach and his head buzzing with possibilities. "Do you... think it could also happen to Enxi?"

    Lu Xingyan shook her head, "I don''t think so. If she remembered her past then she might retort to her vicious self. I don''t think that she will be given another chance. There''s a huge possibility that she could be blinded by evilness again."

    "But Shi Anhao is already in jail. All the people she hated are now in jail."

    "Sister Fan Xiao Yao isn''t." Lu Xingyan said with a serious look on her face. "She also hated her, right? You were supposed to be with sister Xiao Yao but she stole you from her all because of her envy and hatred."

    A muscle twitched involuntarily at the corner of his right eye, his mouth formed a rigid grimace. With arms folded tightly across his broad c.h.e.s.t, he tapped his foot furiously and all the while stared out of the grimy window. He couldn''t help but be bothered with something.

    "I don''t think it''s possible for her to regain the memories of her past life."

    ...

    Weeks passed. Fan Xiao Yao was able to meet Huang Li''s parents and they warmly accepted her. They were even able to have dinner together with Gu Haiyang.

    One day, inside the living room of Huang Li''s place...

    "What? You want to live alone?" Fan Xiao Yao asked in surprise. "Why?"

    Gu Haiyang, her mother held her hand and smiled a bit, "I don''t want to trouble you and Huang Li by living together with you."

    "You''re not troubling us, mom." Her daughter quickly retorted.

    "Both of you are too kind." She reached out and gently touched her daughter''s cheek, "But I truly want to live on my own. Somewhere near the sea. You can always visit me you know. Your mother is getting old, sweetheart. Also, you have a life of your own."

    Fan Xiao Yao''s lips trembled, not liking the idea of letting her mother live alone. She just had her after all. "Mom..."

    "Oh sweetheart, don''t cry." She wiped the tears that formed on the side of her daughter''s eye with the side of her thumb. "We''re just going to live in different places. We can still visit each other you know."

    "But you''re going to live alone!"

    "She can live in the same town as my mom." Huang Li suggested. "The town may be small but it''s located near the coast."

    Gu Haiyang turned to him with a grateful smile, "That''s wonderful!" She looked back at her daughter, "See? I won''t be alone. Your mother-in-law and I can hang out together."

    And so, Fan Xiao Yao ended up giving her permission. They bought a small house for her mother in the town located in the province of Hainan. It was pretty far since it was located on another island but it was known for its picture-perfect beaches, awe-inspiring resorts, and tropical foods galore so it was the perfect place for her mother to live. Huang Li''s parents welcomed her in the town and even introduced her to the neighborhood, helping her settle down in the place.

    As Fan Xiao Yao and Huang Li decided to stay for a couple of days at the island. One day, Huang Li brought her out of her mother''s house and decided to walk by the seaside with his lover.

    In the twilight, the beach was tinted sepia, the sand more orange, the water darker, their skin soft to the eye. Strangely, they were the only people seen by the beach. The sunset in the sky as fresh colors brushed upon an artist''s canvas, as if those rays were destined to create a great work of art - one given to those open to capturing simple moments in the soul.

    Scrunching her toes, Fan Xiao Yao felt the softness of the sand, still damp from the retreating tide.

 Chapter 199 - Are you trolling me?

    "I still don''t want to leave my mom alone here tomorrow." Fan Xiao Yao said, taking a seat on the sand.

    "She''s not alone you know." He chuckled as he stood beside her.

    She bent her knee and wrapped her arms around it as she looked at the scenery in front of her. Stars began to fill up the sky and the moon began to rise slowly. She became quiet and didn''t say a thing for a while. She was still upset but she couldn''t do anything about it if it was her mother''s decision.

    As the cold autumn wind blew, her body shivered. "Maybe I can still try to convince her?" She suddenly said but she heard no answer coming from her companion.

    "Huang Li?" She turned only to find out that she was left alone in the place.

    She stood up and looked around but saw no one, not even his shadow. Where the hell did he go? Why did he leave her alone?

    As she began heading her way back, she heard faint music coming from the opposite side of she was heading. She turned and from afar, she saw a faint light. It was where the music was coming from.

    Was there some kind of party?

    But the music was not for party, it was the sound of the piano playing.

    A sudden thought entered her mind and this made her heart race. Could it be...?

    She began following the music and the light and as she walked closer, she saw lamps on the sand lighting the way towards a dinner table that has a LED candle in the middle. It was beautifully set up. Simple and yet serene.

    As she continued to stare, her sight was blocked as a pair of hands suddenly covered her eyes.

    "Guess who?" A whisper was heard beside her ear.

    She didn''t have to guess who he was. Her lips stretched out into a smile as she placed her hands on top of his that was covering her eyes. "There''s no use in covering my eyes now, I saw it all."

    He chuckled and finally lowered his hands, "Ah yes, I guess there''s no use of covering your eyes now that you''ve seen these."

    Fan Xiao Yao felt giddy with excitement. She wanted to run, to shout, to tell everyone what was going to happen...but she had to wait. Her mind was like a butterfly, whatever distraction she chose for herself her mind kept fluttering back to what was about to happen. She had always waited for this moment. Then she''d get that tingly feeling all over again.

    Huang Li was wearing a neat, tailored suit and he looked extra handsome that night especially with the way his hair was styled.

    As he escorted her towards the table, he pulled the chair out for her and waited for her to sit down before he went and took a seat on the opposite side.

    "What''s all of this for?" She asked, acting clueless. She didn''t want to disappoint him by already knowing what he was about to do.

    "I just thought that it would be nice to have dinner here, at the beach." He replied with a smile.

    Just then, two men dressed in a waiter attire came, holding trays with food and a bottle of wine. They placed the food on the table and poured their glasses with the exquisite wine before placing the bottle on the side for later. They shortly left them alone after giving their food.

    Aside from the main dish, which was steak, there was a slice of carrot cake for dessert which only made her smile grew.

    In the middle of having their dinner, Huang Li paused from slicing the steak. He lowered down the knife and fork before he wiped his lips clean.

    "Yaoyao, I want to give you something."

    Fan Xiao Yao''s senses heightened when she heard his words. She turned her gaze at him and tried her best not to look excited, "Yes?"

    He took out a small box from under the table and gave it to her. "Here."

    The box was wrapped with a gift wrapper and on top was a red ribbon.

    Huh?

    She was expecting something smaller and... uh eye-catchy.

    "What is this?" She asked, looking at him then to the box.

    He smiled and chuckled, "You''ll know it once you open it."

    And so, out of curiosity, she unwrapped and opened the box only to see a disorganized Rubiks cube inside.

    "You once said that you wanted to try solving one, right?" He leaned forward and rested his chin on his palm, the smile not leaving his lips.

    Fan Xiao Yao: "..."

    Her shoulders sunk and the excitement she had disappeared. Wait, maybe he was saving it for later? She should just be patient instead.

    "Well... I did say I wanted one."

    "Do you like it?"

    "Yeah. I do." She lied. She wanted a ring, not a Rubik''s cube.

    After having a romantic dinner, their table was soon cleaned up by the same waiters and they were left there to appreciate the view.

    Fan Xiao Yao gave up waiting for the ring and instead, she began trying to solve the cube, turning the pieces. Huang Li patiently watched her and after a whole ten minutes, Fan Xiao Yao was able to put the colors together. As she did, the whole row of the cube loosened, startling her. "Oh my gosh! Oh no! I spoiled it!"

    "No, you didn''t." He laughed lightly, amused at her reaction. "Why don''t you open it?"

    She blinked a few times and did as he said. It was not a simple Rubiks cube, it so happened that it was a treasure c.h.e.s.t.

    Her heart began to race and the excitement she had earlier came back. Was this it?

    As she opened the box, she was it empty which made the sudden excitement she felt dispersed into thin air. With a frustrated look, she turned to Huang Li, "Are you trolling me right now?!"

    -----------

    A/N:

    This is a bonus chapter for everyone! <3

    I hope you enjoyed reading the mass release chapters. It''s my thank you gift for all my beloved readers! You surprised me by pulling this book up in ranks! I never thought this book will be entering the top 140s-130s! Thank you for giving this book your power stones and I hope that everyone can continue to shower it with all their power stones<3

    Love,

    BerriApplepi

 Chapter 200 - Congratulations

    She stopped venting out her annoyance and was surprised to see him kneeling with one knee in front of her instead.

    Huang Li was holding a small maroon box and with a gentle, loving smile as he began speaking. "You are like this puzzle cube, every time I think that I''m this close to solving you, I find another part of the puzzle out of place... But I guess that''s you, a puzzle with a missing piece, impossible to solve... even if that''s the case, I want to keep on trying in hope that I can be your missing piece." He opened the small box he was holding, revealing the beautiful ring he prepared for her before he asked her the question she was waiting for, "Will you marry me?"

    Even if Fan Xiao Yao was expecting this, he was still able to catch her off-guard. He was still able to give her a surprise. Her eyes became misty and soon, tears dripped down from her eyes as she stared down at the man who proposed to her. In one swift motion, she pounced on him, giving him a tight embrace. "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

    He chuckled softly and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, hugging her back. He was glad and relieved that her answer was still the same. After a while, he pulled back a bit and smiled, "I should put this ring around your finger now."

    "Oh yeah." She giggled happily. She wiped her face dry before she showed her left hand to him to which he held it after taking off the ring from the box and slipping it around her ring finger.

    "With this ring, we''re officially engaged." He pulled her hand up as he leaned forward and gave the ring a small kiss.

    "And we can finally get married tomorrow!" She exclaimed happily, jumping on to him again after he gave her the ring.

    Huang Li blinked a few times, placing his hands on her waist. "Tomorrow?" He chuckled.

    "Then when should we get married? I want us to marry within this month! Please?" She tilted her head on the side and grinned at him.

    "I see no reasons why we can''t do that." He smiled helplessly.

    She giggled happily and even gave him a soft peck on his lips before she looked at the ring on her finger. She was grinning ear to ear, she couldn''t stop smiling and it only showed how delighted she was to finally see the ring around her finger.

    ...

    That night, Fan Xiao Yao decided to take a picture of the ring to Shi Enxi by sending it to her Wechat. She even posted a photo of it on her Weibo with a caption: "Finally <3".

    Soon enough, countless comments began flooding the post, all coming from her fans. Some were shocked but most of the comments congratulated her.

    Meanwhile, after who knew a whole fifteen minutes, she was finally able to receive a reply from Shi Enxi.

    Shi Enxi: [Congratulations. :)]

    Fan Xiao Yao was happy to receive a reply from her since she thought that she might just ignore her again. She has been ignoring her messages whenever she was sending one to her.

    She decided to use this chance to ask her, "Can I call?"

    A few seconds after, she received a reply, [Are my kids with you?]

    Shi Enxi had stopped calling her ever since Lu Mello stopped bringing their children to her place. Fan Xiao Yao had always been updating her friend whenever the kids were at her place just so she could call her.

    Fan Xiao Yao: [I''m sorry, Mello hasn''t brought them back to us yet.]

    Shi Enxi: [I see.]

    Just when Fan Xiao Yao thought that she wasn''t going to call her, her phone began ringing and Shi Enxi''s name appeared on the screen.

    She quickly answered the call, pressing the phone''s earpiece against her ear. "Hello, Xiao Xi?"

    "Congratulations on getting engaged." Shi Enxi''s calm, smooth, and honey-like voice was heard from the other side.

    "Thank you! You won''t believe how Huang Li proposed! He was so cool! So cool!" She replied with a lively tone.

    "When do you plan on having your wedding?"

    "Maybe next week? We decided to have it within this month." Fan Xiao Yao was staring at the ring when she answered her question. "I hope that you can come, Xiao Xi... I really want you to be my maid of honor."

    Shi Enxi became quiet on the other line. She didn''t say a word, only the sound of her breathing was heard.

    "Please?" She pleaded. "If not for you, I wouldn''t be able to get to where I am now. Also, Huang Li is like a brother to you, right? I''m pretty sure that you attending our wedding will mean a lot to him too."

    After a whole minute of quietness coming from the Shi Enxi''s side, she finally said, "I''m sorry."

    It was an answer that saddened and Fan Xiao Yao. It only disappointed her further when Shi Enxi ended the call after.

    She lowered her phone and turned her gaze to Huang Li who was leaning against the doorpost with his arms crossed. He was there from the start and he heard all their conversation.

    Fan Xiao Yao shook her head a bit, "I don''t think that she''ll come..."

    Huang Li straightened his back and began taking a step, then another one, as he approached her. He sat at the edge of the bed and reached out to hold her hand. "Do you want me to try talking to her?"

    Fan Xiao Yao sighed, "I don''t think she''ll be answering my call..." She placed her phone on the side before she hugged him by his waist. "I really want her to come..."

    He stroked the back of her hand with his thumb, giving her solace that way. Since he could see how awful she looked, he decided to distract her by letting go of her hand. He held her chin, making her face him before he leaned down for a kiss, startling her.

 Chapter 201 - Id like to do it again

    Huang Li''s lips brush hers until the kiss became hot, fiery, passionate, and demanding. In that minty moment, her senses have been seduced and she could no longer think straight. "Xiao Yao," he whispered slowly, prolonging each letter as if to savor them.

    She ended up smiling in the kiss. She closed her eyes and began kissing him back, her heart fluttering as she clasped her hands on either side of his face.

    Soon enough, things became more heated between them. He began to unbutton her shirt while he placed feather-like kisses across her chin, moving down to her throat.

    Slowly, Huang Li peeled off her shirt. She was already in her pajamas and she wasn''t wearing any bra so her b.a.r.e c.h.e.s.t was exposed to him. He moved back to her lips, gently making her lie down without breaking the kiss. His tongue and lips were coaxing hers as he hovered over her. She m.o.a.n.e.d and her tongue met his. His hand glided slowly down her waist, removing her pajama together with her u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r as they go. After pulling away from the kiss, he leaned down over her, taking off her pajama and u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r completely. He then grasped each of her ankles, quickly tugging her legs apart making her gasp.

    This was not their first time doing such sort of thing but seeing him turn into a beast again was something that made her heart race. When was the last time did they made love? It was weeks ago.

    "Stay still," he mumbled. He began placing kissed inside her t.h.i.g.hs, trailing his kisses up to her belly.

    Her skin was burning. Her face flushed as she felt his hand trailed up from her hip to her waist, and up to her b.r.e.a.s.t. His thumb slowly rolled the end of her n.i.p.p.l.e which earned a groan from her, sensing the sweet feeling all the way to her groin.

    Her fingers clasped the sheets tight and she breathed out, "Huang Li..."

    "Have you been taking your pill?" He asked in a whisper while he continued his slow, sensual assault. His lips reached her other b.r.e.a.s.t, blessing it with the attention of his lips and tongue.

    Her body trembled, not being able to give him a response to his question. She knew how wet she was already. She was too responsive to every little thing he did with her body. From his kisses to his touches, it was driving her crazy, it was making her want for more.

    "Well?"

    "No!" She breathed out.

    He pulled back a bit just to remove his shirt then his boxers, his erection spring free. "We''ll be doing this raw."

    What he said caught her off-guard. "You''re going to get me pregnant?!" She covered her mouth as soon as she exclaimed that. She almost forgot that they were at her mother''s place and she wasn''t even sure if the guest room was soundproof. She only hoped it was.

    He laughed at her reaction, finding her adorable. Damn, he just can''t help but love this woman more. Instead of giving her a reply, he positioned the head of his erection at the entrance of her cavern. "Ready?"

    She giggled and nodded, "Always."

    With that, he slammed into her and a m.o.a.n escaped her lips. Doing it raw was different, he could feel her warmth, her walls around him and it only made him even harder. He shifted onto his elbows so she could feel his weight on her, holding her down. He began moving slowly at first and then he began picking up speed, merciless. He shifted slightly, building deep inside her.

    Fan Xiao Yao''s body quivered; a sheen of sweat gathered over her. There was only him and her in this overwhelming p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e. Soon enough, they reached their limit. She exploded around him and melted under him. And as he came, he called her name, thrusting hard one more and then coming into still as he emptied himself into her, planting his seeds inside his w.o.m.b.

    She was still panting, she could feel how hard her heart thumped. Her thoughts in disarray.

    Huang Li pressed his forehead against hers, his eyes closed, his breathing ragged. When he flickered his eyes open, he gazed down at her, gentle and soft. "I love you..." He placed a kiss on her forehead then slowly pulled out of her.

    She opened her eyes just to watch him lie down beside her, upheld on one elbow. Her face was red and she couldn''t stop her smile from growing on her face. She stretched out a bit and relaxed her body. Her breathing slowly became even but it wasn''t the same for her racing heart, "I love you too..."

    He reached out and brushed a stray strand of her hair away from her face, tucking it behind her. He stared at her face for a while, looking at her lovingly. She was so beautiful. Really beautiful.

    Just then, the fleeting look of gentleness on his face shuttered upon hearing the words that came out of her mouth.

    "I''d like to do it again." She whispered, grinning at him.

    Another laugh escaped his lips. She never failed to amuse him with her words. "Demanding little angel, aren''t you?" He leaned and whispered into her ear, s.e.xily, huskily, "Would you like me to take you from behind this time?"

    She blushed hard. His voice enticing her, sending shivers in her body.

    "Well?" He began placing feather-light kisses around her ear.

    Fan Xiao Yao bit her lower lip lightly. She didn''t mind trying out different kinds of positions. In fact, she was rather feeling excited. "Okay."

    "Are you sure? We need to travel tomorrow." He asked, leaning back a bit just so he could look at her.

    "We can leave in the afternoon or the next day." Her eyes burned with d.e.s.i.r.es for him. She was not going to waste this night with him. "Also... We need to make sure that I''m going to get pregnant tonight."

 Chapter 202 - Im sorry, Huang Li

    Inside of an apartment, Huang Li stood in the middle as if he was waiting for someone. His hair was in a dump and dark bags were seen under his tired eyes as if he hasn''t slept for days.

    A mechanical beep was heard and soon, he saw the door open. When he saw Shi Enxi entering the room, his eyes lit up. Even a smile ended up forming on his expressionless face. He took a step forward and approached her in the middle.

    "You came," he said in a whisper.

    "I''m sorry for making you wait..." She replied, smiling a bit.

    "How about our son? Where is he?"

    "He''s waiting in the car, don''t worry."

    For some reason, he couldn''t help but feel something of her. Shi Enxi has always been good at lying and so was he. Even though they had been together for so long, there were times when he still couldn''t see through her, where he still couldn''t read what she was thinking.

    "I made you wait for so long... I''m sorry..." She reached and cupped his cheek. "I''m sorry, Huang Li."

    You don''t have to be sorry." He placed his hand on top of hers. "It''s finally over, we can leave this place and finally be together."

    Without saying a word, Shi Enxi pulled him down, giving him a soft and gentle kiss which startled him although soon enough, he closed his eyes and kissed her back.

    What was that bitter taste?

    He pulled back a bit, breaking the kiss just so he could look at the woman in front of him. His eyes widened when he saw her crying and with pain seen in her eyes.

    Shi Enxi stroked his cheek with a thumb and continued to say, "I''m sorry... I''m sorry, Huang Li."

    What was she sorry about?

    Just when he was about to ask her about it, he felt a stinging pain in his stomach. He slowly lowered his head just to look at Shi Enxi''s hand that was holding the handle of the knife she used to stab him.

    "I''m sorry..." She pulled the knife out and dropped it on the ground. He saw how her hands, how her body trembled as she took a step away from him. "T-this is the only way I know... I love Mello, Huang Li... I''m sorry, I can''t be with you..."

    Warmblood gushed out of the exposed wound. He pressed snugly against it to stop the free surge of sticky blood. He turned his eyes back at her crying figure as she continued to take a step away. At that moment, he felt betrayed. He had never thought that the woman he trusted the most would end up turning her knife to him.

    "W-why...?" His sight became blurry and he ended up coughing out blood. Ah... she was not contented with a stab. She had to poison him too. Was she that desperate to make sure that he would remain dead?

    Shi Enxi turned and rushed out of the place, leaving him there inside the cold room to die alone.

    He staggered and fell on the sofa, his hands were still pressing his wound. A laugh escaped his lips and was soon followed by a cough. "I guess... I''ll see you later in hell..."

    He knew that by putting poison in her lips, she would also poison herself. He knew that she could have drunk the antidote but when he saw the desperate, pained look in her eyes, he was sure that she would use her remaining time to say goodbye to that man who caused this to happen, Lu Mello.

    Why did this happen to him? Why couldn''t she just choose him? He was the one who remained by her side, who took her side all these years. He was even willing to be used by her. He truly loved her. He loved her so much that he was willing to throw away his success for her and yet, here he was now. Betrayed by the only woman he loved and cared for.

    "I''m sorry..."

    He could still hear her voice even if she has long left him. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#''m-sorry-huang-li_49133953235341163">#''m-sorry-huang-li_49133953235341163</a> for visiting.

    "I''m sorry, Huang Li."

    What was she sorry for? For betraying him? For stabbing him? For poisoning him? Or for not being able to love him back?

    He couldn''t feel the pain anymore as his body began to get numb. He was staring at the ceiling, his eyes misty. Everything began to disappear as his life left his body and as it did, a tear rolled down from his left eye.

    ...

    Huang Li yanked up his body all of a sudden. His body was covered with cold sweat and his heart was racing, pounding hard and loud. His eyes adjusted at the darkness of the room as he began to calm down and soon realized that he was not inside that strange apartment.

    He covered his face with his hands and wondered about that dream. He had been having that kind of dreams lately and every time he did, the parts where he couldn''t remember, the scenes where it was blurry only became clearer.

    "Huang Li?" A soft, sleepy voice was heard.

    Fan Xiao Yao woke up when she felt movement beside her. She slowly sat up and placed a hand on his arm, giving it a c.a.r.e.s.s. "Is it that nightmare again?"

    He lowered his hands from his face and turned to her as he answered, "Yes..."

    When he began having those nightmares, just like this time, Fan Xiao Yao would always wake up since she was a light sleeper no matter how tired she was. He told her about it the first time since he thought that it was just a bad dream. He never thought that he would end up dreaming about it twice or thrice a week. But having her there beside him whenever he woke up brought comfort and calmed his heart.

    Fan Xiao Yao wrapped her arms around him, giving him comfort. She even held his head and made it rest on his shoulder. As she began stroking his hair, she whispered, "It''s just a dream... None of those are real..."

 Chapter 203 - How are you feeling lately?

    Fan Xiao Yao would be lying to herself if she said that she wasn''t bothered by the nightmares Huang Li had. She knew about his past feelings for Shi Enxi but despite that, she decided to trust him. She knew that he would never betray her especially when his feelings for her were real. Still, why was he having such nightmares?

    She pulled him close against her hug as if she was also trying to convince herself that right now, he was there inside her arms. She only hoped that the warm embrace she was giving him was enough to comfort him, to ease his mind from that kind of nightmare.

    In her arms Huang Li was safe and his worries disappeared like rain on summer earth. In that embrace, he was cocooned better than any butterfly-to-be. He felt her soft skin and the gentle squeeze on his own. He bathed in her warmth.

    "Be honest, Huang Li... do you still have feelings for her?" Even if Fan Xiao Yao was sure that he loved her, she couldn''t stop being insecure. She couldn''t help but think that maybe, he was dreaming of Shi Enxi because he still has some lingering feelings for her.

    He pulled back a bit from the hug just so he could look at his lover''s worried, anxious eyes. He reached out and gently cupped her cheek. Looking straight into her eyes, he answered, "Right now, you are the only woman I have feelings for."

    A small smile appeared on her lips. His words were enough to reassure her insecurities. She shouldn''t be driven by negative thoughts anymore. She wanted to give him her full trust. Yes, Huang Li was not the type of man who would cheat on her.

    She leaned in, her forehead resting against his. A second before their lips touched, they closed their eyes. It was just a soft, gentle kiss enough to make each other feel the love they have.

    "Thank you..." She said in barely more than a whisper.

    "For what?" He replied, his voice low and husky.

    "For loving me."

    The side of his lips curled up as he opened his eyes to stare lovingly at her face. He shouldn''t worry her about his dreams anymore. It was his mistake for making her doubt his love for her. Dream or not, at that moment, he decided to let it go. She was right. It was all just a bad dream. Even if it wasn''t a dream, even if it happened to be fate''s game just so his relationship with Fan Xiao Yao could be tested, then bring it on. He may have done plenty of mistakes in that dream, he may have loved Shi Enxi and even had a son with her, it was just a dream, he didn''t care. Right now, the only person reflected in his eyes was Fan Xiao Yao. She was his present and future. In this life, she was the woman he fell in love with. He never regretted falling for her, not even once.

    ...

    Ever since the night where Huang Li decided to focus on his fiance, he stopped having nightmares about his past life. It all ceased. Completely. He was relieved that the nightmares stopped but what made it disappear? Was it because of a decision he made? Was it because of his strong feelings for Fan Xiao Yao? He didn''t know the answer but whatever the reason behind it was, he was relieved that it ended.

    As they began preparing for their wedding. They decided to have a small wedding with only their friends and families invited.

    Fan Xiao Yao was in charge of sending invitations to their friends. The couple was busy preparing for the big day. From pre-wedding events to a bridal shower to a rehearsal dinner ¨C¨C a nice gathering of friends and family.

    Fan Xiao Yao invited the two Lu princesses, Lu Weichun, and Lu Xingyan to be her bridesmaid. She was close friends with them since childhood. As for the maid of honor, she wanted Shi Enxi to be one but with her not around, she couldn''t take the role. Despite that, she still sent her an invitation in hope that she would come to her wedding.

    She decided to think of someone who could take the role but just before she could think of a name, one of the twins called her three days before her wedding day, inviting her out all of a sudden.

    "I guess it''s a bachelorette party for you three." Huang Li said with a chuckle.

    Fan Xiao Yao was supposed to be happy but without having the most important friend that helped her get through, how could she be? Shi Enxi was not only her best friend but also her sister. When she thought of what they have been through, she could only yearn to see her again even if it''s just on her wedding day.

    "At least it''s going to be more fun than having a bachelor party with only Mello." She tried her best to act like she was alright and not bothered by her best friend.

    He chuckled, "Mello said that he''s going to invite some of his friends." He placed the phone he was holding on the side before he stood up and went to her. Wrapping his arms around her, "how are you feeling lately?"

    "It has just been a week you know. I''ve read that you will only be able to know if a woman is pregnant two to three weeks after." Although the thought of having a child with him made her excited. "I hope that we can have a daughter so that once she grows up, she can marry either Xiao Yu or Xiao Xue."

    He laughed lightly in amus.e.m.e.nt, "I can''t believe that you''re already forming a love triangle for the kids."

    Fan Xiao Yao giggled, "I don''t mind having either of the boys as my son-in-law."

    He raised a brow, "but I do mind."

    She hugged him by his neck and tiptoed, kissing him on his chin. "Already becoming a protective father, hm?"

    "Of course. If we''re going to have a daughter, she''s definitely going to be our princess."

 Chapter 204 - Bachelorette Party

    Fan Xiao Yao arrived shortly at the address that Lu Weichun sent her and when she did, she arrived at one of the most expensive hotels in Beijing. It was even labeled seven stars since five stars weren''t enough to describe it.

    Lu Xingyan and her sister, Lu Weichun were waiting for her at the lobby and when she saw the twins, she approached them.

    "Xiao Xing, Xiao Chun." She greeted them with a smile.

    The twins stood up from their seats and even hugged her.

    "Yaoyao-jiejie!" Lu Weichun happily exclaimed.

    "Why are we meeting here?" Fan Xiao Yao asked, blinking a few times in confusion.

    "Why else? We''re going to spend our girls'' night out here!" The older twin grinned as she clung to her arm.

    "But this place is... Price..." She trailed off.

    "Jiejie, define pricey?" Lu Xingyan asked with a small smile on her lips. "Also, we''re not the ones who are paying. Someone else is handling the expenses."

    Someone else? Was he Huang Li? But this was already too much!

    "Let''s go change our clothes and go out partying!" Lu Weichun exclaimed as she began dragging Fan Xiao Yao towards the elevator.

    ...

    They arrived at a two-story private residence with a rooftop garden, wading pool, electronically retractable glass roof. It was something Fan Xiao Yao never once saw or visited in her life. As a woman who came from a normal background, entering the place made her feel like entering a palace.

    Even Lu Xingyan and Lu Weichun looked around in astonishment. Despite being rich, they never really have stayed at a place like this. Lu Weichun would either stay at Shi Yi''s place or either stay at her apartment. Meanwhile, Lu Xingyan was traveling from one place to another, and whenever she had to stay at a place due to her concert, she would usually stay at a normal hotel. Not in a residence like this.

    They walked and entered the living room that was filled with artworks and some even her photos. Everything was neatly decorated. Even classical music was heard.

    "Do you like my wedding gift for you?" A voice of a woman was heard.

    They all turned to the owner of the voice and there they saw a woman walking down the stairs. She was wearing a white bowknot long sleeve blouse and black slacks. With black hair of wool that reached down her shoulders and her head held high, she waltzed on with an effortless saunter. The cl.i.c.k.i.n.g of her heels added rhythm to the soft classical music that was playing in the background without pause. Her black eyes, like an abyss, were calm and emotionless. The side of her red lips curled up into a confident smile as she stopped in front of them.

    The twins didn''t look surprised. Lu Xingyan was smiling while Lu Weichun scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Lame entrance."

    On the other hand, Fan Xiao Yao''s eyes were wide in disbelief. The woman in front of her was someone she has been really wanting to see for a while now. "X-Xiao Xi?" She stuttered and was still in shock. "I-Is it really you?" She even reached out to her hand to poke her arm just so she could check that she was real.

    It was such a comical scene for the rest of the girls, including Shi Enxi. She chuckled and replied sarcastically, "No, I''m not here. I''m just a hologram."

    Tears welled up on the side of her eyes and in the next moment, Fan Xiao Yao pounced on her, giving her a tight hug. "You''re real!"

    A helpless smile appeared on Shi Enxi''s lips as she hugged her back and lightly patted her behind. "What are you? A child?"

    The smile on Fan Xiao Yao''s lips growing. She was that happy to see her there again. Just like how fast she jumped on her, she pulled away from the hug with the same speed. She wiped her tears and quickly asked, "didn''t you said that you weren''t coming?"

    Shi Enxi smirked, "Did I?"

    Now that she thought about it, Shi Enxi never said that she was not coming. All she did was apologize which gave her the wrong idea... maybe.

    "Enxi-jiejie actually called us and told us to meet you here," said Lu Xingyan, chuckling softly.

    "Why didn''t you tell me about it?" The bride pouted, crossing her arms.

    "It''s supposed to be a surprise in the first place." Lu Weichun answered this time.

    "Anyway, you girls should change your clothes in something appropriate for tonight''s activities." Shi Enxi had already planned everything for their two days stay at the place. She led them to Fan Xiao Yao''s room and there they say it designed with balloons on one side of the wall.

    "I bought this place for you. You can choose to stay here with Huang Li after marriage or just use it as a rest house."

    Lu Weichun snickered, "Let me guess who''s money you used."

    Fan Xiao Yao leaned and whispered worriedly, "Won''t Mello receive a notification if you used his card?"

    Shi Enxi raised a brow, looking at the two. One was worried while the other was looking at her in amus.e.m.e.nt. "Do you think I don''t know?"

    Fan Xiao Yao: "Then?"

    "He won''t come." Lu Xingyan was the one who answered her question."

    "Anyway, enough talking about me." Shi Enxi glanced at Lu Weichun, giving her a warning since the tension between them was growing. "Today is about Xiao Yao. There are dresses in the closet, you can choose whatever clothes you want to wear."

    "Come, Yaoyao-jiejie, let''s get you dressed." The younger twin, Lu Xingyan dragged the bride away from the two women who were spoiling the mood.

    Lu Weichun crossed her arms, "I heard that you''re on bad terms with my brother right now."

    "It''s none of your business." She walked by past her and followed the other two women to the closet. Her eyes blank and her face expressionless. She was clearly avoiding the topic of her husband.

 Chapter 205 - So Mello, whats the plan?

    During the morning of that same day, Lu Mello received a notification that his card, the black card that he gave Shi Enxi, was used. Did she finally come back? His heart raced and he suddenly felt sudden excitement but at the same time pain. No, he was not going to run after her anymore. He was not going to ask her to come back. Not after what she caused. He was not going to accept a selfish, and heartless woman like her back in his life. He had already come to that decision and he was going to stick to it.

    At first, he decided to ignore it but later on, while he was at work, in the middle of a meeting, his phone vibrated again and it was another notification from the bank. It didn''t end there, his phone let on vibrating and the prices kept getting bigger and bigger.

    It finally caught his attention which made him look and read at the messages this time. From buying countless dresses and shoes, she bought a residence and even a yacht! Not just that, she also bought another Bugatti!

    He couldn''t help but think about what was his wife was up to?

    He decided to ignore it again but his phone kept on vibrating that he couldn''t help but turn his phone off instead.

    The sudden drop in the room''s temperature and the dark expression on Lu Mello''s face only made the board members shiver in fright. Ah... They never thought that they were going to see something like this again... He surely was Lu Yifeng''s son.

    Even though the phone was already turned off, Lu Mello was still bothered by the thoughts of his wife that he decided to end the meeting early and go back to his office.

    He turned on his phone and decided to give the bank a call to block the card that Shi Enxi was using and a few moments after it was approved, he received a call from an unknown number.

    When he answered the call, the first thing he heard from a familiar voice was, "WHAT THE F.U.C.K LU MELLO?!"

    He had to put his phone away from his ear because of how loud the shout was.

    "Mello?! Hello?! Are you there?!" A woman''s voice shouted from the other line.

    He stared at his phone''s screen for a while. Huh... So in the end she would only call him because of money matters hm?

    "Mello!"

    He pressed the phone''s earpiece back to his ear and calmly asked, "Yes?"

    "Why the hell did you froze my card?!"

    Ah... This shameless woman.

    For some reason, the sides of his lips curled up and he couldn''t help himself from letting out a smile and he answered, "Correction, it''s MY card. I can do whatever I want with it." He replied as he took a seat on the swivel chair.

    "You gave it to me!" She roared.

    He scoffed, "Did I? Weren''t you just burrowing it?"

    "LU F.U.C.K.I.N.G MELLO! I''m YOUR WIFE!"

    "Oh. You remembered." He replied coldly. "Wait, do I even have a wife?"

    "..."

    "I would appreciate it if you come to my place or at my office. I have already prepared the divorce papers. Your signature is the only thing missing in it." Without waiting for her reply, he ended the call and even blocked the number she used before placing the phone down on his desk.

    Of course, he wasn''t serious about the divorce papers. It was just a lie, something that came up in his mind while he was talking with her.

    Ah... That woman was really crazy. All she cared about right now was money... And yet, he loved that crazy woman. Just like her, he felt like he was going crazy with what she was doing to him. He currently had mixed feelings, from longing to anger, to missing to hate. He truly going crazy inside.

    Lu Mello was tapping his finger on the desk and was glaring at the phone as if he was trying to decide on something.

    Just then, the poor phone was saved from Lu Mello''s dagger-like glares when someone suddenly barged in his office.

    "So Mello, what''s the plan?"

    He shot his cold glare towards the man who entered his office and that was none other than Shi Yi. For some reason, seeing his face only irked him even further.

    "Why are you here?" He asked icily.

    Shi Yi blinked a few times in confusion, "Didn''t you say that we''ll be discussing about the bachelor party for Huang Li?" He reminded. "Why are you suddenly killing me with that glare?"

    "I don''t know? Maybe because you''re Enxi''s brother?" Lu Mello wanted to give Shi Yi that answer but he decided not to. He didn''t want him to think that he fought with his sister so, in the end, he heaved out a heavy sigh. His phone vibrated and when he checked, he received a message from Han Xukun that he was on his way to meet him in there.

    Shi Yi flopped on the sofa and crossed his legs. "How''s my sister doing so far?"Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#''s-the-plan_49165431872737234">#''s-the-plan_49165431872737234</a> for visiting.

    Damn... He really had to make his mood worse, didn''t he?

    "Why don''t you call her yourself and ask her that?" Lu Mello replied with a smile that didn''t reach his eyes.

    "Well, I have received calls from her sometimes."

    Wait, what? He was staying in contact with her?

    "She did say that she was doing fine. She called me earlier and said that she just came back from Japan."

    And she even told him where she was!

    Lu Mello''s eyes suddenly burned with fury and jealousy. His face became sour and his mood only became even became more terrible than it already was.

    The only people who thought that she was dead were the only people who knew that they went after Shi Anhao back then and those people were few. Since there wasn''t any news about her disappearance, not her family or his knew about it.

    He should have known... He should have known that Shi Yi would completely keep in touch with her brother.

 Chapter 206 - Why dont you check it?

    Since Lu Mello had frozen the card she was using for the expenses she had for preparing Fan Xiao Yao''s bachelorette party and for the gifts she prepared for her. As for the rest of the expenses, she didn''t have a choice but to use her own money.

    Everything went according to the plan she prepared. Within those two days, from night club to riding a yacht to visiting a different kind of restaurants Shi Enxi handled everything. The two days they spent were long, tiring, and yet fun. Even Lu Weichun was able to get along with Shi Enxi during those days.

    7 pm, last day of their hangout...

    They were currently in a department store, shopping for more clothes, shoes, and other girly stuff until they entered the children''s section.

    Lu Xingyan was sitting at the sofa, drained, while her sister was looking around together with Shi Enxi and Fan Xiao Yao.

    "You really should go and see your children, Xiao Xi." Fan Xiao Yao said while they were both looking at the tiny shocks.

    Shi Enxi remained quiet like usual whenever they talked about such topics but this time, she couldn''t just end the call since Fan Xiao Yao was there in person. It was a good thing that Lu Weichun was not standing with them since she would take her brother''s side and diss Shi Enxi for being an irresponsible mother. But that was the truth, she was being one at the moment for leaving her kids.

    That was actually not the original plan Shi Enxi had in mind. Back then, she still planned on seeing her husband Lu Mello after she couldn''t kill Shi Anhao. She has already come in agreement with him that she needed time, a cool off. As a mother, she also wanted to spend a bit of time with their sons before taking a short break but something happened. Something that wasn''t supposed to happen. She was even not supposed to attend their wedding but she couldn''t stop herself from missing it especially when both of the couples were people she cared for.

    "Did you have a fight with Mello?" She continued to ask.

    Shi Enxi turned to her with a small smile on her lips. "Let''s not talk about this right now." She looked away and changed the topic easily, "By the way, are you pregnant? Is that why we''re here?"

    Fan Xiao Yao decided not to persist in questioning her. They were not in the right place and time. "Well, I''m hoping that I am." She chuckled. "But I''m pretty sure that I will be after how many rounds we had."

    Shi Enxi raised a brow and smirked in amus.e.m.e.nt. She was about to say something but paused upon realizing that it was not appropriate. The smirk on her lips disappeared and the amused look on her face disappeared. There was this unreadable expression in her eyes that disappeared when she hid it with another smile, "Why don''t you check it?"Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#''t-you-check-it_49179615717022115">#''t-you-check-it_49179615717022115</a> for visiting.

    "I have to wait until next week." Fan Xiao Yao pouted. She badly wanted to check it but she needed to be patient.

    Shi Enxi chuckled a bit. Unlike her, she was sure that Fan Xiao Yao would become a great mother. A mother who would give her full attention to her family. She ended up staring at the woman beside her as her mind flew off to somewhere. Her eyes settling to nothingness. She had eyes that told of many secrets but held them locked in a strongbox so beautiful that one wouldn''t dare to open in fear of what they might find within.

    "I really hope that we can have a daughter." She smiled, placing a hand on her tummy and giving it a stroke. She then noticed the blank look in Shi Enxi''s eyes which made her worried, "Xiao Xi?"

    She snapped out from her trance and looked at her, a small smile forming on her lips, "I''m sorry, did you say something?"

    Weird. Fan Xiao Yao couldn''t help but think that something was wrong with her friend. "Are you alright?"

    "I''m just feeling unwell, sorry." She chuckled a bit.

    "Why don''t you take a rest with Xiao Xing instead?" Fan Xiao Yao suggested. She wanted to ask what was bothering her but stopped, not wanting to annoy her for asking many questions.

    "Hm, I should." Without saying anything else, Shi Enxi went and sat beside Lu Xingyan. She sighed heavily and held her head. Even if she acted like she was fine, she wasn''t. It was not a good idea to come back. Not when she was this unstable. Her mind was scattered in all places. She thought that she would be able to at least tolerate seeing Fan Xiao Yao but the more she spent time with her the more shattered her heart became.

    "Are you alright?" Lu Xingyan asked worriedly.

    Was she alright? No, she wasn''t. She was in chaos. She couldn''t bear to see the people she caused harm, the people she hurt. Being there was like torture to her. She was smiling and all but she was dying inside.

    "I''m going back now." She stood up. "Tell Xiao Yao that I''ll be leaving early." With that, she stood up and left the place. She didn''t think that Lu Xingyan would end up following her after she told Fan Xiao Yao and her sister that they''ll be going back ahead.

    "Enxi-jiejie, wait." She jogged towards her and when she reached her, she began walking beside her.

    "Xiao Xing, you don''t have to come with me."

    Lu Xingyan didn''t listen. She had been observing her since day one and she never failed to notice the short moments where she would just end up staring into nowhere or how she sometimes looked at Fan Xiao Yao. She didn''t fail to notice the guilt in her eyes and when she did, she could only think of one thing.

    "Did you die?"

    Lu Xingyan''s sudden question made Shi Enxi stop in her tracks and turn to her with wide eyes.

    So she was right. "You did, didn''t you?"

 Chapter 207 - Not a woman like you

    "I don''t know what you''re talking about." Shi Enxi denied before she faced forward and began heading towards the escalator. Cold sweats trickled down her forehead and her feet sped upon going down the escalator. It was as if she was trying to run away from something, from someone.

    How could she know that she died? Was that even possible? No one should be able to know about it since she never said a word to anyone.

    Although her reaction only made Lu Xingyan doubt her further that''s why she hurriedly followed her until they got out of the mall.

    Shi Enxi stopped a cab. She opened the backseat''s door entered the vehicle. Just before she could shut the door, Lu Xingyan stopped her by holding on to the handle, pulling the door open before she entered the car as well.

    "Why are you following me?" Shi Enxi asked, frowning deeply.

    "That''s because you know what I''m talking about." Lu Xingyan turned to the taxi driver, "Pangu hotel."

    With that, the driver began driving back to the hotel, ignoring the two women in the backseat.

    "I don''t know what you''re talking about." Shi Enxi continued on denying her words. She averted her gaze from her, avoiding the other woman''s inquiring eyes since she began to get anxious with the way Lu Xingyan was pressuring her.

    "I didn''t think that this was possible. You are not supposed to have memories of the past." She mumbled, loud enough for her companion to her. She intentionally said that, baiting her. "Not a woman like you."

    Not a woman like her? She scoffed and finally looked at Lu Xingyan with narrowed eyes, "What do you know?"

    "Everything." Lu Xingyan replied, looking back at her. "Like how you jumped off a cliff with my brother."

    The side of her lips stretched out into a thin line. She balled her fists, clenching tightly as her jaw hardened.

    "Is that the reason why you have been avoiding him?"

    Shi Enxi lowered her head and gritted her teeth as she remained quiet. But her silence only proved that Lu Xingyan was correct. She remembered what happened in the past-no, she didn''t remember, the current her was the Shi Enxi of the past life. She had a rebirth.

    During the night where Jiang Yan drove Shi Enxi to the clinic to get her wound treated, she was already unconscious when they arrived. She lost too much blood and even the doctor confirmed that she was ''dead on arrival''.

    She was not supposed to wake up but she did. She jolted up and was panting hard. Even the doctor was surprised. It was a moment that most people called a ''miracle''.

    That night, Shi Enxi woke up with the memories of her past, with the memories of her death; the moment where she jumped off a cliff with Lu Mello.

    During the days of recovery, she was confused especially when she got the memories of her present self and how much the original ''plot'' of her life was changed. It was as if two different people were living in her mind and it took time for her to adjust. Shi Enxi was confused and lost. She didn''t know who to talk about such things with. She tried to look for answers until she was able to read a few novels about transmigration plots. The only difference was that she woke up in the same body, not someone else''s.

    As she scanned through her memories, she couldn''t believe that things became different in this life. She even thought that she was living in a parallel universe but that was impossible, not when the horrible things that happened in her childhood were the same. She soon realized when she scanned through the memories of her present self that what caused the changes in this life was all because of one person; Lu Mello.

    The more she thought of her sins and what changed, the feelings she had for the people in this life slowly changed. She didn''t feel any hate or envy for Fan Xiao Yao when she should have. Huang Li''s life wasn''t ruined by her. She managed not to kill anyone, even Shi Anhao and Wang Hao! The people she hated the most! So many things were different, contrasting what happened in the past. When the thought of seeing them entered her mind, something hit her. Shi Enxi realized that she couldn''t bring herself to see them again. No, not after what she did to them in the past. Even conversing with Fan Xiao Yao through call was hard but because of wanting to see the son she had with Lu Mello this time, she had to.

    When she received an invitation from Fan Xiao Yao that she was going to get married to Huang Li, the surge of happiness that filled her was genuine. Who would have thought that they would end up dating each other, right? There was so much guilt inside her, guilt for ruining their lives in the past. She ruined the lives of the people she cared for. She even killed her own brother! Among all those people, the person she had the greatest sin among was her own husband, Lu Mello. She lied and deceived him. How could she bring herself to face them again?

    And yet here she was right now. The only reason why she was brought back to the country was because of the wedding. She thought that she would be able to handle seeing Fan Xiao Yao and Huang Li again. She even spoke to her husband the other day. She was trying her best to hold herself together, not to break down in front of everyone. It was truly a bad idea to come. She wasn''t ready to face them again. It was even better if they thought that she was dead so that she wouldn''t have to see them again but she couldn''t do that. She let Fan Xiao Yao knew that she was alive. She kept in touch with Shi Yi just to stop him from finding out what happened in Thailand but it wasn''t just that... He was her brother... she killed him in the past and after finding out the truth, she couldn''t bring herself not to talk with him. She missed him. He was her greatest regret in her past life.

 Chapter 208 - Cant I just remain dead?

    She was on the verge of breaking. Her memories were contrasting with each other. How could she be fine?

    "I know it''s hard..." Lu Xingyan reached out, placing her hand on top of Shi Enxi''s.

    "Do you?" She wanted to cry but she had enough self-control not to. She had shed enough tears and she was not someone who could just cry in front of someone.

    "Yes. Being confused with two memories, two lives. You don''t know how to live in it or how to face the people you''ve wronged." The rest of what she said was based on what she has read but being confused with two memories was something she knew. It was only normal for Shi Enxi to feel that way. She would have easily cope up with it if she woke up and lived in another body and another period but that wasn''t the case. She was the Shi Enxi of the past with the memories of Shi Enxi of the present. Even someone like her would be frightened, disturbed, and don''t know what to do in this new life especially when she has already accepted her cruel, bad end.

    Shi Enxi was staring at her for a while, scrutinizing her. It was not easy to trust someone for her so she was still a bit hesitant on whether or not to trust Lu Xingyan. But the words she said were what exactly she was feeling. It was not easy living with two memories. She felt like she has been played cruelly by fate. This was not a blessing, this was torture for her. Every time she saw someone she wronged in the past, she couldn''t stop thinking of what she did to them. She was the vile woman in their story. How should she apologize to people who didn''t even know what she did? She ruined their lives! She would have ruined their lives again if not for Lu Mello.

    "I need time." She whispered. She needed time and yet here she was, only making things worse for herself. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#''t-i-just-remain-dead_49188635433558607">#''t-i-just-remain-dead_49188635433558607</a> for visiting.

    "If you need someone to talk with, I''ll listen." Lu Xingyan stroked the back of her hand with her thumb.

    Knowing that there was someone she could rely on when it came to things other people didn''t understand was a relief for Shi Enxi.

    They shortly arrived at the hotel and Lu Xingyan accompanied her sister-in-law in the living room.

    "How did you know?" Shi Enxi wondered. "Did it happen to you too? Did you die and remembered your past life?"

    "No, it wasn''t me who died." Lu Xingyan replied. "It was someone else, my fiance, Han Xukun."

    Shi Enxi furrowed her brows in confusion, "Then how?"

    "I''m still not sure about what answer to give..." She paused. "He didn''t have memories of what happened only I did." But before he died, she remembered having dreams, as if those dreams were a premonition of what was about to happen. "One thing is for sure. If life is brought back from the past, another life is taken from the present." At least that was what she learned while researching the Lu family''s past.

    Shi Enxi was still confused. A topic like this was not easy to understand, especially when things were still disturbing her.

    When Lu Xingyan saw the perplexed look on Shi Enxi''s face, she inwardly sighed. Should she tell her about her family? If she did then she would end up finding out that her brother was the same. It was not her story to tell. It was better if her brother could tell it to his wife instead of now that both of them have memories of the past.

    "If life is brought back from the past, a life is taken from the present. Your past self was brought here after you died in this life." Lu Xingyan tried to explain.

    "Why?"

    "From what I''ve read, it''s because you''re supposed not to die in this life and yet you did. Your time here, your candle of life has not melted completely."

    It was still confusing but somehow, Shi Enxi was able to slowly understand it. "I''m supposed to die three months from now by jumping off a cliff but I died earlier in this life so my past self was brought here to complete my lifeline."

    "And also because you''re connected to my brother." Lu Xingyan badly wanted to say that but she didn''t. It would only make Shi Enxi wonder. Women who were connected to the men of the Lu family would either have another chance if they died earlier than the day that they were supposed to disappear. She wanted to use her parents as an example to explain things further but it was secret. She couldn''t let Shi Enxi know about it or else she would connect it to her brother which might make things worse for their relationship. Lu Xingyan was trying to avoid that that''s why she could only nod and agree to what the other woman said even if it was only a small part of the truth.

    She sighed heavily and caught her head with her hands. Things were still confusing for her. Too complicated. Shi Enxi was still having a hard time to digest something impossible. The only good thing right now was that she has finally had someone to talk with when it came to matters like these.

    On the other hand, Lu Xingyan didn''t give her more information anymore, she knew that her sister-in-law needed time to process things.

    "Can''t I just remain dead? Why did this have to happen to me?" It would be better if she remained dead. She didn''t have to worry about anything. At least that was what she thought. She couldn''t understand why it has to be her? Among all the people in the world, why a woman like her was given another chance to live? There were other people who deserved something like this, not her. Why can''t it be her brother? Or Huang Li? Or even Lu Mello? Why did it have to be her?

 Chapter 209 - Thank you for coming

    Fan Xiao Yao and Lu Weichun arrived shortly and saw Shi Enxi lying down on the sofa, watching a movie with Lu Xingyan who was sitting on another couch.

    "You''re back," said the younger twin upon turning her head towards the two women who just arrived on time.

    "Are you feeling better?" Fan Xiao Yao asked Shi Enxi as she placed the shopping bags down on the floor and approached her.

    "Yeah, better." Shi Enxi replied without even glancing at her.

    Lu Xingyan stood up and hugged the bride-to-be''s arm. "Jiejie, I think you should take a bath and get some rest. Tomorrow is a big day for you, you need to look your best." She wanted to distract her so that she wouldn''t be able to notice that Shi Enxi was actually avoiding her.

    On the other hand, Lu Weichun gasped out loud as if realizing something, "I''m going to sleep early tonight! I don''t want to look like a zombie tomorrow! Yaoyao-jiejie, meimei, I suggest we sleep early and have enough drinks!" She rushed to the guest room after, taking the things she bought at the mall with her.

    "I''ll follow after this movie..." Shi Enxi muttered, enough for the two other girls to hear.

    And so, Shi Enxi was left alone in the living room. She wasn''t really focusing on the movie. She was just staring blankly at the TV screen with her mind flying off to somewhere again. A few moments after, she got up. The movie has not even ended when she turned it off.

    She took out her phone and stared at it for a second before she began taping on the screen.

    ...

    Later that night, while Shi Enxi was sleeping, she was woken up by a knock.

    She g.r.o.a.n.e.d in annoyance and grumbled, "Who is it?"

    "Xiao Xi, it''s me." Fan Xiao Yao''s soft voice was heard from outside.

    "..." The sleepiness in her eyes disappeared the moment she heard her voice. She shut her eyes and buried her head under the blanket, pretending to be in a deep sleep.

    "Xiao Xi?" Hearing no answer from inside, a small creak was heard instead as Fan Xiao Yao pushed the door open.

    Oh shit! She should have locked the door!

    "Are you sleeping?" Her soft whisper was heard inside the quiet room.

    Shi Enxi tried her best not to give a sarcastic reply. She was sleeping. Sleeping. She needed to pretend that she was in a deep sleep.

    The next moment, she felt a part of her bed sunk as Fan Xiao Yao carefully got on and went to her side like a child wanting to sleep together with her parent.

    "I can''t sleep..." She snuggled close against her back.

    Shi Enxi opened her eyes and frowned. "Just because you can''t fall asleep doesn''t mean you have to disturb me!" Oh how she badly wanted to say that to her but her lips remained shut and she could only complain in her mind. It was a good thing that her head was hidden under the blanket or else Fan Xiao Yao might have noticed that she was actually awake.

    Her body suddenly became stiff when she felt an arm wrapped around her.

    This girl... She truly was taking advantage of her!

    "Thank you for coming..."

    Hearing her words made Shi Enxi''s mind go blank. The frown on her face was long gone.

    "But you know... I''m really happy right now." Fan Xiao Yao continued.

    Did she know that she was awake? If so then there was no use in pretending to be asleep.

    "You better make Huang Li happy." Shi Enxi whispered, finally lowering the blanket from her head. She turned her body to face the other woman beside her only to see the surprise look on her face.

    "Y-you''re awake?"

    "..."

    Shi Enxi covered her face with a hand and a laugh came out of her lips as she did.

    Fan Xiao blinked a few times, watching her laugh like a crazy woman.

    "You''re so annoying right now." She said, chuckling after. She lowered her hand and let out a helpless smile. Who would have thought that she would end up being this close to her? That she would end up having a genuine friendship with a woman that she never treated as one in the past? "Still is annoying as ever."

    Uh... Why did that sound more like a compliment than an insult? Fan Xiao Yao was looking so perplexed by her. Only Shi Enxi could make an insult sound like a compliment.

    "Go to sleep. It''s already late." Shi Enxi used the pillow beside her to cover the other woman''s face to which Fan Xiao Yao ended up lowering it.

    "I can''t sleep." She pouted.

    "But I can so good night." Shi Enxi shut her eyes again just to ignore her.

    "Xiao Xiiii!" Fan Xiao Yao w.h.i.n.ed. She even reached out just to pinch her cheek.

    "Oww!!" Shi Enxi g.r.o.a.n.e.d, snapping her eyes open just to glare at the woman in front of her.

    "Are you awake now?" Fan Xiao Yao asked with a grin upon releasing her cheek.

    "..." This woman... She truly never change. She was still the same even in the past whenever they were together, whenever Shi Enxi was pretending to be her friend. She has always envied her for being happy, for being able to attract luck on her side. They both don''t have parents but Fan Xiao Yao was like the real Cinderella who soon got her fortune and happy ending. She was surrounded by people that loved her and cared for her. She never thought that she would end up joining those people.

    She truly thought that life was going well for this friend of hers until she found out about her depression. She never thought that Fan Xiao Yao was actually hiding darkness behind that smiling facade of hers. She thought that she was happy but she never really tried to know her. She was not able to get close enough to her to see how broken she actually was.

    While Shi Enxi decided to take the path of evil, Fan Xiao Yao on the other hand continued on taking the path of goodness but at the same time, she was being drowned in darkness, in pain. Fan Xiao Yao chose to keep quiet, to do nothing while Shi Enxi chose to do something, which was to ruin the lives of the people around her.

 Chapter 210 - Soul sisters

    It truly was surprising how things changed all because of Lu Mello working behind the scenes. How was he even able to change the flow of events unless... just like her, he was someone from the past life.

    As the realization hit Shi Enxi''s eyes, she sat up all of a sudden, startling Fan Xiao Yao.

    That''s it! That must be it! He died with her in the past so he might have been reborn earlier than her!

    The more she thought about it, the more she remembered of the confusing things he told her, the more Shi Enxi was able to connect things.

    "Is everything alright?" Fan Xiao Yao asked worriedly as she watched Shi Enxi catch her head with her hands.

    "This is crazy... It can''t be..." How would she be able to face him then? It only made it harder for her to meet him again.

    "Xiao Xi?"

    Hearing Fan Xiao Yao''s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She inhaled deeply to calm herself before she laid down again, this time, her face was void of emotions. "Xiao Yao, let''s sleep."

    Who was she kidding? She couldn''t fall asleep anymore after knowing the truth.

    The side of her lips was stretched into a thin line as she watched Shi Enxi put up a wall between them again. She was worried. She didn''t know what was going on with her. She wanted to help, she wanted to ask but she kept her lips sealed. Fan Xiao Yao was worried that if she asked, Shi Enxi might just drift further away from everyone. Instead of asking what was bothering her, Fan Xiao Yao moved to her side and hugged the other woman as she closed her eyes. "I''ll always be here for you."

    Shi Enxi''s body became stiff once again when she felt her hug. She pursed her lips tightly. The closest friend she has in this life were both Huang Li and Fan Xiao Yao and yet, she couldn''t even bring herself to tell them what was going on with her. They wouldn''t understand. They wouldn''t believe something ridiculous as ''rebirth'' and yet, hearing Fan Xiao Yao''s words were enough to calm the storm inside her.

    "I''m sorry..." She never thought that a day would come where she would apologize to a person she once hated. She mumbled another: "I''m sorry..." She was sorry for hurting her in the past. Sorry for betraying her. Sorry for hating her. She was sorry for destroying their friendship.

    "What are you apologizing for?" Fan Xiao Yao patted her head lightly. "I''ve long forgiven you. And also, what you are supposed to say is ''Thank you''."

    This was the Fan Xiao Yao she knew. The kind-hearted, angelic Fan Xiao Yao. She couldn''t help but wonder if the Fan Xiao Yao of the past life would say something similar... Maybe she would, maybe she wouldn''t but right now... She would take what''s offered on the plate.

    Shi Enxi balled her fists and snuggled to her, burying her face on her c.h.e.s.t as she whispered, "Thank you..." Even after she found out her real personality, she still remained by her side and didn''t stop being her friend.

    She was on the verge of crying. She regretted the things she had done to her. Fan Xiao Yao didn''t deserve those things. No matter how hard she tried to stop her tears from spilling, she ended up crying.

    On the other hand, Fan Xiao Yao remained quiet when she felt how Shi Enxi''s shoulders trembled. She knew that she was crying but she didn''t say a word about it. She knew that Shi Enxi was the type of person who didn''t like to show weakness in front of others. When she was at her worst, when she didn''t know up from down, she was the one who stayed at her side, stoically proud of her no matter what she did. Shi Enxi was the person who believed that she had what it takes to be a great Actress.

    In the end, it was the first time Shi Enxi ended up falling asleep with tears in her eyes while she was with Fan Xiao Yao.

    ...

    It was a busy day, everyone prepared for the grand wedding of Fan Xiao Yao and Huang Li. While the bride was dressed in white, the bridesmaids were dressed in pink, except for Shi Enxi who was dressed in a burgundy dress as the maid of honor.

    The wedding venue was located at the Mainland World Hotel that was located not far from where the girls were staying at. Selected people were invited from friends to family to famous names in both the business and entertainment industry; the people connected to both the bride and groom.

    As the program began, it was done traditionally. The officiant entered, followed by the groom and his parents. After reaching the end of the aisle, the groom''s best man entered who happened to be Lu Mello. Huang Li didn''t have that many male friends but he chose Lu Mello as his best man since he was Shi Enxi''s husband, making him more like his brother-in-law. Soon, he was followed by the groomsmen.

    Not long, Lu Xingyan and Lu Weichun entered and was followed by the person Lu Mello didn''t think of seeing there, his wife, Shi Enxi.

    As she walked down the aisle, his wide eyes followed her. Who would have thought that after months of her disappearance, she was back, walking on the red carpet, her presence capturing everyone?

    On the other hand, Huang Li didn''t seem surprised. Instead, he looked like he was expecting her to attend. He even had a small smile on his lips to which Shi Enxi smiled back before her eyes scanned the room, as if looking whether her sons were there. She made sure not to meet Lu Mello''s eyes as she looked for the kids to which she failed to see them, disappointing Shi Enxi in the end.

 Chapter 211 - She knows

    Gu Haiyang entered the room, beside her was her beautiful daughter, Fan Xiao Yao, wearing a beautiful vintage wedding dress that looked like it was pulled out from a fairytale book. It was simple and yet elegant; traditional ivory and lace-covered. That day, she was the most beautiful woman in that room. Black strands cascaded down her back like molten onyx. Around her face, it was cut a little shorter, feathered to accentuate her perfect features. The moment her eyes landed on  Huang Li, she shot him with a smile that could light up the night and he was smitten by it.

    On the other hand, Lu Mello''s gaze never left his wife''s face. She was obviously avoiding him but it was not like he was going to ruin the wedding by going to her and dragging her out of the place. He balled her fists tightly and tried his best to stand still. He had so many questions in his mind but it was not the best time to ask her any of it. He only turned his gaze back to the bride and the groom by the time they sealed their vows with a kiss and everyone cheered.

    He shouldn''t have looked away from her, he regretted doing that since when he turned his head to look at where she was earlier, it was empty. He scanned the room with his eyes but there was no sign of her. It was as if she disappeared into thin air.

    He shouldn''t have looked away. He shouldn''t have given her a chance to go. He may have told himself that he was not going to run after her anymore but his feet moved on its own.

    Everyone was busy cheering for the newlywed couple so no one noticed Lu Mello leaving except for one... His sister, Lu Xingyan who followed him.

    "Enxi..." He mumbled her name as he continued to look for her until he reached the lobby. He wanted to shout out her name, to call her but before he could even do so, Lu Xingyan arrived and called out to him as she approached him, "Gege!"

    "I have to look for her... She couldn''t have gotten that far. Help me look for her, Xingyan." Even if it was not obvious in his face and voice, his eyes betrayed him of how panicked he was.

    Lu Xingyan reached out and held his hand, "Give her time..."

    "Huh? Give her time for what?" He asked, his eyes were still looking here and there in hope to catch even a glimpse of her shadow. "We''re wasting time standing here! We have to find-"

    "Gege." She squeezed his hand just to get his attention.

    The moment his panicking eyes landed on hers, she spilled out, "She knows."

    He furrowed his brows in confusion, "Know what?"

    "She knows everything about you having a rebirth."

    A look of shock slowly registered on Lu Mello''s face upon hearing what his sister said.

    She knew?

    "Did you tell her?" He asked.

    Lu Xingyan shook her head a bit. "Remember what I told before? That it was impossible for Enxi-jiejie to have memories of her past life? Well... I was wrong." She lowered her head, releasing her hand. "I''m sorry."

    His eyes remained wide as he continued to stare down at her sister. The strength to look for his wife faded from his body. Was that the reason why she was avoiding him?

    "How''s that possible?" He asked.

    "She died." She answered honestly.

    Died?

    Lu Mello felt heavens fall on him. His face turned pale. He didn''t have to ask how she died since the bloody scene he saw when he arrived at Shi Anhao''s mansion entered his mind. The blood didn''t belong to Shi Anhao so it could only mean that it belonged to someone else.

    "I killed her!" Shi Anhao''s voice entered his thoughts. Her ear-piercing laugh even followed. "I killed Shi Enxi!"

    "And since she''s connected to you, she''s your wife... she was able to live another life. The soul inside her is the Shi Enxi of the past."

    "T-Then... I have to look for her-"

    "You can''t. You have to give her time to adjust. To accept this life." Lu Xingyan interrupted.

    His lips were stretched into a thin line and his hands were balled into fists, clenching them tightly.

    "I''m sorry, gege..." She didn''t have a choice especially when it was Shi Enxi who told these to her earlier.

    ...

    (6 hours ago)

    "Xingyan, can I talk with you in private?" Shi Enxi asked as she approached her in the kitchen.

    Lu Weichun turned their way, raising a brow, "What are you going to talk about with my sister?"

    Shi Enxi ignored her. Her hard, serious stare remained on the younger twin. She was not in the mood to argue with anyone.

    "Okay." Lu Xingyan turned to her sister, "We''ll be quick." After that, she followed Shi Enxi to the guest room she was staying in.

    The moment Shi Enxi faced her, the first thing she asked was, "Did Mello had a rebirth too?"

    Lu Xingyan was caught off-guard. She did not expect her to catch up this fast.

    "Did he?" Her eyes were narrowed, her jaws hardened. At that moment, Shi Enxi was deadly serious. Her eyes were like eagle''s, scrutinizing her, ready to detect the tiniest lies that other person in front of her would spout.

    Lu Xingyan sighed in defeat. She couldn''t lie to her if she was watching her that close so in the end, she was forced to tell her the truth about her brother by answering, "Yes." She knew that it might make things worse but there are no problems that couldn''t be solved.

    She watched Shi Enxi collapse in front of her. Lu Xingyan was so shocked since she had never seen her that way. She never thought that a day would come where she would be able to see Shi Enxi''s eyes filled with constant fear, constant stress. It was as if she had seen a nightmare become reality in front of her.

 Chapter 212 - Bad dream

    (Present)

    At the reception, Fan Xiao Yao began looking for Shi Enxi but didn''t see her at the table where she was supposed to be sitting at.

    "Did she already leave?" She mumbled sadly. She knew that she wouldn''t be able to stay for long. She sighed in disappointment.

    Huang Li reached out and held her hand, gently stroking the back of it with his thumb, reassuring her that everything was going to be alright that way.

    She looked at their hand and grinned upon seeing the rings around their finger. "We''re finally married."

    "Yes, we are." He leaned forward and gave her a peck on her lips.

    "Did you know, Xiao Xi bought us a rest house and even a car and a yacht? She bought so many things for our wedding gift! She even bought items for our baby!" She exclaimed happily, her other hand automatically resting on top of her tummy.

    He chuckled lightly and replied, "The usual Xiao Xi."

    Fan Xiao Yao nodded in agreement. If there was something that Shi Enxi liked the most, it was staying on top and being number one. She automatically became the number one person who gifted the most to the newlywed couple.

    "By the way, how are you these past days? Are you still having those nightmares?" Fan Xiao Yao asked worriedly.

    "Nightmares? What nightmares?" He blinked a few times in confusion.

    "The nightmares about Xiao Xi and Mello?"

    Huang Li was looking at her in confusion, he was clueless about what the nightmares she was talking about. It was as if he had no memories of the bad dream. He tried to recall the dream but his mind was blank. He just remembered waking up from a bad dream and being comforted by Fan Xiao Yao every time he did. As for the dream itself, there was nothing.

    "Nightmares about me and Enxi?" Lu Mello asked overhearing them when he approached them. He was supposed to congratulate them but he forgot it at once when he heard about what they were talking about.

    For some reason, Fan Xiao Yao ended up internally panicking but she tried to act all calm and even smile at him. "Oh, it''s nothing. It''s just a bad dream Huang Li had last week."

    "What are those dreams about?" He turned his inquiring gaze to Huang Li.

    "I can''t remember." Huang Li replied. No matter how much he tried to recall, there was nothing.

    Because of that, Lu Mello turned to the man''s wife to inquire.

    Since it was just a dream, she didn''t think much of it and thought it was fine to tell Lu Mello. "It really was just a bad dream. Xiao Xi killing Huang Li and then killing others." She shrugged. "That''s even impossible when Xiao Xi can''t do that."

    "..." Lu Mello was quiet for a few seconds before a chuckle was heard from him. "Hahaha yes, that sure is a strange bad dream."

    "Right?"

    Although it was weird that Huang Li couldn''t remember the dream anymore tho. Fan Xiao Yao thought.

    "Anyway, congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Huang." He raised his glass of wine for a toast to which the couple raised their drinks with him as well.

    After taking a sip on their drinks, a woman approached them to which Huang Li was able to recognize since he saw the woman once at the bar that he and Lu Mello went back then. She was none other than Kobayashi Hana.

    "And here I thought that Mr. Lu and Mr. Huang were the couples," Hana said, approaching them with a smile.

    What was she doing here? Was she even invited? Huang Li thought.

    "You are?" Fan Xiao Yao asked, blinking a few times in confusion upon seeing an unfamiliar face.

    "My name is Kobayashi Hana, I am the niece of Mrs. Honda." She grinned. "Congratulations, Mrs. Huang."

    "Thank you..." She trailed off.

    Lu Mello didn''t recognize her and he didn''t have time to wonder who she was since his mind was distracted with something else so he excused himself and went to find his sister to ask the questions that were bothering him, questions related to the nightmares Huang Li had.

    "I didn''t expect that I''ll be seeing you here again, Mr. Huang."

    Fan Xiao Yao turned to the man sitting beside him and looked at him in confusion, "You know her?"

    "No, not really. She helped me one time to bring drunk Mello home." He replied.

    "Oh... That time." Fan Xiao Yao chuckled a bit. "Anyway, thank you for attending our wedding, Ms. Kobayashi."

    "Of course! I wouldn''t miss such a big wedding like this. Especially the wedding of the famous Fan Xiao Yao." She grinned widely. "Anyway, I won''t disturb you both so please excuse me."

    Soon after she left, a short video presentation about Huang Li and Fan Xiao Yao was shown while everyone was dining. Although what was surprising was Shi Enxi''s voice was heard, narrating which surprised the newlywed couples and even Lu Mello. On the other hand, the other people thought that it was just a part of the program.

    "I like to think back when we were but children. How shy and uncomfortable you were back then. With cheeks that always seemed flushed and curls that did a lively dance when you ran." Shi Enxi''s voice filled the quiet hall as Fan Xiao Yao''s growing up photos were seen. "I knew from the moment I met you that I hated you. I still do but you are the friend who loves me as a good mother loves a child, forgiving and compassionate, accepting me at my best, and worst, always helping me. You are my best friend because you always point out when I''m being an arse, yet you do it with gentle and accepting love. It''s as if this life so often is a forest in the fog and you are a person stupidly brave enough to show up as a boring old signpost."

 Chapter 213 - Nightmares of the past

    Fan Xiao Yao covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes stuck on the video that was playing on the projector screen. Her eyes glimmered with watery tears.

    "Thank you for staying by my side for so many years." Shi Enxi''s voice continued, this time the photos changed to Huang Li. "Thank you for overlooking my broken fence and admires the flowers in my garden instead. Though I have been through hell, there was one who rode with me all the way, who came whenever called, and who would have gladly come and stayed. I''m sorry for all the hardsh.i.p.s I brought you, Huang Li, and thank you for being such a loyal dog." A chuckle was heard from Shi Enxi and from the guest, soft laughs were heard.

    Even Huang Li ended up smiling. "Nature has proved that you cannot easily be lost." As photos of the newlywed couple began appearing, she continued, "I wish the both of you plain sailing; I wish you love and good health; I wish you true happiness for your lifetimes."

    Since Shi Enxi wasn''t able to share her speech with the couple earlier, this was her way of sharing it with everyone.

    Huang Li chuckled lightly, "She sure loves taking the spotlight."

    Fan Xiao Yao nodded in agreement, wiping the tears that escaped from her eyes. It was a good thing that she was wearing waterproof makeup. "That''s Xiao Xi for you."

    ...

    Meanwhile, Lu Mello was quietly staring at the screen, listening to Shi Enxi''s words. He knew for sure that it was genuine. They were words that came from Shi Enxi who have memories of their past life.

    It was hard to imagine her saying such things in person. She was not the sentimental kind of person after all. Maybe that''s why she prepared something like this for them?

    His eyes softened upon imagining how many times she might have rehearsed saying those words without sounding muffled from the possible cries she had.

    "Gege, you said that you want to talk to me?" Lu Xingyan asked, approaching him who was standing at the corner of the room.

    Lu Mello messaged his sister earlier when he couldn''t find her. He snapped his eyes away from the screen to look at her. "Are you sure that only our family has such an ability to travel?"

    She blinked a few times at the sudden question. "Yes. I''m positive. Not everyone in the family tho like grandpa or other men in the Lu family." It was more like one person who could also affect the lives of other people.

    "Then how can it be possible for Huang Li to have nightmares of the past?" He asked, crossing his arms.

    "Nightmares of the past?"

    "Yes although he couldn''t remember it anymore but he told Xiao Yao so she was the one who told me what he dreamed about." He remembered back then that Shi Enxi also had nightmares as she dreamed of their past lives but she never really thought much of it when he told her that it was just a bad dream.

    Lu Xingyan suddenly remembered the time where she caught Huang Li holding the book. That must be the reason why, right? "He touched the book."

    "He what?" He asked in confusion.

    "Remember the day where we both visited your place back then? He touched the book. It was also weird that he wasn''t able to see anything written when he opened the book." She cupped her chin to think.

    "Then do you think that... he''ll remember? He''ll have a rebirth too?"

    She shook her head, "I don''t know. But if Enxi-jiejie had nightmares back then and she was able to have a rebirth after ''dying'' then that could mean it''s possible for Huang Li-gege. It could also happen. He might end up having a rebirth if he died." Lu Xingyan narrowed her eyes. "But it''s also possible that he will not have one. Enxi-jiejie is your wife while Huang Li-gege has no connection with the Lu family. He touched the book so those dreams of his past life could only be temporary. He doesn''t remember the dream anymore so this theory is also possible."

    He heaved out a deep sigh. The more they find out about the book, the more it was getting complicated, hard to understand. So many things were going on that he didn''t know where to focus. He wanted to talk with his wife too but with how things were at the moment, it was not easy. At least he knew what country she would probably go to... Japan. Xia Liqin was there so contacting him wouldn''t be hard unless Shi Enxi paid him to block his calls.

    Have another chance in life was supposed to fix things and yet why did he get like the more he tried to fix things between them, the more it got broken. Should he really do nothing? Should he really just wait? Maybe they could try to come into an agreement with Shi Enxi... But based on what Lu Xingyan told him, she didn''t even want to talk or see him. Why? Weren''t they supposed to be on good terms?

    If only he could talk to her... If only he was given a chance to do that... But maybe his sister was right. Maybe he really should give her time to adjust? To process their lives now? But for how long? How long should he wait for her?

    "What time is her flight?" He suddenly asked out.

    "Huh?" Lu Xingyan blinked a few times.

    "Her flight, what time is it?" He repeated.

    "Gege... Please give her-"

    "I know." He interrupted. "I will give her the time she needs but... I at least want to see her off this time." He was not going to ask anything, he was not going to say anything to her. He just wanted to see her one last time, to properly send her off.

    Lu Xingyan sighed in defeat. She looked at her wristwatch. She was hesitant at first but in the end, she gave in. "You better go now or else you won''t be able to catch her. You have less than an hour. 41 minutes to be exact. She''s at Gate 7."

    He smiled a bit and said, "That''s more than enough time I need. Thank you Xiao Xi" He turned away and rushed out of the place.

 Chapter 214 - Their world

    At the airport...

    Shi Enxi was sitting at a bench, waiting for her flight to be announced. She had already changed into her casual clothes the moment she left the wedding venue. At first, she was anxious about whether Lu Mello would follow her but after receiving a message from Lu Xingyan that she managed to make him stay, she sighed in relief.

    It was not like she didn''t want to see him. She was just scared and ashamed. Even in this life, she did things that no normal mother would do. She caught her head with her hand and heaved a deep sigh. This was the only right thing she knew; to be away from him. Maybe one day, she would return and sign that divorce papers that were waiting for her at home.

    At the thought of signing it, her heart trembled and she bit her lower lip. This was not the place to cry so she managed to hold back her tears.

    Yes, she was doing the right thing. She tried convincing herself.

    "Good afternoon passengers. This is the pre-boarding announcement for flight 89B to Japan. We are now inviting those passengers with small children, and any passengers requiring special assistance, to begin boarding at this time. Please have your boarding pass and identification ready. Regular boarding will begin in approximately ten minutes. Thank you."

    As she heard the announcement, Shi Enxi stood up and prepared her luggage. For some reason, the closer she approached the boarding gate, the faster her heart raced. It was as if her instincts were trying to tell her something, telling her to look behind her. She didn''t know why she was suddenly feeling that way but she stopped and followed her instinct; she turned and looked behind.

    Her eyes widened in disbelief when she saw Lu Mello a few meters away from her. He was panting heavily since he ran all the way, trying to look for her until he finally found her. She never expected him to come especially when Lu Xingyan already told her that he won''t be following her.

    Shi Enxi was already avoiding him and yet there he was, their eyes locked with each other. She could hear her heart pound loud, she was nervous. She wanted to turn away and quickly leave but her feet wouldn''t listen. She stood still on her ground, stunned.

    On the other, Lu Mello stayed still, glued on where he was standing. He didn''t approach her either-even if he badly wanted to run to her and give her a hug.

    They stared at each other''s eyes for a whole minute until Shi Enxi was snapped out of her trance by the announcement about her flight.

    She has to leave! Now! She scolded herself.

    But before she could even turn away, she saw the side of his lips curl up into a small smile. He raised his hand a bit and waved goodbye at her. She didn''t expect him to do that. She was scared that he might walk to her and yet he didn''t. He only stopped by distance. That''s when she realized that he came just to see her off.

    It only made it harder for Shi Enxi to leave, seeing him that way. For some reason, she felt like they were back to that cliff where she was standing at the end, facing him. At that moment, she felt like if she turned away and leave now, she would only be falling on her death again.

    The gentleness in his eyes was something she both loved and hated. His eyes shone like sunlight on polished stone. The connection between the husband and the wife was barely a fraction of a second but in that brief snapshot of time, a secret had been told. A cry for help had been sent.

    In the next moment, she came running to him, landing in his arms as her tears escaped like water coming out of a broken dam. She couldn''t fight the pull between them. This was the reason why she didn''t want to see him again. She knew that even if it was just for a few seconds, she would end up running into his arms. She tried her best to resist, avoid him, and yet here she was, back into his arms. All it took was one look and she was back to him.

    Lu Mello was surprised at first when he saw her running to him but the moment she pounced on him, he couldn''t stop from hugging her back, embracing her longingly.

    His hug was stronger than anything she has ever known as if holding her wasn''t quite enough, he has to feel every ounce that she was pressed into every ounce that was him. In that moment of feeling him so close, she was awake somehow, more alive than she has been in so very long. She was like a butterfly who yearned for the cocoon, to be safe within walls, protected. His embrace was warm, and his big, strong arms seemed very protective when wrapped around her frail body. The world around her melted away as she squeezed him back, not wanting the moment to end.

    They both ended up in their own world. The sound in the background disappeared, the people passing them by, some looking their way faded from their presence. It was just the both of them right now, melting in each other''s arms. They both missed each other''s warmth, embrace. One hug was of gentle arms that still gave them space to breathe; the other hug was of strong arms that told everything that she was - body, brain, and soul - that she was with him.

    "Enxi..." Hearing his low, raspy yet longing voice only made her tears flow uncontrollably.

    "I''m sorry... I''m sorry, Mello..." She sniffled as she buried her head on his shoulder. "I''m sorry... I''m sorry..." She continued to mumble.

    He stroked her head and closed his eyes. It was as if all the hate, the anger he felt back then, all the hurt she made him feel disappeared the moment she was back in his arms. How could he hate her when she was being like this? How could he stay angry? "It''s fine... Enxi, it''s fine."

    -----

    A/N:

    Yay! They are back! But it''s not the end, no, not yet *winks*

    I will be publishing Lu Mengjie''s story as soon as finish this book. I''ve been stockpiling chapters for it so I hope you can support that book after completing MEC and WWV <3

    As for those reading ''Ways on How to Confess'', it will be a long story so I decided to put it on hold and write Mengmeng''s story after this book first. Her story will be the last for the ''Modern Fairytales series''. I will announce in my IG once Mengmeng''s book is out. It will be a bit different than my other stories cause Mengmeng is my favorite <3

    Love,

    BerriApplepi

 Chapter 215 - I like it

    Shi Enxi missed her flight and she ended up going back with her husband, out of the airport after reconciling with him. She was quiet tho, she didn''t know what to say to him. She was filled with mixed emotions from guilt to embarrassment.

    On the other hand, Lu Mello didn''t say anything or questioned her, he didn''t want to pressure her at all. He opened the car''s door for her and waited for her to get in before shutting it. He went to the driver''s side and opened the door, entering the car and sitting at the seat.

    "Where do you want to go?" It was the first question he asked as he looked at her. He didn''t mind if she wanted to stay at another place instead of going back to their place. He didn''t want to force her anymore. It was enough to have her stay near to him; a place where he could reach her at once.

    Shi Enxi''s head was down and she was looking at her neatly trimmed nails. She hesitated at first, she felt nervous but a few seconds after, she raised her head and turned his way with a small smile plastered on her lips as she answered, "Home... I want to see our kids."

    The side of his lips curled up as he smiled back at her, relieved that she chose to go back home with him. "Home it is then." He turned the ignition key and began driving their way back to their place.

    Since both of them remained quiet, an awkward atmosphere filled the car. They both don''t know what to say to each other. It was as if the two of them returned to being strangers, not knowing what to say to the other.

    To break the silence in the car, Shi Enxi decided to turn on the radio to play random music and as the music began, it lightened up the mood in the car but as soon as the lyrics of the song were heard, the light mood disappeared.

    "It''s never easy to stand in front of you

    Like it''s a thriller if something breaks

    The rhythm I''ll start all over again

    Your eyes growing colder

    The mood going heavy

    I''m quietly sitting here in that spot

    To get back my breath"

    Shi Enxi knitted her brows together, she reached out and pressed the next button, changing the song.

    "Right when we start to have frequent clashes

    You''ve already turned your back on me

    So before this asteroid hits the earth in about a day

    Let me tell you my last words"

    What the f.u.c.k?! What''s up with these songs?! She quickly changed it again and this time, a pleasant sound of the piano was heard although it began to build up and was followed by the singer''s voice,

    "This is gonna hurt but I blame myself first

    ''Cause I ignored the truth

    Drunk off that love, my head up

    There''s no forgetting you."

    Lu Mello blinked a few times and glanced at the radio player before he turned his eyes back at the road, chuckling. Looks like even the music on the radio''s teaming up with him. He knew the song well and he ended up smiling since it kind of described his feelings for her.

    Shi Enxi on the other hand was feeling disturbed again by the song. "I don''t like the song." She reached out and was about to change the channel but her husband caught her hand and stopped her.

    "I like it." He said with a smile while looking at the road. He released her hand and held the wheel again.

    The song continued, "I loved you dangerously

    More than the air that I breathe

    Knew we would crash at the speed that we were going

    Didn''t care if the explosion ruined me

    Baby, I loved you dangerously"

    She bit her lower lip and looked away. But what startled her was when Lu Mello began singing along, jamming with the song.

    "Usually, I hold the power with both my hands

    Tied behind my back

    Look at how things change, ''cause now you''re the train

    And I''m tied to the track

    You''ve awoken me, but you''re choking me

    I was so obsessed

    Gave you all of me, and now honestly, I got nothing left."

    The longer she listened, the uneasy she became. It wasn''t just the song, she felt like the words in the song were coming from him. She finally snapped her head back to him and was frowning deeply, "I''m changing it."

    Although once again, he caught her hand and grinned while singing along, "You are the fire, I''m the gasoline

    I love you, I love you, I love you

    I loved you dangerously"

    She could feel how her face heated up. Even if Lu Mello wasn''t looking at her, she couldn''t help but feel attacked but at the same time, his singing voice was pleasing, especially the distortions in it.

    This time, instead of releasing her hand, he kept on holding it gently. He even entwined their fingers to which Shi Enxi didn''t pull away. It wasn''t like he was holding her hand firmly, she chose not to pull back and instead, she held his hand back. She sighed in defeat and as the song came to end, she looked at him as he was busy looking ahead while driving the car.

    She opened her mouth and finally said, "You''re stupid."

    "Sweetheart, that''s not something new. I already know that I''m stupidly in love with you," he replied with a chuckle.

    "..." This man... She was not complimenting him and yet he turned her insult into a praise!

    "Do you want to pass by somewhere to eat?"

    Now that he asked her that question, she realized how hungry she was since she didn''t have anything since earlier.

    "We can pass by a drive-thru." She suggested, smiling a bit. She wanted to see their sons soon and hold them. It has been a while since she last saw them through video calls.

 Chapter 216 - Guardian

    "Oh my! Madam is back!" The housekeeper, Mo Jing exclaimed happily as she saw Shi Enxi entered the mansion with Lu Mello.

    "Grandma Mo," Shi Enxi greeted her with a small smile and even gave her a hug. She knew that she was the person in charge of watching the kids that was why she was grateful for that.

    Mo Jing pulled back from the hug and gently smiled at the woman in front of her, "How was your trip? You must be hungry, I''ll order the chef to prepare food-"

    "It''s okay, Grandma Mo, I just finished eating." She chuckled a bit. "I just want to see the kids right now."

    "Oh! Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue are currently in their room, having their afternoon nap."

    "Come, I''ll lead you to their room," said Lu Mello with a smile.

    ...

    As Shi Enxi entered the children''s room, she felt a nostalgic feeling upon seeing how it looked. She remembered how she and her husband decorated the room and filled it with countless toys and plushies. There were children''s picture books too. The bed was covered with a Pikachu design bedsheet. But the boys were still too young to sleep on the bed so they were inside their big crib.

    She approached the wooden cage and looked inside, seeing two young boys, hugging each other while they sleep. One was chubby and the other was healthy, not fat, not thin. They were almost two years old now.

    While she was quietly staring at them, she was startled by Lu Mello''s sudden hug but she soon relaxed against his warmth in the next second. His arms slowly snaking its way around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder, "Their birthday is near, do you know?"

    She blinked a few times, she slightly turned her head to look at him. "Really?"

    He looked at her, their faces a few centimeters apart, "It''s four days from now." He raised a brow, "Don''t tell me you forgot?"

    With how things were in chaos for her back then, the birthday of Little Jade and Little Snow never entered her mind. She didn''t realize that it had already been that long since she left.

    He pulled away a bit and straightened his back. He looked at her in disbelief, "You forgot?"

    She looked away in guilt, "I-I didn''t." She lied. If she knew that their birthday was coming up, maybe she would have stayed longer in the country.

    A chuckle was heard from Lu Mello. He could clearly see that she was lying. He smirked mischievously as he teased, "Look at what we got here? A little liar?"

    "I-I''m not lying." She turned to him with a small glare. "Also, be quiet, the kids are sleeping." She hushed him.

    He smiled and wrapped his arms around her again, He leaned down and buried his face on the crook of her neck. "I missed you so much..." He whispered ever so softly.

    Shi Enxi bit her lower lip as she hesitated. She did miss him too but she couldn''t help but think if it was the right thing to be there. Was it alright for her to enter his life again? Won''t she be ruining their lives if she was there?

    "Mello..." She carefully raised her hands to hug him back. "About what happened-"

    "You don''t have to apologize about anything. What happened in the past is irreversible." He leaned back a bit just to look gently into her eyes. He unwrapped his arms around him and cupped her cheeks with both her cheeks. "What we can focus on right now are our present and future and I''ve already made up my mind about it." His lips curled up into a loving smile, "I want to spend every second of the rest of my life with you. Whatever happened in the past stays in the past."

    If there was someone who could constantly make her cry, it was no other than Lu Mello. What he said was right. She has been focusing too much on their past that she ended up being blinded by it that she wasn''t able to focus on their present and future.

    As tears fell out of her eyes, she couldn''t stop her lips from smiling. "I don''t deserve you..."

    He chuckled and replied straightforwardly with a mischievous tone in his voice, "Well yeah, you don''t."

    She pouted and lightly hit his c.h.e.s.t since that wasn''t the answer she was expecting from him. "So un-romantic."

    He laughed a bit, "I''m not even trying to be romantic right now." He leaned forward and pecked her pouting lips.

    "Shh!"

    They were both startled by a small hush coming from the crib. Shi Enxi and Lu Mello ended up turning just to look inside and saw their chubby son, Little Snow, looking at them with a small frown.

    "Yuyu sweeping!" Little Snow who was awakened by them scolded his parents. "Shhh!" His pointy finger on his lips before he hugged his brother again.

    Lu Mello and his wife ended up glancing at each other, a small laugh escaped from their lips.

    "Look at him, being a good little brother," Shi Enxi whispered. She wanted to carry him in her arms but with the way Little Snow was clinging to his brother, it was impossible.

    Just then a low growl was heard, making them snap their heads towards the open window where Timmy jumped in.

    Shi Enxi frowned and turned her scolding gaze to Lu Mello, "Why are you allowing such a dangerous cat inside their room?" She yelled in a hushed tone just so she wouldn''t wake up the boys.

    "He''s a good guardian. No stranger will dare come near the kids," replied Lu Mello as he walked towards the cheetah and petted his head. Timmy was one of the greatest reasons why Lu Mello was calm enough to leave the kids at home instead of bringing them to Fan Xiao Yao''s place. It was the total opposite of how his wife was feeling right now.

    "He''s still an animal."

    "And animals take care of their children," he retorted.

    After being petted by Lu Mello, the old, big cat walked towards the crib and when he saw that the toddlers were safe and sleeping through the crib fences, he laid down on the ground to sleep.

    "See?"

 Chapter 217 - Overthinking

    Meanwhile, the Huang couple spent their honeymoon in Bali and stayed there for a week, spending time with each other, having the moment of their life.

    When they returned to the mainland, the first thing that Fan Xiao Yao did was to check if she was pregnant only to find out that she wasn''t after testing the pregnancy kit. She was dumbfounded at first and she thought that maybe she should wait for a couple more days or weeks. She waited and waited until she couldn''t hold it anymore, she called Shi Enxi.

    "Xiao Xi, can you accompany me to the hospital?" Fan Xiao Yao asked the moment her friend answered the call.

    "Huh?"

    "Please?"

    "Why? Are you sick? Huang Li''s a doctor, you can just ask him if you''re unwell." Shi Enxi replied.

    "I can''t..." She pursed her lips, her eyes landed on the negative result of the pregnancy test kit. She was standing inside the restroom and was looking so anxious. "I can''t let him know..."

    Shi Enxi sighed. Was Fan Xiao Yao exaggerating things again? "Alright, what''s your problem?"

    She was quiet for a while, a bit hesitant but after a few seconds she finally told her, "I''m not pregnant."

    "..."

    "I''m serious, Xiao Xi." Fan Xiao Yao continued. "Huang Li and I have been doing it raw, I should get pregnant but I''m not... I feel like maybe there''s something wrong with me?"

    "You''re overthinking." She replied with a deadpan tone. "Some people don''t get pregnant at once you know. Others take months."

    "Even by doing it raw?"

    "Well yeah? Probably..." Shi Enxi trailed off.

    "I want to make sure. I want to see a doctor." Fan Xiao Yao was still persistent. She wanted to make sure that everything was fine.

    Another sigh was heard, coming from Shi Enxi on the other side. "Then go see a doctor."

    "Can you please come with me?"

    "..."

    In the end, Shi Enxi didn''t have a choice but to accompany Fan Xiao Yao to the doctor.

    Hospital, inside the Obstetrics and Gynecology office...

    "Have you been taking pills back then?" The doctor asked.

    "Yes. I stopped taking it a month ago."

    "I see. The pills contain both estrogen and progestin. You can get pregnant right away after stopping regular-dose or low-dose hormonal birth control. About half of women get pregnant in the first 3 months after stopping the pill, and most women get pregnant within 12 months after stopping the pill." The doctor explained.

    Shi Enxi turned to look at Fan Xiao Yao with an ''I told you so'' expression on her face.

    "But if you want to make sure that there''s nothing wrong with you, we can run some tests." The doctor suggested.

    Fan Xiao Yao lowered her head and placed a hand on her tummy before nodding a bit.

    Shi Enxi''s brows knitted together upon hearing her answer, "The doctor already explained. It''s the pills so you don''t have to-"

    "What if it''s not the pills?" Fan Xiao Yao cut her off, looking at her with seriously. She was not the type of person who was filled with positivity. She was more of a pessimist.

    "You''re just overthinking," Shi Enxi retorted.

    "I hope I am. If I''m normal then the test should go well."

    Shi Enxi couldn''t argue back to her after all, unlike her, Fan Xiao Yao has always wanted to have kids with Huang Li the moment she got deeply in love with him. She was a woman prepared to be a mother.

    ...

    After receiving the results of the test, the doctor interpreted the lab results and since some hormones level were high and low, the doctor reordered her to take the same tests a month after to confirm her case.

    And so, Fan Xiao Yao left the hospital with Shi Enxi with little information in hand.

    "I told you, you were just overthinking it." Shi Enxi said, patting her shoulder lightly. "Also, you shouldn''t rush things out especially in pregnancy. It''s harder than it looks, trust me."

    Fan Xiao Yao sighed, "But I''m ready. I''m pretty sure Huang Li is the same too."

    "Just because you''re ready doesn''t mean it has to happen at once. Also, it is actually better if you find out that you''re pregnant by surprise instead of expecting. I''m pretty sure that you''ll be overwhelmed with happiness. I can imagine you running out of the bedroom just to spread the news to your husband and neighbors." She was trying to comfort and at the same time encourage her.

    Fan Xiao Yao chuckled a bit, "Yeah... I might just do that." She placed her hand on top of her tummy, rubbing it gently. Just thinking of having a baby already brought joy inside her, how much more if it was the real deal, right?

    "You know what? Why don''t we fill that stomach of yours with food instead?" Shi Enxi suggested with a wide smirk.

    Fan Xiao was thankful to have her with her. If she came alone, she wouldn''t know what to do. She might end up being drowned with negative thoughts instead even after having a checkup. Maybe she was just thinking too much? She knew that it was not a good quality of hers but she was an anxious person, she couldn''t stop her mind from thinking of countless possibilities even if there was no problem with her.

    She was snapped out from her deep thoughts when she felt someone held her hand. She turned her head to Shi Enxi, blinking a few times.

    On the other hand, Shi Enxi was just looking ahead as she walked beside her, "Everything''s going to be alright." She reassured her.

    The side of her lips lifted into a smile. Fan Xiao Yao appreciated seeing this side of the woman who was like a sister to her. Shi Enxi may act cold sometimes but she truly was a sweet and caring friend for her. "Thank you." She replied softly. "Anyway, how about treating me to an Italian restaurant today?"

 Chapter 218 - Fan Xiao Yaos fan

    Meanwhile, Huang Li was in the clinic, alone. He was waiting for a patient he scheduled that afternoon to come.

    While the patient was not around, he took out his phone and messaged his wife, [How''s your date with Xiao Xi?] He knew that she was meeting with Shi Enxi that day.

    The reply he got from Fan Xiao Yao was a photo of the food she was currently eating. Then was followed by a message, [You should have your lunch too. <3]

    Huang Li: [Would love to but you''re not here. I will have to starve myself until you come back.]

    After sending that reply, he didn''t receive a message from her. He chuckled slightly, imagining how fl.u.s.tered she could be on the other side.

    Just then, the doorbell was heard. He stood up from his seat and went to open the door just to see a familiar face. Huang Li furrowed his brows in confusion, "What are you doing here?"

    The woman standing outside displayed a playful grin on her face, "I came here for a checkup!"

    He raised a brow this time as he scrutinized her. She looked youthful and vibrant especially with the summer dress she was wearing. Any guy would definitely find her attractive. "You look alright."

    The smile on her face disappeared. She held her head and acted like she was unwell. "But I don''t feel well..."

    "You will need to try harder than that if you''re planning to fool me." He retorted, looking sternly at her.

    Hana pouted, "You''re no fun." She huffed. "I just moved into the house near yours so I''m now your neighbor."

    He raised a brow, "Neighbor?" Someone bought that shady looking place? It was a place bigger than the house he was living with Fan Xiao Yao. The only reason they didn''t buy it was because his wife didn''t want to live in a haunted-looking mansion.

    A grin spread across her face when she saw his bewildered look. "I know, I know. I''m pretty brave to move in into that haunted house that the townsmen are talking about." She chuckled. "But I don''t believe in ghosts. As they said, dead men, tell no tales." She carried the paper bag that was on the ground. "I bought some fruits for you and your wife. I went to your house but no one responded so here I am."

    "You could have just come back later."

    "But I''m busy later," she pouted. "What kind of neighbor are you? You''re supposed to be treating me well and be welcoming."

    "I''m busy right now."

    "How about your wife? I really want to be friends with her. She''s so pretty and famous! Can you actually believe it? Your wedding''s still on the top searches in Weibo! It''s an honor to be her friend!" Hana exclaimed, her eyes sparkling in delight.

    "She''s not here." Huang Li replied with a deadpan tone. He was not that good at dealing with other women after all. He was also distant before he came into a relationship with Fan Xiao Yao. He has always been wary of women because of his past. Maybe that was why he was too loyal to both Shi Enxi and his wife?Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#''s-fan_49350103118446304">#''s-fan_49350103118446304</a> for visiting.

    Hana pouted, "Eh? Where did she go?"

    "She went out with her friend."

    "Friend... You mean Shi Enxi?"

    He raised a brow, "How did you know?"

    She grinned proudly, "Lucky guess? Also, she''s the one who made that incredible speech at your wedding, right?"

    Huang Li''s suspicion of her lessened after hearing her reason but then he suddenly remembered something. "How about me? How did you know my name the first time we met at the bar?"

    She blinked a few times and smiled sheepishly, "How can I not? You''re known to be Fan Xiao Yao''s fiance back then. I saw you on Weibo too."

    "..." Could she be... "Are you one of my wife''s fans?"

    Her eyes widened in surprise and her cheeks went red, "P-Please don''t tell her..."

    ...

    "Why are you not touching your food?" Shi Enxi asked, raising a brow.

    Fan Xiao Yao quickly kept her phone on the side and looked at her with a smiled awkwardly, her cheeks were still red. She grabbed the chopsticks and took a piece of dumpling, "By the way, how are things with you and Mello?" She asked just so she wouldn''t question what the message was about.

    Shi Enxi paused from chewing the food in her mouth as she turned her gaze back to her. She gulped down the food before replying, "Good... I guess?"

    "You guess?"

    "Yeah. I think so." So far, ever since she returned with Lu Mello, she had never felt suffocated anymore. She didn''t feel like a bird locked inside a cage. Aside from that, he never asked her about their past which she was grateful for. Thanks to that, she was slowly adjusting to how things were around them.

    "How about Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue?"

    At the questions about her kids, Shi Enxi''s face brightened up. She began sharing with Fan Xiao Yao how the boys were talking and walking like penguins which she found adorable. She even showed her photos of the kids, the photos she took on their birthday since they celebrated it by flying to Hong Kong and visiting Disneyland.

    As Fan Xiao Yao looked at the photos, seeing how happy they were, she couldn''t help but feel a tinge of envy growing in her c.h.e.s.t.

    "Stop that." Shi Enxi said after pulling her phone back. She noticed how Fan Xiao Yao was staring off, her mind flying somewhere. If there was someone who could read her best, it was none other than Shi Enxi.

    She blinked a few times, pretending to be clueless, "What?"

    "That salty look in your eyes. Stop it. Haven''t I told you not to rush things? You will get pregnant once it''s the right time not because there''s something wrong with you." She explained sternly.

    Fan Xiao Yao sighed, "I''m sorry." She apologized. She couldn''t help it. She loved kids. She wanted to start a family soon. She was impatient about having one.

    Shi Enxi picked up the chopsticks once again and placed meat of beef on top of her bowl of rice. "Eat. The best way to relieve that stress of yours is by eating."

 Chapter 219 - Two mothers

    Lu residence...

    "Mama!"

    "Ma!"

    The two boys who were sitting on the carpet inside the living room stood up when they saw their mother enter the room. Mo Jing, who was in charge of watching them turned her head and smiled as she greeted, "Welcome back, Xiao Xi."

    Shi Enxi smiled at her before she turned to the boys who came running towards her. She placed the paper bags she was carrying on the ground before she bent down to their level and opened her arms just to catch them.

    One boy ran straight to her arm while the other turn and peeked at the paper bags she brought. He was followed by both Mo Jing and Shi Enxi''s eyes. Little Snow reached out inside one of the bags pulled out the small colorful box of macaroon, "Fwood..." He tried to open it and when he managed to do so, his face brightened in delight when he saw the sweet. "Macawoon!"

    Mo Jing: "..."

    Shi Enxi: "..."

    "Elwome!" Little Jade greeted happily, catching her attention while hugging his mother tight.

    "Aren''t you such a sweet child?" She chuckled as she carried the boy in her arms.

    "Xiao Xue seemed to love food more than his mother." Fan Xiao Yao who went and stood beside her giggled when he saw the round boy sitting on the ground, holding macaroons on both hands and was consuming them happily. She turned to Mo Jing and grinned, "Hi grandma Mo!" She was there to visit the boys since Shi Enxi invited her, telling her that the boys missed her. She actually did that just to distract her.

    "Oh my, you should have told me that Xiao Yao''s coming." Mo Jing said, giving Shi Enxi a scolding gaze.

    She averted her eyes, away from the old lady''s wigging eyes.  "Next time grandma."

    Mo Jing sighed, "Would you like to have some drinks or snacks, child?" She was looking at both of them since the question was for both the girls.

    "Just some tea will be fine since we have snacks here. Also, bring a glass of water for Xiao Xue." Shi Enxi ordered.

    "As you wish," replied Mo Jing with a smile. She went out of the room and called a maid.

    When Little Jade saw Fan Xiao Yao, he grinned happily and exclaimed, "Mama!"

    "Ha, I didn''t know you have two mothers now." Shi Enxi raised a brow at her son.

    "Ah, I didn''t know that we''re actually sharing sons," teased Fan Xiao Yao with a wide grin plastered on her lips.

    Little Jade turned to look at his mother, finding her expression funny, "Mama!" He hugged Shi Enxi''s neck and snuggled to her like a kitten to which Shi Enxi ended up chuckling.

    "He''s smart." Fan Xiao Yao smiled, reaching out her hand just to give him a pat. "He knows I''m kindhearted and you''re not so he''s obviously trying to gain more of your favor."

    Shi Enxi glanced at her and pursed her lips, "Are you trying to say that I''m evil?"

    "I didn''t say that." She retorted, giving her usual smile at her.

    "So if you''re kindhearted and I''m not, then what am I?"

    "Is that a riddle you''re asking?"

    Huh... Since when did Fan Xiao Yao learn to talk back like that? Shi Enxi thought. "You..."

    Fan Xiao Yao ended up blurting out a small laugh when she saw the weird face Shi Enxi was making, "I may have learned one or two from you."

    Shi Enxi raised a brow and smirked, "Just one or two? I didn''t remember you being a slow learner."

    "..."

    "Anyway, my other son seems to only think about food." She turned back to look at Little Snow and sighed. She placed Little Jade back on the ground. He walked in front of Fan Xiao Yao and reached out his hands, asking to be carried while using his cute charms on her to which it worked.

    Fan Xiao Yao''s heart melted and she ended up holding up the boy in her arms.

    Meanwhile, Shi Enxi went and grabbed the box away from Little Snow''s reach. "Is this how you greet your mother? By stealing food?"

    "Mama!" The boy happily exclaimed. His hands were full since he was holding two macaroons, one almost half-finished, the other still whole. There were crumbs on the side of his grinning lips.

    "Oh, now you remembered?" She chuckled. She took out a handkerchief from her pocket and reached out to wipe the mess around his lips. "So how do you plan on hugging me with those messy hands of yours?"

    Little Snow stuffed the half-eaten macaroon in his mouth before he reached out, wanting to hug.

    It was such an adorable sight in her eyes especially when he was the cutest baby in her eyes. It was only normal. It was Lu Mello''s genes mixed with hers after all. "Dieting will start once you reach the age of 10 okay?"

    The boy tilted his head, staring at her with his adorable big eyes in confusion, not really understanding what she just said.

    She used the handkerchief to wipe his hand clean before she leaned forward and pecked his soft lips. "Come, let''s eat the snacks together."

    All he understood was ''eat snacks together'' which made him brimmed in delight, "Okway!"

    ...

    The children were already brought back to their room by Mo Jing since it was already time for their afternoon nap. At first, they struggled, wanting to stay with the two women who addressed them as ''mama'' so Shi Enxi and Fan Xiao Yao ended up bringing them into their room to put them to sleep.

    Back then, Fan Xiao Yao would have not liked being called ''mama'' by the two boys but now, she was delighted to hear it especially when Shi Enxi didn''t mind if the children addressed her that way. Besides, she wasn''t their auntie but their godmother instead.

    "I should get going now. My husband''s complaining about why I''m not coming home yet." Fan Xiao Yao said with a small giggle, keeping her phone back inside her bag. She also sounded so proud when she addressed Huang Li as her husband.

    "Send him my regards." Shi Enxi replied, smiling. "I''m sorry for troubling you with the kids."

    "No, they''re no trouble at all." Fan Xiao Yao has always loved the two boys ever since she first met them.

 Chapter 220 - Yes, darling?

    Fan Xiao Yao arrived just in time for dinner. She entered the dining room just to see her husband placing the food he prepared on the table.

    Huang Li, who was wearing an orange-colored apron with a bunny head print on the middle looked funny. The apron belonged to her in the first place. He raised his head, his gentle eyes landing on her. The side of his lips turned up as he charmed her with one of his sweet-looking smiles. "Welcome back."

    Her heart trembled at the sight. She could clearly imagine a sparkle filter effect around him when he smiled at her.

    Ah... It''s so nice to come home with a handsome husband waiting for her. She thought as she moved toward him and gave him a hug, "How was your day?"

    "Not great when you left me here alone." He leaned forward and pecked her lips.

    Her face flushed at his remark and the kiss. She released him from his hug and helped him place the utensils on the table. "I went to visit Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue too."

    "Really? How are they?"

    "They''re doing great. They even look livelier now that Xiao Xi''s living with them." She then noticed him placing an extra plate on the table.

    Before she could ask, Huang Li announced, "Our new neighbor will be joining us for dinner tonight."

    She blinked a few times in confusion. They didn''t have a neighbor, "What do you mean? Did someone bought that haunted house?" She looked at him in disbelief when she thought that someone bought that scary-looking house.

    "Yes," chuckled Huang Li. "She''s someone we know."

    Someone they know? The only person who was brave enough to buy that house was none other than Shi Enxi. At least she was scarier than ghosts.

    As if knowing who she was thinking, Huang Li smiled in amus.e.m.e.nt. "No, it''s not Xiao Xi. It''s not someone we totally know but someone who we recently knew. Her name is Kobayashi Hana."

    If she remembered correctly, Hana was the person who greeted her during the wedding. A woman who helped her husband and Lu Mello, right?

    "She happened to me a big fan of yours and she also happened to be the new school nurse in this town''s high school." He continued.

    She''s a fan of hers? A new school nurse? Oh well, Fan Xiao Yao didn''t really think much of it. She was a new neighbor and it was only polite to invite her for dinner.

    Just then, they heard the doorbell.

    Fan Xiao Yao smiled as she said, "Let me get it. It must be her."

    ...

    It was already late at night when Lu Mello returned home. He had already messaged his wife that he was going to come home late since the meeting with the Board got delayed earlier.

    Upon entering the place, the first thing- or rather, the person who caught his eyes was none other than his wife who has fallen asleep while waiting for his arrival.

    With each step, he carefully walked towards her as he took off his coat and placed it on top of the couch. After loosening his tie, he knelt on the side of the sofa and stretched out his hand just to gently brush off the stray strands of her hair away from her face.

    He stared for a while at her beautiful, peaceful sleeping face. He still couldn''t believe that she was back and seeing her in front of him right now only brought relief inside him. Eyelids closed against the dim light of dawn and her breathing deep and relaxed, all the muscles in her face and body were totally at peace.

    He wouldn''t have this any other way. He was contented with having her just like this. He didn''t want to be greedy anymore.

    "Come on, kiss me already." Shi Enxi''s lips suddenly moved.

    He blinked a few times, looking at her. She was awake?

    "I''m waiting."

    He smiled helplessly and leaned forward just to peck her lips before he apologized, "I''m sorry for waking you up."

    She opened her eyes this time, her black orbs shining as if they had a galaxy in them. Her lips curled up into a smile, "I was already awake when you arrived."

    "You shouldn''t have waited for me."

    "But I want to." She stretched her arms before she sat up and leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Carry me."

    Obeying her order, in one swift motion, he carried her in his arms like a princess as he stood up. "I should be the one being carried you know. I came from work."

    "Uh-huh. As if I can carry you." She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

    He chuckled lightly as a response. He climbed up the stairs and headed to where the master bedroom was located.

    "How about joining me for tonight''s bath?" He offered, entering their room.

    "I already took a bath so no thanks."

    "Then take a bath again so you can join me."

    "I''m not interested, I want to sleep."

    Instead of dropping her on the bed, Lu Mello headed straight to the bathroom and entered.

    When she felt his sudden change of direction, she opened her sleepy eyes and saw that they were now inside the bathroom. "Mello!"

    "Yes, darling?" He asked calmly as if he was doing nothing wrong. He gently placed her down inside the tub. He reached out and turned the faucet, letting the warm water fill the tub.

    Shi Enxi shrieked when she felt the water, drenching her legs. "LU F.U.C.K.I.N.G MELLO! I HAVE MY CLOTHES ON!"

    With a playful smirk, he retorted quite casually as if he wasn''t bothered by her angry shout, "Then it''s only normal to take off the clothes, right?"

    "..." This scheming, shameless bastard! She obviously didn''t have a choice left but to take it off since she was already drenched.

    "Do you need my help?" He raised a brow, a mischievous smirk still playing on his lips.

    "..."

 Chapter 221 - Endurance game (I)

    In the end, Shi Enxi didn''t have a choice but to give in to her husband''s d.e.s.i.r.e. She was caged between his arms as he was sitting behind her.

    Lu Mello leaned forward, resting his chin on her shoulder, closing his eyes. When was the last time they bath together? He would be lying if he said that he wasn''t affected by feeling her b.a.r.e back against his c.h.e.s.t. The last time they got n.a.k.e.d and shared each other''s warmth was during the night they last made love in Thailand. That was months ago. He never touched her ever since they got back. He was careful and maintained his distance but even he has his limits.

    Shi Enxi blushed hard when she felt something poking behind her, "After this, we''re going to sleep."

    "By sleep, do you mean sleep-sleep or sleep-s.e.x?" He chuckled, his c.h.e.s.t vibrated as he did.

    "S-sleep-sleep." She stuttered. "Besides, aren''t you tired?"

    He opened his eyes and smirked. He whispered huskily near her ear, "I always have extra energy when it comes to you... no matter how tired I am."

    She ended up gulping a bit, chills ran down her body upon hearing his s.e.xy voice and feeling his warm breath against her ear.

    "But I''m not going to do anything if you don''t want to. As long as you behave, Mrs. Lu." He wouldn''t be able to control himself from devouring her if she teased him even the slightest bit. He was already trying his best, not to attack her right now. If she wanted a wholesome moment with him right there in the side of the bathtub, then he was willing to give that to her. He was willing to hold down the beast inside him.

    Behave? Shi Enxi thought. Being in his arms, feeling his warmth around her was already driving her insane. She may have told him that she didn''t want to do anything that night but she was just lying. She was not going to beg for him to eat her. She was just waiting for him to insist but she didn''t expect him to stand down after ruling up a storm in her. Was he teasing her? Fine! If it was teasing he wanted then she would make sure to make him beg for her!

    And so, the play began. Shi Enxi unwrapped his arms around him before she moved away from him, just putting a small distance just so she could turn and fully face him. In the next moment, she attacked him by getting out of the tub, exposing her n.a.k.e.d body in front of him. Of course, she was still a bit embarrassed and fl.u.s.tered in doing that bold move but she has nothing to hide from him anymore. He was the only man who she treated this way.

    Lu Mello''s eyes followed her. The water that dripped and flowed down her body only made her even enticing. He had to ball his fists tightly just so he wouldn''t jump to her. His eyes never left her. He watched her use the towel to wipe her body dry. For some reason, she even looked s.e.xier as she slowly rubbed it on her body. He quickly tore his eyes away from her when he noticed that she was about to look at him.

    ''Think of happy thoughts, Mello.'' He told himself. He could feel his lower region throb. He was already turned on since the start and it only made things harder for him now.

    "Darling, you shouldn''t stay long inside the tub or else your skin will become saggy." She said, acting all casual after she wore the bathrobe.

    "Hn, you''re right." Without looking at her, he got out of the bathtub.

    In an instant, Shi Enxi''s eyes landed on his body. He was a living work of art, his fair skin, his hard packs so tempting to touch; every move giving away his strength. Such a well-toned and muscular body was enough to make her drool... Until her eyes fell on his hardened rod to which she blushed hard and instantly turned away before her husband could even notice that she was drooling for his body. She acted as if she had never seen it but her body remembered. Her body wanted to feel it again... inside.

    ''No, not yet. You must endure.'' Shi Enxi scolded herself, trying to put her inner d.e.s.i.r.es in place.

    She left the bathroom and instead of heading towards the closet to wear her pajamas, she approached the vanity table and dried her hair using the hairdryer.

    Shortly after she left the bathroom, Lu Mello remained inside just so he could deal with his ''problem'' and calm the storm in him.

    Since he took a while, by the time he went out, Shi Enxi was already in the middle of the bed, sitting and was pretending to read the book she was holding. He stopped in his tracks when he saw what she was wearing. Even his mouth dropped! How could it not when she was wearing a thin satin nightgown that reached down her t.h.i.g.hs, exposing her beautiful, fair legs? Her form-fitting nightgown was a pristine white. It pooled around her like liquid silk. She wasn''t wearing anything underneath which only made her even more enchanting. Since her nightmare was thin, the form of her b.r.e.a.s.ts was easily seen.

    Lu Mello gulped so slowly, his eyes traveling from her focused face that was looking at the book to her c.h.e.s.t then down to her t.h.i.g.hs. Her dress was too short!

    Damn woman! Didn''t she know how much effect she had on him?!

    A bulge grew and was seen from the towel that was covering his lower region. He was half-n.a.k.e.d with only a towel that was wrapped around his waist just to cover his private and yet look at the tent that formed all because of his vixen wife. He was almost at the tip. His patience was running out and yet he refused to give in since this time, he knew exactly what his wife was trying to do. She wanted to do it with him and she was waiting for him to make the first move. Right at that moment, an endurance game has begun.

 Chapter 222 - Endurance game (II)

    Endurance game? F.u.c.k that game!

    In the next moment, Lu Mello approached the bed and climb up onto it. He crawled his way towards his wife and as he did, the towel around his waist fell which he ignored and instead, cornered his wife against the bed''s headboard.

    Shi Enxi peeked up at him, acting surprised, "Yes?" Although upon seeing how n.a.k.e.d he was, her eyes automatically landed on his body which once again traveled down to his big and growing erection. She unconsciously gulped. When she realized that she was staring, she shot up her head back to his face just to see his lips curled up into a wicked grin. He was enjoying her astounded and fl.u.s.tered expression.

    "Eyes on me, honey." He leaned his face closer to her.

    She tried to compose herself, stopping herself from stuttering just so she could warn him, "Mello."

    "Sweetheart, do you think I can resist you if you''re being like this? If it''s an endurance game you want then I can give you my version of the game~" Without waiting for her reply, he leaned and captured her lips.

    At first, Shi Enxi tried to resist his kisses. She even tried to push him away but she never used her full strength to do so. She closed her eyes, her very smell was flooding her senses, intoxicating her. Just like him, she knew that she wouldn''t be able to resist him for long so in the end, she gave in and kissed him back. In that minty moment, her senses have been seduced and she could no longer think straight.

    "Enxi..." He pulled away a bit just to look at her expression as whispered slowly, prolonging each letter as if to savor them.

    She smiled, her heart fluttering at his voice as she clasped her hands on either side of his face. Never before has her name ever felt so wonderful a one, she thought, as she leaned in for another. It was slow and soft, comforting in ways that words would never be.

    Lu Mello''s hand rested below her ear, his thumb c.a.r.e.s.sing her cheek as their breaths mingled. She ran her fingers down his spine, pulling him closer until there was no space left between them and she could feel the beating of his heart against her c.h.e.s.t. He pressed his tongue to the seam of her lips and, at her grant of access, delved inside her mouth. It was a very sloppy, hungry kiss. Their scents being exchanged in the intermingling of their billowing breaths. They kissed each other passionately, longingly until the kiss finally broke all because they were now out of breath. His forehead was still against her, his eyes closed as he panted. Their lips were only an inch apart.

    Shi Enxi slowly opened her eyes just to look at him for a second before closing her eyes again and with a smile on her lips, she whispered huskily, "I missed this..."

    A low, s.e.xy chuckle was heard from him, "You''re finally being honest."

    She leaned back and looked at him, a small pout seen on her lips, "What does that even mean?"

    "That means, no more resisting me." He snickered.

    She stared at him for a moment, her cheeks were red, her heart was thumping and pounding like crazy since earlier. "I don''t remember resisting you tho." She smirked back at him. Of course, she was not going to admit it. She took the book that was resting on her l.a.p and placed it on the side before she lifted her dress and threw it on the ground before her arms reached out and tangled around his strong neck, "Now then, shall we continue, Mr. Lu?"

    This woman... He looked at her and smiled helplessly.

    Instead of attacking her again, he leaned and landed his lips on her neck, gliding it to her throat, kissing, s.u.c.k.i.n.g, and nipping to which she closed her eyes and raised her head just to give him more access to her throat.

    Lu Mello''s hands ran down her body and over her b.r.e.a.s.ts as he reached the base of her neck with his lips. He groped her b.r.e.a.s.ts, feeling the tenderness in it.

    Shi Enxi m.o.a.n.e.d as he began giving her b.r.e.a.s.ts his attention. "Are you... going to turn into a big baby again?" She teased, the side of her lips turning up into a smirk but the fl.u.s.tered look in her eyes gave her away.

    He snickered at her attempt to tease him, "Can''t help it, I need my share of your milk."

    Oh, f.u.c.k...

    The moment his lips took in one of her n.i.p.p.l.es and nipped on it gently, she arched her back, only pushing her body against him. He tenderly s.u.c.k.e.d on her as his hands arrived on her t.h.i.g.hs. After the big baby was satisfied he moved back his lips up to her shoulder as he complimented, "Sweet as ever."

    "Shut up..." She breathed out, looking so embarrassed upon hearing his praise about her milk.

    He looked at her with narrowed eyes, the smirk on his lips growing. It only made him look more seductive.

    She loved that sight of his and it was only making her so impatient so she pushed him away and went to sit on his l.a.p. She spread her legs and wrapped them around his waist. She whispered with a demanding tone in her voice, "Darling, I want you. Now." As she wrapped her hand around his erection, he g.r.o.a.n.e.d lowly.

    This time, Shi Enxi took the lead by slipping his hard c.o.c.k inside her, a m.o.a.n escaped her mouth and earned another groan from him. As she eases around him, she began riding him. It was sweet and gentle all at once.

    He held her by her waist just to support and helped her increase the pace. The room was filled with nothing but their sweet m.o.a.ns and the slick sounds coming from them. He soon lost control and ended up pushing her against the headboard, lifting her legs just so he could move in her fast, hard, and large. They were both drunk with p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e. With each thrust, he was pushing her, pressing her against the headboard which only made him go deep in her. He was thrusting over and over until she finally reached her climax as he continued to pound. He g.r.o.a.n.e.d as he reached his peak as well, pressing himself into her. His body was rigid as he stayed still as he exploded inside her.

    They both panted and Shi Enxi was given a moment to breathe before he pulled out and changed their position for the next round.

    -----

    A/N:

    Please read my shameless request in the comments :3 <3

 Chapter 223 - Amazing Uncle Shi Yi

    Lights filled the room, waking Shi Enxi from her deep slumber. She stretched out and winced. Her body was so sore, especially her lower region. She opened her eyes. What time did they sleep last night? Or was it morning? She didn''t know. They were so consumed with themselves.

    Beside her, Lu Mello was fast asleep, facing her, looking so relaxed in his sleep. He looked so lovely when he was asleep and yet, what happened last night betrayed what she just thought at that moment. He was a devil in bed, merciless and ruthless. The night filled with p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e was gone and right now, her body was aching badly. It was like a punishment after that sweet night. How can he still look so handsome even when asleep? She could never get used to it. His hair was in a glorious mess. His pouty lips were parted slightly.

    The urge to pinch him was great but at the same time, she couldn''t do it because of how angelic he looked while sleeping. She just wanted to gaze at him all day but her stomach betrayed her. She was starving. Slipping out of the bed, she could hardly walk but she managed to keep her balance as she wobbled her way towards the bathroom. Upon entering, she walked past the huge mirror. She only took a glimpse of the condition of her body. It wasn''t something new every time she did it with her husband. Although just like him, her appetite for s.e.x when it comes to him was big although she would always end up complaining the next morning.

    After washing her body clean, she filled the tub with warm water before she slipped in. The water helped her stiff muscles relax and even ease up the soreness in her body. She didn''t stay long in the bathroom tho. She was hungry so after drying herself and wearing a clean set of clothes, she went downstairs, heading straight to the kitchen, and grabbed any food that the chef already prepared. After having her fill, she went to look for her sons who were in their room, playing. They already had their breakfast thanks to Mo Jing.

    While she was spending her time, one of the maids knocked and announced, "Madam, Mr. Shi is here."

    Shi Enxi blinked a few times upon hearing her words. Her brother came? Now that she thought of it, she didn''t call or message him ever since she returned. She wasn''t even able to greet him during Fan Xiao Yao''s wedding since she left at once.

    "I''ll be out in a moment." She replied. She stood up from her seat and looked at Little Jade and Little Snow who were playing with their toys.

    "Xiao Yu, Xiao Xue, let''s go downstairs and meet your uncle."

    ...

    "Ah, brother-in-law, what brings you here?" Lu Mello asked with a bright smile.

    On the other hand, Shi Yi had a dark smile. Even if he didn''t like the way he called him, he couldn''t argue with it since they had that kind of relationship, "Isn''t it obvious? I''m here to visit my sister."

    "Ohhh. My wife is currently out. Why don''t you come back some other time?" That was a blatant lie.

    The tension around them was heavy. They were both smiling but the animosity between them was so obvious. Although their attention was stolen when they both heard someone clear her throat.

    Shi Enxi was standing at the entrance of the room with two boys hiding behind her. Her arms were crossed and a devious smile was seen on her lips. A greater pressure came from her, aiming at the two grownup men, "If you both want to punch each other, please do it outside... Or do you prefer to have a fighting ring prepared for you?"

    Lu Mello rushed to her side and smiled, quite differently from what he was giving to Shi Yi earlier. This time, he looked like he was trying to appease his wife, "Sweetheart, what are you talking about? I''m just greeting my brother-in-law."

    Meanwhile, the murky expression on Shi Yi''s face was now gone. "Yes, we were just greeting each other. By the way, I''ve brought some toys for my nephews and your favorite food."

    At the mention of toys and food, both Little Jade and Little Snow''s eyes sparkled in excitement that they ended up coming out and rushing towards their uncle.

    Little Jade: "TOYSH?!"

    Little Snow: "FWOOD?!"

    They both looked up at him, looking earnestly with sparkling eyes. Who could resist their adorableness? Even someone like Shi Yi gave in to them and ended up becoming a slave to their wants. He even gave the food he brought for his sister to Little Snow who was demanding for food.

    Their uncle took out his phone and dialed someone, "Hello, Yuan Song? I want you to go out and buy some things for me."

    "Piwture books!" Exclaimed Little Jade.

    "Ice cweam!" Followed Little Snow.

    "A bookshelf filled with picture books for kids- wait no, just buy the whole children book store. Also buy an ice cream parlor on your way too."

    "Dino!" Little Jade grinned, raising the dinosaur toy that he brought to him.

    "Uwncle, dumpwings (dumplings) too!" Added Little Snow.

    With a serious look on his face, Shi Yi continued, "Buy all the dinos in the toy store. Also, the dumplings in Xianlaoman are really good, right? Buy the store and bring a couple of takeouts here."

    Yuan Song: "..."

    Shi Enxi: "..."

    Lu Mello: "..."

    They were speechless by how easy the kids were able to play Shi Yi around their fingers as he began spoiling them. Before he could fill their place with things that the children ordered, Shi Enxi rushed to her brother''s side, "Gege, I think that''s enough. If you buy too much of what they want, there won''t be enough space here. Also the kids'' rooms are not that big so I don''t think all the toys will fit and-"

    "Then how about we build a toy house for them? Mello''s land is big, there''s enough space near the garden."

    Shi Enxi: "..."

 Chapter 224 - Do you want to be famous?

    Ever since Huang Li introduced Hana to his wife, they were able to get along at once. Hana was a lively and friendly woman that she was able to get along with the couples in no time.

    "Your best friend is that amazing?" Hana asked, looking earnestly at Fan Xiao Yao.

    "Yes! Her name is Shi Enxi!" She replied with a proud grin on her lips. "She is also the wife of Lu Mello!"

    "I only saw her once during your wedding. She''s so pretty~ I''m so jealous. How can you both manage to get handsome and rich husbands? I want one too!" She w.h.i.n.ed, catching her chin on her palm. "Being single sucks."

    Fan Xiao Yao giggled, "The right man will come at the right time. Also, you should meet, Xiao Xi''s kids, they''re so adorable!" She took out her phone and showed the photos of the boys to her new friend.

    Hana stared at the photos for a second. A small glint of light flashed in her eyes before it disappeared as soon as it came. "They''re so cute! Are they twins? They don''t look alike."

    "No, they''re not. This is Xiao Xue, he is Xiao Xi''s real son." She pointed at the chubby kid. "This is Xiao Yu, the child they adopted."

    "What cute names." Hana chuckled while staring at the photos.

    Fan Xiao Yao continued to chat about her best friend and the kids proudly as if she was their mother, bragging about how great they were.

    "By the way, when do you plan to have a child with Huang Li?" Hana asked, changing the topic back to her.

    Fan Xiao Yao recalled what the doctor said and also Shi Enxi''s words. She shouldn''t be impatient. Having a child would come at the right time. No matter how excited she was, she has to wait. "Anytime." She replied with a small laugh. "I mean, it will be better it''s a surprise." These were the words Shi Enxi told her. "It will have a greater impact on me and my husband."

    "That''s true. Both of you seem to like surprises too."

    "Well, kinda?"

    Although she was still worried. Fan Xiao Yao placed a hand on her tummy. Huang Li never questioned her about her pregnancy even if they had been doing it raw a few times. Maybe he already has an idea about her condition? Maybe he wasn''t in a rush just like her? Or maybe he was just waiting for her to surprise her with the news? Oh well, she still has a few weeks left before she could go back to the doctor and have another check-up.

    "By the way, how can you live in that haunted house alone?" Fan Xiao Yao asked curiously, changing the topic.

    "I don''t believe in ghosts. Besides, humans who are alive are scarier than the ones that are dead. They''re worse than monsters you know."

    ...

    "Xiao Xi, meet Hana, she''s my new neighbor." Fan Xiao Yao said with a grin as she introduced her new friend.

    They were currently at a cafe and it was Shi Enxi who called her there. Fan Xiao Yao brought Hana along so that she could introduce her and grow their circle of friends.

    Shi Enxi raised a brow as she looked at Hana from head to toe. Hana was tall and had a beautiful figure. If she wanted to be a model, she could easily be accepted as one. Even her way of walking was beautiful when she entered earlier with Fan Xiao Yao. She had an elegant aura around her. She smiled and greeted, "It''s nice to meet you."

    Hana grinned in delight, "You too! To be able to finally meet Xiao Yao''s best friend... What an honor!"

    She also has her ways with words. Good. Shi Enxi thought.

    The two women took their seats which were opposite Shi Enxi''s. After they ordered their drinks, it was Fan Xiao Yao who asked, "So, are we here to go shopping?"

    "No." Shi Enxi answered at once. She went straight to the point when she asked Fan Xiao Yao with a serious look on her face, "What do you think about going back to work?"

    She was taken aback by her sudden question. Even Hana was surprised that she whispered with a small squeal, "Is this a comeback?"

    "Depends on what Xiao Yao will answer," replied Shi Enxi casually before she took a sip from her cup of coffee.

    Hana turned to the woman beside her, waiting eagerly for her answer.

    Fan Xiao Yao lowered her head and clasped her hands together as she softly replied, "But I am about to have a family with Huang Li... Also, I want to focus on being a wife too..." She was the kind of woman who wanted to go back to her normal life the moment she found a family. She was willing to give up her fame for Huang Li. She had already done so the moment she married him. She was already contented with the experience of being on top. She only wanted to prove her ability to others and her hard work was finally paid off by receiving an award.

    On the other hand, Shi Enxi already expected that answer from her. Fan Xiao Yao was the total opposite of her in everything, including their mentality. She was selfish and Fan Xiao Yao was selfless. Shi Enxi was getting bored at home, Lu Mello was busy with work and even if she had to take care of the kids, Mo Jing was there to help her. Every day was usual for her. It was already a routine and she wanted to change things. She wanted to go back to work. Shi Enxi hasn''t told her husband about it yet but she was sure that Lu Mello was going to allow her. He can''t say no to her.

    She actually planned on trying to convince her but... it seemed like Fan Xiao Yao brought a substitute: Kobayashi Hana. She leaned forward, resting her elbow on the table as her palm caught her chin. She turned Hana and smirked, "How about you? Do you want to be famous?"

 Chapter 225 - Mr. Lu! Behave yourself!

    Hana was dumbstruck when she heard what Shi Enxi asked. Was she hearing things wrong?

    "Well? I can take you in as my model or if you want to be an actress we can work on it." Shi Enxi offered.

    Even Fan Xiao Yao was surprised when she heard her words. She looked at her best friend then to Hana, her eyes sparkled in delight. "Oh! That''s great news, Hana! Xiao Xi has great taste so that only means that she sees an opportunity for you!" She was genuinely happy for her.

    The woman who was in the hot seat blushed shyly as she hesitated.

    "What kind of work do you do?" Shi Enxi asked.

    Before Hana could answer, Fan Xiao Yao took out the words from her lips, "She''s working as a part-timer at a pet shop." She held Hana''s hand and grinned, "You should take this opportunity. If Xiao Xi sees something in you, then it could only mean that you could become someone big in the future! Just look at me! Xiao Xi handled me well. She has a lot of connections too so you wouldn''t have a problem. Not just that her brother is the Chairman and CEO of the Rosarium entertainment!"

    Shi Enxi smiled inwardly as she watched Fan Xiao Yao do her work. It looked like she didn''t have to convince Hana since her best friend was already convincing enough.

    The other woman was speechless. Of course, no one would waste such a chance to grow big and famous! This Shi Enxi was someone who could do that!

    "Well?" Shi Enxi asked, expanding the word.

    After a moment of silence coming from Hana, she finally gave in and nodded her head vigorously, "I would like to give it a try!"

    "Great." She snickered in reply. "Then we will begin your training in one week."

    Hana gasped, "At once?"

    "Time is money, sweetie. We need to train you to prepare you in entering the entertainment world. It''s not easy as it looked like after all."

    Fan Xiao Yao nodded in agreement at what Shi Enxi said, "You will be competing with others too and you will meet people who play dirty. But you don''t have to worry, as long as you have Xiao Xi as your manager, then things will be fine. She''ll be your knight in shining armor. This is all base on my experience."

    On the other hand, Shi Enxi rolled her eyes at her exaggeration. Although this was a relief for Hana. She looked at her with a grin, "I look forward to working with you!"

    "Likewise."

    ...

    After hanging out with Fan Xiao Yao and Hana during lunch, Shi Enxi went to visit her husband at the company afterward. She was planning to give him a surprise.

    The staff was able to recognize her at once so she wasn''t stopped when she headed to the topmost floor. The floor where Lu Mello''s office was located.

    "Mrs. Lu?" Liu Ying, her husband''s assistant, and the secretary was surprised when he saw her come out of the elevator.

    "Is my husband in his office?" She asked with a small smile on her lips.

    "Mr. Lu is currently in the middle of a meeting." He politely replied. "Would you like me to tell him that you''re here?"

    "No need. I can just wait for him." She headed to his office.

    Liu Ying rushed to open the office door for her. "Would you like to have snacks while you wait?"

    "No thanks. A cup of tea will be enough." She replied before entering the room.

    When was the last time she visited this vast office of her husband? The view from the glass window was so beautiful. It was overviewing the buildings outside.

    She placed her bag on the sofa before she went to the bookshelf, choosing a book to read while she waited for her husband. She picked a think book and returned to the sofa.

    On the other hand, placing the cup of tea on the coffee table. Liu Ying left and directly went to the conference room. Even if Shi Enxi told him not to let Lu Mello know, he didn''t listen. He knew that the meeting was going to take hours after all.

    He ended the room and approached his boss who was sitting at the end of the table. He bent down just to whisper in his ear, "Sir, your wife is here."

    Lu Mello blinked a lot, a bit surprised. The staff in the room turned their heads to him and when he noticed that the person reporting paused, he composed himself and ordered, "Continue." After that, he slightly turned to Liu Ying and whispered, "Tell her to give me 30 minutes- no, make it 15 minutes."

    "Yes sir."

    ...

    Shi Enxi continued to read the book out of boredom. She was expecting her husband to arrive later, maybe after an hour or two but she didn''t expect him to come earlier. Fifteen minutes later to be exact.

    "You should have messaged me that you were coming." Lu Mello said the moment he entered the office.

    She blinked a few times in confusion, "Meeting''s already done?"

    "Yes. It was not that important anyway." Lies. If it wasn''t important, his presence wouldn''t be needed. Although, he assigned Liu Ying to replace him and give him the details of it later.

    She shut the book she was reading and placed it on the coffee table. "Is that so?" She asked, crossing her arms this time.

    He sat on the space beside her and smiled, "Maybe? Maybe not?"

    "Mello?" She warned.

    "I can''t allow my wife to wait for me for hours." He chuckled, he leaned forward just to capture her lips.

    If he thought that his sweet action would distract her then he was mistaken! She was not going to give in just because of his sweet kiss!

    She placed her hands on his shoulders just to push him a bit, "Mr. Lu! Behave yourself!" She glared at him. "Why do you always have to act so horny?"

    "Not always sweetheart, but I do feeling horny right now." He retorted, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips.

 Chapter 226 - Escaping? From who?

    He leaned forward for another kiss but this time, Shi Enxi covered his lips, "Mr. Lu!"

    Lu Mello sulked and pulled away this time. He crossed his arms and asked with a pouty tone in his voice, "If you didn''t come to give me a kiss then why are you here?"

    "That''s..." She paused. She was planning to discuss with him the decision she came up with about work. She was willing to wait for him until he finished his meeting just so they could go home together later but who would have thought that manservant of her husband betrayed her?

    "I want to discuss something with you." Shi Enxi continued, her eyes narrowed in seriousness.

    "That can wait. Give me another kiss. This time, a long one." He demanded, putting on his stoic look at her.

    "..." This man...

    The longer she stared at him, she could feel her cheeks heat up. She was supposed to be used of his advantages but... If she was to compare the Lu Mello in this present to the husband of hers in the past life, this one was bolder and more forward... He didn''t have any restraint.

    Now that she thought of it, he didn''t have any restraint ever since the first dinner she had with their families. It was that night in the garden that he began attacking this way. It was not like she hated it. She preferred him this way... Although she wasn''t going to admit that to him of course. She was not going to stroke her husband''s ego.

    "Why don''t you go back to work? Let''s just talk later at home." She was about to stand up but her husband was quick when he held her waist and pulled her back down, but this time to his l.a.p. "Are you trying to escape, little wife?"

    Shi Enxi was startled by the sudden pull. "Mello!" She turned to him and glared, "Escaping? From who?" She scoffed.

    "From your horny husband?" He proudly admitted, a teasing smirk played on his lips as he caged her around his arms.

    "..." Does he know no shame?!

    She opened her mouth but before she could say anything, Lu Mello continued, using another card, "I work hard every day just to earn money for you."

    Her mouth dropped upon hearing what he said. How dare he use that against her?! "You blocked my card!"

    "You mean MY card," corrected Lu Mello.

    "MY CARD. You gave it to me!" Shi Enxi insisted, arguing back at him.

    "You mean I let you borrow it." He was actually enjoying the small argument they had right now but Lu Mello remained to look indifferent just for the sake of not being scolded by her.

    "No. I didn''t borrow it. I''m your wife. All your accounts belong to me too." She huffed as she shamelessly retorted.

    He blinked a few times and the poker face he had earlier finally broken as he admitted with a small smile on his lips, "You have a point."

    "I always have a point." She scoffed. This time, she took out the phone from the pocket that was inside his coat and gave it to him. "Unfroze it. MY card."

    He chuckled, taking the phone from her. "You mean OUR card." He corrected her again.

    She pursed her lips, not wanting to admit it but she couldn''t argue back now since he was correct. It also belonged to him since he still was the owner because of his name written in all accounts.

    Her lips were stretched into a straight line as she watched her husband give orders to his bank manager. By the time he ended the call, a bright idea entered her mind.

    "Darling..." The sour look on her face disappeared and this time, she was smiling sweetly at him, acting like a good wife.

    Lu Mello raised a brow at her sudden change of attitude. He knew that looks of hers well. She would always give that look whenever she would ask a request from him. "Hm?"

    She turned to grab her purse. She took out the black card that her husband gave her before. "I want to have a card like yours. With my name." Not yours.

    Shi Enxi knew well that whenever she used his card, he would always receive notifications but if the card belonged to her then he wouldn''t be notified anymore.

    "No." That was a quick answer coming from Lu Mello.

    A crease formed in between her brows upon hearing his reply, "Why not?!"

    How was he supposed to know where she was if they ended up having a big fight again? Although Lu Mello didn''t give that answer and instead retorted by calmly saying, "Because I say so."

    "But Darling!" Shi Enxi tried to use her charms against him. She hugged him by his neck and stooped forward to whisper beside his ear, "Please? I''ll do whatever you want for a week."

    "..."

    Her intoxicating scent entered his nostrils when she came close. The way her fingers moved to stroke his c.h.e.s.t was already making him go uneasy. Shi Enxi didn''t stop there though. This time, her soft, warm lips touched his ear, making him shiver in excitement. He couldn''t concentrate on her hand that was traveling down to the tent that formed between his t.h.i.g.hs since her sweet lips were distracting enough as it traveled from his ear to his jawline.

    "Anything you want..." She whispered with her melodic voice, hypnotizing with her tempting words and seductive voice.

    If Lu Mello has a way of instigating his wife then it was only proper for Shi Enxi to have her way too and both know how to use it well except for... Dealing with the backfire.

    "Five years." He tried his best to keep his composure as he stayed still. Although his body was already stiff as wood.

    She quickly pulled away just to look at him, baffled. "Five years?!"

    A wicked smirk played on Lu Mello''s lips when he looked at her, his eyes showed nothing but haughtiness. "Do anything I want for five years."

    "No way! That''s too long!"

    "You''ll be using the card for the rest of your life, I only want five years of your obedience to me."

    "..."

 Chapter 227 - You dont have to leave

    "No! Five years is too long!" She exclaimed, crossing her arms this time. "Four months!"

    He was quiet for a while, raising an amused brow at her. Was she bargaining? Then sure, two can play the game. "Four years."

    She bit her lower lip and continued to bargain, "One year."

    "Three years and a half. Take it or leave it."

    As she gazed into his hardened look, she knew that it was the final bargain. If she didn''t take it then he would not give her a card of her own. Shi Enxi could have just gone and open one for herself but applying for a card like her husband''s was not that easy. Besides, if her husband was against it, he could make things harder for her and the process for it will take longer than expected. She didn''t want to use her own money to pay the bank. She was still planning to use her husband''s money all the way.

    "Fine. Three years." She said in defeat.

    "Great." A grin crept upon his lips after hearing her words. "Since this will be your first day-"

    "The first day will be the moment I receive the card." She quickly said, cutting his sentence off.

    "Alright. Let''s do it that way." Lu Mello didn''t have any problem with that. He took his phone and sent a message to someone who could process the card under his wife''s name. After sending the message, he kept his phone and faced her, eyeing her dangerously, "Now then, I want my reward for working hard."

    She blinked a few times and stammered, "R-right now?"

    "Of course," he lowered his head, his eyes landing on the tent on his pants. "It''s your fault that he woke up."

    As she looked at the bulge, she ended up gulping unconsciously. "We''re at your office," she said, her eyes still locked on his tent.

    "And I''m currently free." He cupped her chin and made her face him, A s.e.xy smirk plastered on his lips, "Don''t it excite you, sweetheart? Doing something naughty inside my office?"

    A light flashed in her eyes, the side of her lips curling up as she snickered back at him. "Then we have to make sure no one''s going to disturb us, dear husband." She eyed the door which was unlocked.

    Just before Lu Mello could say something about it, they were interrupted when the telephone in his desk began ringing.

    "Aren''t you going to get it?" She asked, raising a brow, smirking at her.

    "That can wait."

    "Really?"

    The phone continued to ring and it began getting on his nerve. Just when they were about to spice things up, why were they suddenly being disturbed?

    "We''ll continue this after."

    Shi Enxi inwardly sighed in relief at the timing. When she felt his arms loosen around him, she got up and moved to sit beside him, straightening her disheveled blouse.

    On the other hand, Lu Mello g.r.o.a.n.e.d and was instantly put in a bad mood because of the sudden disturbance. He got up and went towards the desk to answer the call. Liu Ying''s voice was heard on the other line, "Sir, your sister, Lu Xingyan is here. She''s heading there."

    His sister? He sighed heavily. If lounging didn''t call, his sister might end up seeing something she shouldn''t.

    "Alright." He ended the call and turned to his wife, "Entertain my sister, will you? I have to deal with this problem you caused me."

    Shi Enxi giggled softly and retorted, "Take your time, darling."

    "It will be easier if I had your help tho."

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    Lu Xingyan entered the room only to see Shi Enxi, holding the same book she had earlier and was reading it. She lifted her head and looked at her, a small smile forming on her lips.

    "Xiao Xing, what brought you here?" Shi Enxi asked calmly, closing the book she was holding.

    "I''m here to see my brother... And you?"

    "Me too."

    "Where is he?"

    "He''s at the restroom. He had a bad stomach so it might take a while before he comes out." She said as an excuse. "Anyway, why don''t you have a seat while we wait?"

    Lu Xingyan went and took a seat on the couch that was located opposite her sister-in-law''s. "How are you feeling lately?"

    Shi Enxi knew what she meant so she smiled at her concern, "I''m fine, thank you for your help." Now that she thought of it, she wasn''t really able to thank Lu Xingyan properly. If it wasn''t for her, she would be back in Japan and would probably still be sulking in a hotel with Xia Liqin visiting her from time to time just to ask her for money. She would still be confused and broken.

    Back then, she did say that she wanted to spend time alone, away from everyone just for a break. She was planning to come back. And Lu Mello was already willing to give her time to cool off. The only mistake she did was when she disappeared without saying a word to everyone including her husband. She made others think that she was already dead after she woke up but who could blame her? After waking up from that miracle, the soul that entered her was someone from the past, her past self with her memories intact.

    "Anyway, are you here to discuss something important to my husband?" Shi Enxi asked curiously. It made her wonder why she came all of a sudden.

    Lu Xingyan hesitated but decided to tell Shi Enxi about the truth about her family. Her sister-in-law already knew that Lu Mello was just like her so it was only proper to include her and let her know the situation, of the truth about the Lu family. "Yes, it''s important..."

    If it''s important then she would have to leave the room... "I can give you both some privacy later and-"

    "You don''t have to leave." Lu Xingyan interrupted. "You''re my sister-in-law... And after what happened, you have the right to know the truth."

 Chapter 228 - The Hunter and the Hermit

    The moment, Lu Mello went out of the restroom, Lu Xingyan didn''t hold back and went straight to the point by getting out the book and explaining things to Shi Enxi first.

    "This book is called the record of first lives in the history of the Lu family," said Lu Xingyan as she showed the book to her sister-in-law. She wasn''t sure if Shi Enxi would be able to see the writings inside but she was one of those people who had a rebirth thanks to her brother''s influence so she might just end up seeing it. She handed the book to her and stared carefully.

    Shi Enxi was hesitant when she received the book. It looked like time has passed on the book, as if it survived a hundred years in this world. She also noticed the way Lu Xingyan was looking at her and the book as if she was waiting for something to happen. What was she waiting for? Was she waiting for her to open the book?

    And so, she opened the book and looked at it.

    Huh?

    She turned the pages one by one, it was empty. "There''s nothing written on it." Shi Enxi said with a frown. Was Lu Xingyan playing around with her? Although she was not the type to do that tho...

    On the other hand, Lu Mello who was sitting beside his wife saw the words, the writings in the book so he was confused when his wife asked the question. "You can''t see it?"

    "No, I can''t. There''s nothing written."

    Lu Xingyan cupped her chin as she murmured, "Then that means only the people with the blood of the Lu can see..." But to make sure about this theory she would have to show it to her mother and her uncle Lu Xian Yu.

    Xia Meilin had a rebirth and Lu Xian Yu didn''t have one so they were the perfect people to test the theory. She could also show the book to her younger brothers and ask them if they could see the writings in the book. She didn''t have to let them read it.

    "So you''re saying that... this book has something to do to why we had a rebirth?" Shi Enxi asked, raising a brow. It was hard to believe especially when there was no proof of this magical book. They were talking about something impossible but what happened to them; having a rebirth, was something no one would think could happen so what they were saying could be true too. It was just... hard for Shi Enxi to believe.

    Lu Xingyan nodded in conformity, "Yes. There are four lives of men, including my great grandfather, father, and my brother in it and three lives of women in the Lu family."

    "So why is this happening to your family?" Shi Enxi asked, placing the book on the coffee table.

    Lu Mello sighed, "We believe that it must be something related to what our great grandfather had been telling us for bedtime. It''s a story about a hunter and the hermit."

    Hunter and the Hermit? She had never heard of a story like that.

    He began telling the tale, "In the story, the hunter happened to be the most hated person in his tribe since he was selfish, and would always bring trouble to everyone. He was a prideful man. The only reason why the tribe hasn''t kicked him out yet was because he was their best hunter."

    "He had feelings for the chief''s daughter and he did his best to get her attention but failed. No one would like to marry a hateful man like him."

    "One day, while he was out hunting, he came across a hermit who was surrounded by a group of bandits. The hunter could have passed by and ignored but he wanted to do something different this time, he went to save the hermit and fought the group of bandits. It was just... He was outnumbered so he ended up being killed by the thieves. The hermit he helped happened to be the god of time. He reversed the time and the hunter woke up to his younger self, maybe 2 or 3 years back."

    "What was surprising was when he woke up, the hermit was inside his tent, looking at him. The hermit rewarded the hunter a book for saving him and disappeared into thin air. Since then, the hunter changed. He was even able to marry the girl he loves in the end."

    Shi Enxi: "..." Isn''t that a typical children''s tale?

    He continued, "Our great-grandpa would always say that the moral of the story is ''Second chances are given to those who d.e.s.i.r.ed happiness, for those who were willing to change.'' It''s weird since the normal moral one would think of will probably, ''Be good to others'' or ''help people in need and you will receive a reward'' something like that."

    "If only great-grandpa is still alive," sighed Lu Xingyan. They were the only people who knew the book. She has yet to tell her parents about it.

    Shi Enxi looked back and forth between the two Lu siblings. She had a hard time believing that fairytale especially when she was the kind of person who didn''t believe in supernatural beings but despite that, there was a small part of her that wanted to believe especially because of what happened. She was dead and yet was brought back to life. No one would believe something like that if she told others about it.

    "I''ve read all the first lives written in the book and one thing is for sure: life is replaced bydeath and death is replaced by life when it comes to people who didn''t belong in the Lu family; those who are not blood-related. Mother and you, Jiejie."

    The younger twin lowered her head as she continued, "Mother lost uncle Sisi... He died instead of getting treated successfully when mom''s past self came to the present. In the book, uncle Sisi lived. After killing dad, he continued with his medication and the treatment went successful. He was able to live a long life with aunt Bingbing too... They had two sons. Mengmeng didn''t exist in that life."

    ------

    A/N:

    I will write this part with more details and be further discussed in DSB''s Volume 2: The Lu family''s Secret. *winks*

 Chapter 229 - Countless theories

    Lu Mello and Shi Enxi were surprised by what they heard. Technology in this era was advanced including in the medical field so surviving from cancer wasn''t impossible anymore. Who would have thought that Xia Sinian would end up being a cancer survivor? Even if it was in another life, something like that was still amazing. Not only that, Li Bingbing never ended up with Lu Xian Yu that was why Lu Mengjie and her brother, Lu Jinnian never existed in that life.

    "It''s possible that... someone close to you might end up dying, Jiejie." Lu Xingyan said carefully.

    "W-what?" She looked at her in disbelief. Something like that was impossible. "How does that even works?"

    "I''m not sure but either the person will get sick or have an accident. No one can really say."

    "Then... are you saying, my brother will die...?"

    "No, I don''t think he will die in this life. If my theory is correct, since he died in the other life, he will live in this one so I think... He''s safe."

    Shi Enxi felt so relieved when she heard Lu Xingyan say that but he was not the only person close to her in this life so she couldn''t just calm down right now, "How about my mom and younger brother?"

    "I don''t know... But they both have escaped death right? If one manages to escape death then I don''t think it will follow..." Lu Xingyan, herself was still unsure after all. All she had were theories. She could be wrong.

    Shi Enxi hoped and prayed that what she said was right. She can''t lose her mother again. Even if she wasn''t that close with her younger brother, Shi Zhou, she didn''t want him to die as well. He was living together with their mother. He was her companion. "Huang Li can''t be the one too. He died in his other life so he''s safe in this one."

    "Then... Xiao Yao?" Lu Mello who was quiet the whole time suddenly spoke up, seizing both the women''s attention to him.

    He could be right especially when Fan Xiao Yao lived in both lifetimes. Lu Xingyan thought.

    "X-Xiao Yao...?" Stammered Shi Enxi. She shook her head a few times. "No, it can''t be her. I''m not even close to her!"

    "Xiao Yao''s healthy too and she''s been living well with Huang Li. I''m pretty sure that it can''t be her." She continued. Even if she didn''t admit it to them, they could see how worried she was for Fan Xiao Yao''s sake.

    "This is just my theory so maybe it won''t happen." Lu Xingyan said, trying to reassure them that she could be wrong too.

    "Yes, it''s just a theory. Besides, uncle Sisi''s death could just be a coincidence. Cancer is still a serious thing. So many things happened differently. There can be other factors." Lu Mello said, as if he was trying to convince themselves with it. He didn''t want anyone close to him dying as well so he didn''t want to believe the possibilities of what her sister said was real.

    They all didn''t think that something like that was possible. They didn''t want to think of people they cared about dying just because they were given another chance to live. Especially Shi Enxi. She didn''t want to be the cause of Fan Xiao Yao''s death.

    At that moment, she could only grip her hands together and pray inwardly. ''Please don''t let Xiao Yao die. Please don''t let her die.'' She was someone who didn''t deserve it. Not Fan Xiao Yao. Not a good person like her. She didn''t want anyone around her, anyone close to her to die. She didn''t want to be the cause of their death anymore. She had enough of those in her past life. It was her sins, not someone else. She didn''t want to disrupt their lives just because she was given a second chance to live.

    It was her desperate prayer, a prayer that she hoped would be heard.

    ...

    Ever since learning about the book and what it could bring, it was never the same for Lu Mello and Shi Enxi. Both were worried about the people around them.

    "Everything is going to be fine," he stroked her arm as he gently gazed at his wife.

    They were back at home, inside their room. It was already late at night but they both couldn''t wink asleep.

    "I really hope so..." She muttered. She heaved out a heavy sigh and sat up, "I''ll get something to drink. Do you want one? Wine will help us sleep."

    "Or be aroused." Lu Mello was just trying to lighten up the mood.

    Shi Enxi raised a brow and crossed her arms, an amused smile plaster on her lips. "Seriously, Mello."

    "It has been a while since we played games, sweetheart." He sat up and leaned forward to hug her, "What do you think of playing while getting drunk?"

    Getting drunk was one way of helping them forget their problems. Aside from that, Shi Enxi had never seen her husband get drunk. "What kind of drunkard are you?" She asked out of curiosity.

    "I''m not sure. I have a high tolerance when it comes to alcohol. You will have to find out about it, dear, wife."

    She scoffed, "If that''s the case then it''s only fair of you to start drinking a couple of glasses ahead."

    "Oho? Does my wife have low tolerance?"

    "No." She huffed, denying it all at once.

    "Now that I think of it, I haven''t met your drunk self yet."

    "And I haven''t met yours."

    With a wide grin on his lips, he exclaimed, "Great! Then I''ll have some get our drinks for us~"

    Shi Enxi smiled helplessly. Her husband really does know how to distract her and she was grateful to have him by her side.

    Just then, a sudden knock was heard which caught their attention. Multiple small knocks were followed. Someone was knocking endlessly outside as if it was an emergency.

 Chapter 230 - An all-rounder?

    The knocks continued and it made Shi Enxi worried. She turned to her husband, "You open it."

    Lu Mello nodded and left the bed as he began walking towards the door. He slowly opened it and was expecting to see someone but there was no one.

    "Who is it?" Shi Enxi asked.

    "There''s... No one-"

    "Dada!"

    "Dada..."

    He dropped his head, surprised to see how two sons, standing beside each other and were hugging their favorite plushies. Little Jade was hugging a Pikachu plushie while Little Snow was hugging a Charmander plushie. Behind them, Timmy was standing, looking bored. He followed the two out of their rooms the moment they woke up.

    "Yu''er? Xue''er?" He blinked a few times in confusion.

    "Hungwy..." Little Snow whispered before giving out a yawn and rubbing his left eye. He was still feeling sleepy but his tummy woke him up in the middle of the night.

    Since Lu Mello didn''t answer her and was just standing there, looking down, Shi Enxi got off the bed and went to check on who was their late-night visitors and was surprised to see the two kids there.

    Ever since they began sleeping on their bed and were taught to open the door of their room, they had been roaming the place with either Mo Jing or a servant trailing behind them. They weren''t left alone except when they were asleep in the night. Their only guardian in the room was Timmy who was now looking up to Lu Mello and Shi Enxi as if telling them, ''Your turn to look after them'' before he entered the room and headed straight to the balcony.

    "Sweetie, aren''t you two supposed to be sleeping?" Shi Enxi bent down to their level and gently touched their cheeks.

    "Mama..." Little Jade leaned forward just to hug his mother to which Little Snow followed his action as well.

    In the end, Lu Mello and Shi Enxi had to delay their late-night plans because of their children. They took them in and tucked the blanket on them.

    Shi Enxi was on the left, Lu Mello was on the right while their some were in the middle of them both

    "Mama, me wantsh fish keyki..." Little Snow murmured, snuggling to his mother. He was trying his best to stay awake just so he could eat.

    On the other hand, Little Jade was already fast asleep and was hugging his father as he did.

    "We''ll get you one tomorrow, cupcake," she whispered as soft as she could make.

    "Two." The child lifted his head just to look at his mother with his sleepy, droopy eyes.

    "Hm?"

    "Two fish keyki." He showed two tiny fingers to her.

    She chuckled softly, "Okay. You''ll have two."

    With that, the boy finally allowed himself to succ.u.mb to his sleep. This was actually the first time where the four of them ended up being in the same bed that was why Shi Enxi couldn''t help but treasure their time together this way.

    "Guess no drinking tonight," whispered her husband.

    "Yes, no drinking tonight." She muttered as she gently stroked Little Snow''s hair while watching him sleep like a kitten.

    "You should get some sleep too..." He looked at her, gazing softly at her.

    "I will... Good night, Mello."

    "Good night."

    ...

    "Qiao Nuan, meet Hana, Kobayashi Hana." Shi Enxi introduced.

    "Nice to meet you, Ms. Qiao." Hana greeted with a wide smile. She even gave a polite bow.

    Qiao Nuan was Shi Enxi''s assistant and was in charge of looking out for Fan Xiao Yao while she was away. "Nice to meet you."

    "Now then, shall we start?" Shi Enxi didn''t want to delay any longer. She walked towards the chair and sat there, crossing her legs. "What are you good at?" Was the first thing she asked her.

    "I can dance, sing, and act," Hana replied with a wide grin.

    "An all-rounder? Well, then, let me see how good you are." She had to assess which was her strongest asset. She could make Hana a singer, an actress, or a model. Hana was new that was why it would be best if she could start with one.

    The trainee began singing at first which made Shi Enxi''s brow twitch and Qiao Nuan gulp. Her singing voice was rather... Out of tune.

    "Stop." Shi Enxi ordered, raising her hand a bit. She narrowed her eyes and scoffed, "You call that singing?"

    "Yes. You asked me what I was good at and I think I''m good at everything." She smiled proudly.

    Qiao Nuan: "..."

    "Let''s move forward to your dancing skills," ordered Shi Enxi.

    Hana took out her phone and selected an upbeat music. She placed it on the ground and tapped the play button before she straightened her back and inhaled deeply.

    Shi Enxi didn''t expect much on her dancing skills anymore. She was just tapping her finger on her arm as she watched Hana began dancing. If her acting, dancing, and singing skills were bad then she was going to turn her into a model instead. At least her walking style and body was already in their best form.

    Just as expected, Hana''s dancing skills were not that good. Her steps were not even clean. Shi Enxi couldn''t look at her dancing anymore that she stopped her again and decided to proceed with her acting skills.

    Qiao Nuan handed over the script that she was ordered to bring and let Shi Enxi scan through it to choose a scene for Hana.

    "I will give you 15 minutes to study this part." Shi Enxi said, finally handing over the script to Hana.

    The scene was just short. It was about a fight between a woman who wanted to kill her son and her friend who was trying to stop her from committing the deed.

    "You will act as the woman who wants her son dead while I''ll be playing the ''friend'' role." Shi Enxi wasn''t kind enough to give her an easy part to act since she wanted to see the limits of her acting skills. Aside from that, she wanted to know the real her. Hana may have fooled Fan Xiao Yao with her lively and friendly act but not Shi Enxi.

 Chapter 231 - Lets do it again

    One thing is for sure, Hana''s acting skills were good if she was able to deceive the people around her with her bright personality.

    The reason why Shi Enxi was able to see through Hana was all because she caught the change in her eyes when Hana first landed her eyes on her. It may just be for a second but for someone as observant as Shi Enxi, that one second gave away the other woman''s act. Unlike Fan Xiao Yao, it would take years to gain Shi Enxi''s trust so it was only normal for her to have her suspicion on Hana.

    The real reason why she invited her to be an artist was all because of checking on Hana. If she was scheming something against Fan Xiao Yao, at least she would be under Shi Enxi''s radar since she had always liked the idea of ''keeps your friends close and your enemies closer''.

    "Xiao Xi, I''m ready-"

    "It''s Mrs. Lu for you." Shi Enxi corrected, a smile plastered on her lips.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#''s-do-it-again_49530422203305834">#''s-do-it-again_49530422203305834</a> for visiting.

    She blinked a few times, "Oh! We''re at work so I must call you appropriately." She smiled back at her after. "Anyway, I''m ready to act my scene, Mrs. Lu."

    "I''ll give you five minutes to get into character."

    "No, ten seconds will do."

    Shi Enxi raised a brow. She could get into the character that fast? Well, then, if she could do that then that would only make things easier for her. She stood up, sliding her coat off her shoulder before she went into the middle of the studio.

    Since Shi Enxi was the first one to act out, the moment Qiao Nuan said, ''start'', she got into the character within a second.

    Shi Enxi gritted her teeth angrily and in the next second, she grabbed Hana''s hand and forcefully raised it as if she was trying to point the gun away, "XIAO MING! RUN! CALL FOR HELP!!"

    Hana was taken by surprise by Shi Enxi''s sudden outbursts that she wasn''t able to react on time.

    When Shi Enxi saw that Hana was not moving she got out of character and frowned, releasing her hand. "Are you just going to stare at me?"

    "I-I... I''m sorry. Let''s do it again."

    "I will only give you three chances. You wasted one so you have two chances left to prove your acting skills to me." Shi Enxi could only hope that Hana would if not, then she would have to use other measures to see through her.

    This time, when Shi Enxi attacked her, Hana scowled deeply and was struggling to point the gun properly. Since it was written in the script that she was stronger than Shi Enxi, was able to fight back, the gun was slowly, slowly being pulled down.

    In the scene, the imaginative child was staring at his two mothers, one fighting for him to live and the other fighting for him to perish. He soon chose a side and run to them, trying to push his real mother away.

    "Xiao Ming! Go! Run! Xiao Ming!"

    Qiao Nuan who was watching the scene before her could feel the intensity. It was as if she could see the imaginative son with them shouting, "Don''t hurt my mommy! Don''t hurt my mommy!"

    Hana pulled her wrists down in one forceful blow and in a blink of an eye, a loud gunshot was heard... At least that was how they acted it.

    In the script, the woman was able to shoot her son in his head. he instantly fell down, unconscious... dead, without even being able to say any last words. His eyes were still wide, looking up to the sky, his head bleeding from the back. The last glimmer of his will of living was gone and was used to protect her with all the strength he had left.

    "N-no... No..." Shi Enxi ended up letting go of Hana''s hands. Tears began to form in her eyes as she turned to the imaginary boy.

    Hana fell on her knees on the ground and was looking at the dramatic scene in front of her. She was breathing heavily and it only slowed down when she gave off a sigh... A sigh of relief. She smiled, chuckling softly, "F.u.c.k.i.n.g... finally." She said and a tear fell from her eye, but it was just one tear. One tear shed for the death of her son.

    With that, the scene ended. Shi Enxi wiped the fake tears from the side of her eyes and stood up, straightening her blouse.

    "Starting from this day, Qiao Nuan is in-charge of assisting you with the training. After you completed the training, I will let you sign the contract." She went and took her coat, wearing it again before turning to Qiao Nuan, "Give her the same training menu that Xiao Yao had."

    "Yes, ma''am."

    "I will check on you by the end of this week." Shi Enxi said with a smile.

    Hana blinked a few times, "Then... I''m in?"

    "After you completed the training for this month, yes." With that, Shi Enxi turned, the smile on her face disappeared and her eyes glinted dangerously as she headed out of the room. Hana and Qiao Nuan weren''t able to see the change in her face since her back was facing them.

    Shi Enxi acknowledged Hana''s acting skills. It was on par with Fan Xiao Yao''s and if she was groomed well, then just like Fan Xiao Yao, one day, Hana would be able to gain great achievements. The only problem was... Hana was someone who couldn''t be trusted and even if she had the talent, Shi Enxi was not going to allow her to succeed like Fan Xiao Yao.

    Earlier, while they were in the middle of the act, the murderous look coming from Hana and the hate in her was something she could tell was real although it was not for her, Shi Enxi could tell that Hana''s hate was for someone else. Who could it be for?

 Chapter 232 - Sorry, I got distracted

    "I don''t think that would be possible."

    Fan Xiao Yao was staring at the doctor in front of her, her face pale, as white as sheets. After hearing his diagnosis, she felt heavens fell on her. She could see the doctor''s lips moving but she couldn''t hear the words he was saying anymore. She could hear the sounds around her. Once again, her emotions turned jagged and her insides tight.

    She was told to come back to the hospital after a month just so the doctor could make sure what her situation was and now, it wasn''t any good news.

    Fan Xiao Yao left the hospital and stayed inside her car for a while. She clenched tight on the steering wheel as she continued to stare blankly at what was in front of her. She could hear the devastating words the doctor brought after reading the results of the tests.

    She placed a hand on top of her stomach. She was infertile. She would not be able to give birth... She would not be able to give Huang Li a child. The thought of not being able to have a child became one of her greatest fears the moment she married Huang Li and now, it came true.

    Her eyes glimmered with watery tears as she felt her whole world was about to crumble. She dropped her head on top of the steering wheel as a loud scream came out of her. She screamed with all her might. She sobbed and all her tears flooded like the waters rushing down from a waterfall and the only time she''d stop was to fill her lungs with the air inside the car.

    Fan Xiao Yao wasn''t able to calm down all at once. It took a while but the moment she finally did, she left the hospital ground.

    She didn''t know where to go. She was driving with no destination in mind. Fan Xiao Yao didn''t want to go home yet. She didn''t want to break down once she sees her husband later.

    Just then, her phone began ringing and when she took a peek, she saw''s Shi Enxi''s name on the screen.

    Should she answer the call? Should she tell her about her condition? She hesitated. She didn''t know what to do.

    Her phone kept ringing and ringing and by the time she reached out to it, a loud honk was heard which made her look in front again and when she saw that she was about to hit a car, she turned the steering wheel to avoid it but she ended up losing control and a loud crash was heard after.

    ...

    Huang Li was preparing food for lunch when the chime of the doorbell was heard. He stopped from chopping the onions before he went to check on whoever visited.

    He opened the door and saw Hana, standing there with a wide smile.

    "Mr. Huang, is Xiao Yao home?" She asked enthusiastically.

    Just as usual, Hana would ask for his wife so he already got used to it. "No, she''s out but she should be on her way back."

    "Aww..." She pouted. "Alright, I''ll come back late-" She paused and noticed the kind of apron he was wearing which made her giggle. "I didn''t know you like cute stuff."

    A faint blush appeared on his lips out of embarrassment. He cleared his throat and look away shyly, "It belongs to my wife."

    "But you''re wearing it and it''s cute." Hana retorted, a wide grin on her lips. "Can I help you cook?"

    Hana had been bringing food that she cooked for them sometimes that was he knew that she was a great cook so he smiled and invited, "Come in."

    He led her to the kitchen. He washed his hands clean before he gave her a spare knife and let her slice the tomato before he continued to chop the onion.

    "Ouch!"

    Huang Li paused and turned to Hana and saw the small cut on her finger.

    "Sorry, I got distracted." She was about to put the finger in her mouth but was stopped when Huang Li grabbed her wrist.

    "Your wound will be infected if you put it in your mouth. I will get the first aid kit."

    "It''s fine. It''s not that serious anyway."

    "But we still have to clean it and cover it so that your blood won''t infect the food."

    "Hey! That''s rude!" She exclaimed, pouting. "It''s as if you''re saying my blood is dirty!"

    He released her wrist, "No. This is what you call hygiene, Ms. Kobayashi." He turned his back on her and left the kitchen to get the first aid kit. After a minute, he came back.

    Huang Li cleaned her wound and as he did, Hana was staring at him the whole time.

    "I''m done," said Huang Li after covering her wound with a bandaid. He lifted his head a bit to look at her only to meet her gaze, so enticing as ever. It was as if her stare was enough to enchant him.

    The woman, disregarding his status, continued to stare at him wild-eyed. They both stared at each other for a while and when Hana was about to inch closer to him, they were disturbed by a ring coming from Huang Li''s phone.

    When Huang Li realized what was about to happen, he hastily leaned back and stood up without saying a word.

    What the hell? What just happened?

    He was glad and relieved that someone called in time before he could even commit a horrible sin. This time, his guard was up. He wouldn''t allow something like that to happen. He was already married and he was not going to risk his marriage just because of another woman.

    He grabbed the phone that was ringing on the kitchen''s counter and saw that it was a call from his wife. He answered the call, "Hello?"

    "Hello? Mr. Huang? I am a nurse from Starcross Hospital."

    A nurse? Why was she calling through Fan Xiao Yao''s phone?

 Chapter 233 - Can I call you?

    "Where are you going?" Hana asked when she saw how Huang Li rushed to grab his car keys.

    "Xiao Yao got into an accident."

    "What?! T-Then I''m coming too!"

    Huang Li didn''t have time to argue with her so they ended up heading to the hospital together.

    By the time they arrived at the hospital, they were brought to the room where Fan Xiao Yao was and there they saw her talking with the doctor, her head was wrapped with a bandage.

    "Xiao Yao!" Huang Li ran to her side. "Are you alright? Your head... Do you remember me? Do you know my name?" He turned to the doctor, "How''s her condition?" It was the first time they saw him panic like that.

    Fan Xiao Yao blinked a few times, surprise when she saw her husband and Hana enter.

    "Mr. Huang, please calm down. Mrs. Huang is alright, her injury is minor. She hit an electric post at a minimal speed that''s why you don''t have to worry. Although she might feel dizzy from time to time because of the concussion. Other than that, she has small scratches but she''s fine."

    Huang Li sighed in relief. He was glad that she was fine. He turned back to his wife and hugged her close.

    Fan Xiao Yao flinched, "N-not too tight..."

    He quickly released her and gently cupped her cheek instead, gently gazing into her eyes. "Don''t scare me like that... okay?"

    She stared back at him, her eyes becoming glossy again as she remembered the news she heard earlier. She wouldn''t be able to give him a child... How should she tell him that?

    On the other hand, Hana was quietly staring at the lovers in front of her. She was quiet for a while until she decided to remind them of her presence, "I''m really glad that you''re fine, Xiao Yao."

    She successfully stole their attention when they both turned their heads to her.

    "Hana... Why are you here?" Fan Xiao Yao asked, wiping the tears that formed on the side of her eyes.

    "I heard about what happened so I came along with your husband." She smiled. "How are you feeling?"

    "Terrible." Fan Xiao Yao wanted to give her an honest answer but she couldn''t do that. She smiled and replied, "I''m fine," instead.

    "I want to go home and rest," she added.

    "From now on, you''re not allowed to drive." Huang Li said sternly as he supported his wife in getting out of the bed.

    "What? Why? It was just an accident."

    "That''s the point. An accident. If you have somewhere to go then I''ll drive you." He wanted to make sure that something like this wouldn''t be happening soon.

    Once again, Hana was forgotten by the couple. The woman followed behind them with a dark look in her eyes but the moment she got out of the room, it disappeared.

    ...

    Shi Enxi was checking her phone from time to time since Fan Xiao Yao wasn''t able to answer her call earlier. She just wanted to check on her and was hoping that she would be able to receive a reply from her soon. What if something happened to her? She became so restless just because of that thought.

    Lu Xingyan had told her what happened to Fan Xiao Yao in their other life. She married to Han Xukun and was able to start a family with him. They even had two kids. Even after destroying her relationship with Lu Mello, Fan Xiao Yao was able to find her happy ending with another man. Although that was different in this life. Han Xukun was in a relationship with Lu Xingyan while Fan Xiao Yao was married to Huang Li.

    What bothered her was one of Lu Xingyan''s theory that Fan Xiao Yao could die. Shi Enxi knew that she was scheduled for another check-up this day. She wasn''t able to come with her all because she didn''t expect that Xia Meilin, her husband''s mother would come and visit the place.

    "Are you expecting a call from someone?" Xia Meilin asked as she looked at her. Little Jade was sitting on her l.a.p and was immersed in the picture book. Little Snow, on the other hand, was sitting beside them, looking at the picture book while eating.

    "Ah, no," lied Shi Enxi as she tore her gaze away from her phone.

    "You must be wondering why I''m here." The elder lady asked. She looked at Little Jade and smiled, she turned the page for him before she continued, "Xing''er told me that you''re just like me."

    If Shi Enxi remembered correctly, she recalled that Lu Xingyan said that her mother had a rebirth just like her.

    "I don''t know your story or what happened in your past with my son."

    Shi Enxi was relieved that Lu Xingyan didn''t tell her anything about her past life with Lu Mello. She was a terrible woman and she didn''t want her mother-in-law to hate her because of what she did.

    "I''m just glad that everything is going well for you and Mello. I''m truly happy."

    "Did you have a hard time adjusting when you got your memories in the past back?" She asked curiously.

    "Of course, sweetheart. I was confused especially when something impossible happened. I have memories that contradict each other, feelings that I shouldn''t be having.

    So it was not just her. Guess adjusting wasn''t easy for women like them. They were women who ended up getting involved in the lives of two men from the Lu family. Men that influenced what happened to them. Such a strange family.

    Shi Enxi''s attention was grabbed when she felt the phone beside her vibrate. She instantly checked on who messaged her and was relieved when it was from Fan Xiao Yao.

    FXY: [I apologize for not answering your call earlier. Do you have something to tell me?]

    SE: [Nothing. I''ve already taken care of it.]

    Of course, that was a lie. She didn''t want to tell her that she was worried and was just checking on her after all.

    Another reply was received from Fan Xiao Yao, [Can I call you?]

 Chapter 234 - Almost

    Shi Enxi didn''t know what Fan Xiao Yao wanted to talk about but as soon as her mother-in-law left, she called her friend.

    "What do you want to talk about?" Was the first thing that came out of Shi Enxi''s lips the moment the call went through.

    Fan Xiao Yao was quiet for a while on the other side. Shi Enxi could feel her hesitation. She was always like this whenever she was bothered by something. Fan Xiao Yao would always turn quiet.

    "If you''re not going to talk then I might as well end this call, don''t you think so?" It was not like Shi Enxi was impatient but it was her way of making her friend spill the beans out.

    A sigh was heard and was followed by a soft, weak voice, "I... I don''t know what to do, Xiao Xi..."

    "What happened?"

    Once again, Fan Xiao Yao became quiet but after a few seconds, small sobs were heard on the other line. It was as if Fan Xiao Yao was trying to restrain herself from crying out loud.

    "Xiao Yao?" This time Shi Enxi was worried for real. "Does have something to do with your visitation at the hospital?" This was the only possible reason she could think of. If Fan Xiao Yao was fine then the doctor wouldn''t have asked for her to come back for another check-up, right? She only realized this now. The doctor could have asked Fan Xiao Yao to come back just so he could confirm something.

    The woman on the other line choked her sobs. She didn''t say anything. She could not talk properly this time and it only confirmed Shi Enxi''s speculation about her.

    "I''ll come and see you. Don''t do anything stupid, okay? I''ll come and get you. Where are you?"

    But before Fan Xiao Yao could even answer her, a kick disrupted her and was heard by Shi Enxi on her side.

    "Xiao Yao? Are you alright?" Huang Li''s voice was heard.

    Shi Enxi didn''t need to know where she was anymore. Fan Xiao Yao was at home and that''s where she was going. Something must have happened to her. She was sure of it.

    ...

    When she arrived, Shi Enxi saw Hana walking out of Huang Li and Fan Xiao Yao''s place with a dark look in her.

    Huh... So her target in the first place was Fan Xiao Yao and Huang Li''s relationship? Could she be one of those women who d.e.s.i.r.ed to break a relationship? Did she have feelings for Huang Li?

    It was not her problem but Shi Enxi knew that she needed to do something about it. Both Fan Xiao Yao and Huang Li were important people to her and she was not going to allow someone to destroy their relationship.

    After Shi Enxi made sure that Hana wouldn''t be coming back, she went out of her car and headed straight towards the house. She didn''t have to ring the doorbell or knock. The door was unlocked so she invited herself in.

    Fan Xiao Yao was either locked inside her room or the bathroom. As Shi Enxi was about to climb the stairs she saw Huang Li standing by the end, looking all troubled.

    "Xiao Xi?" He was surprised when he saw her there.

    "Is Xiao Yao upstairs?"

    "Yes... She didn''t want to talk to anyone." He sighed heavily and was worried about his wife. He even thought of breaking down the door but he didn''t.

    "She didn''t want to talk to you." She climbed and walked past him and was about to head to their room but her arm was grabbed by him.

    "What do you mean?" He asked with a frown.

    "She will tell you whatever''s bothering her yourself once she''s ready. For now, wait." She didn''t know what was bothering Fan Xiao Yao as well so she said this as an excuse.

    Huang Li''s lips were stretched into a thin line. He couldn''t bear to see his wife this way but Shi Enxi was right. Whatever''s bothering Fan Xiao Yao, she would tell him once she calmed down. If there was someone who could help her, it was none other than Shi Enxi so he released her arm, allowing him to walk towards their room.

    Shi Enxi reached out for the doorknob and tried to twist it but it was locked so she knocked, "Xiao Yao, it''s me. Unlock the door."

    A few seconds after, a click was heard and the door was pulled open with Fan Xiao Yao looking at her with her red and puffy eyes, a bandage wrapped around her head.

    Shi Enxi frowned deeply when she saw her injured head. She took a step in and closed the door behind her, "What happened to your head?"

    Without saying a word, Fan Xiao Yao pounced on her like a child and had another round of crying, "I-I''m infertile, Xiao Xi... I-I can''t have a baby..."

    Shi Enxi stood stiff on the ground, not because of the sudden hug but what she suddenly muttered. She was infertile? That was impossible! How could that happen? Didn''t Lu Xingyan tell her that Fan Xiao Yao had kids with Han Xukun in their past life? So how the hell she become infertile? This was something unexpected.

    "Xiao Yao, calm down..." She hugged her and gently rubbed her back.

    "I can''t have a child... I can''t have a child..."

    "There are still ways on how you can have one, right? Don''t lose hope, Xiao Yao." Just like a mother, she tried her best to soothe her child. All she could do right now was to help her calm down and think at the same on where did things go wrong?

    ...

    "How is she?" Huang Li asked, watching Shi Enxi walk down the stairs.

    "She''s fine now and asleep." She sighed, "I''ll be staying here until she wakes up." She wasn''t able to speak with her and she was sure that Fan Xiao Yao would just end up drowning herself in her sorrow the moment she woke up.

    "Do you want anything to drink?"

    "Wine."

    Huang Li stared at her for a while. He wanted to know what was wrong with his wife. He could feel how distant Fan Xiao Yao was ever since he picked her up in the hospital.

    "Is it about me?" Huang Li asked, clenching his fists. "Or maybe Hana?"

    Shi Enxi stopped in her tracks at the mention of another girl. She turned to him and raised a brow, crossing her arms. "What about Hana?"

    Hearing her question, Huang Li knew that he shouldn''t have said that. It was not about Hana as well.

    "Huang Li, I swear it you''re cheating on Xiao Ya, I''m going to drag you to hell!"

    "I''m not cheating on her." He quickly said in his defense.

    But Shi Enxi continued to glare at him as if she did not believe his words at all.

    "I did not, Xiao Xi. But..." He paused and his eyes was filled with guilt. Even if nothing happened between him and Hana, he considered those few seconds his betrayal. He should have pulled away and yet, he waited there. He never thought that there was going to be another woman who he would end up being drawn to. "Almost."

    "Almost?!" She looked at him in disbelief.

    He flinched at her shriek, making him look away in guilt.

    "You find Hana attractive after getting close to her?!"

    "Please lower down your voice." Huang Li muttered as he took a step towards her.

    She scoffed, taking a step closer to him, and in the next second, she reached out, wrapping her fingers around his neck. "And here I thought your love for her is real."

    "It is!" He grabbed her wrist and this time he glared back at her. "That''s why I''m not going to let my guard down to that woman again."

    She released his neck and scrutinized him. She believed him. The Huang Li she knew wouldn''t cheat on someone he loves. The only problem was Hana.

    No matter how loyal a man is, if a woman knew how to seduce and is crafty enough, then, in the end, the man will end up giving in. Especially now that Fan Xiao Yao couldn''t bear a child, Hana would definitely use that opportunity to poison Huang Li''s mind to make him give in and that was not something Shi Enxi would allow.

    At first, she was planning to wait and let Hana reveal her cards but she didn''t expect that it would be this serious. She didn''t think that she was planning to break up a couple. A couple who happened to be Shi Enxi''s best friends. She planned to wait but it looked like she had to do something about this. She had to do something to protect her friend''s marriage life.

    If that was Hana''s plan then she had to go past her first.

    "I''m going to burn that bitch alive."

 Chapter 235 - Five percent

    "So when do you plan on telling him about this?" Shi Enxi asked, looking at Fan Xiao Yao, who finally calmed down and was sitting at the edge of the bed.

    Fan Xiao Yao hanged her head low, looking at her hands as she fiddled with her fingers. "I don''t think I can..."

    Shi Enxi sighed, "How much do you trust, Huang Li?"

    "I married him so I trust him with my life." She answered without hesitation.

    "Then? What seems to be the problem?"

    "But I can''t... give him a child..."

    "Do you think his love for you is that trivial?" Shi Enxi raised a brow. Even if she didn''t want to think of it that way, after what he said to her earlier, his love might just be. It was his fault for giving them a chance to doubt.

    Huang Li and Fan Xiao Yao''s relationship were short. They rushed their marriage as well... At least that was what Shi Enxi thought but she could also be mistaken. The one at fault in the first place was Hana. She created that opportunity to try and break the couple apart.

    "No... but..."

    "But what?" She crossed her arms. "You won''t know what he thinks not until you talk it with him."

    Fan Xiao Yao became quiet for a while. Shi Enxi was right but it wasn''t going to be easy for her to tell him. She needed time to do that.

    Shi Enxi stood from her seat, "I should go back now. You don''t have to discuss it with him right now if you don''t want to but just be sure to tell him one day." She turned and walked towards the door. She paused from her tracks upon remembering something, "Also... Don''t trust others so easily, Xiao Yao. Don''t invite strangers to your home and call them friends."

    Without waiting for her reply, Shi Enxi pulled the door open and left the room.

    Fan Xiao Yao was left there, dumbfounded. What did Shi Enxi meant by that? Was she pertaining to... Hana? What about Hana?

    If Shi Enxi was wary about the other woman, that could only mean... Hana was not a person to be trusted. But Fan Xiao Yao found it hard to doubt her especially when she was a nice friend.

    A knock was heard, snapping her out of her thoughts. She lifted her head and looked as the door was pushed open. Huang Li entered, looking at her with a worried expression in his eyes.

    She pursed her lips and clenched her fists as she started back into his eyes.

    "How are you feeling?" He gently asked as he closed into her.

    She dropped her gaze back to her hands and replied with a whispering tone, "Better."

    She felt the space beside her sunk as Huang Li took his seat there.

    "You''re lying." He reached out and held her hand.

    She bit her lower lip and held his hand back. She heaved out a sigh before resting her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes as she did. "Huang Li... Do you want a child?"

    He was caught off-guard by her question, making him turn his head to her, "Are you pregnant?" He could fee his heart began to race and he somehow felt excited to hear an answer from her.

    She squeezed his hand and opened her eyes just to turn and look at him. She felt a pang in her c.h.e.s.t when she saw his hopeful gaze. How could she further keep silent if he looked at her that way? It only made it harder for her to tell him the truth but she didn''t have a choice. She couldn''t lie about something like this. She didn''t want to betray his feelings anymore so she sighed and finally said, "No."

    "Oh..."

    She saw the disappointment in his eyes.

    "It''s okay, we can just try again."

    "No." She said once again. "No matter how much we try, I will never be able to give you a child." She was amazed by how straight she said it to him. She didn''t even falter or her eyes became teary. Maybe it was because she had already cried her heart out earlier? But for some reason... she felt a void forming inside her when told him that.

    Huang Li was shocked. No words were said. He was speechless.

    She looked at their hands before releasing his. "Why don''t you look for someone else who can give you a child?" She didn''t care if she was being emotional. She didn''t expect that she could spurt out those cold words so easily. "You''re attracted to Hana, right?"

    Once again, he was caught off-guard by her words.

    "I heard your conversation with Xiao Xi earlier," she smiled bitterly. "I can''t give you a child. You deserve better. You-"

    "I don''t care!" He cut her off, gritting his teeth. "Do you think that I wanted a child so badly? I rather not have one if I''m just going to lose you in the end!"

    It was Fan Xiao Yao''s turn to be surprised by Huang Li''s sudden outburst.

    "I''m not going to risk our relationship just because of a child and that bitch! I admit that one second was a mistake. The fact that I allowed someone else to enter my mind was a mistake but I''m not going to be caught off-guard by her anymore!" He grabbed both her hands roughly and looked at her pleadingly, "You matter most to me, Xiao Yao. I don''t care if you can''t give me a child. As long as I have you by my side, that matters the most to me. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Only you. So please... don''t even think of leaving me... If you think that you''re replaceable, you''re wrong. No one can replace you."

    Tears streamed down her cheeks. She thought that she had no more tears left and yet, another dam broke inside her. His words weren''t enough reassurance. ''Action speaks louder than words.'' This was a common and very used saying when it came to relationsh.i.p.s but even if that saying was true. That wasn''t enough. Action can never be enough since words are used as a confirmation.

    This may be their first problem in their marriage life but Huang Li wasn''t going to let that problem break them and Fan Xiao Yao wasn''t going to give in to it. They were each other''s pillars.

    "My head''s aching..." Fan Xiao Yao cried and complained, "And you''re making me cry even more! I don''t want to cry anymore! My eyes are so salty! So ugly! So puffy! Stop making me cry!"

    "I''ll get you some painkillers." He stood up and was about to get her medicine but was stopped when Fan Xiao Yao grabbed his wrist.

    "Do you... really don''t want to have a child?" She sniffled. "X-Xiao Xi said that... There are ways..."

    He looked at her and his eyes softened, "I don''t care but if you really want one, no matter how expensive it is, we can try. There are a few ways."

    "Like?" She raised her head and looked at him with her red and puffy eyes.

    "In vitro fertilization and artificial insemination."

    Her tears finally came to stop and she ended up gasping as she asked, "Are we going to have an artificial baby then?!"

    "No," he chuckled lightly. "It''s still going to be your egg and my s.p.e.r.m. Depending on your case, we will have to check what''s available for us."

    "The doctor said that... I have anovulation... I can''t produce egg..." She hanged her head low. "Without one, I can never get pregnant."

    "No, not never." He knelt in front of her and looked at her with a small smile. "It''s not nearly impossible but 5% of women with anovulation can still get pregnant in the future."

    "Five percent... That low?"

    "It may be low but it only means that we still have a chance. That alone is enough." No matter how small the chances are, as long as there''s one, it was enough to hope for them.

    Fan Xiao Yao didn''t want to put her hopes up and expect but if it was not entirely impossible then why did she waste all those tears earlier? She truly was an idiot. It was her fault for not listening entirely to what the doctor told her earlier as well.

    "I almost forgot that... My husband is actually a doctor..." If she has told him about her case earlier, then he could have further explained it to her. Instead, she allowed her emotions to get ahead of her.

    Thinking back to her overreaction earlier, she suddenly felt embarrassed that her face became red. She wanted to hide so badly right now.

    "You missed your lunch earlier. You have to eat first before drinking the painkiller." Huang Li said, as he cupped her blushing cheek. He didn''t find anything weird when he saw how red her face was. He thought that maybe it was all because of crying too much. "Do you want me to bring the food to you?"

    She nodded a bit, "Okay..."

 Chapter 236 - Cheese? Rats?

    At the end of the week, Shi Enxi went to the studio where Qiao Nuan was training Hana. After learning what Hana did, she was planning to prolong her training period just so she could keep an eye on her. Aside from that, she already made up her mind on not to allow her to shine. She just going to waste her time and throw her off the street like the trash she was.

    Shi Enxi entered the studio and was about to open her mouth but no words came as she stopped in her tracks.

    Her eyes wide in surprise as she saw Qiao Nuan sitting on the ground, leaning against the mirror with a knife on her c.h.e.s.t. She was still breathing weakly. The ground she sat on was covered with blood that was oozing out of her other stab that was on her stomach.

    "Qiao Nuan!" Shi Enxi rushed to her side. She covered her stomach wound with her hand to stop the blood flow before she shouted, "HELP!!!"

    "N... na..." Qiao Nuan tried her best to speak up but it only ended up in a broken murmur. Life continued to slip out of her body.

    "Don''t speak, Qiao Nuan. Save your breath-"

    "AHHHHHH!!!!" A sudden shriek was heard and Hana stood by the door with a horrified look on her face.

    "Hana! Quick! Call for an ambulance!"

    Because of her shriek, her voice reached the ears of other people that caused them to come and see the scenery inside the studio room which shocked everyone.

    "M-Mrs. Lu... S-she stabbed Qiao Nuan!"

    Their heads turned at Hana who was pointing at Shi Enxi and Qiao Nuan whose eyes stared blankly at everyone, lifeless.

    Shi Enxi''s eyes glinted dangerously as she realized this was a set up done by Hana. She couldn''t believe that someone like Hana could actually kill someone. If she wanted to play it this way, then fine. She could already see the alarmed look of everyone beside Hana as they believed her words.

    "It''s not me." Her left hand was covered in blood so she knew that it would be hard to convince them because of this. "If you want to see who did it, then why don''t you check the CCTV to see who entered before me?"

    Everyone was confused on how calm she looked. Shouldn''t she be panicking because she got caught? There was a dead body beside her too so can she not tremble in fear after all the blood she saw? Her left hand even has blood!

    "Well? I obviously can''t go and check it since I''m pretty sure that you would want to keep an eye on me so that I won''t escape." She used her clean hand to take out a handkerchief from her pocket. "I haven''t touched the knife so you won''t find any of my fingerprints there." She eyed the knife on Qiao Nuan''s c.h.e.s.t before turning her gaze back to Hana. She smiled at her as if taunting her.

    Hana flinched upon receiving Shi Enxi''s smile. This was not what she was expecting. This was not the reaction she wanted from her.

    ...

    The police arrived shortly and arrested Shi Enxi for questions. They even brought Hana with them since she was the only witness who saw Shi Enxi stabbing Qiao Nuan.

    The moment Lu Mello received a call from the police, he rushed to the police station just to see Shi Enxi in the middle of being questioned. The policemen in the station knew who he was but when he was about to enter the room but was stopped by the Chief.

    "I''m sorry, Mr. Lu but we can''t allow you. She''s your wife."

    "Ah, so the killer is smart enough to tamper on the surveillance video, hm?" Shi Enxi''s voice was heard inside the other room, stealing their attention.

    From the glass window, they saw her rest her chin on her palm as she added, "Well, you still can''t put the blame on me since my fingerprints are not on the knife."

    "We will still have to wait for the result for it, Mrs. Lu."

    "Sure, sure, I''m not in a hurry so take your time."

    Because of Shi Enxi''s attitude, it only confused the police whether she was not the murderer or whether she was overly confident that they wouldn''t be able to catch her.

    "Qiao Nuan is a promising manager and she''s my favorite. Why should I kill her?" The temperature in the room suddenly dropped. Shi Enxi''s face darkened. She didn''t need to act to gain favor from them. She was confident enough that they wouldn''t be able to get enough information. She straightened her back and clenched her fists tightly as she growled lowly, "The person who killed Qiao Nuan will have to pay!"

    The twisted look on her face made the person in front of her lean back, feeling a chill in his body.

    In the next second, the heavy tension disappeared a smile crept back on Shi Enxi''s lips. "Mr. Officer, how''s Hana doing so far?"

    ...

    When Lu Mello saw the scene, a chuckle escaped from his lips. At least seeing her that way lessened the nervousness he felt. Seeing him smile made the policeman beside him blink in confusion. What''s wrong with him? How can he stay composed when his wife was a possible suspect?

    Lu Mello noticed the weird faces the men around him were giving him. He smiled and said, "If my wife was the killer, we wouldn''t be able to find the body for weeks, or even months. We wouldn''t be able to know that she''s the murderer for years too."

    "..."

    They all frowned in confusion at what he said. How can he even say that? That sounded so suspicious.

    He cleared his throat and quickly added in defense, "I''m just trying to say that my wife is too smart."

    "..."

    "Anyway, can I see the video?" Lu Mello asked, turning to the Chief.

    "The video is a hard evidence against your wife, Mr. Lu. We are just waiting for the result of the fingerprint found in the knife." The Chief led him to his office to show him the video.

    In the video, they saw Qiao Nuan enter the room around 10:30 in the morning and 30 minutes after, Shi Enxi came and entered the room. A minute later, Hana came. She stood in shock when she opened the door and screamed after.

    Lu Mello frowned. It was indeed a hard evidence against his wife. "Have you checked who came in and out before Qiao Nuan arrived?"

    "Yes, we did. A janitor came and left but that was like four hours ago so it can''t be him. There are no windows in the room. The door is the only way in and out."

    Even if it wasn''t Shi Enxi who did it, it was hard to believe it with such kind of evidence.

    Lu Mello turned and left the room just to check in to Hana this time. She was the woman that Fan Xiao Yao befriended and Shi Enxi took in, right?

    From the glass window, he watched how Hana acted. She cried and acted so traumatized. She really could act. Even he would have believed her act if Shi Enxi wasn''t her target.

    "I-I never thought that Mrs. Lu could do something like that..." Hana sniffled.

    The policewoman who was in charged to interview her reached out a napkin to her so that she could use it to wipe her tears. "May I know what kind of relationship they both had?"

    "At first... I thought that Mrs. Lu and Ms. Qiao''s relationship was really good..." She paused and tried to calm down before she continued, "B-But that was just a front... Mrs. Lu assigned me under Ms. Qiao''s care so that she can train me... We easily got along and she told me about her real relationship with Mrs. Lu..." After saying that, she went on another round of sobbing and stuttered, "M-Ms. Qiao was so kind to me... I-I can''t believe Mrs. Lu... Mrs. Lu killed her..."

    The policewoman pitied Hana when she saw how sad and traumatized she was.

    On the other hand, Lu Mello who was watching the scene outside snickered inwardly. How dare she mess with his wife?

    He knew that Shi Enxi could handle herself alone but she would need help outside now that she was detained in the station. It could also be possible that someone else was helping Hana the only question was how did they manage to kill Qiao Nuan? No matter how he looked at the video earlier, it didn''t look like it was tampered on.

    Since the officers were done interviewing Shi Enxi, with the permission of the Chief Policeman, he entered the interrogation room.

    Shi Enxi lifted her head, "Just so you know, I didn''t kill anyone."

    "I know," he chuckled a bit. He went and sat on the chair that was beside her. He reached out and gently held her hand. "I will get you out of here, I promise."

    "You don''t have to." She held his hand back and smiled. "I''m not in a hurry to leave. I''m even willing to wait and prove innocence in the court."

    Lu Mello raised a brow, "What?"

    She chuckled at his reaction. Shi Enxi leaned forward and gently cupped his cheek, "Dear husband, I''m hungry. There''s this delicious cheese I left at the studio. Can you please get it for me? I really do hope the rats won''t find it first."

    Cheese? Rats?

 Chapter 237 - Courting death

    The results arrived and they found out that there were no fingerprints on the knife''s handle. It could only mean that the culprit was wearing some gloves.

    According to Hana''s testimony, Shi Enxi used a handkerchief to cover the gloves. It was also used to wipe the blood off her other hand.

    The police officers interviewed the other witnesses who came later after Hana did and they all said that the handkerchief was used to clean her hand but they didn''t saw her using the handkerchief on the knife since it was only Hana who saw everything that happened.

    Because of all the evidence pointing to Shi Enxi, she was arrested and was scheduled to be in court after a week. The news about the murder became big that it became one of the top searches on Weibo.

    Lu Mello was strolling to the nasty comments that were being said about his wife. The expression on his face becoming uglier with each second passed.

    Shi Enxi grabbed the phone from him and placed it on the side, "Just ignore them. This is to be expected." She was supposed to be waiting in jail but due to Lu Mello''s request, she was brought to a better place that looked more like an apartment.

    There were securities guarding outside since she was not allowed to go out.

    "Are you sure that you don''t want to take it down?" Shi Yi asked. When he heard about what happened, just like Lu Mello, he went to see his sister and yet, was told not to do anything about the news instead.

    "Gege, just let me handle this, okay?" She turned to her husband, "How''s Yu''er and Xue''er?"

    "Xiao Yao and Huang Li are taking care of them. Hana''s been spreading fake news to the media too. My men''s been keeping an eye on her."

    "Good, good."

    "How can you be so calm?" Shi Yi frowned, looking at his sister in confusion.

    "Because I''m innocent and I''ll be proven as one soon." One thing was for sure, Hana wouldn''t be able to continue on whatever her schemes she has since all eyes were on her.

    Shi Yi sighed heavily. He looked at his brother-in-law and saw how calm he was as well. They must have a plan against the woman who framed his sister, right?

    When Shi Enxi saw how restless her brother was, she chuckled, "I''ll be fine, gege."

    Just then, Lu Mello''s phone rang. Shi Enxi took it from the table and saw that it was a call from one of his men. "Here." She handed the phone back to her husband.

    Lu Mello excuses himself and went out of the room as he answered the call.

    "Tell me, Xiao Xi, what kind of plan do you have that will turn the tables back in your favor?"

    ...

    Back at Huang Li''s place...

    "Why are you here?" Fan Xiao Yao asked with a glare after seeing Hana standing by the doorstep.

    Hana blinked in confusion, "Have I done... something wrong to anger you?"

    "Yes. You are the reason why Xiao Xi''s in jail."

    "But I was just telling the truth. She killed Qiao Nuan." Hana lowered her gaze as she put on her pitiful act. "I-I know that it''s hard especially when you''re close with Shi Enxi but it''s true. I''m not lying, Xiao Yao."

    Fan Xiao Yao scoffed and was about to open her mouth to say something in defense for Shi Enxi but she was interrupted when a tiny voice came behind her.

    "Mama?" Little Snow came out of the living room, looking at Fan Xiao Yao.

    "Mama back?" He was followed by Little Jade.

    "Are they... Shi Enxi''s kids?" Hana trailed off.

    "I have nothing more to say to you." Fan Xiao Yao was about to close the door but Hana pushed the door back and invited herself in. "How can I waste such an opportunity to meet them? Is your husband at home?"

    "Why should I tell you? You''re trespassing so please leave."

    Hana smiled, "I see, he''s not here. How lucky." Her eyes were still locked towards the kids who were looking at them in confusion. When she took a step forward, Fan Xiao Yao grabbed her arm to stop her. "Hana." She warned.

    "I''m not going to do anything to the kids. I just want to have a closer look at them, you know."

    Fan Xiao Yao turned to Little Snow and Little Jade, "Xiao Yu, Xiao Xue, go back to your room."

    "Seriously. You''re testing my patience." In the next moment, Hana rudely pulled her arm away from Fan Xiao Yao''s grasp before she pushed her away, making her fall on the ground. "I just want to take a closer look at them."

    "Mama!"

    "Mama!"

    The two boys ran towards Fan Xiao Yao.

    "Bad! You bad!" Little Snow shouted as he looked at Hana with a frown.

    Little Jade spread his arms as he stood in between them. "Dwon''t hurt mama!"

    Hana laughed, enjoying the scene before her, "Mama? She''s not your mother."

    Fan Xiao Yao sat up, her brow flinched because of the ache on her ankle. She had a bad footing earlier when she fell that gave her a sprain but that didn''t matter right now. She didn''t care if she was in pain. She pulled both the boys in her arms in a protective manner. "What do you want?" She glared at her while hugging the boys close.

    "Lweave!"

    "Yeah! Lweave!"

    She ignored the shouts of the two kids and looked at Fan Xiao Yao with a twisted smirk, "What I want?" She turned her gaze back to the kids. "What''s his name again? Mingyu? Xiao Yu? I can''t believe my son will end up being adopted in such a big family as the Lu family."

    "S-son?" Fan Xiao Yao stuttered. Her eyes wide in surprise. "X-Xiao Yu''s your son?"

    "Mama! bad woman nwot my mwother!" Little Jade shouted. His arms were still spread out, protecting his little brother and his second mother.

    "My feelings are hurt, son." Hana even clenched her c.h.e.s.t just to show how ''hurt'' she was. "Do you know how long it took for me to find you?"

    "I-if it''s money you want, I can give it to you just promise me that you won''t hurt-"

    "I don''t want money. I want MY son, bitch!" Hana''s face darkened, her eyes full of hate. "He''s not allowed to live! A bastard like him needs to die!"

    "He''s just a child!" Fan Xiao Yao raised her voice as she continued to send Hana daggers through her gaze.

    "I can do whatever I want to him! He belongs to me!"

    Little Snow covered his ears with his tiny hands and began crying while Little Jade was holding back his tears. Two women were shouting at each other and they were both confused at what was happening. All they know was the other woman was bad since she hurt Fan Xiao Yao.

    Hana was about to grab Little Jade''s arm but Fan Xiao Yao was quick enough to slap her hand away.

    "If you want to have him, you will need to pass through me first! Over my dead body!" Fan Xiao Yao growled. She even forced herself to stand up despite the pain growing in her ankle.

    "Mama..." Little Jade was looking at Fan Xiao Yao with his tearful gaze.

    She turned to the child with a gentle look in her eyes, "Xiao Yu, can you bring your brother to your room? Don''t open the door until I say so, okay?"

    The child nodded his head obediently before he huffed at the other woman, "Mama will beat you!" After that, he dragged Little Snow upstairs.

    A slow clap was heard from Hana, "How touching."

    Fan Xiao Yao turned her gaze back to the woman in front of her, ready to take her on.

    Hana took a pocket knife out and stared at it, "You could have an easy way out if you give me my son, you know. You don''t have to die just for that runt. You''re only courting death. I wonder how will Huang Li react once he comes home and sees his place covered in blood?"

    Fan Xiao Yao bit her lower lip when she saw the knife. She didn''t think Hana was armed. Even if she was, she didn''t back down. She stood her ground. She was not going to allow her each the kids.

    "I''m a kind person you know. Out of the goodness of my heart, I will leave Shi Enxi''s son alive." She took a step forward to which Fan Xiao Yao unconsciously took a step back just to avoid the knife that was pointing at her.

    "Hana, please... Don''t do this. We can talk about this. I can help you with whatever problem you have. If you need money, anything, I''m willing to give it to you just please don''t do this."

    "Talk? Aren''t you courting death? Allow me to give it to you!"

 Chapter 238 - She must be lying

    Huang Li arrived at home twenty minutes after Hana did only to see the door half-open. For some reason, he suddenly felt a bad feeling crept up in his c.h.e.s.t.

    He slowly pushed the door open and went in. As he took a step forward, he paused and noticed a red fluid... blood, leading to the living room.

    Crash!

    "Xiao Yao!" He rushed to where the loud sound came from and upon entering the room, his eyes went wide when he saw his wife on the floor.

    Hana was on top of her and was trying her best, using all her strength to push down the knife to the other woman''s c.h.e.s.t while Fan Xiao Yao was fighting back and was trying to resist her by pushing away the knife from her. Both were too focused on each other that they didn''t notice Huang Li.

    His customary warmth gone faster than summer rain on the tarmac. All that rage came out faster than magma and just as destructive when he saw that someone was trying to hurt his wife. In the next second, he attacked Hana, taking advantage of the situation. He assaulted her from behind, he took a vase and crashed it on her head, not caring if she died from it.

    Hana ended up falling on top of Fan Xiao Yao, unconscious. He rudely moved her body away from his wife and helped her get up.

    Fan Xiao Yao was looking at him in surprise and at the same time in relief. The moment she sat up, she pulled him into a hug and burst out crying. Her body was trembling, "Y-You''re here... You''re here..."

    "You''re safe now. I won''t let her hurt you." He wanted to hug her as tight as he could but he noticed the cut on her arm. The blood he saw on the floor, trailing toward the living room came from there.

    Huang Li''s eyes darkened. He slightly leaned back from the hug just so he could stretch his arm to grab the knife that was now laying on the floor. "I should make sure she''s dead."

    Fan Xiao Yao shook her head vigorously, "W-we need to get out of here!" She wiped the tears off her face and tried her best to control it. "The kids! We have to get them out of here!" She tried to get up but flinched and ended up falling back into his arms.

    Huang Li lowered his head just to look at her ankle and saw it swollen. He clenched the knife''s handle tighter. He should have come earlier! He could have protected Fan Xiao Yao properly if he brought he didn''t leave the place! He tried his best to contain his anger just so he wouldn''t scare his wife. He threw the pocket knife back on the ground and helped his wife to stand up.

    Just then, they heard footsteps rushing towards the room, and when they both turned their heads, they saw two men, holding guns.

    Huang Li''s eyes narrowed like daggers when he saw them. He was ready to jump in and protect his wife. "Who are you?" He spat coldly.

    The men kept their guns and one of them calmly replied, "We were sent here by our master, Lu Mello. We have been keeping an eye on Hana for a while now."

    Huang Li scoffed, "Keeping an eye on her? Looks like you''re pretty lousy with your job. Mello should replace you both."

    The men stood on their ground, their lips pursed. The reason why they didn''t come to Fan Xiao Yao''s place was because they thought that Hana was visiting the married couple just like how she usually did. No one expected that things would turn out this way. How should they know what was happening inside the house when they were outside?

    "The least you can do now is to take that bitch out of our sight before I do something worse to her and kill her."

    And so, one of the men brought the unconscious Hana with him. He was careful to bring her out since he didn''t want any paparazzi to capture them, making the situation even worse for his masters. Meanwhile, the other man remained in Huang Li''s house just to make sure Hana''s partner in crime won''t appear. He guarded the place while Huang Li brought his wife to tend to her wounds.

    "Yes, I''m fine. Don''t worry, Xiao Xi, I''m really fine. Huang Li came and saved me." Fan Xiao Yao said while talking on her phone. "Also the kids are alright. Mr. Zhou is guarding them too."

    A sigh coming from Shi Enxi was heard on the other side, "I can''t believe that dirty wench tried to kill you." She thought that Hana would lay low after framing her. She couldn''t help but think of the reason behind her attack on Fan Xiao Yao.

    "Well... It''s because she saw the kids."

    "So she''s after my sons now?! Is that it?!"

    "No. She''s only after Xiao Yu..." She trailed off.

    Huang Li who was quietly listening to their conversation frowned in confusion. Little Jade?

    "Yu''er? What has this to do with Yu''er?"

    "Hana is his real mother... And... She badly wanted to kill him."

    Shi Enxi became quiet in the line and so did Huang Li who was now looking at his wife in disbelief.

    "His... Real mother?" She asked, trying to make sure that she heard things right from Fan Xiao Yao.

    "Yes." Fan Xiao Yao sighed. Even she was shocked when she learned it from Hana. She couldn''t help but wonder why she wanted Little Jade dead. He was only a child. An innocent child who did nothing wrong. Why would she want to kill him?

    "She must be lying. How''s that even possible? Mello adopted Yu''er from an orphanage not from the streets."

    "I don''t know, Xiao Xi..."

    Hana could be lying but for some reason, Fan Xiao Yao didn''t think so. The look in her eyes was pure hatred when she mentioned her son. She wasn''t joking around when she said that she wanted to kill him.

 Chapter 239 - I didnt kill her

    Hana was brought directly to the hospital to get her wound treated. Since she was unconscious and the hit on her head seemed bad, the doctor suggested that she should be admitted to the hospital.

    On the other hand, since Huang Li''s place had cameras around for security purposes, one of the cameras was placed inside, pointing towards the entrance and it caught everything that happened earlier. He sent a copy of it to the police and thanks to the video, all suspicions on Qiao Nuan''s death turned to Hana. Shi Enxi''s schedule on the court was even delayed just so they could investigate more and find out who was the real culprit.

    Since Hana was unconscious, the police were not able to interrogate her so they assigned men to guard the room just so she wouldn''t be able to escape once she wakes up.

    In the middle of the night, she finally woke up only to find out that see an IV line fused at the back of her hand and the continuous mechanical beep coming from the heart rate monitor. The room wasn''t dark since the lights were on.

    She slowly sat up and tried to take off the blanket only to realize that her wrist was cuffed against the bed arm.

    "Finally, you''re awake. Good, good."

    Hana shot her head to where the female voice came from only to see Shi Enxi sitting at the sofa, her legs crossed. She had a disturbing smile on her lips, one that sent chills down the other person''s spine.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#''t-kill-her_49700052205101036">#''t-kill-her_49700052205101036</a> for visiting.

    "Y-you..." She stuttered. "Why are you... here? Shouldn''t you be in jail?"

    Shi Enxi chuckled, "Well, thanks to your dumbass move, I''m here. I''m really glad that you didn''t lose your memories." She wanted to scold Huang Li when she learned that among all places, he hit her head.

    "HELP!! Shi Enxi''s going to kill me!" Hana shouted at the top of her lungs.

    "You sure can scream." Shi Enxi was covering her ears. She only lowered her hands when Hana stopped shouting. She stood up and began approaching her, her heels cl.i.c.k.i.n.g on every step she took. She was looking at her in amus.e.m.e.nt, amused that Hana still has the nerves to continue with her act.

    "No one is going to come here." The side of her is curled up into a smile, "And don''t worry, I won''t kill you." Even if she wanted to kill her, she couldn''t. "My hands are too clean right now so I don''t want to dirty them for the likes of you."

    "You killed Qiao Nuan! You''re a killer! How the hell did you escape from the police?!" Hana continued with her act. She even inched away from the other woman.

    On the other hand, Shi Enxi calmly sat at the chair beside the bed. She ignored her words and went straight to the question that has been bothering her for a while now: "Are you Yu''er''s real mother?"

    Hana was caught off guard by her sudden question that she ended up looking at her in surprise.

    "Xiao Yao told me that you wanted to kill him." Shi Enxi continued.

    A laugh was heard as Hana dropped her act. "Of course she did." She wanted to cross her arms but the cuffs around her wrists stopped her from doing so.

    "Is that why you killed Qiao Nuan?"

    Hana scoffed and continued to deny, "I didn''t kill her."

    "But you ordered someone to do it. You''ve been doing your research right? You knew that the kids were being babysat by Xiao Yao and Huang Li that''s why you targeted them. You failed on coming in between them so you decided to change your plans and ordered someone to kill Qiao Nuan and frame me just so you could deceive others and gain their pity, especially Xiao Yao''s pity."

    Hana narrowed her eyes and now had a serious look on her face as she listened to Shi Enxi.

    "Yesterday, you went to her place just to check if the kids were there and they were."

    Hana snickered, this time she finally confirmed her theory, "Fan Xiao Yao''s right. You really are smart."

    "Why thank you." Shi Enxi retorted with a smile. When Fan Xiao Yao told her about what happened and about what Hana said, it was easy for her to connect the dots. Hana was smart as well since she managed to deceive her well. She never thought that her real target was Little Jade, not her, not Fan Xiao Yao, and not Huang Li. Hana''s only mistake was that she was impatient.

    "So who killed Qiao Nuan?" She leaned forward, placing her chin on her palm, her elbow rested on her leg.

    Hana scoffed, "Why should I tell you?"

    "Do you think that person will come and save you? Your companion will just end up falling into a trap."

    "He''s not stupid."

    "Ahhh so that person is a ''He''."

    In her arrogant triumph, Shi Enxi smirked - just a small pouting of the lips; a narrowing of the eyes and a tilting of the head. It was so subtle, it was even more infuriating for Hana who caught a glimpse of it after making the foolish mistake.

    "Is he your boyfriend?" Shi Enxi continued to ask her in a taunting manner. "Brother?"

    This time, Hana didn''t say a word. Her eyes were hard-rimmed and fixed, so much so that it was as if she was no longer able to move her eyeballs, like they''d rusted into place; towards Shi Enxi.

    Seeing that Hana was not going to answer, Shi Enxi sighed and leaned back, resting her back against the chair. "Well then, let''s change the question. Why do you want to kill your own son? If you really were his mother of course."

    "I can do whatever I want to him, I''m his mother." These were the same words she told Fan Xiao Yao.

    "No, you are not his mother. I am. You are just a woman who gave birth to him. You have no right to be his mother." Shi Enxi''s smile long disappeared. Even the room''s temperature dropped. There was no softness in her gaze. It was a look that conveyed a bubbling hatred. Disgust perhaps.

 Chapter 240 - They deserved to die

    Four years ago in Kyoto, Japan...

    Hana had that shy look young women often wear, but it was never morose. Always behind those slightly pursed lips was a smile just waiting to be tempted out. She didn''t have anyone except for her grandmother who died after she graduated high school.

    Hana decided to start working instead of continuing to college until later on, when she was about to leave her grandmother''s house and sell it, she found a letter and a huge amount of money enough inside an envelope.

    In the letter, her grandmother wrote so many things and also about the money she saved so that she could go to college. Her grandmother wanted her to be successful.

    Reading the letter made Hana cried and it also gave her a reason to keep ongoing. Her decision was firm. She wanted to make her grandmother''s dying wish come true.

    And so, Hana went to Tokyo to study. The sight of the city and how busy the streets were different from the place she lived in. She had a hard time adjusting to the big city but she wasn''t going to give up.

    The University she entered was filled with diverse students. It was hard but she was driven by the d.e.s.i.r.e to become successful.

    Hana was able to make new friends and one of them was the man she fell in love with, Kuroda Genta.

    During the middle of the first semester, she confessed to Genta, and he reciprocated her feelings. The first few weeks of their relationship went well until semester break came and Genta invited her to his place.

    If she had a chance to go back and decline his offer, she would do it but the naive Hana, blinded by her love for the man accepted it. There, her nightmare began.

    Genta''s two male friends were waiting at his place and when she arrived, at first they were being friendly to her until she got drunk. The three men took advantage of her drunk state.

    She woke up later that night with her whole body sore. She was inside a dark room, alone. She was blankly at the ceiling as she recalled what happened. That night, Hana badly wanted to end her own life. They ruined her life why should she continue to live? She couldn''t bear to continue living with this kind of humiliation. She wanted to die until she was snapped out by the laughter that came downstairs.

    No... She shouldn''t die right now. The people who deserved to die were the men downstairs.

    And so, driven by hatred and revenge, Hana got off from the bed and went downstairs, n.a.k.e.d.

    There were only two men in the living room, they were watching movies and were drinking as they did.

    She entered the kitchen to get a knife and waited for the opportunity. She knew that if she rushed to kill them now, it would backfire on her. They were two men that could easily overpower her.

    It didn''t take long before the two men fell asleep. They have been drinking since earlier so it was expected. Hana didn''t waste the opportunity to kill them the moment they were down. She stabbed them again and again as she poured out all her anger on them.

    She was covered with blood so she went to take a bath to clean herself before she rummaged the place and stole the money she found inside.

    She knew that she shouldn''t stay in the country. She needed to leave just so she won''t be caught.

    Just when she was about to leave, she saw the third man entering the gate.

    Hana clenched her fists tightly as she glared at him. He was the coward who backed out. Even if he didn''t harass her, she still hated him for running away, for not doing anything to help her out of the situation. He didn''t do anything to stop his friends from defiling her.

    "K-Kobayashi-san..." The man, Satoshi Keita was looking at her in surprise.

    Hana stared at him with dead eyes. She took out the knife from inside her bag and pointed it to him. "Come here, let me kill you too." She took a step forward to which Keita took a step back in response.

    "You... killed them?"

    "Of course. They deserved to die."

    Keith clenched his fists tightly as he stopped taking a step back.

    Hana was caught off-guard when the man in front of her suddenly gave her a deep bow. "I-I''m so sorry! I-I deserve to die for not helping you! I should-"

    "Shut up!" Hana raised the knife, her eyes filled with tears as she looked at him with spite. She wanted to stab him right there and then but her hand wouldn''t stop from trembling.

    She wanted to kill him. She really does but... she couldn''t bring herself to do it. She hated him but it wasn''t enough for her to kill him like his friends.

    A clang was heard as she dropped off the knife. She walked past him and ignored him. She didn''t have the strength to kill anyone anymore. She just wanted to get out of the cursed place and forget everything that happened. She needed to get out of the country and start anew.

    Hana thought that she would never see Keita again until... She saw him at the airport. He said that he wanted to follow her and to make up for his mistake. He was willing to do whatever she wanted.

    At first, Hana ignored him but she soon thought of the spending so she decided to make him work for money while she enjoyed using it for the things she wanted.

    She arrived in China with Keita to continue with her studies but a few months after, she found out that she was pregnant.

    She went to see a doctor to schedule an abortion but things didn''t go her way.

    "What do you mean that I can''t have an abortion?"

    "The baby inside your tummy is already big. Having an abortion now will cost you your life. You should have come here at least a month earlier."

 Chapter 241 - Hanas mistake

    In the end, Hana was forced to keep the child but she also swore to herself that the moment the child was born, she was going to kill him. She didn''t know who the father was between the two men she killed in Japan. But she didn''t care anymore. The child needed to die. She didn''t want a reminder of that night. She didn''t want to take care of the child produced by that horrible night.

    She never thought that after she gave birth, Keita would steal her child and hide the baby away from her. He even has the nerve to come back after hiding the baby. In the end, she didn''t have a choice but to torture the man until he told her where the baby was. When he finally gave up, she killed him.

    She went to the orphanage, looking for the baby but it was all too late, the baby was adopted already. The head of the place wouldn''t tell her to what family the baby was adopted to. It was a dead end.

    At first, Hana tried to forget. She continued on with her studies but every night, she dreamed of the baby, her son. Every night, she dreamed of her horrible past. That was when she realized that she would never have peace not until she killed her own son.

    And so, she disguised herself and worked in the same orphanage where Keita gave her son. She had a hard time looking for the doc.u.ments she wanted. She later found out from one of the old workers that there were no doc.u.ments about the baby. The person who adopted her son paid a huge amount of money to erase the child''s files to make it look like the baby was never adopted in the place.

    Hana was forced to use other means of finding out which family the baby was adopted in. Ever since the night where she first killed people, she became craftier with her ways. She learned how to conceal her emotions. She was even able to meet someone, a man who ended up being the key about the whereabouts of her son.

    For weeks, they patiently waited for an opportunity. Lu Mello would bring his sons to Huang Li''s place from time to time. Getting close to both of the men was a great opportunity to get closer to Little Jade.

    She was able to befriend Fan Xiao Yao later on and was even able to learn more about Lu Mello, his wife, and the little boys. Her plans were going smoothly until Shi Enxi came into the picture.

    The only reason why Hana said yes to wanting to be famous was all because of Shi Enxi. If she was under her, then it was an opportunity for her to get close but... she never thought that Shi Enxi would remain distant. She assigned someone else to train her. It was Shi Enxi who ruined all her plans. If only she went along, if only they became close then it would be easy to kill Little Jade. But Shi Enxi never trusted her even a bit.

    In the end, she had to change her plans. Qiao Nuan was killed and it allowed her to see the kids in Fan Xiao Yao''s place...

    Hana couldn''t control the urge to kill the little boy when she first saw him. She was impatient. She wanted to kill him and go back to her normal life after but because of that, she failed.

    ...

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    "Yu''er is my son, not yours." Shi Enxi said as she stood up, looking sharply at her. "He is no longer your son."

    Shi Enxi was stopping herself from the urge to attack Hana. It was not just Little Jade that she was trying to harm but she hurt Fan Xiao Yao, she killed Qiao Nuan and she tried to destroy Huang Li''s precious feelings for his wife by confusing him.

    She was not a murderer in this life. Not a killer anymore. No matter how mad she was, she was not going to dirty her hands even if it was Lu Mello who gave her permission to do whatever she wanted. Shi Enxi has already accepted this new life. If she dirtied her hands right now, would she be able to bring herself to hold her sons again? Little Snow and Little Jade we''re two innocent and pure boys. She wanted to give the world to them without staining her hands.

    "This should be enough confession from you." Shi Enxi took out a pen from her pocket and pressed a button to stop recording their conversation.

    "T-that..." Hana stared at the pen in disbelief. "You tricked me!"

    "Did I?" She titled her head on the side, a mischievous smirk playing on her lips. "You''re the one who kept on spouting words. It''s not my fault that you''re stupid. I was merely asking you questions." She kept the pen recorder back in her pocket.

    Hana gritted her teeth as she glared dangerously at Shi Enxi. Her hands were itching to choke her to death.

    On the other hand, Shi Enxi may have promised to herself that she would not kill anyone anymore but...

    *Slap!*

    A loud slap resonated in the room.

    Hana looked at her, wide-eyed. Her right cheek was red. "Y-You-"

    *Slap!*

    "No one said that I can''t ruin your face, right?" A chilling smile appeared on Shi Enxi''s lips.

    ...Torturing her a bit should be fine right?

    "Oh wait, I can''t hit your face too hard now. What if I accidentally damage your brain?"

    "B-BITCH!!! I''ll KILL YOU!!"  Hana struggled on her bed but because of the cuffs, she wasn''t able to get out or even reach Shi Enxi.

    "I''d like to see you try." She chuckled. "Also, I did say that your only mistake was being impatient but let me change that." Shi Enxi said as she went and took a small needle container from her bag. She took a piece and looked at it, a dangerous glint flashed in her eyes. "Your one and only biggest mistake was meeting me."

 Chapter 242 - Jin Bolin

    Shi Enxi turned and looked at the woman in front of her. "I don''t care what happened to your past." She was not a kind person. No matter how tragic Hana''s past was, Shi Enxi did not have any pity for her. "You shouldn''t have messed around with the people I care for."

    "S-stay away from me!" Hana stuttered as she inched back the moment Shi Enxi took a step forward. She was nowhere to run. She could not fight back, she could only struggle. The room was private and soundproof. She couldn''t reach out on the red button that was near the IV stand to call for the nurse''s help.

    "How many holes should I make? I should do it in a place where it won''t be noticed, right?"

    "HELP!!! SOMEON- ACK!!!!" The scream tore through her like a great shard of glass. Hana''s eyes widen and pulse quicken, her heart thudding like a rock rattling in a box.

    Shi Enxi mercilessly poked the needle on her leg. "One," she began counting.

    No matter how much Hana struggled, Shi Enxi could easily poke her body with the needle. No matter how much she screamed for help, no one came. The scream came again and again, desperate, terrified... human. Hana couldn''t escape the smiling demoness who enjoying every moment inside the room.

    "Thirty." With that Shi Enxi stopped.

    "P-please... Please let me go..." cried Hana, her voice hoarse from shouting. Beads of cold sweat tripled down her forehead. Her face was as pale as a sheet.

    "You should be thankful that I''m only stabbing you with a needle, not a knife." She scoffed, looking at her with her cold black eyes.

    "Now then, we should disinfect your wounds, right?" This time, Shi Enxi took the alcohol container that was on top of the drawer. "I wonder if Qiao Nuan would be satisfied now? You should scream louder for her to hear you. If you don''t shout loud enough, Qiao Nuan won''t hear you from the land of the dead." She didn''t blink when she poured the alcohol on the places she poked with the needle.

    Hana shouted again. Pouring alcohol on her wounds made her feel like a hundred scorpions were stinging here over and over again. She felt her body burning, it trembled from the stings. "S-stop... Please... I-I won''t go after my son anymore..." She whispered pleadingly.

    Shi Enxi paused and raised a brow, "What is that?"

    "Y-your son! Your son!" She quickly corrected it. "I-I won''t go after your son anymore! I-I won''t bother a-anyone!"

    She placed the bottle back on the drawer as she listened to Hana. She sat down back on the chair and crossed her legs. "I''m listening."

    "H-Huang Li, Fan Xiao Yao, anyone you love! I-I will never approach them! You will not see even my shadow! S-so please let me go!" Hana begged.

    Shi Enxi cupped her chin as if she was giving her words a thought. "I might think about it if you tell me about your partner''s name."

    "H-he''s name is Jin Bolin! H-he''s living in the apartment near my place! Room number... Room number 34D!"

    It was amusing how Hana quickly ratted out her partner just like that. Shi Enxi stood and was about to leave but she stopped in her tracks when she heard Hana shouting, "I told you everything! I-I promised! You have to let me go! Y-you have to keep your promise!"

    A chuckle was heard from Shi Enxi. She slightly turned, glancing at the woman in the bed. "I did say that I will think about it but I never said yes to what you want." She smirked. "Don''t worry, I won''t be seeing you or your shadow ever again since you''re going to prison."

    With that, Shi Enxi left the room, ignoring Hana''s cries.

    ...

    The moment Shi Enxi went out of the room, she took out the pen recorder from her pocket and gave it to the man who was leaning against the wall, waiting for her.

    "You took your time." Lu Mello said, looking at the pen she gave him.

    "I don''t want Qiao Nuan''s ghost to haunt me, blaming me for not avenging her death." Her gaze landed on the two security guards who were assigned to guard the room, standing and waiting at the end of the hall.

    Lu Mello made the two men leave since he didn''t want them to hear anything from the room. The room was not totally soundproof because of the door. Small muffled screams escaped earlier but it was only until the place Lu Mello was standing which was by the door.

    "Also, I have the name of her partner. You can go and catch him now."

    "That''s not my job anymore. It''s the police''s job to catch him." He took off his coat and placed it around his wife''s shoulders before they began walking down the hall.

    "And the recorder?"

    "We can pass by the station and give it to them."

    "Can we have our dinner first? I''m hungry."

    "If my wife wants to eat first then we shall eat."

    Just then, as the couple passed by a male nurse, Shi Enxi came to a stop and ended looking back. The male nurse was heading towards Hana''s room.

    "What is it?" Lu Mello asked, looking at his wife.

    "Are you thinking what I''m thinking right now?"

    Lu Mello blinked a few times, "Uh... How should I know?"

    Shi Enxi turned to her husband with a deathly glare.

    "What? It''s not like I have the ability to read your mind..." He quickly said in his defense.

    "..." She blushed and pursed her lips out of embarrassment, "Then why don''t you go and get one now?" She huffed and began walking back to Hana''s room just to make sure about the thought that entered her mind.

    "Wait, Enxi." He followed behind her. "Did you think that nurse could be Hana''s partner?"

    "What else? We don''t know what he looks like right now. All I know is that her partner is a guy so every man right now is suspicious."

    "Not every." Lu Mello corrected.

    Shi Enxi rolled her eyes, "Right. Not you. Not the police. Not your men."

    He chuckled as he caught up to her and began walking beside her again. "Were you able to get his name?"

    "Yes. His name is Jin Bolin."

 Chapter 243 - Late

    "Jin Bolin...?" Lu Mello stopped on his route. "That nurse is not him."

    Shi Enxi stopped as well to look at her husband in confusion, "You know him?"

    "Yes... He''s one of my men who''s assigned... to guard Huang Li''s place."

    "What?!" She exclaimed in surprise.

    "We need to hurry! They''re in danger!" Lu Mello grabbed his wife''s hand as they both turned and rushed out of the place.

    ...

    "Mama, when mama and dada cwome home?" Little Jade was asking about his other mother: Shi Enxi. He yawned sleepily after asking the question. He was trying his best to stay awake.

    On the other hand, Little Snow was already fast asleep beside him.

    Fan Xiao Yao pulled the blanket up to their shoulders before she gently replied, "Tomorrow, sweetie. Your parents will come and pick you up tomorrow." She leaned forward and gave his forehead a soft peck. "Now go to sleep, okay?"

    "Mmkay..."

    "You should get some rest too." Huang Li, who was standing behind her, softly whispered.

    "I''ll sleep with the kids tonight." After what happened that day, she didn''t want to leave the boys alone in the room right now. What if they ended up having a nightmare in the middle of the night? She needed to be there by their side. She needed to make sure that everything was going to be alright for the kids.

    "Alright, you keep them company."

    Fan Xiao Yao stood up and faced her husband with a small smile on her lips. "Thank you."

    He reached forward to gently cup her cheek. He bent down to her level just to kiss her lips gently for a second before he pulled away, "Good night."

    "Good night." She got on the bed and lied down beside Little Jade.

    ...

    Huang Li stared at them for a while before he turned off the lamp and went out of the room.

    "Is Madam going to see with the kids?" The man who was guarding outside asked.

    "Yes."

    "Oh."

    Unlike Hana, Jin Bolin was a patient person. He knew that he shouldn''t make a move right now. Besides, he was not allowed to kill the child since Hana wanted to kill the boy herself. All he could do was wait for an opportunity to abduct the boy.

    After Huang Li left and went downstairs, Jin Bolin was staring at the door for a while. He was thinking of ways on how to kidnap Little Jade without waking up others. He was not the only man who was assigned to guard the place.

    There was one in the living room and another man outside, waiting inside a car. If he was going to abduct Little Jade then the only way out without gaining their attention was by using the back door. He also needed the kid to be asleep... or quiet.

    The only way to get the boy out of the room without disturbing Fan Xiao Yao and the other kid was by... killing them. They will never make a noise if they''re quiet.

    "Hey, Bolin!" Someone shouted by the stairs, "Boss and Madam Lu are here. Come down and greet them."

    Hearing that Lu Mello and Shi Enxi was there only made things harder for Jin Bolin. Surely they wouldn''t stay long in the place, right?

    ...

    "We brought food for everyone." Shi Enxi said with a sweet smile.

    Even Huang Li was surprised to see the Lu couple at his place. He didn''t receive any message or call that they would be visiting that night.

    "One, two, three, four." Shi Enxi counted, including Huang Li. "There''s enough food for everyone, we bought food for five people so you can just share the last one."

    "Madam Lu is so kind."

    "Thank you, Madam!"

    "Man, I''m starving! Madam Lu is a savior!"

    The three men surrounded Shi Enxi and thanked her.

    Huang Li was actually supposed to cook food for them but since Shi Enxi arrived just in time, it saved him the trouble of doing so.

    Lu Mello cleared his throat, reminding his men that he was there.

    The men turned his way and their smiles became stiff when they saw their boss''s'' dark look.

    Ah... They were standing close to their madam...

    They backed away by instinct.

    Meanwhile, Jin Bolin entered the room just to see this lively scene before him but what bothered him the most was that... there were three guards. Not two. He counted incorrectly. Where was the third person assigned? Was he at the backdoor perhaps?

    "Jin Bolin, come, come! Let''s eat! Boss and Madam brought food!" One of the men invited.

    Shi Enxi gave her husband a quick glance and gave him a small nod the moment their eyes met to which Lu Mello nodded back.

    "By the way, gege, where''s Xiao Yao and the kids?" Shi Enxi asked, facing Huang Li.

    "They''re already asleep," Huang Li replied. "After what happened today, they must be tired."

    "Don''t worry Mr. Huang, we''ll make sure that you, your wife, and the young masters are safe!" The lively man exclaimed with a grin.

    "Thank you..." Huang Li replied with a small smile. "I thought you''re coming here tomorrow?" He suddenly voiced out the question Jin Bolin had in mind.

    "My husband and I are on our way to the police station. We decided to pass by here just to check on the kids."

    "But... It''s already late..."

    The Chief wanted to see me so we have to go back." Shi Enxi replied. "By the way, can I go see them? Don''t worry, I won''t wake them up." She asked and reassured at the same time.

    Huang Li gave her a nod, "They''re at the guest room."

    Shi Enxi turned to her husband and gave him a meaningful smile, "Do you want to see them?"

    "No, I''ll stay here and accompany them." He replied, smiling back at her.

    "Alright. I''ll leave the rest to you."

    With that, Shi Enxi left the men in the room and climb upstairs, heading to the room where Xiao Yao and the kids were at.

 Chapter 244 - You need a vacation

    Shi Enxi entered the guest room and saw the trio, sleeping peacefully on the bed. Her eyes softened as she took quiet steps towards them.

    Fan Xiao Yao was sleeping at the side of the bed with Little Jade in the middle and Little Snow on the other side.

    Her eyes trailed to Fan Xiao Yao''s arm that had a bandage around and down to her ankle that was bandaged as well. Never in her life did Shi Enxi thought that she could get this mad and the reason behind it was because someone hurt Fan Xiao Yao. She never thought that she could be the type of person who would avenge those who messed with the people she cared for.

    She should have tortured that bitch Hana more... Shi Enxi thought as she continued to stare at the other woman''s bandaged foot.

    "I should have broken her leg..." She mumbled to herself before she sat at the edge of the bed and turned her eyes to her sons. The anger in her eyes subsided and it softened as she gazed lovingly at the kids.

    "Mama..." Little Jade muttered as he snuggled close to Fan Xiao Yao.

    Shi Enxi turned to them, starting at the two for a while.

    Even if the boys weren''t her children, Fan Xiao Yao tried her best to protect them, especially Little Jade, and for that she was grateful.

    As if noticing someone''s presence, Fan Xiao Yao snap her eyes open in an instant and sat up as she turned to Shi Enxi. She was in a defensive mode and was ready to jump to the other person just to protect the kids. Her eyes moved with the alertness that comes from heavy stress and her hands remained clenched by subconscious demand.

    "Calm down, it''s me." Shi Enxi said in a whispering tone.

    Fan Xiao Yao heaved out a sigh in relief. Her stiff shoulders loosened and her body began to relax.

    "Thank goodness..." She whispered.

    Little Jade was woken up because of the sudden movements beside her. "Mama...?" He let out a sleepy yawn. When he saw Shi Enxi, a smile appeared on his lips. "Mama''s home..."

    Shi Enxi faced Little Jade and smiled gently, "Go back to sleep sweetie."

    The boy nodded obediently and closed his tired eyes. This time, the child faced his brother and cuddled to him.

    After making sure Little Jade was asleep, Shi Enxi faced Fan Xiao Yao and whispered, "You need a vacation."

    Although deep inside, seeing her friend that way only made her worried. She could only hope that one day, she would forget what happened.

    "Yeah... I think I need one." She turned to the sleeping boys.

    "With Yu''er." Shi Enxi added.

    Fan Xiao Yao tore her gaze from the kids just to look back at the woman standing at the end of the bed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

    She walked towards the side of the bed and sat there. Shi Enxi reached out her hands just to hold Fan Xiao Yao''s, "I can''t make miracles but... I can give you a son."

    Fan Xiao Yao was taken aback by the words she heard from Shi Enxi. Her eyes were wide, as if it was about to come out of its sockets. "W-what?" She stuttered.

    "Don''t get me wrong, I love Yu''er and he will always be my son but I want him to live with you. I want you to be the woman he will recognize as his real mother as he grows up." She said softly. "He will always be welcomed in the Lu family. He already considers you as his mother so it won''t be hard for him to adjust."

    Shi Enxi didn''t easily come to this decision. The boy was close to her heart. She was torn on what to decide after learning how Fan Xiao Yao willingly offered her life just to protect the child. She knew how much Fan Xiao Yao wanted a child but she was not willing to do give her son when the thought entered her mind... but the moment she entered the room earlier and saw how Little Jade was snuggling to Fan Xiao Yao. Everything clicked. The warm sight of the two made her finalize her decision. If it''s her, then Shi Enxi was sure that Fan Xiao Yao will be the perfect mother for Little Jade.

    "From now on, he will be your son... That''s if it''s alright for you."

    She just stared at her open-mouthed. Her brain formulated no thoughts other than to register that she was shocked.

    "You have three seconds to decide or else I''ll take-"

    "Yes!" She suddenly exclaimed out loud but when she remembered the sleeping kids beside her, she at once covered her mouth.

    Shi Enxi chuckled softly in amus.e.m.e.nt.

    Just then, they were suddenly startled by a couple of loud gunshots coming from downstairs.

    ...

    Minutes earlier, downstairs in the living room.

    Lu Mello brought Huang Li out of the room just so he could have a word with him.

    "You mean... That man is working with Hana?" Huang Li asked in disbelief. The thought of leaving his wife and the kids in the room earlier with that man waiting outside made him furious with himself. He shouldn''t have trusted anyone so easily.

    "Don''t worry, we already drugged his drink so he should be out by now." Lu Mello reassured.

    Huang Li sighed in relief. At times like this, he felt useless. He couldn''t even protect anyone properly. For some reason, he couldn''t help but blame himself for having so many openings.

    Just then, they heard noises of gunshots and things breaking in the living room, making Lu Mello and Huang Li rush there just to check what was happening.

    The men who were eating and enjoying their meals earlier were now laying on the ground, dead.

    Jin Bolin was standing in the middle, his cold and poisonous eyes turning to the men standing by the door.

    "You leave me no choice."

 Chapter 245 - You have to die

    Ten minutes ago...

    Lu Mello handed drinks to his men and handed a different one for Jin Bolin. He smiled and patted his back once, "I heard that you like strawberry flavor."

    Jin Bolin nodded quietly with a small smile. "Yes, thank you..."

    "Enjoy your food." Lu Mello took a quick glance on one of his men to which the man gave a small nod.

    "By the way, Huang Li, can I have word with you?" Lu Mello asked as he turned to the other man.

    "Sure."

    After Huang Li and Lu Mello left the room, Jin Bolin was quietly eating with the others.

    "Hey Bolin, let''s exchange drinks. I want a strawberry drink too." One of the men, Zhao Yu, said with a pout. "I don''t like orange."

    Jin Bolin blinked a few times before nodding a bit. "Sure." He was not a stingy person after all. And besides, he only likes the fruit itself but when it came to flavors, he preferred apple.

    "Don''t be choosy, Zhao Yu." One of the men said.

    Zhao Yu ignored his companion and happily took the bottle of drink from him before he opened it just to satisfy his thirst.

    "Wait-" The other companion, Xu Yi tried to stop him but it was too late. Zhao Yu had already drunk the juice.

    Jin Bolin was quick to notice the change of expression from Xu Yi when he tried to stop Zhao Yu. He turned to the man who drank the drink that was supposed to be his. Zhao Yu was eating again but after a few seconds, he stopped moving.

    "W-what the... I-I can''t move my body!" Zhao Yu stammered. His body became weak and he fell limp on his seat.

    Did... someone drug the drink? Jin Bolin thought. It was Lu Mello who handed it to him. Could it be...

    Jin Bolin was quick to notice Xu Yi who was about to reach out for the gun that was resting on his side that''s why he flipped the table towards the two men just to distract them and catch them off-guard. He took his gun and in the next second, he didn''t hesitate on shooting them.

    He stood and stared at the dead bodies with cold eyes. He never imagined that Lu Mello would find out that he was actually Hana''s partner.

    "What the..." Lu Mello was surprised to see the once peaceful room now filled with dead bodies of his three men.

    "You leave me no choice." Jin Bolin spat icily as he pointed his gun at him.

    Jin Bolin once worked as a mercenary that was why he was an expert and experienced in the field. It was because of his dangerous work that made him meet Hana two years ago.

    Hana was on her way back to her apartment after her work shift ended. It was in late at night and she was walking alone in the middle of a dark alley. That was where they first met. Hana found Jin Bolin sitting at the side of the trash bin. He was unconscious and bleeding.

    Jin Bolin thought that he would not survive the night after completing his one, last dangerous mission but who would have thought that he would actually live to see another day all thanks to Hana? Because of how badly injured he was, he stayed at Hana''s place for a while until they were able to get close to each other and become friends.

    After his injuries were fully healed, he left Hana''s place. He wanted to leave his life as a killed that was why he started anew by entering the Lu family to work as a security guard. Although while at work, he kept in contact with her. They would meet each other from time to time until he slowly began falling in love with her. He never confessed to her. He didn''t let his feelings known to her in fear that he might end up ruining their relationship.

    He was not a handsome man nor did he have the charisma that could attract women. His self-esteem was low and he was full of insecurities about himself. The only thing he was good at was killing. At least that was what he thought. Hana was the first woman he was comfortable to be with and because of that, he loved her.

    When Hana found out that he was working inside the Lu family and he was an ex-mercenary, that''s when she asked for his help.

    At first, Jin Bolin was surprised to learn that Hana has a child and was actually the child that the Lu couples adopted. It was his fault. He was the reason why Hana found out about the whereabouts of Little Jade. Jin Bolin was in the team that picked Little Jade from the orphanage.

    He was against her plans as well but he saw how her nightmares affected her. He saw how crazy she became when she learned that her son was close by. Even though he saw her that way... He still loved her. He was a murderer, he killed countless of men and women in the past but never a child. Although because of how Hana begged him, he gave in and decided to help her. Because of her, he was willing to go back in being a murderer. He was willing to kill for her. Jin Bolin''s loyalty was towards the woman he loved not with the Lu family.

    The only reason why he wasn''t able to kidnap the child from the Lu household was that the security was tight. No matter how good he was at fighting, there were men from the Lu family''s security team that was better than him, especially the captains of teams One and Two, they were the two men who were assigned to stay close to the kids whenever Lu Mello and Shi Enxi were out.

    "I''m sorry, Mr. Lu. You have to die." Lu Mello was a threat to him if they were about to have a close combat. Before the other man could even attack him, he pressed the gun''s trigger.

    "WATCH OUT!!!" Huang Li didn''t hesitate in jumping in between when he saw that Jin Bolin was about to pull the trigger. He stood in between and took the shot for Lu Mello. A loud thud was heard as Huang Li''s body fell on the ground.

 Chapter 246 - Fireworks

    "It looks like the plan failed..." Shi Enxi muttered through gritted teeth.

    "Huang Li and Mello''s in danger!"

    "They can handle themselves." Shi Enxi said calmly but despite how calm she looked, her heart was racing and she couldn''t help but get worried. "You need to hide with the kids."

    "But our husbands-" Fan Xiao Yao paused and was silenced by one hard look coming from Shi Enxi.

    "Even if you want to help them, what help can you give? You''re injured and I needed to make sure you and the kids are alright!" Shi Enxi harshly said, snapping as she raised her voice at her.

    Fan Xiao Yao balled her fists tightly as he clenched her jaws. She knew that she was right but for some reason, she couldn''t help but have a bad feeling.

    "So noishie..." Little Snow muttered as he rubbed his eyes sleepily.

    "Xue''er, Yu''er, wake up." Shi Enxi helped the kids on getting up.

    Another loud gunshot was heard which made everyone flinch.

    "Fwireworksh?" Little Jade asked as he looked at the two women, blinking the sleepiness away from his eyes.

    "Y-yes, fireworks. It''s fireworks." Fan Xiao Yao said as she played along with what he said.

    It was as if the sleepiness of the kids disappeared. Little Snow jumped down on the bed and rushed towards the window. He was followed by Little Jade.

    "I''ll go check on them downstairs." Shi Enxi said as she stood up. "Lock the door and don''t open it if it''s not me."

    She took her phone out and contacted the police. After she made sure that they were on their way, she gave her phone and the pen recorder. "Keep this safe, okay?"

    Fan Xiao Yao''s eyes were full of tears as she looked at Shi Enxi. "Stay with us..." She pleaded. "Y-you said that Huang Li and Mello will be fine, right?"

    Shi Enxi''s gaze softened. She reached out and cupped her cheek, wiping the tears the formed at the side of her eyes with her thumb. "I need to make sure that they''re fine..."

    ...

    Lu Mello was in shock but he snapped out of it at once and used the opportunity to dash towards Jin Bolin. Since his grip was primarily based on the thumb, he grabbed the gun, pointing it away before he twisted it going against the thumb with leverage that broke Jin Bolin''s grip from the gun. Lu Mello was able to turn the situation in that short moment as he now held the gun, pressing it against Jin Bolin''s head.

    "Don''t even think of moving an inch." He warned.

    This was the moment Jin Bolin feared. He once sparred with Lu Mello during training. His reaction was faster than his. He took down many of his men during the training. He was a beast, tough and sharp.

    "Gege!" Shi Enxi shouted and rushed to Huang Li''s side.

    Huang Li was pressing the wound on his shoulder, trying his best to put pressure on it. He was panting heavily and a pained groan escaped his lips when Shi Enxi helped him press his wound.

    Without taking his eagle-like eyes off from Jin Bolin, Lu Mello asked, "Xi''er, bring Huang Li out of here."

    Huang Li managed to give a low chuckle, "I''ll live, don''t worry."

    "Of course you are! As if I''m going to allow you to die under my watch!" She turned her glare at the man who injured Huang Li. "It''s over for you and Hana! Just give up already!"

    Jin Bolin lowered his head and balled his fists, clenching it tightly. "How did you know that it was me?"

    Shi Enxi scoffed, "You can thank your mossy pimping wench for that. She betrayed you!"

    His tensed shoulders loosened and he released his clench as he finally gave up. If Hana gave up then there was no point anymore. He was cornered and so was Hana.

    "She doesn''t deserve to be in jail..." He said as he lifted his head and looked at Lu Mello as he added, "She needs help. She needs to see a doctor that can help her. It''s not her fault that she turned out this way."

    They all didn''t expect him to suddenly say those words out. What surprised them even further was when Jin Bolin fell on his knees just to beg them.

    "Please... I-I''ll accept all her crimes so please let her go. She needs a doctor that can help her..."

    For some reason, Lu Mello couldn''t help but relate to him. It was as if he saw a portion of himself on the man who was kneeling at them.

    Before anyone could react, a siren was heard outside, approaching the house.

    "Please... I beg you... Hana just needs help..." The Hana he knew was a lovely and cheerful woman but at the mention of her son or whenever she was reminded of the past, her crazy self would emerge.

    "That woman is a psychopath, there''s no help for someone like her." Shi Enxi retorted icily. Her gaze hardened at him.

    "No, she''s not." He quickly denied. If Hana was a psychopath, she wouldn''t have remorseful. She wouldn''t have been bothered by the men she killed. She was blinded by hate. She saw her son as a sign of her terrifying past that she just wanted to erase it. She was a crazy woman who thought that everything would go back to normal if she erased any proof of the night that traumatized her even if it was her son.

    Whenever he spent the night at her place, there were times when he caught her crying. She couldn''t move on from her past. Her hands trembled and he would hear her whisper, "I-it''s not my fault... I don''t have a choice... You made me hate you... You made me kill you... Please... Please leave me alone..." That''s when he learned that she was being haunted by the guilt of killing the men she hated.

    On the other hand, Lu Mello asked something different as he lowered the gun, "Do you love her?"

    Even Huang Li and Shi Enxi didn''t think that he would end up asking such a question. They ended up being dumbfounded when they heard it.

    Jin Bolin lifted his head to look at the man he once worked for. "Yes." He replied with no sign of hesitation. "I love her. I love her so much that I am willing to give my life just for her to have a second chance, just for her to be happy again."

 Chapter 247 - Huang Mingyu

    "Hana needs to learn her lesson." Shi Enxi was firm with her decision as she watched Jin Bolin being taken away by the police. "They need to get what they deserve so don''t feel pity for them."

    "I know." Lu Mello held her hand while looking ahead. Even if he saw themselves on Jin Bolin and Hana, he couldn''t do anything about it. He felt no pity but was just sorry for how things were for them. They were not fortunate like Lu Mello and Shi Enxi.

    "Please don''t scare me like that..." Fan Xiao Yao''s trembling voice was heard nearby.

    Shi Enxi turned and saw Fan Xiao Yao standing beside Huang Li who was lying down on a stretcher.

    "I''m sorry..." He whispered weakly. "You should stay with Xiao Xi and Mello."

    "No, I''m going to accompany you to the hospital." She insisted.

    With the help of a nurse, she was able to get on the ambulance after Huang Li was placed inside.

    Just then, Shi Enxi felt a tug on her dress. She lowered her gaze and saw Little Jade, looking up at her with his big, round eyes. "Mama... Where''s fwireworksh?"

    She bent down to his level, "It looks like we missed it. It was just a quick show." When she saw how the kids pouted and sulked, she quickly added, "We can watch the fireworks tomorrow night? There''ll be foods too so we can enjoy it while eating?"

    In an instant, Little Jade and Little Snow''s eyes brightened in delight.

    Little Jade: "Rweally?!"

    Little Snow: "With foods?!"

    Shi Enxi knew that it was not yet the time for Little Jade to live with his new parents since they were both injured. Aside from that, they were not in rush and Huang Li has yet to agree with the idea. She also has to tell Lu Mello about it.

    The only problem was dealing with the aftermath of the separation of the two kids.

    ...

    Hana and Jin Bolin''s matter finally came to an end. The evidence that Shi Enxi ordered Lu Mello to get from the studio was one of the hidden cameras she installed there. In the video, it was seen how Jin Bolin killed Qiao Nuan and used the air vent to hide.

    The hidden camera was actually all to monitor Fan Xiao Yao when Shi Enxi was still trying to scheme against her. When she took Hana to that place, she ordered Qiao Nuan that whenever she arrived at the studio, she needed to turn it on just so Shi Enxi could monitor her training. She never thought that it would come in handy.

    The couple admitted to their crime which was why their sentence was lessened. Jin Bolin could have the death penalty but it was reduced to 30 years imprisonment while Hana received 10 years imprisonment since Jin Bolin took all the blame and lied that he just forced Hana into his plans

    Meanwhile, after the matter was settled, Shi Enxi decided to discuss the matter about Little Jade with her husband.

    Inside Lu Mello''s study...

    "You want to give Xiao Yu to Xiao Yao and Huang Li?" He asked in surprise.

    "Yes." She replied without hesitation. "Xiao Yao''s infertile although that''s not the main reason why I want her to be Yuer''s mother."

    A crease formed in between his brows. Fan Xiao Yao was infertile?

    "I know that Xiao Yao will be a great mother. She risked her life just to protect Yu''er. Besides, our son will not have a hard time adjusting. Yu''er has been treating Xiao Yao and Huang Li as his parents too. He''s close with them."

    "If that''s the case, I don''t have any argument in mind but... Xiao Xue and Xiao Yu are inseparable. Separating them will be an issue for them."

    "They are kids. They will get used to it as they grow. Besides, it''s not like he won''t be seeing Yu''er anymore. Also, they will always be brothers so letting them meet and play with each other is fine. He will always be my son as well even if Yu''er won''t be a Lu anymore but a Huang. He will always welcome in this family."

    "Huang Mingyu huh?" Lu Mello cupped his chin to think. "It has a nice ring to it." Although he still couldn''t help but be saddened by the idea of giving up Little Jade. He didn''t like his wife''s idea but just like what he told her, he wouldn''t argue with her decision all because of Fan Xiao Yao''s condition. Besides, it was not like he was never going to see him anymore. He could just visit him.

    "When do you plan on sending them to their place?" Lu Mello asked as he turned his gaze to his wife.

    Shi Enxi didn''t answer. Instead, she had a frown on her face as he noticed how pale her face was. She suddenly felt nauseous and was liable to vomit at the slightest provocation

    He ended up standing from his seat just to rush to her side, "Xi''er, are you alright?"

    She was about to say something but the moment she did, she felt her stomach turn up. She covered her mouth and dashed to the restroom while Lu Mello followed behind. The sound of her vomit was heard shortly after.

    Lu Mello was gently rubbing her back and was looking worriedly at her, "Let''s see a doctor, Enxi."

    Shi Enxi ignored him and threw her breakfast in the toilet bowl. After she finally calmed down, she pressed the flush button and stood up just to stagger because of how weak her legs suddenly felt. Thanks to her husband''s quick reflex, he was able to support her as she walked towards the sink.

    "Was the food this breakfast bad for you?" Lu Mello couldn''t help but ask.

    "Idiot... That''s not it." She finally spoke up after cleaning her mouth with water. She gave him a side glance as she continued, "I think I''m pregnant... again."

 Chapter 248 - Little Melon

    Lu Mello was surprised when he heard her words. He knew that Shi Enxi was not on pills. They were both were expecting for another child but because of how busy the past weeks were, the possibility of her getting pregnant left their mind.

    It was a great news for them. Shi Enxi this time was more accepting of the news unlike back then when she found out that she was pregnant with Little Jade.

    Because of how overjoyed he was, Lu Mello carried her and spinned her around in delight. "We''re going to have another kid!"

    "Urgh! Put me down! I''m feeling sick! Do you want me to puke on you?!" Shi Enxi complained.

    "Right, right." Lu Mello obediently placed her back on the ground. He couldn''t stop grinning from ear to ear as he looked at her.

    Shi Enxi crossed her arms and looked at him smiling like an idiot. She let out a helpless chuckle, "You''re that happy, huh?"

    "Of course! I''m going to be a father!"

    "You''re already a father."

    He blinked a few times and smiled in realization, "Oh yeah, I already am." Although he felt pure happiness inside him as if it was his first time hearing it from her.

    He brought her out of the restroom and ordered the maid to prepare a soup that will make his wife feel better.

    When the food arrived, he insisted on feeding him to which Shi Enxi obliged. She liked being doted on like this.

    "Mello, I want to get married again." She suddenly said out after finishing the soup.

    He looked at her and was obviously taken aback by her sudden words, "Get married again?"

    "Yes. We didn''t have a proper wedding you know." They only signed the marriage papers.

    "If it''s a wedding you want, then it''s a wedding you''ll get." Lu Mello said with a grin, approving of her idea.

    "I want to be married every month until I finally give birth."

    "..." He became speechless again when he heard Shi Enxi''s plan.

    "I''ll be carrying this child for nine months. Nine weddings and nine different countries."

    "That''s going to be too expensive..." He trailed off.

    She raised a brow as she turned her gaze to him, "Going to be too what?"

    He waved his hand in front of him, "Nothing, nothing. Nothing is too expensive for me. If it''s the world you want, I''ll give it to you."

    The side of her lips finally curled up into a pretty smile as she leaned forward just to give him a hug, "My husband is really the best!"

    He laughed a bit, slowly, "Ha... Ha... Ha... Yes... I''m the best." He hugged her back, hesitatingly. "B-by the way..." He stuttered. He cleared his throat before he pulled away a bit just to look at her again, "How about our guests? We will have to fly them all over the countries."

    "It''s just going to be our family. You, me and Xue''er."

    "How about Xiao Yu?"

    "Xiao Yao and Huang Li are planning to go on a vacation somewhere. Since they will be his parents, he should spend time with them." But the thought of not bringing along Little Jade with them saddened her all of a sudden. She really wanted to bring him along. "Maybe we can bring them along with us instead?"

    "Won''t traveling around be bad for a pregnant woman like you?"

    "We''ll be using your private jet so it should be as comfortable for a pregnant woman like me, right? Besides, no one said that flying is bad for preggies. Besides, it''ll be amazing if I ended up giving birth on a plane." She joked.

    Lu Mello couldn''t help but heave out a deep sigh because of her plans. He was a bit reluctant to suddenly agree with her. Maybe he should try to talk it out of her?

    He glanced at Shi Enxi and was about to say something but he ended up shutting his mouth when he saw how bright her smile was. Her eyes were even sparkling.

    "We can revisit those places once we reached our Silver anniversary, don''t you think so?"

    Silver? Wasn''t that like going to be at almost 20 years ahead? They were going to be around their forties.

    "Our children will be old enough as well so we don''t have to worry about them." Shi Enxi continued with a warm smile plastered on her lips when she thought about it.

    "If you put it that way, I guess you''re right." He chuckled softly. "I can have you to myself by then."

    "You are not so stingy like your father you know." She suddenly said as she recalled something.

    He blinked a few times in confusion, "Stingy?"

    "I mean possessive. I saw how possessive uncle Yifeng is when it comes to your mother."

    "Ah... Yes... Well they say that my personality is more on my mom''s side." He was reminded of the times his father looked at him and his siblings whenever his wife''s attention was snatched by them. Now that he recalled those times, he found it hilarious. His father, Lu Yifeng''s a man who easily get jealous even towards his own children. He may not admit it but his actions spoke of it.

    "Besides, my son will never be able to steal you away from me." He added.

    "What if he asks me to marry him one day?" She smirked.

    Lu Mello raised a brow, "That will never happen. He will never ask that question."

    She pouted, "You never asked your mom that when you were little?"

    He cupped his chin to think, "I don''t recall asking her that at all."

    "Of course you won''t. How can you remember? You were too young back then." She wrapped her arms around as she grinned teasingly at him, "Mello was still Xiao Gua back then."

    His expression changed when she called him that way, "Not that name."

    "Why? It''s cute!" She giggled. "Little Melon~ If we''re going to have another son, let''s name him Xiao Gua! Lu Xiao Gua-"

    "No." He quickly said with a deadpan tone. It was not like he hated the name but it was a nickname that he didn''t like. Aside from that, he knew that his wife was not serious about it... but just in case that she was, it''s better to reject her name suggestion.

    "Why?"

    "Because I say so."

    "But it''s cute."

    "No."

    "Please?"

    "No."

 Chapter 249 - Meat and Veggies

    "Mama! Let''s swim! Swim!" Little Snow exclaimed as he

    "Swim?" Shi Enxi blinked a few times in confusion. What made him suddenly want to go for a swim?

    She turned to Little Jade and saw him busy on watching Finding Nemo on the big TV screen.

    "Oh..." So that''s where he got the idea.

    "Mama! Swim! Swim! And let''s eat fishes!"

    "..." She turned to her son and raised a brow, "Are you going to be a shark?"

    Little Snow nodded adorably, "Yes! Shark! Grrrrr!" He even growled cutely at her.

    Shi Enxi couldn''t help but let out a laugh. She picked him up and carried him in her arms before she walked towards Little Jade who was so focused on watching the movie. "Baby, do you want to go swimming after this?" She asked as she sat beside the boy and let Little Snow sit on her l.a.p.

    "No." The boy replied, his eyes locked on the screen.

    Little Snow ended up gasping out loud as he asked, "What?! Why?!"

    "Xiao Xue will eat all the fishes." He pursed his lips and crossed his arms.

    "But fish is yummy!"

    Shi Enxi cleared her throat to steal their attention, "Not all fishes are edible, Xue''er."

    "Ehhh?"

    Little Jade turned to his mother and with a serious look on his face, he said, "Mama, Xiao Yu will not eat fish anymore."

    "Pfft." Lu Mello who entered and what the boy said, covered his mouth to stop himself from laughing out loud.

    "Dada, nothing''s funny." Little Jade scolded. He even crossed his arms and was looking at his father with a serious look. "Xiao Yu will not eat animals."

    "Even chicken and beef?" She asked, a smile on her face. Shi Enxi was amused by her son''s sudden decision to become a vegetarian.

    "Gege! Chicken! Beef! Yummy!" Little Snow said in defense. "Yummy yum yum! Gege can''t stop eating chicken and beef!"

    "Mama Yaoyao said veggies and fruit are healthy. Xiao Yu likes veggies and fruits. Animals have a family. If Xiao Yu eat chicken, the baby chicken will cry. If Xiao Yu eat beef, baby beef will cry."

    Lu Mello: "..."

    Shi Enxi: "..."

    The two grownups didn''t know whether to cry or laugh upon hearing what their son said.

    "But chicken and beef are for eating!!!" Little Snow retorted. He was not going to throw away the opportunity to eat delicious food.

    For the first time, the two boys ended up arguing. They were glaring at each other and were having a debate over what food to eat.

    "Chicken and beef yum yum!"

    "No! They are not for eating!"

    "Yes, they are!"

    "No, they''re not!"

    "Yes they are"

    "No!"

    "Yes!"

    "No! No! No!"

    "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

    "MAMAAAA!!!!"

    "DADAAAA!!!!"

    The boys ended up turning to their parents to ask for help.

    Lu Mello: "..."

    Shi Enxi: "..."

    Their parents were in a dilemma and the kids were staring at them so intensely.

    Lu Mello cleared his throat and finally spoke up about the matter. He decided to give them a safe answer, "I think we should just respect each other''s preferences."

    "Prefewenwes?" The two boys asked at the same time, tilting their heads on the side as they looked at him, confused. They still have a lot of words to learn after all.

    The man cleared his throat and explained, "Preference means likes. Everyone has their likes, their taste and we should respect that." He turned to Little Snow as he further discussed, "Xiao Xue, not everyone eats meat. There-"

    "WHY NOT?!!" He gasped out, interfering his father with the question. "Meat is yummy daddy!"

    "Yes, I agree." Shi Enxi nodded her head. "Meat is rich in protein. The human body needs protein. I don''t understand why there are people who prefer eating grasses when there is plenty of delicious food like meat out there."

    "As I said, we should respect what they want to eat. Vegetarians get their proteins from beans and-"

    "You see?! Veggies have what meat have too!" This time, it was Little Jade who interrupted his father. He even jumped down from the sofa just to go and stand at his father''s side. "Killing animals and eating them is bad!"

    "Yu''er, it''s normal. We have a process called ''food chain''. Strong animals eat weak animals. Weak animals eat grasses."

    Little Snow kept nodding his head as his mother was saying those words even though he didn''t understand everything she said. He just knew that his mother was taking his side. "Yeah!" He even exclaimed in agreement.

    Little Jade crossed his arms at the same time his father crossed his arms. He even puffed out his c.h.e.s.t before he looked up at his father, waiting for him to say something in defense.

    "That''s not true. Not all herbivores are weak. Elephants are not weak and so are rhinos. There are plenty of herbivores that can overthrow carnivores."

    This time, the two little boys were looking at their parents in confusion as they began hearing words that they have yet to learn as their parents argued.

    Luckily, a knock interrupted the two a.d.u.l.ts, and a maid''s voice was heard outside as she announced, "Master, Madam, it''s time for lunch."

    Little Snow jumped off from his mother''s l.a.p and ran towards his brother. He held his hand and grin, "Let''s go gege!"

    Little Jade nodded and they both rushed towards the door, leaving their parents behind.

    Shi Enxi and Lu Mello ended up looking at the kids as they left before they faced each other once again.

    "So... I guess that argument is over?" He asked, chuckling a bit as he scratched his nape lightly.

    "I think so..." She replied with a chuckle. Shi Enxi stood up and clung to her husband''s arm.

    "I can see how much Xiao Xue takes after you, especially for your love of food. It''s just... he eats more than you do."

    "He''s a growing child, let him be." She grinned.

    "Are you sure that you want to give Xiao Yu to Huang Li and Xiao Yao?" Lu Mello suddenly asked which made his wife stay still on the ground. He stopped as well just to look at her.

 Chapter 250 - Green Chicken

    Being reminded by her husband, she ended up having second thoughts instead. She loved having Little Jade around but she already told Fan Xiao Yao about it.

    No matter how sad she was, it was not like she was never going to see him. Hopefully, nothing should change since the kids were already used to having two sets of parents.

    "It won''t be easy but yes, I''m sure." She has already decided on it and she was not going to go back to her words.

    Lu Mello sighed. He was holing for her to change her mind but it looked like that won''t be happening.

    Arriving in the kitchen, Lu Mello and Shi Enxi saw their kids having another argument.

    "Xiao Xue, no eat chicken." Little Jade said as he took away the fried chicken away from his brother''s plate.

    "NUUUU!!!!" Little Snow reached out, his eyes becoming teary. "CHICKEN!!! GEGE CHICKEN!!!! GIVE MEEEEEE!!!!"

    Instead of giving him back the chicken, Little Jade placed a piece of broccoli on his plate. "This looks like chicken and is tastier than chicken."

    Little Snow looked at the broccoli and ended up pouting deeply, "IT''S GREEN!!!"

    "Green chicken." Little Jade retorted.

    Little Snow jumped down the chair and rushed to his mother as he cried, "MAMAAAAAAA!!!! GEGE''S BULLYING MEEEEEE!!!!!"

    Little Jade pouted and crossed his arms as he looked at them, "Dada, Xiao Xue''s being picky!"

    "ME WANT CHICKEN! CHICKEEEEN!!!"

    Shi Enxi carried her son in her arms. She didn''t know whether to laugh or cry at the situation. "There, there, your brother is right tho. You shouldn''t be picky with food."

    "BUT GEGE TOOK MY CHICKEN!! WAAAAAAA!!" Little Snow even cried louder.

    She tried to calm down the boy she was crying. She glanced at her husband as if telling him to help him with her eyes.

    Lu Mello chuckled. He walked towards his other son and patted Little Jade''s head, "Xiao Yu, you shouldn''t do that."

    "Eating chicken is bad."

    "But it''s your brother''s share so he has the right to eat it. Also, the chicken is already cooked. We should not waste the food you know."

    "Xiao Yu will not eat meat." The boy replied sternly.

    "Okay, okay, you don''t have to eat your meat."

    "But food will go to waste."

    "Then I will eat your share. I will give you my share of vegetables, how about that?" Lu Mello tried his best to convince him.

    Little Jade crossed his arms and tried to think about it before he faced his father again, "Dada should stop eating meat."

    "..."

    What to do? It looked like Little Jade was going to turn everyone at home into a vegetarian.

    His father ended up chuckling a bit, "Okay but can I eat meat today for the last time?" Of course, he wasn''t going to do that but deceiving his son a bit should be fine, right?

    Little Jade became quiet as if he was giving it another thought. Should he allow his father?

    "Okay!"

    "So, can you give back your brother''s chicken?" He asked after making a deal with him.

    Once again, he was hesitant about it. He turned to look at the plate of fried chicken.

    All of a sudden, he ended up crying, "Xiao Yu''s sorry chicken! Gege, dada and mama will eat Mr. and Mrs. Chicken!" He even pulled the plate to him and was about to give the food a hug but was stopped by his father just in time as he was carried by him.

    "There, there, don''t cry, Xiao Yu."

    Lu Mello and Shi Enxi were trying their best to hold back their laughter at the comical scene.

    "Now make up with your brother, okay?" She wiped Little Snow''s tears away and gently smiled. "Don''t fight with your gege."

    "Gege''s starting it..." The boy mumbled.

    "Now, now. We''re all hungry so let''s eat our food before it gets cold, okay?" She walked towards the table. She placed the boy back to his seat before she turned to Little Jade and patted his head gently. "Baby, you be good to your little brother, okay?"

    He nodded obediently and smiled cutely, "Of course! That''s why Xiao Xue needs to start eating healthy food, not meat."

    "Food is food!" Little Snow exclaimed in defense.

    Before another fight would start, Lu Mello interrupted their kids, "I''m starving! Let''s eat, shall we?"

    ...

    After what happened, Huang Li and Fan Xiao Yao decided to move into a more secure place. They moved into the private residence that Shi Enxi bought for Fan Xiao Yao as a wedding gift.

    "Xiao Xi is willing to give Xiao Yu to use?" Huang Li repeated, blinking a few times in confusion.

    Fan Xiao Yao nodded and smiled, "Yes. She wants us to be his parents."

    Huang Li became quiet. Was it because Fan Xiao Yao was infertile? He was a bit hesitant about the idea. He loved the kid but he was thinking more about how it will affect the child.

    She noticed her husband''s quietness which made her smile stiff as she worried asked, "You... don''t agree with it?"

    "It''s not like I don''t agree. I''m willing to take him in but you know how close Xiao Yu is with Xiao Xue. Is it alright for them to separate?"

    Fan Xiao Yao lowered her head. Shi Enxi told her that thee children will learn to adjust at once since they were still young but thinking of separating the two kids suddenly bothered her.

    He heaved out a sigh, "I think it''s best to let the children decide."

    She looked at him and blinked in confusion, "Eh?"

    "We should ask Xiao Yu directly if he wants to live with us and be our son." They may be kids and some may think that their decisions may not matter but for Huang Li, he preferred asking the boy directly instead of forcing him to take away from the family he knew.

    "I don''t want to force Xiao Yu to live with us, Xiao Yao. I am willing to be his parent but that is only if he wants me to be his father."

 Chapter 251 - Gege cant leave!

    Later that day, inside the kid''s room...

    Little Jade and Little Snow were now lying down on their bed and were ready to have their afternoon nap. Shi Enxi was there to make sure that they will fall asleep.

    "Mama, when we visit mama Yaoyao''s place?" Little Jade asked as he watched his mother tuck them under the blanket.

    She paused at his question. "Do you want to visit them?"

    The boy nodded and smiled cutely, "Papa Huang''s carrot juice is the best!"

    "You like carrot juice too?" She chuckled softly. She never liked carrots. It was Fan Xiao Yao''s favorite.

    "Yuck! Me no like carrots!" Little Snow exclaimed with a pout.

    "But carrots healthy! Mama Yaoyao said it''s good for eyes!" Little Jade said in defense.

    Before another round of fight will start, Shi Enxi interrupted them, "There, there, you two. It''s time for you to get some sleep."

    "But Xiao Yu not sleepy..."

    Little Snow nodded his head in agreement.

    "Can we visit mama Yaoyao and papa Huang?" Little Jade asked, his eyes brimming with expectation.

    Shi Enxi could see how attached his sons were towards the two people she called ''best friends''. Should she use this opportunity to ask Little Jade on how he thinks about living with his second parents? She should, right? She shouldn''t waste such an opportunity.

    "Yu''er?" She started.

    "Yes, mama?" The boy was still looking at her with sparkling eyes. He was waiting for her answer on visiting Fan Xiao Yao and her husband, Huang Li.

    "Do you want to be mama Yaoyao and papa Huang Li''s son?" She didn''t know if this was the right question to ask but this was the first question that entered her mind.

    The boy blinked his eyes in confusion, "Isn''t Xiao Yu already mama Yaoyao and papa Huang''s son too?"

    "Xiao Xue too!" Little Snow inserted with a wide grin.

    She smiled a bit. They were still little so it was a bit hard for her to explain things to them in an easy way that they could understand.

    "Then how about living with them? Do you want to live with them?"

    Little Jade tilted his head on the side, not really understanding the question, "Live? Not visit?"

    Oh, how Shi Enxi wished for her husband to be there to help her but he had to go to work so she was left alone with no one to help her.

    "Yes, you will live with them until you grow up." She ended up being straightforward to them. "You will not be able to be with Xue''er every day."

    The moment she said that, Little Jade''s eyes became misty.

    "No!" Little Snow hugged his brother, "No! NO!! Gege can''t leave!!!"

    Oh shit... it looked like she made the matter worse!

    She began panicking inwardly. Someone! Help!

    It was the first time Shi Enxi became so restless, not knowing what to do. She was someone who was used to saying straightforward things even if she ended up being harsh, she didn''t care. It was different when it came to her children tho. She needed to be gentle. She needed to twist her words and explain things to them in a nice way. It was Lu Mello who knew how to do that best.

    She wanted to cry along with the kids. The usual calm Shi Enxi was now anxious and clueless of what to do or say to her kids.

    "Don''t cry, don''t cry..." She tried her best to calm them down but the kids kept on crying as they hugged each other, not wanting to be separated.

    Just then, a knock was heard and Shi Enxi was saved when she heard what the maid announced, "Madam, Mrs. Huang is waiting downstairs."

    She rushed towards the door and pulled it open as she exclaimed, "Quick! Bring Xiao Yao here this instant!"

    ...

    "Mama bullied us!" Little Snow reported while pointing at his mother.

    "I-I didn''t mean to..." Shi Enxi said in her defense. She never felt so wrong in her life.

    "Mama is a big bully!" This time, it was Little Jade who shouted it.

    The two boys were hugging Fan Xiao Yao''s legs. The moment she came in earlier, they rushed to her side.

    Fan Xiao Yao was looking at them in confusion. It was kind of comical to see the two boys waiting for her to scold the other woman for ''bullying'' them.

    "What happened?"

    Before Shi Enxi could open her mouth, Little Snow interfered and exclaimed, "Mama wanted to take gege away from me! MEEE!! NO ONE CAN TAKE GEGE!!!"

    Fan Xiao Yao: "..."

    Shi Enxi: "..."

    There was no need for explanation. Fan Xiao Yao was able to get what Shi Enxi told them.

    "Yu''er will just begin living with Xiao Yao." His real mother retorted.

    "You can still visit him whenever you want to." Fan Xiao Yao quickly added. She didn''t want the kids to misunderstand and think that they will never see each other again.

    Little Snow ended up blinking a few times as he suddenly calmed down, "Really?"

    "Yes. But that will still depend if Xiao Yu wants to live with me." Fan Xiao Yao turned to the little man who was the cause of all the commotion in the room. "Xiao Yu, do you want to live with me?"

    The boy didn''t hesitate when he grinned and answered her with a "Yes!"

    "You won''t be able to be with Xiao Xue all the time." She squatted down to his level and gently cupped his cheek.

    "Is Xiao Xue allowed to visit Xiao Yu?"

    "Of course! Like what I said, he can visit us whenever he wants just to play with you."

    "Okay!"

    "Gege!" Little Snow complained, his eyes teary.

    Little Jade went to his brother''s side and held both his hands, "Xiao Xue, mama Yaoyao needs gege''s protection!"

    "Eh?"

    "Gege will become batman and protect mama Yaoyao from bad guys!" Little Jade said confidently. "Xiao Xue is Robin-"

    "Xiao Xue wants to become spiderman..." Little Snow muttered, cutting him off.

    "Okay! Xiao Xue protect mama, Xiao Yu protect mama Yaoyao from bad guys, okay?"

    "Un!" He nodded in agreement at the assignment his older brother gave him. "Okay!"

    On the other hand, Fan Xiao Yao and Shi Enxi were speechless upon hearing the boys'' conversation. They took a glance at each other. They never thought that it would be that easy.

    "T-That''s settled then?" Fan Xiao Yao carefully asked.

    "I think so..."

 Chapter 252 - Places I like?

    Little Jade hugged his brother for a while before he finally pulled away and went to take his favorite Batman plushie from the bed. After he did, he walked towards Fan Xiao Yao.

    "Where do you think are you going, young man?" Shi Enxi asked, raising a brow.

    "Going to mama Yaoyao''s place!" The boy exclaimed with a grin.

    Eh? At once? He was that eager to leave?

    She turned to Fan Xiao Yao and asked, "You''re not going to take him away today, are you?"

    "Of course not." She straightened her back as she stood up once again. She looked at Little Jade with a smile. "I''m not taking you away today, sweetie."

    "Aww, why not?" He pouted.

    "I still have to fill your room with toys." She winked.

    The boy''s eyes sparkled instantly in excitement. "Toooysh?!"

    "So now, go back to your bed, young man. You too, Xue''er." Shi Enxi said sternly as she crossed her arms.

    Little Jade pouted and hand his head low as he returned to the bed. He thought that he would be able to skip the afternoon nap by going to his other mother''s place.

    "When will Xiao Yu leave?" Little Snow asked as he looked up at his mother.

    Shi Enxi turned to Fan Xiao Yao as if passing the question to her.

    "How about in this coming weekend?"

    "Great! That means Me can play more with gege!" The boy rushed towards the bed and hopped on top of it just to lie down beside his brother.

    "Gege needs training to become strong!" He cuddled at his brother.

    "And for both of you to become strong, nap time is necessary." Fan Xiao Yao said with a small smile.

    "How?" Little Jade pursed his lips.

    "Nappy time helps you grow tall and stronger."

    "Veggies does that too."

    "Yes, eating vegetables will help you too but if you want to become taller and stronger at once, you shouldn''t miss your afternoon nap." She further explained in a patient and gentle manner.

    Shi Enxi looked at Fan Xiao Yao and smiled. She knew that she would really become a great mother if only she was given a chance to have kids of her own. But sadly, that wasn''t possible any moment now that was why Shi Enxi wanted to give her a chance to become a mother by offering Little Jade to her.

    After successfully putting the children to sleep, the two women left the room and went to the living room.

    "I''m really happy that you''ve come just in time." It would be chaos if she didn''t. Nanny Mo Jing was on a break and her husband was at work. "By the way, what made you come here?"

    "I just wanted to visit the kids and make sure they''re fine."

    After what happened the past weeks, Fan Xiao Yao was not able to check on them since she was injured. She couldn''t move around much because of the sprain she had.

    "As you can already see, they''re fine. How about you?" Shi Enxi''s eyes landed on her foot. "You look better."

    "Yeah. It was not that serious anyway. I just needed rest."

    "Have you told Huang Li about having Yu''er?"

    Fan Xiao Yao nodded and smiled, "He''s fine with it as long as Xiao Yu wants to come with us."

    "We already have an answer to that." She chuckled a bit. She looked ahead and placed a hand on her tummy. She wanted to tell her that she was pregnant but at the same time, she couldn''t. She was worried about what Fan Xiao Yao might feel if she told her that she was pregnant.

    "Anyway, I should get going. I promised my husband that I will pass by the hospital for him."

    "He''s working at the hospital again?"

    "Yeah... So he won''t be around at home that much." She smiled a bit. "I''m glad that Xiao Yu will be coming to accompany me at home tho."

    "Don''t you want to continue on your career again?" Shi Enxi offered. "At least you will have something to do. Also, if you''re worried about taking care of Yu''er, you can bring him to work."

    "I guess I can do that." She looked at her, "Will you be my manager?"

    Shi Enxi raised a brow and smirked, "I guess we need to start getting busy for your comeback, huh?"

    ...

    "You changed your mind?" Lu Mello asked, blinking a few times.

    "Now that I think of it, marrying you nine times in different countries will be so troublesome."

    It was in the middle of the night and Shi Enxi was cuddling to her husband.

    "Guess it was your hormones speaking this morning, huh?" He was already used to something like that since he had to deal with his mother''s sudden change whenever she was pregnant. They said that hormones can really work upon women whenever they were pregnant or they''re menstruating. No wonder girls are considered as complicated creatures.

    "Maybe?" She chuckled.

    "How about we go to places you like? I''m planning to take a break from work."

    "Places I like?" She paused to think. It was then she remembered the one place where Lu Mello confessed to her during their past life. It was also the place where they died. The cliff they drop down was located near a seaside park.

    "I have one in mind..."

    "Only one?" He raised a brow. He was expecting more. "Where?"

    "The place where you first confessed your love for me."

    Lu Mello didn''t have to think hard to know where that was. He knew what place she was talking about. "And the place where we died?"

    She bobbed her head a bit. Her lips curled into a gentle, nostalgic smile.

    He let out a small chuckle, "Okay. We can go there too but you have to think of another place to go. I have two weeks break so we have enough time to go around."

    "Then how about camping on an island?"

    "Island?" He blinked a few times.

    "Now that I think of it, why don''t we buy a small island just for our family?"

    "..." Buy an island?

 Chapter 253 - Stingy woman

    "Why buy an island?" Lu Mello asked, raising a brow.

    "Let''s just say that it''s your gift for me."

    "For?"

    "Our anniversary is just around the corner." She grinned.

    "And what gift will I receive in return?"

    "Am I not a good enough gift for you?" She huffed, releasing him from her hug just so she could cross her arms.

    This stingy woman...

    He heaved out a sigh and pulled her close against his body as he gave in to her. He smiled helplessly and replied, "Yes, yes, you''re the perfect gift for me."

    Their anniversary was near... Maybe he should prepare something for her?

    "How about having a wedding?"

    "I change my mind about that too." She shrugged. Now that she thought of it, she rather go back to work. It would become busy for her but she was someone who could manage her time. She was going to handle Fan Xiao Yao''s career and as of now, she was willing to take short-term projects like movies instead of series. They have a family of their own and they needed time for their kids too so that should work out, right?

    Meanwhile, Lu Mello have other things in his mind and his thought was interrupted by a sudden knock and was followed by more.

    "Let me guess, the kids?" She chuckled.

    "I''ll get them." He released her from his hug and got off the bed just.

    Just as expected, when he opened the door, Little Jade and Little Snow were standing before him, hugging their favorite plushies.

    "Dada, me hungry..." Little Snow said before letting out a sleepy yawn.

    "Xiao Xue, it''s already late at night."

    "Me wanna eat!" He rubbed off the sleepiness from his eyes before he finally stared at his father intensely.

    "And you, Xiao Yu?"

    "Gege accompanies Xiao Xue." Even if he was sleepy, the moment Little Snow woke him up, he had to accompany him.

    "What a good brother you are." He smiled and patted his head.

    Little Jade closed his eyes as his father patted his head. He liked being patted and at that moment, he looked like a behaved pup.

    "Aiyaa, Is Yu''er still sleepy?" Shi Enxi who came to check on them, picked the boy up and carried him in her arms. "Would you like to eat or sleep?"

    "Sleep mama..." The child rested his head on his mother''s shoulder just so he could sleep again.

    "But Xiao Xue''s hungry..." Little Snow pouted.

    "Okay, okay, how about daddy will accompany you, hm? Why do you want to eat?" Lu Mello carried his hungry son in his arms.

    "Dumplings!"

    "Dumplings?"

    "Yeah!"

    The father turned to his wife, "Looks like I''ll have to take him out."

    "Go on, I''ll just accompany Yu''er here." She was already feeling sleeping as well and she was not in the mood to go out. Besides, even if it was late, it would be hard to put Little Snow back to sleep not until his hunger is filled. "Don''t make him eat too much."

    ...

    After the father and son duo left the room, Shi Enxi placed Little Jade on the bed and lied down beside him.

    Instead of falling asleep, she ended up staring at her son''s sleeping face, "I''ll be sad if you go..." She whispered.

    She thought that the boy was already fast asleep but ended up being surprised when he opened his drowsy eyes and replied, "Don''t worry mama, Xiao Yu will always visit mama." He gave her a smile as he snuggled close against her warmth.

    She blinked a few times and was a bit startled by his answer.

    "There are so many bad guys mama... Mama Yaoyao needs Xiao Yu''s saving..." He hugged his mother and closed his eyes but as he did, a tear formed on the side of his eyes. Maybe he was traumatized by what happened even if it was just a little bit but it was then that he decided not to let anyone hurt his mama when he saw the other woman attacked Fan Xiao Yao. No matter how scared he was, he was not going to allow others to bully his mothers.

    "Oh, dear..." She gently cupped his cheek and word the tears with her thumb. She bent down and placed a kiss on his forehead, "Please don''t grow up too fast."

    Shi Enxi knew that one day, Little Jade will have to learn who his real mother is and when that time comes, she wished that he would not blame himself for any of the things that happened to them.

    "Mama, if Xiao Yu won''t grow up fast, Xiao Yu won''t become stronger and won''t be able to protect mama and mama Yaoyao." He owned his eyes again and pursed his lips.

    "Don''t grow up too fast. I''m pretty sure that mama Yaoyao would love that as well. You will always be a baby to us."

    The boy shook his head, not liking the idea of ''always baby'', "Xiao Yu will become a man!"

    She chuckled softly, "Really? What kind of man will you be then?"

    He paused to think, "Kind like papa Huang! A man who cooks for mama! Strong like dada!" He grinned proudly at her.

    "Ah, you''ll be a wonderful man then?"

    The boy bobbed his head, his grin becoming wide. "Yes!"

    Shi Enxi smiled as she stroked his hair with her fingers this time. Little Jade was a lovable child. How could his own mother hate him? Even if that was the case, she was not going to allow anything to happen to him. She was going to protect his smile even if he was going to live with Fan Xiao Yao and Huang Li. She may not be good with kids but she already has treated the boy like her own.

    A soft yawn came from him, "Alright, I won''t hold you back from your sleep anymore, sweetie."

    "Mama should sleep too..."

    "Of course, of course... Good night, Yu''er."

    "Good night, mama."

 Chapter 254 - Gege is bullying me!!!

    As the day where Little Jade would finally leave the Lu manor approached, it became harder for Shi Enxi to let go of the child but she was strict with her decision and she was sure that Fan Xiao Yao and Huang Li would take care of the boy and love him just as much as she did.

    "Gege!" Little Snow cried out loud and ended up running towards him when he saw him walk towards his brother''s new parents.

    "Oof!" Little Jade huffed at the sudden pounce coming from his younger brother.

    "GEGEEEE!!! IF GEGE LEAVES BRING XIAO XUE TOO!!!"

    "But..."

    "NO BUTS! XIAO XUE IS GOING!!!" He cried out."WAIT FOR ME, OKAY?!! IMMA PACK MY THINGS!!!" He turned and was about to leave but he looked back at his brother and glared, "NO LEAVE!!! WAIT FOR XIAO XUE, OKAY?!!"

    Lu Mello: "..."

    Huang Li: "..."

    Fan Xiao Yao: "..."

    Before Little Snow could even rush back to his room to pack his things, Shi Enxi went to stop him. "Na-uh, you are not going anywhere, young man."

    "BUT MAMAAAAAA!!! WHEREVER GEGE GOES XIAO XUE GOES!!!"

    She inhaled deeply, trying to calm herself. She was already doing her best not to cry but thanks to her son''s rampage, she forgot about that part. "Sweetie, we have already talked about this, right?"

    The boy sniffled, "Xiao Xue needs gege..." He muttered as he hanged his head down. This time he was a bit calmer.

    Little Jade approached them and held his brother''s hand, "Didi1, gege promise to visit, remember?" His eyes were filled with tears but he was trying his best to hold it back. "Also, Didi promise to watch over mama while gege watch over mama Yaoyao."

    It was heartbreaking to see them separate. Fan Xiao Yao was about to change her mind but the moment Huang Li held her hand, she turned to him only to see him shake his head.

    Goodbyes were part of life and as for the two children, it was not a final goodbye since they would still be seeing each other from time to time. Besides, Little Jade has already made up his mind. Surprisingly, a kid like him having a mature side. It may be too early for him but after what happened, his eyes were opened even tho it was just a small part of reality. That enough made him want to protect the people around him. He didn''t want to see anyone getting hurt and that thought alone gave him the chance to grow in mind.

    "Didi, be good to mama, okay?" The boy hugged his younger brother before he let go and was about to walk to his new parents but ended up being stopped again when his brother grabbed his hand.

    "Gege..." Little Snow whimpered, tears were flowing nonstop from his eyes. "Gege..." He sniffled, begging. He wanted to be with his brother. "Gege... Pwease?"

    This time, Shi Enxi wasn''t able to control her tears from falling. She knelt beside the two kids and pulled them both into her warm embrace. With her hug, Little Jade finally cried as he clutched on her.

    She may not be the best mother out there but she was still a mother and seeing her two sons this way was heartbreaking for her.

    Fan Xiao Yao turned to her husband, "Dear..."

    "Xiao Yu is willing to come with us. If he changes his mind now, it''s alright but look..." He paused and faced the trio. "Xiao Yu wants to come."

    "Yu''er, you have to always eat on time, okay?" Shi Enxi said between her sobs.

    "Y-yes, mama..." The boy nodded, sobbing in her c.h.e.s.t.

    "Always sleep early, okay?"

    "Nn!"

    "Always be a good boy, okay?"

    "Nn!"

    "If mama Yaoyao or papa Huang made a mistake, don''t be afraid to scold them, okay?"

    The boy continued on nodding his head, "Yes, mama!"

    Lu Mello quietly watched his wife and children, "Xi''er..."

    "Mama... Please don''t let gege go..." Little Snow begged.

    This time, the other boy shook his head. He even turned his tearful gaze to her, "M-mama, don''t listen to didi... It''s okay! Xiao Yu will protect mama Yaoyao and papa Huang!"

    Shi Enxi pulled away from the hug. She wiped her tears before she chuckled a bit and she patted his head, "You really are a good boy, hm?"

    "But gege!" Little Snow pursed his lips and even stomped his feet.

    "Will didi stop eating meat?" Little Jade suddenly questioned him. He wiped his tears away and pouted as well.

    "No!" His brother replied without even having any second thoughts about it.

    "Then gege will not stay! Xiao Yu will stay if didi stops eating meat!"

    Little Snow''s face became pale and he suddenly looked like he was faced with the greatest dilemma ever. His brother or food. Obviously, he didn''t want to let go of both. He loves meat just as how much he loved his brother.

    "Can''t Xiao Xue have both?" He tried to bargain.

    "No!"

    He gasped out loud, "WHY NOT?!"

    "Which do you love more, gege or meat?" Little Jade asked with a huff.

    "BOTH!" It was a no-brainer for Little Snow.

    "Choose one!"

    Out of frustration, the boy stomped his feet a few times on the ground before he ended crying out loud again, "BOOHOOOO GEGE IS MAKING XIAO XUE CHOOSE!!! MAMAAAAA!!!! GEGE IS BULLYING XIAO XUE!!!!"

    Grownups: "..."

    Lu Mello sighed and this time, he went and picked Little Snow up and carried him in his arms, "Xiao Xue, calm down." He gently said.

    "DADAAAAA!!!" He hugged his father and buried his face on the crook of his neck.

    Little Jade huffed again before he turned to his mother, "Mama, Xiao Yu has to go now. Don''t worry, Xiao Yu will visit like promised."

    She hugged him again and even placing a loving kiss on his forehead, "I will look forward to your visits." Instead of making him walk, she carried him in her arms as she stood up.

    "Wait." Lu Mello said as he went to their side. "Give dad a kiss before you go." He bent down a bit to their level.

    Little Jade giggled softly before he leaned and kissed his cheek. He turned to his brother and leaned forward to kiss his chubby cheek as well. "See you later, didi."

    "Gege... Don''t go..." Little Snow was persistent on making his brother stay.

    "Choose. Meat or gege?"

    Once again, the other boy pursed his lips as he was not able to choose between the two. Instead, he cried again and complained, "Gege is bullying me!!!" Little brothe

 Chapter 255 - Little Snow vs. Mama

    "Don''t worry, Xiao Xi, we''ll take care of him." Fan Xiao Yao reassured as she held Little Jade''s hand.

    "Thank you..." Huang Li said with a grateful smile. It was so out of character for Shi Enxi to give her son to them just so they would have a chance to become parents. She didn''t have to offer Little Jade to them since they could just adopt another child but just like how close the boy was to her, he was also close to them. They took care of him as if he was their own so it meant a lot for them to let the boy become their son.

    Fan Xiao Yao released Little Jade''s hand just so she could give Shi Enxi a hug. "Thank you, Xiao Xi..."

    Shi Enxi rolled her eyes, "Why does your ''thank you'' sounds like ''goodbye''? Geez, you''re being dramatic." Although despite her words, she hugged her back still.

    Little Jade''s smile grew wider when he saw the two women hug. He inserted himself between them, wanting to be sandwiched by his two mothers.

    His real mother may have no love for him but the love Shi Enxi and Fan Xiao Yao showered him was more than enough for him. It was also a reassurance that whatever happens in the future, if one day he will find out the truth about his real mother, the love the two mothers showered him was enough to comfort him from the hatred his real mother has for him. That day will be unavoidable but one thing was for sure, Little Jade would surely overcome it because of the love he received from her two mothers.

    ...

    Just as expected, the days without Little Jade at home was incomplete for both Shi Enxi and her son. Lu Mello on the other hand was busy with work so he wasn''t able to comfort them when they needed it.

    As work began for Shi Enxi, poor Little Snow would be left alone with the servants and Nanny Mo Jing.

    The third day with no Little Jade at home, while Shi Enxi was at home...

    "Xue''er, here, please eat." Shi Enxi was trying to feed the boy but for the first time, the boy ignored the food in front of him.

    It was surprising for the mother, especially when early this morning, Little Snow ate well with them.

    "Do you not like the food?"

    The boy stared at the meat, beef to be specific, that was on the plate. He was reminded of the day his brother left.

    "Meat or Gege."

    He ended up pursing his lips and clenching his tiny fists. He should have chosen his brother. He could have sneak meat afterward.

    But his brother, Little Jade was gone already and he didn''t have an appetite at all. The chubby boy tried his best not to be tempted by the food in front of him no matter how delicious it smelt.

    It was such a comical sight to see him try to resist the food. Shi Enxi had to stop herself from laughing since it would only make the boy feel bad.

    Little Snow crossed his arms and looked away, "Me not hungry, mama!"

    Just then, a small growl was heard coming from his tummy.

    "Hm? What''s that?"

    Little Snow blushed and stretched his lips into a thin line.

    She decided to give the boy a tease by taking her plate and began eating her share of food. "Mm~ This is so delicious. The beef is so tender and juicy. Are you sure that you won''t eat, Xiao Xue?"

    The boy peeked at the food and began drooling. In the end, he gave up and began eating the food instead. His ''starving'' plan ended up being a fail.

    After having his fill of the food, he went to his room and locked himself inside. This time he used this plan to show how much he wanted his brother back.

    At first, he was ignored by the servants at home, even Shi Enxi didn''t think much of it. She was busy making a schedule for Fan Xiao Yao''s work and replying to emails concerning work.

    Later, when she went to check on his son, she found the room locked.

    "Xue''er, can you let me in?"

    "No!"

    "Why?"

    "Xiao Xue will only open the door if gege comes back!"

    She sighed and decided to call the butler to get the spare key to the room. When she opened and entered his room, Little Snow was startled. He looked at her in disbelief and with a loud gasp he asked, "How did mama enter?!"

    The side of his mother''s lips stretched out into a cheeky grin as she showed him the key.

    "That''s no fair! Mama is cheating!" The boy complained. He pouted and stomped his foot.

    "Cheating?" She chuckled in amus.e.m.e.nt, "You should have said that we were playing hide and seek in the first place."

    Little Snow crossed his arms and stared intently at the key his mother was holding.

    "Now, now, don''t be angry Xue''er. It''s time for your afternoon nap." She kept the key inside her pocket.

    "Me will not sleep!" He turned and stomped his way towards the bed. He got on it and took the Batman plushie that belonged to his brother. He gave his Spiderman plushie to his brother before he left. They exchanged their favorite plushies just so it would remind them of each other.

    "Okay, okay, mama will not force you to go to sleep." Shi Enxi gently said. But she was smart enough to play a classical music in the room. She didn''t leave the boy and instead, she took a storybook and sat at the chair that was on the side of the bed. She began reading the book aloud with her soft and gentle voice. Together with the delicate music in the background, it made it harder for the kid to stay awake. He listened to the story until his eyes slowly shut. Because of this, Little Snow was defeated by his mother again as he ended up falling asleep.

 Chapter 256 - Little Jade and mama

    On the other side, Little Jade has been active in helping his new parents in their place. He was doing his best not to trouble them. From waking up early in the morning to sleeping early at night with Fan Xiao Yao and Huang Li, he was adjusting perfectly in the place. Although there were times when the boy would end up staring at the Spiderman plush that his brother gave him.

    Fan Xiao Yao who would catch such small gazes felt sorry for the boy. She knew how much he missed him even though he wasn''t saying it to them. She walked towards the boy who was hugging his brother''s favorite plush, "Xiao Yu..." She called.

    Little Jade instantly snapped out from his trance and turned to his mother with a smile, "Yes mama?"

    Every time he called her ''mama'' was something that would always melt her heart and bring warmth to it. It was a reminder for her that she was already a mother and that, she has a son. Although it was hard for her to see the boy like this.

    "Xiao Yu, do you want to go back?"

    The boy quickly shook his head before he replied, "No, mama!"

    "Really?" She couldn''t bear to so a child separated from his brother. Even if Huang Li insisted on making him stay because the child decided to do so, she was willing to return him.

    Little Jade stood up from his seat and reach forward just to hold her hand, "Mama, it''s okay. Xiao Yu is just missing Didi."

    "Do you want to visit him?"

    The child''s eyes sparkled in delight when she offered to visit his brother but then, he shook his head, "No!"

    "Eh? But you miss him, don''t you?"

    "Xiao Yu will only visit didi whenever mama and papa are free."

    "What if we''re not free for a long time?"

    He pursed his lips to think about it, "It''s okay! Xiao Yu can wait no matter how long!"

    Fan Xiao Yao wanted to tear up when she heard his reply. Little Jade was such a good kid. Unlike other children, he was not complaining when things didn''t go the way he wanted. He wouldn''t cry or argue if there were not enough toys for him. He was behaved and would prefer looking at picture books than run around the house and play like Little Snow.

    If Little Jade insisted on staying then she wouldn''t force him into thinking of going back. She decided to distract him and bond with him as any other normal mother would do. "Then how about you join me in baking cookies?"

    He blinked a few times and tilted his head on the side in an adorable manner, "But papa said not to allow mama in the kitchen while he''s out."

    She gasped in surprise, "He did?"

    The child bobbed his head straightened his back, "Listen, Xiao Yu, papa is going to work so while I''m out, don''t let mama cook, okay?" He even adjusted his imaginary glasses as he copied the way Huang Li said it. He continued, "If you want to eat, there''s food in the ref. You can just microwave it. If the food is not enough, you can order food outside."

    Little Jade even changed the tone of his voice by making it sound big and deep, just like Huang Li''s. The comical scene in front of her made her speechless. He impersonated his father perfectly.

    Fan Xiao Yao: "..."

    "That''s how papa said it." He was back with his cutesy, normal self.

    "O-oh..." She stuttered. She cleared her throat to regain her composure. ''It''s a waste of money if we order food. Besides, I know one or two things about baking. We can even just watch a ''how to bake'' video to learn."

    Little Jade stared at the woman in front of him for a while as if he was trying to think about what she said. Should he agree with his mama?

    "Okay!" He grinned at her.

    ...

    During the lunch break, Huang Li decided to give his wife a video call just to check on her and Little Jade.

    ''Papa!" The boy''s small and lively voice was heard on the phone.

    Huang Li ended up blinking a few times when he saw Little Jade''s face covered with flour.

    "What happened to your face?" He asked, blinking a few times in confusion.

    "Oh, this?" He quickly wiped his face with his arm before he continued and said with a wide grin, "Mama and Xiao Yu has a baking lesson!"

    "Baking... lesson?"

    Little Jade turned the camera and pointed it to the messy kitchen. Huang Li was even able to catch a glimpse of his wife, with an apron on, placing the baking pan inside the oven.

    "Mama! It''s papa!" The child rushed to his mother, reaching out the phone to her.

    After closing the oven door, she turned to him and took the phone from the kid.

    Huang Li saw everything from his phone''s screen and he suddenly became worried about the two. He could only hope that they wouldn''t end up burning the kitchen later.

    When he saw the bright smile on his wife''s lips, he heaved out a helpless smile, "You have flour on your left cheek."

    "Proof of hard work!" Little Jade''s voice was heard.

    Proof of hard work...? Well, yeah, sure... for beginners like them...

    "Is it already your break time there?" Fan Xiao Yao asked.

    "Yes. I just finished having lunch. Have you two eaten yet or have you forgotten to do that?" He raised a brow.

    She looked away in guilt, "We''ll reheat the food you prepared earlier..."

    "Xiao Yu." Huang Li called.

    The child climbed the stool just so he could be on his mother''s level. Because of this, Fan Xiao Yao had to stand close to the boy to support him.

    "Didn''t I tell you that mama is not allowed to be in the kitchen?"

    Little Jade nodded but then, he quickly retorted in defense, "But papa said mama is not allowed to cook. Papa didn''t say that mama is not allowed to bake!"

    Huang Li: "..."

    Fan Xiao Yao grinned and looked at her son, "High-five!"

    "High-five!" Little Jade grinned and clapped her hand in return.

 Chapter 257 - Break

    It was only normal for Little Snow to throw a tantrum when he woke up from his afternoon nap. He still wanted to have his brother back and seeing that his parents weren''t doing anything about it, he decided to put on his little protest by giving everyone the silent treatment.

    When Shi Enxi saw this, she didn''t think much of it. What mattered most was he wasn''t skipping meals and he couldn''t really ignore her whenever she was showering him with her attention.

    The days that followed were busy for both Shi Enxi. There was an urgent business that Lu Mello has to settle which was why he was away for the following days after Little Jade left the house. He even had to fly to another country so he was mostly away, leaving his wife and son at him.

    Meanwhile, Shi Enxi was busy preparing Fan Xiao Yao for the audition of an upcoming movie that was going to be directed by Director Guo.

    Although because of her pregnancy, this time, she has been feeling more tired and sleepy. Shi Enxi had been dozing off a couple of times even in her office and would end being woken up by one of the staff members or by Fan Xiao Yao.

    One day, instead of wakening up by others, this time it was her husband who woke her up. He came straight from the airport just to pick her up only to see her sleeping on her desk.

    "Xi''er?" He gently shook her shoulder.

    She g.r.o.a.n.e.d a bit and slowly opened her sleepy eyes, "Ah... I fell asleep again..." She muttered as she leaned back. She turned her gaze to the person who woke her up and was about to apologize but was surprised to see her husband instead. "Mello? You''re back?"

    He chuckled a bit, "We should go home so that you can have a proper rest." He reached forward and gently cupped her cheek. "You shouldn''t be overworking yourself, Xi''er."

    "I could say the same to you," she retorted before she heaved out a yawn. She stood up and stretched out her arms just to hug him, "I missed you..."

    His eyes softened as he hugged her back, "Me too."

    They stayed that way for a while before Shi Enxi was the first one to pull away. She looked at her wristwatch to check the time and just as he said, it was time for her to go home.

    ...

    Arriving at home, they were greeted by their son who was looking at them with a big pout on his lips. He was trying his best not to run towards his parents and give them a hug.

    Lu Mello blinked a few times, he bent down a bit to whisper in his wife''s ear, "What happened to him?"

    "Still wants Yu''er to come back." She muttered.

    "Oh..."

    He turned his gaze back to his son. The side of his lips curled up into a wide grin as he approached the boy, "What''s with that look? Aren''t you happy to see dad back?"

    "Not happy!"

    "Not happy?" He blinked a few times, the smile on his lips slowly disappearing. "Then should I go back to work?" He gradually turned away from him.

    Just then, Little Snow dropped his tough act and rushed to his father, grabbing his hand, "No! Don''t go dada!"

    Lu Mello chuckled inwardly. He faced his son and patted his head, "Now then, can I have a hug?" He knelt in front of him and opened his arms, waiting for his son to give him a hug.

    This time, Little Snow didn''t hesitate as he jumped in his father''s embrace, "Welcome home, dada!"

    He smiled and lightly patted his back, "Have you been a good boy to your mom?"

    "Of course!" The child exclaimed.

    Shi Enxi ended up chuckling, "Reeally?"

    The child shot his head towards his mother and placed a finger on his lips, "Shh..."

    She raised a brow in amus.e.m.e.nt as she watched how shameless his son was on asking her to be quiet. Oh well, at least he knew that he was giving her trouble for the last few days.

    Of course, this small gesture didn''t escape Lu Mello''s eyes. He carried his son in his arms before he stood up and went to his wife and asked, "Was he behaving?"

    Little Snow was nodding his head vigorously as he looked at his mother as if he was trying to convince her with his eyes.

    She cupped her chin to think, "Let''s see..." She trailed off. She looked at her son and smiled teasingly, "Were you behaving Xue''er?"

    Once again, the boy bobbed his head, "Xiao Xue is behaving, right mama?"

    Lu Mello ended up sighing as the question was being passed. He slightly shook his head and ended up having a helpless smile on his lips.

    "Well, there are times when you behave..." She paused, "And it''s not like I can''t handle it at times you weren''t. Anyway, enough of this. I''m starving."

    "Me too!" Followed Little Snow. He turned to his father and grinned, "Dada, let''s eat!"

    ...

    After dinner, Shi Enxi headed straight to the master bedroom. It was another tiring day for her and all she wanted to do was to sleep... again. But she couldn''t just go to bed with her stomach full so in the end, she went to the study room where her husband was.

    "Shouldn''t you be resting from work?" She crossed her arms and raised a brow as she looked at the doc.u.ment her husband was holding.

    He lowered the file back on the desk and looked at her with a small smile, "I''ll rest after I check on this file."

    "Huh. Didn''t you say that you''ll be having a break from work? When will that be?" She inquired. With how busy her husband was, she could already tell that having a break was not going to be easy.

    Lu Mello ended up becoming quiet when she asked him the question. He averted his eyes, avoiding her scrutinizing gaze.

 Chapter 258 - Skip work

    She ended up sighing when she saw how her husband avoided her question. She took a step forward as she began walking towards him. "How about you accompany me for a stroll tonight?"

    He turned his eyes back to her, "A stroll?"

    "Yes. I can''t just go to sleep with my stomach full even if I want to." She crossed her arms again.

    "Alright." He stood up from his seat and went to her. He was indeed tired from the travel but he had to work on something so he couldn''t just rest yet.

    On the other hand, Shi Enxi remained still on her ground which made Lu Mello blink in confusion, "What?"

    "I''m gonna puke..." She covered her mouth and rushed to the restroom.

    In the next moment, he was able to hear her vomiting inside the restroom. He took the bottled water from his desk before he went and followed her inside. At times like this, he wished that he could do something to help her but this was something normal for every pregnancy. Even if he asked the doctor to do something, there''s nothing he could do. Morning sickness was normal and all he could do was watch and let it pass.

    "Nevermind... I''m not going to walk out." She said after wiping her lips.

    "I know that you''ve been busy lately but have you been eating properly?" He asked with a worried look on his face.

    She turned to him, raising a brow, "Do you think I''m not capable of taking care of myself? Besides, something like this is common. Don''t give me that ''something is wrong'' bullshit."

    The irritated look on her face made Lu Mello gulp. He didn''t mean to annoy her with his question. Ah... How can he forget that women''s emotion is more s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e when pregnant?

    "I just want to make sure." He sighed in defeat. "Also, I think you should at least do exercise or at least yoga to help you with your pregnan-"

    "I told you, I can take care of myself." She huffed. She walked past him and headed out of the restroom while her husband followed behind her.

    "Do you want to eat something? What are you craving for?"

    "I don''t have an appetite right now. Besides, we just had dinner."

    "But you just threw up your food..." He muttered.

    "Great! At least now I can go to bed."

    As Shi Enxi left the room, Lu Mello followed her until their bedroom just to make sure that she was fine. She had a pale face and she looked like she threw out her strength as well.

    She laid down on the bed and heaved out a sigh of content as her body relaxed. Finally, she can go to sleep. For some reason, she felt that her pregnancy this time was taking more toll on her body than the first. Maybe she should take a few days off just to replenish her strength? She may have told her husband that she was taking care of her body but because of work, there were times when she had to eat late.

    Lu Mello sat at the side of the bed and pulled up the blanket until her shoulder.

    She looked at him with her tired eyes, "Come, why don''t you sleep with me? You don''t plan on going back to your study to work, do you?"

    And so, he was easily defeated by her that he ended up getting on the bed, laying down beside her.

    "Good night, Xi''er."

    She snuggled close against him before she closed her eyes and replied, "Good night..."

    ...

    Early that morning, Shi Enxi was woken up by the delicious scent of food that entered her nostrils. When she opened her eyes, she saw her husband, walking towards the bed, carrying a tray with breakfast on it.

    "Good morning, hon." Lu Mello greeted with a loving smile.

    She could feel the low rumble coming from her stomach so she couldn''t really ignore him and the breakfast he brought right now even if there were still a bit of sleepiness left in her eyes. She yawned and stretched out her arms before she slowly sat up.

    She noticed a rose on the tray with a red ribbon tied on its stem.

    As he placed the tray on the bed, he took the rose and gave it to her, "For you."

    She started at the rose for a short while, a smile formed on her lips. She turned her gaze to him and raised a brow, "What am I going to do with this, eat it?"

    "..."

    Seriously... Can''t she just hold back even for a moment and let the moment remain romantic?

    Lu Mello ended up chuckling as he slightly shook his head in amus.e.m.e.nt. She never failed to amuse him. "You should skip work today." He suggested.

    "I can''t. Xiao Yao has an audition, I have to accompany her."

    "Why don''t you ask someone else to do that? It''s just an audition. I''m pretty sure she can handle it herself." He insisted.

    She did think that she needed to rest from work. Lu Mello was right, Fan Xiao Yao can handle herself with the audition. She just needed to give her a call and remind her of a few things.

    "Fine." She sighed. "But I want you to do the same. If I''m skipping work, then you need to do that as well and accompany me today."

    "Great. I''m planning to bring you somewhere today so you have to get dressed after having your breakfast."

    She blinked a few times in confusion, "Bring me somewhere, where?"

    The side of his lips curled into a wide grin, "You''ll know it once we get there."

    She chuckled softly, "Then I look forward to your surprise." She smiled. "At least we''ll be able to spend the day with Xue''er this time."

    "About that..." He trailed off.

    "Hm?"

    "We can take him somewhere later, for now, I want it to be just the two of us."

 Chapter 259 - Son-in-law

    Shi Enxi couldn''t help but wonder where her husband would take her. His lips remained zipped whenever she asked him. Aside from that, they had to leave their son behind and pick him up in the afternoon to spend family time by visiting the zoo or maybe taking him to a movie theater. Lu Mello didn''t share his plan on how they would spend it but he only told her that they were going to have an overnight somewhere.

    ''Why do I need to be blindfolded?" She sighed heavily. She was currently sitting in the backseat of the car with her husband while the driver took them to the place his Master instructed them to go.

    "So that the surprise won''t be spoiled." He replied with a soft chuckle.

    "Huh..." As she thought about it, the only reason she could think about why her husband wanted her eyes covered from the moment they left the house was all because she knew the place they were heading to. That was the only explainable reason she could think of. But of course, she didn''t want to say that to Lu Mello. She didn''t want to get ahead of him and spoil his surprise. She decided not to think about it and distract herself with something else by asking, "Yu''er and Xue''er will be turning three soon. Their birthday''s just a month from now."

    So many things happened in the past months. From Shi Enxi to Fan Xiao Yao and the matter with Hana as well. The year was surely full of problems. Hopefully, the last month of the year would go well. She was tired and had enough of dealing with problems.

    "Three huh... We should let them be in the nursery then."

    She nodded in agreement, "Xiao Yao was planning to do that to enroll Yu''er to a nursery school. She told me yesterday that we should let the kids study in the same school so that at least it will be easier for them to attend school every day."

    He cupped his chin with his finger as if thinking about it, "That''s true... We are living in the same city and our houses are now close by so obviously it won''t be a problem to enroll them in a nearby nursery school. It is advantageous for both of our families."

    She rested her head on his shoulder and smiled a bit, "I guess it''s a good thing that we all live in the same town." She rested her hand on her stomach. "If we''re going to have a daughter, I''m definitely going to engage him with Yu''er."

    "..." Lu Mello slowly turned his head to his wife and looked at her with wide eyes. What she said was definitely jaw-dropping for him.

    Sadly, Shi Enxi wasn''t able to see the shock register on her husband''s face when she said those words.

    He cleared his throat as he tried to remain calm, "They''re... too young."

    "They''ll grow big."

    "But what if Xiao Yu will end up falling in love with someone else?"

    She straightened her back and lowered the blindfold just to look at him with a brow raised, "Why will he fall in love with another girl other than our daughter?"

    "We don''t know what will happen in the future." He didn''t want to directly tell her that he didn''t like the idea.

    Shi Enxi scoffed, "Ha! If our daughter can''t even seduce Yu''er in the future, I''m going to disown her!"

    "..."

    She even lightly patted her tummy as she looked at it, "You''re still a small bean, right? Be sure to grow into a girl, okay? A pretty baby girl!" She said in with a threatening tone in her voice.

    "..."

    Lu Mello was speechless and was looking at his wife in disbelief.

    "Next month, we will know what gender you are." She continued, still speaking to her belly and was putting it gently. "Be a girl, okay? A beautiful girl like mama and when you grow up, seduce Yu''er and make him my son-in-law, okay? You can only fall in love with him!"

    "..."

    "If you can''t make him fall for you, don''t worry, I''ll help you scheme your way through his heart. Besides, I''m pretty sure Xiao Yao will team up with us so don''t worry."

    Lu Mello didn''t know what to say. The more he listened to her words the more speechless he became.

    Finally, Shi Enxi turned her gaze to her husband which made him unconsciously gulp.

    "What...?" He managed to voice out a word.

    "Are you going to be super strict like uncle Yifeng and be overprotective towards our daughter?"

    "..." He was already overprotective with his sisters, how much more his own daughter?

    "You can beat off other boys but not Yu''er, okay? Only Yu''er can marry our daughter, understand?"

    "..."

    "Understand?" She crossed her arms this time.

    "Xiao Yu was once my son and he is still going to be like a son to me but-"

    "Great! Then that''s settled!" She interrupted him. She grinned at him and leaned forward to reward him with a kiss on his cheek.

    "..." He felt so defeated by his wife. She was the only person that could make him go speechless like this. He sighed in defeat, "I won''t promise. If Xiao Yu falls for someone else, I''m not going to force him to our daughter."

    She pouted, "I forced you to love me tho..."

    "Also, I''m not going to allow our daughter to become a little villain like you."

    She chuckled softly, "But she will need a smart brain like mine if she will have to steal my son-in-law''s love."

    "Son... in-law...?" He blinked a few times.

    "I will now consider Yu''er as my son-in-law."

    "..." Why is she already addressing Little Jade as her son-in-law? Isn''t this too early?

    He cleared his throat again just so he won''t stutter, "But we''re not sure if our next child will be a girl."

    "Don''t worry. I know for sure that we will have a daughter," she replied confidently as she gently patted her abdomen again.

    "..."

 Chapter 260 - Not cute

    In the end, Lu Mello decided not to think of it. What if they would end up having another son? Then he had nothing to worry about.

    "Let me help you put on the blindfold on again." He untied the clothing from around her neck.

    "Fine, fine." She closed her eyes and let him put on the blindfold again.

    A few minutes later, the car finally came to a stop, and the driver announced, "Sir, we''re here."

    "Great!"

    The driver went out to open the door for them. Lu Mello helped on putting on the gloves on his wife''s hands before he stepped out first before he assisted his blindfolded wife into getting out of the car.

    "Am I allowed to take this off now?" She asked.

    "Not yet."

    He began leading her to the place he wanted to bring her.

    It was chilly because of the cold winter air. They were both wearing thick clothes to at least help with the coldness. It was also thanks to the sunny day that lessen the chills brought by the salty winter air.

    After a short walk, they finally arrived at the place and Lu Mello untied the blindfold from Shi Enxi.

    Just as she expected, it was a place she knew well. It was the place he confessed during their past lives and also the place where they both died. Although, it was now different from how she remembered it.

    There was now house and the cliff now has a terrace, overlooking the beautiful sea and to even make it safe, avoiding any accidents. The trees around sent their green glow into the ether, their calming perfume, their oxygen-enriched air.

    "This..."

    Lu Mello''s smile grew wide, "Come, why don''t we check the house?" He began leading her towards the small place.

    The house was welcoming from the open door to the wide hallway. Upon the walls were the photographs of their children; Little Jade and Little Snow, so obviously so loved. The floor was an old-fashioned parquet with a blend of deep homely browns and the walls were the greens of summer gardens meeting a bold white baseboard.

    As they brought her to the balcony, the banister was a twirl of a branch, tamed by the carpenter''s hand, it''s grain flowing as water might, in waves of comforting woodland hues. Under the lamp-shine, it was nature''s art, something that soothed right to the soul.

    She stared at the flat sea that was stretched in all directions, the morning sun scattering diamonds across its surface. Seagulls wheeled overhead, carried by the cool ocean breeze.

    Shi Enxi was astonished at the beautiful view in front of her that she wasn''t even able to say a single word ever since entering the place.

    She finally snapped out from her trance and slightly turned her body to him and was about to say something but was surprised to see him kneeling in front of her.

    As he opened the small box he was holding, she saw the same ring that he gave her during their past lives.

    The band curved as three strands woven, almost as if they had grown together over time. The ring was the perfect blend of elegance and craftsmanship, a band of rose gold in the platinum with a diamond in the middle.

    "Xi''er, will you marry me... again?"

    Her eyes were wide enough as if they were about to fall out of their sockets. He definitely caught her by surprise this time.

    Receiving no answers from her, Lu Mello decided to give her a small push, "Well? I thought that you want us to get married again?"

    "I-I..." She stuttered. She was so surprised that she couldn''t even say a proper word. She pursed her lips and tried to calm her inner self. This time, she was about to open her mouth but Lu Mello caught her to it.

    "Will you marry me?" He asked one more time.

    She finally nodded her head as tried her best not to let her tears fall. She was blushing hard, "Y-yes!"

    He inwardly sighed in relief. He actually felt a bit nervous still when he asked her the question even if they were already married. He never truly proposed to her back then, they directly married each other just like what happened in the past.

    When Shi Enxi reminded him about his confession in this place, instead of confessing, he decided to propose in the same place instead.

    He took the ring from the box and slipped it around her ring finger. He stood up and waited for her to give him a hug but instead, she ended up staring at the ring he gave her.

    "..."

    The ring was so pretty, it was just how she remembered it.

    Just then, Lu Mello cleared his throat just to get her attention once again.

    She raised her head to look at him and blinked a few times, "What?"

    "Aren''t you going to... hug me?"

    She blinked a few times and even tilted her head, "For what?"

    This was truly unexpected! Aren''t women supposed to jump on their men''s arms after being proposed to?

    She turned her gaze back at the ring, her eyes were sparkling in delight. "I have two custom-made rings now~" She muttered cheerfully.

    Why was she giving her attention to the ring? He was the one who proposed to her, not the ring!

    He grabbed her hand all of a sudden which made her look at him again.

    "What?"

    He opened his arms and pouted, "If you''re happy, hug me."

    She raised a brow, "Why are you acting like a child. You''re a grown man for goodness sake!"

    "..." Damn... She was not cute! Not cute at all!

    He ended up sulking instead just like a dog with its ears and tail down. When Shi Enxi saw this, she sighed and finally gave in. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him.

    He looked at her in confusion, "What are you doing?"

    "Didn''t you want a hug?"

    Well, he did but... Oh well. His little bad wife was someone who easily gets attracted to sparkly things so it can''t be helped.

    A helpless smile appeared on his lips as he hugged her back, "I love you, Xi''er."

    She blushed at his sudden words but it also made her smile. She rested her head on his c.h.e.s.t and replied, "I love you too..."

 Chapter 261 - You noticed

    Lu Mello made sure that there was food in the house so he could cook and have a lunch date with his wife at the place. Since he knew that Shi Enxi has been craving for some peaches lately, he made sure that to include it for dessert.

    Shi Enxi was sitting by the table, her palms were resting on both sides of her cheeks as she watched her husband''s s.e.xy back as he cooked food for her. Lu Mello wearing an apron and preparing food for her was such a rare sight to behold. When was the last time he cooked for her? She didn''t really appreciate it much but now that she thought of it, maybe she should. Her husband was a busy person.

    While cooking, he decided to converse with her so that at least she would not get bored staring at him, "What do you think? This will make a better retirement place instead of buying an island, right?"

    She raised a brow, "Retirement? Are you kidding me? I''m not that old yet!" She huffed.

    "Of course, of course. It''s for the future or even for a small break from work."

    It was not like she didn''t like the idea of it, besides, the place was cozy. It was indeed better than having a small island. This place meant so much for both of them.

    "When did you arrange this?" She asked curiously while looking at him. He was so busy lately and she never even caught him talking about building a house in this place.

    He chuckled lightly, "A while back while you were away." He placed the food on the table before he took the bottle of non-alcoholic wine and began filling their glasses with it. He made sure to remind Liu Ying on buying a non-alcoholic wine since his wife was pregnant.

    Why she was away? That was months ago...

    "Although, I ordered Liu Ying to change a few things in the house a few weeks ago." He continued.

    Shi Enxi didn''t know what to say. She was not the kind of person who was used to thanking others and showing them how grateful she was. Besides, she felt like saying ''thank you'' to him wouldn''t be enough at all.

    She reached out her hand just so she could hold his. She suddenly felt tears forming on the side of her eyes once again and she tried her best to hold it back.

    Lu Mello ended up blinking a few times when he saw this reaction from her. His eyes softened and he held back her hand as he knelt beside her chair. He brought her hand near his lips and kissed the back of it. With a gentle smile, he asked, "Do you feel like hugging me now?"

    She pursed her lips and in the next second, she gave in and gave him a hug. This time, tears streamed down her cheeks. "T-thank you..." She stuttered.

    He wrapped his arms around her and gently patted her back, "Anything for you."

    She buried her face on his shoulder as she began sobbing. A question entered her thought, a question she could never answer, what did she do to deserve someone like him? After everything she has done to him, after she ruined his life, why was he this good to her?

    The more she asked herself of these questions, the more tears were wept. She couldn''t hold back anymore, she was being so emotional at that moment.

    "The food will get cold if you continue to cry like this," Lu Mello said softly as he continued to rub her back.

    She leaned back a bit just to look at him with her glaring, tearful eyes, "It''s your fault for making me cry like this!"

    He took out a handkerchief from his pocket and used it to wipe her face from her tears, "Then I guess this is considered as tears of happiness?"

    She sniffled as she stared at his close face this time while he continued to wipe off the tears. This man was really too much for her... Too much that she was not going to let anyone take him from her.

    "There." He stood up and removed his apron, placing it by the counter before he sat at the other corner of the table, facing her. "Let''s eat, shall we?"

    She pursed her lips and looked at the food. The food he prepared for her was all peach flavored. One-pot peach basil chicken for the main dish and as for dessert, it was peach cream pie.

    "You noticed." A small smile appeared on her lips.

    "Hm?"

    "I''ve been craving for peaches." She grabbed the fork and knife.

    He smiled back at her, "I actually asked grandma Mo about it."

    She chuckled, "Thought so."

    As Shi Enxi dug into her food and tried it, Lu Mello was carefully watching her, hoping that she would like it. He was only able to get the recipe from Mo Jing and didn''t have time to practice cooking it since he was busy.

    The scent was already tempting enough for Shi Enxi so when she first took a bite of it, her eyes sparkled in delight. The sweet and savory combination was perfect for her taste.

    When Lu Mello saw her reaction, he sighed inwardly in relief before he began eating as well.

    "It''s delicious!"

    "Thank you." He replied with a smile. He watched her eat for a few seconds before he continued as well.

    As they began enjoying their lunch, by the time they were eating the dessert, Lu Mello''s phone rang. When he looked at it, he saw that it was a call from Mo Jing.

    "Hello?"

    "Mello, Xiao Xue has a high fever!"

    "What?" He ended up asking in surprise.

    "I have already called Dr. Ye and it''s not looking good!"

    "Alright, we''ll be heading home right now."

    After the call ended, Shi Enxi asked, "Who was it?"

    "It''s from grandma Mo. She said that Xiao Xue has a fever."

 Chapter 262 - Choose

    "He has already taken his medicine. He must take it every 8 hours until his fever has died down." The doctor instructed as he spoke to Lu Mello.

    Shi Enxi was sitting at the side of the bed, stroking her child''s head gently with a worried look on her face. She could feel how hot his forehead was. She should have not ignored Little Snow''s sudden change earlier. He was so quiet and he barely said a word to her and her husband before they left. She couldn''t help but blame herself for being an irresponsible mother to him.

    Lu Mello turned to his wife, "Xi''er, I''ll watch over Xiao Xue, you should-"

    "I''m not going anywhere." She replied firmly.

    "But you''re preg-" He stopped upon receiving a deathly glare from her.

    "I''m going to kill you if you say about another word of leaving our son here just because I''m pregnant. I will watch over him until he gets well."

    "..." How can he say no to that if she strongly insisted on staying? He was just worried since she might end up catching their son''s fever.

    She tore her glare from him and landed it on the sleeping child. Her eyes softened and with a gentle tone in her voice, she whispered, "Sweetie, mommy''s here..."

    As if hearing his mother''s voice, he hardly turned his body towards her, wanting to be in her gentle embrace.

    Shi Enxi decided to lie down beside him and cuddle him close to her as she continued to stroke his hair. "Everything will be alright, don''t worry."

    "Mama..." Little Snow snuggled against her for comfort, his shoulder finally relaxing against her warmth.

    "Mama''s here, mama''s here." She placed a soft kiss on his head before she turned to her husband.

    Lu Mello didn''t have a choice but to give in especially when he saw them that way. He turned to Mo Jing and asked, "have he eaten yet?"

    Mo Jing lightly shook her head, "Not yet. I''ll go prepare some porridge for him."

    "Thank you."

    After she left, the doctor followed. Lu Mello walked towards the bed and sat on the edge of the bed. "Looks like we won''t be able to bring him to the amus.e.m.e.nt park today..." He smiled sadly as he stared down at his son.

    "We can still do that once he feels better." She replied with a whisper.

    The only problem would be the conflict of schedules for both Little Snow''s parents. Lu Mello was still a busy man while Shi Enxi was slowly becoming occupied when she started working again especially with the upcoming movie Fan Xiao Yao''s in. Maybe she really should just stay at home to watch over her son? She should do that after Fan Xiao Yao''s movie become successful.

    Shi Enxi couldn''t help but sigh inwardly. She didn''t want her son to grow up knowing his parents weren''t there for him because of how busy they were. Growing without being showered by their parent''s warmth was something she didn''t want. When her father was still alive and her family was still together, despite being a busy man, Shi Enxi''s father was still there to shower them with affection. Besides, her father would always make up for the times he missed. Aside from that, her father never missed a birthday and other celebration involving their family. If he was busy that day, then he would change his work schedule.

    Shi Enxi and Lu Mello could do the same but she couldn''t help but think about the times where they were away. Little Snow was still young and very s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e. Deep inside, she knew that maybe the cause of his fever was also because of them. She should have brought him to work sometimes just like how Fan Xiao Yao would bring Little Jade to work. Although unlike Little Jade who was well-behaved, Little Snow was naughty. She feared that just like any normal child, he would easily distract her from work.

    She inwardly sighed. Her work required her to be full-time. She was not only a Manager but also a Director. She had to deal with the problems inside the department she was handling. LPM is a small company under her brother. Qiao Nuan was the person she left in-charged of her position when she left but she was now gone, dead. She didn''t have another person she could trust... unless she would have to look for one in the company but to do that, she would need to test them.

    Her goal when she went back to work was to at least help the company grow big. It has been a while since she last met the CEO. She wanted to settle things at work first but with Little Snow becoming like this, it was hard to move around freely. Her son was not the only restriction she has but also her next child. Being pregnant didn''t make it easier for her to work. It was not the right time to work full-time but her work required one. She has been neglecting her duty as a mother and it was something that Shi Enxi didn''t want. She loved her son but she also loved her work but at times like this, she had to choose one.

    Taking care of children was never easy. She was grateful that Nanny Mo Jing was there to take care of Little Snow but being taken care of by a mother was still different. Also, she couldn''t let her take care of her son forever. Nanny Mo Jing was already old and she knew that she was planning to resign from her work to live with her family.

    Shi Enxi didn''t want to assign anyone so easy to replace Nanny Mo Jing. Becoming a nanny is an important job too since they would influence the children. If she chose the wrong person, she could fill Little Snow''s mind with lies and even deceive him. If she assigned someone by mistake then one day, her son might end up hating her and treat his nanny as his own mother instead.

    She feared for Little Snow who was innocent and pure. Unlike Little Jade who knew how to be wary of others, Little Snow easily trusts and get along with everyone because of his lively personality.

    Should she sacrifice her work again and focus herself on her children until they were old enough?

    ----

    Hi everyone! I''m sorry for not updating lately, I''ve been preparing for my licensure exam that''s in January so updates will be delayed for a while (T^T)

 Chapter 263 - Get better

    "Mama, I''m all done!" Little Jade exclaimed after closing the lunchbox.

    Fan Xiao Yao went and picked the lunch box from the table and placed it inside the bag together with the thermostat bottle.

    The little boy couldn''t wait for any second more and it was obvious in his eyes how eager he was to go and visit Little Snow.

    Shi Enxi contacted Fan Xiao Yao and asked her if they could visit them. She was hoping that Little Jade''s presence would make her son get better.

    As they left their home together, upon arriving at the lobby of the building, they saw Huang Li entering.

    "Papa!" Little Jade exclaimed with a grin as he began running towards him.

    He blinked a few times upon seeing the boy rushing towards him. He even noticed Fan Xiao Yao following, walking to them.

    The child hugged his father''s leg and raised his head, "Is papa done from work?"

    "Yes¡­" Huang Li trailed off before he turned his head to his wife, "Where are you going?"

    "We''re going to visit Xiao Xue since he has a fever." Fan Xiao Yao replied.

    "Then I''ll drive you to their place." He offered.

    She shook her head a bit before saying, "You just came back from work, you should rest."

    Little Jade nodded in agreement, "Papa must be tired. Don''t worry papa, we''ll be back soon."

    He looked back at Little Jade, bending down to his level just so he could pick him up from the ground and carry the boy in his arms, "I''m not tired. Do I look tired?"

    Little Jade nodded once again, "Yes! Papa has tired eyes!"

    Fan Xiao Yao chuckled, "Xiao Yu is not blind you know. You can just get some rest at home, you don''t have to be our driver."

    "I''m a doctor, I can also check on Xiao Xue''s condition." He reasoned out, insisting to take him with them.

    "Papa can heal Didi?" Little Jade''s eyes sparked. "Okay! Papa can come then!"

    Fan Xiao Yao smiled helplessly and in the end, Huang Li went with them.

    ...

    Meanwhile, in the Lu household...

    Shi Enxi was sitting at the side of the bed, quietly staring at her sleeping son. They were the only people in the room. Her husband had to go back to the company to attend an urgent meeting.

    A soft knock was suddenly heard, making her turn towards the door.

    Since she didn''t want to wake up her son, she stood up and quietly walked towards the door and open it only to see a maid standing outside.

    "Madam, Mr., and Mrs. Huang are here." The maid informed.

    "Alright." Shi Enxi took a small glance at her son before she left the room, shutting the door as softly as she could.

    Arriving in the living room, she saw the family of three sitting on the sofa. The first person who saw her was Little Jade.

    "Mama!" He jumped down the sofa and ran towards her.

    A gentle smile appeared on Shi Enxi''s lips as she leaned down a bit just so she could catch him in her arms. "Xiao Yu."

    Fan Xiao Yao and Huang Li turned their heads and watched the two.

    "I missed you, baby..." She hugged him a bit tight.

    "I missed you too, mama." The boy hugged her back, missing her embrace. "Mama, how is didi?"

    Shi Enxi leaned back a bit and another heavy sigh escaped her lips, "His condition is still bad."

    "We brought food for Xiao Xue, has he eaten yet?" The other mother asked with a smile.

    "He didn''t eat much earlier at breakfast." She sighed. "I hope that he eats more this time."

    "Can I go see didi?"

    "Of course, sweetie." Shi Enxi replied. "Although he is currently asleep."

    "I won''t wake him up, I promise!" Little Jade raised his hand a bit as if swearing that he would be quiet and not wake up his brother.

    "It''s okay if we wake him up now, it''s time for lunch and he still has to drink his medicine." She then released him from her hug before she straightened her back and turned to Fan Xiao Yao, giving her a small smile. "Thank you for coming."

    "We hope for Xiao Xue to get better soon." Fan Xiao Yao replied. She hoped that seeing Little Jade will help the other boy gain strength again.

    "What did the doctor said about his condition?" Huang Li asked, just making sure that the case wasn''t something serious.

    "He said that it''s just a fever." Another sigh escaped Shi Enxi''s lips. How many times did she sigh already?

    "How many days has it already?"

    "Two days. Right now, his temperature has gone low but it has been going high every night. Also, I''m worried about his cough. He''s been coughing and having a hard time breathing every night. I plan to bring him to the hospital later just to make sure."

    "You should." He replied.

    "Don''t worry, mama. Papa is here. Papa said that he can help didi get better!" Little Jade said with a grin. "Don''t worry, mama! Didi will get better!"

    "Xiao Yu is right." Fan Xiao Yao followed. She walked towards her. She reached her hand forward to hold Shi Enxi''s hand. "I''m sure that Xiao Xue will get better soon."

    ----

    Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone! I will be updating 3 chapters as my Christmas gift for you all! Although today was another busy day so I will update the remaining 2 chapters tomorrow. I was supposed to have a one day break but I guess entertaining guests can be so tiring so I have to delay the 2 chapters and update it tomorrow. (T^T)

    Once again, I apologize for not updating this December. I am preparing for my licensure exam that is scheduled for the second week of January. It is an important exam that''s why I have to focus on studying for it first. I hope my dear readers can understand. I promise to update daily once again after my exam so for now, please wait a bit more. (T.T)

 Chapter 264 - Daily Activites

    "Gege..." A small smile formed on Little Snow''s lips when he woke up and saw his brother.

    The other boy smiled and reached out to hold his hand, "How are you feeling, didi?"

    "Sweepy..." He replied in a weak tone. "And huwngry..." He added.

    "We brought food for you." Fan Xiao Yao said as she placed the lunch box on the tray.

    Little Snow slowly turned his head to look at her, "Mama Yaoyao..."

    Shi Enxi who was sitting on the side of the bed helped her son on sitting up. She even placed a pillow behind him for support. "They came here to visit you."

    "That''s why I said that didi should eat plenty of veggies and fruits so that you will not easily get sick," sighed Little Jade, crossing his arms after releasing his brother''s hand.

    A small pout appeared on Little Snow''s lips when he heard what he said, " But meat is yummy..."

    "Here, Xiao Yu and I prepared food for you." Fan Xiao Yao said as she approached the bed.

    "Gege also made vegetable soup!" Little Jade exclaimed with a grin. He jumped down the bed just to that the thermostat bottle from his bag. "Don''t worry didi, papa is here to help you get well!"

    A helpless smile appeared on Huang Li''s lips, "I''m just here to check on his condition tho..." He mumbled. It was not like he could help heal him all at once but Little Jade saw him in such light.

    The room became livelier all thanks to the guests that arrived. Little Snow''s complexion even looked better than earlier. Shi Enxi was glad that she thought of inviting them over. She knew that her son missed his brother as well but it was a good thing to see that her Little Snow wasn''t that demanding on making Little Jade stay anymore.

    After eating his lunch, the sick boy drank his medicine before Huang Li checked on him. He took out a stethoscope from the bag he brought and listened to the boy''s breathing pattern. After checking on him, the a.d.u.l.ts went out of the room to leave the two boys alone.

    "Next year, gege will be going to school!" Little Jade said while lying down beside Little Snow.

    "I want to go to school too..." The younger boy was trying to keep his sleepy eyes open and was trying his best not to drift off to sleep.

    "Mama said that didi is going to school with gege so don''t worry! We''ll be seeing each other every day once we go to school!" Little Jade said enthusiastically. "So for now, didi should get some rest and get better." He began stroking his brother''s head.

    Little Snow curled closer to him and shortly fell asleep because of how comforting his brother''s strokes were.

    Meanwhile, outside of the room...

    "Dr. Han visited last night. Xiao Xue had trouble breathing that''s why we called him." Shi Enxi said.

    "What did he say?" Huang Li asked.

    "Xiao Xue could possibly have asthma..."

    "Asthma?" Fan Xiao Yao''s eyes widened in shock.

    Huang Li nodded, "I suggest you bring him to the hospital for further check-up. Although right now, the wheezing sound that can be heard in his breathing is definitely a sign of asthma. The lungs and airways become easily inflamed when exposed to certain triggers, such as inhaling pollen or catching a cold."

    It was the same thing that the other doctor said about Little Snow''s condition.

    "How can that be? I believe both Mello and Xiao Xi are healthy." Fan Xiao Yao asked, Just like Shi Enxi, she was worried about the other child.

    "The only thing I can think of is that his fever could have triggered his asthma. This cold season could also be the cause. Many factors can cause it." He paused and turned to Shi Enxi with a serious look in his eyes. "And being overweight doesn''t help, Xixi. It can worsen the symptoms While he is young, regular physical activity can help the lungs to work more efficiently."

    Shi Enxi heaved out another heavy sigh, "I guess Xiao Yu is right... Xiao Xue should begin eating healthy food and have a proper diet..." She smiled bitterly. It was her fault for spoiling him too much and allowing him to eat an excessive amount of food. She loved her chubby son. He was like an adorable baby panda that keeps on eating the food given to him.

    ...

    After the Huang family left, later that day, Little Snow was brought to the hospital, and just as expected, he was diagnosed with an asthma. Ever since then, Shi Enxi began becoming strict on her son''s diet.

    Inside Lu Mello''s study...

    "You want to let Xue''er learn yoga?" He asked, blinking a few times.

    "Yes. It helps develop body and mind." She said, placing the cup of tea she was holding back on the coffee table. "It won''t be hard for him too."

    "Well, I don''t see anything wrong with him leaning yoga but will he agree with it? Xiao Xue is just a child. He has been already been throwing tantrums ever since you restricted his diet."

    "It''s for his own good, we can''t help it. He eats too much a day. Being fat is fine but it will only worsen his asthma you know." From what she learned, asthma could still be treated while young. As a mother, she didn''t want her son to grow up sickly. She wanted him to have a good life, playing whatever games he wants, running around with other kids.

    "I have already written a schedule for his daily activities. I plan on letting him learn martial arts once his condition gets better. It will be good for his body and it will come in handy once he grows up. Our son will not be a weakling." She had a strict look in her eyes. She was going to be more careful this time when it comes to their son.

    "Don''t tell me... you have already planned everything out for him?"

    "Of course. I''m not only his mother but his manager until he grows up and learns to be independent."

 Chapter 265 - I want both!

    "Director Shi, here are the doc.u.ments you requested." A staff said, handing an envelope to Shi Enxi.

    "Thank you." She took out the files from the envelope and began scanning them with her eyes. The doc.u.ments in her hands were about the interns that entered LPM. Since she was already planning to take another leave, she wanted to assign a new manager for Fan Xiao Yao to and Zi Xuan. It could at least lessen her workload.

    Just as she thought, it was hard to choose between her work and her son. All she could do was adjust her schedule and at least find someone reliable to carry some of her work. In this case, finding another person to take care of her artists. She still wanted to spend most of her time with her son. Dividing her time properly was the best thing she could think of. Besides, she didn''t want her husband to complain that she has been overworking herself despite being pregnant.

    Just as expected, the three interns have a good background and they all came from good schools. One of them even came from the same university she graduated from.

    "Zhang Yicheng. I''ll take him in. As for the other two, you can assign them under Manager Lin and Manager Zhou. After tomorrow''s orientation, bring him here."

    "Yes ma''am."

    After the staff left, Shi Enxi placed the file on the desk before she took her phone and video called the new Nanny she assigned for Little Snow.

    "How''s Xiao Xue?" This was the first thing she asked the moment the video call went through.

    "The young master is currently preparing for his afternoon nap." The Nanny replied politely.

    "Is that mama?" A small, young voice was heard.

    "Give the phone to him." Shi Enxi ordered.

    The nanny obeyed her and handed the phone to the boy.

    On the screen, Shi Enxi could easily tell that her son was on his bed, sitting down. After having a fever a few weeks back, Little Snow has lost weight although his cheeks were still chubby. He was slowly gaining a healthy body thanks to the strict schedule that Shi Enxi prepared for him as soon as he got well from his fever.

    At first, Little Snow had been throwing tantrums when he learned that his food was restricted but Shi Enxi managed to convince him into it when she blackmailed him about making him go to a different school from Little Jade''s. Obviously, it worked on him. Shi Enxi wasn''t going to be a normal mother, she has her own way of making her son obey, and using Little Jade as blackmail just to make Little Snow follow was the easiest thing she could think of.

    "Mama, can Xuexue eat cake later?"

    There were still times whenever the boy would ask such a request even if the answer was already obvious.

    "Xiao Xue, you can only eat cake if there''s an occasion. We have already talked about this, right?"

    Little Snow knew of it but it wasn''t like he was going to give up so easily. "How about cupcakes?''

    "We agreed that you can only eat sweets twice a week, remember?"

    He pursed his lips, "But cupcakes have fruit flavors, mama." He retorted. "Pies too and candies! Fruits are healthy!"

    It seemed like Little Snow has found another way to argue with his mother.

    "Isn''t it time for your nap time? We can talk about this later." She suddenly said, trying to divert him from the topic.

    "If mama promises to bring cupcake later, Xuexue will sleep. If not, I will not sleep!"

    "Lu Xueren." Shi Enxi warned.

    "Hmf! Mama should promise first!" This time, he was going to make sure that it was going to be his win.

    She sighed in defeat. She was not with him in person so she was at a disadvantage so she didn''t have a choice but to allow him just this once, "Alright. I''ll bring a cupcake for you later."

    "And pie! Egg pie!"

    "Xiao Xue." She raised a brow. "You can only have one."

    "I want both!"

    "Only one."

    Little Snow puffed out his cheeks and in the next second, his eyes became teary. "Boohoo mama doesn''t love Xuexue anymore!" He cried out.

    She blinked a few times upon seeing her son cry on the screen of her phone.

    "Mama doesn''t love me anymore!"

    "That''s not true-"

    "MAMA DOESN''T LOVE XUEXUE!!"

    "..." A sigh escaped her lips. "If you stop crying, I''ll buy you both."

    In the next second, Little Snow stopped and wiped his tears. A bright smile appeared on his lips. "That''s a promise! I love you, mama! Bye!"

    Before Shi Enxi could retort, the video call was ended shortly.

    "..." Since when did that boy learn how to get so cheeky? It was as if her son was getting smarter as days went by. Well, it was not like a bad thing. It only means that her son is using his brain at such a young age. It would be nice if he could be such a schemer at such a young age.

    He really is indeed her son! She thought proudly.

    As she began doing her work again, it was only a matter of minutes when another knock was heard.

    "Come in."

    The door was pushed open and there came a tall man in a black suit. His black hair was styled neatly and was combed back. "Director Shi, can I borrow some of your time?"

    Shi Enxi ended up blinking a few times when she saw the man who entered the room. Seeing him was a rare thing for her especially when orders came directly from the Chairman instead of from the CEO of LPM. Besides, he knew that she was the Chairman''s sister so he was not being strict on her and was allowing her ways in the company instead. He has been quiet for a long while...

    CEO Yuan Chi never complained about her as long as it didn''t bring the company further on the ground. So why is he here now?

 Chapter 266 - Secret Admirer

    "Mr. Yuan, what brings you here?" Shi Enxi asked after watching him take a seat on the sofa. "You should have called me to your office instead of coming here."

    "It''s fine, I was on my way back to the office when I suddenly remembered you."

    She chuckled lightly, "My, you don''t have to trouble yourself."

    "Don''t worry, I''m not troubled at all. It''s been a while since I last saw you." Yuan Chi''s lips curled as he casually crossed his legs. "I came in to check on you. As I have heard, Director Shi is an amazing young worker, but I don''t feel like you have been taking your job seriously."

    Shi Enxi''s brow twitched at what he said. She wanted to raise a brow but she still knows how to respect someone higher than her when it comes to business as long as respect was given to her. She put on a confused look as she asked, "What do you mean, sir?"

    Although she knew well what he really meant. She just wanted to see how far this man would go just to ''scold'' her.

    He leaned forward and rested his chin on his palm as he locked his eyes on her, "I am pretty sure you know what I mean."

    She looked at him for a while, staring into his dark gaze. She finally heaved out a sigh and loosened her shoulders, "If you want to complain about my work attendance then why don''t you complain directly to my brother?"

    "As if that man will listen to my complains." He huffed. "He never listens to a thing I say when I talk about you."

    Shi Enxi raised a brow this time, "Shouldn''t that be the other way around?"

    "Right?" He receded and rested his back against the sofa. "I''ve been telling him so many times not to spoil you."

    "I think I''m doing pretty well so far. My productivity at work is not affected. Shouldn''t you be grateful instead?" Shi Enxi was talking informally this time since he began talking back the same way to her. "Besides, you being here right now only distracts me from work, Mr. Yuan."

    "¡­" He stared at her for a while, a small pout forming on his lips in protest.

    "I would appreciate it if you go back to your work, Mr. Yuan. You must be busier than I am." She broke her gaze from him and landed it back to the doc.u.ment that was on her table. She didn''t have time to entertain him and listen to his rants. Her brother might be kind enough for his friend and listen to him talk nonstop but she was not that kind.

    "I heard that you have been receiving chocolates lately from someone. Must be nice to have a secret admirer huh?"

    His sudden question caught her off-guard. He was so unpredictable.

    "Did you like it?" Another question caught her unprepared.

    Could it be¡­

    "I haven''t eaten any of it."

    "WHAT?! Why not?!" He exclaimed in surprise.

    Shi Enxi opened the second drawer beside her and took out the small boxes, placing them on her desk. "These are from a stranger whose intent I don''t know."

    "How can you say that? It''s obviously from a secret admirer!"

    The side of her lips curled up a bit, "We don''t know that. What if he''s just posing as my ''secret admirer'' when in reality, he actually wants to harm me and my baby instead."

    He looked at her in disbelief, "How can you think of something so cruel?"

    "I am just being careful."

    Yuan Chi looked at the small unopened boxes of chocolates for a while. Shi Enxi noticed it so she grabbed a box and offered it to him, "Do you want to have one?"

    He stood up and walked towards her desk, stopping in front. "If I eat it and prove that it''s not poisoned, will you try it too?"

    "What if it''s harmful to my baby?"

    "No way! I made sure that the chocolates won''t harm the ba-" He stopped upon realizing what he suddenly spurted out. His whole face turned bright red and was embarrassed that he fell for her trap.

    Shi Enxi snickered, "I guess Mr. Yuan really admires me a lot, hm?" She smiled at him. "I am grateful for the feelings you have for me but sadly, I cannot reciprocate them. As you already know, I am already married."

    "T-That¡­" He stuttered. He paused and cleared his throat, "That doesn''t mean that I can''t have feelings for you¡­"

    "I can''t argue with that. We can never control our feelings after all. Although now that I have rejected you, I would truly appreciate it if you can refrain from doing such things again."

    He pursed his lips and clenched his fists tightly, "I know¡­" He muttered.

    Ever since Shi Enxi entered the company, he has been keeping an eye on her. He was one of the people who knew her real identity when she entered. At first, he was against the idea of giving her a small position. He actually wanted to make her his secretary instead but couldn''t go against the instruction Shi Yi gave.

    LPM was not a big company. If not for the help that Shi Yi offered him back then, the company would have long gone bankrupt. Rosarium was LPM''s pillar, even to this day. Yuan Chi could remember the first time he met Shi Enxi; it was when he stepped inside the elevator. He was on his way to meet her brother that day. She was still his secretary at that time. What he experienced that day was what they call ''love at first sight''.

    Shi Enxi had a mysterious yet elegant aura around her when he first saw her. When she greeted him with a smile, he felt his heart thump so hard that he feared it might end up jumping out of his c.h.e.s.t.

    Since then, he has been visiting her brother just to see her but her brother was sharp enough to see through him. Before Shi Enxi entered the LPM, her brother didn''t forget to threaten him on approaching his sister. He regretted keeping his distance and quietly watching her from the sidelines.

 Chapter 267 - Divorce who?

    "You don''t have to worry about keeping my distance." Yuan Chi replied with a small smile on his lips. "So can you at least try the chocolate I gave you?"

    She blinked a few times at his question before her lips curled up into a smile. She took a box and opened it. Inside was a bar of round-shaped chocolate with an almond in the middle.

    "I heard that you like this flavor." He looked away, a small blush on his cheeks.

    She chuckled and replied, "Actually I prefer dark chocolate."

    "N-no way!" He shot his eyes back at her, wide in disbelief. "Your brother said that you like this flavor."

    Shi Enxi smirked, raising an eyebrow at the process, "And you believe him?"

    "¡­" Ah, he should have known. It was Shi Yi they were talking about. It was only normal for a protective brother like him to give false information.

    "Don''t worry, chocolate is still chocolate." She was obviously enjoying teasing him. She would be lying if she said that she didn''t find him adorable. It was as if she has finally found a new toy to play with¡­ but obviously she was not going to do that. If she was still single, she would definitely give him a shot to waste her time. He was handsome and really fun to tease but¡­ her husband was more handsome of course. Aside from that, she would definitely choose Lu Mello again. He''s rich. Mega rich. What more could she ask for?

    Shi Enxi wasn''t lying to him when she told him that as long as he has money, she will remain loyal to him.

    She took the chocolate and popped it in her mouth.

    Yuan Chi quietly watched her eat the chocolate, looking all nervous all of the sudden.

    "Mmm¡­ it''s good."

    He smiled in relief. Those chocolates weren''t bought anywhere since they were homemade by him.

    "It''s not too sweet which I like." She took another one, "What brand is this?"

    Before he could answer the question proudly, Shi Enxi continued, "My son will surely love this."

    She began placing the small boxes inside her bag instead just so she could share them with her son later.

    "¡­"

    She raised her head just to look at him again, "Well?"

    "You really know how to crush my heart into pieces huh?" He clenched the cloth on his c.h.e.s.t as he acted all hurt. "I made it myself just for you."

    "Oh my, how rude of me." She remarked sarcastically, smiling apologetically at him.

    "But if the way through your heart is your son then sure, you can give some to him. I can even make more."

    The smile on Shi Enxi''s lips disappeared when she heard him say those words. This time, she was looking seriously at him, "Didn''t you say that you''ll keep your distance after this?"

    "Yes, I did but that doesn''t mean that I can''t make a move from a distance." He smirked. "I never said that I''ll give up."

    "Then should I crush your heart further?"

    "Ah, it''s already broken ever since I learned that you married someone else but as I know, marriage is not the end. You can always have a divorce."

    A small laugh escaped her which caught his attention. She leaned forward, resting her elbow on the desk before she placed her chin on her palm as she casually said, "Then you will have to wait forever, Mr. Yuan. But if you really want me to divorce my husband, be richer, be more handsome than him- oh wait, I prefer natural beauty so I guess you will never be able to steal my attention from my darling."

    "¡­"

    "Or if you''re really going to wait for me to divorce him, then wait for him to go bankrupt." She continued with a grin plastered on her face.

    The Skywort Corporation going bankrupt? That was impossible! As long as it was being led by a member of the Lu family, the business going bankrupt was something that will never happen. Besides, if Lu Mello failed to keep the business on top, the well-known Lu Yifeng, his father was still alive.

    It was entertaining for Shi Enxi to watch Yuan Chi''s face change color from red to white to gray. "As you can already tell, divorce will only happen if his bank account turned zero."

    "Who''s going to divorce who?"

    Hearing someone else''s voice made both Shi Enxi and Yuan Chi turned towards the door just to see Lu Mello standing there while holding a bouquet of red roses.

    Shi Enxi blinked a few times upon seeing her husband there, obviously not expecting his sudden visitation. She took a peek on her phone just to check if he sent her a message earlier but there was none at all.

    "Darling~" She stood up from her seat and went towards her husband, "What brings you here?"

    "I''ve come to pick you up." Despite saying that, Lu Mello was still looking at Yuan Chi with his scrutinizing gaze.

    Once again, she blinked a few times. She looked at her wristwatch, "Ah, I didn''t notice¡­" She trailed off. She turned her gaze back to the other guy and smiled at him. "Time does fly fast when we''re enjoying our conversation."

    "You are?" Lu Mello asked, raising a brow.

    "Ah, let me introduce you to the CEO of LPM, Mr. Yuan Chi." Shi Enxi said, taking the part of introducing the other man which only made her husband wary. Why was she introducing the other man herself?

    "I''m pretty sure Mr. Yuan already knows my husband, right?" She wrapped her arms around her husband''s arm. With a wide smile, she continued, "But let me introduce him for formalities sake. This is my husband, Lu Mello." She said with a proud tone in her voice.

    Who wouldn''t know of Lu Mello? He was famous in the business world so even a small CEO like Yuan Chi knew of him. Although at that moment, what caught his attention was when Shi Enxi clung to her husband. His eyes instantly landed on their entwined arms.

 Chapter 268 - Zero balance

    Shi Enxi obviously knew how to play with people''s emotions and right now, she was playing with Yuan Chi''s feelings. Since he already pronounced that he will continue on pursuing her, the only right thing to do was to step on his feelings just to make him give up. She didn''t care if he was the CEO, especially when she has someone higher backing her up; her brother and her husband.

    As Lu Mello noticed the playful glint in her eyes, he could already tell that his wife was up to something. Aside from that, he also noticed the dark look on Yuan Chi''s eyes when Shi Enxi hugged his arm.

    "I brought flowers for you." He decided to ignore the other man and turn to his wife instead, handing her the bouquet.

    She released his arm to accept the flowers. She hugged the bouquet and took a small sniff on the flowers as a lovely smile appeared on her lips. "My, these are beautiful. Thank you, darling."

    He placed a hand on her waist before turning back to Yuan Chi who became quiet and was just looking at them. "I apologize for interrupting your conversation earlier."

    Yuan Chi snapped out from his deep thoughts and gave him a smile instead, "It''s okay. We were already done anyway." He looked at his wristwatch, "I should get going now then."

    "Thank you for the chocolates, Mr. Yuan." Shi Enxi said before he could leave the room.

    "Chocolates?" Her husband blinked a few times in confusion when he turned his gaze back to her.

    "Yes! Mr. Yuan made homemade chocolates and it was really good. I never thought that he was the type who knows how to make chocolates of his own." She looked at the other man and smiled sweetly at him.

    Yuan Chi ended up feeling a chill run down his spine. The cold glare he was receiving was coming from none other than Lu Mello. The room''s temperature dropped a hundred degrees that he could feel that at any moment, he would be devoured by the icy frown coming from him.

    Ah¡­ Shi Enxi really knew how to dig someone''s grave¡­

    "I-I''m glad that you like it¡­ A-anyway, I suddenly remember t-that I still have somewhere I should be s-so please excuse me." Without waiting for a reply, the poor man rushed out of the room.

    A few seconds after he left, a laugh escaped Shi Enxi''s lips, "Hahaha! Did you see his face? It was so hilarious!"

    Despite her laugh, Lu Mello still had a serious look on his face, and noticing this made her stop from laughing. "What''s with that look?" She asked, raising a brow.

    "I didn''t mishear the word ''divorce'' earlier. What were you talking about with him?" He crossed his arms as he looked at her with an inquiring gaze.

    "We were talking about our divorce." She said straightforwardly, not holding back at all. "I found out that he was one of my secret admirers."

    "But you''re already married."

    "Your wife is beautiful so men like him will never stop approaching me even if I''m married." She grinned. "But you don''t have to worry about him, I have already rejected him. I told him that I will only divorce you if your bank account reached zero balance."

    "¡­" Lu Mello''s jaw almost fell when she heard her reply.

    He heaved out a heavy sigh and shook his head in disbelief. Seriously¡­ this woman was not holding back at all. He didn''t know what to say at all. His wife never fails to make him go speechless.

    "I''m not staying with you because it''s out of love. My love for money is more than my love for you."

    "¡­"

    "So, make sure to keep your wallet full." She grinned at him.

    "What if I ended up going bankrupt? Will you really divorce me then?" He asked, raising his brow again.

    "It''s not like that''s going to happen but if ever it did, how are we going to feed our children? I know I am a strong, independent woman; I can earn money for us and help you start a new business. With your looks, I''m pretty sure you''ll do well in the entertainment industry."

    "So that means that you''re never going to divorce me even if I go bankrupt huh?" He smiled at her, finding her cute all of the sudden.

    "Obviously. Your wallet will never go zero. As long as you keep a cent, I will stay."

    "¡­ That''s¡­ actually sweet of you." He ended up blurting out his thoughts which caught Shi Enxi by surprise, making her blush all of a sudden.

    "I-It''s not like I''m doing that for you-"

    Her lips were sealed when Lu Mello leaned down and caught them, placing a kiss on her lips, once again, catching her off-guard. As Lu Mello''s lips continued to brush against hers, she finally gave in and closed her eyes. The kiss they shared was short yet loving. It was one of those kisses that Shi Enxi loved from him.

    Lu Mello pulled away after a few seconds. He loosened his arms around her and reached out to gently touch her cheek as he stared lovingly into his eyes, "We should probably go home now before I lose control here."

    She giggled softly, "Yeah, I don''t want to make a mess in my office." She leaned back from him and gave him back the bouquet of roses. "Let me get my things."

    She turned and went back to fix the doc.u.ments on her desk. She even took a few files and slipped them in her bag before she took the cashmere coat that was hanging on a rack.

    "Let''s pass by the bakery. Xue''er will throw a tantrum if I forget to bring him an egg pie."

    "Is it already his cheat day?" He blinked in confusion. "Wasn''t it just a few days ago?"

    "He''s been doing well lately so a reward should be given. Besides, I''m in a good mood."

 Chapter 269 - Blackmail

    "Mama!"

    Little Snow came running towards them with a bright look on his face. Seeing such brightness made Shi Enxi return the smile. She already knew the reason behind such a smile but she still couldn''t help but find it adorable when she saw how his eyes sparkled in delight when he saw the paper bag that she was holding.

    She did promise that she would bring him some snacks. Since she knew that he would directly try to snatch up the paper bag from her, she raised it a bit, to get it away out of his reach.

    When the boy saw his mother''s action, a small pout appeared on his lips, and instead of reaching out for the food, he hugged his mother''s leg. He raised his head and looked at her with his big eyes as he used his charms against her. "Welcome home mama! I missed you!"

    Shi Enxi couldn''t help but chuckle when she saw how sharp her son became. He was like a small animal who was learning how to think just so he could gain favors from his strict mother.

    "Have you been behaving at home?" She asked, raising a brow in amus.e.m.e.nt when she saw the boy nod his heads a few times.

    "Of course! Teachers can all say Xuexue behaved!" He exclaimed proudly. "Nanny is witness too!"

    Shi Enxi turned her gaze towards the nanny who followed Little Snow from behind. "Is it true?"

    The boy turned towards his nanny expectantly, impatiently waiting for her to say yes.

    "Yes, madam, the young master has been behaved the whole day."

    "He didn''t bribe you into saying that, right?" Although despite the question, Shi Enxi could already tell that something happened based on the nervous look on the nanny''s eyes.

    Before the nanny could even answer her, Little Snow interrupted, "I''m sorry, mama! Xuexue accidentally broke a vase!"

    "Accidentally?" From Little Snow, she looked at the nanny again, this time, narrowing her eyes at her.

    "It''s true. The young master has accidentally broken a vase. He was running when he bumped into it."

    "Were you hurt?" Lu Mello spoke up this time, looking worriedly at his son.

    Little Snow shook his head, "No, dada. Nanny was able to protect Xuexue."

    "Then¡­ did you got hurt in his stead?" Shi Enxi asked the woman who had her head low since earlier.

    "No, no one got hurt, Madam."

    "See? It was an accident, mama."

    She heaved out a sigh. She leaned down a bit just so she could pat her son''s head, "I will let go of this matter this time, but next time, be good and don''t run in the halls, okay?"

    "Okay! Can Xuexue have cupcakes and egg pies now?" He pursed his lips as he looked at the paper bag she was carrying.

    She gave him the paper bag, "You can eat it after dinner, okay?"

    "Okay!" He excitedly looked at the contents of the bag and smiled happily when he saw the food inside. He raised his head and smiled sweetly at her, "Thank you, mama!"

    "How about me?" Lu Mello asked, crossing his arms. "You never greeted me since earlier."

    "Did dada bring something for Xuexue?" He tilted his head to the side as he looked at him in an adorable manner.

    "¡­" This boy¡­

    "Why do I have to bring something for you just for you to greet me?" The child''s father asked as he crossed his arms.

    "Because this is MY home." Little Snow replied as if he was stating a fact.

    "But it belongs to me," retorted his father.

    "Dada''s name is not written on any walls though."

    "And is your name written on a wall?" Lu Mello asked in amus.e.m.e.nt this time as he suddenly felt a d¨¦j¨¤ vu.

    The boy nodded his head and grinned, "Yes!"

    Shi Enxi turned towards the nanny which made the other woman flinch upon receiving her inquiring gaze. "He didn''t vandalize any wall, did he?"

    "No¡­" She trailed off, she was hesitating on whether or not to tell her but under the mother''s scrutinizing gaze, it was hard to keep her mouth shut. "Except for his room¡­" She continued.

    "Lu Xueren."

    Shi Enxi had a warning tone in her voice which made the boy exclaim in his defense, "My room, my house!"

    "Yes, it belongs to you but this house also belongs to us. You can''t do anything to it without asking our permission." She sighed. "And you, you should have told me about this Ai Lun."

    Ai Lun, the nanny lowered her head, "I apologize for my mistake¡­"

    "This is why I don''t want a young girl like her to be our son''s nanny." Shi Enxi heaved out another sigh.

    The nanny they hired for Little Snow was a University student who was recommended by Mo Jing since the girl was someone she knew. She was only accepted since she was endorsed but who would have thought that she would be so incompetent. Shi Enxi expected more than this since it was Mo Jing who suggested her.

    Little Snow reached out and held on his mother''s coat, "Mama, don''t scold nanny Ai."

    "She won''t learn if I won''t scold her."

    "But nanny Ai was just listening to Xuexue¡­" He hanged his head low in guilt. "I''m sorry mama¡­ It''s Xuexue''s fault¡­"

    "What do you mean?"

    "Xuexue''s been telling nanny Ai that mama will fire her if she doesn''t listen to me¡­"

    Shi Enxi: "¡­"

    Lu Mello: "¡­"

    To blackmail someone at such a young age¡­

    She pinched her nose bridge, "This is your fault, Mello."

    "¡­ My fault?" Lu Mello looked at her in confusion.

    She lowered her hand and looked at him with a glare, "To whom else will he inherit such personality other than you?"

    "¡­" He looked at her as if he has been wronged by her. He sighed and, in his defense, he calmly replied, "For your information, I have always been a good child. If it''s ''blackmailing'' we''re talking about, I believe it is your forte, not mine."

 Chapter 270 - Another nightmare (1)

    "So, are you saying that it''s from me?"

    "Who else if it''s not you?" He replied, refusing to back down this time.

    Little Snow was looking back and forth from his mother to his father as the two ended up staring at each other.

    "Mama? Dada?"

    Upon hearing the child, Lu Mello ended up sighing in defeat. He was the first one who broke from their staring contest. He didn''t want their son to see a scene where his parents are arguing. It would only make matters worse. He turned to the boy who was looking up at them before he reached out to pick him up from the floor and carry him in his arms. "Xiao Xue, you shouldn''t do that to your nanny. That''s not good. Look at what happened, she ended up being scolded by your mother. You should apologize."

    The boy looked at Ai Lun in guilt before he lowered his head once again, "I''m sorry, nanny Ai¡­"

    "It''s okay¡­" It was already surprising enough to see a rich man''s boy apologize to someone lower than them. She has been working in the household for a few days already and she had always thought of Little Snow as a spoiled kid. His parents were always away so she wasn''t really able to know them well until today.

    "Now that this matter is settled, we should have our dinner. You should join us. Have dinner here before you head home."

    "Yes! Nanny Ai can have half of cupcake!" Little Snow exclaimed with a grin. Since he rarely shares his food, it was surprising enough for them to see that he was willing to share one with someone else. It must be his way of apologizing for causing trouble to his nanny.

    ¡­

    Later that night while everyone was asleep, Shi Enxi suddenly felt a sharp pain in her abdomen.

    "Argh¡­ i-it hurts¡­" She reached out and grabbed Lu Mello''s arm, trying to wake him up. "M-Mello¡­"

    Her husband remained still, not waking up from her cries of pain.

    Shi Enxi clenched her fists tightly as she forced herself to sit down but as she did, she felt something wet which made her panic. She removed the blanket from her and the next thing she saw made her face turn pale. There was blood¡­ lots of blood.

    "No¡­ no¡­" Tears unconsciously streamed down her cheeks. This time, she used her strength to wake Lu Mello, "M-Mello¡­ wake up! Wake up! Mello!"

    "S-someone! HELP!!! HELP!!!" She screamed at the top of her lungs but no one came to help her. Even her husband remained still, his eyes shut tight as if he was deep into the dream world.

    The moment she tried to get out of the bed, she felt the pain disappear, and instead, everything around her disappeared. This time, she was standing in the middle of a dark place. She was wearing a white dress with blood on the lower part of it.

    What''s happening? Was she dreaming?

    "Hello?" She began walking while looking around.

    Yes, she must be dreaming. That was the only explainable reason.

    Just then, the scenery changed once again and this time, she was inside a small house. It was a familiar place. She was inside the living room, inside the house where Fan Xiao Yao and Huang Li once lived.

    "If you want to have him, you will need to pass through me first! Over my dead body!"

    When she heard the shout coming from a familiar voice, she rushed out of the living room only to see Fan Xiao Yao on the ground with Little Snow and Little Jade with her. Hana was standing in front of them with a dangerous look in her eyes.

    Instead of panicking, Shi Enxi remained still after seeing the scene before her. This must be a dream, right? Or was this related to what happened back then? If that was the case, then everything should be fine. Huang Li came in time and was able to save Fan Xiao Yao and the kids.

    "Mama..." Little Jade was looking at Fan Xiao Yao with his tearful gaze.

    She turned to the child with a gentle look in her eyes, "Xiao Yu, can you bring your brother to your room? Don''t open the door until I say so, okay?"

    The child nodded his head obediently before he huffed at the other woman, "Mama will beat you!" After that, he dragged Little Snow upstairs.

    A slow clap was heard from Hana, "How touching."

    Fan Xiao Yao turned her gaze back to the woman in front of her, ready to take her on.

    Hana took a pocket knife out and stared at it, "You could have an easy way out if you give me my son, you know. You don''t have to die just for that runt. You''re only courting death. I wonder how will Huang Li react once he comes home and sees his place covered in blood?"

    Fan Xiao Yao bit her lower lip when she saw the knife. She didn''t think Hana was armed. Even if she was, she didn''t back down. She stood her ground. She was not going to allow her to hurt the kids.

    "I''m a kind person you know. Out of the goodness of my heart, I will leave Shi Enxi''s son alive." She took a step forward to which Fan Xiao Yao unconsciously took a step back just to avoid the knife that was pointing at her.

    This time Shi Enxi took a step forward towards them. She reached out to Hana and tried to touch her but just as expected, she wasn''t able to touch her. Her hand only ended up passing through her.

    "Hana, please... Don''t do this. We can talk about this. I can help you with whatever problem you have. If you need money, anything, I''m willing to give it to you just please don''t do this."

    "Talk? Aren''t you courting death? Allow me to give it to you!"

    Shi Enxi continued to watch the scene unfold before her and at the same time, she was impatiently waiting for Huang Li to arrive.

    The two women were fighting each other until Hana was able to get the upper hand. She was now on top of Fan Xiao Yao and was trying her best to push down the knife on the other woman''s c.h.e.s.t while she was fighting back and was resisting her.

    Shit! Shit! Shit! How long should she wait for Huang Li to arrive? Even if Shi Enxi knew that it was just a dream, she wanted to help Fan Xiao Yao but at that moment, she was useless since she couldn''t touch any of them. She was like a ghost who can only watch the scene in front of her.

    The next thing that happened shocked Shi Enxi. She watched as Hana successfully stabbed Fan Xiao Yao in her c.h.e.s.t.

    No way¡­ no way¡­

    "NO!!!"

 Chapter 271 - [Please skip this chapter! It is a copy of the previous chapter!]

    "So, are you saying that it''s from me?"

    "Who else if it''s not you?" He replied, refusing to back down this time.

    Little Snow was looking back and forth from his mother to his father as the two ended up staring at each other.

    "Mama? Dada?"

    Upon hearing the child, Lu Mello ended up sighing in defeat. He was the first one who broke from their staring contest. He didn''t want their son to see a scene where his parents are arguing. It would only make matters worse. He turned to the boy who was looking up at them before he reached out to pick him up from the floor and carry him in his arms. "Xiao Xue, you shouldn''t do that to your nanny. That''s not good. Look at what happened, she ended up being scolded by your mother. You should apologize."

    The boy looked at Ai Lun in guilt before he lowered his head once again, "I''m sorry, nanny Ai¡­"

    "It''s okay¡­" It was already surprising enough to see a rich man''s boy to apologize to someone lower than them. She has been working in the household for a few days already and she had always thought of Little Snow as a spoiled kid. His parents were always away so she wasn''t really able to know them well until today.

    "Now that this matter is settled, we should have our dinner. You should join us. Have dinner here before you head home."

    "Yes! Nanny Ai can have half of cupcake!" Little Snow exclaimed with a grin. Since he rarely shares his food, it was surprising enough for them to see that he was willing to share one with someone else. It must be his way of apologizing for causing trouble to his nanny.

    ¡­

    Later that night while everyone was asleep, Shi Enxi suddenly felt a sharp pain in her abdomen.

    "Argh¡­ I-it hurts¡­" She reached out and grabbed Lu Mello''s arm, trying to wake him up. "M-Mello¡­"

    Her husband remained still, not waking up from her cries of pain.

    Shi Enxi clenched her fists tightly as she forced herself to sit down but as she did, she felt something wet which made her panic. She removed the blanket from her and the next thing she saw made her face turn pale. There was blood¡­ lots of blood.

    "No¡­ no¡­" Tears unconsciously streamed down her cheeks. This time, she used her strength to wake Lu Mello, "M-Mello¡­ wake up! Wake up! Mello!"

    "S-someone! HELP!!! HELP!!!" She screamed at the top of her lungs but no one came to help her. Even her husband remained still, his eyes shut tight as if he was deep into the dream world.

    The moment she tried to get out of the bed, she felt the pain disappear, and instead, everything around her disappeared. This time, she was standing in the middle of a dark place. She was wearing a white dress with blood on the lower part of it.

    What''s happening? Was she dreaming?

    "Hello?" She began walking while looking around.

    Yes, she must be dreaming. That was the only explainable reason.

    Just then, the scenery changed once again and this time, she was inside a small house. It was a familiar place. She was inside the living room, inside the house where Fan Xiao Yao and Huang Li once lived.

    "If you want to have him, you will need to pass through me first! Over my dead body!"

    When she heard the shout coming from a familiar voice, she rushed out of the living room only to see Fan Xiao Yao on the ground with Little Snow and Little Jade with her. Hana was standing in front of them with a dangerous look in her eyes.

    Instead of panicking, Shi Enxi remained still after seeing the scene before her. This must be a dream, right? Or was this related to what happened back then? If that was the case, then everything should be fine. Huang Li came in time and was able to save Fan Xiao Yao and the kids.

    "Mama..." Little Jade was looking at Fan Xiao Yao with his tearful gaze.

    She turned to the child with a gentle look in her eyes, "Xiao Yu, can you bring your brother to your room? Don''t open the door until I say so, okay?"

    The child nodded his head obediently before he huffed at the other woman, "Mama will beat you!" After that, he dragged Little Snow upstairs.

    A slow clap was heard from Hana, "How touching."

    Fan Xiao Yao turned her gaze back to the woman in front of her, ready to take her on.

    Hana took a pocket knife out and stared at it, "You could have an easy way out if you give me my son, you know. You don''t have to die just for that runt. You''re only courting death. I wonder how will Huang Li react once he comes home and sees his place covered in blood?"

    Fan Xiao Yao bit her lower lip when she saw the knife. She didn''t think Hana was armed. Even if she was, she didn''t back down. She stood her ground. She was not going to allow her to hurt the kids.

    "I''m a kind person you know. Out of the goodness of my heart, I will leave Shi Enxi''s son alive." She took a step forward to which Fan Xiao Yao unconsciously took a step back just to avoid the knife that was pointing at her.

    This time Shi Enxi took a step forward towards them. She reached out to Hana and tried to touch her but just as expected, she wasn''t able to touch her. Her hand only ended up passing through her.

    "Hana, please... Don''t do this. We can talk about this. I can help you with whatever problem you have. If you need money, anything, I''m willing to give it to you just please don''t do this."

    "Talk? Aren''t you courting death? Allow me to give it to you!"

    Shi Enxi continued to watch the scene unfold before her and at the same time, she was impatiently waiting for Huang Li to arrive.

    The two women were fighting each other until Hana was able to get the upper hand. She was now on top of Fan Xiao Yao and was trying her best to push down the knife on the other woman''s c.h.e.s.t while she was fighting back and was resisting her.

    Shit! Shit! Shit! How long should she wait for Huang Li to arrive? Even if Shi Enxi knew that it was just a dream, she wanted to help Fan Xiao Yao but at that moment, she was useless since she couldn''t touch any of them. She was like a ghost who can only watch the scene in front of her.

    The next thing that happened shocked Shi Enxi. She watched as Hana successfully stabbed Fan Xiao Yao in her c.h.e.s.t.

    No way¡­ no way¡­

    "NO!!!"

 Chapter 272 - Another nightmare (2)

    As Shi Enxi was about to pounce on Hana, she stopped upon hearing Huang Li''s shout but it was already too late, the knife was already in Fan Xiao Yao''s c.h.e.s.t. Hana took out the knife and pointed the blade at Huang Li when she saw him.

    What was happening? This was different from what happened in reality. This dream¡­ something felt wrong.

    As Huang Li attacked Hana, a few moments later, Lu Mello''s men arrived.

    Hana was now lying unconscious on the ground after being beaten up by Huang Li.

    "Don''t you dare leave me! Fan Xiao Yao! Don''t you dare!" He was pressing the wound on her c.h.e.s.t just to stop her from bleeding out. His sight blurry because of the tears that formed and fell out from it. "Fan Xiao Yao!"

    The woman lying on the ground had her eyes open, her blank, dead eyes reflecting Huang Li''s figure. Fan Xiao Yao was already a few seconds dead after she was stabbed by Hana in her heart.

    "X-Xiao Yao¡­ Y-Yaoyao¡­ please¡­ don''t leave me¡­ you can''t leave me¡­"

    Shi Enxi''s fell on her knees as tears formed in her eyes. Even if she knew that it was just a dream, it felt so real.

    An ear-piercing shriek escaped Shi Enxi''s lips.

    "Enough!! ENOUGH!!! I WANT TO WAKE UP!!!"

    Instead of waking up, the scenery changed and this time, she was inside Lu Mello''s office. She was not the only one inside, Lu Xingyan and her husband were there too. Besides her husband, she could see another her sitting beside him.

    Ah¡­ she knows this scene well. It was a memory. If she remembered correctly, this was the time where Lu Xingyan told them everything.

    "It''s possible that... someone close to you might end up dying, Jiejie." Lu Xingyan said carefully.

    "W-what?" The Shi Enxi who was sitting beside Lu Mello was looking at Lu Xingyan in disbelief. Something like that was impossible. "How does that even work?"

    Yes, this was the conversation they had. It was about their past lives and the magic of the book.

    "I''m not sure but either the person will get sick or have an accident. No one can really say."

    "Then... are you saying, my brother, will die...?"

    "No, I don''t think he will die in this life. If my theory is correct, since he died in the other life, he will live in this one so I think... He''s safe."

    Shi Enxi felt so relieved when she heard Lu Xingyan say that but he was not the only person close to her in this life so she couldn''t just calm down right now, "How about my mom and younger brother?"

    "I don''t know... But they both have escaped death, right? If one manages to escape death then I don''t think it will follow..." Lu Xingyan, herself was still unsure after all. All she had were theories. She could be wrong.

    "Huang Li can''t be the one too. He died in his other life so he''s safe in this one."

    "Then... Xiao Yao?" Lu Mello who was quiet the whole time suddenly spoke up, seizing both the women''s attention to him.

    "X-Xiao Yao...?" Stammered Shi Enxi. She shook her head a few times. "No, it can''t be her. I''m not even close to her! Xiao Yao''s healthy too and she''s been living well with Huang Li. I''m pretty sure that it can''t be her." She continued. Even if she didn''t admit it to them, they could see how worried she was for Fan Xiao Yao''s sake.

    "This is just my theory so maybe it won''t happen." Lu Xingyan said, trying to reassure them that she could be wrong too.

    "Yes, it''s just a theory. Besides, uncle Sisi''s death could be a coincidence. Cancer is still a serious thing. So many things happened differently. There can be other factors." Lu Mello said as if he was trying to convince themselves with it. He didn''t want anyone close to him dying as well so he didn''t want to believe the possibilities of what her sister said was real.

    Shi Enxi who was watching them discuss everything remembered what she prayed that day when she learned that Fan Xiao Yao could end up dying because of her.

    She watched the woman beside Lu Mello, herself, clasping her hands together as if she was going to pray.

    "Please don''t let Xiao Yao die." It was just a thought but the words escaped her lips. Just like her body, her spirit self ended up clasping her hands together as well.

    "Please don''t let her die." She said once again and this time, the office disappeared and was replaced by a white room.

    "Don''t let her die." Shi Enxi continued.

    Fan Xiao Yao was someone who didn''t deserve to die so cruelly. She didn''t deserve to have her happiness taken from her. Not Fan Xiao Yao. Not a good person like her. She didn''t want anyone around her, anyone close to her to die. She didn''t want to be the cause of their death anymore. She had enough of those in her past life. It was her sins, not someone else. She didn''t want to disrupt their lives just because she was given a second chance to live.

    It was her desperate prayer, a prayer that she hoped would be heard.

    "Then choose." Someone else was suddenly heard which startled her. She looked around, trying to find the owner of the voice but there was no one but instead, a few meters in front of her, she saw a crib. She could hear a baby''s voice inside.

    Just as she was about to take a step closer, on her right, Fan Xiao Yao''s figure appeared.

    "Choose."

    This time, the voice came inside her head, speaking in her mind.

    Shi Enxi frowned in confusion. She looked at Fan Xiao Yao who has her eyes close before she turned her gaze towards the crib that has a baby inside.

    Could it be¡­ the baby belonged to her?

    She unconsciously placed her hand on her belly and as she did, she was reminded of the bloody scene where she had a miscarriage.

    At that moment, she came to an understanding. She was given the chance to choose on who gets to live and who gets to die.

 Chapter 273 - Snow Orchid

    "No¡­ N-no! NOO!!!"

    "Enxi, wake up!"

    Shi Enxi snapped her eyes open and as she did, the first thing she saw was Lu Mello''s worried look.

    "Mello!" She got up and embraced him in an instant. She was covered in cold sweat and her body was trembling because of the fear she felt inside.

    "It''s okay¡­ You just had a nightmare." Her husband said with his gentle voice as he c.a.r.e.s.sed her back.

    It was the first he saw Shi Enxi scared like a child. Her face was ashen, her eyes were flooded with tears. He pulled away from the hug and held her sweaty hands. "Enxi, calm down." He released her hands and touched her face, wiping off the tears with his thumbs. "I''m here, okay?"

    She nodded a bit and sniffled. Her c.h.e.s.t was rising then down as she tries to inhale and exhale as much air to help her calm down.

    "Can you tell me what you have dreamed of?" He asked with a whispering tone as he kept staring into her wide eyes, letting her know that he was there for her.

    When Shi Enxi tried to remember the nightmare she just had, her mind became blank. She couldn''t remember a thing except for the word ''Choose''.

    "I¡­ I can''t¡­" Her voice cracked. "I can''t remember¡­"

    "I see. That''s fine, you don''t have to remember it if it''s just a nightmare." He let go of her cheek and stroked her hair. "You don''t have to be afraid of anything since it was just a dream."

    She ended up being convinced by her husband''s words but for some reason, she couldn''t help but feel uneasy. It was as if she has forgotten something important.

    "Do you want me to get you a drink?"

    "N-no¡­ it''s fine."

    "Alright." He assisted her in lying down again before he pulled the blanket up to her shoulder. "Then we should get back to sleep."

    He was about to turn off the lamp on the side but was stopped when Shi Enxi grabbed his arm, "Leave it open."

    "Okay." He lied down beside her and pulled her into his embrace.

    "What if I will have the same nightmare again?" She asked worriedly, like a child who was scared of going back to sleep.

    "Then I''ll wake you up." He bowed his head and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "Don''t worry, I''ll be awake until I make sure that you have a peaceful sleep."

    A small smile appeared on her lips. She curled against him before she closed her eyes, "Good night, Mello¡­"

    ¡­

    As days passed, Shi Enxi went to the OB-GYN to have her check-up. It was also the day where she would learn her child''s gender. Sadly, Lu Mello wasn''t able to accompany her since he had another business trip to another country so in the end, it was Fan Xiao Yao who accompanied her.

    "Congratulations, Xiao Xi!" Fan Xiao Yao greeted again with a genuine smile.

    They were currently having lunch at a restaurant located near the hospital.

    "Ehehe, I''m sure Mello will be surprised to learn that we will have a girl." Shi Enxi was staring at the ultrasound photo she was holding. She wanted to see her husband and tell him: ''See? I told you we will definitely have a girl.''

    Sadly, he was out of the country so she has to wait for him instead. She didn''t want to tell him the gender of their next child through the phone since she wouldn''t be able to see the expression on his face. She preferred to tell him in person since she would be able to at least tease him later on depending on how he reacted to the news.

    "Do you have a name for her already?"

    Name¡­ Yes, she already has decided on what name to give her daughter. It was a name that Lu Mello decided on a whim. Despite that situation back then, the name he suggested was beautiful so she has long decided to give her child that name if ever they have a daughter.

    "Back then before I gave birth to Xue''er, Mello and I have prepared for two names. Xueren and Xuelan." Shi Enxi said with a gentle smile. She placed a hand on her protruding belly.

    "Xuelan is a beautiful name. I''m pretty sure that your daughter will grow up to be beautiful as well especially when she has yours and Mello''s genes." She praised with a grin. "Since you will have a girl next, are you planning on arranging her with Xiao Yu?"

    A smirk found its way on Shi Enxi''s lips when she heard her question, "I''m happy to see that you''ve grown to know me well."

    Fan Xiao Yao giggled, "Of course! I''m your best friend after all!"

    Best friend¡­

    The smirk on her lips disappeared and was replaced with a small smile. She has never admitted to it before but now that she was hearing that word again from her, this time, she couldn''t help but agree. Fan Xiao Yao was not just her best friend but she was also like a sister to her.

    She turned her gaze towards Fan Xiao Yao and reached out her other hand to her, placing it on top of hers, "Xiao Yao, can you do me a favor?"

    Fan Xiao Yao ended up blinking a few times and was a bit surprised at her sudden question. She knew that Shi Enxi was not the type to ask someone a favor unless it was something important. She placed a hand on top of hers, "As long as it''s within my abilities then I will do anything to help you."

    ''Choose''

    The word kept on ringing in her mind ever since the night she had that nightmare. It bothered her so much that she ended up trying to remember what kind of dream she had. She was only able to remember a short scene when Fan Xiao Yao and a baby inside the crib.

    "If I ask you to die, will you die for me?"

 Chapter 274 - Go easy on him

    Shi Enxi wanted to ask her that question but she couldn''t bring herself to that when she saw the gentle smile and the warmth in Fan Xiao Yao''s eyes. She can never bring herself to ask her that question especially when she was someone important to her. The thought of being hated by her already tore her heart to pieces.

    At the same time, she couldn''t bring herself to sacrifice her daughter. The cruelness inside her was long gone ever since she returned to Lu Mello. He was the reason she changed and he was also the reason why she was able to live another life where she could be happy without regretting anything, without killing anyone, and because of that, she was now put in a difficult situation. She was an evil person so she couldn''t help but feel that she deserved to be put in such a situation to test her but at the same time, she couldn''t help but think¡­ what if Lu Mello was right? What if it was just a nightmare? If that was the case then she didn''t have to choose on who gets to live and who gets to die, right?

    "Well, what favor do you want to ask me?" Fan Xiao Yao asked, waiting patiently for her to tell her.

    "I haven''t decided on it yet so is it okay for you to wait until I''ve thought of something?"

    It was the first time for her to see Shi Enxi so troubled about something. She knew that her friend was the type of person to keep her troubles to herself but sometimes, Fan Xiao Yao wished that Shi Enxi could tell her all her worries. She may not be able to help in some of it but having someone that can listen was enough to lessen the burden on her c.h.e.s.t.

    "You know that you can always tell me anything, right?" She wanted to let her know that she was there for her just as when she was there for her.

    Shi Enxi appreciated that Fan Xiao Yao was willing to help her but her problem was something no one could understand. It was a decision that she has to make on her own.

    "Thanks." She leaned back and straightened herself as she put on a smile. "By the way, how''s the new assistant manager doing?"

    "You mean Zhang Yichen? He''s not that bad but I still prefer to have you." Fan Xiao Yao replied, releasing her hand.

    "I''m too busy right now so it can''t be helped."

    "I know. Aren''t you going to take maternity leave soon?"

    "I''m planning to take it next month. By the way, How''s Yu''er doing?"

    "He''s such a lovely boy. He adjusts fast and learns things quickly."

    Shi Enxi sighed, "I wish Xue''er can be as behaved as Yu''er. Controlling him is very hard."

    "Then don''t control him. The stricter you get, the more rebellious he''ll become. I think you should go easy on him, Xiao Xi."

    "If I go easy on him, he''ll become spoiled."

    "There are things where he should learn it himself. Our only job as parents is to guide our children. Also changing his environment should help him. Our kids will start school next week, right? He''ll be able to meet different kinds of kids, some quiet, some as naughty as him, some who are spoiled too much by their parents. Right now, Xiao Xue''s environment is small and limited. The more you will try to want to hold him, the more he will want to try to escape your hold."

    "In other words, you''re telling me that I''m doing a bad job at parenting, huh?" She crossed her arms and raised a brow.

    "No, of course now. I think you''re doing a good job. Just like any parents, you just want what''s best for your son but I think you should not become too strict with him." Fan Xiao Yao suggested.

    Shi Enxi ended up smiling helplessly at her. Just as she thought, Fan Xiao Yao was really someone who knew how to do the parenting job properly. Even if she didn''t have a child of her own, her instinct as a mother was kicking in. She couldn''t help but envy her a little.

    If she was as kind and sweet as her, would Little Snow behave and listen without making a problem?

    "How about we bring out the kids today?" Fan Xiao Yao suddenly suggested. They didn''t have anything scheduled that day except for Shi Enxi''s check-up.

    "And where should we bring them?"

    "There are lots of places. The zoo, amus.e.m.e.nt park, museum. Xiao Yu will definitely want to visit the museum but knowing Xiao Xue, the place will be too boring for him."

    "I don''t think so," retorted Shi Enxi. "You already know how much Xue''er looks up to Yu''er so wherever he goes, he will definitely follow him."

    Although it was been a while since the two kids met each other. Would things still be the same for them? Would Little Snow still listen to Little Jade?

    Shi Enxi couldn''t help but feel a little worried. Even if it was only a small time that passed, so many things have changed.

    "How about we pick up our sons and meet at the museum instead?" She suggested again. "In that way, won''t it be more exciting for them to meet?"

    Shi Enxi was quiet for a while as she stared at Fan Xiao Yao. Her suggestion wasn''t bad, it would be nice to spend time with the boys that way. Going to the museum instead of a noisy and lively place would be easier for her as well.

    "Since when did you became smart?" She asked her, raising a brow with an amused smile plastered on her lips.

    Fan Xiao Yao pouted at her remark, "I was never stupid in the first place. You''re just underestimating me!"

    "Since when did I have underestimated you?" She crossed her arms. "I don''t remember doing it but I do remember overestimating you."

    "¡­ Y-You! How can you say that to your best friend!"

    "I don''t remember having you as my best friend." Without waiting for her reply, Shi Enxi picked her bag before she stood up from her seat. "Let''s go. We should pick up our sons."

 Chapter 275 - Burning fats

    Lu family residence¡­

    As soon as Shi Enxi arrived at home, she directly went to where her son was; at the music room. There, he was being taught piano skills by a music teacher.

    When the music teacher saw her enter, he paused from talking to Little Snow just so he could greet her, "Welcome back, madam."

    "I''m afraid I have to put your lessons on-hold, teacher."

    "Mama!" Little Snow turned to her with a wide grin. He jumped off from the stool he was sitting on just so he could run towards his mother and give her a hug. "Did mama bring food?"

    "I don''t think it''s time for you to eat yet." She lightly tapped his lips when she saw him pout. "Although instead of eating here, why don''t we eat outside today?"

    The spark in the boy''s eyes returned when he heard her say that. "Really?! We''re going out?!"

    "Yes. Now, why don''t you go to your room and change your clothes?" She turned toward his nanny, eyeing her to help him.

    "Yay! We''re going to eat outside!" He released her leg and hurriedly run out of the room. He was followed by his nanny behind.

    Seeing her son react that way made her thought if she was really being too tight on him. Maybe Fan Xiao Yao was really right. She should go easy on him especially when he is still young. Shi Enxi only cared for her son''s well-being. She only became strict with him after he had his fever. Although now that she has thought of it, even her own parents never became that strict to her back then. Maybe she was just overthinking too much?

    Shi Enxi went to see the butler to discuss her son''s change in his daily schedules while waiting for him downstairs. She didn''t have to make his son too perfect. She was only pressuring him with what she wanted at such a young age. She really wasn''t the ideal mother and she could only feel guilty for it.

    "Mama, let''s go!"

    Shi Enxi turned and saw her son excitedly going down the stairs. He was wearing a red shirt with a big yellow star print on the middle and jumpers. Now that she thought of it, her adorable chubby son has lost weight so much to the point where he should be the same figure as Little Jade. She couldn''t help but chuckle when she thought about how Little Jade and Fan Xiao Yao''s reaction would be if they saw this change.

    "Let''s go." She held his hand and began walking out of the place.

    "Is dada coming with mama and Xuexue?" The boy asked while swinging their hands happily.

    "Your father is still at work so it will only be the two of us¡­ plus another two."

    "Plus another two?" He looked at his fingers and counted. "That means we''re going to be four!" He exclaimed, showing her his four fingers.

    Shi Enxi chuckled, "Yes, four."

    The car''s door was opened for them by the driver and Little Snow entered first who was later followed by his mother.

    "One¡­ two¡­ three¡­" The boy counted slowly as he pointed at himself then to his mother and the driver. "We''re only three, mama."

    She smiled and gently patted his head, "We''ll be meeting the other two people, sweetheart."

    "Ooooh! Who are we meeting? Does Xuexue know them?"

    "How about you wait until we get there, hm?"

    Little Snow pouted, "Why can''t mama tell me?"

    "Hm, I wonder why." She smiled at him, giving the tip of his nose a light tap.

    He puffed out his cheeks as he looked at his mother. He turned away and crossed his arms. "No fair."

    ¡­

    Upon arriving at the museum, as they went out of the car, they began heading towards the ticket booth only to see Fan Xiao Yao and her son waiting near the booth,

    "GEGEEEE!!!" Little Snow squealed happily the moment his eyes caught the figure of the other boy.

    Everyone began looking his way, including the people they were going to meet.

    "Way to go, son. That''s how you steal everyone''s attention." Shi Enxi mumbled to herself as she watched her son rush towards Little Jade.

    "Didi- umph!"

    Little Snow pounced on him, making Little Jade lose his balance. It was thanks to Fan Xiao Yao''s quick support that helped the two stay on their ground.

    The other boy was blinking a lot in confusion when he saw Little Snow. He was surprised that he wasn''t able to react to his greeting.

    "Oh my, Xiao Xue, you changed so much!" Fan Xiao Yao commented, surprised as well.

    Little Snow leaned back from the hug and raised his head to look at her with a grin, "Yes! I''m stronger now, mama Yaoyao!"

    "It seems like it." She turned her gaze to Shi Enxi and crossed her arms, "You''ve been too strict in his diet huh?"

    "Not that strict, he was only allowed to eat at the proper time, no in-between. Less meat and more vegetables." Shi Enxi replied in her defense. "Also he''s been burning fats as well."

    "Seriously, even to your son, you have no forgiveness in setting a strict schedule." She shook her head, disapproving of her ways.

    "It''s okay, mama Yaoyao, Xuexue''s become strong thanks to mama."

    "See?" Shi Enxi smirked, glad that her son was taking her son.

    "But mama Yaoyao is right, mama should give Xuexue more free time."

    "Aren''t I''m doing that now?" She muttered with a pout.

    Little Jade who was quiet the whole time was staring at the other boy for a while as if he was processing the change that happened to him.

    Little Snow noticed his stare which made him turn his head back to him. With a wide grin, he happily exclaimed, "Xuexue is now amazing like Spiderman!"

    The other boy reached out and began patting his cheeks which still has chubbiness on them before he lifted his head and looked at Shi Enxi, "Mama! How can didi become so unhealthy?!! Didi is no more healthy!!"

 Chapter 276 - Not sleepy

    Shi Enxi blinked a few times upon hearing Little Jade''s remark. "Xue''er is still healthy tho. He just lost weight."

    "Losing weight is not healthy mama!" The boy scolded.

    For the first time, Shi Enxi didn''t know what to say in her defense against Little Jade. She turned her eyes to Little Snow and saw him giggling quietly upon seeing her being scolded by his brother.

    "We should go inside the museum now. I heard that there''s a huge t-rex skeleton inside, don''t you want to see it?" Fan Xiao Yao tried to steal the boys attention by distracting them about the museum.

    "THERE''S T-REX?!!" Little Snow''s eyes sparkled excitedly. "Let''s go gege! There''s T-rex!"

    Both the mothers ended up heaving a sigh in relief when they saw that it was enough to focus their attention somewhere else.

    "Thanks¡­" Shi Enxi said in a whispering tone as she began walking beside Fan Xiao Yao. She was weak against kids. She knew that if she tried to say something in reply to what Little Jade said, it would only make the matters worse and it might end up having the boy request for Little Snow to move in with him instead just so he could help him gain weight again.

    "I think you should take a parenting class 101" Fan Xiao Yao joked, chuckling. She was looking ahead, keeping her eyes still towards the kids.

    She rolled her eyes, "I''m too busy to get one."

    "You won''t be anymore once you''re in your maternity leave."

    "Ugh¡­" Although Shi Enxi couldn''t help but give it a thought since she admitted that she was lacking. Lu Mello was better in handling the kids but he was always away because of work.

    Speaking of parenting, maybe she should visit her mother and ask for advice on how she does it? She was embarrassed to ask help from someone else even if she wanted to. It would be better if she could ask someone like her mother.

    The two women ended up following the kids around the museum but just as expected, Little Snow easily got bored unlike Little Jade whose eyes were sparkling as he listened to the guide of the museum.

    After visiting the museum, they decided to have take a break and have snacks at a caf¨¦. Shi Enxi didn''t restrict her son from eating whatever he wanted that day especially when Little Jade was the one offering him all the food.

    By the time Shi Enxi and Little Snow got home, she accompanied her son to his room.

    "Mama, let''s have bubble bath together!" Little Snow suggested while he was watching his mother fill the tub with water.

    Shi Enxi turned to him, blinking a few times in surprise.

    "Can we? Pleeeeaase?" He clasped his hands together and looked adorably at her, staring at her with his puppy eyes.

    With a helpless smile, she gave in to his request.

    "Can mama sleep with me tonight too?" He added, tilting his head to the side, using his charms to convince her.

    Since Lu Mello was away, Shi Enxi has been sleeping alone for a few days so sleeping with her son that night wouldn''t be a problem. Aside from that, she felt like she acting more like a proper mother this way.

    "Okay."

    And so, Shi Enxi ended up staying in her son''s room that night. After taking a bath, she began drying her son''s hair with a hair blower.

    "Mama, when will dada come back?"

    Now that he asked that question, she realized that her husband didn''t call her that day. There was never a day where he wouldn''t call her whenever he was out of the country despite the difference in time. She couldn''t help but worry.

    "He should be back by the end of this week." At least that was what he told her before he left. He was supposed to have a small break but because of the urgency of his work he had to leave and be busy again. She couldn''t blame him though. Just like him, she was busy. If she were to take his place, she might even ignore her family for days just so she could settle the problem at work.

    A small sigh ended up escaping her lips when she thought about her husband. After drying her son''s hair, she dried and brushed hers before she took her phone from the desk.

    "Xue''er, do you want to see your baby sister?" Shi Enxi asked as she approached the bed.

    "Eh? Xuexue will have a baby sister?" The boy asked while hugging his favorite spiderman plush.

    She got on the bed and sat beside her son. She began tapping on her phone and showed him the photo she took earlier; the ultrasound photo. "Yes. You will become a big brother." She showed him the picture by zooming in a part of it, "Look, this is your sister, this tiny figure."

    Little Snow knitted his brows together when he saw the photo, "She''s not pretty! Why does she look like this?"

    Shi Enxi couldn''t help but giggle at what he said, "That''s because she''s still in mama''s tummy."

    "Mama''s tummy?" He turned his head to her, tilting his head on the side in confusion, "Why is baby sister in your tummy? Did mama eat her?"

    "Of course not, sweetie."

    "Then how?"

    Shi Enxi tried to think of an explanation but couldn''t think of any, "You''ll know it once you grow for now, why don''t you get some sleep now?"

    The boy pouted, "But I''m not sleepy mama¡­"

    "I am so let''s sleep, okay?" She lied down beside him and pulled him close in her embrace. "Good night, Xue''er" She placed a soft kiss on his forehead before she closed her eyes.

    The boy wasn''t able to argue when he saw his mother close her eyes. He stared at her for a while before he reached out and gently touched her cheeks. "Mama¡­" He called but Shi Enxi pretended to be asleep.

    When he thought that she was already fast asleep, he closed his eyes and buried his face on her c.h.e.s.t, "Don''t hate Xuexue, mama¡­"

 Chapter 277 - I will never hate you

    Shi Enxi was taken aback when she heard those words from her son''s lip. She opened her eyes just to look at him, "Xue''er?"

    She saw how Little Snow''s shoulders flinched when he heard her voice. It was as if he was surprised to learn that she was still awake.

    "Xue''er, I know that you''re awake."

    The boy slowly raised his head to look at her in guilt. He averted his eyes from her as if afraid that she might scold him.

    "What made you say that, Xue''er? What made you even think of that? Who planted that in your head?" Shi Enxi was fuming in anger inside when she thought of someone saying horrible words to her son.

    Little Snow''s lips remained pursed as he refused to tell her anything about it and when she saw that, she ended up sighing heavily.

    "I will never hate you, Xue''er." She gently stroked his hair. "I know that I''ve been strict with you for these past weeks but I am only doing that for you." Shi Enxi didn''t know whether her son will come to understand what she said or not but she could only hope it would. "I am only doing what I think is best for you."

    The boy finally turned his eyes to her and they were filled with tears, "Really?"

    It broke Shi Enxi''s heart to see her son that way. The person who poisoned Little Snow''s mind must be one of the workers at home. That could only be possible. It was either the maids he was friendly with or¡­ his nanny.

    "Of course. I will never hate my lovely Xue''er so whoever told you that must be lying. I love you so so much, always remember that, okay?"

    A smile finally appeared on the child''s face when he heard her words, "I love you too, mama!"

    She leaned forward and nuzzled his nose which made her son giggle. "Mamaaaa, stoooop!"

    Shi Enxi paused; her eyes softened at the sight of his smiling face. She would do anything to protect his smile. The thought of not wanting him back then made her feel guilt-ridden all of a sudden.

    "Xue''er, who told you that I hate you?"

    "No one told me, mama. Xuexue was watching a cartoon¡­"

    "Cartoon?" She blinked a few times.

    The boy nodded, "Why did Cinderella''s mother hate her, mama?"

    "¡­ You watched something like that?"

    "It''s Nanny Ai''s favorite movie so Xuexue wanted to watch it!" He grinned at her.

    She ended up sighing heavily. So it wasn''t because of someone but because of what he watched¡­

    "Xue''er, why don''t we get some sleep now? Mama''s really tired and sleepy now."

    "But Xuexue isn''t!"

    "Mama is carrying your sister in her tummy so I have to get as much rest as possible you know." She reasoned out.

    The boy ended up looking at her protruding belly, "Is that why mama''s stomach is growing big?"

    "Yes," she whispered softly. She gently c.a.r.e.s.sed his cheek before continuing, "So be a good brother, okay? You have to take care of your sister and protect her."

    "Okay! Xuexue can protect meimei too!"

    "Good, now let''s get some rest, okay?"

    ¡­

    Later that night, while the two were asleep, a small creak was heard when the door was pushed open.

    Shi Enxi was a light sleeper so the moment she felt someone else''s presence in the room, she woke up and her guards went up. She didn''t have any weapon with her so she was worried on how she should deal with the person who entered the room. Should she catch him by surprise?

    She slowly moved her hand and held the pillow, ready to use it as a weapon to distract the person who entered the room.

    As she felt that the person was getting close to her, she turned and threw the pillow at the person before she sat up and moved away, "Who-" she paused upon seeing someone familiar thanks to the moon''s light that entered through the window.

    Lu Mello was standing near the bed with the pillow she threw on his hands. He caught it before it could hit his face. He blinked a few times, looking at the pillow he was holding before he turned his gaze at her, "Uh¡­ did I wake you up?"

    Shi Enxi sighed in relief before frowning at him, "Can''t you see? You should have told me that you were coming." She wanted to raise her voice but she didn''t since their son was sleeping so deeply.

    "I wanted to surprise you¡­" He chuckled a bit before he walked towards the bed and sat at the side of it, returning the pillow to her.

    So that''s why he didn''t call her even once. She should have known. She worried for nothing. "Seriously¡­" Now that he was there, she felt more relieved than ever. The days where she would worry for her life was gone. No one was after her or her family anymore.

    Shi Enxi crawled to his side to hug him, "Please let me know next time¡­"

    "If I did, it wouldn''t be a surprise anymore." He chuckled, hugging her back.

    "I don''t like this kind of surprise."

    "Alright, alright, next time I''ll give you a surprise, I''ll give you a hint." Lu Mello said with a smile as he gently stroked her head.

    "You should." She looked at him and leaned forward, placing a soft kiss on his lips. "I missed you."

    "Me too¡­" He whispered as he kissed her back longingly. The kiss was short by her before he could even go deeper. They were at their son''s room after all. She broke free from the kiss, "Anyway, have you eaten already? I can prepare something for you if you haven''t."

    "It''s fine. I ate something on my way. I''ll just take a bath and join you and our son after." He stroked her cheek with his thumb, "Do you want to join me?"

    She raised a brow at his question, "I already had my bath."

    "You can take a bath again."

    "I''m sleepy." She released him from her hug and turned away. She knew things would heat up if she joined him. Shi Enxi lied down once again. She turned her back to him and hugged their son.

 Chapter 278 - You have to choose

    A month passed and Shi Enxi finally took her maternity leave from work. Little Snow began attending the same school as Little Jade. Despite things going well for both families, Shi Enxi was being bothered by her dream.

    At first, she decided to ignore it. She thought that it was just going to be a one-time dream but that wasn''t the case. Ever since she had that nightmare, she would end up having the same nightmare twice a week.

    Choose¡­ That was what the dream was all about and it started to bother her a lot. What if something bad would end up happening if she made her choice? She didn''t want to lose her baby or Fan Xiao Yao. Both were important people for her. She couldn''t choose. It was impossible for her to do so. She kept her dream hidden from her husband since she thought that he had enough problems to deal with.

    She remembered how her dream would end every time. She would always stand in between her baby and Fan Xiao Yao. She would always end up saying that she wouldn''t choose until one day, she finally came with an answer on how to solve it.

    Shi Enxi waited to have the dream again to give her answer to whoever was asking but to her surprise, she never had that dream again. Was it only a test for her?

    She stared at the beautiful scene in front of her; the sky was painted with orange as the sun was slowly setting under the calm sea. It was such a sight to behold and Shi Enxi could never get used to seeing it.

    This was the place where she died in the past but now, it was a place where she found peace. She turned and began walking back towards the house that Lu Mello built for her.

    She was currently alone since her husband was at work and her son was at Little Jade''s place, doing their homework together. Despite being alone, she knew that her husband''s men must be around, guarding the place for her.

    She entered the house and went to the living room. The warmth of the house reached to her heart. She never thought that she would end up being satisfied in this small house, that she would prefer this house instead of the mansion she was living in with her husband and child. She wanted to have her place decorated with bright, extravagant things and yet here she was, satisfied at how simple and ordinary this house was.

    Everything was perfect the way it is right now. She couldn''t ask for more. She was satisfied with how her life this time. She couldn''t ask for more, it would be too much for someone like her; a person who didn''t deserve happiness like this.

    "I''m home." Lu Mello''s voice was heard from downstairs.

    Shi Enxi''s face brightened up upon hearing the voice of her husband. She stood up and went out of the bedroom. She headed downstairs and saw him enter the living room.

    "Darling~" She greeted him with a sweet smile on her lips. "You''re early today!"

    "I can''t leave my wife alone here. I didn''t want to make her feel lonely," he walked towards her. As he stood in front of her, he gently placed his hand on her waist but the moment he did, Shi Enxi suddenly felt a sharp pain in her abdomen.

    "A-argh¡­"

    Lu Mello was surprised upon hearing her painful groan. "E-Enxi? Are you alright?"

    Shi Enxi instantly panicked when she felt something wet dripping down her legs. She looked down to check what it was and her eyes widened upon seeing blood.

    Lu Mello followed her gaze and just like her he was surprised and was caught off-guard, "W-what the¡­"

    "No¡­ No! NOOO!!!" This can''t be happening¡­ It wasn''t her daughter she chose. She can''t be losing her daughter¡­

    Her husband instantly carried her in his arms as he rushed out of the house, heading straight to his car.

    The pain in her abdomen continued, making her groan even louder. But despite the pain, there was only one thing in her mind, "I-I don''t want to lose her¡­ I can''t lose our baby¡­ I-I can''t¡­" She cried heavily. This wasn''t supposed to happen. She didn''t want her daughter to die.

    "It''s going to be alright, Enxi. We will not lose our daughter! I will never let that happen!" Lu Mello was riding the car at its full speed as he drove it to a nearby hospital. "Hold on¡­ please hold on¡­" He mumbled as he tightened his grip around the steering wheel.

    By the time they arrived at the hospital, Shi Enxi was taken directly to the emergency room while Lu Mello waited outside. He was endlessly walking back and forth, the fear inside him growing. The only thing that made him stop pacing endlessly was when his phone rang.

    When he looked at the caller ID, it was a call that came from Fan Xiao Yao.

    "Hello?" He answered.

    "Dada!" Little Snow''s crying voice was heard in the other line which alarmed his father.

    "Mama Yaoyao is not waking!!!"

    ¡­

    On the other hand, the last thing Shi Enxi remembered was seeing a bright light above her and hearing the faint voices coming from the doctors before she finally fainted. She felt like only a second has passed when she opened her eyes again and found herself inside a bright room.

    It wasn''t the hospital''s white room she was expecting but instead, it was a room she saw multiple times in her dream.

    No¡­ this can''t be¡­

    She turned and her eyes widened upon seeing the same scene she saw in her dream: Her daughter and Fan Xiao Yao.

    "Have you made your choice?" A voice beside her was heard.

    She turned her head to look at the owner of the voice and saw an old man with a sad smile on his lips. "I''m sorry, dear. You have to choose."

 Chapter 279 - Do you hate me?

    Fifteen years after¡­

    "Mello, wake up. Mello~"

    Lu Mello slowly opened his eyes and saw his beautiful wife, smiling sweetly at him. "Enxi¡­"

    "How can you sleep this much when your wife is hungry? Go get me some food now!" She ordered as she sat up and crossed her arms.

    A small smile appeared on his lips, "Alright, alright, let me get you some food." He sat up as well and instead of getting out of the bed, he ended up staring at his wife. He watched her walk towards the balcony to greet the morning sun. Once again, he couldn''t help but be enchanted at the way the wind blew against her, making her hair sway beautifully.

    Although his adoration for his wife was interrupted when a sudden knock was heard.

    "Dad, breakfast is ready." A boy''s young voice was heard outside.

    "Alright, I''ll be there in a moment." This time, he got out of the bed and head out of the room only to see his 18 years old son, Lu Xueren, waiting for him.

    Lu Xueren has mixed features inherited from his parents which made him look charming in many ways. His sharp eyes were just like his mother''s. It didn''t hide the same craftiness his mother had. On the other hand, when he smiled, the similarity with his father was seen. Except for his smile, he also inherited his father''s brown, wavy hair. He was the complete mixture of his parents. The boy was wearing a formal attire, a black suit.

    It was only normal to wear something formal since they were going to visit her.

    As they both headed downstairs, they were greeted by a young girl, wearing a white dress. Her long black hair was tied into a high ponytail.

    "Eh? Why aren''t you dressed up yet, dad?" The girl turned to her brother and glared, "Gege, I told you to wake him up earlier!"

    Lu Xuelan grew up to be a lovely girl who inherited most of her features from her mother except for her amber eyes.

    A sudden laugh was heard, "Mello, you''ve been sleeping in lately! If I know better, I would think that you''re the one who''s pregnant, not me!" Shi Enxi joked.

    Lu Mello sighed, "I''ll prepare after having my breakfast."

    It was supposed to be a sad day and yet, their place was filled with laughter and smiles. It was warm. She would definitely prefer something like this instead of sulking for her.

    ¡­

    Upon arriving at their destination, they all stood in front of a tombstone that stood near a cliff.

    Each of them placed down the flowers they brought before they stood there for a while.

    "What was she like?" It was the first time Lu Xuelan asked something about her since she has always avoided such questions when it came to her family. It was like an unwritten rule in the house to never to talk about her. She never brought the topic about her and so did her brother. Their father was always busy so the topic about her never came out throughout the years.

    Both her father and brother were quiet for a while, not answering her question. Lu Xueren was young when she died so he couldn''t really remember the time he spent with her that''s why he didn''t have any answers with him. On the other hand, their father would always keep his mouth shut every time they visited her grave. He would never say a word until they left the place.

    "She was someone who wouldn''t back down without a fight."

    Both Lu Xueren and his sister ended up looking at the person who arrived.

    The man who walked towards them was none other than Huang Li. His son, Huang Mingyu was walking beside him with a bouquet of roses.

    "A strong-willed woman who refused to let others look down on her," Huang Li continued.

    "Uncle Huang¡­"

    "She was the person who taught me how to be brave¡­" This time, it was a woman who said the words.

    Behind Huang Li, Fan Xiao Yao followed, and beside her was another young boy who was a few months younger than Lu Xuelan.

    "Your mother is the bravest person I know¡­" Fan Xiao Yao said with a sad smile.

    Lu Mello couldn''t bear to listen to them as they talked about his wife that''s why he turned and left them there. He headed straight towards the rest house that he built for her.

    "Dad¡­" Lu Xuelan lowered her head after seeing her father leave.

    "He''ll be fine¡­ like he always is after this day pass¡­" Her brother patted her head gently as he tried to comfort her.

    ¡­

    Lu Mello headed straight to the attic of the house. There was a room in the attic where walls were filled with pictures of his family but mostly his wife. He now added the newly discovered things in that mini-museum he made for his wife. After placing the box on the shelf, he turned and stared at a photo of his smiling wife.

    How can she leave him without even saying farewell? Without even a warning?

    "I should have a big photo over there!" Shi Enxi suddenly exclaimed as she pointed at a wall. "Ah wait, not my photo, let''s have a big wedding photo over instead!"

    A wedding that never happened¡­

    He closed his eyes as he inhaled deeply, "How many more years before I can join you?"

    The room became quiet and the figure of his beloved wife disappeared in the room. The only thing he has of her was the memories of her. Every morning, every afternoon, every night, she was only living in his memories.

    He stayed inside the room for a while until someone finally called him, "Dad¡­"

    Lu Mello turned and saw his daughter peeking at the side.

    "Can I¡­ come in?"

    A small smile appeared on his lips as he opened his arms for her, "Come."

    His daughter entered the room and carefully approached him. She stopped when she was just a step away from him. She hesitated in giving a hug. Ever since she learned how her mother died, she distanced herself from her father as she began blaming herself for her death.

    There were times when she couldn''t understand how her father could still look at her so kindly and continue to be loving to her despite being the reason for her mother''s death. She couldn''t understand why he would continue to approach her even if she continued to push him. She never understood why and she couldn''t bring herself to ask him that question.

    She didn''t know what came into her but that day, questions she couldn''t ask him kept on slipping out her mouth, "Dad, do you hate me?"

 Chapter 280 - Dont you blame me?

    Lu Mello was surprised by the sudden question his daughter asked which made her look at her with wide eyes.

    Lu Xuelan clenched her fists tightly as she forced herself to look at her father. Her eyes were filled with tears and pain. Just by seeing this room, she knew how much her father must have loved her mother. "D-do you blame me for mom''s death?" It was a question she has always wanted to ask.

    She has always thought that it was a mistake for her to have been born. Dad should have saved her mother instead of her since they could always have another child if they chose to abandon her.

    "No, I never blamed you."

    Her father''s answer broke a dam of water inside the child as she ended up bursting into tears. "W-Why? D-don''t you¡­ don''t you hate me¡­ for taking away mom-"

    She was cut off when she suddenly felt a pair of strong arms that hugged her.

    "It''s not your fault Xiao Lan. Her death is not your fault¡­" Lu Mello said gently as he embraced his daughter close. "It was no one''s fault¡­"

    "B-but¡­ don''t you blame me?"

    "Your mother loved you dearly even while you were still inside her. Just like her, I have loved you as well. She wanted you to live. That''s how much she loved you that''s why I don''t blame you for her death¡­ I never blamed you¡­"

    Lu Xuelan buried her face on his c.h.e.s.t as she began crying out loud. All this time, she has always blamed herself. She wanted to know her mother, to feel her warmth. She has always yearned for her mother''s touch to which she was devoid of.

    "Shh, don''t cry, okay?" He leaned back and gently wiped her tears with his hands. "Your brother and I never blamed you so you shouldn''t blame yourself as well, okay?"

    It was as if a great burden was suddenly lifted from her c.h.e.s.t when she heard his words. Those words were enough to comfort her.

    "D-daddy¡­" She sniffled, her tears continued to flow out her eyes.

    "If your mom was here, she''ll definitely scold you for crying like this." Lu Mello joked as he continued to wipe his daughter''s tears. "Do you know how sharp your mother''s tongue was? If you don''t want to be called a ''weakling'' by her, don''t cry. I can already hear her saying ''I didn''t give birth to you just for you to become a crybaby!"

    Lu Xuelan finally stopped crying and instead of sobs, a laugh escaped her lips, "Mama''s that bad?"

    "Ahh, your mother is more than bad, sweetie." He chuckled. "She''s more than bad."

    "If more than bad then¡­ evil?!" She gasped in surprise.

    "Yes, that''s the right word for her."

    Even when she died, she was so evil for leaving everyone so suddenly.

    He released her from his hug before he walked towards a shelf and pulled out a photo album, "Your mother is the most meanest person I know."

    "Dad, there''s no ''most meanest'' you know." She walked towards him and took a glance at the photo album.

    "Exactly." He chuckled lightly as he opened the album. "But your mother was one. Your mother was a schemer. Even after I married her, I still can''t get used to what''s going in her mind."

    "Then why did you marry her? How did you fall for her?"

    He paused from flipping the pages as he thought about his past with his wife. He ended up chuckling as he continued, "She gave me a strong love potion."

    "¡­" Lu Xuelan ended being speechless. "What? No way! There''s no such thing as love potion! Come on, dad, tell me how you fall in love with someone like mom!"

    "Ah, this is going to be a long story. I don''t think a day will be enough."

    "That''s fine, this is our house so we can stay as long as we like." Lu Xueren entered the room with a grin on his lips.

    He was standing since earlier outside the room, quietly listening to their conversation until he finally decided to come out and join them.

    "Fine, fine. Let me tell you how I first met your wicked mother but before I do, we need to have some snacks."

    With that, the atmosphere in the place became lively again and for the years to come. Lu Mello watched his children grow up.

    Death was a painful truth. It was also a foggy road that one must go through to finally see the clearing. Life may be the beginning, but who was to say that death was the last part? What if death was actually the middle of the story that we all have to read through just to reach the place beyond it?

    He was left alone in that small house. A man who has grown in age, an old man who became the witness of so many events. The only thing he waited for was his death. He has been waiting for death to knock at his doors for so many years and yet it never visited him. It was unfair that he gets to grow old alone when he has always dreamed of growing old with his beloved wife, He was getting impatient.

    It was a stormy day and he was standing alone in front of his wife''s tomb, all drench. "You should have visited me even once¡­ don''t you know how much I missed you?"

    Despite his question, only the sound of heavy rain and strong wind was heard.

    He raised his head and closed his eyes. His tears mixed with the raindrops that fell on him. He waited and waited. He tried to be patient but at this old age, things were getting harder for him as he missed her even further now that he was alone. Their children were already grown up and have lives of their own.

    "Enxi¡­ I miss you¡­" He finally gave up. He began walking towards the edge of the cliff. "I''m sorry, I can''t wait anymore¡­" And with that, he took a step to his downfall.

    In his last moments, as his body fell, he saw his wife''s face, reaching out to his face until she was able to hold him. "Mello¡­" She leaned forward, placing a soft kiss on his lips.

    "I guess angels come in stormy seas too¡­"

    -END

 Chapter 281 - Not a chapter: The Devil who devoured Snow White

    SYNOPSIS:

    "Her beauty knows no bound. She has the elegance of a rose. That''s right. She is a rose. Beautiful... with thorns."

    ...

    Once upon a time, there was a girl named Snow White who ran away from her fath- *ahem* the evil king just to protect her seven charming men from being killed. Supporting these seven men was never easy especially when she was in charge of their food and lodging. Thankfully, her brother was a siscon. With his help, despite having her bank account freeze by the evil king, money was not a problem anymore.

    Until one day, a tragic accident happened which caused her to lose all her memories. Not only that, it even caused her to finally get the attention of the cold, ruthless, BLOOD-LOVING Devil. There was no prince. Nope. He was not a dreamy prince. There was nothing so princely about him.

    The Devil pushed the door open and cast his eyes on the woman who was tying her hair up into a high ponytail. "Are you done yet?"

    "Almost!" Snow White happily exclaimed. She checked herself one last time in the mirror and was satisfied with how she looked. "We hardly have a night out, I want to dress beautifully for it."

    "It doesn''t matter what you wear, it''s all coming off at the end anyway."

    "..." She looked at him in disbelief, her cheeks burning red. Weren''t they just going out for a dinner date? She thought of a perfect excuse to reject him. "My period came earlier."

    The side of his lips curled up into a smirk as he cheekily replied, "a real warrior is not afraid to have his sword drench in blood."

    "..."

    He truly was a blood-loving Devil. *sigh* Poor Snow White.

    EXCERPT:

    "You bitch! What are you doing here?!!" The woman who she remembered as Bai Jingye''s mother, Xu Chen, came rushing to her like a furious animal.

    The next moment, a loud crispy slap was heard across the room.

    Xu Chen glared down at the younger woman in front of her, "I will never accept an illiterate like you as my family! Get out of MY house!!!"

    ''Illiterate? The lion, the witch, and the audacity of this bitch! Did she just call me illiterate?!'' Fumed Mengmeng in mind. Sure, she could feel the stinging sensation on her cheek after the slap but she saw it coming.

    Weird. Instead of stopping her mother-in-law, she didn''t mind accepting it. She was her mother-in-law. She didn''t want to be rude. She should have known that she would be meeting this woman soon enough after arriving in her husband''s place.

    "Mother," she slowly turned her head and looked at her with strange calmness in her eyes which startled the other woman. She wasn''t surprised or bothered by the slap she received.

    For some reason, the way she looked at her made Xu Chen feel anxious at the sudden change in Mengmeng''s eyes. There was something about her presence that told her that she wasn''t as docile as she thought she was which made her arrogance decline,

    "Y-You... you dared to call me mother?! A stupid woman like you?! You have no right to call me ''mother''!!!"

    The bizarre air coming from Mengmeng¡­ how should she describe it? Ah¡­ what was that saying again?

    A calm before the storm.

    "If you are going to insult me, then please do your research properly," the way she spoke to her was polite and yet, at the same time, sharp and insolent. "I believe illiterate is a wrong word to describe me. You see, I can read and write. I know proper manners too¡­ Mother."

    Mengmeng didn''t notice that she ended up staring intensely at Xu Chen when she recalled a small part of her past. Even if she didn''t mean it, the way she looked at her mother-in-law didn''t belong to a sheep but instead¡­ it was like that of a predator who was about to jump on her prey.

    "W-Wang Yan!" Xu Chen shouted, calling the head maid. She clenched her fists tightly as she continued, "take this stupid woman out! Throw her things outside!"

    Mengmeng was clearly not in the mood to entertain her mother-in-law now that a part of her memory returned. She wanted to think more of what she recalled, maybe she would be able to remember more?

    "Calling me a stupid woman..." she paused, the side of her lips curled up into a smile. How many times has she heard that word already? "... I don''t think that''s enough to insult me as well. There are better ways to insult me, mother. Would you like me to give you an example?"

    It was like an evil spirit entered Mengmeng''s body. The devious smile that appeared on her lips sent shivers down the other woman''s body. The urge to run away filled the bodies of those who were present in the room.

    Xu Chen staggered and was lost of words at that moment but at the same time, anger flared her up. She was not going to give in so easily! Not to a woman like her! "I-is that how you talk to someone older than you?!"

    "Using that card this time, huh?" Mengmeng chuckled, amused. "So what if you''re older? Are you even worthy of my respect?"

    If there was someone who could really hit a nerve of hers with their insults, those two women should be- huh?

    A crease ended up forming in between her brows at the thought of remembering something. She was about to recall something again¡­

    Those two women? What was she thinking about? Who could be those two women?

    She tried to force herself to remember but instead of remembering, a sharp pain filled her head, making her hold her head as she crouched and g.r.o.a.n.e.d in pain.

    ------

    AN:

    I would like everyone to know that this is my last book for my modern fairy tales so I hope you can give me your full support! (TT_TT)

    Mengmeng''s book is out! Please support my WSA 2021 entry! This book is my entry for Spirity so I hope you can give me all your support! Reading your comments and reviews gives me more inspiration to write! Please give this novel a chance. I hope you can accompany me on my writing journey for this book until the end! <3

    Updates: 2 Chapters/day

    [WARNING: BOOK HAS MATURE CONTENT. Don''t read if you are under 18. You can come back once you''ve reached 18 *winks*]

    Author: BerriApplepi

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    IG: @berriapplepi

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