《Reborn: The Return of the Villainous Mr. Liu》 Chapter ?1 Mr. Liu Is Back Chapter ?1 Mr. Liu Is Back "All I wanted was a perfect love story. But I forgot viins don''t get happy endings." - Mr. Liu. *** Jun suddenly woke up with a gasp. He was sweating profusely and breathing restlessly. He looked around in a daze and was in a shock for several minutes. He slowly got up and looked at himself in the mirror. He heard the usual chitter chatter of his siblings fooling around in the house. The door opened, and he stiffened. "Oof, Jun. You are awake, but why is the room still so dark? It feels so gloomy¡­" Jun stared hard at the figure as she opened the curtains. The sudden sunlight blinded him, and he instinctively shut his eyes. "Yup, now it''s all good! All bright and sunny!" He then felt the woman pinching his cheeks as sheughed. "Good morning, Jun." His eyelids gradually fluttered open again, and he saw his mother, Liu Nana, standing before him. "...Mom." Nana chuckled. "Yes. Why do you look so surprised? Look at your bed hair. So cute haha," She ruffled his hair, "Now,e on. Breakfast is ready. Be quick or you know how the twins are. They will gobble up everything." turned and left. Jun kept standing with an unreadable expression on his face. At the breakfast table, Jun quietly took his seat. His whole family was there. His twin elder brothers and his grandfather were bickering like usual over food. The atmosphere was the same. Jun saw the egg rolls on his te cooked by Nana. He could feel the warm steam at his fingertips. He picked a roll and put it in his mouth. To the others, Jun didn''t seem any different. Everybody left to do their own work after the breakfast ended. Only Jun remained. "Jun? You are still here?" Nana asked. "I thought you left." Jun looked up and parted his lips. "I¡­am hungry." She blinked. "Hungry? Oh no! Wasn''t it enough? Did the twins sneakily steal your food again? Tell me, I will give them an earful!" "No. They didn''t. Mom¡­Mom¡­" he held her hand, "Cook for me again, no? Pork chops, dumplings, chicken soup, fried rice, mapo tofu¡­I want to eat everything." "Silly. Do you want to burst your stomach like a balloon?" "Mom, please." Nana pursed her lips, concerned. "Are you okay, Jun?" "No. I am not okay. I am really hungry." Nana couldn''t point out what was wrong with him, but she felt something was off. But she also felt that he didn''t want to say it right now. She tapped on his nose. "Alright. I will cook whatever you want. Hehe, today I will spoil you with the most yummy feast." Nana cooked all his favorite dishes and brought them out piping hot. Jun gobbled it all up as if he hadn''t eaten in ages. A piece of this, a piece of that - he stuffed it all in his mouth like a squirrel. "Slow down. The food isn''t going anywhere," she chuckled. He paused but said nothing. After he was done, he rested his head against her belly and wrapped his hands around her waist. "You are the best, Mom. You make the yummiest food." Nana lovingly brushed her fingers through his hair. "Good, good. You are growing so fast. You should eat lots." Though she wondered about his method of eating today. He always ate with proper table manners, unlike the twins who didn''t bother with etiquettes that much. They stuffed whatever came their way. For the first time, Jun ate like them today so voraciously. Jun hugged her tighter. "Mom." "Hm?" ? "I am sorry." "Silly. You don''t have to apologize for being spoiled. You hardly make any demands in the first ce. You are my son. A mother likes it the most when her children eat heartily, haha." Jun smiled. He got up and kissed her cheek. "I want to¡­meet Dad. I will be on my way." Nana stared at him. "Are you really okay, Jun? You can always tell me if something''s bothering you." He smiled again. "I really am okay, Mom." "...Alright. If you say so. I-If you want, you can take a day off today and rest at home." A flicker of something passed through his eyes. "No. I have a very important thing to do." ¡ª Liu underworld base. Liu Jinhai was busy giving some instructions to his guards about a mission when the front guard came in. He bowed. "Boss. Young master Jun is here. He wants to meet you." Jinhai raised his brow. "Hm." He dismissed everyone and was left alone. Jun stepped inside and faced him. Jinhai''s chin rested on his finger as he studied him. "You look different today. I noticed it during breakfast too." Jun said nothing. "You never lowered your eyes before anyone. So, why are you looking down now?" Silence. "Tell me, Jun." Jun slowly lifted his gaze and met his eyes straight. "I am reborn." Jinhai stared at him. "Reborn?" "Yes." "As in?" Jun clenched his fists at the back. "As in I died but somehow came back in time. Ten years to be exact." Jinhai tapped his finger on the armrest. If his twin elder brothers, Jian and Nian had said something like this, Jinhai would have thrown them immediately in a pool of sharks because they liked to y pranks. But Jun wasn''t the type to joke around. He only said what was necessary and what was true. "So¡­you mean to say that you got a second chance to live after you died in your previous life as Liu Jun?" "Something like that. I don''t quite understand it myself." "And you have memories of your previous life?" "Yes." "Ten years. So you died at thirty-five." "Yes." "Why?" He didn''t respond. "I am waiting." Jun answered after a long silence, "Because I was a viin, Dad. I thought it was my love story. But I realized that I was the viin in somebody else''s. And now that I am reborn¡­ I vow to never be a viin again." Chapter 2 The Villain Is Banished Chapter 2 The Viin Is Banished Jinhai''s rtionship with his sons was vastly different from what he had with his daughter. He loved and spoiled his daughter the most of all. He made sure that he was friendly enough for Nuo to share her troubles with him apart from Nana if she felt like it. But for his sons, he had an irond rule. If they ever felt that they were in serious trouble someday, they were always, always supposed to tell it to Jinhai first and to Jinhai only. It was because Jinhai deeply loved Nana and as such, he didn''t want to see her in pain. So, he tried to deal with all the problems before they even reached Nana''s ears. Then again, Jinhai was afraid too. He knew his personality, and he believed his sons wouldn''t disappoint in inheriting his traits. Dark, possessive, maniptive - he knew his children would have it in them for sure too, especially his sons. Somehow, he always instinctively believed that Nuo wouldn''t be like him. His instinct was right, and Liu Nuo grew up to be Nana''s mirror image. Be it her beauty or her nature. But his sons were like him. The more they grew from toddlers to kids to teenagers and to adults, the more they exhibited those qualities. The eldest twins, Jian and Nian for most of the time, would look as if they were fooling around like some cheeky brats. But there was a streak of cunningness in their eyes which Jinhai never failed to miss. They had their own way of doing things and acting like spoiled brats was like a way of lowering everyone''s guards around them. His youngest son Jin, was a sort of amalgam between Jinhai and Nana''s personalities. He was gentle like his mother, but at times, he could be fierce like his father if he wanted to. Sometimes, his gentle smile was just a facade to hide his true self. People considered him harmless because of the smile he wore on his lips. But his hands at his back always carried a dagger to stab. His third son, Jun, had his own way. Different path but which led to the same result. He was quiet and as calm as still water. He behaved as if he was invisible to others because he always liked to be silent. Yet at the same time, people still felt his presence and his imposing aura. there was one word Jinhai felt that perfectly described Jun, then that was - Intense. He wore an impassive expression on his face all the time which led people to believe that nothing affected him much. Cold and unfeeling. But deep inside, he was a big ball of emotions raging within him. Extreme, intense feelings that would burst out if somebody poked that bubble. Right now, out of all the things that his son might have confessed to him, he chose to say something that Jinhai had trouble understanding for the first time. Rebirth? Was this even possible? And being a viin in his past life? Somehow, Jinhai wasn''t much shocked to know that. He tilted his head. "Let''s start with how you died in your previous life." He said nothing. Jinhai dangerously narrowed his eyes. "Jun." Jun lowered his gaze. "...Suicide." Jinhai trembled. His gaze was locked onto him as if he had trouble believing it. "Excuse me? Suicide?" He expected an ident or in the worst case, a murder. "Yes." "You are someone who would force a person to shoot himself in the head, not cut your own wrist." "It''s true." Silence. Jinhai moved and got up from his seat. He walked towards his son and stood in front of him. "Why?" He said nothing. ? "You should understand that my patience is limited, Jun," Jinhai''s voice at the end got colder. "I killed Jin." Jinhai stared at him unblinkingly. "Nuo''s rtionship with Siying fell apart because of me. She fell into depression. Bro Jian and Leina broke up because I was at fault. Everything was my fault. Grandma, Grandpa¡­everybody was heartbroken. After all this, I hurt the woman I love the most, Han Shui. Mom fell sick seeing her family shatter. It was thest straw when Jin died that she couldn''t hold on for longer either." Jinhai tilted his head. "Nana¡­died?" Jun''s hands at his back shook hard. "Yes-" A punchnded straight at his cheek before he couldplete his sentence. Jun dropped on his left knee, coughing blood from inside his mouth. His lower lip was stained crimson. A cut formed on his cheek. Jinhai warned. "I am giving you thest chance to take back everything you said." The punch was powerful. Jun felt the pain reach up to his head and feel delirious. His face ached like hell. "It''s¡­the truth," he breathlessly said. It was painful to move his jaw. Jinhai bent to his level and harshly pulled his face to make him look straight at him. He ordered. "Tell me everything from the beginning." And Jun did so. Without missing any part, he confessed everything. Jinhai quietly heard each and every word. There was a long silence after he was done. After it seemed like forever, Jinhai finally dered. "Don''t show your face in the Liu vi again. From today onwards, I disown you from the family and thepany. You would have no rtion with us whatsoever from now on." ¡ª The rm went off at 7 AM a weekter. Jun slowly opened his eyes. He subconsciously reached out his hand to his phone to do a routine task. But he didn''t do it. He paused. Then he quietly put his phone away. He did some stretches and morning exercise like usual. He took a shower and got ready. He cooked a few omelet rolls like he always did every Wednesday and ate his breakfast. Alone and in silence. Exactly eleven minutester, his breakfast was done. He got up, washed and cleaned the tes and put them back in their ce. All neatly and methodically. It was 8.12 AM now. Beijing''srgest public library opened at 8.30 AM. He reached the library''s entrance and saw the head librarian just unlocking the door. She was a kind woman in herte sixties. She heard the footsteps stop behind her, and she smiled. "You are always so punctual. Not even a minutete, Jun." He said nothing. She sighed. "Your silence doesn''t change either." Beijing''s public library was a three floor building with thergest amount of information and books avable anywhere in the city. Jun was an assistant librarian, and he proceeded to do his usual responsibilities for the day. The library closed at 9 PM. Jun picked his bag four minutes before and went down. The kind librarian warmly smiled at him. "Thank you for your work, Jun." At eleven PM exactly, he set the rm for the next day, switched off the lights andid back on the bed. Out of habit, he picked his phone again to do a certain task. He paused and silently kept his phone away without doing it. Again. Jun stared at the ceiling above. This was his daily life for a week now since his father disowned him from everything. From a rich young master, his life was now being reduced to living as an assistant librarian. But he didn''tin. This was his choice, after all. Every night as he nkly stared at the ceiling, Jun thought back to the time when everything had started and questioned himself. Was it the right thing to do? Chapter 3 The Woman With Some Screws Loose Chapter 3 The Woman With Some Screws Loose *Tring Tring!* Jun suddenly opened his eyes and woke up to another day with a jump. Annoyed, he stopped the rm. His breaths were slightly restless. I fell asleep. What was I thinking against night? Ah¡­ Was it the right thing to do? Jun copsed back on the bed with his arms stretched out. Was it right to tell his father the truth about his rebirth? Was it right to end his rtionship with the woman he loved the most after he was reborn? Was it right to abandon the second chance he got instead of rectifying his mistakes of past life and make a new beginning? Junughed, but there wasn''t even a speck of joy in it. Do I even have the right to be reborn? Why am I given a second chance? What''s the point? Is it to make things right again that I messed up? But what''s the use when the woman I long for doesn''t even love me back? never loved me. I was crazy for her, but she never truly fell for me. Even if I changed my ways, what would truly change in the situation? Her heart never had me anyway. She wouldn''t fall in love with me no matter what I do. He shut his eyes and thought back to that deciding moment when everything changed for him. ''Let''s break up. I finally realized that I am¡­not suited for you.'' Jun slowly opened his eyes with a question in his mind. Why am I alive again if I won''t get the perfect ending that I want? ¡ª Jun arrived at the library like usual today. He greeted the kind librarian and headed towards the third floor where his desk was. But instead of finding the floor empty like always in the early morning, he noticed someone standing in front of arge bookshelf. Jun paused. Someone is here before me¡­ Jun nced at the woman for a second and headed back at his desk not caring much about it. He started his morning routine by going through the bookshelves and checking if anything was missing. By the time he took a right turn, he suddenly stopped in his steps. The same woman was still standing in front of the bookshelf staring upwards with great concentration. She was at the same position since Jun hadst seen her. It was as if she hadn''t even moved an inch. Jun looked at his watch. It''s twenty minutes already and she is still here? His expression turned cold. This was the part he hated the most about his job. Helping people, especially women because he knew they would be spellbound by his looks and hit on him the next time they saw him, which honestly gave him an urge to just throw those women out of the third floor''s window. Is she doing this on purpose? He narrowed his eyes. He stood beside her and asked, "Any problem?" The kind librarian had said to keep his tone polite while talking to the patrons. But it always got chilly whenever it was a woman. The woman slowly turned to face him. Her gaze met his. Then she kept staring at him. Jun''s brow twitched. I knew this would happen. ? "Any problem?" His tone turned a notch icier as he repeated his question. The woman retracted her gaze. She looked up and pointed at a book. "I cannot reach it." Jun looked up and then at her. Surely, she would not reach it with her height. Jun stretched his leg and pulled adder towards him. "This is here just for that. You can adjust its height depending on how far the book is." "Naturally, I saw thedder." "So may I point out why you haven''t naturally used it yet?" He couldn''t help but get a little sarcastic. "I am scared of heights," she calmly responded. Jun frowned. "The book is not that high up even with thedder." "Nevertheless, my feet wouldn''t be on the floor, which leaves a chance for me to fall as long as I am above the ground level." "Thedder is sturdy." "I am not." "..." "So what were you doing staring at the book for so long if you didn''t want to use thedder?" "I thought if I stared at it hard enough, it would fall towards me on its own, sensing my concentration." "..." "The book doesn''t have magical powers to move on its own." "I wish they had, especially the ones sitting high up on the shelf." Silence. This woman has some screws loose, he thought. Jun pressed his brows. Annoyed, he stretched his arm and grabbed the book in a swoop. "Here." The woman took it and bowed. "Thank you." "You should have asked for help when I came twenty minutes ago." "I don''t like bothering people." Jun raised his brow. "So you don''t want to use thedder, and you don''t want to ask for help either. How exactly would you have gotten the book if I may ask?" "Maybe it would have really sensed my concentration and fallen towards me, or if a strong gust of wind blew from outside, it could knock the book out of its ce. For that matter, a small earthquake could shake it out of its ce too. If this library is haunted, maybe a ghost would have done it too, or a meteorite could have struck the book." "A meteorite would do more than just knock out the book. Where do you get this baseless confidence from that any of these events might happen just because you want a book?" "Life is unpredictable. That is my confidence." Jun tried his best to give a polite smile. "I am the assistant librarian. It''s my job to help the patrons here." Even if I hate it. "So ask me for help next time instead of standing like a lifeless statue and imagining impossible events happening for your convenience." The woman pursed her lips. She bowed a thank you for his help again and turned. But she stopped and looked back at him. Jun squinted his eyes. The woman said, "I forgot to rify something. It seems you have a misunderstanding that I am interested in you because I stared at you." He blinked once. "Rest assured that''s not the case. I won''t look at you that way. You are not my type." Chapter 4 Nightmare Chapter 4 Nightmare Jun sat back at his desk and unlocked hisputer''s ount. He nced at the woman, who was quietly seated at a faraway bench, reading the book. ''You are not my type.'' Jun had to admit that her words took him aback. It had taken him a moment to register what she had said. He shrugged. Whatever. It''s good that way otherwise¡­ Just then, a beautiful woman walked up to his desk, pushing back a lock of her hair behind her ear with an inviting smile. "Sir. I am not able to find a book I need. Will you please help me out?" She didn''t bother to hide that she was hitting on him and the fact that she was pushing her chest forward. Jun''s eyes were dark and cold like always. Otherwise there are these women who don''t know their ce. The head librarian had said to be kind to the patrons. He didn''t heed to it. "Do you see theputers stationed at regr intervals throughout this floor?" She blushed. "Yes." you know how to use aputer?" "Of course. Who doesn''t know how to use aputer these days?" "Did you read the instruction pamphlet stuck at the entrance of this floor?" "Unfortunately, I didn''t. Whenever Ie here, you are the only one I can see." "Then you should start using your eyeballs to read the instructions first rather than checking out the staff. It''s clearly written that all theputers have data about which book is located at which section and bookshelf right down to the exact position from left or right of the shelf. Type in the book name, and you will get it. Now, leave." Jun didn''t spare another nce at her. The woman was visibly embarrassed, and the other people at hearing distance couldn''t help but giggle. "That was savage." "Serves her right. This is a library, not a hooking spot." Jun stared at the other women with a chilly gaze. "Right. This is a library. So, be quiet." They immediately shut their mouths. The woman lost all her face. "You¡­Is this how an assistant librarian talks to a customer?" Jun replied without looking up from hisputer. "If you treat the library as a pickup spot, then yes." She gritted her teeth. "You. Just you wait! I willin about your behavior to the head librarian, and let''s see if she still keeps you at this job!" She angrily stomped away. "Excuse me." The woman smirked and turned. "What? Are you afraid now of losing your job?" "No. I want to say to walk normally. Your heels are being too loud. It''s disturbing other patrons here." "Pfft¡­" some of them burst intoughter, but they immediately quietened down noticing Jun''s re. "You¡­I will definitely make you lose this job today!" The woman at the faraway bench saw the wholemotion too. She took out a small notebook and pen, wrote something in it and put it back in her bag again. Then she went back to reading her book. ¡ª At ten minutes to nine, the library was almost empty near its closing time except for that lone woman who met Jun. He nced at her. She was here the whole day. He was about to call her out when the woman closed the book and got up from her seat. ? Was she reading the same book the whole day? He then remembered that she was supposed to put the book back at its ce after it was done reading. But how would she? The woman stopped near the bookshelf and stared up at the empty position where the book was supposed to be kept back. She didn''t use thedder. She didn''t call for his help either. Jun rapidly tapped his finger in impatience. Finally, it ended, and he stood beside her again. He folded his arms. "What miracle are you expecting now for the book to get back in its ce?" She faced him. "Maybe if I concentrate hard enough-" "The book will not get wings to fly." She pursed her lips. Jun grabbed the book and nced at it. It was a romantic ssic - Romeo and Juliet. His brow twitched in annoyance. He kept it back and shut the shelf. The woman bowed. "Thank you." Then she stared at him just like she did in the morning, making Jun stare back at her as if it was apetition to who would blink first. He stared at her brown irises that were simr to his. Jun had his mother''s brown eyes, but they were a bit darker shade than the woman in front of him. Out of nowhere, a question popped in his mind. Her eyes¡­ Where have I seen them before? He then blinked first, breaking him from his stupor. "I win," she said. "Huh?" "You were definitely treating this as some staring contest. You blinked first. I won." Jun wryly smiled. "Congrattions. You have talents in such an unexpected area. You took my breath away." The woman thought for a moment and said, "My name is Zhou Ai. Thank you for helping me twice today." Jun narrowed his eyes. He didn''t respond and simply walked away. ¡ª Back at home, Jun dumped his bag and copsed on the couch. It wasn''t a tiring day, but he still felt as if it was. He stared at the empty space ahead, and Zhou Ai''s face suddenly appeared - Her eyes to be exact. Then he felt a headacheing. He pressed the space in between his brows and felt more annoyed than before. Damn¡­That woman is such a headache. I hope she doesn''te back again. In the middle of the night as Jun was asleep, he became uneasy and frequently tossed from side to side. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and he messily breathed in and out. ''Jin¡­Jin¡­Wake up Jin. Jun. What did you do to him?'' ''He-he is not breathing anymore¡­Jun, you¡­you killed him?'' A woman broke into loud cries as she mourned. Jun nkly stared at his brother''s dead body and the bullet in his chest. His hand, which held the gun, trembled violently. ''Jin¡­Jin¡­Jin¡­'' The scene then cut to the part as Jun rashly drove his car at night after Jin''s death. His vision blurred due to his tears. He kept speeding up. ''Jin. I killed you, Jin. I killed my little brother,'' he chuckled. "I killed Mom too...It''s all my fault." ''But don''t worry. I will join you soon. I don''t¡­deserve to live anymore.'' He sped and sped until the car went out of control and crashed into a tall building''s main entrance. His head bled with the impact and copsed on the steering wheel. A loud thud came, and his eyes were shut forever. Chapter 5 You Are A Coward Chapter 5 You Are A Coward "Haaahhh!" Jun woke up with a jump, gasping hard. He looked down and saw his whole body was shaking very badly. It was still dark outside. The winter chill made him shudder. He clutched his throat, feeling as if somebody was strangling him. He rushed to the washroom and switched on the tap. He sshed cold water on his face again and again, but it didn''t seem to work. He didn''t realize when the tears slid down his cheeks. "Jin¡­" he whispered. Ever since he had been reborn, this was the first time that he dreamt of his past life. It shook him hard. Jin''s death and then his own¡­ He felt as if he could still feel the pain in his body after his car crashed. "Why did I suddenly dream of that time tonight?" Life was going normal after he left the Liu vi. But¡­ Heughed. "This is fine too, I guess. Fate doesn''t want me to live a happy life this time either. So what if I am reborn? It won''t¡­It won''t wash away the mistakes of my past life. I am destined to live a guilt-ridden life. Ah¡­I understand now. I didn''t pay for my sins because I killed myself. So, this is a second chance to feel that guilt and burden till I die. I am reborn to suffer. Hahaha¡­suffer, suffer, suffer¡­That''s why I am alive once again." He keptughing as his eyes grew wetter. "Ah¡­I wish I just die already¡­" walked a little slower than usual today. The distance from the bus stop to the library was only three minutes, but it took him forever. His eyes were tired. After that dream, he couldn''t get any decent sleepst night. His legs felt heavy as if his feet were chained to something, preventing him from going any further. Jun stopped in front of the huge library. He recalled the day when he had left the Liu vi. He was wandering aimlessly that day in the light drizzle of rain, not knowing what to do with his life anymore. "Ah, youngd. Will you help me a bit?" Jun turned and saw an elderly woman under an umbre, carrying a big banner. "I want to hang this above. Can you help me? My knees are a little weak." Jun''s gaze was empty. He wanted to ignore her and walk away, but something inside him didn''t let him. He took the banner and asked in a cold voice, "Where?" "Up there. It''s a banner for hiring. So, I want to disy where more people can see." On the banner, he read that they were hiring for an assistant librarian and a few other positions. Jun stared at it. He hung the banner above the main entrance as she wanted. The elderly woman was satisfied. She smiled. "Thank you so much, son. Aish, don''t get wet. You will catch a cold. Here. Take my umbre." "...Can I apply for the assistant librarian position?" She was surprised. "Do you know about books?" He nodded slightly. "I read a lot. I have a degree in Library Science too." Books were a ce where Jun always found his joy. He hadn''t figured out what to do ahead in his life. Actually, there was a thing, but for now, he thought he could at least be somewhere where he would be at peace. She was delighted. "Oh my! That''s wonderful. Sure, if you are interested, I am more than happy to wee you. I will take a short interview if you don''t mind." "Hm." "Thank you so much. It has been really difficult these days. Your generation doesn''t seem to be much interested in books anymore. But I am so d to meet you. My name is Quan Su. I am the head librarian here." "I am Li-" He stiffened. I am not a part of the family anymore. ? "Jun. My name is Jun." She warmly nodded. "En. Oh. Come inside quickly. It''s raining even harder now." Jun broke out of his trance at present as he heard a loud honk of a car. "Hey! Stand aside," A furious driver yelled. "You are almost in the middle of the road. Do you want to die?" Jun didn''t move. He looked at the man, who suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. "H-Hmph. I am just telling you to be careful¡­" he quickly drove away. Jun looked fixedly at the road. The cars passed by him from one side to the other. Feeling numb for some reason, he took a step ahead. ''Do you want to die?'' Ah yes¡­It would be so good if I just died¡­ I am not needed. I am not loved. Then why am I even alive? A car was continuously honking as Jun was steadily reaching the middle of the road. "Oi! Step aside!!!" Jun turned his head and saw a caring dangerously closer to hit him. A smile grew on his lips. Finally¡­ But he was suddenly pulled back as somebody grabbed his arm. The car drove past him, and he was safe. Jun was in a daze for a while. What just happened? He looked down and saw a delicate hand holding onto his elbow. His gaze traveled up, and he recognized Zhou Ai. "You." Looking into her eyes, the scene of his car crash and his death shed in his mind again. His brows slightly crinkled as he felt a dull pain in his head. Jun coldly shook her off. "You-" *SLAP* He didn''t see her ping at all. Before he knew it, he felt his cheek stinging. He rapidly blinked his eyes in shock. Did she just¡­ "You are a coward," Ai stated. Her tone wasn''t particrly sharp or cold or pointing, but it carried a pressure of its own. "You are insensitive too. You must have a lot of things going on in your life. I don''t know what things and what pain you are going through. But ending your life like this is never an option." He stiffened. "I wasn''t-" "Don''t try to fool me. You wanted that car to hit you. Your eyes said everything. You were smiling too." He clenched his fists. "Do your parents love you?" He thought about Jinhai and Nana. "...Yes." "Then you should be ashamed of yourself," Ai said nothing more and left towards the library. Chapter 6 It Was Her Chapter 6 It Was Her Three days passed by after that incident. Jun carried on with his life like usual. Ai woulde to the library everyday too. But after that day, they hadn''t spoken to each other at all. Jun''s gaze frequently went into the direction where she would sit and quietly do her work. What is this uneasiness I am feeling? He felt as if he was supposed to talk to her, but about what? Time passed, more people kepting and going, but Jun''s uneasiness didn''t fade away. He entirely skipped his lunch break because he didn''t feel hungry anymore. During the lunch hour, the library was much quieter. On the third floor right now, only he and Ai were there. Jun was working on hisputer, but he was making too many silly mistakes today with the budget calctions. He banged his palms on the desks and got up, feeling angry at himself. The sound echoed, and Ai jolted. She saw Juning towards her. "Can we talk?" Ai closed the book she was reading. "Yes?" Jun pulled out a chair and sat opposite her. Even though he said he wanted to talk to her, his expression wasn''t that friendly. He tapped his finger on the desk. Ten minutes passed with him saying nothing. Ai opened her book and started reading again. Jun frowned. "What are you doing?" "You can take your time until you gather your thoughts." His face darkened. "I know what to say." "Then say it." "I¡­I¡­" he looked to the left, "I¡­" His gaze got even colder. He had never done this before. "Is it so difficult to say thank you?" Ai asked. His brow twitched. "Thank you for saving me that day," although his tone wasn''t that warm as it should have been towards his savior. Ai ced her palm on a page and faced him. "Your thanks would only hold its meaning if you have realized that what you were trying to do was wrong." Jun''s countenance was solemn. "Do you know what was wrong?" He said nothing. "You took your life lightly." He shook. Ai lowered her head. "Life is a precious gift. Do you understand how fortunate you are to live as a human being? You can talk, think, feel - something that only humans can do. You can do so many things. You can achieve anything you desire. You can make your dreamse true. That is the liberty only humans have." She raised her head. "Life is not that long for you to shorten it by your own hands." Jun''s eyes slowly widened. He was unable to speak anything. That was what he was doing. He killed himself in his past life. He was going to do the same thing this time too. He was reborn. But he was about to waste that second chance too. What else should I do? Achieve anything I desire? His gaze dimmed. My only desire was to have her. Did I get it? ? "Also, you shouldn''t thank me. Instead, you should apologize to your parents. You were heartless to make them heartbroken over their son''s death. No parents would ever want to suffer this grief." They heard whispers of peopleing up. Lunch break was over. Jun nced at her once and quickly left. Ai was quiet for a moment and then went back to reading. ¡ª In the corridor, Jun paced back and forth, having difficulty in deciding whether he should call his father or not. ''You shouldn''t thank me. Instead, you should apologize to your parents.'' Jun seriously thought about it. He had no reason to confess his second suicide attempt to Jinhai and make him disappointed in him even more. But he also felt that he should let it all out. Jun stared at Jinhai''s number. Not now though¡­Maybeter. Or maybe I should get done with it? Jun felt a headache again. He suddenly felt tired. He went back to his desk and saw Ai still in her chair, this time, writing something in a notebook. He let out a breath and put his head on his hands to rest. He closed his eyes and before he knew it, he was asleep. He dreamed of the car crash again. For thest three nights, the scene of his death shed again and again. Jun speeding up his car to a dangerous level, the car losing control and finally crashing into a building - everything came in slow motion. Jun''s head banged on the steering wheel. Blood oozed out of his head, dripping down and staining his clothes. He heard the shrieks and screams of the people around him, shocked witnessing the sudden crash. "Oh my God! Help him!" "Somebody please call an ambnce!" "Is it a drink and drive case? That man must be definitely drunk!" "So horrible!" Jun could vaguely hear them using him. But he simply faintly smiled. His vision was slowly blurring. The sounds he heard were fading away. He could feel his ending. Ah¡­Finally. Everything ends here¡­ Suddenly, a loud bang came from the top of his car. The car shook hard for a few moments. There was a sharp silence before everybody screeched in horror. "Ahhhhhhh!!" "The woman¡­the woman just fell from above the building!" "She crashed onto the man''s car!" "What is going on!?" Jun heard more screams than before. The panicked voices made his already buzzing head even more painful. As he painfully looked ahead, the sight of the crowd surrounding his car got blocked as a woman copsed on the car''s hood. The car''s windshield was already shattered into pieces by the crash. Jun faintly saw the womannd on the hood on her belly. He saw her slowly getting covered in something crimson. His blurry gaze met the woman''s eyes. For a few seconds, he stared at her. Through the haziness, he still got some rity which broke on and off. He didn''t know if it was his imagination, but he felt as if he saw tears fill her eyes. She ever so slowly raised her bloody hand towards him through the shattered windshield. Jun''a gaze was turning nk and empty. Why is she reaching out to me¡­? But something in her eyes felt so strongly familiar to Jun that his hand automatically moved in response. With thest bit of his strength, his hand copsed on top of hers. He saw the woman''s eyes shut, and then he finally closed his eyes too. Forever. ¡ª Jun suddenly woke up with a start. He breathed hard. His eyes were wide in shock. As he looked up, he saw Ai staring at him, puzzled. It finally dawned upon Jun why he had the same dream again and again. Her¡­It was her. It was Zhou Ai who fell from the building that night. Chapter 7 MissImperfectlyFine Chapter 7 MissImperfectlyFine A few minutes ago, Ai had seen Jun rubbing his head in pain and dozing off to sleep on his desk. It was still the middle of his duty, so it was strange that he chose to take a nap now. Some people whispered to themselves about how the assistant librarian was cking on his job. But looking at him, Ai felt as if something was bothering him. In the morning, she noticed that hisplexion didn''t look quite good. His eyes looked tired. When he talked to her to thank her, his voice sounded more edgy and uneasy than when he had talked to her before. Didn''t he have any sleepst night? Jun seemed to be lethargic. So even if Ai wanted another book which was ced high up in the bookshelf and would definitely need his help in fetching it; she chose not to go for it. Instead, she picked a book which she could easily reach with her height. Ai kept reading, but her gaze frequently averted to his side. When it was the fourth time, she noticed that he was ufortably moving in his seat. She blinked and slightly tilted her head. She quietly walked up to him and saw him indeed trembling. She faintly heard him raggedly breathing. Ai thought about it. She raised her arm to shake his shoulder when Jun woke up on his own with a jump. His forehead was sweating, and his brown irises seemed unfocussed. He looked at her in a stupor. Ai didn''t understand what happened. There was a bottle at his side. She picked it and poured some water in a ss. "You don''t look so good. If you are sick, you should go home and rest," Ai said as she brought forward the ss. "...How long was I sleeping?" "Not much. Only fifteen minutes." Jun took the ss and drank a few sips while his eyes were fixed on her. are you staring at me?" He choked on the water. "I am not." "You were." He shot a cold re but recalling her dying expression in herst moments made him retract his iciness. "You¡­" "Yes?" He felt as if he had a lot of things to say but at the same time, he didn''t. "Nothing. I am fine. You can go back." Ai was quiet. Then she slowly nodded and left. Jun saw her retreating back. I am reborn ten years back in time. She died the same time I did. That means¡­ She has only ten more years to live. He knew everything about his past life, and he had decided to avoid all the things that would lead to the tragic ending of hisst life. But now, he came to know about someone''s fate other than his own. Jun lowered his head and stared at his palm as he wondered. Why did I reach out to her at that time? Now that he thought about it, Jun felt it was more shocking than ever. In his whole past life, he had never even once turned his gaze towards another woman. His heart only had his childhood sweetheart. But in his dying moments, he held onto aplete stranger who he had never met before. The meeting with Ai was his first and hisst one. So why in that extremely miniscule amount of time did I feel like holding her hand? Jun tilted his head in deep thought. He never met Ai in his previous life. But coincidentally, he met her this time. He felt strange knowing that the woman who died with him was in front of him right now. Did this happen because I left home and became an assistant here? Since he wasn''t following the fate of hisst life, things took a new turn in his second life. Naturally, situations wouldn''t be exactly as they were before. But now the question was - What was he going to do with it? Ai was going to die in ten years by falling off a building. Jun narrowed his eyes. He had worked in the Underworld with his father long enough for him to smell the trouble from miles away. Falling off a building¡­doesn''t seem like a suicide to me. ? Plus, the way she had pped him and reprimanded him of his own suicide attempt was more than enough for him to believe that Ai wasn''t someone to give up on her life. ident? Or¡­ Murder? Jun nced at Ai. She didn''t seem to be a woman who could make enemies. But appearances were deceptive. Sometimes, it only needed a fickle reason for someone to treat you as their enemy. So should he meddle in her life and warn her of her fate somehow? ¡ª The next day. "Ah there you are, Jun." Mrs. Quan Su warmly smiled at him. "Do you feel better now?" "I was never sick." "Liar. You seemed so pale yesterday, and I heard you took a nap in the middle of your duty. You shouldn''t work too hard," she sighed, "I told you to take a day off today." "I feel stuffy at home," he said without much emotion. "What is this banner?" "Ah, yes. I am organizing a small event the day after tomorrow. Will you help me around in the evening?" "Hm." Reaching his usual desk on the third floor, Jun kept his bag aside and started hisputer. Ai was already on her seat, fiddling with her phone. Jun still didn''t know what to do about the fact that he knew about her death. *Ding* A soft message popup sound came from hisputer. Jun opened the chat window of an online readers forum and saw a familiar username pinging in the server. [Warlord - Ahh somebody please help! *crying emote x 3* My sis forced me to read a book It was such a torture! Let this brother share his pain!] It was early morning, so not many were online. [Warlord - Somebody talk to meeeeeeee! Yo dude @MrPerfect! I know you are definitely here!] Jun was annoyed. He kept ignoring, but the user was incessantly pinging him. Mr.Perfect was his username. He coldly typed. [Fuck off.] [Warlord - You heartless creature! You will understand it too! You have read MissImperfectlyFine''s novels right? I was made to read one of those!] Jun''s countenance went sour. MissImperfectlyFine¡­ Was an author who had published three novels until now. But what bothered Jun was that all her novels had mncholic, tragedy or bitter-sweet endings. Which Jun absolutely hated. [MrPerfect - My condolences.] [Warlord - Ughh why is that author like that? She writes not so bad¡­but what problem does she have with happy endings?] [Hm.] [Her books are such a torture.] [Hm.] [And do you know? Didn''t you feel something off with her story? Is that why she is covering her faults by giving such a bad ending to her readers?] [Hm.] [Say something else too!] [Fuck off.] [Hey!] *Ding* Jun nced at the notification. MissImperfectlyFine has just joined Reading Point. Say hi! Chapter 8 Why Cant You Give A Perfect Ending? Chapter 8 Why Can''t You Give A Perfect Ending? Reading Point was an online chat forum where fanatic readers talked about theirmon interests and love for books. It was a ce for them to explore and express their love for literature. Jun was an avid reader. In his past life too, he was a member of this forum. Many things changed in his new life, but his love for books remained the same. That''s why, even if he cut himself off from his family, he didn''t do so from the world of books. Over time, Jun had read numerous books. But the ones that always poked him irritatingly were MissImperfectlyFine''s novels. Jun hated tragic endings. But even though he disliked her books, he kepting back to read them again and again. It was the same in his past life. The endings pulled him apart, but something in her novels made him revisit them. He stared at the wee message. MissImperfectlyFine has just joined Reading Point. Say hi! Warlord had suddenly gone silent. He was just dissing the author, and the devil herself was here now. The most problematic thing was that new users were able to read chat history which meant¡­ Jun saw Warlord suddenly go offline. He smiled in disdain. Coward. There was a long silence on the chat. Jun waited. He could imagine how terribly embarrassing it must feel for the author to see readers chatting about her and not in a really positive light. He didn''t care. got a direct message from Warlord. [Fuck!!! How the hell is she here!? Is somebody ying a prank?] Jun didn''t bother to answer. [Heyyy! Help me out! How will I ever show my face again if she is here?] [MrPerfect - Then don''t.] [You heartless creature! Why is she even here?] [Do you think authors just magically be authors directly? Can an author not be a reader? Why is this so shocking?] He remembered that MissImperfectlyFine was in this forum group in hisst life too. But at that time, he was more involved in his rtionship rather than giving time to his hobby or the forum. He wasn''t much online and therefore didn''te into contact with her. He had read her books in his previous life too. But because he hated the endings she gave, Jun didn''t bother to talk to her much on the forum. [Ugh¡­Damn!] Warlord cursed. In the main public channel, there was still no response from MissImerfectlyFine. Jun went back to his work and opened his spreadsheet. *Ding* [MissImperfectlyFine - Hello.] Jun raised his brow. Is she ignoring the whole conversation? He saw her typing. [What is off with my story?] Jun squinted his gaze. He could imagine Warlord''s embarrassment. He was already offline. But he threw another message in his direct messages. [Fuck, I can sense her anger! What am I supposed to do?] Jun sneered and typed. [Aren''t you already offline?] [Shut up. Ugh. I think I will just let her be. I will give it a few days and act like nothing happened.] *Ding* [MissImperfectlyFine - @Warlord @MrPerfect What is off with my story?] ? Jun''s eyes went cold. Why are you pinging me? [Warlord in Jun''s dm - She fucking pinged me! Can she just not pretend this never happened? Alright. This is what I am gonna do. I am on a vacation.] [I don''t care.] [Yes. This is the way! I won''t care about her. I didn''t like her book anyway. You know of my favorite goddess CherryBlossom. I will be devoted to her books for the rest of my life!] CherryBlossom was another author whose books Jun fairly liked. At least, they didn''t have such endings that he didn''t want to read. [MissImperfectlyFine - @MrPerfect. What is wrong with my story?] Warlord immediately hit a message in his dms. [Hahaha. She only pinged you this time, buddy. All the best! Adieus!] Jun ignored both pings and went back to his work. He took a sip of his coffee when he heard another ding. [MissImperfectlyFine - I am sorry for bothering you.] Jun stared at the screen. He minimized the chat window. But then he opened it again and typed. [MrPerfect - Your leadsck chemistry.] He rested his chin on his palm. He didn''t know why he replied to her. But for better or worse, the author had left an impression on him. It wasn''t exactly a good one, so Jun wondered why he was even bothering with this. Then he thought why not? This was his second chance, so it was like catching up on things that he didn''t choose to do in his past life. The separation from the woman he loved still hurt like crazy. It wasn''t something that would vanish so easily. So why not try to forget it by focusing on other things? He saw MissImperfectlyFine typing. [I am not sure I quite understand it¡­] Jun narrowed his eyes. He gave it a thought and typed. [Were your leads really in love with each other? I felt as if they couldn''t even talk to each otherfortably. Candidly. They fell in love, but there was a sense of distance between them. Why? Then the male lead wasn''t that strong enough.] He hit enter and continued typing. [When his love was attacked by the goons, what did he do? Just threaten them using his rich heir''s position? I didn''t even feel the threat in his words.] [MissImperfctlyFine - I see¡­] Jun sneered again and typed. [If it had been me, the goons would have suffered much more than just empty words. They dare look at my woman. They wouldn''t have seen the next day at all.] She didn''t reply for a while. Then it finally came. [MissImperfectlyFine - Oh. I see. Thank you.] Jun coldly hit the enter key. [I still hate your endings.] [What is wrong with my endings?] [Everything.] [...] [MrPerfect - Why can''t you give your leads a perfect ending? A perfect love story with a happy ending?] He finally asked the question he always wanted to ask if he ever met her. MissImperfectlyFine was typing. [How can any love story be perfect when the two lovers involved in it are imperfect themselves?] Chapter 9 The Key To Her Answers Is Mr. Liu Chapter 9 The Key To Her Answers Is Mr. Liu Jun stared at her answer. What? The ones involved are imperfect? Like hell! His gaze clouded in dark anger. [MrPerfect - Not everybody is imperfect. Some people do have everything they would want in their life.] [MissImperfectlyFine - Nobody has everything. But everybody has something. Perfection is an ideal. You can never achieve it. It is not meant to be achieved.] Jun tilted his head. [Everybody wants to live the best life they can. It only happens when everything is going perfectly in and around your life.] MissImperfectlyFine was typing. [To live the best life¡­It''s subjective. I feel the best when I stand under the rain. But you may hate getting wet in the first ce. You don''t need perfection to live a good life. Because¡­ If everything is perfect in your life, then there would be nothing to look forward to the next day.] blinked. There it was again. The simr frustrating feeling he felt whenever he read her books. The annoying feeling that crept in his heart whenever he thought about her. She had a point to make. He wholeheartedly rejected it. Yet, he couldn''t rebuke it. Jun didn''t bother to reply and straightaway went offline. He shut hisptop in disdain. The patrons around the area were terrified of the dark aura he was emanating as if he wanted to strangle someone. He banged his fist on the desk, making people scurry away in fear. It was a mistake asking her. I would never talk to that woman again. ¡ª Ai was startled when Jun suddenly banged his palm. He seemed to be in a bad mood. She pursed her lips and went back to her phone. She was puzzled as to why MrPerfect suddenly went offline. Weren''t we chatting just fine now? She waited but then didn''t see the signs of himing back online again. She closed the chat and put her phone aside. Ai took a book to read which was another love story. But her mind wandered off to MrPerfect''s words. [Your leadsck chemistry.] [I didn''t even feel the threat in his words.] [They dare look at my woman. They wouldn''t have seen the next day at all.] She felt a chill at the back of her neck. It was the same feeling she got when she met Jun in the library. When she saw him for the first time, there was only one word that came to her mind. Intense. His gaze was so deep as if he would suck you into a ck hole. When she looked into his eyes, she said to herself, "It is dangerous to be loved by this man." But that was exactly the feeling that Ai was searching for all along. She had published three books until now. One of them gave her an award too. ? But she thought she just got a lucky break. Her editor, Xing Bi, had said, "Ai, your books are nice. But¡­I feel something is missing. You write love stories, but it feels as if there is no love between your leads at all. Hmm..it feels like they would have been just fine even if they hadn''t met each other. That they can live without the other just fine. Do you understand? There should be strong feelings between two people if they are made for each other. Your stories are just ''nice.'' They don''t invoke any stronger feeling than that." Ai lowered her head. "Somehow, I cannot grasp those emotions." Xing Bi smiled. "I know. It''s okay. There is no hurry. You can take your time in understanding those feelings. I suggest you take a break from writing until you can organize your thoughts." Ai had agreed. It was her dream to write a book that would shake people''s hearts to their core. She wanted to write the best love story that she could. The moment she met Jun, she knew that he was the key to the answers she was looking for. She would learn something if she talked to him and observed him and so, she started to visit the library daily. Apart from that, she joined a reading group to help her get a reader''s perspective. As soon as she joined, she saw two people talking about her. It wasn''t in her favor. But she took it as a chance to know more about her improvement areas. But, they didn''t reply to her at all. With some courage, she pinged MrPerfect a second time. Her mood deted to see no response. Maybe I should leave this group¡­ ''I am sorry for bothering you.'' She was about to exit when MrPerfect replied back. She was ted and as he said more, she got a little insight of what he was trying to say. She vaguely felt as if Jun and MrPerfect were too simr. Intense and dangerous. Their words emitted a sense of rm. Ai took her notebook and jotted down some points. She nced at Jun. The imaginary cold winds around him didn''t seem to settle down. She seriously wondered. What is wrong with him? ¡ª Thirty minutes before the closing time, Jun met Mrs. Quan Su as she had asked. "Jun," she smiled. "What happened today? Some patrons were telling me that the assistant librarian seemed angry for some reason. They couldn''t approach you at all." Jun''s mood went sour again. "It''s nothing." Don''t make me remember that woman. Even her name irritates me. MissImperfectlyFine. How can anybody be imperfectly alright? She sighed. "I told you, Jun. You have to be polite. Polite." "I am already very polite." She helplessly chuckled. "Anyway. Help me hang this board outside." Jun took a look. "Children''s storytelling, author reading events¡­What''s this?" Just then Ai came down too, and she heard Mrs. Quan Su. "It''s an event I organize in the library a few times. Neighborhood children or some from far away schoolse with their teachers and do a storytelling activity. Children, guardians, parents, teachers - everybody can participate if they are interested in reading a book aloud. We will be doing some book sales too." Ai came forward and asked, "Storytelling¡­Can I participate too?" Chapter 10 A Storytelling Event Chapter 10 A Storytelling Event "Can I participate? I would like to read stories to children too." Mrs. Quan Su was surprised. "Oh my. Of course. Anybody from the library is free to participate too." Ai bowed. "Thank you so much." Jun''s expression didn''t look so friendly. "Wait a second here. Children?" "Yes. Is there any problem?" His mouth twitched. "Of course there is. Children are the problem here." Mrs. Quan Su gasped. "How can the sweet little kids be the problem?" "They talk a lot, y a lot,ugh a lot, cry a lot. They only cause ruckus." "They are children! Of course, they would be yful at that age." "I was quiet when I was a kid." "I can imagine that. But not all kids are the same." "I hate children. For the sake of my mental peace, it''s better if I stay away from them." Ai asked, "Why don''t you like children?" temperature plummeted rapidly. Jun''s heart was scarred forever because of his twin elder brothers. During childhood, Jian and Nian were just two big balls of endless energy and excitement. It wasn''t a problem for him if they kept that endless energy to themselves. But they used to drag Jun into their enjoyment activities, tease him and y pranks on him when he just wanted to live quietly in peace. Living with them was exhausting. He had a younger sister, Nuo and brother, Jin, who were just as yful. Only Jun was calmer amongst his four siblings. Then there was his grandfather, Liu Hai and his uncle, Liu Jing, who were nothing but kids in an adult''s body. They were so childish that they could rival his siblings in who could be the most annoying of all. It wasn''t just his family. He had many cousins too, who were just like his brothers and sisters. All in all, there was just too much movement and too much energy wherever he turned his head. Jun icily said, "me my family. I find kids repulsive. There are too many at my house already." Mrs. Quan Suughed, and Ai''s lips uncontrobly twitched into a smile too. "Jun, give it a chance. I am sure you will like it. I will be helpless without an assistant." He felt a headacheing. Ai stepped in. "It''s okay. If he doesn''t want to, I will help you with whatever you need." Jun narrowed his eyes on her. "Which includes fetching a book from the shelf beyond your height if anyone asks for it?" "..." Ai pursed her lips. "I will do my best." Jun red at Mrs. Quan Su. "Fine. I will be there. But you have to warn the kids not toe anywhere near me." Mrs. Quan Su beamed and pped her hands once. "I will!" ¡ª "Big brother, you are so handsome! I want to be your bride!" A five year old girl chirped as she blushed at Jun. "No! I will be his bride!" Another five year old girlined. "I saw him first." A six year old boy eximed. "You are idiots! He is a bad man! As the hero, I will defeat him!" Another seven year old boy chimed in. "This big brother looks like a viin! He wants to destroy the world! Let''s defeat him!" He poked his fake sword on Jun''s feet. "No. He is my Prince Charming. You cannot kill him!" A little girl cried. "You are meanies!" An eight year old boy poke him. "He is a bad boy who eats beautiful girls! I saw it in a movie. Good looking big brothers are all bad boys!" "No, no! He is an alien! He hase to steal our!" The day of the storytelling event was already here, and Jun waspletely surrounded by the children. ? Mrs. Quan Su strongly felt the frosty winds and Jun''s using gaze at her. You promised the kids won''te anywhere near me. I-I did tell them not to disturb the big brother. But they didn''t listen to me, Mrs. Quan Su''s nervous gaze seemed to justify herself. And now you know why I hate kids. Mrs. Quan Su clearly felt his anger and disdain and betrayal of her failing to fulfill her promise. "O-Oh what?" She loudly spoke, "Do you need me there? Wait, I aming right up!" Mrs. Quan Su looked away and hastily left. Jun sneered at her bad attempt of faking her escape. "Big brother looks so evil!" "He smiles like a viin!" "We should protect this ce!" Jun cast one cold re at them, and the kids immediately shut their mouths. One of the boys, who was eating gum, giggled, and wanted to stick the gum on his jeans. But he shivered and gulped as he felt a sharp re. Jun didn''t look any less than a monster to him. It looked all ck around his face. "Do that, and I will throw you out of the window." Tears filled the little boy''s eyes, and he was about to wail. "Cry, and I will throw you out of the window." Eek! The boy ran away. Ai just entered and saw the boy pass by her. "Big brother is evil. Big brother is evil," he was mumbling to himself. She saw the little crowd around Jun and could see that his lid was about to burst. She bent on her knees. "Hello." The kids turned their heads and immediately surrounded her. "Pretty sister!" Jun finally breathed. The children curiously observed her. "Pretty sister is so pretty!" "Pretty sister is so fair!" The boys grabbed her arms. "Do you want to defeat monsters with us?" "That big brother is a monster! Let''s team up, pretty sister!" One of the tsundere boys looked uninterested. "Hah. She is so delicate. Can she really beat him up? She will only get hurt," then he whispered, "Guess I have no choice but to protect her¡­" One of the girls who dered she would be Jun''s bride, was bashful. "Pretty sister, marry me?" Jun scoffed. "You are quick to change your mind, aren''t you?" Her little cheeks flushed red in embarrassment. "I¡­I¡­" Ai softly smiled and patted everybody''s heads. She took out some candies from her bag. "Here. I have brought one for everyone." Their happiness knew no bounds. "Candies!!!" One boy looked back towards Jun and bravely said, "Y-You should learn from pretty sister. She is so nice." Jun sneered. "I am not interested in ying nice." Then he ordered. "Now line up over there. The event is starting." Chapter 11 Cinderellas Tragic Ending Chapter 11 Cindere''s Tragic Ending The kids huddled together, frightened that Jun would eat them up if they wouldn''t listen to him. Mrs. Quan Su came back as Jun was finally back to normal. She pped her hands. "Thank you everyone foring here. I am sure the children are excited to hear lots of stories today." "Yayyyy!!" "Thank you, Mrs. Quan for inviting us." The event started with a few children reading aloud from story books. It was a good way to practice their speaking andnguage skills. The teachers then came forward and read some fantasy books to them one by one. There were some women too who had just started writing as a hobby and were excited to tell the short stories they wrote. When it was Ai''s turn, the children were more than excited to listen to her. "It''s pretty sister!" "Pretty sister''s voice is pretty too!" They bent forward, their ears fully open. Ai bowed. "Let''s begin." shrugged and went back to his work. She opened her notebook. "The title of the first story is Cindere. She was a very beautiful woman. She was an orphan bullied by her stepmother and stepsisters. They made her do all theundry work and cruelly punished her for her mistakes. But then came an invitation for a Royal Ball that changed her life forever¡­" When she was done, the kids pped hard. "The Prince and Cindere live happily forever!" "I want a Prince too!" "I want to wear a beautiful dress!" Ai put the notebook on herp and said, "If you will tell me what you learned from this story, then I will tell you a secret." Secret? The children were immediately pulled in. One of the girls raised her hand. "Pretty sister! Cindere was very kind. That''s why the fairy Godmother helped her, and she found her prince! I learned that you should always be kind." She nodded. Then a boy said, "Pretty sister, I want to be rich like the prince! Then I can buy all the choctes and live in a castle!" The teachers and othersughed. Ai nodded. "Anybody else?" "Pretty sister, Cindere was forgiving. I learned that we shouldn''t be angry at others and forgive them!" "Good. Anybody else?" The children shook their heads. "Okay. Then I will tell you the secret. It''s about what happened after the Prince and Cindere got married." ? They brightened. "They had a happy wedding and spent their time in bliss. Then Cinderells was carrying his baby. They were very happy. But Cindere became fat as the baby grew in her tummy. The Prince didn''t like a fat Cindere and began to ignore her. Cindre then came to know that the prince was having an affair with another beautiful countess. He kicked Cindere and his baby out of his castle and married the countess. Heartbroken and nowhere to go, Cindere came back to her stepmother''s house with her newborn baby. Her stepmother and stepsisters started bullying her again and this time, they bullied her daughter too. Cindere could only cry andment on her fate. The end." Silence. The children - "..." The teachers - "..." Mrs. Quan Su - "..." Jun, who was just doing his job but was listening to her anyway - "..." His lips parted in shock, and he stared at Ai until his eyes began to ache. What? Some of the kids, especially girls, started to cry. "Waaaa. The Prince and Cindere are not happy?" "But it was a happy ending." They felt very bad for Cindere and wailed. Their teachers and parents tried to console them. One of the mothers furiously said, "You. What are you doing? You made them cry!" "Why did you have to do this? Everybody was so happy." "Who called her here?" Ai was calm. She looked at the children. "If you stop crying and listen to me, then I will give you candies again." Upon hearing the candies, their mood lifted a bit. They quietened down. Ai smiled. "Good. What you learned from the story is indeed right. But there are faults in it. Yes, you should be kind and forgiving. But there is a limit to it. If the bully doesn''t change, then you have to retaliate, otherwise, they never stop hurting you." Ai nced at the adults. "Would you want your children to bear all the bullying and forgive the ones who hurt them?" "That¡­of course not¡­" "Hm. That was Cindere''s first mistake. She forgave her stepmother with a big heart when she married the prince. But did the stepmother change? Was that enough? No. That''s why she bullied her again when Cindere came back. She thought she was weak. If she had fought for her rights earlier, then she wouldn''t have tried to hurt her again. So you learn that you should always stand up against whatever wrong is happening to you. Some people are just evil. No matter how kind you are, some people don''t change. So, you need to understand the boundary of when you should stop being kind and start to fight." The kids slowly nodded. "The second thing you learn is to be independent. This is especially for girls. If Cindere had worked to earn for herself, then she wouldn''t have had to return to her stepmother''s ce when the prince kicked her out and suffer a bullied life once again. She would have her own house and own money to raise her daughter and give her a better future. Independence gives you great empowerment." The parents and teachers slightly coughed in embarrassment. Ai continued. "The third thing to learn is that happily ever after doesn''t end at a wedding. The true journey starts from there. Cindere was beautiful. The prince fell in love. But it quickly died down when her body changed. He abandoned her. Which gives us an important lesson. You shouldn''t just love anybody''s outer appearance. It''s not love if you cannot love him or her in their worst state. Would you want your friends to tease you if you be fat one day?" The kids vigorously shook their heads. "No!!!" "So love them as they are without prejudice. But it''s not just the prince''s fault. I think Cindere was the same. She was attracted to the prince''s beauty and his wealth. She might have dreamt that all her problems would be over if she married the prince. But he showed his true face and was let down. Which tells us expectations don''t always go our way. What you expect can be very different from what reality is. Marriage has adjustments, worries, uncertainties and disappointments. Of course, there are happy moments too. That''s why it doesn''t end at a wedding because a marriage needs a lot of work andpromises from both sides." Suddenly, Jun coldly eximed. "Bullshit!" Chapter 12 Splashed Woken Up Chapter 12 Sshed Woken Up Everybody was startled. Jun was so quiet until now that his outburst was unexpected. Ai nced at him. "What is? Did I say something wrong?" Jun''s gaze was cold and furious as if the room would freeze. "Nothing wrong. Independence, retaliation, not judging based on beauty alone - I agree with everything. But don''t go on making your own endings when it''s just a normal, happy story." "Children need perspective at their age. Cindere is a beautiful story with its happy ending. But there are parts in it that give the wrong message." "Stories are meant to be enjoyed." "But lessons are meant to be learnt from the stories. Every story has something to teach. That''s why it''s written in the first ce." With every step that he took, he carried a pressure that could make someone break down to pieces. His tall stature loomed over her, and his chilly gaze met her questioning one. The kids shifted back in fear. Mrs. Quan Su felt anxious. She had never seen Jun so furious before. "Jun¡­" He clenched his fists. "Ending¡­A happy ending is what matters." Ai stared at him. She stood and faced him. "A happy ending is desirable indeed. But it isn''t gained so easily. A story just doesn''t have a beginning and an ending. It has a whole journey in between that shapes the ending." Journey¡­ughed. "Journey? Who knows it better than me what a journey is?" Painful, lost, alone, heartbroken, crushing - his journey in his past life was just a nightmare. Even in that life, he didn''t like sad endings. After he was reborn, the feeling grew only stronger. Wasn''t this second chance just a tragedy for him too? Jun broke up with the woman he had given his heart to. "What is the purpose of living such a meaningless life when I have lost everything? I just have to live alone for the rest of my life, waiting for my death toe. Is this the journey you are talking about? Nothing is learned from any journey. One can only suffer in it. My life is already a big tragedy. So spare the fictional stories from your tragic ending crap!" His voice echoed louder and fiercer. Frustration and anger filled his heart. Facing Ai made him remember MissImperfectlyFine for some reason. Their words were simr. Their thoughts were aligned. It only made him even more restless. First her and now this woman. He took a threatening step forward and quietly whispered, "Zhou Ai. Don''t be like this. In fact¡­I warn you to be careful. Who knows if your life will have a sad ending in the future?" What would you do if you knew you would die by falling off a building yearster? The end of her life was just another tragedy waiting to happen. Ai''s gaze that met straight into his, lowered. "I didn''t mean to upset you. I just wanted the children to learn. I am sorry." Jun was about to say something when a familiar voice came from the back. "Bro! I finally met you! Where were you hiding from us all this time?" Jun froze. His whole body ran cold as he recognized his little brother''s voice. Liu Jin. Why is Jin here¡­ The memories came crashing akin to a violent wave meeting the shore with force. ''Jun. I think¡­we are meant to be only friends.'' ? ''I like you, Jun. But the more I think about it, the more I feel that it''s not the kind of like to spend my life with you forever.'' ''Bro, I am sorry¡­'' Jin cried out his heart. Nobody¡­Nobody wants to see you happy with Shui more than me. Even if it kills me, I only wish for your happiness.'' Jun punched him in the face. ''Yet here you are standing in the way of it! Why Jin? Why¡­Why Shui? Why her!? When you knew I loved her, then why her!? Why did you have to love her? Why did you want to snatch her away from me!?'' ''No¡­Shui loves me. It''s not possible,'' Junughed. ''I have loved her since the beginning. I wanted nobody else but her. Didn''t she love me too, which is why she agreed to date me? If she never loved me, she wouldn''t have said yes! It''s you who came in between us!'' ''Jin you¡­you ruined everything for me¡­Aren''t we brothers? Then why did you stab me in the back? Of all people¡­why you?'' Everyst painful memory came gushing in his mind. As Jin appeared before his elder brother, his dying face from the past shed in front of his eyes. The bullet with which Jun was supposed to kill himself had hit Jin. The wedding that was supposed to happen ended with Jin''s death. Han Shui''s white wedding gown was stained with Jin''s crimson blood. "Bro! Where are you lost?" Jin shook him hard. "Huh¡­" He looked into his brother''s eyes, who was thrilled to meet him. His lips had a wide smile filled with joy. "I texted you so many times, but you didn''t reply back to any of my messages. So I decided to meet you myself. Do you really have to ignore me like that?" "You¡­" Jun wasn''t ready to face him. Even a week back at the breakfast table after Jun was just reborn, he really didn''t pay much attention to him because his mind was filled with confusion about his rebirth. He had too many questions as if it was a fantasy. But now, Jin came before him himself. After how he had killed his own brother in rage, Jun hadn''t prepared himself to face him. Jin noticed his pale condition and widened his eyes. "Bro, are you alright? What''s wrong?" He wanted to talk. But he just couldn''t. He found his words choked in his throat. Jin was talking to him, but he couldn''t hear it at all. I killed Jin¡­I killed Jin¡­I killed my brother¡­ No. But-but it was his fault. He shouldn''t havee between Shui and me. He deserved it- No! What am I even talking about!? He is still my brother. But he took Shui away from me. I killed him. He deserved to die. I love him so much. But he betrayed me. I hate Jin. I hate Jin. Two conflicting trains of thoughts made him feel as if he just wanted to run away from everything. He fell on his knees. Mrs. Quan Su was extremely worried. "Jun, what''s wrong? You look so sick." But he wasn''t listening. I hate Jin, I hate Jin, I hate Jin! If only he wasn''t bo- *SPLASH!* Jun was suddenly sshed with a bucket of cold water over his head. His thoughts came to a screeching halt and shocked, he slowly looked up with water dripping down his hair. Ai held an empty bucket in her hands. "Have you calmed down now?" Chapter 13 Soaked Cold In Winter Chapter 13 Soaked Cold In Winter Ai had noticed the change in his behavior the moment Jin showed up. Jun''s entire countenance felt as if he had seen a ghost. She realized they were brothers by the way Jin addressed him and also by their resemnce. But she failed to understand why meeting his brother would be so traumatic for him? Did they not have a good rtionship? But it didn''t feel the way Jin so lovingly and respectfully talked to him. So, why? This was the first time she witnessed this side of his. Jun was a man who feared nothing and always had an unfeeling expression on his face. But now there was real fear in his eyes. She could see that he wasn''t listening to Jin with how he wasn''t responding at all. In fact, she was pretty sure he was thinking hard about something which was causing him immense pain. Hisplexion was turning paler and paler, and she knew she had to do something or his thoughts wouldpletely eat him up. Plus, the children, parents and teachers were getting anxious too. Ai calmly walked away, making everybody wonder what she was up to. They thought she left. But she had actually gone to the cleaner''s room where all the buckets and mops were kept to clean the library premises. She found a bucket near one shelf, washed it clean and filled it with cold water from the tap. She came back holding the bucket, making everybody even more shocked. What is she doing? that point, Jun was on his knees, sweating and breathing raggedly. Ai stared at his slightly trembling figure. Then without thinking even a second more, she poured all the water onto his head with a loud ssh. Everybody was stunned. Huuuhhh!??? "Have you calmed down now?" Jin just kept watching the woman who suddenly popped out of nowhere and sshed water on his brother. Mrs. Quan Su''s jaw dropped in shock. "A-Ai, why did you¡­" Ai put the bucket down, walked up to the windows and opened them. Wind blew inside, making Jun shudder who was already wet from his head to his chest. She went back and bent on her knees on the floor. "Have you calmed down now?" She asked again. Jun blinked his eyes. He saw his shirt soaked wet. "You¡­" "Did you stop what you were thinking about?" He nkly stared at her. The ssh was so sudden that all his thoughts just disappeared from his mind. "Look at me," Ai said. Jun just followed and looked into her eyes. "Feel the cold water and the cold air against your skin. Don''t think about anything and just feel the chill. Breathe in the cold air, and let the drops sink into you." He kept watching her and nobody else and just stayed silent for a few long minutes until his head slowly cleared up. It was all just a big mess inside, but that fog had suddenly vanished now. Ai''s gaze was still and patient as if she would be there beside him as long as it was needed. The stillness in her somehow helped him breathe again. Jun came back to his senses. "You¡­you just sshed the whole bucket onto me." ? Ai nodded. "You were thinking too hard about something. Your head would have exploded with all that heat." "You opened the windows too." "I thought just water wasn''t enough to dissipate the heat in your head," Ai calmly stated. He stared at her. Water droplets slid down his cheek. His wet hair fluttered with the wind blowing. "Do you know that it''s winter outside?" The other patrons and teachers felt pitiful for him. Mrs. Quan Su coughed. Cold water plus cold wind in such chilly weather was like a death sentence. Ai didn''t faze. "Sacrifices are sometimes necessary." His face turned as ck as a burned pot. "It worked. That''s all that matters." Mrs. Quan thought that Jun wouldsh out at her but to her surprise, he didn''t. One of the little girls trotted to Jun''s side. She opened his palm with her little fingers and ced a candy on it. "Big brother, I will give my candy to you," she pursed her lips. "The candy will defeat your sickness! When I am sick, Mama gives me candy. Then I get better again!" She beamed. Jun blinked his eyes. Watching her, the other children quickly surrounded him too. Everybody gave their candies to him which Ai had given them in the morning. "You can keep my candy too, Prince Charming. Get better and we will marry!" "Mine too!" "It''s not good to be sick. Have my candy too!" A girl chirped. "Hmph. I won''t be happy if I defeat a sick viin," a boy said who imed Jun eats all the girls. "It should be a fair fight. Eat my candy and be better so we can have a real battle!" "How can the alien steal the if he is sick?" Another boy pushed his candy into his palm even though his heart ached with the great sacrifice he was making. The boy who Jun threatened to throw out of the window, said, "T-This is not gum this time! It''s my candy. I am sorry for doing that before. Get better, big brother!" Jun didn''t know how to respond. He watched the kids cheering him to be healthy again. Mrs. Quan Su chuckled. "Children are good, right?" Jun''s facial expression didn''t change much but he raised his hand, hesitating a lot. Moving and stopping a number of times, he finally patted their heads very awkwardly. Ai asked, "You haven''t done this before, have you?" "S-Shut up. I have younger siblings." Jun cleared his throat looking at the kids. "Thank you for the candies. But keep them with you. I am fine." He returned their candies, and the kids hesitatingly went back to their teachers'' side. Jin, who kept quiet all this time, worriedly asked, "Bro, what happened? I never saw you this sick before." Jun stiffened. Without looking at him he replied, "Jin. Go back for now¡­I will give you a callter." He alternated his gaze between his brother and Ai. The space between his brows slightly creased as he observed Ai. Jin''s smile returned, and he patted his shoulder. "Cool. Oh by the way, Mom has sent some dumplings for you. Don''t forget to eat them. I have kept the box over there. Let''s catch up sometimeter." Chapter 14 Mr. Liu Is Sick Chapter 14 Mr. Liu Is Sick Jun copsed on the bed as soon as he got back home. He tiredly closed his eyes, but Jin''s face would always sh in his mind like a siren. My fault. I should have replied to his messages. He wouldn''t have suddenly appeared today like that¡­ Even though Jun was kicked out from the house, it wasplicated for either Jinhai or Jun to exin why he was being thrown out. Rebirth. Past life. It wasn''t an easy thing to just confess in front of everyone. It was an unbelievable thing to happen. So Jun left home in pretext of working on his new venture and getting some alone time to focus on it. It didn''te as a shocker as everybody knew how he liked to be left alone. Till now, things were going good without raising any suspicion. Until Jin came today and threw him off his pace. He let out a breath. He shivered, feeling cold as his shirt and hair was still damp. Thinking of cold¡­That woman is something. Who would just pour a bucket of water onto someone out of nowhere? He thought back to her serious expression and with the way she patiently knelt beside him. Not realizing that he was actually faintly smiling, he whispered, "What a stupid idea. Ah¡­But I guess only she can think of that." If she could hope for a meteorite to knock out a book, then her idea wasn''t that unexpecteding from her at least. "So tired¡­" eyelids felt heavy, and he soon fell asleep. ¡ª Ai was on her regr seat the next morning, continuing to read where she left off. She nced at the assistant librarian''s desk, but it was empty. The clock showed 9.16 AM. He is neverte, she thought to herself. After observing him for thest few days, she learned that Jun was an extremely punctual and organized man. He would never bete anywhere. She slightly furrowed her brows. Is he taking the day off today? Ai thought it could be the case, especially after how he was ufortable meeting his brother. She went back to reading. The clock ticked by. But she couldn''t focus on reading. Ai went down to the first floor where Mrs. Quan Su was present. "Hello." "Oh hello dear. Thank you so much for yesterday. The teachers were really happy with you, especially with the way you told Cindere''s story. They are really thankful to you for making them see it in a different light. It was good learning for the children." She softly smiled. "It''s my pleasure." She nodded. "Can I ask where he is?" "He?" "The assistant librarian." "Oh, Jun? He called me today morning to say that he is taking the day off. He is running cold and has a fever." Ai was taken aback for a moment but then quickly realized that¡­ She pursed her lips, feeling guilty. "It''s my fault. It''s because of the cold water and cold air. I made him sick." Mrs. Quan Su shook her head. "It''s not your fault. Actually, I wanted to thank you for helping out Jun too. I am not sure what went wrong, but you calmed him down. He looked in so much pain," her eyes were filled with concern. "Sometimes he worries me. When I met him the first time too, he was looking so¡­lost. He was standing in the rain all alone. His eyes were so empty." Ai had seen it too. As much as Jun was intense, he emanated a sense of loneliness too. As if there was nothing left in this world for him anymore. ''What is the purpose of living such a meaningless life when I have lost everything?'' ? ''I just have to live alone for the rest of my life, waiting for my death toe. Is this the journey you are talking about?'' Ai asked, "Can you do me a favor, Mrs. Quan?" ¡ª *Ding Dong* A minuteter. *Ding Dong* *Ding Dong* "Ughh¡­" Jun groggily woke up in his room feeling a splitting headache. "Who is it!? I swear I will kill you." He painstakingly got up, his whole body aching terribly. He walked deathly slowly. Turning the knob, he opened the door and icily asked, "What?" The figure looked hazy and shaky to him. "Who?" "Zhou Ai." Ai took a nce at Jun. His face was a little reddish. He was breathing heavily, and his body was swaying slightly in imbnce. She lowered her gaze guiltily. He is sicker than I thought. "I heard you were sick. I am sorry. It''s all my fault-" She froze on her spot when Jun''s head suddenly copsed on her shoulder. She felt his burning forehead on her skin. Just how high is his temperature? Her guilt intensified. "Uhm¡­Mhn¡­mhm¡­" he was mumbling to himself. It was a miracle that he was even able to open the door at all. Ai was bending on her knees to support his weight. He was getting heavier and heavier to support. "Can you please stand?" He didn''t respond or move. She quickly held his arms as he was about to fall. "You-you are a bit heavy," she gasped, "It''s getting difficult for me to hold onto you¡­" "Hmm¡­" Jun was clearly sleepy. Ai took a deep breath and with one push wrapped his arm around her neck. She helped him bnce on his feet as much as she could. "Sorry for the intrusion." Ai started to drag him inside bit by bit. Jun''s hot cheek rested on the nape of her neck, making her feel as if it was on fire too. After aborious amount of time, she finally reached his bedroom andid him on his bed. "Haaah¡­" Ai gasped, feeling breathless. She took a moment to catch her breath. She then adjusted his position on the bed. So cold. Is there no heater? There was, but it wasn''t switched on. "..." Ai did so and went back to his side which was when she realized. She frowned. These are the same clothes from yesterday. Didn''t he change? It dawned upon her why he was so sick. Sleeping in a damp shirt with damp hair in winter¡­what else was to be expected? No wonder his temperature is so high. She pursed her lips. "Irresponsible." She gave it a thought. "I need to change his clothes first." Chapter 15 Tending To A Sick Mr. Liu Chapter 15 Tending To A Sick Mr. Liu Ai opened his closet and took out a pair of fresh shirts and pants. She sat beside Jun and began to unbutton his shirt. She paused, gave it a thought and closed her eyes as she continued unbuttoning his shirt. She patted her way across his damp shirt and removed it. Her fingers touched his bare chest, and she stopped. He was very hot. Literally hot with fever. It was also moist with light sweat. Ai went to his bathroom, soaked a small towel in water and wiped his chest and abdomen with it. She heard him sighing in relief in his sleep. It was a huge task shifting him left and right to get the shirt in. She was breathless as she buttoned his new shirt. She repeated the same process for his pants with her shut eyes when her hand identally touched Jun''s forbidden area. Ai froze. Her mouth heavily twitched upon feeling the slight bulge of his little brother. A tinge of faint redness couldn''t help but appear on her cheeks feeling someone''s member in her palm. She took two deep breaths and calmly retracted her hand. I will pretend that didn''t happen, she sincerely concluded. Ai opened her eyes and then left his damp clothes in his bathroom. She softly crinkled her brows, thinking of what to do next. Has he eaten since yesterday? If not, then he must have not taken any medicine either. No wonder he looks so pale. Which means he needs to eat first. Ai thought about her average cooking skills. She hadn''t cooked in a while, so she wasn''t sure how it would turn out. long as I follow the process¡­ Ai wrapped him up in a nket and headed towards the kitchen. She stared at thevish kitchen furniture, which made her think back to how shocked she had been to know that Jun lived in a condo. An assistant librarian living in such a dreamy condo. She couldn''t believe it at all. She put that thought aside for now and started preparing for a light porridge. It was an hourter when she finally got it right though Ai was dissatisfied about her numerous failed attempts. She went back to Jun''s room. He was soundly sleeping. She softly shook his shoulder. "Jun. Jun. I have brought porridge for you. Eat some so that you can take medicine." Jun was fast asleep. She bit her lip. "Jun. You need to take your medicine." "Hmm¡­?" He frowned and didn''t like someone trying to wake him up. "Go away." "I cannot. I made you sick. I feel responsible. You have to get better, so you need to eat." Ai pursed her lips. She tried to pull him up in an upright position. Jun vaguely smelled a fragrance, and his brows furrowed. He opened his eyes but couldn''t clearly see the figure due to his fever. He tilted his head and cupped her face in a daze. Ai''s movements abruptly came to a halt. "Jun?" He tried to focus. Brushing his thumb on her cheek, he whispered, "Soft¡­It''s cold¡­Nice." Jun pulled her head and ced his cheek on hers. Ai rapidly blinked her eyes. "Hmm¡­It feels good¡­" Jun had no idea what he was doing. His temperature was so high that he wanted to ease the heat by feeling something cold. Ai felt her cheek grow hotter as his skin rubbed against hers. "Um¡­" She was stuck in an odd position. She was trying to make him sit, and he was trying to feel her up,pletely unaware that he wasn''t dreaming. When her cheek''s coldness disappeared, he pressed his forehead on the nape of her neck. Once again, her neck began to grow hotter. "..." Are you trying to reduce your temperature using me? Ai pushed him back with all her force. "I am not your temperature controller," she indignantly huffed. "Now if you will please eat." She brought the spoon in front of his lips. "It''s warm porridge." Jun shook it away. It was hard to maintain focus. He just wanted to take a good, long sleep. But somebody was persistently feeding him. ? "Ugh¡­" he shook it away. "It''s hot," he mumbled. "It''s warm." His brows crinkled. "I¡­I want ice cream." "..." "You want ice cream when you are down with such a bad cold?" "Ice cream¡­" "It''s only going to be porridge for you." "Ice cream," he mumbled again in a daze. "Go bring my ice cream now¡­" he breathlessly said. "One scoop of chocte and one scoop of ckberry on top of it¡­" Ai was speechless. Not one, but two scoops of ice cream while having a terrible cold? "I made porridge for you," she stated. "Ice cream," he didn''t give up. Ai was in a dilemma. Jun wasn''t opening his mouth at all. "Alright. I will bring ice cream for you." Jun nodded in a stupor. "Remember, chocte¡­" "And a ckberry scoop on top of it. I remember." Ai stepped out of his room. Two minutester, she went in again. "I brought ice cream for you. Open your mouth." Jun''s ears perked up, and he finally parted his lips. Ai fed him one bite of the porridge. Jun strongly frowned. "Ice cream is warm¡­*cough cough* It tastes like¡­like porridge." "Is that so? So strange. There is one scoop of chocte and ckberry just as you said." She was amazed that his sense of taste was intact even in this bad cold. Ai fed him all the porridge as ''ice cream'' with Junining all the way about its taste. "...It didn''t feel like ice cream at all¡­I want a refund¡­" Ai couldn''t help but smile. She never imagined that someone like Jun could act cute when he was sick. But she was d he finally ate the porridge. She quickly fed him the cold medicine before he dozed off to sleep again. She checked his temperature. It was 38.6 degrees Celsius which was quite high. Ai quickly prepared some wet towels soaked in cold water. She ced one of it on his forehead. Finally he had eaten with medicine and was peacefully sleeping now. Ai wondered what to do now. Her work was pretty much done. She took this chance to take a nce at his room. The bedroom was spacious with minimal furniture. Everything was neatly organized without even a speck of dust anywhere. Shemended that a man could live on his own in such a neat and tidy way. As expected from an avid reader, there was a bookshelf opposite his bed. She beamed seeing the books and curiously went over to that side. She rummaged through his collection but reaching a certain familiar book, she paused. She recognized the binding and pulled it out. ''My time with you.'' It was the book title and the author''s name on its first page was - MissImperfectlyFine. Chapter 16 Ais Gentle Reassurance Chapter 16 Ai''s Gentle Reassurance Ai tilted her head and blinked her eyes. Jun reads my books? Was it surprise or shock, she couldn''t tell. It was clear to her now that Jun disliked books with sad endings. This book had a bitter sweet ending as well. It was a story of two people meeting on a cruise. One had lost love while the other had lost their dream. It was about how they meet and spend those few days together, rediscovering what life truly meant. But at the end, they realized they were better off friends rather than life partners and parted on a good note as the cruise trip came to an end. It was the book that had earned Ai the award of the Best Neer Writer for writing a plot that didn''t necessarily delve into falling into love or which didn''t follow the usual trope ending. Naturally, Ai was happy to see her book in somebody''s book collection. Though it was a mystery why Jun would keep a book that he disliked. She found her other two books too on his shelf and felt a sense of pride. It meant the whole world to her when she realized that somebody had all of her books in his collection. It meant that her books were liked, right? Even if only a little bit, Jun must love them. She wondered if she asked Jun about her books, how would he answer? Would he be thrilled to know that the writer of these books in his collection was actually right in front of him? Maybe he would ask for my autograph? Ai seriously thought. Ai had never done a book signing event. A signed copy of books by the writer herself was an exciting event for any reader and the author themselves too. should work on my signature¡­ Ai kept the books back in their ce. As she took a look at the other books, she found out that Jun didn''t have a particr taste. He read all kinds of books - Fantasy, romance, action, history, biographies or autobiographies. Short stories, noves and long novels - everything. She randomly took out a book out of interest and sat down to read. Time ticked by and when Ai was finished reading, she nced outside the window. She suddenly closed the book and widened her eyes noticing that it was dark outside. She looked at the time. It was close to six-thirty PM. "..." I identally spent the whole day reading¡­ *Grumbleeee* And now she realized that she was hungry too. She nced at Jun, who was still sleeping soundly. Ai touched his forehead and found his temperature had decreased a bit. On the thermometer, it showed 37.7 degrees Celsius. She sighed in relief. The temperature wasing back to normal. Jun would still be weak after he wakes up, she touched her chin thoughtfully. Since she took the liberty of checking out his bookshelf and even using his books to read, Ai felt she should do something in exchange as payment. So, she went ahead and cleaned up his whole condo. From dusting to moping, she cleaned his whole house. That way, Jun wouldn''t have to bother himself with these things and can focus on resting. Everything is done. Should I leave now? But she wondered... Jun would definitely understand that someone was in his house once he woke up. But seeing nobody inside would be panicking. Will he think if a thief broke in? She finally decided to wait until Jun would wake up, exin herself and then leave. She didn''t want to make a mess of his kitchen, so she just made an easy recipe out of eggs for her dinner. Ai went back to his bedroom and sat on a chair beside his bed. Then she waited. Since Jun had slept for the whole day, he would be waking up soon. One hour had passed, then three. But he was still asleep. ? Ai yawned. It was close to ten PM. She was beginning to doze off to sleep when Jun suddenly gasped. Ai was rmed. "Jun?" "I¡­I¡­didn''t want to¡­kill him¡­" he whispered. She blinked. Kill? "Jin. I am sorry¡­Jin, wake up please¡­You aren''t supposed to be¡­dead." Ai widened her eyes. Jin is the one who came yesterday¡­Jin and dead? Is he having a nightmare? "Don''t cry¡­Shui¡­." Shui? "Mom¡­Dad¡­I didn''t want to¡­I never thought about killing my brother¡­" "Please believe me¡­somebody¡­please believe me¡­" Ai stared at the corner of his eye from where she saw a tear slipping out. He was uneasily tossing in bed, breathing heavily. "Please believe me¡­Please..." at the end, Jun''s voice sounded like a child desperately begging for help. Ai slowly held his hand and whispered, "I believe you." Jun, who was having the worst time in his nightmare, slowly calmed down as a soft voice gently rang in the air. He wasn''t fully awake, but the words that the voice whispered brought him immense relief. "You¡­believe me?" He clutched her hand tighter that seemed to be the source of thoseforting words. Ai nodded. "I believe you. You didn''t do it on purpose." "Yes, I purposely didn''t harm my brother¡­Right? I-I would never do that." "En. You would never do such a thing." Seemingly calmer than before upon listening to her reassuring voice, Jun''s breaths came back to normal. Ai reached out her hand towards him but then pulled it back. She bit her lip and gently ced her palm on his head. She gradually brushed her fingers through his hair in a soothing motion. What did you¡­go through to have such a nightmare? She noticed his temperature had increased a bit once again. She got up to fetch another wet towel, but Jun had firmly held onto her hand. Quietly, she tried to untangle it. But it proved fruitless. If she tried to pull with a little force, Jun would be uneasy again. Ai pursed her lips and sat back. In the end, she had no choice but to stay in that position until he would let her go himself. ¡ª The next morning, Jun''s eyelids finally moved from his deep sleep. He opened his eyes, feeling his head much lighter than before. He blinked. What is on my head? He touched his head and felt a damp towel. Huh? He moved his left hand but couldn''t. He lowered his gaze and froze. Zhou Ai!? Chapter 17 Courteous And Polite Chapter 17 Courteous And Polite Ai was sleeping with her head resting on his hand as she was seated on a chair. What the¡­How is she here? Jun''s expression turned frighteningly cold. A woman was inside his house and leisurely sleeping beside him. His fuse was close to short-circuiting when he remembered an important fact. Wait. She couldn''t be inside unless I let her in¡­ As he thought back to the previous day, he remembered he had opened the door for someone who was incessantly ringing the doorbell. Was it her? Then he faintly remembered a figure trying to feed him something warm, and he was touching her cheeks and neck to get relief from his heat. His face ckened with disbelief. What¡­What was I doing!? How could I touch another woman like that? Impossible¡­ He wondered if some ghost had possessed him. Apart from Han Shui, he could never think of touching a woman so intimately. Fuck my fever! He pressed the space between his brows, feeling furious at himself. had lost it! He cursed himself endlessly when another memory popped in. ''I believe you.'' Her voice echoed in his ears, and his brown orbs slowly widened. ''I believe you. You didn''t do it on purpose.'' Jun nced down at her. It was really Ai''s voice. He thought it was a dream, but she was indeed talking to him. Believe me? You don''t know anything about me, and you believe in me? How could you say that with such conviction? He wrylyughed. Your words are futile on a viin like me. Yet the confidence in her voice made him strangely feel at ease. His gaze fell onto her hand, and he was taken back to that moment in his past life just when he was about to take hisst breath. His hand was holding onto hers. He was looking into her eyes that were slowly shedding tears. He clutched onto thest bit of warmth until his bodyid cold in his wrecked car. Jun didn''t realize it, but his thumb was ever so lightly caressing her palm. It wasn''t soaked in blood. Her fingers weren''t trembling with pain now. What could have happened with her that night? What will happen to her ten yearster? Jun stared at her face, which was filled with pain and disbelief in his past life. What will go so wrong for her to die like that? ¡ª Ai moved in her sleep and suddenly woke up with a jolt. She yawned but sat upright, startled not seeing Jun on the bed. She hastily went out and saw Jun cooking in the kitchen. The sound of something sizzling came from the pan. She stared at his back. "You¡­" Jun turned and narrowed his eyes. "Good morning, Miss Zhou." Ai pursed her lips. "I am sorry for sleeping the night here. I was waiting for you to wake up so that you don''t think a thief broke into the house and panic because of that. But I fell asleep." ? "...You thought I would think a thief broke into my house? A thief who took care of the condo''s owner when he was sick and even cleaned the house for him? That''s some moral thief you thought of. Plus. Do you think this condo is so easy to break in with the security it has?" So was it useless to stay here then? Ai wondered. "By the way. I saw my clothes were changed," he tilted his head. "Yes," she nodded. "I changed them. Don''t worry. I had closed my eyes. I didn''t see you naked." His mouth twitched. "Are you sure you really shut them?" He asked with suspicion. "I have no reason to wish to see you naked." "Really?" "Women don''t like to be seen naked by a stranger. I feel it would be the same for men too. Plus, you are not my type." He choked. Ai furrowed her brows. "Why do you always want to prove that I am interested in you?" His tone was cold. "I don''t want to. But I have never met a woman who is NOT interested in me. Looking at you reminds me of those women who y hard-to-get with me. As if not showing interest in me would pique my interest in them," he sneered. "Oh. Rest assured. I am really not interested in you that way." Well, I am indeed interested in you but only from an observation point for my novel''s inspiration. Jun sneered. "Good for you. You wouldn''t want to know how those women end up if they don''t give up on me." "How do they?" She curiously asked. "Like I said you wouldn''t want to know." Ai was disappointed. "Anyway. Now that you are awake, let me properly apologize to you." She bowed. "I am sorry. It was my fault you fell so sick. I came here to apologize but you copsed on the doorway, so I brought you inside. Sorry for intruding without your permission. Seeing you running with such a high fever, I felt it was my responsibility to at least take care of you. I did what I could to help you. Are you feeling better?" Jun raised his brow. So courteous and polite. "...Hm." Ai was satisfied. Then she remembered something. "Oh yes. I am sorry once again for looking through your bookshelf. I got curious and spent my whole day reading books in your collection¡­" her tone was guilty. "I know it''s wrong to touch someone else''s things without their permission. But as payment, I cleaned your house," she pursed her lips, "I hope you don''t mind." Jun blinked his eyes and suddenly burst intoughter. Ai looked at him in confusion. It is the first time I am seeing himugh¡­ "I don''t know if I should call you silly or what? Why are you confessing to me like a good obedient kid? I wouldn''t have known if you checked out my bookshelf anyway." Ai seriously answered. "I don''t like keeping things from anybody. I already feel guilty for making you sick." Jun said nothing. He turned and went back to cooking. "By the way, you made me rice porridge. So why were there so many veggies outside?" Ai bit her lip. "At first, I thought of making some soup for you. But it didn''t end well. Porridge is what I could make¡­" She stood at his side but keeping a safe distance from him, lest he misunderstand her again. "...You seem to know cooking quite well," shemented as she observed his fluid movements. Jun was skillfully making a hamburger steak. "My mom is a chef. Cooking is something me and my siblings learned naturally." "Oh," Ai then expectantly asked, "Can I help?" Chapter 18 Book Signing Event Chapter 18 Book Signing Event Ai took a knife and a bell pepper. She carefully chopped it into pieces as Jun instructed. He observed her. "You are not bad. You justck practice." Ai was taken aback. Was this the first time he hadplimented her? "What?" "Nothing. Indeed, I know some basics, but I usually don''t cook for myself. So, I have lost touch." He frowned. "Then what do you eat?" "Outside food mostly." He red at her. "Idiot! That''s why you look like such a pushover. You ain''t eating what you should be." Ai guiltily averted her gaze. Her life as a writer was filled with deadlines, so healthy food wasn''t really top of the list. She avoided him and continued chopping vegetables. "Thank you." It was out of the blue, and she looked at him, surprised. "Thank you for what?" Jun stared ahead in a daze. His voice was mellow and quiet. "For dropping the water on me and waking me up. If you hadn''t then¡­" I hate you, Jin! If only you hadn''t bo- would have thought of something outrageous about someone precious to me. I would havepleted a sentence I would have regretted saying for the rest of my life." He clenched his fists. Coming back to his senses, he thought how horrible he was to think about Jin not being born. He was his brother, his family. How could he think of him not being a part of his life? If Ai hadn''t sshed water on him that moment, Jun wouldn''t have been able to forgive himself. Wishing for Jin not to be born¡­ Wasn''t it enough already that I killed him once? Seeing his solemn countenance, she wondered if it was rted to Jin or his nightmare ofst night. Ai softly said, "Wee." Jun pushed the te with the steak on it towards her. He poured himself some juice and sat at the breakfast table. Ai rapidly blinked her eyes. "Why are you giving it to me?" "It''s your breakfast. Obviously, I will give it to you," he said without much emotion. "Sit over there and eat," he pointed at a chair opposite him. But she remained standing at the same ce in confusion. Jun coldly scowled at her. "Do I need to give you a written invitation?" Ai cleared her throat and sat opposite him. "Why did you make breakfast for me? I was going to leave anyway. You still need rest." "You talk too much. Just eat." "What about you?" "Not hungry." Then there was silence. The conversation came to a halt. Jun''s phone buzzed with a chat message from Reading Point. At the same point, Ai saw a notification too. Her phone was on silent so it didn''t ding or vibrate. [Warlord - Behoooooold! I got good news!!] [XY13 - Why so excited early in the morning?] [LumiosZ - He is always in a hyper mode. LOL.] [Ringmaster - Get lost. You woke me up.] [Warlord - Shut up! You will be excited too once you know the news I got!] [LumiosZ - Out with it already. Is it about your Goddess CherryBlossom?] [Warlord - Ding Ding! Correct answer. Hahaha! There is gonna be a book signing event! My Goddess has finally decided to reveal herself aaaaaand we will get signed copies of her books! Isn''t it awesome!?] Jun sipped on his juice. Book signing event? He remembered this same event from past life too. But he hadn''t attended it at that time because he had nned a date with Shui the same day. [Ringmaster - Oooo. I heard from the rumors that she is beautiful.] [XY13 - Women are pieces of art.] [Warlord - Of course my Goddess is beautiful! @MrPerfect Oi! Where are you? ] Jun''s brow twitched. ? [MrPerfect - Shut up.] [Warlord - Hah! Lurker! Why didn''t you say anything? Aren''t you excited? You like her books too, don''t you?] [MrPerfect - She writes well.] [Warlord - I know right? So, so! Will you be there at the event? We bros can finally meet!] Jun tilted his head. The event¡­ [MrPerfect - Is only CherryBlossom gonna do the book signing?] [Warlord - What do you mean? [MrPerfect - @MissImperfectlyFine What about you?] Ai choked on her steak, seeing the sudden direct ping at her. Jun looked up and frowned. "What?" She coughed. "I am sorry. I gulped the bite quickly." "The steak isn''t going anywhere. Eat slowly or you will get sick this time." "Y-Yes." Ai quickly typed back. [MissImperfectlyFine - @MrPerfect About?] [MrPerfect - Are you gonna be signing books too?] She blinked her eyes. Why would he ask about me? Doesn''t he dislike my books? Ai slightly lowered her head, thinking about the event. She silently clenched her phone. [MissImperfectlyFine - No¡­] Jun raised his brow. Didn''t she win the Best Neer Writer award for My time with you? How was she never chosen? [MrPerfect - I see.] Jun tilted his head. He remembered that in his past life, there was some scene that had urred during the event. He didn''t delve into the details but as far as he remembered, MissImperfectlyFine was used of ruining the event somehow. Was it tearing apart CherryBlossom''s books? CherryBlossom and MissImperfectlyFine were authors belonging to the same publishingpany - Dream High Publishing. Apparently, she was used of getting jealous that CherryBlossom got selected for the book signing event while she was left out. Jun narrowed his eyes. It doesn''t match the image of her I have in my mind¡­ Ai expectantly typed. [Do you want my signed books?] Jun smiled in disdain. [MrPerfect - No.] "..." Ai looked up at Jun and asked him, "I¡­" He stared back at her from his phone. "When I was checking your bookshelf, I saw books from a particr author. MissImperfectlyFine." "So?" "Nothing. I was just surprised to see her books since you dislike those types of endings." Jun''s gaze darkened. Don''t remind me why I am not able to throw those books away. They shouldn''t have any ce in my bookshelf at all. "If you ever meet that author, would you want her to sign your books?" "No." "..." But they are clearly a part of your collection. "Why would you keep them if they hate it?" "No," his voice turned a notch icier. "..." Jun and MrPerfect are too simr, she pursed her lips as she concluded. Ai lowered her head and put a piece of meat in her mouth. To think that I practiced my signature yesterday. So embarrassing... Chapter 19 The Breakup Chapter 19 The Breakup Ai bowed as she stepped out of his condo. "Thank you for making me breakfast even though you were sick." "...Take that as thanks for taking care of me." She nodded. She turned to leave but stopped. "Oh. I heard from Mrs. Quan Su that the kids from yesterday''s story reading event got a basket of expensive choctes. Was it you?" Jun glowered at her as if he would eat her alive. "I don''t have time to do something so stupid!" Ai stared at him. It''s clearly him. Is he embarrassed? "I mentioned it because I appreciate it. You didn''t like the kids before but you-" "I. Didn''t. Get. Them. Any. Choctes," he icily enunciated each word. Ai didn''t know what to say. Was it so difficult to ept it in front of her? "I see. Oh and another thing." "What?" He impatiently asked. "You look so cold and unapproachable, but you turn into a kid when you are sick. I was feeding you porridge, but you kept asking for ice cream." "..." "Chocte with ckberry scoop on top. In the end, I had to feed you porridge as ice cream because you weren''t listening." Jun''s demeanor suddenly turned as if it was snowing. His face turned as ck as a pot. "Say that in front of anyone and you will suffer." blinked. "Especially in front of my brothers if you ever meet them. Don''t utter a single word about yesterday. Just forget about it in the first ce!" Why is he threatening me so suddenly? He is so unpredictable. Ai frowned and could only leave in confusion. From a distance, two figures saw her leaving from Jun''s condo in utter disbelief. "Is that what I am seeing, Jian?" "I think I am seeing the same thing as you, Nian." "Was it a woman who left?" "It was definitely a woman. Men don''t have those curves." "A WOMAN left from our dear brother''s ce? A woman other than Shui? Is that why Jun left? He said he wanted to work for hispany but look what we found! Adultery!" "Do you think what I think too?" "I don''t even want to think about anything at this point. Our future sister-inw is being cheated!" "As good future brother-inws, we must intervene," Jian solemnly nodded. Nian pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Yo, Shui. You remember I talked about a beautiful leash I saw online? I think it''s time you buy that." "...What?" "You need the leash to get your boyfriend back on track. Apparently, he is cheating on you." ¡ª Han vi. Han Shui right now - "..." "Bro Nian. Are you alright?" "I am definitely alright. Jian is with me too. Shit, we forgot to take a picture of hers, or you would have definitely believed me." "Alright. I believe you." "Hmph!" "I will talk to Jun about this." "You better do it quickly! How can my little brother meet someone else behind your back? Men are such vile creatures I say!" Her mouth twitched. "Aren''t you a man too?" "I am an exception, of course," he harrumphed. "Hey! I am an exception too!" Jian shouted from the other end. ? "Shut up. You are not included. You are just as vile." "What did you say! How dare you, Nian!" "So should I include you in the innocent and respectful man list? Hah!" "Umm¡­Bro Nian¡­" Shui interrupted. "As if you are any innocent! I saw how you dumped that womanst week. You are anything but innocent!" "What about you fighting with Leina all the time? Don''t act as if you are painted in white!" Well¡­ Shui was left with only one choice. She hung up the phone. Once the twins started bickering, others could only be a spectator. Shui kept the phone aside andid back on the bed. What should I even ask Jun? Didn''t he already break up with me? *Ten days before* Like always, Jun waited outside her college. Shui came running towards him. "Jun!" She huffed a little breathlessly. She shook her head. "You didn''t have toe. Today we have ate study session. I am staying back after sses will end." Her friends called her out from a distance. "Hey, Shui! Don''t forget about tonight, okay?" They winked andughed. Shui hastily bade them goodbye and turned towards them. Jun stared at her in silence for a while. She noticed something was wrong. "What is it?" "Can we talk for a moment?" Shui was taken aback. She had never heard him talking in such a solemn tone before. His expression felt odd. "Sure." They walked inside the campus and stood below a beautiful plum blossom tree. "Tell me," she hung her arms behind her back and smiled. Jun didn''t seem to find his words for a while, but then he finally asked the inevitable question, "Shui. What do you think about our rtionship?" She blinked once. "What?" "Our rtionship. Are you happy with me?" Shui was at a loss. The question came out of nowhere and for some reason, she couldn''t immediately answer. Jun faintly smiled. "I already knew the answer. Guess I¡­just had to see it with my eyes today." Shui slowly said, observing his strange expression, "I don''t understand." Jun was quiet for a moment before he spoke, "Shui. Let''s break up. I don''t think I am suited for you." She looked at him nkly. "Huh?" "I have been too blind to realize certain things. I was really being stupid. Before I make you any sadder, it''s best that I end this now." "Jun¡­what are you talking about? Y-you are not making me sad-" "You don''t realize it now. But I have been hurting you all this time. That''s why you¡­" he smiled. "Anyway. I know it''sing suddenly from me. But I have thought about it for long enough. I know what I am talking about." Shui was in utter disbelief about what she was hearing. Is he really Jun? "B-But I don''t understand. Wasn''t everything fine until yesterday?" She panicked. "Jun, please tell me..." Jun stared at her. "Was it, Shui? I think things were going in the wrong direction for quite some time. Somewhere in your heart you feel it too, but you are pushing that feeling away. It''s because of me. Don''t be sad, Shui. I am not doing this to see tears in your eyes. I am doing this so that I don''t bring tears to them anymore." *Present* Ever since that day, they hadn''t spoken since. Shui was still unsure of it happening so until she talked to Jun once again, she decided not to tell her family about her breakup. It happened so suddenly and quickly that that moment felt almost surreal to her. Until now, Jun never let go of any chance to be with her. He was everywhere with her and every time. She felt mncholic when Jun talked about breaking up. But she realized she wasn''t really as heartbroken as she had imagined she would have been. How could I not be so affected by it? I love Jun so much. So where are my feelings going wrong? Chapter 37 The Book Signing Event (6) Chapter 37 The Book Signing Event (6) Zhan Yahui hurriedly asked, "Guiying, why are you here?" "Well nobody wasing back with the books. The fans were getting impatient. So, I just told them I needed a break, and they agreed," she shrugged. "What''s taking it so long-" Her gaze fell onto the box with her books in it, all wet with ink and ruined. "Oh no! What happened here?" "This is exactly what is taking us so long. I told you, Guiying. We shouldn''t invite Zhou Ai here!" "Huh? What''s she have to do with this?" She frowned. She nced at the woman with her face all covered up. "...Ai? Is it you?" "Yes." As Zhan Yahui quickly told the whole story, Guiying silently listened to it. Yahui was exasperated. "We cannot let this go, Guiying. Ai has to take the responsibility! We cannot give these ink smudged books to the fans now. Do you know how this will badly affect your reputation? They are so excited for this event, they have been waiting for so long and then we announce that they cannot get their signed copies? You will be attacked on social media like crazy for such mismanagement." She red at Ai. "Seriously, Zhou Ai. If you have grievances about not getting selected for this event, you should have taken it to themittee and sorted this in thepany. Why take it out on Guiying''s reputation? Guiying deserved this promotion, but you¡­your jealousy finally came in the way." Amidst the sharp usations against her, Ai still maintained her poise. "I am not jealous, and I didn''t ruin anything. It was an ident." Zhan Yahui red her nostrils. "Guiying, will you not say anything? The situation has be so difficult now. There is no time to print another batch of books. The only thing I can think of now is for Zhou Ai to apologize to the fans." "No." It wasn''t Ai who denied that. Guiying stepped forward and critically dered. "Ai will not apologize. If Ai says it''s an ident, then it must be an ident. I know her. She is not a scheming woman to pull up this disgusting act." Guiying''s stand on this matter had startled everybody. "After all this, will you still believe her, Guiying? She is lying. She had no reason to be here in this room. I know she is your friend, but there is a limit to trusting her." Guiying was firm though. "There is no limit to trusting your friends, Zhan Yahui." Ai quietly stared at her. "I will apologize to the fans saying there has been an unfortunate ident with the books. They will understand." "They won''t, Guiying! A few might understand, but the majority will curse you." "Whatever the reaction will be, I will face it. Plus, it''s our fault too. We shouldn''t have kept the books with the can of printing ink in the same room. There should have been no liquid substances at all here that wouldpromise the books. This was our miss too." Silence. The assistant slowly nodded. "I-I have called Chief Editor Gu Yating here too. Once he is here, he wille up with some usible reason to give to the fans." ? Zhan Yahui red at him. "No way! Zhou Ai has to apologize. I am not letting this go! It will take Gu Yating at least twenty minutes to reach here and then we will have to decide on the n of action. We don''t have that liberty because the fans won''t give it to us. They are already getting so restless!" "Enough Zhan Yahui. There is no need to take this matter so far and drag Ai''s name in the mud. I won''t let it happen," she sharply said. Guiying then ignored her and firmly held Ai''s hands. With sincerity, she expressed, "You don''t have to worry, Ai. I trust you. I will talk to Zhan Yahui. She is just stressed out." Ai said nothing. She pulled back her hand, making Guiying worried. "Ai, don''t take her words to heart. I know you must be feeling hurt by her usations. But I will sort this out, okay?" She reassured her the best she could. Ai faintly nodded. Zhan Yahui raised her brow. "Sorry, Guiying. But I am not gonna listen to you on this. Ai will have to apologize-" "The books are here!" One of the other assistant editors from Dream High just then stepped in carrying a trolley of cardboard boxes. Zhan Yahui blinked in confusion. "Additional hundred copies of ''To Capture Your Heart.''" Naturally, everybody was stunned. Zhan Yahui asked, "Huh? How are there a hundred more copies?" The assistant editor didn''t understand. "What do you mean, Miss Zhan? Chief Editor Gu Yating had ordered so." Zhan Yahui was taken aback. "Him? When did he order you? Gu Yating and I decided to give a printing order of two hundred copies. We never made it to three hundred." "Yes, initially you indeed gave an order of two hundred, but then Chief Editor Gu Yating said to have a hundred extra copies in case anything goes wrong. If any extra books remain after the event, he will take care of distributing those to different bookstores to sell them." "He did this¡­?" She was utterly confused. "But he didn''t inform me about it." The assistant editor looked just as bewildered. "Oh but he did. He gave me the instructions over the phone." Guiying brightened and happily eximed. "That''s great! He was well prepared with the extra copies. Now Ai won''t have to apologize, and the event will go smoothly! Let''s just focus on ending this event without any hups," she sighed in relief. "Thank God. I almost got a heart attack¡­" She signaled the assistant editor. "Alright. I will be back after the event is over. I cannot make the readers wait for longer," she nodded and nced at Ai, "Ai, don''t leave, okay?" The whole time, Ai was patiently standing at her ce, not uttering even a single word. Zhan Yahui shot her with displeased res. A whileter when the event was finally wrapped up, Guiying came back all tired. "My hand is dead." Zhan Yahui brought a ss of water. "Have some water and rest." "The event is sessfullypleted," Guiying grinned. "Great job everyone!" "That was only possible because of Gu Yating''s insight to order another hundred books. But this doesn''t mean that Zhou Ai''s guilt could be washed away. She ruined the books and even lied to hide her mistake. I still want the Dream Highmittee to punish her!" Chapter 45 Ais Book Signing Event Chapter 45 Ai''s Book Signing Event The waitresses murmured among themselves. "It''s the hooligan who barged into our kitchen!" "He is making the woman cry¡­" "Should we do something?" "But I saw him putting the ice pack on her arm. He cares about her." "So what is the judgement? Is he evil or not? Even though he is so handsome¡­" They were all in deep thought. Jun''s behavior confused them. Jun gritted his teeth, noticing their obvious gazes. He gave them a dangerous smile. "Guess you people don''t have much work here. You wouldn''t mind if I shut down this shop, would you?" They stiffened and hastily went back to their work. The judgement is that he is a viin indeed! Jun sneered. He looked back at Ai, and his mouth twitched. "There is no need to get so emotional. Fine, if you don''t want to sign them-" He was about to take the books back when Ai quickly grabbed them again. "I will sign. I was just¡­a bit surprised." My very first time giving an autograph¡­ She remembered practicing her signature in Jun''s condo. Even in her past life, she had done this many times in hopes that she would see a signing event of her own one day. But that day never arrived. that way, Ai was indeed a little jealous of Guiying for getting this signing event today. She wasn''t chasing after fame or poprity or book promotion. She just wanted a ce where she could meet and talk to her readers personally. To see their smiles and feel the love they have for her books was what she always wished for. But her dwindling poprity in her past life made it impossible for her dream toe true. I am d I came today, she thought. Ai wasn''t going to at first. She knew from her past life what incident would happen today and what usations she would have to face which even though didn''t kick her out of Dream High, nevertheless still ruined her future writing career. She never got many chances to publish more books after her reputation was affected, so it was a risking here today. But she also knew that Yinyin would be in danger. Only she knew what would happen to him. There was no point in warning others and preventing it from happening because nobody would believe her. People would think she was crazy to talk about the future. It was only to protect Yinyin that she had toe. Ai looked up at Jun. But I never thought that I would get to do my own book signing. This didn''t happen in my previous life¡­ Her fingers trembled as she held the pen and opened the first page of her first book. She began to write. ''To-'' She suddenly realized that as MissImperfectlyFine, she shouldn''t know his name. He will be suspicious, she thought. "What is your name?" "Jun." She nodded. ''To Jun, Thank you so much for reading my books. I appreciate that you like them. I hope you live a good life. Good luck. -MissImperfectlyFine.'' Ai then gave it a thought. ''P.S - Be nice to children. Yinyin was really scared.'' Then she ended her note with her signature she had practiced so hard for. She beamed, satisfied. Jun''s gaze darkened. "You didn''t have to add thatst line!" She pursed her lips. "I just wanted to make it funny." "No need," Jun coldly snatched the book away. Ai took the second book, opened its first page and wrote the same note. Except she changed the P.S part. ''P.S - Threatening the cafe staff was bad.'' ? Jun''s face ckened by several shades. "Cut it out with the postscripts already!" Ai''s lips burst into an uncontroble smile. "I am sorry." "That''s it. Forget about the third book!" Jun was furious. "No, no!" She quickly said, "I won''t write a funny postscript this time." "That means you still want to write a postscript huh?" His expression turned ugly. "But not a funny one, I promise," she sincerely reassured him. Jun suspiciously looked at her. Ai took the third book and wrote the same note again. She wrote a different postscript this time. ''P.S - Don''t forget to ask your parents their story.'' She smiled. "See? I didn''t write a funny one." Jun snorted and looked away. Ai quickly took this chance and wrote another postscript. She closed the book and slid it back to his side. "Thank you," she thanked him from the bottom of her heart. Jun had fulfilled her dream. It was strange. The man she spent her dying moments with in her past life was the same person to ask for her autograph. Her small smile widened in her mask. "Thank you once again for all your help again. I should take my leave now." Jun shrugged. When she left the cafe, she realized she had forgotten her phone inside. As she came back to fetch it, she faintly saw a message that Jun was reading on his phone. She couldn''t read the entire content, but she saw the words ''Sky Publishing.'' Jun felt a presence and turned. "What?" "I forgot my phone." "Hm." She quickly fetched it and left, wondering about it. Sky Publishing. Dream High''s rival¡­ ¡ª Jun copsed on the couch, tired as he returned. He made himself a cup of coffee and sat back. Taking the books out of his bag, he saw MissImperfectlyFine''s notes one by one. He was angry at that time, but now he just sneered. When he opened the third book, he saw there was another postscript written below the previous one. What has she written now? ''P.S.S - Perfection is an ideal not meant to be achieved because the world is more fulfilling when it''s imperfect.'' It''s simr to what she had said on the chat that day. He faintly smiled. The world is more fulfilling, you say¡­ You are wrong. It''s not fulfilling. When the world is imperfect, it''s only a suffering for the heart. He remained like that in silence for several moments before his phone buzzed with a message, breaking the quietness. [Warlord - Ahhhh I saw my Goddess!! She is an angel¡­ Now, I can die peacefully~] [LumiosZ - Then die *smirks*] [Warlord - Shut up!] [AllAloof - Ugh, now he won''t just shut his mouth for days. I will mute this channel now.] [Warlord - How mean! You all should bask in my Goddess''s glory! @MrPerfect and this man is so mean! We could have met today!!] Jun didn''t bother to reply. Another ding came. HS - Hey, what''s going on here? He stiffened. That was Shui''s username on Reading Point - HS for Han Shui. Chapter 50 Merry Christmas (2) Chapter 50 Merry Christmas (2) Jun wanted to drown in alcohol tonight. It was miserable feeling lonely in his condo. He wanted to drink so much that he would just pass out and wouldn''t have to suffer the emptiness anymore. So, he stepped out to bring a lot of booze from the supermarket. But on his way back as he nced at the park, he recognized Ai''s figure. Seeing her sleeping on the bench made him speechless. What does she think she is doing? Jun walked towards her and was shocked to see her sleep so defenselessly on the bench of a public park all alone. "What are you doing sleeping at the park?" Startled, Ai opened her eyes and got up. Her brown orbs slowly widened seeing Jun before her, looking back at her confused. "You." She didn''t realize when she already reached the area closer to where Jun lived on her way to search for hotels. "Yes, it''s me. But what are you doing?" "Sleeping." He gritted his teeth. "Of course, I can see that. If you have any confusion, then let me rify it to you that I am not blind. I mean what are you doing sleeping at a park at this time?" "My house got on fire." wanted to bake a cake, but a small ident happened." "..." I don''t feel it was a small ident. "The repairs are going to take a month. I have no ce to go as all hotel rooms are booked." It definitely wasn''t a small ident. Jun raised his brow. "Such bad luck on Christmas Eve." "Indeed." "You didn''t ask your neighbors or friends?" "My neighbors cannot amodate me due to some reasons of their own." He chuckled. "Ah. Is one of the reasons being afraid of you seducing their husbands?" Ai nced at him. "I figured that though I have no such intentions. It''s fine. I cannot force them. As for my friend, she is out of the city and won''t be back anytime soon." By friend, she meant Xing Bi. "And you figured sleeping in a park was a good option?" His brow twitched. Ai softly exhaled. "Not my best option, but I don''t have a choice." "Idiot! You got loose screws in your head. Sleeping all alone at a parkte at night? You are just inviting predators to you. I don''t need to tell you what kind of predators." "This is a public park," she defended herself or at least tried to. He sneered. "So the public should be present at all times, even at night as bodyguards? There IS a type of public that lurks around, but they aren''t so desirable or reliable. Remember, predators?" Silence. Ai smiled. "Thank you for your concern, but I- wait, where are you taking my bag?" She hastily asked. "Just follow me." "But where?" ? "Shut up and just follow me." Ai was confused. Until the end, Jun refused to talk to her and only dragged her along. Reaching his condo, he put her bag near the couch and faced her. He pointed in a direction. "That will be your room." Ai rapidly blinked. "My room? I will be living here?" "Why did you think I brought you here?" She felt at a loss. "You¡­are allowing me to stay here?" He stared at her with his dark gaze. "Until the time your repairs are over. Don''t overthink." Ai hesitated. She got help from someone who she expected the least. She gave it a long thought and nodded. "I appreciate the help. Thank you so much." Compared to sleeping on a bench in a park which would be unsafe at night, staying at Jun''s condo was the best she could have gotten. Plus, his ce was even better than a hotel''s room. Jun leaned. "I thought you don''t like to bother people, so I would have a hard time persuading you. But you agreed pretty quickly. Are you sure I am-" "You are not my type," Ai stated. "But this is a dire situation for me. Rest assured. I will keep my distance from you." Jun narrowed his eyes. "...Whatever. Now some ground rules for living here. You have seen my ce before, so you know that I am a very organized person. You can use whatever you like or whatever you need, but I need you to put it back to its ce when you are done with it. No making any mess in my house," he coldly iterated. Ai nodded. "I don''t like mess and disorganization either. You don''t have to worry." He had seen her taking notes when he had asked so he believed her. Plus, his house was neat and tidy when she took care of him. Jun hummed. "I don''t like too much noise. I don''t want to hear unnecessary loud sounds or talking on the phone from your room." "Me too. I like peace and quiet. I won''t disturb you." Jun recalled all the times he saw her at the library sitting by herself reading books without a sound. She does keep quiet for a long time. "Breakfast will be ready by 8 AM, lunch by 1 PM and dinner by 8 PM. If you can amodate these times then good, or you will have to arrange your own food. Either cook for yourself or order." Ai nodded. "The timings are more or less simr. I won''t have any problem with the schedule." Jun was slightly surprised. ¡­That''s convenient. He added. "Don''t enter my room without my permission. Of course, the same applies to me too. Also, I read in the mornings and at night, and I don''t like disturbance or any form of hyperactivity when I am reading." Thest line mainly was for his twin elder brothers who never gave him any peace. Ai sincerely agreed. "I like silence while I am reading too, or I cannot enjoy the experience. You won''t face any trouble from me." Why does this seem so easy? Jun wondered. He couldn''t help but get suspicious. There was nobody he met until now who fit in all his demands and habits. "Well then. Do you want to ask anything?" "No. But I do want to say something." "What?" "Merry Christmas." He blinked. "It was going to be a lonely evening for me, but I am not alone now. I don''t mean it in a romantic way naturally, but I appreciate yourpany. Thank you for taking me in. I hope we can spend a good month together." Chapter 70 Move Out Of Mr. Lius House? Chapter 70 Move Out Of Mr. Liu''s House? Few days passed by in the blink of an eye. Ai tirelessly worked on her drafts while taking Jun''s help from time to time. The conversation at the library surprisingly had dissipated the awkwardness between them quicker than the first time they kissed. But that didn''t mean he wasn''t a spartan. He was ruthless and a tyrant in his remarks as he judged her revisions at the library and back home. Ai was in hell, and she dearly missed Xing Bi. At one such time of this torture, she had mumbled, "Not even the Sky CEO would be a devil like you¡­" Herint caught Jun''s ears anyway. He sneered. "Careful of what you say, Zhou Ai. The Sky CEO might be hearing you." "Why would he? Chen Yunru is not here. Also, I am praising him. So, it''s not a problem," she confidently asserted. Jun sincerely had an urge to spill out his identity and enjoy the stupefied look on her face. Ah, that will be so entertaining. Let''s drop the bomb once she gets into Sky. I will click a picture of her expression and put it as my phone''s wallpaper~ Although, Jun acted like a demon most of the times, it was him only who would make coffee for herte at night. Whenever Ai saw the coffee mug on the table after waking up from her nap, she couldn''t control the small smile from lifting her lips. Then at one time, he had also lit an incense in the living room whose fragrance was calming and rxing to help her focus. It was her work. Jun wasn''t even her official editor, but he kept himself awake for her anyway and silently did these small gestures that warmed her heart. working together was bringing them closer bit by bit. Sometimes, they would even forget working on her stories and start talking about their favorite books and getting into fervor discussions all over again. One night, Ai dropped her bag on her bed andid back, tired. She was almost done with polishing her drafts. Her phone rang with an iing call. She beamed seeing that it was Xing Bi. "Xing Bi. I missed you. How was your vacation?" "Ah my dear Ai! I am back! I missed you so much! Hawaii was great. That spa was damn amazing. I felt all my soreness fly away. I will definitely take you there sometime!" She chuckled. "Sure." "Alright, let''s forget about me. Tell me quickly where are you staying right now. I will pick you up." Ai blinked her eyes. "What?" "What what? I am back in the city now. So you can live with me until your house repairs are done. That would be so great. Also, it would be easier to discuss work if we are together," Xing Bi was clearly enthusiastic. "I already feel so guilty that I couldn''t help you while I was away. But worry not. I am back now!" She was at a loss. "Oh¡­" Now that Xing Bi was back, Ai had an option to move out of Jun''s condo and live with her. That way, she won''t have to bother Jun anymore. As a woman, it was more feasible to stay with a female friend too. This is the right choice, isn''t it? But strangely, she resisted this idea. She never imagined it would be so fun living with Jun. He seemed so cold at the outside. But inside these condo''s walls, they had shared their love and time for books which hadpletely changed her perspective about him. Jun can alsough like that¡­ Was what she wondered during theirte night book reading adventures. All his small caring gestures towards her were so adorable too. She appreciated all his help to perfect her short stories. Now thinking that this time woulde to an end brought a sense of dejection in her heart. ? "Ai? Ai?" "Yes, I am here." "So tell me which hotel you are staying at?" Ai opened her mouth but closed it. Then she parted her lips again. "I-I will text you." "Cool. I will be waiting." Ai slowly walked out of her room. Jun''s back faced her as he was on the couch going through her story. She quietly took a seat opposite him. "Oh you are here. Great. This draft seems good enough. You can finalize on this one. It''s the most impressive. Oh and¡­" His expression now switched from work mode to cheerful mode though there wasn''t much difference overall. But Ai saw through his gaze that always sparkled when he was delighted. "Hah! Mrs. Quan gave me this book today. It''s from her secret collection. It''s a very old historical fantasy book. I checked it out and damn it''s good! The author is from Ancient China era. Mrs. Quan has some serious gems I must say. I will give it to you after I read it." Ai brightened smelling the book''s musky scent. "Some parts of the story are really debatable. It will be fun to know what you think about it." This faded away her expectant expression as she remembered what she was here for. "Um, I have something to say." Jun lifted his gaze off the book and raised his brow questioningly. She cleared her throat. "My friend which I told you about on Christmas? She is back from her vacation." "Cool. Why are you telling me this?" "So¡­" she put her palms on her knees and shifted a bit in her seat. "Now that she is back, she has asked me toe live with her." Jun froze. He blinked his eyes, realizing the implication. He quietly put the book on the table and tilted his head. "So¡­you will leave?" Ai had trouble answering this question. "I¡­" Jun didn''t leave his gaze off her even for a moment. "So will you leave is what I am asking," His voice rang with bitterness this time. "That I-" "Was there something unsatisfactory while living here?" Ai blinked in surprise. "Of course not." "Then why are you hesitating so much to reject her offer?" Chapter 72 Taking Care Of Sick Ai Chapter 72 Taking Care Of Sick Ai Fuck! Jun was already on the floor, kneeling at her side. He patted her cheeks. "Ai? Ai? What the hell happened here? Ai!" His face grew paler as a tightening feeling engulfed his chest. He thought as if he was seeing her lying on his car''s hood, all bloodied and wounded just like that fateful night in his past life. He clearly remembered the expression in herst moments and her breaths that were slowly fading away. "Hey wake up. I know you are not dead, so wake up!" He eximed in a higher pitch. His hands were shaking. But Ai didn''t respond. Jun leaned closer and heard her softly breathing. They were light but still there. He noticed her weakly moving her hand too. Relief washed over him. She is not dead¡­Yeah she is alright¡­of course she is. "Just wait. I will take you to the hospital right now!" He picked her in his arms and was about to rush out of the room when Ai tugged on to his shirt. "Don''t¡­" "Idiot! Do you see your condition? What are you saying no for?" Ai slowly opened her eyes, softly gasping. "I am okay. Please put me back to bed." His gaze was frosty. "Your breathing is so light. You are sweating, and you can barely move!" "Trust me. Please put me back to bed. There is no need to go to the hospital," she whispered. "Please¡­" Frustrated, he did as she told him. "And now you are suddenly all healthy, right?" weakly smiled. But her brows sharply twisted as she clutched her stomach. She exhaled trying to ease her pain. Jun stared at her for a few long moments. Then he blinked his eyes several times. "Wait a minute. Are you¡­on your periods?" Ai gently nodded. Periods were natural to any woman. She didn''t feel embarrassed about admitting it to Jun. Jun smacked his own forehead. I am an idiot. Here I was thinking about the past life and all! "You¡­" You scared me, damn it! Jun forgot about all his difort and sat beside her. "It''s your first day?" "Yes." "I see. Wait." He stepped out of the room and came back a few minutester. He brought a ss filled with a drink. "Have this warm drink. It''s good for a woman during her menstrual cramps." He shuffled her nket to help her get up, but she hastily snatched it away from him. "D-Don''t!" "What? I already know you are on your periods. There is nothing to be ashamed of." "No¡­" she pursed her lips and looked away. She fiddled with the nket in her palms. "S-stain¡­" she mumbled. "Huh? Say louder." She bit her lip. "Th-There is a stain." Admitting to periods was one part, but a man seeing the red stain was still embarrassing. Jun rolled his eyes. "Yeah, so what? It''s not like it''s my first time seeing one." "..." You have seen period stains before? She couldn''t help but wonder if it was rted to Shui. That level of intimacy wouldn''t be strange when they were a couple. "I have a little sister, after all," he said. Her eyes slightly widened. "Oh." Why did I feel relieved for a moment? Jun shrugged. "Nuo''s condition is pretty bad on her first day like you. Dad even takes the day off from work to tend to her. Not just him, all the men in our family get ready to take care of her." Ai blinked. This was the first time she was properly hearing him talk about his family from him. She leaned in, feeling curious. ? "Your family seems wonderful. Everybody helps your sister. That''s so thoughtful." Jun snorted. "My family is wonderful if you minus my brothers, grandfather and uncle." "..." He stirred the drink and handed her the ss. "Plus, the men in our family are strictly taught to take care of women when they are on their periods." "Really?" "Yeah. So that we can be their servants for five days." Ai choked on her drink. "Loyal servants who take care of all their wishes and crankiness," he smiled. "We are used to it now." She really didn''t want to, but she couldn''t help but ask in the end, "So it''s like you will be my servant for five days?" Jun shot her a squinted stare and sneered. "Careful of what you are wishing for, Miss Zhou." Her brown eyes sparkled. "But I am a woman in my periods." Trantion - You should be my servant. His brow twitched, and he recalled his mother''s words. ''A woman has to go through a lot of pain in her life! It''s not easy being a woman. If she is on her periods and in distress you should do whatever she asks or wishes for. That''s what a good man does!'' Mom, can I not be a good man anymore? He stared at Ai, who was way too excited for this. Her cute, expectant smile was adorable. "Fine. I am your servant now for five days," he conceded. I will be magnanimous just this once. Ai beamed. His face ckened. "Don''t look like that. It''s creepy!" She coughed. After she finished her drink, he brought a warmpress for her. "ce this over your stomach. Your cramps will lighten up." "Thank you." Jun narrowed his eyes. "What?" "Well¡­" "Spit it out." "I am in too much pain." He sneered. "Yeah, I can see that. You are in so much pain and having so much fun at the same time." "Of course not," she seriously dismissed him. "Tell that to your smile that isn''t stopping at all." She cleared her throat. "I wasn''t smiling. I have a very serious concern. My stomach is hurting badly. So, I cannot step out of the house." "That''s a given." "But I¡­don''t have more sanitary pads left," she looked away. "..." He understood the implication. "So will you please buy a pack of-" "No!" "But-" "No!" "You-" "Nope. Not a chance." Ai sat back, defeated. "Alright. It seems the servants are not quite serious when ites to taking care of a sick woman in her periods. It''s just buying a box. How difficult could it be?" "..." Chapter 73 Mr. Lius Difficult Mission Chapter 73 Mr. Liu''s Difficult Mission Dark clouds were looming over Jun''s head as he stood in front of the counter of a pharmacy shop. His expression was unsightly, and his eyes looked as dead as a fish. ''It''s just buying a box. How difficult could it be?'' Jun''s lips formed a threatening smile. How difficult could it be? So you call this¡­easy? Why does buying a freaking sanitary pad feel like I am climbing some long, treacherous mountain!? The female attendant had a radiant flow on her face seeing such a tall and handsome man so early in the morning. Internally, her heart was squealing. So handsome! So handsome! I will do my best today! She cleared her throat and showed a professional smile. "Sir, what is your choice? Which one do you prefer? Organic pads or regr ones?" His expression twisted. "How will I know that?" He spoke through a clenched jaw. The attendant was floating in the clouds too much to catch the frustration in his voice. She chirped. "Of course, you will know that, Sir. Aren''t you buying for your girlfriend? You are such a thoughtful boyfriend." "She is not my girlfriend!" so it''s not official yet? No worries! I wish you all the best! She will definitely say yes!" "..." "So which one does your girl- I mean, your crush uses?" His mouth twitched. How do I know what Ai uses!? In the end, he randomly picked it himself. "Organic¡­" She brightened. "Good choice! So thick, regr, thin or ultra thin?" "Huh?" He looked like the dumb kid in the ss. "I mean how much do you want the pad to absorb? That depends on how heavy or light her menstrual flow is." He gritted his teeth. What the hell I know about her period flow!? He took a deep breath and tried his best to smile. "Regr." Let''s be on the safer side. "Great! With wings or without wings?" "What wings?" "You know, wings. The wings wrap around the edges of the underwear near the inner thighs, so it prevents any chances of leaking from the sides." The look on his face was unbearable. He had no clue buying pads needed so many choices to be made. It was always the maids in the Liu vi who took care of Nuo''s supplies, so he didn''t know anything about this stuff. Wraps around the edges of the underwear¡­ I feel I am learning way too much about this. "With wings¡­" his voice was hardly audible. Okay, this should be enough- "Nice! Which pad size? Small, medium,rge or XL?" "Do you want day pads or night pads?" "Do you want in pads or with printed designs?" ? "Which brand of organic pads your crush prefers?" "...." ¡ª Jun banged open the door as he reached his condo. He was gasping hard with sweat trickling down his forehead as if he just came out of hell. His expression was indescribable. He carried two huge bags in both of his hands filled with countless boxes of sanitary pads. Since he didn''t know Ai''s choices, he just brought one of everything. The attendant''s countenance was inexplicable. "Zhou Ai! Just you wait until these five days are over! I will make you pay for this by a hundred fold!" He grabbed one box and stomped inside her room. "Damn you, Zhou Ai! How dare you fool me-" He put a sudden brake on his words. Ai was in the bed, feeling drowsy and sleepy. Her expression still seemed to be ufortable seeing her restlessly shift on the bed. Even if he gave her a warm drink andpress, there was no choice but to bear the first day''s pain. The methods could only bring temporary relief. The pain would always be there. Jun quietly put the box on the bedside table. Watching her brows scrunch in pain brought difort and uneasiness in his heart too. He bent his knee and sat beside her. He thought for a moment and gently brushed his fingers through her hair. "It''s okay. You will be fine by tomorrow. Don''t look so weak or how will you have fun giving your orders?" Ai was heavily gasping, and she suddenly grabbed his hand. "Monster¡­monster under the bed¡­" "..." "How many times have I told you? My house is not haunted." But Ai seemed to be genuinely terrified. There were tears in the corner of her eyes. He stiffened. "H-Hey, don''t get so serious. There are no monsters." Is she having a bad dream? "Really¡­?" Ai was in a delirious state. She was talking more in her sleep rather than consciously. "Yeah." Jun paused and asked, "Why are you afraid of monsters? They don''t exist." "Hm¡­?" Her head was rolling side to side in dizziness. Jun scooted closer to her and raising his arm over her head, he firmly put his palm on her cheek. She remained still after that. "Why are you so afraid?" Ai weakly opened her eyes. "Oh¡­It happened in middle school. Our ss went on a trip. I got my periods¡­" she softly exhaled. "I was resting in my room. Everybody else¡­was enjoying¡­I felt alone." Jun felt bitter hearing that. "I didn''t have friends because¡­I was a quiet girl. Then that day¡­two of my ssmates who didn''t like me¡­yed a prank. I was asleep. Then I felt pain in my stomach. I opened my eyes and got up¡­" At this point, she was trembling. She squeezed his hand harder. "S-suddenly a monster jumped at me from below the bedside and screamed. I was¡­terrified. I cried. It was ugly and bloody and hideous. It was dark¡­and I switched on the light to run¡­but then I saw another monster jump at me from the other side. I got too afraid. Then I screamed and fainted¡­I felt even sicker than before," she choked. "Later, I came to know that¡­they were not real monsters but my ssmates. But I couldn''t forget that experience¡­So I still get scared of using a shlight in the dark or¡­think somebody is¡­under my¡­bed¡­" She was getting drowsier. But Jun''s expression got chillier. "Hooo. What happened then?" "...Nothing. The teacher scolded them. They¡­apologized but I could see¡­they didn''t mean it¡­at all. They hated me¡­even more because Iined." "What were their names?" "Huh¡­?" The temperature dropped drastically. "Tell me their names." Chapter 74 Revenge From The Bullies Chapter 74 Revenge From The Bullies Ai raised her head but couldn''t clearly see his face. It looked all hazy. But if she could have, she would have realized how perilous his dark eyes looked right now. The air vibrated with the familiar imminent danger that was going to befall. "Hmm¡­humm¡­" Ai licked her lips and slowly fell asleep. Jun was speechless. "Hey! Tell me their names. You told me the whole story. Be awake for two more seconds and spill out their names." But she was already knocked out. Jun gasped in exasperation and leaned back. "That would have been easier but oh well, I have other methods too," he eerily smiled. He called his cousin Yunru. "Bro! How did you call me today? Did you miss me?" "Shut up. Find something for me. There is a woman named Zhou Ai. She was bullied during a trip in her middle school by two ssmates. Around nine to ten years ago. Get me their names." "Huh? Who is Zhou Ai?" "Don''t ask anything and just do it." He whined. "So mean! Let me in the fun too~" you doing it or not?" "I will, I will! Geez, so impatient! What''s the school name?" "That you have to find out." "..." "Give me some starting point, bro!" "I already did. Zhou Ai. Middle school. Nine to ten years back. Two ssmates. A school trip. They bullied her. How much more do you need?" "..." "Get me their names in fifteen minutes." "What? That''s impossible-" Jun hung up. Fifteen minutester, he promptly got their names with a whining message from Yunru that he ignored. One was Su Lingxin and another was Xiong Hui. Coincidentally, both were B-list actresses currently having side character roles in a movie under production. Jun narrowed his eyes. This movie¡­ He knew someone who worked in that movie. Cool. This will be easier. He dialed a number and smiled. "Hey. I heard there are two actresses in the movie you are working in." An impending glint flickered in his eyes and he sneered. "I want to have some fun with them." ¡ª A few hourster, Ai yawned and slowly opened her eyes. She furrowed her brows feeling minor cramps in her stomach. Stomach¡­ She blinked as she felt a presence. She lowered her head and saw a hand gently resting on it. She widened her eyes and jerked her head back to see Jun sleeping beside her. His chest was hugging her back. His arm was bent at his elbow over her pillow and his head was propped on his left hand with his eyes shut. His right hand was on her belly, snaking it over her waist. Even though Jun was asleep, he was still lightly patting his fingers on her belly. Ai noticed and felt his feathery like movements as if he was trying to ease her pain. She slowly looked back at him in a daze. The soft sunlight through the window shone upon his neck and chest and partially over his cheek. The shadow that fell over his handsome facial features made her breath hitch. Even in his sleep, he looked in control and inmand as if saying, ''Don''t mess with me.'' Ai parted her lips in surprise. ? He was here the whole time¡­? Jun stirred in his sleep and woke up too. Their gazes met. "You are awake? How are you feeling now?" "Huh? M-Much better." Jun closely watched her expression and nodded in satisfaction. She didn''t look so tragic as she was in the morning. He nced around and stiffened. He realized the intimate posture they were in. There was a long silence. Ai was about to say when he eximed. "I am not a pervert!" He made some distance between them and immediately sat upright. He rubbed his hands together and shouted in his defense. "I heard patting the stomach helps ease the pain! I wasn''t harassing you in your sleep! Nothing happened between us!" "I know," Ai quickly answered to calm him down. "I am not using you of anything." "Oh? Oh-oh¡­That''s good," he cleared his throat, feeling relieved. What is wrong with me? Why did I care so much about her that I slept beside her? He thought he would leave after she fell asleep, but he couldn''t. Before he knew it, he was embracing her from her back and patting her stomach. Ai earnestly thought about Jun''s different sides. When she broke the news of her moving outst night, he seemed so frightening as if she had chartered into dangerous territory. His whole presence was threatening her to not offend him. But now he was flustering upon seeing them sleep on the same bed as ifst night was all an illusion. She sped her hands together. "Actually, I am grateful. It feels much better thanks to you doing that. So thank you." "H-hm." The slight awkwardness disappeared by a ding from Jun''s tab. He checked it, and his eyes twinkled evilly. "Come here. Let''s watch some news~" Ai tilted her head. "News?" "Juste here. No, wait. I will shift to your side¡­" he scooted closer to her, making her slightly swallow her saliva. It was hard to know if she felt hot because she was feverish or due to Jun''s body hugging her. "My cousin forwarded me some juicy video," he smirked. Ai was puzzled. She never thought Jun would be the kind to enjoy gossip. She leaned in anyway and saw two faces shing in the news video. Ah? In the video, Su Lingxin and Xiong Hui were running like crazy women on the movie sets and screaming at the top of their voices. "Dead body!" Su Lingxin gasped. "There is a dead body inside!" Xiong Hui yelled. "I-Its head¡­it''s backward!" "There is blood everywhere! Ahhhh!!! Help!" What caused more uproar was that they imed the grotesque dead body had jumped on them to attack. Their tears had ruined their makeup such that they looked like ghosts themselves. Everything was caught live on a camera, and it was revealed that it was just someone from the staff ying a prank on them. The blood was fake. Everybody felt pitiful for them on social media, but they were alsoughing at them screaming and running like two crazy people. Jun chuckled. "Fun, right?" He was extremely pleased. They bullied Ai, so he just made them pay twice the damage. Dead bodies were more frightening than monsters. Ai was left speechless. She was too drowsy, so she didn''t remember much about telling Jun about the middle school incident. Who knew Su Lingxin and Xiong Hui would face retribution one day? Ai wondered. It had been years since the incident, nevertheless Ai felt satisfied in her heart. They were pure bullies, and people like them never changed. As they watched the video on his tab, Jun''s phone lit up with Yunru''s message. ''Bro! Guess what? Sky just received a story draft from the author with whom you have a love-hate rtionship! MissImperfectlyFine!'' Chapter 75 Guiyings Crush Chapter 75 Guiying''s Crush Where Jun and Ai were enjoying watching Su Lingxin and Xiong Hui''s misery, Yating hadn''t slept a wink for a few nights. Ever since Ai rejected him, he had lost all his will to do anything. Sometimes he felt why he was even alive anymore. He had buried himself in work so much until dark circles formed under his eyes. He hadn''t gone back home in days. The door opened, and he heard footstepsing in. "Yating! Are you still working? Gosh, what''s wrong with you? Zhan Yahui told me you are working like some madman." Yating stiffened. It was Guiying who came to check on him. He slowly lifted his gaze and watched her staring at him with dissatisfaction. Her hands were on her waist indignantly. "What are you doing with yourself? Why are you working so damn hard? Give it a rest!" She put down a paper bag with his lunch and sat on a chair opposite him. "Close yourptop right now and eat. Just look at your ghostly face!" Yating remembered the New Year''s night as clear as day. ''She was always there, Gu Yating. Guiying was always there because she loves you.'' He clenched his fist and lowered his gaze. Guiying sighed. "I came back from vacation and this is what I came to know as soon as I am back? What''s wrong, Yating?" he coldly retorted. She folded her arms and narrowed her eyes. "You cannot fool me. I have known you less than I have known Ai, but I can still read you. You have never worked like this before. Like a monster. Something is definitely bothering you." His eyelids softly trembled. He parted his lips to ask Guiying about her feelings for him. But he stopped himself. ''As for Guiying¡­you will know it when the time is right. But until then don''t ask her anything. Please respect my wishes if you treat me as your friend.'' Ai, you are wrong. Guiying doesn''t like me that way. I want to prove this to you. So, why aren''t you letting me? One question¡­if I just ask her one question, everything will be clear. He sped his hands together. He felt at a crossroads. On one hand, he genuinely wanted to keep his promise to Ai about not asking Guiying anything. But on the other side, his rtionship with Ai was in jeopardy too. Until Guiying''s role wasn''t cleared, Ai wouldn''t believe him. She wouldn''t ept his confession. How can I let you go Ai¡­? I really love you so much. His eyes once again stung in tears. But he didn''t let Guiying see them. He felt a soft hand on his. "Yating? You look so pale. You will fall sick like this. Let me take you home." He was startled and quickly shook her hand off. Guiying widened her eyes. "Hey! You didn''t have to be so mean. I care about you." Yating''s expression turned icier. "I am fine. Don''t touch me like that again." Her jaw dropped. "Huh? Don''t say as if I am a pervert! I am a respectable woman!" She harrumphed. "This is what I get for caring for a friend." He let out a cold smile. A friend. Do you really treat me as a friend? Yating raised his head and faced her. He fixed his gaze on hers, his mind weighing his options. "Guiying, can I ask you something?" She curiously raised her brow. "Sure." "Do you¡­do you like someone?" Yating knew he shouldn''t be asking this question to her. But he really couldn''t stop himself. ? I could at least ask if she likes someone without taking my name. He expected her to shrug him off, but her reaction made his heart stop beating in his chest. Guiying''s cheeks flushed red, and she seemed to be fidgety. She tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear nervously, feeling a little shy. She was trying hard not to panic and show any ambiguous expression. But she was failing in it. "You¡­" Yating felt a lump at the back of his throat. This cannot be true. "N-No! Where did this question suddenly pop up from? I don''t like anyone." She darted her gaze left and right, which was a clear sign that she was hiding something. Yating''s gaze got colder. If Ai was right, then that meant Guiying indeed had feelings for him. Him choosing Ai over her would hurt Guiying''s feelings and their friendship too. This¡­how did I not realize it? It''s impossible! Guiying cannot like me! But Yating couldn''t ask anymore questions. He already half-broke his promise to Ai. Now asking the identity of her crush would onlyplicate things with Ai even more. Guiying quickly picked her bag and got up. "Don''t forget to eat your lunch and go home, okay? I¡­I will head back. I am tired." She shut the door and hastily left. Yating could only stare ahead in a daze. He pressed his temples, feeling a headacheing. He clenched his fists, the temperature in the air dropping. Ai¡­ ¡ª Guiying slipped out of her heels and rushed in her bedroom, locking her door shut. She took a few deep breaths. She stood in front of the mirror and noticed her pink cheeks. Damn, I was so nervous! Did Yating figure it out? Why did he suddenly ask that question? No, no! How could he realize it? I haven''t told it to anybody, not even to Ai or Zhan Yahui. It''s my secret. "Maybe he just asked it casually? But that was really sudden. For a moment, I was afraid if he came to know about my feelings¡­" Guiying opened her cupboard and took out a small box from among a pile of clothes. Opening its lid, she nced through a few items in it. Mostly were cards and some were gifts from a certain fan. She softly smiled and took out one of the cards. It held a beautiful pink cherry blossom between its folds. She had received this card a few years ago, so the flower had withered. Nevertheless, she cherished it with all her heart. The card read, ''Congrattions on winning the Best Fiction Award, CherryBlossom. I have be your loyal reader, and I will forever follow you. I am proud of you. Hope to see you win many more awards. You like cherry blossoms, right? Please ept this flower as a token of my love for your work. I am waiting for your next book. Love, MrPerfect.'' Guiying would always feel her heart skip a beat whenever she read this card. She didn''t reveal about her crush for MrPerfect to anybody. He was just an anonymous reader, after all. "It''s weird if I tell them that I like my fan, right¡­? I have never seen him or even talked to him. People willugh at me for being so silly," her shoulders slumped. But a warm smile lifted her lips, thinking about him whose support always filled her heart with bliss and encouragement. I hope we meet someday, MrPerfect. Chapter 76 MissImperfectlyFines Story Submission Chapter 76 MissImperfectlyFine''s Story Submission Four dayster, Jun and Ai decided to start going back to the library again. She felt well after the second day itself, but Jun was stubborn to stay at home until her periods were over. He didn''t want to witness her getting copsed like that ever again. Mrs. Quan Su beamed seeing them return.", "Oh, you two are back! How are you feeling, Ai? Is it better now?"", She cleared her throat. "I am. Jun was a good servant."", He clenched his jaw. "Yeah, sure. Now those days are over so you better watch out, Zhou Ai."", Ai smiled.", Jun seemed to be annoyed, but he had taken really good care of her from cooking to washing bed sheets.", Even better than Mom did, I must say.", She coughed. But Ai was taken aback as Mrs. Quan''s question dawned upon her.", "Do you know that I¡­"", "Oh that you are living at Jun''s ce? Yeah, I do. Jun called me four days back saying that he won''t being to work because you were sick."", coughed. "Honestly, I was really shocked to know. I couldn''t believe that Jun offered you his ce."", Jun red at her. "What do you mean?"", "Well¡­you aren''t exactly the type to bother with others'' problems," she sheepishly grinned. "In fact I hadn''t expected you to agree to be the assistant librarian here either to help me out."", He sneered. "I see. Then I think you should look for another one as soon as possible. I might have just gotten offended."", She quickly waved her hand. "No, no. I was just joking. I know you are a sweet boy."", He snorted.", Mrs. Quan Su curiously alternated her gaze between them. "You two have gotten so close."", They blinked in confusion.", "Haven''t you noticed it? You are morefortable around each other now. I even saw Jun smiling a minute ago when he was talking to you. And you know what? When he informed me about your sickness, I offered that you could stay at my ce," she cleared her throat. "Naturally, I felt it would be convenient for you to live with another woman during your periods. But oh my, Jun got so furious!"", Jun''s gaze darkened.", Ai nced at him with curiosity. "Really?"", "I wasn''t angry!"", "Yes you were. You said, ''Hey, back off! Why does everyone want her to move out from my ce? I can take care of her just fine! Now, if I heard a third person offering her God damn house to her, I would burn her ce down!''", And then you cruelly hung up," she sniffled. "So mean, Jun. I was just trying to help you."", His mouth twitched. "I didn''t say it like that! You are just making things up, old woman!" He turned and stomped his way to the third floor.", Mrs. Quan chuckled. "He is so cute."", "...Yeah." Ai touched her cheek and felt it growing warmer.", "Did Jun really say that to you?"", "Of course! Why would I lie? He said it exactly in the tone which I just expressed. Hehe, he ran away because he got embarrassed. He cares so much about you. I never saw him acting like that for any woman before. You know how he behaves with women here, right? So, it''s really surprising. But I am happy to see him opening up to you little by little. In fact, you too," she kindly smiled.", Ai quickly bowed and went up with her lips uncontrobly smiling all the way.", ? ¡ª", Jun dumped his bag on his desk and mumbled a string of curses. "Mrs. Quan has too much free time it seems. I didn''t say it that way at all!"", The patrons exchanged nces in wonder.", Why is he talking to himself?", Why does he look so angry?", Doesn''t he always look like that?", You have a point¡­", Jun shot a dangerous re at them. "What?"", The patrons hastily buried their heads in their books.", He opened hisptop and started doing his usual work. He got a ding and read Yunru''s message.", ''Bro! Did you read MissImperfectlyFine''s work? I did, and man it''s awesome! We should totally select her. I wonder why she woulde to us when she works for Dream High though. Anyway, get back to me as soon as you can! I have mailed you her draft.''", Oh yeah¡­", Jun remembered reading Yunru''s message three days back. He was honestly shocked to learn that MissImperfectlyFine was pitching a draft to Sky. But he kept that work aside and only wanted to focus on Ai''s recovery.", I should check the draft now, he opened his mailbox.", He was curious to read what she had submitted. Though he had made the rule that Dream High writers weren''t allowed, he made an exception just for her. Usually, any other writer would have gotten rejected, but Yunru knew about the love-hate rtionship with that author. So, he passed the draft onto Jun.", I hope it''s not another tragic story, he snorted.", Jun opened the document and saw that it was a short story.", Short story¡­", Which reminded him that Ai aka Butterfly was going to submit her story too.", Why hasn''t Sky still received any draft from her? She should be done days ago. He frowned.", Jun read through MissImperfectlyFine''s short story and froze. He blinked his eyes several times.", What, what, what?", He quickly scrolled down all until the end and found that the story was exactly the same as what Ai had worked upon. He checked again, and it was indeed sent from MissImperfectlyFine, not Butterfly.", What the hell¡­How can her story be the same as Ai''s!?", Her face was marred in utter bewilderment, and he quickly dialed Yunru''s number.", "Are you sure it''s the draft from MissImperfectlyFine?" He chillingly asked.", Yunru confirmed. "Yes! I was passing by four days ago and heard Sun Bai was going to reject her story. I heard her name but because I knew how much you ''admire'' MissImperfectlyFine, I stopped her from rejecting it and sent it to you."", "No! I mean is it really from MissImperfectlyFine? Is there a misunderstanding between the drafts? It must be sent by Butterfly!"", "Huh? Of course not. Butterfly didn''t send us any story. Sky received MissImperfectlyFine''s short story from her own mail ount. It''s the one officially recorded in Dream High too. Why wouldn''t it be her?"", Chapter 77 Ais Blunder Chapter 77 Ai''s Blunder On the other side, Ai was waiting for Sky''s response. She had submitted her short story four days back just before she got too sick from her periods and copsed but was yet to get a reply. It''s already been four days¡­What is taking them so long? Have they rejected my story? Ai couldn''t help but feel apprehensive. She unlocked her phone and checked her email ount to see if there was any update. There was none, and she was disappointed. She casually tapped on her Sent Items box. But a few secondster, she rapidly blinked in confusion upon not seeing any mail sent from Butterfly''s ount. But I did send out the mail¡­ Suddenly, she froze as if lightning struck her, and she hastily opened her MissImperfectlyFine''s Sent Items box. The worst she had feared came out to be true, and her eyes widened in horror. I¡­sent my story using this ount? H-How? She recalled she was working that day and was ready to send the story but was feeling slightly dizzy when pain shot up in her stomach. She dazedly opened her email ount and with blurred vision saw ''ly'' and chose her mail ount, thinking it to be ''ly'' of Butterfly one. Ai froze. Did I get confused between the ''ly'' from MissImperfectlyFine and Butterfly? Suddenly, Jun appeared before her and grabbed her arm. "Come with me." Ai looked at him, stunned. "What happened?" She was still in her daze about the blunder she had made. chilling aura and voice passed a shiver down her back. "Juste." He took her to the third floor''s storeroom and locked the door shut. He turned and narrowed his eyes. Ai had no clue what was going on. "What''s wrong? Why do you look so upset?" He balled his fist. "I am upset. Fuck, I am outraged! How dare she steal your work!?" She blinked twice. "Steal my work? Who?" "MissImperfectlyFine! She giarized your story!" Ai stared at him unblinkingly. With what she just heard, she really couldn''t do anything but just throw him a nk gaze. The realization of her blunder then dawned upon her. "Do you personally know MissImperfectlyFine?" Jun impatiently asked. "Did you ever show her your stories for guidance or suggestions?" She stiffened and really didn''t know how to answer this question. She felt an ugly feeling creep in her chest, especially after she just realized what she had identally done. "I¡­" "Did you share it with her or not!?" "Yes, I did!" The answer just sprawled out of her mouth with the pressure he was building and the panic she was feeling from the gravity of her mistake. She could hardly think straight of what to do next when Jun suddenly dropped this bomb on her. He shut his eyes and clenched his jaw. He felt it was impossible to happen. But the facts were before him. It was Ai who worked on that story right in front of him. He had himself helped her revise those drafts. How could he not know Butterfly''s story? Then Ai had mentioned it herself that her pen name was Butterfly. He got the news that Butterfly met Sun Bai at Sky too. But now the submission was sent by MissImperfectlyFine? Ai asked, slightly breathless with trepidation, "H-How do you know about the submission?" "What? Of course, I would know. I am the-" he stopped himself in time. He coldly replied. "I mean I have a friend working there. He asks me to look through some drafts in my free time and give my suggestions." ? Ai felt her heart in her throat. It was as if getting zapped by lightning. Jun¡­was connected to Sky like that? He had the ess to read story submissions? Now she understood where the problem lied. He expected the submission toe from Butterfly. But instead, it came from MissImperfectlyFine. He helped Ai to revise her stories, so he already knew what her entry was going to be. Instead, it was another writer that came up with the same submission. So, he thinks MissImperfectlyFine is giarizing. She swallowed a big gulp, and her body trembled. If I knew Jun had the ess to read the submissions, I would have¡­ Jun punched the wall, making her jolt. "Fuck! How dare she!?" Ai froze. She parted her lips to confess that MissImperfectlyFine didn''t giarize, but it dawned upon her that confessing that would mean admitting that she lied about her identity to get into Sky. She used deceit to enter which was harmful for her either way. Ai was stuck between a rock and hard ce. "I didn''t expect this from her! I met her during the book signing event. She seemed¡­she seemed like a nice person," he clenched his fist. The color of his brown irises were turning darker and darker. Did I judge her wrongly? The way she saved Yinyin and took the me. The way her hand was trembling when he had held hers. The way she shared her story about her family to him. The way she put the funny PS notes to annoy him. Was that just an illusion? The MissImperfectlyFine he knew since his past life was a cheater? The MissImperfectlyFine whose books had a ce in his shelf and in his heart was a giarizer? He didn''t wish to use a person like her. But between her and Ai, Jun would always and unreservedly stand on Ai''s side, who he knew better and spent more time with than MissImperfectlyFine. Ai''s forehead was slowly covered with a thinyer of sweat. She was always straightforward and wasn''t the type to hide things. But now feeling the killing aura emanating from him, she thought as if she was burning in a pot of hell. She sensed his extreme displeasure with the way his knuckles cracked and how his veins twitched on his forehead. Her heart raced with fear imagining if he would be upset enough to throw her out of his house if he learned that she lied. This was the first time for her that she was deathly afraid of telling the truth. It was going well between them, and she had an inherent feeling to protect this little friendship which she had with Jun. "I¡­-" "I hate liars!" Jun eximed. In his past life, Shui had hidden her feelings for Jin and so did Jin for her, and they had lied to Jun. That''s why he hated deceitful people. Now MissImperfectlyFine turned out to be one too. Ai''s state grew even paler, and tears threatened to escape her eyes. Hate liars¡­Hate liars¡­ Jun observed her pale condition, and he flicked her forehead hard, making her softly gasp. "What are you moping down for? You don''t have to worry about anything." Her weak smile faltered while she sped her hands together. The truth was at the tip of her tongue which couldn''t escape no matter how hard she tried, his words ringing in her mind. Watching her face marred in uneasiness and sadness, Jun felt an urge to kill somebody. The temperature just kept dropping. You messed with the wrong man, MissImperfectlyFine. You have fucked up this time. You dare steal Ai''s work and fame. You will pay for this betrayal. I will make you. Chapter 78 Big Trouble Chapter 78 Big Trouble Ai put down her bag in her room and nervously paced back and forth in front of her bed. With this giarism sword swinging on her neck, her chances to be chosen to Sky were as good as none. Getting into Sky was her first step in bing a writer she always dreamt of. This was the chance to fulfill her wish that she couldn''t do so in her past life. Dream High always focused more on Guiying whereas she got little to none resources. She wanted to change things by moving to a different publishingpany, away from Guiying and Yating. Although she knew the future of Sky''s copse five yearster, she still decided to choose Sky. She thought now that she knew Sky was going to fall, she would find out the reason why it happened and prevent its copse. She would secure Sky and her own future. But now I won''t even get into Sky¡­ She had asked Jun what would happen next, and he had answered, ''The CEO personally involves himself in the draft selection process. He would deal with her.'' Ai shivered. The way he pronounced ''deal with her'' had a viinous ring to it. She was sure she would be rejected, but why did she feel that¡­ Something more bad is about to ha something bad was going to happen anytime soon. But what was stopping Jun was the books he held right now standing in front of his shelf. They were MissImperfectlyFine''s books. He was looking at the first page where she had signed them. The page almost crumpled between his fingers. You¡­were you really fooling me all this time? He stared at her award winning work - My time with you. The ending when the leads decided to part ways rather thane together made him feel bitter. But even through that bitter feeling, something had resonated in his heart like a loud, crashing wave. It had a huge impact on him which he could never forget. But he couldn''t understand what it was exactly. The writer who made his heart swing up and down like a seesaw with an onught of varied emotions, was she someone who could steal someone''s work? Is she the same person who wrote the book that shook him so hard and whose books had a ce on his shelf? It was a small meeting with her during the event, nevertheless he had enjoyed it. He liked that he got to know more about her. But now he was on the verge of throwing her books away forever. She betrayed Ai''s trust and that was something he couldn''t tolerate. Something burned his very cells with enmity thinking that Ai was used. He narrowed his eyes and picked his phone. He opened the Reading Point chat where Warlord and the others were chatting like usual. He hit MissImperfectlyFine''s direct message window and typed. MrPerfect - I never thought you would be so shameless. There was a long silence. Her status symbol was avable, so it meant she was online. Finally, he saw her typing. MissImperfectlyFine - What do you mean? Jun clenched his phone harder as if it would break at any moment. MrPerfect - You giarized someone''s work. If you are not shameless, then what are you? There was a pause. MissImperfectlyFine - I didn''t giarize. How do you know about this? I thought you were a nice person because you helped me before. I enjoyed talking to you whenever we did. But you are using me without evidence. ? His gaze turned chilly. MrPerfect - You are talking to the Sky CEO. That''s how I know. There was even a longer pause than before. It wasn''t Jun''s intention to reveal his identity to anybody, especially someone from Dream High. But this time, he wanted to. He wanted her to know who she was messing with. He wanted to suffocate her like a fish flopping onnd for its life. Also, he wasn''t revealing himself as Liu Jun. It was as MrPerfect, his identity on Reading Point. Nobody knew that MrPerfect was Jun or vice versa. So, he was giving him out but not really at the same time. He sneered. If she does try to expose me, I can silence her anytime. Before she could reply, he typed hisst message to her. MrPerfect - I am not chatting to know your reasons. You have already lost all respect I had for you. I came to say that you are finished. You picked a bone with the wrong person. You giarized that means someone else has worked hard for it. You stole everything important to that person and Sky doesn''t take this shit. Prepare yourself. ¡ª Ai was staring at her chat window. If it wasn''t enough that she came to know that Jun had ess to reading submissions, now MrPerfect dropped another bomb. Sky¡­CEO¡­? The phone almost copsed from her hand. She wanted to believe that he was joking. But even through his chats, she felt the weight of his words. He wasn''t lying. He didn''t even bother to convince her about his identity. He just said it. That was it. Ai gathered herself and quickly wanted to clear the misunderstanding. I will exin what happened, and then he will definitely understand. At this point, she didn''t know what else to do but to be ready to face the consequences. She kept typing and sending him messages, but none went through as she got only one reply from the system. ''You cannot send anymore messages as the recipient has blocked you.'' ¡ª Dream High. Zhan Yahui rushed to the elevator and up towards Yating''s office. She quickly opened the door and saw him working on hisptop. His condition was slightly better than before, but the bags under his eyes were still visible. "Gu Yating!" He lifted his gaze and went back to hisptop. "What''s the rush? Just keep the drafts aside. I am not in the mood right now." She shut hisptop. "Hey!" "Gu Yating, why are you so rxed? Do you even know what''s going on? Dream High is in big trouble and all because of Zhou Ai!" That awoke him instantly. "What do you mean?" "Just look at the news. Sky Publishing has used MissImperfectlyFine of giarizing!" Chapter 79 Negative Publicity Chapter 79 Negative Publicity Yating snatched the phone from her and hastily scrolled through the news. There was an article in the top trending about Sky''s usation. Sky''s official social media ount posted a statement about how MissImperfectlyFine stole someone''s short story and submitted it to Sky. Sky didn''t reveal Ai''s identity because Jun didn''t want any unnecessary attention on her. But his stand on MissImperfectlyFine was clear. She was a giarizer. As soon as the post hit the news, the publishing and readingmunities were fiercely responding to Sky''s usation. Ai had a decent readers base, and some of her fans were indeed defending her. But Sky had posted pictures of MissImperfectlyFine''s submission alongside Ai''s draft which she worked with Jun. The story was exactly the same, and some of Ai''s readers were now wavering in their conviction. "What bullshit is this?" Yating was outraged. "Somebody is defaming Ai! Has Sky gone crazy!?" He banged his palms on the desk and abruptly stood on his feet. Zhan Yahui folded her arms. "Seriously, Gu Yating? You think Sky would do this to defame Zhou Ai?" Ayer of ice covered his gaze. "Through Zhou Ai, it wants to throw mud at Dream High too. But this is shit! How dare they use Ai for their dirty schemes?" door banged open, and Xing Bi dashed in. Huffing and puffing, she was trying to catch her breath. "The news¡­is a lie," she gasped. "Ai would never giarize!" "I know Ai would never giarize," Yating answered without faltering. Guiying came at the same time. "What is happening!? I just saw the news. Sky is using Ai?" Yating punched his fist on the wall. "Sky has lost it! The hell would Ai even submit any draft to Sky?" Xing Bi replied after a pause. "That''s true actually. Ai was indeed working on some stories to submit to Sky." Yating nkly stared at her. "What?" Guiying widened her eyes. "Huh? But Ai works from Dream High." Zhan Yahui raised her brow. "Oh. Is it because she feels threatened by Guiying that she chose to run away?" Xing Bi threw her a nasty stare. "Ai is not running away! Why don''t you ask this to the management who have been only giving all their promotions to Guiying?" She looked at Guiying. "I am not ming you for this, Guiying. You are talented, and you deserve all you get." She curled her fingers and gritted her teeth. "But I believe that Ai can be a great and popr writer if we focus on her too. If Sky can give her that chance, so be it. I will support whatever is required to open that path for her." Guiying felt she couldn''t breathe. "I¡­" Zhan Yahui red at her. "Xing Bi! Are you trying to make Guiying feel guilty?" "It''s not like that, and you know it too. Don''t put words in my mouth that I don''t mean. And what is the problem anyway? Ai isn''t bound with any contract with Dream High," she chuckled. "Isn''t it because Dream High sees no value in her so didn''t bother to offer her one? Guiying is contracted and has amitment but not Ai. Dream High has no right over her. She is not obligated in any way!" Every word pierced Yating''s heart akin to sharp arrows. ? Ai wanted to leave Dream High? First, she rejected his confession, and now she wanted to walk out of Dream High too. Why Ai¡­? Yating couldn''t understand if it was really because of theck of opportunities or because of howplicated his, Ai, and Guiying''s rtionship would be. Or is it both? Xing Bi said, "We are not here to discuss why Ai chose Sky. The point is that Ai would never giarize! I don''t know what''s going on, but they are misunderstanding like hell!" "Or maybe it is really not a misunderstanding, and in desperation, Ai indeed copied someone''s work?" Zhan Yahui smiled. "Maybe she feels she has lost her skills, so she had to resort to this. I read the submission Sky posted. I admit the writing styles are simr, but it''s really not the same as how Zhou Ai writes. The emotions the story has conveyed is beyond the level Ai can write." "That''s because she is changing! Do you expect writers to be at the same ce for their whole lives? Writing is an art. People learn and they improve. They learn to express themselves better. That''s what Ai is doing. This doesn''t mean that she hasn''t written it! It''s ridiculous!" "I agree with Xing Bi," Guiying fiercely nodded. "These charges are really bullshit!" Zhan Yahui eximed. "Guiying! How can you still support her?" She gravely answered. "I have known Ai since high school. She is a diligent girl. She would never cheat like this. This isn''t how she wants to be a sessful writer. Ai has principles! She won''t break the very foundation of creative art. giarizing." "You¡­" she sighed in exasperation. "For God''s sake, don''t make any statement as CherryBlossom about this. Thest thing we want to deal with is peopleshing out on you for supporting her. They will think you are a giarizer too!" She nced at Yating. "We have to take some action against Zhou Ai! Look, how negative publicity we are getting!" Xing Bi interrupted. "And here you are again trying to push everything up on Ai without even investigating! You did the same thing at Guiying''s signing event, and you still didn''t learn anything? Do you hate Ai or something?" "You! As if I have the time to hate her. It''s just that problems ur whenever Zhou Ai is there! She was at the center of themotion that time and now as well." "It''s not her fault if people like you just want to jump to conclusions!" "Oh and you think the Sky CEO jumped to this conclusion too by ident?" "Enough!" Yating harshly bellowed hismand. Zhan Yahui and Xing Bi quietened down. He stared at them one by one. "Leave. I will handle this," His ck eyes emitted an eerie iciness. "I will have a word with the Sky CEO." Chapter 80 Isnt The Solution Simple? Chapter 80 Isn''t The Solution Simple? This particr morning at Jun''s condo was unlike all the pleasant mornings Ai had before. Her public image as MissImperfectlyFine was deteriorating rapidly as she read thements shing her left and right. Not only her, but Dream High was also implicated. I cannot let this go on¡­ MrPerfect vowed to teach her a lesson and if he didn''t stop, things could take a turn from bad to worse. She saw multiple missed calls from Yating, but she didn''t answer any of them. When her phone shed with Xing Bi''s number, she immediately picked it. "Ai! Don''t get stressed because of this nonsense on social media at all. Yating is taking care of it. I cannot believe Sky would do this!" Ai pursed her lips. "It''s a big misunderstanding, Xing Bi." "I know. I trust you. Ugh! I feel like cursing Sky so much!" "No. I mean. It''s because of me." "What? I will smack you if you say you really giarized!" She quickly replied. "No, no. I didn''t giarize. But I did something stupid that caused this whole mess." Bi sounded confused. "Tell me clearly, Ai." Ai sighed. "I am sorry, Xing Bi. I have been hiding something from you for many days now." Her voice got sharper. "Out with it, Ai." She tucked her hair behind her ear, slightly flustered. "You won''t be mad at me, right?" "That depends on the seriousness of what you have been hiding, youngdy," she rmingly retorted. Ai could imagine herself guiltily kneeling in front of Xing Bi while she held a big wooden scale in her hand, waiting to strike her. She gulped. "Well¡­" Ai confessed everything from the beginning. Xing Bi listened to it patiently in the beginning but the more Ai went on, the more her jaw dropped. "What!? I don''t know where to begin scolding you, Zhou Ai!" "I am sorry," she lowered her head. "You-you¡­so you lied to me for not moving in with me!" She expressed, aggrieved. "No, wait. Before that. The hell you have been living with a man all this time! Unmarried yourself and living under the same roof with another unmarried man! What if he is a pervert?" Ai rified. "Jun is not a pervert. He is a nice, respectful man." "Is he violent?" "I said he is a respectful man. I wouldn''t have agreed if he was violent." "Is he handsome?" "..." "What does it matter?" "I mean it would be a cherry on the cake if he is a treat to the eyes," she shrugged. Ai tilted her head, thinking of his sharp and well-defined features. "Well, he is very good-looking indeed." ? Xing Bi smelled something fishy. "So, have things progressed¡­?" She furrowed her brows. "Progressed?" "Ugh! You are a romance writer. How can you be so naive about love? Things progressed between you two as in looooove." Ai coughed hard, and she almost stumbled. "O-of course not. It''s not like that. I am living here only temporarily, and he is just helping me out." "Yet you refused toe to my house when I offered you. What should I make of this? My inner romantic senses are tingling. You two are not just friends." She opened her mouth but failed to give aeback. "H-He is¡­not my type." Xing Bi grimaced. "Ai, do you even have any type? For all I know, you were always buried in books. Did you ever have the time to wonder what type of man you prefer?" Her brow twitched because it was right on the mark. "Shit, you diverted me off topic! We have such a serious problem going on. I will have a detailed conversation with you about thister, Zhou Ai," Xing Bi narrowed her eyes. "Yes, Mam." "But for now, isn''t the solution so simple? It all happened because Jun turned out to be helping Sky which you didn''t know before. Fine. But now, you just have to rify that you are not Butterfly but MissImperfectlyFine. You and her are the same person, so there is no scope of giarizing." Ai''s gaze dimmed. "...I know." Xing Bi sensed her pause. "Ai, why did you even lie to him in the first ce? You were always so straightforward. You even hid things from me now." Ai didn''t have an answer to that. She was confused herself. Why was she so affected by all this? Why did it matter to her if Jun hated her about the fact she lied? Xing Bi, on the other side, was perceptive and caught on to her silence. I was right. There is something going on between them. Otherwise, Ai wouldn''t change like this. "Ai, whatever your reasons are, you cannotpromise the trust you have built as a writer. Your career is at stake here. giarism is a serious usation. You have to stop this before Sky or themunity fan more mes on this matter. If he is a really nice and respectable man as you have imed, then he won''t be disappointed in you. He might get angry at you for lying to him for sometime, but then I am sure he will understand." Ai''s crestfallen face glowed. "Really?" "Yes. Tell Jun everything, and he would rify it to Sky in turn. The problem will get solved, and Sky will retract its statement." She nodded in determination. "I will. Thank you, Xing Bi." ¡ª Ai took a deep breath and exhaled. She stood in front of Jun''s bedroom door and knocked twice. Jun didn''t respond. She heard some whispersing from inside. She knocked again, and the door moved. It was ajar. Ai paused and slightly widened the gap to check. "Jun?" She peeked inside and saw Jun''s tall figure standing near therge windows as he talked to someone on the phone. His right profile faced her. He held a gift box in his left hand. She watched his eyes grow dimmer and somber as he silently heard the other person speak. A minuteter, Jun answered with a weak smile, "Yes Dad, I know. I won''t show my face at Mom and your wedding anniversary celebration. Rest assured. I won''t be there." Chapter 81 Yatings Threat To Sky Chapter 81 Yating''s Threat To Sky Jun stared at his phone for a second and put it away. He brushed his fingers along the gift box in silence. In the end, he opened a drawer and tucked the gift inside it. Ai studied his figure that exuded a hint of loneliness. His eyes that always looked so acute and cold now seemed faint and dim. Her heart stung watching him keep away that gift. He then received another call from Yunru to which he replied to him, "...I am a little busy. Not in the mood to talk right now. Call me backter, okay?" A momentter, he tried to give a smile, after hearing Yunru''s question. "I am fine. Just a little tired." Ai saw him hanging up the call and lowered her gaze. "What? Startled, she looked up. Jun seemed the usual as before, his brow raised questioningly at her presence. "Why are you peeking like this?" Ai was here to confess about her matter, but she couldn''t when Jun just clearly mentioned to someone that he wanted to be left alone. Instead, she asked, "That gift. Who is it for?" Jun stiffened. "Oh. so you saw that," he shrugged as if it wasn''t a big deal. "Nothing important." Liar. If it''s not important, then you wouldn''t look so wistful. It is important. It''s for your parents, right? contemted. Jun seemed to have a good rtionship with his family with the way he talked about his siblings and the others. Only not with Jin who fell for his ex-girlfriend. So, why would he not be allowed to be part of his parents'' wedding anniversary celebration? Isn''t he already living apart from them? Ai noticed a wave of displeasure seeping within her. No matter what, he is still their son. It''s not fair for his father to exclude him like this. She knew how it felt living a life without aplete family. Her parents were separated, and even if she never expressed it, she wished to live with them together again. Jun tilted his head. Ai was making some quite funny expressions as if she was talking to herself. He lightly chuckled and waved his hand in front of her eyes. "Are you even here?" She broke out of her stupor and peered into his beautiful dark brown eyes. She tiptoed and patted his head. "You don''t have to look so brave. If something is bothering you, you should let it out. It''s fine if you feel sad and weak. Don''t pretend to be so courageous," her voice was stern at the end as if she was scolding him. First, he had to lose the woman he loved to his brother. Now he is not allowed to be at his parents'' anniversary celebration day either. Why is Jun always targeted like this? Jun rapidly blinked his eyes. He lifted his gaze and saw her delicate palm patting his head. It was a sudden and unexpected gesture. Sudden, but it was filled with warmth and concern. His eyshes trembled for a moment. How did she know I was pretending? He caught her hand and slowly lowered it, his hawk-like gaze prating hers. The tips of her fingers lightly caressed his cheek, urging him to clutch it firmer. He smiled. "So you got the guts to touch me now?" Ai blinked. "You had also trapped me on the couch that day." Jun coughed hard. It was a fact that cut his argument as smoothly as butter. She slipped it so naturally like, ''You touched me too. So¡­'' He let go of her and cleared his throat. "It was just¡­" "Just?" She probed. He red at her. "Nothing! Forget it. Why are you here?" "That¡­" "Hm?" She randomly caught a book on his shelf where it showed a couple in a dancing pose on the cover. "Dance." "What?" ? She asked, "Can you teach me¡­how to dance?" Jun was speechless. "Where did thise from?" "Well, I am writing a dance scene for my leads. But I don''t know how to dance. So, I cannot really envision it." He folded his arms and narrowed his eyes. "Really?" "Of course," Ai looked confident. "Why do I feel as if you are lying?" "Why would I lie? It''s a sincere request." "Rejected." Her mouth twitched. "Why?" Jun bore his gaze into her. He had an inkling that if he were to be that intimate with Ai, he would let his side out which he showed when he trapped her on the couch. It was a baffling feeling - one which he never felt for another woman. The more chances he would get to be closer to her, the more he would feel pulled towards her. He didn''t want his heart to be swallowed by those dangerous feelings again. Desire, craving, possessiveness¡­he didn''t want himself to even remotely have these feelings touch him again. Not in this life. He wanted to stay far, far away from love. "No reason. I cannot teach you," he answered with finality. Ai nodded. "I see." It is a lie anyway. Even so, she felt bummed out. "I will watch some dance videos. That will help me." Jun squinted his eyes, noticing a trace of discouragement in her voice. She turned and left, giving him an urge to stop her. He almost raised his hand to grab her shoulder. In the end, he couldn''t. He gradually retreated his hand, his gazeplicated. This is for the best. ¡ª Sky Publishing. Yunru was leisurely watching a video on his mobile when it suddenly rang with a call. "Hey! Give me a warning¡­" Heined. He didn''t recognize the number and frowned. "Hello?" "Am I speaking to Sky''s President Chen Yunru?" A chilling voice pointed. Yunru was dissatisfied by the stranger''s tone. "Yeah. Who is it?" "I am Gu Yating, Chief Editor of Dream High Publishing." Yunru cocked a brow curiously. "Hoo¡­Why would Dream High''s Chief Editor call me?" "Retract the statement Sky posted about MissImperfectlyfine." It was a coldmand. Yunru pped his palm on his desk. "Never! The nerve of that writer to giarize someone''s work and submit it to us! To Sky! Who does she think she is?" The temperature on the other side was rapidly dropping. "I won''t bother to exin who she is and what she means to Dream High. Sky only has one option. Retract the statement and apologize to her, or don''t expect me to be merciful." Chapter 82 Young Master Yating Chapter 82 Young Master Yating Yating waited for a few hours. But Sky didn''t take down the statement. On the contrary, Sky CEO, Jun, dragged Yating directly into the hellfire too. Sky threw another statement of how Yating threatened the President Chen Yunru to apologize to MissImperfectlyfine. That just added more oil to the already burning fire, and Dream High took another hit to its reputation. ''First the writer giarized and now thepany is covering it up!'' ''How dare he threaten President Chen?'' ''He is trying to suppress the truth! That''s detestable! I didn''t expect this from Dream High.'' Yating was watching the fierce battle of keyboard warriors humiliating him left and right. He read thements with an unfazed expression. So, you didn''t heed my advice, his eyes shed a glint of coldness and rm. He put the tab aside and picked his phone. The assistant editor came rushing in, panicked. "Sir! Sky is now targeting you!" He raised his palm. "I know. I don''t care. Do one thing for me. Find out who is Sky Publishing''s CEO." He furiously nodded. "Yes, Sir!" unfortunately, he came empty-handed. His shoulders slumped. "Sir, I tried using all my connections, but nobody knows who is the Sky CEO. Even Sky employees themselves don''t know who the upper Boss is. The only leadership face Sky has is President Chen Yunru. It''s as if the Sky CEO doesn''t exist. He is shrouded in mystery." Yating made no change in his expression. "Leave." "Sir, should we make any statement¡­?" "No. Now, I will only make a statement when I p Sky in the face." The assistant editor felt a chill run in his back. Yating seemed expressionless on the outside, but on the inside, it was a whole different story. The winter''s gray clouds had covered the city''s sky, but it felt as if the gloom was inside the office. The assistant editor promptly left. Yating leaned back in his chair and shut his eyes. Questions upied his mind. Pain filled his chest about thinking how Ai wanted to leave him and thepany. But he kept all those questions aside for now. He only wanted to remove this stain from Ai''s image. Sky and Dream High were surely rivals, but they kept their distance all this time without poking into each other''s affairs. But now, Sky finally bared its fangs and targeted Ai. Of all people, you chose the wrong person. Yating slowly opened his eyes which were covered with ayer of ice. He picked his phone and called a different number this time. The call clicked, and an emotional but cheerful voice sounded from the other end. "Young master Yating! I cannot believe you called¡­It has been so many years." A soft smile etched his lips. "Uncle Mo. Indeed. It has been four years." Uncle Mo was Butler Mo, but he always referred to him as his uncle. He heard him sniffling, and Yating guessed he might be wiping his tears. "It already feels as if it has been forty years. How are you, young master? How is your health? Are you eating properly? You are not skipping meals, right?" "So many questions all at once. I am doing well. I hope you are not working not too hard yourself." He indignantly replied. "Of course not. Nothing is too hard for me. My bones are still tough and strong." Yating chuckled. "As always. Uncle Mo is a hero." He could imagine his nose growing longer with pride. ? Uncle Mo asked with anticipation, "Young master, you called that means¡­are youing back home?" Yating stared at the empty space ahead. "No." Uncle Mo was disappointed. "Master misses you¡­" He smiled. "Does he miss Yating, his son or Yating his heir?" "You are misunderstanding, young master," his voice was filled with apprehension. "Master is your father. He cares about you." Yating didn''t respond to that. "I don''t want to talk about it any further, Uncle Mo. I called because I want you to do something for me." Uncle Mo wasn''t ready to drop the subject, but he had no choice. The differences between the father and son weren''t going to be solved in just one day. "Please say so, young master," he straightened up his posture. "Find who is Sky Publishing''s CEO." "Dream High''s rival?" "The very same. I want the name." "Yes, young master. It will be done." ¡ª Guiying stood in front of Ai''s apartment the next day. Thinking Ai would be depressed from all the online humiliation, she came to cheer her up. It''s strange she is avoiding my calls¡­Is she still mad about the signing event? Whatever it was, she thought to rify everything today. When she reached her floor, she heard a neighbor calling out to her. "The tenant is not here for the time being." Guiying frowned. "What do you mean?" "Her house got on firest month. It was a huge mess. The fire guys said it would take a month to get the repairs done. So, she is away." Guiying was stunned. "How is that possible? Ai didn''t tell me anything." "Do you think I am lying? She will be back in a few days, I guess. The repairs are almost done," she shrugged. The neighbor left. Guiying stood there in a daze. Why didn''t Ai tell me about this ident? She quickly called Ai, and it was picked after a long pause. "Ai! Where are you right now? I just heard from your neighbor that you had an identst month! What the hell, Ai! Why didn''t you tell me? Are you alright? Were you hurt?" "You are at my apartment?" "Yes!" Guiying was anxious and furious at the same time. "If you had no ce to live, why didn''t you tell me before? I was on vacation, but my neighbor has the spare key to my house. You could have lived there." "...I didn''t want to bother you." Guiying was left dumbfounded. "Bother? Ai, how long have we known each other? We are best friends. As if you will bother me! Where are you staying?" "I-" "Wait, forget about it. Just tell me the address and pack your bags. I will pick you up, and we will go to my house," she harrumphed. Suddenly, an extremely menacing and sinister voice came, "You really want me to burn down your house, don''t you?" Chapter 83 I Will Really Burn Down Your House Chapter 83 I Will Really Burn Down Your House The phone almost fell from her hands. Guiying''s eyes rapidly blinked. She looked back at her phone and saw that it was still Ai''s number. Huh? Who is this man then? Wasn''t Ai talking just now? The voice was so chilling that it could bring the whole Arctic to China. She was caught off-guard but quickly came back to her senses. She cautiously asked, "Who are you? Where is Ai?" "None of your business. What matters is that she is staying here," he enforced his statement. "Thanks for your offer but no thanks." Guiying narrowed her eyes. She bit her lower lip, displeased with the tone with which he was talking to her. But her forehead also broke in cold sweat thinking about Ai''s safety. What''s with that order? "Excuse me, but mind your tone. Who do you think you are ordering me like that? Ai is my best friend. You are acting like a kidnapper! Where she stays is her decision, not yours. Give the phone back to her," Guiying icily countered. "Oh. Somebody with a spark," the chill in the voice remained but with an addition of amusement in it. "I see. Well, if you want her decision then¡­" There was a pause for a moment and the voice came again, "Zhou Ai. Please tell your decision to your best friend about WHERE you want to live." It was evident that Ai''s phone was on s was speechless. Even she could discern the emphasis on ''where.'' It was as if he was pressuring Ai with his voice. There was a beat of silence after which Ai''s response came, "You don''t have to worry about me. I will stay with him." "Are you crazy? Who the hell is that man!? He is acting like some¡­like some viin, yes! The hell will I allow for you to live with such a dangerous man. I don''t know anything about him! Who is he? How and where did you meet him? Why are you living at a man''s house out of all ces? Are you even safe!?" The voice mocked, "It''s enough as long as Zhou Ai has all these answers. I don''t need a certificate from anybody else." Guiying''s body shook in anger. This bastard¡­ It wasn''t like she hadn''te across mean people before. But something about this man was simply irritating and more so, wicked. "You do realize I can go to the cops, right?" She threatened. "Oh?" He eerily chuckled. "I would love to see you try." He challenged her as if he had already won even before she could even put her foot ahead. The top of her head was close to bursting when Ai hastily intervened. "Please, I am fine. Trust me, Guiying. I am safe with him." "Safe? You seriously want me to believe this crap after how he talked to me like some goon!?" "Oh, don''t mind that. He usually talks that way with everyone." "..." She heard the man choke. "But he is not evil. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have agreed to his offer." Guiying was more shocked to know that the man actually ''offered'' her instead of ''manding'' her. But she still wasn''t convinced. When did Aie to meet such a man? How does she trust him so much? "Ai¡­" she breathed out warily. "Trust me." Guiying finally relented, sensing the belief in her voice. ? "Fine¡­But you cane to my house anytime, okay?" He sneered. "She won''t, rest assured." Guiying gnashed her jaw. He answered again on her behalf¡­He is like some possessive maniac! Suddenly, a thought struck her cold. Is he possibly in love with Ai? She gasped and shuddered. The possessiveness seemed too unnatural for someone who was just helping out of goodwill. She wiped her temple that was trickling with sweat. Shit. If it is true, then Ai cannot get entangled with such a dangerous man. But then again, Ai knew what she was doing. Do you, Ai? Do you really know? Now she genuinely doubted if Ai was in her senses. Guiying breathed in. "Ai, my house is always-" "Talk about it once again and I will really burn down your house," his voice wasced with a final warning. "..." She could speak no more as he abruptly hung up. She felt as if the tension suddenly evaporated, and she could breathe again. Really¡­who is that guy? ¡ª "Who is that woman?" At this particr moment, Ai was trapped once again. This time not on a couch but in front of arge bookshelf of the library''s bibliography section, unable to move as Jun''s long and muscr arms boxed her in. The shelf was at the back, and his arms were on either side. His handsome face was up close with an expression leaking of impatience and agitation. Jun was on his usual library round when he caught Ai speaking to someone. He left her alone when the faint words caught his ear of someone asking Ai toe to her house. Needless to say, he snatched her phone the very next instant and took matters in his control. He gave an unfriendly smile. "A head librarian, a friend and then a best friend. You seem to have a loooot of well-wishers. I didn''t know there were soooo many good people in this world who wanted to help a poor woman trapped out of her fire struck house." Ai met his gaze and nodded. "I am a naturally warm and friendly person." His eyes darkened. "I feel honored for so many people to think about my concern-" "You don''t need that much concern because I am here for that," he sharply cut her off. "I am enough to match this whole damned world''s concern for you." Ai stiffened. She studied his eyes, but it seemed that Jun didn''t realize what his words meant. Her breath stuck in her throat, feeling his warm breaths and fanning her face. To someone else, it would seem as if they were making out at a library''s lone spot. Jun dipped his head to her level and whispered, "Tell me right now if there is a fourth person who would want to ''kindly offer'' her house to you." The closeness made her eyshes tremble. "No." He sneered. "Good. It better be that way or else¡­" Chapter 84 Invade The Wedding Anniversary Banquet! Chapter 84 Invade The Wedding Anniversary Banquet! The same evening Jun lied down on his bed and enjoyed the ongoing war against Missimperfectlyfine. He sipped onto his wine, his dark eyes zing with satisfaction but fury too. He would make it sure that Missimperfectlyfine''s career would be over for good. Snatching Ai''s hard work¡­I won''t let this slide at any cost! He sighed and leaned back on his pillow. Taking out the gift box from the bedside drawer, he kept it on hisp and stared at it. Tomorrow was Jinhai and Nana''s wedding anniversary, which he wasn''t allowed to attend. Mom would be sad, right? But Dad will be there to manage it. It pained him not to be a part of the celebration. But it was something he brought upon himself. Till date, he wondered why he confessed the truth about his rebirth and past life to Jinhai. If he hadn''t, he would have been at home right now with his family. There would have been no wall to separate him from them. Everybody would have been in the dark about his sins. Life would have been perfect if he hadn''t admitted the truth about his rebirth. Jun took out a card and wrote Liu vi''s address in it. He stuck it on the top of the gift box and kept it aside. He couldn''t go himself to give his parents his wishes, but he could at least send his gift to them. He realized Jinhai wouldn''t be so thrilled. But Nana would be. Even if a little bit, he thought his gift could diminish the guilt from him and the sadness from his mother''s heart for her son not being there. nced at the gift and smiled. "I am sorry, Mom. But I hope this will make you happy." ¡ª "Ai, did you get to talk to Jun?" Her editor and friend Xing Bi asked in concern. Ai let out a soft sigh. "No." "Why not?" She gasped. "We can''t afford to waste time, Ai." She nced at herself in the mirror and recalled how Jun looked absent-minded ever since he was told not to attend his parents'' anniversary. "I couldn''t say it. I wanted to. But I noticed Jun is going through some personal problems." "Personal?" "Yes. It''s rted to his family. It seems they are not on good terms. It''s been bothering him for a few days. Even during meals, he is very lost and quiet¡­" Ai felt her chest ache whenever she noticed his dull gaze filled with longing and grief. "I didn''t want to add my problems to it. Plus, Jun doesn''t actually work in Sky. I don''t want to make things difficult for him." Xing Bi sighed from the other side. "I see." "I am sorry," she lowered her head. "No. We are in a dire situation, but I don''t want to be insensitive towards Jun''s problems either. Let''s see¡­Let me think about this. I will find a way. Don''t worry about this." They hung up, and Ai lied back on the bed. What can I do to solve this? I brought this problem and unnecessarily troubling everyone. I cannot let Xing Bi do all the work. Neither do I want Yating''s help. She only knew Jun, who was connected to Sky, but she didn''t want to trouble him any further. First, he helped her with a ce to stay and then helped with revising her story too. Jun had already helped her more than she could have asked for. Now, she wanted to take the responsibility. Sky¡­ ? The only one in higher authority was President Chen Yunru. But there was no way he would give her any appointment after the huge misunderstanding. If I could somehow reach him¡­ ¡ª Which was the same idea that Xing Bi was struck with the very next morning as she munched on her toast and eggs and watched the news. Liu Jinhai and Liu Nana''s wedding anniversary celebration was making the headlines in all news channels. It was their twenty-sixth wedding anniversary, after all. A significant event in their lives. Twenty-six years of marriage and togetherness. It was the biggest highlight everywhere. Liu family being a prestigious family only added to the excitement and frenzy. But Xing Bi''s mind was thinking in another direction. Liu family¡­Liu family¡­ Xing Bi pressed the space in between her brows. Then it dawned upon her. Yes! The Chen and Liu family are connected! Liu Jinhai and Chen Jianyu are cousins. Which means the Chen family and most importantly his son, Chen Yunru will definitely be in this party too! Her eyes slowly widened and sparkled as the idea struck her. This is a great chance to meet President Chen Yunru and rify everything! Once his doubts about the giarism are cleared, the problem would be solved. Sky would take the statement down about Ai. She recalled Yating did talk to him once, but it bore no fruit. "I am briliant!" Xing Bi proudly praised herself. "Such an awesome chance has presented upon me! I will make him talk to me at any cost!" She grabbed her phone and furiously dialed Ai''s number in anticipation. She couldn''t wait to share her awesome n with her. But Ai''s number didn''t connect. Xing Bi frowned and sighed. Is her battery dead? Suddenly, Xing Bi cut the call as a significant point shed in her mind like an rm bell. "There is one problem¡­How will I get in the party? Only guests with invitations can go. Shit." It was a major roadblock, but she wasn''t ready to give up. Her eyes still shone with determination. "No matter what, I will make it in anyhow! For Ai''s sake, I will do anything." ¡ª Yating held his phone to his ear as he heard Butler Mo''s report. "Young master. I dug in about Sky Publishing. Unfortunately, I couldn''te up with the CEO''s name. But there is an important piece of information which could tell you who it might be." "Like?" "President Chen Yunru and the CEO of Sky Publishing are rted. The CEO is most probably one of his cousins." Yating''s eyes narrowed. "So somebody from the Liu family?" Chapter 85 Just Who Are You? Chapter 85 Just Who Are You? Butler Mo scratched his chin. "Not exactly, young master." Yating raised his brow on the other side. "Why do you sound confused, uncle?" "Well, it''s a littleplicated. You see, Liu Nana and Chen Jianyu''s wife, Chen Serena are sort of half-sisters. Not biologically but still. So Chen Yunru definitely has cousins from the Liu family not just because of his father''s side but his mother''s side too." "Yeah." "But Liu Nana also has an elder brother, Liang Shin from the Liang family. Which makes Chen Serena although not biologically but sort of his sister too. And then she herself has an elder brother, Huo Liwei from the Huo family." Yating got his point. "Ah. You mean to say Chen Yunru has cousins from the Liu, Liang and Huo families. Liang and Huo families because of his mother''s side. So, the CEO could be any one of them." "Yes. We cannot be really sure it''s somebody from the Liu family. In fact, I said it might be a cousin, but it could be Chen Yunru''s elder brother too. Chen Zixin, or it could be his father, Chen Jianyu too. I only know that they are rted. So the CEO could be a cousin or his own brother or even his father." Yating gave it a thought. "That''s enough for me, Uncle Mo. I will find that out myself." "Oh! That''s a great idea. Today, all the families will gather for the celebration. This will make it easier. You don''t need to worry about the invitation. Master has already received one." Yating stiffened. "Dad ising tonight?" Butler Mo naturally sensed the difort in his voice. "Yes." He clenched the edge of the couch''s armrest and felt a headacheing. If he could, he wouldn''t want to be anywhere where his father was. But Ai held priority right now. His eyes glinted with iciness. I won''t let this slide. You touched Ai. This will not end well for you. "I don''t care if he is there. I have more important matters to settle with Sky CEO tonight. I will do it even if I could possibly meet Dad." ¡ª Today, Jun took a day off from the library. Ai decided not to go to the library either as she knew today was his parents'' wedding anniversary and so, Jun must be feeling dispirited. She thought about it, and her eyes beamed thinking of cooking the dinner herself. For breakfast and lunch, they had ordered takeouts. Clearly, Jun wasn''t in any mood to cook. I will cheer him up with food, she nodded to herself. Her gaze softened remembering how Jun stayed by her side during her painful period days. She was physically and emotionally vulnerable and if not for his care, she would have felt even much more worse and sicker. Ai hummed and quickly headed to the kitchen. She craned her neck and saw the door to his room was still closed. Jun hardly came out of his room today. She went back to cooking and as she was done a whileter, she set the tes on the table. I hope he likes it. Jun''s food was definitely fancier and tastier than Ai''s. Satisfied with her work, she promptly went and knocked on the door. But it didn''t open. Ai waited and opened the door herself to peek. "Jun? I made dinner¡­" ? Jun wasn''t inside. Then she heard the faint voice of shower running in the bathroom. Oh. Ai was about to close the door when her gaze fell on the gift box on the table. She remained unmoved. As if something pulled her, she stepped inside his room. She picked the box in her hands and noticed a note on it which wasn''t there before. It was his home address. Liu? Ai wasn''t someone who watched news that much, so she was unaware of the Liu family being the same family where the wedding anniversary was being held tonight. She clutched the box in her hands. Jun could have sent it earlier in the day which would have already reached his home by now. But clearly, something stopped Jun from doing so. Neither Jun was attending the celebration, nor he sent the gift he prepared for his parents. Ai felt a strange, an ufortable feeling bubbling in her chest as she stared at the box. She imagined Jun torn apart over his hesitation and confusion of sending this small gift box. Hesitation towards one''s own parents. Wasn''t it just saddening? Jun stepped out of the shower ten minutester, steam wafting out of his freshly bathed skin and hair and tiny water droplets dripping down his firm, masculine chest. He noticed the door open and frowned in confusion. How is it open? Buttoning his shirt, he went into the living room. His nose immediately caught the food''s aroma, and his attention shifted towards the dining table. Ai cooked dinner tonight? He tilted his head as he observed the pots and pans filled with food. The tes were all set, but Ai wasn''t anywhere. He found a note on the table. He opened it and it read, ''I hope you like the dinner. I have to run an urgent errand. I will be back in sometime. You can go ahead and eat first. Don''t wait for me. Zhou Ai.'' He put the note aside and faintly smiled. "Thanks for the dinner, but I will wait for you." ¡ª Holding the gift box in her hand, Ai dazedly stood in front of the Liu family gates. Her mouth opened and closed a number of times, trying to digest what she was seeing. It wasn''t a small house or an apartment. Jun''s home was a freaking mansion! Ai checked the address again in case she misled herself. But it was correct no matter how many times she rubbed her eyes. I knew Jun was rich seeing how he lives in acondo, but¡­he is THIS wealthy? Her eyes were blinded by the lights and decorations that dazzled the mansion colorful and alive. Therge fountain at the garden''s center sparkled with rainbow colors under the night sky, making the air cool and pleasant. The path between the gates and the mansion was adorned with flowers so beautifully as if it was an entrance to a castle. Wherever her gaze fell, she saw guests donned in expensive suits, dresses and jewellery, stepping out of a line of Limousines and Porsches. They had an air of elegance and sophistication around them. Once again, the question bogged Ai''s mind. Just who are you, Jun? Chapter 86 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (1) : Breaking Into Liu Villa Chapter 86 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (1) : Breaking Into Liu Vi Ai was lost in her stupor when an iing limousine almost knocked her out. She quickly stepped aside, startled. A beautiful young woman stepped out who looked as refined and wealthy as the other women. She traced her sight along Ai''s figure and smiled in disdain, noticing her in clothes and no jewellery at all. Her sandals were slightly worn out, and she had no makeup on her face. "What is this maid doing here? Why are you wearing this instead of your maid uniform? Whatever. Take my bag." She handed her bag to her, gesturing to do her job. Ai blinked. "I am not a maid." "Not a maid? Then why are you here?" She was puzzled. "Naturally, someone like you cannot be a guest." "I am not a guest either." "So?" "I have an important thing to give to Mr. Liu Jinhai and Mrs. Liu Nana," Ai sincerely stated. The woman stared at her and burst intoughter. "W-what? Seriously? You think just anybody can go inside? Do you know where you are standing and whose celebration is this?" "It''s the twenty-fifth wedding anniversary celebration party of Mr. Liu Jinhai and Mrs. Liu Nana. I know." Her mouth twitched. and guests like you with no status and more importantly, no invitation to the banquet cannot enter. You do realize that, right?" I understand that now, Ai thought. She thought it was just a normal celebration. The grand banquet and certainly, the need of an invitation was beyond her expectations. Qin Wen smirked, feeling victorious. She sighed. "Low ss people like you can do anything to witness wealth and mor, right? Did you really think you can just barge inside and meet Mr. and Mrs. Liu?" Ai frowned. "Unfortunately, that''s the difference between us. I don''t know where you havee from, but you better leave. The guards at the Liu vi are quite stern and unforgiving. They will mercilessly throw you out. So save yourself the humiliation," she ''kindly'' smiled and left. Ai remained standing at her ce. She looked down at Jun''s gift again and was determined to do what she came here for. She was least bothered with Qin Wen''s insults. Instead, her mind was churning on how to get inside without an invitation. Ai made up her mind and walked towards the guards at the gate. She politely greeted them. "Hello." The guards took a look at her but didn''t seem to recognize her. "Apologies Madam, but I don''t recognize you. Can you show us your invitation?" "I don''t have an invitation." They blinked in confusion. She was definitely not one of the maids here either because they knew all the maids who worked in the Liu vi. "Then¡­" "But I still need to go inside. I have an important thing to give to Mr. and Mrs. Liu." "What is it?" "This gift." The guards took a look and exchanged nces. "Who is it from?" "Their son, Jun." They choked in shock, and their eyes almost popped out of their sockets. Third young master Jun!? "M-Mam, you cannot be serious¡­How can you have third young master''s gift with you?" Does he even talk to another woman besides Miss Han Shui? And why would he send a gift like this anyway? ? Ai stared at them. It will beplicated to exin that I live with him. They won''t even believe me. "I found this in the library where he frequently visits. I go there too. Unfortunately, I couldn''t return it to him, so I could onlye here, reading the address on this note. It''s from their son, so it must be definitely important to his parents. They will be happy getting his gift, especially when it seems that he cannot be personally here. That''s why I request you. Will you please let me in? I will hand this over and leave." The guards were troubled. They had seen a lot of women making one or the other excuses as if wanting to im a connection with the Liu family young masters. But somehow Ai''s polite demeanor, voice and expression didn''t make them feel that she was a bad or scheming woman. Her concern sounded genuine. Nevertheless¡­ "Please forgive us. But we cannot let you inside without an invitation. Those are the rules. We cannot break them. You give this gift to us, and we will hand it over to the Master and Madam. Rest assured." Ai pursed her lips. "But I have something important to talk to them too. I want to hand this gift myself." They shook their heads. "We cannot let you inside, Mam. We don''t mean to insult you, but those are the strict rules." Ai''s shoulders slumped in defeat. But she wasn''t ready to give up yet. She thought talking it out might help. But she underestimated the security. She bowed. "Thank you." As she left, she stood under a tree at a distance, watching other guests enter the Liu vi. She had only one choice left. I will have to slip in sneakily without the guards'' attention. She felt guilty for breaking in like that, but handing Jun''s gift to his parents was more important to her. Ai surveyed the ce and found another entrance through the huge andvish garden. Naturally, there were guards on that side too. But the focus was on the main entrance where guests were pouring from. She thought about what to do next and appeared before them clutching her stomach and gasping hard. The guards were immediately alerted. "What''s wrong?" "Pain¡­" she breathed hard as if she would die at any moment. "It hurts¡­Help¡­please¡­" The guards quickly came to her aid. "Are you alright?" They took a swift scan of her and deemed it was safe before approaching her. Ai pretended to faint, and the guards were aghast. Shit, why tonight? "Who is she?" "I don''t know, but we cannot let this ruin this banquet. The guests are already here." "Yeah, you are right." They quickly took her inside for a quick medical checkup. They put her on a bed inside a cabin and one of them left to fetch a doctor''s help while the other stayed behind to look after her. "Water¡­" she touched her throat and whispered. "Oh! Please wait here," he quickly nodded and left. As the other guard left too to bring water for Ai, she quickly took this chance to slip out of the cabin. Finally, I am inside, she sighed in relief. She silently rushed towards the house when she heard some leaves rustle from the side. She turned and saw a figure hiding behind a tree and acting suspiciously. She stiffened. Who¡­A thief? Chapter 87 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (2) : Meeting A Certain Thief Chapter 87 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (2) : Meeting A Certain Thief Ai knew she was in no position to judge others as she was breaking in herself. But she also knew her conscience was clear. She couldn''t say the same about the man, though, who was shifting skeptically in his ce. His every action made her only more and more dubious. Ai clutched her bag in which she kept Jun''s gift. She could simply ignore the thief and walk away, pretending that she didn''t see anything. She looked up towards the mansion. This is Jun''s house and his family. How can I let anybody do something bad to them? Especially tonight at his parents'' anniversary celebration¡­ Ai touched her chest and felt her racing heartbeat. For all she knew, he could be a dangerous man with a weapon. It was easier to tell the guards, but she was a runaway herself. They would throw her out if they saw her. Coming to a decision, Ai nced left and right. She couldn''t find any stick or some sort to help her strike the man, but she did find something. Carrying her weapon, Ai took slow steps towards the thief. Every step brought her heart to her throat to the next level. Her hands were trembling as she heard the thief sinisterly chuckling to himself. He seems too confident¡­ Ai reached an arms distance away from the man. She was surprised to see grey hair on his head and overall physique to be that of an old man''s. But a thief was a thief despite whatever age he was. Ai steadied herself and taking a deep breath, she poked her weapon into his arm. "Ow, ow, Oww!!!!" of safely retreating, the adrenaline rushed inside her, and she poked him more and more. "Begone, thief! Begone!" "Ow, ow! Heyyy! What are you doing!? Stop it!" "You should have thought that before thinking of stealing from here," Ai scolded as she kept poking the man''s hand he covered to hide his face. "O! I am not a thief! Ow ow- stop it! Why would I steal from my own house!?" That made her abruptly stop. Her hand hung in mid-air as she blinked several times at the man. "Your house?" He slowly lowered his hand and raised his head as her vicious poking attack stopped. His mouth heavily twitched upon seeing the weapon in Ai''s hand. A rose. It was a damn flower! She was pricking me with those damn thorns! Ai asked again, "Your house?" He was dumbfounded. "Yes, it''s my house!" "But this is Liu vi." "And I am Liu Hai!" Ai tilted her head. "But this is Mr. Liu Jinhai''s house." Liu Hai was speechless. "Who do you think gave birth to that brat?" She stared at him. "You¡­are his father?" "Yes!" That means he is Jun''s grandfather. Now that she observed him more closely, she indeed found the resemnce between them. Ai promptly lowered her hand. "My apologies." "..." "That''s it?" She didn''t understand. "Anything else?" Liu Hai gasped. "Y-you¡­you suddenly started poking me with those thorns and look how you hurt me! I am bleeding! You came out of nowhere! And you just say ''My apologies'' and that''s that?" He never imagined in his whole life that he could be attacked by a rose''s thorns someday. Her choice of weapon simply blew his mind away. ? Ai calmly answered. "But you were acting suspiciously first. It''s not my fault I mistook you for a thief. Anybody would have thought the same." Liu Hai puked blood. "Hiding behind a tree, moving restlessly and evilly giggling to yourself - what else should I think?" Liu Hai pointed his trembling finger towards her and opened his mouth to counter, but nothing came out in his defense. "You¡­you make a valid point." Ai nodded. But she still felt bad for his bruises, so she shuffled something inside her bag and took out some candies. "Here." Liu Hai beamed upon seeing them. "Candies!" "Old Master!" The guards came rushing in and panted. "Are you alright?" Liu Hai suddenly shook off Ai''s hand with the candies. "Yes, I am fine," he cleared his throat. They noticed the bruises on his arm and looked as if their soul flew away. "Who attacked you, Old Master!?" They red at Ai and found the rose in her hand. "You! So you were feigning your sickness! How dare you hurt the Old Master?" "He was acting like a thief." !!! The guards looked at her in horror. "You are calling Old Master a th-thief? Do you want to die?" "Naturally, I don''t," Ai clearly stated. Dying once was enough, she added in her mind. "But his actions made me mistake him to be one. Now, the misunderstanding has been solved." The guards noticed the candies in her palm. By consoling him with candies? "Old Master¡­" they doubtfully nced at him. Liu Hai panicked and eximed. "I didn''t touch those candies at all! She was bribing me!" He shamelessly pointed at her. Ai looked down at the candies and then back at him. "But you were so eager to have them." "Of course not! Look at my age. Do you think I am supposed to get all excited like a kid over some candies?" He snorted. "You are not supposed to act suspiciously like a thief at your age either, but here we are anyway." She rebutted him, calm and unfazed. Liu Hai and the guards - "..." He coughed hard, not expecting that response. The guards quickly said, "We will take her away immediately. She is not a guest-" Liu Hai raised his palm. "Forget about it. I will deal with her. You two go and do your duty." "If you say so¡­" the guards didn''t want to but left anyway under his orders. Liu Hai craned his neck and as he watched them leave, he immediately lunged onto the candies in her hand. Ai was speechless. "Now, I can eat them in peace hohoho!" He grinned. Watching the confusion marred on her face, Liu Hai exined. "You don''t understand! The guards here are spies! Spies set by my wife to keep an eye on me!" "Why would she do that?" She asked with interest. "To prevent me from eating sweets!" He harrumphed. "Those guards report to her if they find me loitering around anything sweet. You had almost killed me there! That''s why I was hiding here to eat my pastry. Tch, you caught me though." Chapter 88 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (3) : Cupid Grandpa Liu Chapter 88 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (3) : Cupid Grandpa Liu "Oh," Ai took back the candies again. "Hey!" Liu Hai whined. "You gave them to me!" "You are not allowed to eat sweets because your health demands that. In that case, your wife is right," she strictly said. He stomped his foot in injustice and sobbed. Everybody hates me¡­ Ai put two small candies in his palm. Liu Hai shockingly watched his salvation through his tears and at her as if she was a Goddess. "You cannot eat too many candies. But you can have two at least. Plus, these are not too sweet." He wiped his eyes and sniffled. "You are such a good girl." "I like sweets myself, so I can understand you. It''s hard to restrict yourself from the food you like." Liu Hai nodded hard. "You really understand me!" Ai added. "But you also cannot trouble your family like that. No hiding and eating stuff. They do this because they are worried about you. You know that." He mumbled to himself. "I know¡­" She smiled. "Good¡­Sir." wasn''t sure how to address him, so she used the safest way. A stranger was suddenly lecturing Liu Hai on his health, but he didn''t mind it at all. Instead he grabbed her hand and sulkingly expressed. "Don''t call me Sir. Sir sounds too distant. Call me Grandpa!" Ai was surprised. Wouldn''t that sound too close? But if he gave his permission, then Ai had no problems with it. "Okay, Grandpa." Liu Hai brightened. "Good, good!" Then the light in his eyes sparkled further as a great idea struck him. "By any chance, are you single dear?" She blinked. He grew even more enthusiastic now. "You see, I have four super handsome grandsons! Two of them are already in a rtionship. So they are out. But I have two more single grandsons! You know, I alwaysined about having four grandsons, but now I feel lucky that my son and daughter-inw have four sons! Super convenient!" Ai couldn''t understand where he was going with this. "I think one of you will be a great match for you! So why don''t you try dating one of them?" At that point, she was at aplete loss. You are¡­setting me up with one of your grandsons just like that? Liu Hai waspletely in awe of himself. "I am brilliant! I know what we should do! I will introduce you to them! No time better than now!" "No, no. I cannot-" But he already grabbed her arm and started pulling her towards the mansion. Inside the banquet hall, Liu Hai traced his sight among the crowd from a corner and waved at Nian. "Nian! Call Jin over here right now! Youe too!" Nian''s expression darkened. It''s never good news when he is so hyper. Jin passed by him and asked, "Grandpa is calling us, right?" "Let''s not go," he rolled his eyes. "It is definitely something stupid. "Come on, bro. He is so excited. He is practically hopping up and down," he chuckled and touched his chin, "he looks like he found some treasure." ? "That treasure is definitely something stupid." Jin grabbed his arm and pulled him. "Don''t be like this." Liu Hai scolded them as they reached his side. "So slow! Couldn''t you walk any faster!?" Nian''s mouth twitched. "You have toin about everything, old man." He red at him. "That''s why you don''t have a girlfriend yet, Nian!" Nian was dumbfounded. Where did thise from? Liu Hai proudly smirked. "But now, you might have one. Or Jin for that matter." The two of them were visibly perplexed. What is he talking about? He pulled Ai''s hand from beside him and made her face them. "Tadah!" As Nian and Jin''s gazes fell on the woman before them, they froze on their spot for very different reasons. Nian''s eyes widened as if he met a ghost. Huh? Huh? Huh? What is she doing here? He recalled the Twins Trial of Judgment and gulped remembering how Ai had scolded him and Jian and then Nana. No¡­no, no, no, no, no! I am so dead! If Mom sees her, I am so dead! You damn old man! He wiped the beads of sweat forming on his forehead. But Ai had fixated her gaze upon him. "Have we met somewhere before?" Jian and Nian had used makeup to hide their real looks, so she was doubtful. Nian nervouslyughed and dismissed her. "Y-you are so silly. Why would we meet anywhere? You made a mistake." "I don''t think so," Ai tilted her head. "I have seen you somewhere before. I met a man whose name was also Nian." Damn your memory! Don''t expose me! Liu Hai was displeased. "What? You think you met this brat? And here I wanted to pair you with my youngest grandson!" Nian was left speechless. "What is wrong with me?" "Hmph! You are too bratty for her. She is so smart, kind and polite. Jin is more suited for her, hahaha!" He sneered. "And you think you were suited for Grandma? But aren''t you married to her anyways?" Liu Hai smacked him. "Shut up! Chunhua and I are a match made in heaven." Nian rolled his eyes again. Liu Hai faced Ai. "I wanted you to pick one of them, but forget about this brat. Let him be single for life!" His gaze darkened. "Say all you want but isn''t she older than Jin?" "Age is just a number. So what if he is younger than her? Compatibility matters the most." "And you think I cannot bepatible with her?" He smirked. "You could be, but I don''t want to waste such a precious granddaughter-inw on you." Nian clutched his heart. "You big bully! I won''t forgive you for this! I am leaving!" Yes, so that she doesn''t recognize me more than she already has! Nian disappeared like lightning. Liu Hai sneered. "Good that he is gone. I was stupid to think that you two could match," his eyes sparkled. "Nian wouldn''t, but Jin definitely will! Right, Jin?" Chapter 89 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (4) : Setup Ai With Jin Chapter 89 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (4) : Setup Ai With Jin Jun sneezed. He rubbed the tip of his nose and frowned. He felt irked for some reason though he couldn''t point out why. It wasn''t because of thinking about his parents and the celebration, but something still bugged him. Why am I feeling so annoyed? He read Ai''s note again and sighed. Where is that woman? What is taking her so long? The dinner had already turned cold, but Jun was in no mood to reheat and eat. He impatiently tapped his index finger on his phone. Should I call her? They had finally exchanged numbers when Ai had fallen sick. He clicked on her number, and it rang. It kept ringing, but Ai didn''t answer. Jun narrowed his eyes. He felt more uneasy now. She is not in any trouble, right? Finally, the call clicked. Relieved, he said, "What are you-" "Hohoho! I knew it! Jin is perfect for you, isn''t it?" Jun froze. Nobody had to tell him that it was his grandfather''s voice on the other end. He suddenly pushed back the chair and stood u is Grandpa''s voice¡­What is this about Jin? "My eyes can never be wrong. When I look at Ai and Jin together, you two-" The call abruptly got cut. "Hello? Hello!?" Jun hastily dialed her number again and again but to no avail. He nkly stared ahead, his body trembling and his fingers clenching into a fist. His gaze was unfocused. ''Jin is perfect for you!'' ''When I look at Ai and Jin together, you two-'' What¡­what was he saying? What is this about Jin and Ai? Look good together? Huh? Where is thising from? T-they don''t even know each other. Why, why, why? What is going on? Why did Jin suddenlye into the picture? How is he rted to Ai? A million questions barraged his mind one after the other as if a fully loaded gun was set to auto. His breathing became ragged with an onset of a familiar fear twitching every fibre of his muscles. His stomach churned in disgust, and sweat trickled down the side of his ear. What is Ai even doing at my house? Jun tried to think about the reason for her presence at his house, but he couldn''te up with any. Then he stiffened. Widening his eyes, he ran towards his bedroom. He opened the drawers but didn''t find his gift anywhere. I remember I kept it on the table¡­ Then he recalled the time he came out of the shower. He felt he had noticed as if something was missing from its ce, but his attention was more focused as to why his room''s door was left open when it was supposed to be shut. No¡­She couldn''t have possibly gone to¡­ Jun grabbed his keys and scrambled out of his condo the moment the realization hit him. ¡ª A few minutes before, Jin wasn''t too sure what was happening. The woman he saw Jun identally kissing was in front of him for some reason. Is it a coincidence? Not just that, his grandfather was even setting him up with her. If it was another woman, he wouldn''t have given it much thought. But seeing Ai strangely made him ufortable. He felt as if there was Jun''s presence lingering around her. On the other side, Ai''s expression was somber, too, as she looked at him. This was the man Jun''s ex-girlfriend was in love with, and he was in love with her too. Jun''s confrontation with Shui got refreshed in her mind. There was a strange atmosphere between them. ? Ai then noticed her phone shing with Jun''s number, and she stiffened. He shouldn''t know I am here. She was about to cut it when Liu Hai''s boomingughter startled her, and she pressed the green option by mistake. She immediately disconnected a few secondster and sighed in relief. I hope he didn''t hear anything. Liu Hai patted her shoulder. "How about you consider Jin? He is tall, handsome, polite and well-behaved unlike that Nian brat!" Ai wanted to reject it, but he pushed her towards Jin andughed. "Why don''t you two get to know each other? I know you will definitely like each other! After all, I am the best cupid, hoho!" Jin cleared his throat. "Grandpa, it''s-" "It''s such a happy asion, right!?" He gleamed. "It''s Jinhai and Nana''s wedding anniversary, and I also found the perfect bride for you! Double celebration! Let me share this great news with Chunhua! Jin, you show her around and learn more about your future wife." Liu Hai winked at them and ran away to find his wife. Silence. Jin finally faced her. "I am sorry on my Grandpa''s behalf. He gets¡­way too hyper sometimes. Don''t mind him." Ai shook her head. "I know he meant well." Silence again. Jin stared at her with an important question wandering in his mind. Why is she here? He smiled. "Should I show you around? Of course not in the way Grandpa meant. The banquet will start soon." "No. Actually, I am not here to attend the banquet. But, can I request you something?" "Sure." "Can I meet your parents?" He blinked. "Mom and Dad?" She nodded. "Now?" "Yes." "Hm¡­right now, it will be difficult. They are getting ready, and then the banquet will start." Jin squinted his eyes. Now he contemted her presence even more. What does she have to do with Mom and Dad? Their attention shifted as the Han family entered the mansion. Jin stared at Shui, who gracefully stepped in with a beautiful smile on her lips. Ai nced at Jin and noticed his gaze at Shui. She felt a tinge of sadness for Jun. She smiled. "It''s okay. I will wait." Jin looked back at her and nodded. "Jin!" Nuo''s came from afar. "Come here. I need your help!" Jin apologetically said, "My sister needs me." "Yes, please." As he left, Ai gave it a thought. There is still some time before the banquet starts¡­ She knew Jinhai and Nana were busy getting ready now, but she had a feeling she wouldn''t get the chance to meet them privately once the party started. It was inevitable with so many guests tonight. My best chance is only right now. Chapter 90 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (5) : Prince Charming Xing Bi Chapter 90 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (5) : Prince Charming Xing Bi My best chance is only right now, Xing Bi thought. Right now, she was hiding behind some bushes at a distance from the Liu vi main entrance from where guests wereing in. But things were way too cumbersome. The security was tight and as the banquet was about to begin, the flow of iing guests was also minimizing. Xing Bi was confident that she would be able to slip in with the crowd''s help, but her hopes were destroyed soon enough. There was a difference of heaven and earth between her and the guests'' attire. I would look like a sore thumb¡­ Should I dress as a maid? But to her disappointment, not even one maid came outside. Everybody was busy serving the guests inside. Shit. What will I do now? I got to meet Chen Yunru at any cost tonight! Then an idea struck her. What if I feign some sickness and get inside on pretext of medical help? I am so brilliant! They won''t leave a sick woman helpless! Hahaha! She was about to step out of the bushes when two guards came to meet the ones guarding the main entrance. She hastily ducked back. "Be alert of strangers, okay? There was one woman who pretended to faint and then entered the mansion. She fooled us!" XIng Bi - "..." copied my brilliant idea!? The guards at the main entrance were naturally shocked and alerted. "Did you throw her out?" "No. Old Master Liu said he will deal with her." They solemnly nodded. "We will keep an even stricter eye now." Damn! As if you weren''t strict enough already! There goes my ticket! She cried. How am I supposed to meet Chen Yunru now? Xing Bi noticed that the guards were sincerely busy talking among themselves, especially the two guards of the garden''s side who told them about Ai''s ''vicious'' poking attack on Liu Hai. The other pair was too tuned into their story to momentarily leave their post. She narrowed her eyes and crawled from in between the bushes noiselessly, seeing this as a chance to quietly slip in. Brr. It''s so cold! Keep talking, keep talking¡­ Xing Bi soon reached the gate, and she heard the second pair of guards heavily sobbing. "We are doomed. We let a stranger in who attacked Old Master Liu. Now we will definitely get fired!" "We won''t be spared!" The first pair were doing their best in consoling them. A gulp passed through her throat as she quickly took the intimidating turning point of the gate and disappeared into the bushes from within the mansion. The guards turned at once. "Did you hear that?" "I thought I heard something rustling?" "Maybe it was the wind?" "Indeed, it''s quite windy today." Xing Bi let out a deep, silent breath. She looked around and sobbed. ? I am actually inside the estate! Now it''s just a trip to the mansion! She sneakily hopped hiding behind the trees. As she craned her neck, she choked seeing a pair of maids weing the guests with a smile on their lips near the door. She lowered her head and looked at her messy self. Leaves were stuck on her hair and sleeves, and the soil had stained her dress. I cannot go inside like this. She copsed on her knees. Come on¡­I havee this far, she sulked. No, no! She pped her cheeks. Don''t give up! It''s all for Ai''s sake! With a renewed determination, she started thinking of some trick to get inside. Her sight fell on a group of young people at a distance standing and talking among themselves. They were giggling andughing, and it seemed like they were making fun of someone. The man''s back faced her - the one who was beingughed at. From his bodynguage, she felt his anger and displeasure from the taunts the group threw at him. Not my problem¡­I have my fair share of troubles. But she couldn''t let that man out of her sight even if she tried. Seeing his back slump in cheerlessness made a familiar feeling strike her. The group was clearly bullying him. He was standing up for himself, but it wasn''t working. Xing Bi gritted her teeth and unable to bear it any longer, she furiously walked towards the group. Grabbing the man''s arm, she pulled him behind her and faced them. "You should be ashamed of yourself for bullying someone like that! You think you are all so powerful ganging up on a lone man like that? Fucking pests! People like you disgust me! Beforeing to such a ssy party like this, tell your parents to teach you some ss first!" ring her nostrils, she turned on her heels and went away as she dragged the man with her. The group watched her, dumbfounded with their jaws dropped. "Huh? A woman with mud and leaves stuck all over suddenly pulled Bro Nian away?" Liang Meixiu questioned in shock. "She was so tall! Did you see that?" Liang Meirong''s eyes sparkled. "She even scolded us¡­What did we do?" Her little brother, Liang Bao, scratched his head. Soo Yijun raised his brow curiously. "Interesting." Soo Zhenya dreamily said, "She took him away like a knight in shining armor!" Zhu Xiang touched his chin. "She seemed feisty just like sis and Mom." Chen Yubi tugged onto her elder brother, Chen Zixin''s coat. "Bro, did you understand what just happened? Who kidnapped Bro Nian?" She gasped. He nced down at her once and remained quiet. Instead, he let out just one question from his lips. "Yunru?" Her mouth twitched. You don''t care what you saw just now at all!? Chen Yunru came in huffing and puffing. "I¡­I am here¡­Sorry, I gotte¡­" Liang Meirong clicked her tongue. "You missed something fun! Somebody just took bro Nian away, and we couldn''t do anything!" Soo Zhenya was still in her dreamy state. "She was so cool. Did you see Nian''s face?" Chen Yunru winced with mental damage. "Ahhhh! How did I miss that? I want to meet her too! I wanted to see that!" They gave him their condolences. "We feel sorry for you. But who knows if you will see her tonight?" Chapter 91 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (6) : Shattering Illusion Chapter 91 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (6) : Shattering Illusion Xing Bi finally stopped at a spot behind the huge sparkling fountain as she breathed hard. Phew. That felt like a long assed walk. She turned to face the man. "Alright. You are okay now-" She widened her eyes seeing such a tall and handsome man greeting her sight. He was taller than her, which was a feat not most men could achieve against her five feet and nine inches height. The cold fountain drops shimmering with violet and golden light fell upon his well-chiseled face that only added onto his charm. Oh my he is one looker, she thoroughly appreciated his beauty. She waved her hand. "Don''t bother with their bullying, and don''t let it get to you." Nian was only staring at her wide-eyed. His gaze slowly fell onto her hand holding his arm. Xing Bi realized it. "Oops, I am-" From the corner of her eyes, she saw the guards taking their rounds deeper into the estate. Shit! She suddenly pulled him with a force and ducked behind the mountain. Don''t speak a word, okay? Keep your mouth shut." Nian rapidly blinked. He leaned in and whispered. "Why?" Xing looked at herself as if making a point. "Can you not see it from the way I look? I am not a guest here. I have¡­" she nced left and right and said in a hushed voice, "Don''t tell anybody, but I have sneaked in here." He tilted his his, his ck eyes twinkling in inquisitiveness. An intruder, aye? "Oh, oh! Why, though? What are you nning? Tell me, tell me!" "Well, I want to meet someone." "Who?" "Chen Yunru." His brow twitched. "Are you sure it''s him? Not somebody else?" He expectantly asked. "Of course, it''s him. I have a very important thing to tell him!" His brow twitched further. "Important thing? Like?" Xing Bi rolled her eyes. "It''s a long story. The point is that I need Chen Yunru only at any cost!" The twig under his shoe finally snapped into two. She failed to notice the ck clouds forming over his head. "I see. You seem quite passionate about him." She was focused on the entrance and mumbled. "Yeah. Gosh if I just meet Chen Yunru once. I will pour my heart out to him!" And exin everything about Ai! Nian suddenly burst into a smile, but it was anything but friendly. She snapped her neck towards him and squinted her eyes. "You are gonna help me with it." Nian tilted his head. "Me?" ? "Yes. I need to go inside. But I am not a guest. I will stick out like a sore thumb! You seem to be a guest here. So help me out because I saved you from the bullies." "..." "You are gonna use me?" Xing Bi looked as if it was so obvious. "Of course. I almost sacrificed myself for you! Do you know how hard it was to slip inside with this tight assed security? If the guards had noticed me, they would have thrown me out! What if those bulliesined about me? All my efforts would have gone to waste. Pay your gratitude to me, young man! That''s what you do when people help you." Nian stumbled on his foot and almost copsed. It''s like his image of hers suddenly shattered. There she was holding his arm and taking him away as if he was a damsel in distress. The whole time, his eyes only watched her back which stood firm and confident. She was covered with mud and dirt, but she still carried herself with poise and strength. Her hair fluttered in the wind as if she was some delinquent gang''s boss. The atmosphere was like bubbles floated in the air as they walked. But now¡­ "So it wasn''t out of kindness?" Nian propped his chin on his palm and questioned her. Xing Bi faced him. "I have a very important person to protect. Right now, all my kindness belongs to that person only." There was a long period of silence as he stared at her hard. Suddenly, he pped his hands in delight, and his eyes sparkled with mischief. "I will help you!" Xing Bi was taken aback for a moment but nodded in appreciation. "That''s more like it. So, how do we get inside? Do you have an extra invitation?" Nian sheepishly grinned. She failed to see the yful glint in his eyes. "How can a humble servant like me have an invitation?" She choked. "Excuse me? You take me for a fool? You are not a servant with those clothes." Nian pursed his lips and looked down. "This is Madam Nana''s gift to me. I am often bullied, so she gave me this gift to cheer me up." "Oh. Bully you how?" He grabbed her hand and poured his miseries out. "It''s horrible! They treat me like trash and sneer and taunt me. They step on my dignity! Nobody loves me¡­" She winced on his behalf. She sighed and patted his head. "Like I said, if they treat you like trash¡­" Nian sniffled and nodded. "I will ignore them-" "You should trash them ten fold." "..." "Bullies will treat you like trash until they get treated like trash," she sneered. "That''s how their brains are wired." Nian''s face shone brighter and brighter. "I see! You are so cool!" She raised her head higher with his praise. "I know, I know. So, quickly tell me how to get inside before the guards find me!" She urgently whispered. His ck orbs devilishly shone. "Well, you see¡­" ¡ª At the same time as Nian plotted his devilish scheme, Yating made his way towards the banquet hall too. The socialites squealed as their gazes fell upon him. "Who is he?" "I have never seen him at any parties before." "He is definitely a young master too but of which wealthy family?" Yating hardly cared about his surroundings. Instead, he scanned the ce with his narrowed eyes. He spotted Chen Yunru with his family at a distance. He cocked his head to the side. If he wanted to, he could just walk up to him and have an in-length ''discussion'' about Sky''s misgivings towards Ai. But he wasn''t looking for him. The CEO of Sky Publishing¡­where are you, Liu Jun? Chapter 92 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (7) : Handing Over Mr. Lius Gift Chapter 92 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (7) : Handing Over Mr. Liu''s Gift When Yating gave it a proper thought, he found out that it wasn''t really hard to figure out the CEO''s identity once one knew that Yunru and the CEO were rted. Chen Yunru, despite being the President of Sky Publishing, was actually only twenty years old. Very young for this position but capable nevertheless. Yunru had his college studies ongoing while he handled thepany too. Naturally, the CEO was someone older than him. Both by age and by position. First was his pure instinct. He didn''t look down on women or underestimate them, but his gut told him that the CEO wasn''t any of Yunru''s female cousins. That viciousness with which the CEO targeted Ai felt like something he would have done himself had he been in his ce. It felt personal and possessive, almost as if someone was fiercely protecting the one they loved. So then remain Liu Jian, Liu Nian, Liu Jun, Liu Jin, Chen Zixin and Liang Bao¡­he thought. Liu Jian and his sister Liu Nuo are jointly managing Natukashi. Liu Nian has his own established bakery. Liu Jin handles the Liu Corps with his father despite being the youngest son. Chen Zixin is the CEO of Chen Corps and Liang Bao is undergoing his medical studies in a university to be a doctor. None of the professions had anything to do with books or publishing, nor did he feel that one of them also secretly led Sky Publishing. The only one shrouded in mystery was¡­ Yating narrowed his eyes. Jun. The Liu family had five children, but people always felt as if they saw only four of them. They knew their careers and had seen their faces on multiple asions. But Jun was someone who hardly made any appearances. Nobody would even sense as if he was there. Yet, they would feel a fifth person''s presence. He was there but at the same time, he wasn''t. People didn''t have much recollection of how he looked and certainly, nobody knew what his career was. Yating had tried to find out more about his educational background to see if he fit the bill, but he couldn''t. All the information about Liu Jun was neatly hidden as if he didn''t want the world to know about him at all. So, Yating concurred that the CEO could only be Jun. He couldn''t confirm his background, but he could gauge his personality from this behavior. Silent and somebody who didn''t like attention. He gave off a vibe almost simr to Ai, who he was all too familiar with. And people like Jun or Ai were often the type who recluse themselves into books and such. The CEO himself, just like his background and personality, was hidden from the world. It couldn''t be anybody else but him. Yating''s eyes glinted with an iciness as he watched the crowd. Where are you, Liu Jun? ¡ª Jun was stuck in traffic. He eximed a string of curses seeing the road blocked back and in front of him. Shit! Impatiently tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, his heart was overloaded with dread. Ai and Jin¡­Ai and Jin¡­ Why are they together? Even while driving, he could hardly focus on the road as his mind was jammed with thoughts about them. His gaze would turn cold but then a trace of fear shone amidst theyer of frost. Dead set on reaching Liu vi at any cost, a name softly escaped his lips. "Ai¡­" ? ¡ª "Jun¡­" Ai sped his gift in her hands as she stood in the corridor. Your gift will definitely reach your parents. I will make sure of it, she sincerely nodded to herself. The door opened, and two figures stepped out. Her eyes slowly widened upon watching Jinhai and Nanaing out, hand in hand as they smiled at each other. The aura around them made her go into a trance. Her heart skipped a beat observing them. Their warm gazes and the loving smile on their lips made her heart flutter. They radiated such pure marital bliss that it would even resonate among someone who might not believe in love. Their hands were firmly intertwined. Even at this age, she could feel the strong love they held for each other. Ai felt envious. It was as if her fingers were itching to write down this wave of inspiration flooding within her and express this slight ache tugged at her chest. She wondered how she could put this feeling into words? But the thing she deliberated the most was¡­ Will I find someone just like how they found each other? Will a day evere when I will¡­look like her? Her gaze lowered, recalling her past life with Yating. Ai hadn''t realized she was holding her breath and a gasp escaped her lips, feeling breathless. Her stupor broke, and she noticed Jinhai and Nana leaving for the banquet hall. She rushed after them. "P-please wait!" They stopped and turned. Jinhai narrowed his eyes as his jet ck gaze traveled to watch her from head to toe. Nana''s lips curved into a gentle smile. "Yes, dear?" Her voice hummed like a soft melody in Ai''s ears, filled with warmth and concern. She could feel her cheeks blushing pink. Mrs. Liu is so beautiful¡­ Ai stared at her. Now that she watched her from this close distance, she could see where Jun got his beautiful dark brown irises from. His fair skin was just like her too. As for Jun''s face, he resembled his father a lot. A shiver passed through her neck as Ai met Jinhai''s deep, contemting and sharp gaze. Now I see why Jun''s eyes are so intense¡­ He was like Jinhai. Hiding something dangerous and possessive beneath that calcting gaze. Ai straightened her back and slightly bowed. "Hello. Congrattions on your wedding anniversary. My deepest wishes that you two keep living in bliss like this for many more years toe." Nana beamed. "Oh, thank you so much dear! It means a lot to us." She curiously observed her. "I feel like I have seen you somewhere¡­" It was in the video which Jun sent her where Jian and Nian were flirting with Ai in the library. Ai blinked. "Oh. We might have unknowingly crossed paths somewhere." "Haha, yes it could be just that." She nodded and softly smiled. She took out a gift box and raised it towards them. Jinhai and Nana looked at it, puzzled. "What is this?" Ai said, "It''s your wedding anniversary gift from your son." Chapter 93 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (8) : Zhou Ai Versus Liu Jinhai Chapter 93 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (8) : Zhou Ai Versus Liu Jinhai Jinhai and Nana blinked their eyes twice. Nana slowly took the gift and questioned. "From my son?" "Yes. From Liu Jun," Ai crisply stated. Jinhai paused and then narrowed his eyes. Nana''s gaze widened as she gasped. "Jun?" "En." Nana jerked her head towards Jinhai in delight. "Jinhai! It''s Jun''s gift! I thought he wasn''ting tonight¡­" the light in her expression then dimmed. "That boy. He didn''t show up for Christmas nor for New Year''s. Now, he said he was too busy to attend the celebration tonight either. It felt as if he is distancing himself from us¡­" Jinhai''s countenance never changed even once. Nana brushed her palm along the box and tenderly smiled. "But I see he hasn''t forgotten us. Though I would have felt happier if he would have been here too. Our family is iplete without him." She looked up and smiled at Ai. "Thank you so much dear. He cannot be personally here tonight, so his gift means a lot to us." Ai carefully studied them. Jinhai''s reaction was way different and exactly opposite to Nana''s. It was visible that he didn''t seem so pleased receiving this gift. She guessed there was something Jinhai knew, but Nana didn''t. Jinhai''s knifecutting question came. "Where did you get Jun''s gift?" reminded Nana too. "Oh yes! Do you know him?" Ai stood unperturbed. She had this seen this questioning. "I found it in the library where he frequently visits. I couldn''t return it to him as I didn''t know his home''s address. So, I thought to bring it here myself on the address written on the note. I read the note and realized it was from your son." Then she said the next thing, staring at Jinhai. "I thought it was important you get the gift as soon as possible. It would definitely make you happy, right?" Nana nodded hard. "It does! It is from my son, after all," her gaze softened. "Jinhai, wait for me! I will quickly open his gift," Nana couldn''t wait to see what Jun brought for them and hopped back to the room. Ai and Jinhai stood in silence, which was then cut down by his second question. "How did you get inside?" She lifted her gaze to see his dark eyes viewing her with suspicion. She felt as if no excuse could pass his keen-edged scrutiny. "Even if you found the gift, you cannot just simply enter this ce bypassing the guards," he pointedly stated. "You are not a guest." Ai said nothing. "How do you really know Jun?" He tilted his head. She met his usatory gaze, undaunted. "You don''t seem to be pleased receiving your son''s gift." "I am not." Ai stiffened. She hadn''t expected such an instantaneous but harsh response from him. "Why?" "I don''t think that''s any of your concern," his voice lowered immeasurably, building a strange cold pressure in the air. It was crushing and freezing but, Ai, who only thought about the forced smiled on Jun''s lips and his beautiful eyes obscured with sorrow and forlornness refused to crumble under his intimidating presence. "It IS my concern," her voice quietly but sharply countered him. ? Jinhai narrowed his eyes. "He is not allowed toe tonight. It was upon your order. Mrs. Liu is unaware of this, right? I can see it from her reaction." "Are you threatening me?" He raised his brow - danger lurking in that small action. Expressionless, she replied. "No. The point I want to make is that you have already disallowed him froming here, which is saddening enough for him. You shouldn''t hurt more of his feelings by being displeased with his gift too. That would be in rude even if he cannot see your reaction." He coldly smiled. "You don''t even know why I am treating Jun this way. Wouldn''t that typically mean he did something too atrocious in the past for me to stop acting kindly towards him?" Ai was unfazed. "He might have made mistakes, but the Jun I know NOW is someone who is kind, warm and caring in his own way. He is a good man. I don''t want to see him hurt. The past should remain in the past. Isn''t it why you are so happy with Mrs. Liu until now?" "Excuse me?" She blinked once. "You and Jun are very simr. I can see where he got his¡­viinous side from." He stared at her. "So, I guess there must have been some mistakes that you made in your past too." The temperature took a sudden drop. "Did I hit a nerve?" Jinhai didn''t leave his gaze off her. Her lips weren''t smiling, but her eyes were. "But clearly, your wife forgave you for it or the people involved who you hurt once. So, if you can live happily despite the errors you made, then you have no right to iste Jun like this either." Anybody else would have copsed by now, but she stood firm. Her words brought an impasse which Jinhai couldn''t break apart. "I am back!" Nana returned, livening up the deadly atmosphere with presence. "Sorry, it took long, hehe¡­Jinhai look! Jun gifted us matching set ot earrings and cufflinks!" She brightened. "Let''s wear this. Remove your cufflinks and put on these ones," she chirped. "I already changed my earrings. It looks pretty, right?" Jinhai warmly smiled and nodded. The change in his demeanor was so instant that even Ai took a moment to stabilize herself. Nana grinned. She thanked Ai once again. "Thank you for bringing his gift, dear. I will feel as if Jun is here with us¡­" she longingly said. Ai smiled back. "Your wee. I am d you loved it. Your son would be really happy." "Haha, yes. Oh, don''t leave, okay? Do enjoy the party!" "N-no. I was just here to hand over the gift-" Nana sternly shook her head. "Yes means yes. Stay here until the end! You brought my son''s precious gift to me. Of course, you should be a part of our celebration too. Right, Jinhai?" She nced at him expectantly. No matter what feelings he had inside, his outward countenance was the same. Smiling and affectionate towards his wife. "Of course." "See? Then it''s decided!" Nanaughed. "Mom, Dad! It''s time already! Where are you two?" Nuo called them out. "Oops," Nana stuck out her tongue. "Let''s go. We took too much time." Chapter 94 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (9) : The Banquet Begins! Chapter 94 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (9) : The Banquet Begins! The lights dimmed in the main hall as it got darker. The happy couple, Jian and Leina were thoroughly taking advantage of this as they held hands. Jian kissed her cheek. "You look beautiful." Leina grinned and kissed him back. "And you look handsome. Look at all the women ogling you." "Do you see the men peeking at you? I wish to poke their eyes-" "Ssh! No violence talks!" She chuckled. "Tonight is a lovely evening. No bloodshed." He narrowed his eyes. "Indeed. What do you say we¡­" Her cheeks blushed furiously. "Be careful. Don''t underestimate Dad''s ears." "Don''t underestimate your boyfriend either~" On the other side, another couple was in their own dreamynd. Nuo was a little shy and nervous as she stood closer to Siying. Siying, on his side, wanted to hold her hand. He lightly brushed the back of his palm against hers, making her face turn redder. She softly tugged at his finger, and their hands intertwined. Siying cleared his throat. "We will be like this one day too." At first, Nuo didn''t understand his meaning, but a secondter, she did. will be like this one day too¡­Just like our parents, happily married. Her heart raced, and she quickly looked away. Siying chuckled, finding it cute. He looked around and asked, "Oh yeah. I don''t see bro Nian and bro Jun anywhere." "Ah, bro Nian was here only," she furrowed her brows trying to find him. "Ugh, don''t tell me that he is secretly stuffing food somewhere!" "I bet he won''t. He wouldn''t want to incur his little sister''s wrath," heughed and pinched her nose. She harrumphed. "He better not. As for bro Jun, he is noting." "Huh? Noting? But it''s Uncle and Aunt''s anniversary," he was confused. "It''s such a huge event." She sighed. "Yeah. But he said he is busy." "What could be more important than this celebration tonight?" She shook her head, expressing her cluelessness too. "I am really worried. Bro Jun has never acted like this before¡­" Siying wondered the same thing. It''s been a long time since he and Shui have met. They were never away for this long. His heart ached, noticing Nuo''s downcast gaze. He squeezed her hand, giving her reassurance. "Everything will be fine." Though he said that, he couldn''t help but get worried for Shui. Bro Jun wasn''t at the New Year''s party and now too. He nced at his right where she was standing with Xinyi and Zhiyuan. He softly exhaled. Shui will be so disappointed again¡­ ¡ª Xinyi asked, "I don''t see Jun anywhere." Shui stiffened and lowered her gaze. Thankfully the hall was quite dark, so they didn''t notice her expression. She fidgeted with her fingers. Zhiyuan sneered. "It''s better if he isn''t here." "Zhiyuan! Don''t be so mean!" She scolded him. ? "Shui, did he say anything to you?" Xinyi asked. "It feels as if I haven''t seen Jun in a long time." "N-no," her smile faltered. "I don''t know." She coughed. "I am thirsty. Let me get a drink." "Be careful, okay? It''s dim here." "Yeah." She walked a short distance and already bumped into someone. A firm hand caught her arm, and a voice breathed into her ear. "Careful, Shui." Shui froze, feeling warm and ticklish at her earlobe. Her breath hitched in the darkness. "J-Jin¡­" "Hm." His low throated voice hung in the air with a tinge of huskiness in it, making her crumple a part of his ck coat in her fist. Her heart sped unusually faster, and she quickly took a step back. A sense of guilt filled her as these questionable feelings enveloped her chest. It was as if what Jun used was right, which she didn''t want to admit. She raised her head and traced the outline of his clean-cut and attractive face. His ck eyes felt duskier under the faint lighting. "Don''t move around. It''s dark." She parted her lips to speak but only bobbed her head in the end. Jin took a step closer to her and faced the other side as he waited for his parents to enter. Shui preferred to keep her distance from him, nevertheless she quietly apanied him. ¡ª The golden light from above shone on the top of the stairs as Jinhai and Nana slowly stepped down with a graceful smile on their lips. Everybody pped and cheered hard as the main couple for the night made their way towards the center. Jinhai took the mike and faced Nana. "It''s a big night for us. Nana, it''s been twenty-six years since the day you became my wife. Twenty-six years, and I still love you to the ends of this world. I always had, and I always will. Forever. I just have one request from you." Her eyes were slightly wet, feeling this great milestone sink in her heart. "You know I will do anything for you, Jinhai." Jian and the others teasingly whistled at that. They earned a re from his grandmother, Liu Chunhua. "Shoosh! Don''t disturb their moment!" She scolded. They grumbled and kept quiet. Jinhai smiled. "Well, my hair is getting all gray now. But you are still as beautiful as you were when I first met you. I humbly request to ignore my wrinkly side and keep loving me as always. I will be heartbroken if you find someone else." The guestsughed hard. They had never seen Jinhai cracking humor. "And that someone else will be heartbroken to die by my hands." "..." The guests couldn''tugh anymore. A series of coughs echoed in the hall. Nana was left speechless. She shook her head and smacked his forehead. "You are impossible, Jinhai. My heart is filled up with you. All of it. Whether it was before or now or in the future. Even if you start walking with a stick, I will never leave your side. I will never stop loving you even if you get a hunched back." "Hahaha," the air was filled withughter and joy. Jinhai''s eyes twinkled, and he kissed her lips. She smiled and softly kissed him back. Everybody pped once again. A butler wheeled in a big table with a beautiful cake sitting atop it, made by none other than Nian. Jinhai and Nana cut the cake together as the crowd sang. Liu Hai cheered. "Hohoho! Cake! Cake!" His wife elbowed him. "You have to control yourself!" "You are cruel, Chunhua!" He cried. Jinhai raised a toast, and the banquet officially started. Chapter 95 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (10) : Time To Hit The Dance Floor Chapter 95 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (10) : Time To Hit The Dance Floor Ai stood beside a pir at the back, not sure of what she should do. Nana had urged her to stay in the party but looking at the time, she knew she had to get back home or Jun would get worried. She thought for a moment and decided it was best to leave. She turned when she suddenly froze. It wasn''t clear but from the corner of her right eye, she felt as if she saw Yating passing by. Instinctively, she took a step back into the darkness not wishing to meet him. Then her brows crinkled. Why would Yating be here? He cannot be. Yating on his side, also felt Ai''s presence for just a second. He stopped and craned his neck but didn''t see her anywhere. How would Ai be here? Must be my imagination. He casually walked around the hall looking for Jun, but he didn''t see him, neither heard any whispers about his presence. "Yating." He stiffened upon recognizing the voice. Rong stood before his son and narrowed his eyes. He folded his arms and stared at him. "So you finally got time to do something fitting for an heir? Or are you still ying around with books? Four years and you don''t even say a word to your father now?" His gaze went cold. Yating ignored him and started to walk away when he stopped him. "Wait. When will youe back to handle thepany? Isn''t this enough already?" He shot back. "I think it was clear that you wouldn''t interfere in my career." Gu Rong stared at him. "Yating, you are my only son. Who else would take care of it if not for you? Don''t be so stubborn." "Are we gonna have this conversation again? Because I don''t want to. We will just go in circles." He turned when Gu Rong spoke again, "Indeed, I shouldn''t meddle with your career choice. But you haven''t forgotten the deal between us, right? If you want to be a mere editor for your whole life and disregard your family business, then fine. Do what you want. But don''t forget that in exchange, you promised that you won''t meddle with my choice of bride for you." Yating kept quiet. "That''s why I want you to meet someone." He red at him. "I don''t have time for this, Dad. I didn''te here to find a wife for me. I have an important thing to do." "You can''t keep ignoring this, Yating," he sharply said. "I will marry when I want, Dad. You can choose my bride but not when I am not ready to do this." The air became tense between the father and son. Yating felt distasteful. Things were sour between them for a few years now ever since he dered he wanted to join a publishing firm. Gu Rong was forceful about him taking him over thepany after his retirement, but Yating didn''t wish to. That caused strain in their rtionship until it became too suffocating four years ago, and Yating left his house to pursue his career as an editor which he always wanted. He made the deal with him because that was the only way Gu Rong was ready topromise. But Yating still felt salty about their fight. As a father, he was supposed to support his son in doing what he liked, not force him against his wishes whether it was his career or his marriage. Yating trembled. Annoyance and irritation filled his heart. Even now, you just want me to get married to a woman who would be beneficial for your business, right? I am just a pawn to for your profit, nothing else! Even after four years, you think nothing but your damnpany! ? He thought the four years of distance might have changed Gu Rong. His heart might have softened towards his son. But Gu Rong was still the same. Stubborn and unyielding who would still want Yating to take over the business and marry the woman of his choice. Heat rushed to his head. Afraid he would explode and create a scene, he rushed out of the banquet hall to calm down. "Yating! Listen to-" He was gone. Gu Rong clenched his fists, exasperated. Stupid son! ¡ª Xing Bi peeked from behind a pir to find Yunru. She adjusted her dress but stiffened. Shit, don''t touch this dress Bibi! If you ruin even a thread of it, you would be finished! Turning back to thirty minutes ago, Nian said that he would help her get entry in the mansion. She guessed that Nian might bring her a maid''s outfit to disguise as he was a servant himself. He could borrow it from some maid. But to her utter shock, he brought some super luxurious dress that Xing Bi had only seen models wearing in fashion shows! It was a beautiful and shimmering golden brown dress that fluttered until her knees. Xing Bi had seamlessly blended in the party as a guest herself. Nobody would doubt that she wasn''t a socialite at all. But she had other concerns. Xinb Bi had never worn something so fancy before. She felt the weight and price of this dress dragging her down. Why did he bring something so expensive!? How did he even get this in the first ce!? If I ruin it, I don''t even want to imagine the debt that would befall me! From a distance, Nian stared up and down at her from all angles and grinned. "Perfect. It''s like it''s just made for her. I knew it. Uncle Jing would definitely have something worthwhile in his collection. He is China''s Godly fashion designer, after all~" He didn''t think twice before shamelessly stealing one of his uncle''s works. Xing Bi let out a breath. "Forget it. I need to focus on President Chen. I will talk to him, dump this dress and get the hell out of here." She found Yunru on the opposite side, seemingly talking to someone older than him seeing his bodynguage. Alright. Here we go. ¡ª "I found you!" Ai gasped, startled with the enthusiastic loud voice and stopped. She was just about to leave the mansion. Suddenly a hand pulled her, and she saw that it was Liu Hai. "Grandpa." He beamed. "I was looking for you this whole time! Good that I found you." "What is it?" Ai blinked. "It is time to hit the dance floor. You know, for all the couples? Sooo¡­" He dragged her somece, put Ai''s hand in Jin''s and pushed them towards the center. "Go and dance!" Chapter 96 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (11) : Mr. Liu Is Here Chapter 96 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (11) : Mr. Liu Is Here Jin didn''t notice when he was spun around, made him hold hands with Ai and got dumped towards the dance floor. Shui watched it wide-eyed, who was standing quietly beside Jin when he was suddenly shoved away. "Grandpa? What are you doing?" Liu Hai was shining like the sun. "Hohoho! You wouldn''t imagine what happened today! I found a gem. I found my third granddaughter-inw!" The radiance on his face was unmatchable. Shui scratched her chin. "Huh? I don''t understand." "A bride! I found a bride for my grandson! I yed the role of a perfect cupid! Look at her," he pointed towards Ai. "I met her an hour ago. She is such a good girl! The moment I talked to her, I knew she was perfect for Jin!" She froze. Everything went nk in front of her. "...What?" Liu Hai babbled on. "At first, I was going to make her choose between Jin and Nian. But hmph! Nian doesn''t deserve her! I don''t like Nian for her. But Jin and she match like the perfect couple, don''t they?" Shui failed to respond. Something sharp and painful struck her chest. She forgot to breathe because of the sudden agony that grappled her heart. "Look at them. They look so cute together, right? Shui? Shui?" He shook her shoulder and whined. "I am talking to you. Join me in my happiness and praise me!" snapped out of her stupor. "Ah yeah¡­a-a wife for Jin¡­yeah, she¡­" Shui stared at Ai and uneasily touched her throat. "She is nice¡­" Liu Hai nodded hard. "Of course! My eyes never fail me," his nose grew longer in pride. On the dance floor, Jin and Ai stood like two motionless statues. Jin, by nature, was calm and gentle. But now Liu Hai had definitely exasperated him. Grandpa¡­You never fail to make things difficult, don''t you? They had be the center of attention, and now it was quite difficult to pull back. He nced at Liu Hai, who was giving him a thumbs-up like an eager child. He smiled and held in his urge to beat him up. Jin looked back at Ai. "I am sorry once again. He is a lost cause." Her lips twitched. "We are already here now. Everybody is looking at us. It will be difficult to leave without a dance so¡­" he offered his hand. "Let''s just quickly get done with it." Ai was stumped. I just wanted to give Jun''s gift. Why am I suddenly here? Just like Jun, she disliked being the center of attention. Somehow a dance with Jin, who was the cause of Jun''s broken rtionship, seemed tooplicated and strange to her. But she couldn''t leave and possibly make an embarrassment out of her and Jin. She stared at his hand. "I¡­would like to get this over with too. But, I don''t know how to dance." Jin smiled. "That''s not a problem. Just follow my lead, and you will be alright." Ai hesitated for a moment but then gave up. She wished it could be Jun who taught her, but was helpless before a certain hyperactive grandfather. She slowly put her hand in his. Jin stretched his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him. ? Ai stiffened for a moment. "Do as I show you." She nodded. The music changed, and a sweet romantic melody yed in the background. Ai fumbled at first, but then they gradually got into the rhythm as they danced. Liu Hai smirked in victory. "Aish, they look cute!" Liu Chunhua came to his side and curiously asked about the woman Jin was dancing with. Her husband dly told the story without missing a beat. She was speechless. "You! Don''t just randomly be a pushover, Hai! At this point, I feel that you practically forced her into this." He gasped in shock. "What are you saying! Of course, I didn''t force her. I asked her if she was single, and she is." "So, you will just conveniently take her? Did you ask if she wanted to date Jin in the first ce!?" "What is the problem with Jin? He is a hundred times better than that brat Nian! Look, look, they seem so cute together." Liu Chunhua took another nce and indeed felt that they looked good together. She was cute too. "They are¡­but you cannot decide for them!" "You are talking to the wrong man, sister-inw," Chen Liling, Liu Hai''s younger sister and her husband, Chen Guiren, joined in. "He always forcibly takes matters into his hands," she sneered. Liu Hai sneered back. "Oh is that jealousy I see, my dear little sister?" Chen Liling''s gaze darkened. "Why will I be jealous!?" "It''s because I found her first! Hah! You are jealous!" She gritted her teeth. His words hit the nerve. When she saw Ai on the dance floor, she immediately took a liking to her even without meeting her. She had an eye for people just like Liu Hai. "You were definitely going to poach her for Zixin if you had met her first, didn''t you?" Chen Liling wanted to strangle her brother. "Be careful, big brother or you will get cursed by the sweets you love so much!" He waved his hand in dismissal. "It''s just your jealousy talking. You would have done the same thing. Take matters into your and dump her to your eldest grandson, Zixin! Pot calling the kettle ck!" She trembled in rage. Her ever so doting husband, Chen Guiren, patted her shoulder and signaled her to discard the argument. She jumped into his hug and sobbed feeling the injustice. The elders kept bickering among themselves, but Shui couldn''t hear anything anymore. She was only watching Jin and Ai dance in a daze with a prickly feeling in her chest. But she wasn''t the only one whose gaze was fixed at them. At the far end of the crowd behind all the guests and under the veil of darkness stood Jun. He just took a step inside the mansion when the first thing that greeted his sight was the light shining on Jin and Ai at the center of the dance floor, who danced as they embraced each other. Chapter 97 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (12) : Joining The Dance Floor Chapter 97 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (12) : Joining The Dance Floor Jun took slow, quiet steps closer inside the banquet hall, his brown eyes staring at only the two figures dancing in front of him. He stood on one side with the nket of darkness sheltering him while Jin and Ai shone under the light. He said nothing. He thought nothing. He simply kept his gaze fixed at them, his expression impossible to decipher. From his right end, he heard whispers. "That woman¡­I saw her outside the mansion''s gate," Qin Wen spoke in disbelief. "That one dancing with Liu Jin." "Really? Who is she?" Her friend asked. "I don''t know! I don''t even understand how she is dancing with someone like Liu Jin," the fury and jealousy in her voice was unmistakable. "Just look at her. Wearing such in clothes and having no ss¡­I treated her as a maid outside." Those words finally earned a reaction from Jun. For the first time ever since he stepped inside the mansion, he tore his gaze away from Ai and turned his head to look at who was exactly talking. friend giggled. "Maid?" "Duh! Isn''t it obvious? Does she look like an elite guest from any angle? I handed her my bag to take care of it, but she refused saying she wasn''t a maid." "Then what?" "Then? Nothing. I advised her to get the hell out of here, or the guards will throw her out. People like her can do anything to cling onto such wealthy families," she sneered. "You should have seen her. She was standing like a dumb woman in front of the mansion gate, holding some stupid gift in her hand. Hah! As if just anyone could enter in a banquet like this just because she pretended to have a present." Jun stared at her. "Clearly, it was her first time seeing such a luxurious mansion. She looked like such a fool. Typical of a poor person. But I don''t get it! Didn''t the guards throw her out? How is she here then!? I am sure she has cheated her way in," she called her fist. "That bitch¡­" A woman getting a chance to dance with the young master of the Liu family wasn''t a small deal. Every socialite''s eyes were on Jin and Ai, specting about their rtionship. Jun tilted his head. His very presence leaked a sense of an iing crisis. A strange iciness seeped in the air, making everybody shudder involuntarily. He raised his hand and stopped a maid that was passing by him. She jolted, feeling a cold hand on her shoulder. She raised her head and gasped. Then the shock turned into terror as she observed his eyes. "Y-y-y-young master Jun¡­" the poor maid could hardly speak under the mountainous pressure. Jun whispered something to her ear that made her gulp. "Understood?" His tone indicated that her only option was to say yes even though she didn''t understand how Qin Wen offended him. "Yes, young master." ? She hurried towards Qin Wen and dragged her in a corner. She urgently conveyed Jun''s message that forced Qin Wen to freeze like a block of ice. Confused and panicked, Qin Wen desperately tried to convince the maid, but she only shook her head. Qin Wen turned pale and looked at all the guests, her face turning red in shame and her body trembling. Defeated and afraid, she followed the maid into a room only toe back a few minutester dressed in a in maid''s outfit. She carried a tray in her hand that served sses containing cocktails and juices. "Miss. Qin. Please proceed with serving the guests," the maid urged her. Qin Wen bit her lip hard with tears in her eyes. "L-Look, there is a misunderstanding. We can still solve this. I cannot go dressed like this¡­" "You have no choice. Those are young master''s orders." She wasn''t allowed to reveal Jun''s name. "If you don''t want your family business to go bankrupt by tomorrow morning because of you, you have to serve the guests in tonight''s banquet as a maid until the end. If you don''t adhere, then the Qin business will be wiped off forever." As Qin Wen made rounds ducking her head to hide her ashamed face, some of the socialites recognized her nevertheless. "Q-Qin Wen? That is you, right?" "What¡­what the hell are you doing as a maid?" "Oh gosh, this is hrious! Just who did you offend so much?" One woman chuckled. "Or maybe that is your fetish? I must say the maid dress quite suits you." Qin Wen''s face burned in shame. Everybody was stunned with her sudden appearance at first, but they didn''t waste any time tough and mock her. Her reputation was tarnished forever. Some were sneakily clicking her pictures. Jun didn''t bother with her anymore. He showed Qin Wen her ce, but it failed to extinguish the fire within his heart that arose from watching Ai dance with Jin. He felt it - the familiar burning rage that consumed him in his past life when he broke into Jin and Shui''s wedding and killed Jin. His hand was twitching but strangely so, his countenance was dead calm. He felt the presence of a soft hand on his shoulder. "Jun?" Jun stiffened upon recognizing his mother''s voice. "Oh my God, it''s really you Jun! I knew it. I didn''t mistake you," Nana''s beautiful face brightened by several shades. She hugged him, her eyes turning misty. "I thought you weren''ting. But I am d that you did. Now, it feelsplete," she sniffled. "Big bro!" Nuo rushed and jumped into his hug too. She flicked his head. "Everybody was missing you so much! How dare you say you were busy?" Siying smiled and relief washed over him. He knew Shui must be feeling disappointed by Jun''s absence. But now, he had no reason to worry about his sister. Jun said nothing. Jinhai was watching his son thoughtfully.He was supposed to feel displeased by himing here. But his conversation with Ai left him unsure about his feelings. "Oh Jun is here too!" Liu Hai joined in only to pull him away from the group. Nuoined. "Grandpa, what are you doing? Bro has just arrived!" "What else?" He rolled his eyes. "Look how Jin and my future granddaughter-inw are dancing. Shouldn''t Jun and Shui join them as a couple too?" Chapter 98 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (13) : Something I Cannot Conceive Happening Chapter 98 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (13) : Something I Cannot Conceive Happening Liu Hai smirked. "For that matter, what are you and Siying waiting for? All couples should be on the dance floor!" Siying and Nuo blushed like teenagers and flustered. Jinhai''s gaze went dark, and he shot pointed res at Siying. Siying felt a chill at the back of his neck. Why are fathers like this? Be it Uncle Jinhai or Dad! On the other side, Jun felt a sharp silence ring in his ears. He ever so slowly turned towards Liu Hai, hisst words making an impact on him akin to a bomb st. More than reacting to dancing with Shui, the part that hit his nerve the most was how Liu Hai asserted Ai to be his future granddaughter-inw. Granddaughter-inw meant that she was supposed to be his grandson''s wife. But whose? Jin''s? Was that why they were dancing together? Jun guessed that Ai came to this banquet to give his gift to his parents, feeling unjust for him. Which was true. then how did things escte to this point? Liu Hai cheerfully whistled and brought Jun to Shui''s side. She turned and almost stumbled, seeing Jun appear out of nowhere. Jin had told her that he wasn''ting tonight. Guilt filled her heart because she knew she was the reason behind him avoiding the family gatherings. "...Jun?" "Hahaha! Aren''t you thrilled, Shui? Jun gave such an awesome surprise. Now, you won''t have to feel lonely seeing all the couples dance. Your boyfriend is here, hohoho!" Jun snapped his head towards her with a sharp questioning gaze. You didn''t tell them about our breakup? After their confrontation on New Year''s eve, Jun assumed that Shui would reveal it to her family which would naturally reach his family''s ears too. There was no doubt about Jin and Shui''s feelings for each other. So why would she keep her silence? Shui sensed the question his eyes conveyed, and she lowered her gaze. He felt the conflict behind her expression. Something was bothering her. Liu Hai watched the two and harrumphed. "What are you still standing here for! Look, Nuo and Jian are already on the dance floor. Get going." He made Jun hold Shui''s hand and gave them a light push. The light focused on them, and everybody pped in delight. ¡ª It didn''te any less of a shock to Jin and Ai either realizing that Jun was here. Bro Jun came¡­? Ai''s pace to match Jin''s steps slowed down as she bore her eyes into him. Typically, she would have tried to hide herself from him as she never wanted Jun to know about her visit here. But watching Jun and Shui dance with such closeness erased all the questions and apprehension from her mind. Questions like why is Jun suddenly here? What if he sees me and gets angry for meddling in his business? ? She kept staring at them unblinkingly until her eyes ached. Then she slowly swung her head to face Jin again with an unreadable expression. Jun, who held Shui in his arms, lightly hung onto her, creating a distance between them. His feet danced in rhythm with her, but his dark gaze was only focused on Ai. Not just her but Jin''s hand that was holding onto her waist, her palm clutching his shoulder, her hair fluttering on his coat, his face that was too close to hers, their chests that seemed to almost graze against one another, their eyes who looked at each other - he burned every one of those actions in his heart. Silently but surely. Shui, too, like Jun, couldn''t help but throw frequent nces towards Jin and Ai. Every time she did so, a strange painful feeling blocked her sensespletely. She would forget where she was as if the canvas was all nk. The distance between them along with Liu Hai''s deration earlier made her difficult to breathe. She suddenly felt a tightening pressure on her fingers. "O-ow¡­" she softly yelped. "Jun, you are holding my hand too tightly." Jun realized and eased the pressure. "Sorry," he said with a t voice, not really sounding apologetic She watched his gaze which seemed familiar to her. His expression didn''t look particrly angry. But she still sensed the deep disturbance from him. Jun was extremely calm. At least, it seemed so from the outside. But she knew. Jun was the deadliest when he was the calmest. It was this feeling that he gave off which made her ufortable at times around him. Like something was looming upon you which threatened to cage you in his prison forever. The music hung in the air, and the couples danced. Jin didn''t fail to notice the change in everybody''s demeanors. He himself stared at Shui and his brother the way Shui was looking at them. But he knew that their rtionship was no more now. This was just a perfunctory dance to keep appearances. What puzzled him more was Ai and Jun''s reactions. Jun was definitely watching Ai and Ai until now, was staring at Jun and Shui with aplicated expression. It reminded Jin of the idental kiss he had witnessed. "How close are you with Bro Jun?" His sudden question startled Ai. She blinked at him. "What?" "You heard me," he smiled. Ai wasn''t sure of how much to reveal. "We are-" she paused for a reason unknown to her, "...not really close." Jin tilted his head. He thought she would fluster and dismiss even knowing Jun. "We just see each other at the library every day due to our work. Nothing more than that." "Yet you came this far to give his gift to Mom and Dad," he didn''t pull any punches. "Seems far more trouble for just acquaintances." She said nothing. "Do you look at bro Jun? He has been staring at you quite intensely. Something I cannot conceive happening between just two acquaintances." Ai stared at him. "Then can you exin why Shui was peeking at us? Or why were you looking at her? Something I cannot conceive happening between you and your supposed future sister-inw." Chapter 99 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (14) : Not Tonight But Not Forever Either Chapter 99 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (14) : Not Tonight But Not Forever Either Jin''s eyes narrowed. She knows Shui''s name. She knows she is Bro''s girlfriend. She knows a lot more about bro than I had imagined. Then there was a question she asked. Until now, nobody had sensed the ambiguous feelings between Jin and Shui. Yet the way Ai sharply asked the question surmised that Jun and Ai''s rtionship wasn''t so simple. Jin couldn''t really imagine his brother sharing his deepest feelings to a stranger. He wasn''t a person to talk about these things so easily to anyone. Yet somehow Ai seemed to know about Jun and Shui''s rtionship. Yet she had Jun''s gift with her. He smiled. "You are wrong. There is nothing between us. There can never be anything between us." Ai narrowed her eyes. "Are you sure?" "What do you mean?" "Because it feels like more than telling me, you are trying to convince yourself." Jin stiffened. "And trying hard to convince yourself of something which might be true otherwise never ends up in doing good for anybody." His gaze slightly flickered, but he said nothing. A secondter, he smiled. "I will keep that in mind." didn''t you tell anyone?" Jun asked Shui with his deep voice. Watching Ai and Jin together, he wasn''t really in the mood to have this conversation. Shui looked away. "I couldn''t because I realized that the news of our breakup could create problems for others. Like Bro Siying and Sis Nuo. Or Bro Jian and Sis Leina. We will put them in a difficult position, and I don''t want them to agonize over taking sides. Though I know that it cannot go on forever." Jun paused. How could he forget that the strain of his rtionship with Shui had broken other rtionships? Nuo''s heartbroken face was still fresh in his mind. Siying respected Jun a lot but as a brother, he couldn''t bear any hurt to Shui, which brought differences between him and Nuo. Jian hadpletely drowned himself in alcohol when the fights increased between him and Leina, causing constant frustration. Their mothers, Nana and Xinyi, were beyond miserable by how things took a turn. He took a silent breath. "Things are different now¡­" "What?" Jun looked back at her. The past life was different. This was another life with a different situation. "We cannot hide this forever. I don''t want to. Otherwise things will go out of hand, and I won''t tolerate it." His dark gazended on Ai, something foggy swirling in his irises. "Not again¡­" "You will-" "Not tonight," he icily cut her off. He didn''t have to exin further as she understood that he didn''t want to spoil the banquet''s atmosphere. "But not forever either¡­" he narrowed his eyes, his dangerous gazending upon Jin. ¡ª Xing Bi wasn''t interested in watching the couples dance, and she didn''t bother with them either. Her focal point was Yunru, who was a part of the group which she assumed to be his family. There was a young woman who looked exactly like him, definitely his twin sister. There was another man, taller and slightly older than him, who resembled Yunru. That must be Chen Zixin I have heard of. Then of course, his parents Chen Jianyu and Chen Serena, were also present who seemed to be bickering with each other. The question was how to drag Yunru out of that group. ? "What are you thinking?" She gasped and jerked her head back, feeling somebody''s warm breath tickle her right ear. "Y-you!" Nian watched her with a sparkled gaze, clearly upto no good. "I will help you, I will help you! Just tell me what you want." Her chest expanded in disbelief. "I don''t want any help from you!" Nian got the shock of his life. "Why? Didn''t I help you get inside the house? I thought you would thank me with a dance," he showed a hurt expression. She red at him. "Thank you? I want to beat you up! Why did you give me such an expensive dress? I feel like I am falling into a debt trap! One scratch on this dress and I am dead!" "Oohh," he waved his hand at her concern, "Don''t be so tense. Nothing will happen. You won''t fall into any trouble. I promise. This dress is designed by my un- *cough* Master Liu Jing. He is a very kind and happy-go-lucky man," he chirped. Xing Bi widened her eyes in horror. "Designed? This is a custom made dress!?" She could hardly keep her voice in check. "Yeah," he casually shrugged. She trembled. "Aren''t you a little too bold for a servant? How could you hand me a custom made dress!?" Nian dismissed her worry and asked with his dog ears popping out on his head, ted. "Scratch that. Tell me what you want." Xing Bi warned him. "If I fall into trouble, then I swear I will make you wear this dress and force you to loiter around in front of everyone!" "..." Isn''t that too harsh? "Oof. You won''t. Pinky promise. Now tell me," he expectantly waited. Xing Bi sighed and pointed at Yunru. "I want to meet him. But how to get him to talk to me privately?" Nian''s mouth twitched in annoyance. Why is she so focused on that brat? Can''t she see my handsome and charismatic self? "I will just look like a seducing bitch if I approach him." Nian choked. That was straightforward. He gave it a thought, and his dog ears perked up. "I have an idea." "What?" "Nothing fancy but which works all the time." Saying that, he disappeared. Xing Bi couldn''t see him anywhere but a few minutester, she noticed a maid approaching Yunru. She stumbled, and the wine spilled on his coat. The maid profusely apologized. Yunru shrugged and excused himself towards the bathroom. "See?" Nian reappeared behind her with a grin on his lips. "It wasn''t that difficult, right?" Xing Bi was speechless. He is really too bold for a servant. He didn''t hesitate nning against a guest at all. Though why do I feel that he is enjoying this? "Thanks¡­" she gave a questioning smile. She turned and rushed to follow Yunru before she would lose this chance. "Okay! I will be back!" Nian was displeased with her going after Yunru. I will drown that brat''s head in the water once the banquet is over, he sneered. ¡ª Cooling down his head after the disturbance caused by meeting his father Gu Rong, Yating entered the Liu vi once again. He threw a quick nce for any sign of Jun, and he found him. He noticed a man present with the Liu family members. He wasn''t there previously before Yating had left. Jun''s facial features, without a doubt, resembled his father and siblings. Yating''s cold eyes narrowed, and he walked towards him with heavy steps. "Mr. Liu Jun." Chapter 100 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (15) : No Sense Of Judgment Chapter 100 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (15) : No Sense Of Judgment Ai immediately disappeared after the dance was done. She didn''t nce left or right and straight away headed outside. She understood it was rude after Nana had urged her to stay until the end. But watching Jun and Shui dance unsettled her. His family cheering him on rattled her heart. She wished to leave this ce as soon as possible. Though a certain someone didn''t want her to. Ai''s phone vibrated with a message. ''You better not leave. Wait for me.'' It was a message from Jun. Even through his message, she could sense a bit of hostility from it. Is it because I meddled in his business? She turned and nced at the Liu vi once, unsure of what to do. ¡ª "Alright. Target secured," Xing Bi mumbled to herself watching Yunru step out of the washroom. I will go to him, exin the situation and happy ending for all! She nodded to herself. Bi stepped out from behind a pir. Another figure was observing her with great animosity, who was none other than Nian. Fucking brat! You hardly got any wings and you want to already snatch my prey? Wait till I drown your head in the fountain! "Achoo!" Yunru rubbed the tip of his nose. Who isplimenting this young master? Xing Bi was a few steps away from him and extended her arm to touch his shoulder. "Hey, you." She froze. She turned and at the same time, Yunru turned too. "Oh, Uncle Jing!" Nian almost stumbled back. What the hell? Why is Uncle suddenly here!? Then he noticed his dear Uncle Yukito stepping out of a room too, adjusting his clothes. Shit, they were making out in this room!? Jing approached Xing Bi with ck clouds forming all over his head. "This¡­this is the dress that I have designed," his gaze traveled up and down. "How are you wearing it?" Xing Bi wanted the earth to swallow her. Yunru furrowed his brows. "Huh. I don''t understand." He pointed at her. "This is my dress! I made this dress! How the hell is she wearing it? I don''t know her. I never gave it to her! You thief!" Her jaw dropped. "I am not a thief!" "Liar! Then tell me, where did you get this dress? No, wait. First tell me. Who are you?" Her mouth twitched. Jing gasped. "You don''t have an invitation, do you?" ? "No, no. I can exin-" "How dare you? You break into this banquet and even steal my dress! Some nerve you have!" "I didn''t steal it! Your servant gave it to me!" "As if a servant would dare to hand a stranger my precious creation!" He red his nostrils. "Well then who is this servant you speak of? Bring him to me!" ¡ª Jun tilted his head and stared at Yating standing before him. It was a shock to see him at the banquet, especially when he knew that Yating wasn''t here in his past life. Yating was never a part of any banquets held by the Liu family. So how and why was he here this time? After being reborn, the first thing Jun did was break up with Shui. The second thing on his list was to get all the information on Gu Yating, who was behind Sky''s downfall. This is news¡­He is Gu Rong''s son? The revtion had taken him by surprise slightly. To him, Yating was always just a normal editor working in Dream High. He never made the connection that he was the young master of the Gu family. Jun wasn''t the type to involve himself with other rich families. He surely knew Gu Rong had a son but not that he was none other than Yating. Seems like someone else is hiding his real identity just like me, he cocked his brow. They now faced each other in silence, standing on a balcony. "I am in a really bad mood right now. So don''t waste my time," Jun showed no expression, but his voice carried a dark weight. Yating took a step forward and icily retorted. "We will talk as long as I want, Sky CEO Mr. Liu." Jun''s expression still didn''t crack. Instead, questions arose in his mind. He wasn''t supposed to find this out until five yearster. Then what changed? "MissImperfectlyFine. I see you going to great lengths to defame her," Yating''s cold countenance matched Jun''s. It was as if there was apetition as to who could freeze the ce first. "Oh. That''s how it is," Jun smiled. "The Chief Editor came here himself to defend a cheater writer?" Yating was unfazed. "The problem doesn''t lie if she is a cheater or not. It lies in your eyes. Have you read her books?" He said nothing. "I assume you have. Your silence says so. Anybody with good judgment will not ignore her work. If you have read her books, then I question how you are exactly running a publishingpany if you couldn''t even judge what kind of a writer she is?" That managed to irk Jun. "Do you seriously think a person like her can giarise? That''s why I told you. The problem is in your eyes. You have read her books, yet you don''t understand her at all. You saved her from falling that day after the event, and now you are the only one who is pushing her into the pits whether she doesn''t deserve to be." He silently clenched his fist. Realizing that Jun was the same man who caught Ai in time that day brought a bitter feeling in his heart. It might be just a coincidence, yet he felt extremely ufortable. Jun gave a frightening smile and took a murderous step forward himself. "I thought I understood her. I really thought I did." The time at the signing event and his meeting with MissImperfectlyFine, her words, her protecting Yinyin and her funny post script notes - everything made him feel that he hade to know her better. "But you know what, Chief Editor? If I know MissImperfectlyFine, then I also know the person behind the story who your favorite author cheated on." Chapter 101 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (16) : Fun Turned Awry Chapter 101 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (16) : Fun Turned Awry Yating stared at him and burst into a chuckle. "No such person exists, CEO Liu. There is nobody who can write like MissImperfectlyFine. It''s all just a way to target Dream High, isn''t it?" Jun suddenly grabbed his cor and violently pushed him back. Yating narrowed his eyes, held his wrist and equally violently shook it off. Jun''s expression seemed like Hell descended. "Don''t you dare question her existence, you fucker¡­" he warned him in an extremely menacing tone. "I will seriously kill you with my own hands." "Is that so? Then tell me. Who is she?" Yating challenged him. "Who is this Butterfly author you speak of? She is not affiliated with any publishingpany. There is no information about her. A new author with questionable background, and you im MissImperfectlyFine giarized HER work, who is a published and an experienced author?" He sneered. "Yes. She giarized her work. I already gave all the proof I had to. I don''t give a fuck to proving it to you again. As for who Butterfly is, a cheater and a bastard like you doesn''t deserve to know that." Yating squinted his eyes. "Excuse me? A cheater?" Junughed with a sinister ring to it. "Are you doing this simply as a Chief Editor or¡­you because you have some ambiguous feelings for MissImperfectlyFine?" He didn''t flinch at his question at all. "And? Whether my motivation is personal or professional, it doesn''t change the fact that you are making a grave mistake, and you are testing my raised his brow in amusement. "Your words seem like you are a man truly in love, but are you? A man who couldn''t even save his woman from falling off a couple of stairs ims such a deep love for her?" And then the fact that you are gonna cheat on her five yearster, Jun narrowed his eyes. That finally hit Yating''s nerve. He shook hard and lowered his gaze, digging his nails into his palm. That''s not true. That''s not true! I wanted to save her. I really wanted to¡­ This time, it was Yating who almost rushed to grab his cor but stopped himself in time. He swallowed a gulp and calmed himself. He shut his eyes and opened them a momentter. "You say that I have feelings for her. But aren''t you the same? The CEO of Sky Publishing going so far for a new and unknown writer is suspicious in itself. Are you defaming MissImperfectlyFine because you are so head in heels over Butterfly?" His words struck Jun hard. Feelings? Love for Ai? He waspletely caught off guard. He nkly looked away, trying to make sense of what he just questioned. Yating dusted his coat and stared at him. "I didn''te here to prove MissImperfectlyFine''s innocence to you. A person like you who can''t even judge something as simple as a giarism issue is someone I don''t want to waste my time on. I came here to tell you that she is an important person to me. Personally and professionally both. You need to stop what you are doing." Jun was still rattled by his previous words. He somehow regained hisposure and sneered at him. "And what will the Chief Editor do if I don''t stop?" "Then face the consequences. Take down the statement about MissImperfectlyFine, or I will personally tear Sky down to shreds," his voice was filled with a cold resolve exactly like his eyes. "As for proving MissImperfectlyFine''s innocence to the world, I will personally take charge to expose this Butterfly author of yours. Then along with the world, keepughing at your own stupidity." As Yating quietly walked away, Jun leaned his back on the railing, his mind jumbled up and confused. He didn''t care about Yating''s threat or even flinched upon it. What resounded in his ears the most was about his feelings for Ai. ? ¡ª At Xing Bi''s side, she watched each and every servant very carefully. Upon Jing''s orders, all the male servants were asked to line up. Jing coldly asked, "Which one is it?" She wiped her forehead. "That servant isn''t here!" "Excuses!" He red. "I am not lying! He was a servant, but he had worn very good clothes like a guest!" "Huh? All our servants have a dress code here. Can you not see?" "He said he got it as a gift from Mrs. Liu," she gritted her teeth. Yukito nced at all the servants. "Did Nee-chan give any gift to any of you?" They shook their heads. "Mrs. Liu didn''t give us any gift." "Even when she does, she gifts everybody, not just one of us." Xing Bi furiously disagreed. "No, no! He said he was bullied, so Mrs. Liu gave him a gift to cheer him up!" Jing was speechless. "Our staff doesn''t get bullied, okay? Neither we do it nor among the workers among themselves! You are lying through your teeth!" "I am not!" Yunru gave her a cold re. "You are not even a guest here, and you went this far? What is your purpose?" "It''s to-" "I don''t care about her purpose!" Jing was extremely protective of his clothes. He could never tolerate even a scratch upon it. "You illegally took my precious dress and are now trying to pin the me on our loyal staff. You dare touch my creation! I will make you pay for this!" Nian, who was watching everything from afar,cked tears to shed. It was a piece of cake for him to resolve the misunderstanding. Even if Jing got mad at him, he would handle it. But seeing the ugly and murderous expression on Xing Bi''s face right now made it a tad difficult for him to step in between. I was just really ying around. But now I feel that she is an interesting woman. If she knows that I am actually the young master and not some servant, she will cook me alive. Then she won''t look at me anymore, find another man to marry and I will have to kill him because I find her interesting and only I can have her, which will eventually make her sad, and then she will hate me even more, Nian was babbling to himself at a fast pace. What have I done? Chapter 102 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (17) : Ai Is Not Single Chapter 102 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (17) : Ai Is Not Single As the banquet came to an end, Liu Hai searched for Ai everywhere, but she was nowhere to be seen. "Aiyooo where is my granddaughter-inw that I chose for Jin? I wanted to introduce her to everyone!" Hemented. Nana beamed. "The one who danced with Jin, right? Jinhai and I met her already. She is such a sweet girl. I really liked her!" Jinhai kept his silence. "I know, right!? She is so cute and just perfect for Jin!" Shui lowered her gaze. Chen Serena, Yunru''s mother, sighed. "Ah, I really wanted to meet her too. I was so shocked to see Jin dance with a woman. I thought that he had a girlfriend and didn''t even tell us? That''s not fair!" Liang Huian, Nana''s sister-inw, chimed in too. "I missed the chance too!" Liu Hai red at them. "You two! Shoo! I found her for Jin! Don''t even think about poaching her for Zixin or Bao!" Their mouths twitched. Their husbands Jianyu and Liang didn''t bother to intervene lest they suffered their wife''s wrath. Jian wiped his forehead. He looked for his twin brother and was frustrated to not find him anywhere. Idiot! Where are you? We are in deep trouble! And you old man! Out of the whole wide world, you only found Zhou Ai to be Jin''s wife!? was shocked out of his wits seeing Ai on the dance floor with Jin. He had rubbed his eyes several times to check if he was hallucinating or not. Leina smiled. "Why do I see you sweating, Jian?" "O-of course not haha¡­" "For your information, I remembered that woman with whom you were so passionately flirting in the library that day." "..." Jian sheepishly grinned. "I thought we were past that. Leina, you are not mad at me anymore, right? Right? Right?" He widened his watery eyes and stared at her pitifully. She sighed and smacked him. "You better not give me any chance toin or¡­" "Never!" He straightened up. Siying and Nuo stood on Jin''s side and curiously asked, "So Jin. What do you think about your bride?" Nuo giggled. Jin smiled. "Don''t take Grandpa seriously." "Whaaaaaat. But I kinda liked her. She seemed so honest and kind. I really wanted to meet her," Nuomented. "You looked good together." Siying agreed. He shook his head. "It won''t happen." From the other side, Jun finally appeared. His gaze fell on Jin, and he emanated a chilly aura. Nana brightened and pulled him among everyone. "Jun! How do I look? See, I wore the earrings you gifted me. And Jinhai is wearing the cuff links too." Jun had already noticed the jewellery upon them and faintly smiled. "As always, you look beautiful, Mom." "Haha. It''s because your gift is so beautiful. But you are so silly! You forgot the gift at the library. If not for that woman who regrly visits the library, who knows when we would have got it?" She harrumphed. Jun stared at her, his heart shaken to know about Ai. "She¡­gave it to you?" She furiously nodded. "She was so nice. She understood that your gift was so important to us. Wait, that reminds me. I didn''t catch her name." Liu Hai was struck with lightning. Liu Chunhua helplessly sighed. "You got so excited that you didn''t ask for her name either, did you?" He coughed in embarrassment. "I¡­I was about to ask her right now!" It was Leina who answered. "Zhou Ai is her name." Nana was surprised. "Ah? How do you know?" She smiled and shared a look with her boyfriend. "Do you want to step in, Jian?" ? "..." Jian cleared his throat. "Sh-she is the s-same woman from that library¡­" Nana blinked for a few seconds and gasped in realization. "The one with whom you and Nian acted as hooligans!? No wonder I felt that I had seen her before!" "We-we were not hooligans!" He defended himself. Liu Hai roared. "What is this I am hearing!? You two brats dare bully my granddaughter-inw!? Ah¡­now I understood why Nian ran away like a scaredy cat," he sneered. "I was right! That brat doesn''t deserve her! I was right when I chose Jin for her." "No!" The deadly aura around Jun only intensified. Granddaughter-inw¡­For Jin¡­ He knew he shouldn''t take Liu Hai seriously. But he couldn''t stop the burning volcano from enveloping his heart. Jin again¡­It''s always Jin again and again¡­ His menacing gaze fell upon Liu Hai as silence reigned after he eximed. Everybody was taken aback by Jun''s sudden interruption. Liu Hai whined. "What do you mean by no!? And why are you ring at me like-" "Ai is not single," he sharply said. He gasped. "T-that''s impossible! I asked her if she was single!" He sneered. "Did you bother to listen to her answer?" "I-I-I-" Liu Hai honestly hadn''t. Jun coldly towered his tall and broad body over his grandfather and looked at him as if he would chew him alive. "Those sweets you secretly munch on are destroying the remaining amount of brain cells that you have, Grandpa." "..." He lowered his voice to a dangerous level. "Don''t be shameless and poach onmitted women. Ai is not avable for any other man. Neither bro Nian nor¡­Jin. No.bo.dy," he broke down thest words into three crisp sybles. Liu Chunhua red at her husband. "This is why I tell you not to get so hyper all the time! But you don''t listen to me! You forced the poor girl to dance with Jin for no reason!" "But-" "And what is this about you secretly munching on sweets?" She narrowed her eyes. Liu Hai broke into a cold sweat. "There is no truth to that! Jun is framing me!" The iciness around Jun dissipated giving Liu Hai his piece of mind. With their bickering, the others got busy chatting among themselves when Jinhai approached him. They were at some distance away from each other. Before Jinhai could speak, Jun himself apologized first, "I wasn''t going toe here tonight. I really wasn''t. I am sorry." Jinhai quietly stared at him for several long seconds. "You came here for Zhou Ai." He said nothing. "She had your gift with you. She came this far to give it to Nana and me. Then she scolded me too. I wonder about your rtionship with her," his dark eyes carefully studying Jun''s reaction. Jun rapidly blinked. "...Scolded you?" "Out of the four sentences I just said, that was the thing which caught your interest?" He narrowed his eyes. "Anybody else but Mom scolding you is a big deal." "Indeed," Then he slowly continued, "She is quite like Nana." Jun widened his eyes. For Jinhai topare somebody to Nana was another big deal. "What did she say¡­?" "She was quite upset that I didn''t like receiving your gift. She pointed out a lot of ws of mine, and how I have no right to cut you off from the family. Nana would have said the same." Jun stared at him. "There are very, very few people who can talk to me in that tone," Jinhai tilted his head. "Whatever rtionship you have with her, make sure not to repeat past life this time." Jun said nothing. Jinhai turned to leave when he stopped as Jun spoke, "I¡­I need to confess something to you Dad." Chapter 103 I Will Teach You How To Dance (1) Chapter 103 I Will Teach You How To Dance (1) Jinhai carefully watched his son. "Is it about how you tried to kill yourself by jumping in front of a car?" Jun stiffened. He couldn''t meet his father''s gaze. What stunned him the most was how Jinhai knew about his suicide attempt in the first ce? He answered as he understood the question in his eyes. "I surely banished you from the family, but you are still my son. I was keeping track of what you were doing with your life. Naturally, I know that you are working in the central library. I got a report one day that you tried to jump in front of a car. The guards were unable to pull you back in time because it happened so suddenly. But they said a woman saved you and even pped you. She was Zhou Ai, right?" Jun nodded with a head lowered in shame. Jinhai raised his brow. "There are very, very few people who can p you in your face, certainly not strangers. She did well because you didn''t fail to disappoint me yet again." A painful lump formed at the back of his throat. "I am sorry-" His harsh, cold voice cut him off. "Don''t need it. You killed yourself in your past life. You were going to do the same again. I cannot imagine how Nana would feel seeing you toying with the life she gave you if she ever came to know about it." Jun carefully heard him speak. The disappointment and fury in his voice was evident as much as how it slightly trembled with fear. the end, Jun was still his son. Jinhai might be biased against his sons and favor Nuo more than them. But it wouldn''t change the fact that he was their father. In his own way, he cared about his child. At the very core of his heart, he was still a parent who could never see any of his children hurt, certainly not die. "I kicked you out because I could not forgive you for hurting your family, especially¡­" he clenched his fist. "Nana. She died because of you, and I can bear anything but not losing her forever. You hurt Nana in the worst way possible to the point she died, and that is my bottomline nobody can cross." The temperature took a sharp drop as Jinhai conveyed his parting words. "If you feel you can lighten your guilt by showing your bravery of confessing your suicide attempt to me, then you are wrong. Leave." ¡ª "Bro!" Jin hurried towards Jun outside the mansion as he saw him leaving from the gates. "Bro!" Jun ever so slightly turned his head, his eyes carrying a hint of bloodthirst. "I¡­" he took a moment to catch his breath. "I wanted to talk to you, but ever since you left home, I couldn''t get the chance." Jin stood before his elder brother and peered into his dark eyes. "Bro, Shui told me that you¡­you broke up with her." Jun didn''t respond. "She told me at the cafe one day we met. I was shocked beyond my wits. There is definitely some misunderstanding, right? I suggested that Shui talk to you again. But even on New Year''s, things didn''t seem to resolve between you two. That''s why I came to meet you. What is wrong, bro? You love Shui to death. H-How is it possible that you break up with her?" Jun could see the anguish and worry on his face. But he didn''t focus on what he was saying. He could only remember how he touched Ai. How he danced with her. How he got intimate with her. Everything else seemed secondary to him. "We have broken up and that''s that," he affirmed without much emotion. ? Jin blinked. "W-what? Bro, didn''t you always im Shui as your wife? You are so crazy for her. Why did you suddenly¡­change like this then? Couples fight all the time. A break up over one argument seems far fetched. If you two still-" "Enough." He stiffened, sensing the finality in his icy tone. "I don''t want to talk about this," his aura emanated such cold winds that made Jin shudder. "Right now¡­it would be really better if you left my sight." Jin''s lips parted in a light gasp, and his eyshes trembled. His fingers shook as he curled them into his palm. "Bro¡­Do you hate me?" His voice broke, "You left home, and it feels to me that you are avoiding me particrly. I just want to see you happy, Bro. Your happiness is in Shui, isn''t it? I just want to see you two together." Jun clenched his teeth and looked away. "Shui and I are over. The earlier you ept it, the better." Green nerves popped on the back of his fist. The only memory endlessly hovering in his mind was Jin and Ai''s dance. He was afraid he would be violent if Jin didn''t leave his sight. "I will announce my break up to the family soon enough." Jin''s eyes watched his brother with an incredulous stare. Jun took a step forward to leave but stopped himself to leave. He threw a side nce at him, narrowing his eyes. "The thing Grandpa proposed about Ai being your wife? Don''t bother to take it too seriously," his deep voice sounded darker and more sinister. He tilted his head and warned. "Just treat it as a joke and let it end here. I will say again what I said before. Ai is not avable for anybody. So, stay away from her." It was hard not to flip out like he did in his past life when he came to know about Shui and Jin. But that memory was what tethered him to control his emotions fromshing out. He didn''t wish to repeat the past life and get violent with Jin which had started all the misery. He wouldn''tsh out, but he certainly could put a brake on any useless thoughts anybody might have for Ai. Jun pushed the gate and walked out, his face marred with an expression of a deadly threat. ¡ª Over at Jun''s condo, Ai was seated on the couch, her thoughts lost and in disarray. She returned home first anyway even though Jun had messaged her to wait for him. In the end, she couldn''t. But she also knew she couldn''t avoid his questions. So she patiently waited for him. The door opened, and she immediately felt the air getting heavier and chillier. With every step that Jun took towards her, the space around her felt turning darker like the night sky. Ai got up on her feet and turned to face him. "I know what you want to ask. You must be upset for me meddling into your family business. I had no right to take your gift and appear in front of your family-" To her shock, Jun suddenly yed a soft tune on his phone and kept it on the table. As the music yed, he grabbed Ai''s waist and pulled her towards himself, pressing her body against his. Stupefied, Ai rapidly blinked. "What are you doing?" Intertwining his fingers within hers, he quietly but rmingly said, "You asked me that day that you wanted to learn dancing, right? Let''s do it. I will teach you how to dance." Chapter 104 I Will Teach You How To Dance (2) Chapter 104 I Will Teach You How To Dance (2) Before Ai could speak, Jun took a step back with her and whispered in her ear, "When I put my foot back, you put yours in the front. We will do this three times, and then you will twirl." Ai felt slightly dizzy with the twirl, but she had no time to ponder upon her situation when Jun held her waist again. Her cheek bumped on his chest as he pulled her even closer than before. He entwined his fingers between hers so tightly until she felt the back of her hand squeezed by his scorching heated palm. She gasped feeling a ticklish sensation with Jun digging his fingers into her waist. Her dress was there to partition the contact with her skin, yet a shiver passed through the left profile of her body. "Jun, I-" Jun took arge stride towards the right,ing back to a perfect circle as he guided her along. "Your elbow is stiff. Loosen it up like I have. Ease the pressure," his low voice rang huskily between them. Ai watched Jun dance elegantly to the tune in a stupor. There was not a single wasted movement. He didn''t miss any beat, neither did he let her skip any. He moved his arms and legs in a soft, fluid motion in rhythm with the song, yet she sensed a harshness in him. But despite that harshness, Ai didn''t feel forced at all. turned left, so she turned left too. Jun increased his pace, and she found her heartbeat elerating with every step. He pulled Ai in his arms and as his lips slightly brushed against her cheek, he raspily let his voice in her ear, "Sync your breaths with mine." The hair on the nape of her fair neck tingled and stood upright. The warmth from her ear reached all the way to her cheeks. Jun lifted her by her waist, and she felt herself float in the air. For a moment, her heart jumped in her chest, feeling nothing underneath her feet. But before his dark gaze that prated her soul, she had no chance of feeling afraid of being in the air. "Just look at me," he ordered in an extremely quiet butmanding voice. "I won''t like it if you forget what I said before. As long as I am there, you won''t fall." Ai shivered. Jun gently lowered her until her face reached his level. From her waist, his palms traced to her back until hepletely wrapped her around him. The only source of light in the room were the city lights that cast their faint brightness inside. It made Jun''s breathtakingly attractive features seem like a handsome devil who captured your soul. Ai had encircled her arms around his neck for support. With Jun''s sudden insistence on teaching her how to dance, she was at a loss. Hardly three minutes had passed by since the dance started, but her breaths were already messy. She finally regained herposure and met his eyes. "I was talking about visiting your house¡­I don''t want to learn dance right now-" "Why? Didn''t you look so happy dancing with my brother?" His head tilted, his voice bing edgy and rougher. Ai stared at him. "I wasn''t particrly happy." "Yet you didn''t deny the request." ? Jun looked even more dangerous with an expressionless countenance. "Your grandfather insisted." "Aren''t you always so clear about your feelings? But you didn''t rify anything with him." Ai calmly replied. "It happened suddenly. He just pushed us on the dance floor." "So you just epted his nonsense whether it was about you bing Jin''s bride or he pushing you to dance with him? Since when do you go along with the flow, Zhou Ai?" The hint of a sharp usation in his tone didn''t sit well with Ai. She coldly said, "Leave me." Jun''s gaze darkened, and he pushed her onto the swing near therge windows. There was a beautiful crescent shaped swing in his living room which fit perfectly beside the ss windows. It showed the view of the tall buildings that looked even prettier at night. Ai''s eyes widened, and she iled her feet in fear wanting to grasp the floor. Jun narrowed his eyes. "I just told you, didn''t I? As long as I am by your side, you won''t ever fall. Don''t make that expression because I am right here." He made her feet touch his thighs and bent closer. She inhaled a soft breath and ced her hands on his chest. "Leave." He locked her inside the swing using his body which loomed upon her and pinched her chin up. "You surely didn''t say that to Jin, did you?" From her chin, his fingers caressed her cheek. The cramp space in the swing forced them to be closer. Recalling the intimate distance between them, the storm in his eyes grew fiercer. Incensed by his words, Ai bit her lip and retaliated tremblingly. "You didn''t refuse to dance with Shui either. You have no right to talk to me that way." More than she had expected, Jun''s dance with Shui had hurt her. Since they had broken up, it didn''t cross her mind that Jun would still agree with it. Yet he shared that dance with Shui. Which made Ai wonder had he truly let go of Shui? It wasn''t the dance but his consent that took her aback and riled a sour feeling in her chest. She couldn''t understand why it affected her so much. Jun grabbed the back of her head and propped his left knee on the swing''s cushion base. With an angle that left only an inch of distance between them, he said in a hushed tone. "I thought you understood that it was for the sake of appearances." Her eyshes trembled. "Then wasn''t I in the same position as you?" "Because¡­!" His voice raised with a higher pitch, feeling immensely aggravated. Everything was messed up in his head as if hundreds of threads were entangled within themselves. But what peeved him the most was¡­ "Because it''s Jin. You cannot have anything to do with Jin. I won''t let you be near Jin. I won''t allow you to have any sort of rtionship with Jin. Not with Jin ever!" Chapter 105 Trapped In The Crescent Swing (1) Chapter 105 Trapped In The Crescent Swing (1) The sound of his impatient and unnerved breaths echoed in her ears amidst the silence. Why was it always Jin? His feelings for Shui snatched her away from Jun. He loved Jin the most, and he suffered the defeat by the hands of the same brother. Now in this second life that fate granted him, he resolved to stay away from Jin and any kind of emotion that led to love. But he met Ai, and a strange rtionship gradually formed between them. He couldn''t give a name to it but whatever it was, he unknowingly held it closer to his heart. It was a connection that only he had with Ai. He assumed it only belonged to him. But again¡­once again things led to a point where Ai and Jin crossed paths. Just how many times do I have to lose to Jin? How many times do I have to be afraid of him? does everything always turn in his favor? The agitation in his dark brown orbs felt familiar to Ai as if she was going through the same emotion. She could have stayed back to wait for Jun ande home together. But remembering how Jun didn''t protest dancing with Shui, she couldn''t get the courage to remain there any longer. Only one fear had grappled her heart. He was trying to move on from Shui and his heartbreak. But will this moment of closeness between them ruin everything and make him run back to her side? If it did, then what about her? Will they go back to be mere acquaintances like how they first met? Jun grabbed Ai''s hand which Jin had held during his dance with Ai. He tightly intertwined it with his as if trying to wash off his presence from it. Staring straight into her eyes, he lifted her hand and pecked the back of it with his lips. Ai shook hard. "Tell me, Zhou Ai. You won''t have anything to do with Jin ever again." She clutched a portion of his shirt in her fist. "Demanding this from me is unfair. Why do you care if I met Jin again-" Suddenly, her body sharply convulsed as she saw his pupils getting clouded with a strange dark possessiveness. "Because it''s Jin. As simple as that." Jun enunciated the words so agonizingly slowly that she felt as if time had stopped. He tilted his head, the dim light from outside shining upon his eyes. "As for Shui and I, I am going to announce our breakup soon anyway." She froze. ? Announce it¡­? From the heavy bulldozer that delivered crushing blows to her until now, she felt incredibly lighter in an instant. She couldn''t wrap her head around this sudden shift in relief that washed over her heart. "Oh¡­" Jun pinched her jaw and leaned deeper, purposefully caressing his skin against her neck and whispering into her ear. "Answer me, Ai." The warning in his tone felt stronger and more unforgiving. Her lips trembled feeling the tickle of his hair. "...I won''t." "I didn''t hear," he clutched a lock of her hair and bit her ear. A sharp gasp escaped her mouth. "I won''t!" The swing roughly swayed from front to back with their movements. The cramped space within which the two were barely fitting got hotter with their ragged breaths. Her answer provided some reassurance to Jun. But it couldn''tpletely ease the anguish burning within him. He had touched her¡­Jin had touched her¡­ A raging sensation swelled in his chest. The lips that were so dangerously hovering above her milky skin until now finally made contact. Ai stiffened. But she didn''t feel repulsed. Jun pushed Ai back farther into the crescent swing, climbing upon it and leaning on her delicate body. The swing shook fiercely again which swayed them hard. Ai gasped, instinctively feeling afraid of falling. Jun locked the swing against the pole making it stand steady and grabbed her legs, wrapping them around his waist to ease her fear. His arm snaked around her waist in turn, bringing their bodies in an embrace. He kissed her neck first from which he went his way upwards - to her ear and cheek. His right palm cupped her face, his fingers digging into the back of her neck. He left a trail of kisses on her chin until he couldn''t hold back any longer. Jun dangerously inched closer to her. Ai shivered and quickly put a finger on his approaching lips. It was a feeble attempt to not stop him but herself from these strange feelings that overwhelmed her. It halted Jun just a few centimeters away from her. He narrowed his eyes, staring at her dainty finger on his lips. A low growl echoed in the swing. "It''s not gonna work, Zhou Ai." He leaned despite the barrier nevertheless. Their lips met with her finger still blocking thest centimeter. Their lips weren''t actually in contact, yet she felt as if there was nothing separating them. She trembled, feeling the moist sensation of his tongue darting upon her finger. Startled, Ai lowered it that allowed Jun to crush his lips upon her with a force that pushed her back all towards the end. This time it wasn''t an idental kiss nor was it a kiss offort. The kiss was purposeful and unhidden behind any excuses. Jun''s towering figure seemed as if it was crushing Ai, but there was a slim void between them which he let it remain to not suffocate her. Her chest heaved as she inhaled, pushing her soft breasts to touch his chest which only further fueled his desire to kiss her harder. Ai felt her body burning. The heat reached the tip of her ears. She softly gasped when his tongue went in, and everything went hazy after that. Her heart sped uncontrobly. Her body trembled immeasurably. The only sane thought which gave her some semnce was that she didn''t want this feeling to end. Whether it was his body that trapped her against his or his lips making a mess out of hers or his fingers traveling on her neck and chest - she wished this intoxicating moment to never end. Chapter 106 Trapped In The Crescent Swing (2) Jun shared her sentiment with how his hand that reached her chest twitched with an innate desire to cup her breast. And he did. His palm gave it a gentle squeeze. It didn''t make a difference if a thin line of Ai''s dress''s fabric obstructed him. The heat that scorched up his hand was the same as it would have if he had caught her breast naked. Both took a sharp breath at once. It riled up a desire within them to do something more. To go even further. None of them could understand these feelings soaring within them. They could only hear the messy breaths and see the clothes crumpled and creased due to their proximity. pA????[0?)?? The swing was custom made to fit Jun''s tall stature. It was wide enough for him tofortably rest on the cushion and read his favorite books in leisure. But with two people nestled inside it, the huge swing seemed incredibly constricted. Theck of space forced their bodies to crush and press against each other. Jun cradled Ai in his arms firmly as he sucked her neck. His feathery kisses felt hotter with his tongue licking up to her beautiful vicle. He bit the nape of her neck, lowering his head towards her chest. His heart was consumed with a fiery desire as much as fear. He wasn''t supposed to do this. He wasn''t supposed to be ever swayed by another woman ever. He wanted to stop before he crossed the point of no return. His body trembled, wanting to reject this emotion. But watching Jin and Ai together invoked a threat within him that urged him to tightly hold on to Ai. He let out a quiet grunt as he dipped his head to kiss her lips again. They felt soft and tantalizing, making him press harder. He left a moist trail at her sensitive spots from behind her ear to her jawline. Ai clung onto his shoulders, returning his kiss with a dizziness that made everything blur and spin around her. His hand clutched her shoulder and it ever so slowly ran down, caressing every inch of her smooth skin. He entwined his fingers with her at the end, their palms growing feverish. They panted in breathlessness until the inevitable happened. Jun felt a reaction. The hardening of his member left him in a deep shock. It twitched incessantly, hungry to im Ai. He drew his tongue out of her mouth breaking their kiss and copsed on her neck. Ai, who wasn''t even sure if she was breathing anymore, jolted as his hot forehead grazed her skin. She herself was beginning to feel giddy in her stomach when she felt something poke her thigh. Her misty eyes rapidly blinked. Her lips parted in shock. Her voice failed toe out for several long seconds. "You¡­" She heard him noisily breathing and gritting his teeth. His hot breaths fanned her neck. "Don''t talk¡­" She swallowed a gulp. The twitching of his member became sharper and impatient which forced Ai to bring her knees closer as she felt something ticklish and warm threatening to flush between her thighs. She was the same as Jun at that moment - fighting the onset of a dangerous desire from consuming her. With some courage, Ai finally whispered, "I¡­should leave-" "Don''t you dare!" Jun gasped. Small beads of sweat formed on his temples that trickled down to her skin. His grip grew more relentless and intense, making her shiver. He wanted her to stay by his side. As a reassurance or something else, he didn''t know. Ai shifted slightly to breathe, making him growl. "Don''t move¡­" It was only intensifying his reaction, which he was trying his hardest to control. Ai stiffened and didn''t move even a muscleter. It proved difficult to not think about the excitement rushing in her body either. It was a frustrating feeling that had no outlet to escape. After what it seemed like forever, Jun tore himself away from her warmth and rolled beside her in the swing. His chest heaved up and down. He bit his tongue, forcing himself to calm down. It wasn''t helping much, but he did his best. Ai gently raised her head. Her heart drummed rapidly, staring into his dark eyes that were enveloped with a tint of fogginess. "Sleep," he muttered through a clenched jaw. She stiffened. "L-Like this¡­?" "Yes! Just shut your eyes and sleep." "...But you are-" Jun cast a dangerous re at her. "I will be fine." Ai bit her lip and shifted to sit upright when he grabbed her arm and pulled her back. Her heads collided on his chest, and he tightly secured her with his right arm enveloping her waist. "Get this¡­" he swallowed hard, resisting the heat crushing him, "Get this straight. You are not going anywhere¡­" he took a sharp breath. Her gaze fell onto his slightly bulging member, flushing her cheeks crimson. "It will¡­" she gulped. "It will be painful for you." His head rested back as he gasped. Delirious and not realizing his own thoughts, he whispered, "You leaving my side¡­will be more painful¡­" Ai stiffened. A tear slipped down her cheek before she knew it. Unconsciously, she hugged him tighter, a sudden ache welling in her heart. In a hushed tone, she said, "I see¡­Then I won''t leave." Relieved, Jun nodded his head in a daze. He knew he was torturing himself in this position with how he had wrapped her softness within his arms. Her mellow fragrance made his throat itch. He might not have any decent sleep at all. But rather than letting her go, he yearned for her to be with him. A long time passed by before Jun finally eased down. His eyes felt heavy, and his head fell on top of Ai''s, who was softly humming a tune to distract him and herself from the tension that built within them. Her own eyes were dozing off to sleep. Inside the beautiful crescent swing, they nestled in each other''s arms just like that as the night grew deeper and colder. Chapter 107 Cold Shower Chapter 107 Cold Shower Ai immediately woke up as soon as the living room was dimly lit with the early morning sunshine. She softly yawned and noticed a sort of roof on her head. Her eyes rapidly blinked, and reality dawned upon her. With a heart that threatened to break out of her chest, she found herself enveloped in Jun''s arms. His handsome face was so close to her that she could see his long eyshes and hear his soft breathing. Last night''s events flooded in her mind. Her eyes widened in response, making her question her sanity. They had made out in this very swing. Even if Jun initiated it, Ai hadn''t stopped him. She touched her chest, trying to calm her uneven and panicky breaths. Why did I not stop him¡­? After Yating''s betrayal in her past life, she had resolved to keep distance with these emotions. She had sworn not to get too close with anyone like that again. She promised herself to dedicate her life to only writing and achieving a good career. Her only goal behind observing Jun was to get inspiration which shecked. It indeed helped her a lot as she felt she learnt more being in hispany. But at the same time, it was also dragging her into a world which she didn''t want to visit anymore. was a good man. But her heart was too battered to ept a new love in her life. Ai wiped her forehead, breathing hard. Her heart throbbed with desirest night, but now it only thumped with fear. For now, she only wanted to leave and clear her head. I cannot¡­For Jun I cannot¡­ She straightened up but was unable to do so. Jun''s long and muscr arm didn''t leave any space for her to move. At the same time, his breaths that were gently fanning on her neck made her only grow more restless. She held his hand and slowly moved it away without waking him up. It worked. Relieved, she silently shifted forward to get down, but there was a new challenge in front of her. She looked down, and the floor immediately seemed to spin. She then realized it wasn''t the floor but herself. The swing was at a considerable height from the ground level and with the fear of heights that gued her, she was at a loss. She tried to put a foot down but would instantly pull it back, afraid of falling. She tried that a few times with no result. All this shifting and rustling woke up Jun from his sleep too. As he blinked his eyes, he found Ai desperately trying to get down but to no avail. Her back was facing him, so she couldn''t witness the horror his expression exhibited. He got up with a sharp jolt, startling Ai. Jun nkly stared ahead with an empty gaze. There was a long stretch of silence between them which neither of them could breach. Without saying a word, Jun swiftly climbed down the swing. Ai parted her lips seeing him leave, wondering whether to ask him for help. Instead, he saved her the trouble as he turned back a momentter. He bent towards her, stopping her breath in her throat. He easily scooped her in his arms, lifting her off the swing. Ai widened her eyes, feeling herself in his embrace once again and caught into his neck. She felt his gaze at her, and she lowered her own instinctively recallingst night. Jun slowly put her down until her feet touched the floor. His hand caressed along her back as he parted away. Even that miniscule moment of touch was enough to make her tremble. ? He moved his jaw in an attempt to say something. Anything. But words failed him. He clenched and unclenched his fist. There was a need for a conversation here. But how could he start it when his own thoughts were so badly muddled up? Ai quickly bowed. "Th-thank you." Saying the only word which could escape her lips, she rushed inside her room and shut the door. ¡ª Jun turned on the shower. Cold water rained upon him from head to toe. The winter was still present to spread its chilliness outside, but Jun didn''t care about the freezing cold water drizzling down on him. His clothes got soaking wet. The water drops pitter pattered on the tiles. He took a long, silent breath as hebed his wet palms over his face and across his hair. He dug his teeth harder in his lip until it started to bleed. The memories ofst night red inside his mind. The dance, the intimacy inside the swing¡­it was if somebody had possessed him. Baffled at his actions, he onlyughed. "Impossible. That couldn''t be me," hisughter grew louder and crazier. "Ah, Liu Jun¡­you cannot be that stupid to repeat the mistake which ended yourst life in a tragedy¡­What went wrong with me?" He stared towards the ceiling and snickered in disdain for himself. "How could I possibly touch her like that? How can I¡­" How did I get a¡­ He shuddered toplete the sentence. A physical reaction towards Ai or any woman for that matter other than Shui was not a thing he could digest so easily. "I broke up with Shui, so what? That doesn''t mean somebody else can¡­" But he contradicted himself yet again. Ai''s mellow scent, her soft neck, the trace of her vicles and the press of her pink lips on his - as all these sensations invaded him, he felt that flush of the familiar fever racing in his body and awakening his desires once again. He gasped, feeling ufortable with an intense urge to pleasure himself. But thinking sexually about Ai shook him to his core. The freezing shower provided some relief, but it wasn''t enough. It became unbearable to the point that he saw Ai''s apparition in front of him. Jun raised his hand in a stupor trying to touch her. His thumb traced her lower lip in a daze. His gaze clouded, and he breathed harder. What was a dream or what was reality - he couldn''t distinguish anymore. Yet only one name escaped his lips. "Ai¡­Ai¡­" Chapter 108 Its Time To Leave Chapter 108 It''s Time To Leave Taking a cold bath herself too, Ai finally felt as if she broke the chain of thoughts that bewildered her. The sensations that Jun invoked within her felt fleeting at this moment. She took two deep breaths and regained herposure. Her expression bounced back to her usual self. She paced around her room and dried her hair with a towel. Her phone shed with an iing call. "Hello." She silently heard the other person speak. "I see¡­I understand. Thank you." The call ended. She sped her hands together, seeminglying to a decision. ¡ª They skipped the day to go to the library and stayed back at home. Yet the air felt as if the condo was empty. Not a sound came from their rooms. They finally showed themselves during dinner. When Ai dragged her feet towards the dining table, her expression cracked seeing so many dishes lined upon it. Each one of them looked exquisite as if cooked in a five-star hotel, and a delicious aroma seeped into the air. "...Are there guestsing tonight?" Out of all the things, it was food that broke the silence between them. Jun stiffened. His movements halted. Without looking back, he answered after a long time, "No." "Then it''s just the two of us?" Jun gritted his teeth. Staying cooped up inside his room all day made him go crazy. Part of the reason wasst night, and¡­ Part of the reason was that he had pleasured himself while taking shower thinking about Ai. He controlled and controlled but in the end, he gave in. It was a great feat that he was able to calm himselfst night. But when that desire struck him again, he couldn''t hold back any longer. He went into such a deep shock by his actions that the only way he could think of not turning anymore insane was cooking up a bunch of dishes and distracting himself. Jun brought two more tes filled with food and kept them beside the other dishes. Ai asked the inevitable question, "How are we supposed to finish everything?" "I don''t know." "..." He sat in his usual chair and began gobbling the food like a glutton. Ai quietly took her usual seat too and served food for herself. The silence struck again. A lot of unsaid emotions swirled in their minds like a whirlwind, especially regardingst night. Jun felt the responsibility to talk about it since he initiated it. But how was he supposed to exin himself? Why did he touch her that way? Why did he kiss her like that? Why did he urge her to sleep with him? It was after a while when Ai put her chopsticks down and faced Jun. "I have something to say." Jun froze. He pressed the tip of his chopsticks on the te with such force that it could snap at any moment. A gush of adrenaline pumped in his blood, feeling something impendinging. Ai assumed his silence as a yes. "I got a call from the repair shop. The workers have finished doing my apartment''s repairs. So¡­I am ready to move back to my home." His head jerked to face her, wide-eyed. "Huh? What repairs?" She blinked. "I blew my apartment on Christmas, remember? The firemen estimated it could take upto one month for repairs, and it''s done now." He finally remembered and looked at her with a piercing gaze. "You are moving out?" There was a hint of rm in his tone. Ai stared at him and wondered if she would see that side of his once again - When his pure presence threatened that nobody was allowed to take Ai away from his house. ? Jun felt as if the top of his lid would burst now. Why move out when everything is going fine! He almost banged his hand on the table when it dawned upon him. Everything wasn''t going fine actually. Last night was anything but fine between them. The realization was like somebody had poured cold water over him. Last night gave them all the more reason to maintain their distance holding onto their own beliefs. The repairs were ideallypleted at a perfect time just when they needed to be away from each other. But neither Jun liked it, nor did it sit well with Ai. Ai pursed her lips. "I will move out tomorrow." She nced at him again, studying his reaction. But there was nothing that gave his real expression away. He shut his eyes, breathed in and opened them as he stared straight at her. "I see. Okay." Ai watched him unblinkingly for a few seconds. She lowered her gaze and slowly nodded her head. She felt something prickly tug at her chest. Where was his fearsome self which he always exhibited at the mention of her leaving his house? It was thest meal andst night in Jun''s condo. But she suddenly didn''t feel like eating anymore. Jun lost his appetite too. She wants to leave¡­ His dark, cold eyes bore into Ai, who was eating at a lethargic pace. Is it really because of the repairs orst night? O-or does she want to leave because she finds Jin better than me? He shivered with an impulse of not letting her go anywhere. He struggled countless times thinking if the dance with Jin changed something within her? Does she also prefer Jin now? Ah, it''s just an excuse, right? But why do I care? It''s only better that she leaves! Then¡­ Then I won''t have these stupid feelings anymore. Then I won''t keep thinking about Ai. His shoulders stiffened with tension, and he angrily sprung up on his feet. His own conviction consoled him but also sent his heart into a frenzy. Gritting his teeth hard, he rushed inside his room and banged the door shut, agitated. Ai jolted. She stared at the empty chair in silence. She failed to understand his source of irritation. A simr train of thoughts ran in her mind too. Was he beginning to get attracted to Shui again? She wasn''t particrly using him because she understood it herself very well how painful it was to move on from one''s past love. She shook her head. Jun had rified that he would announce his breakup soon. There was no reason to doubt that. But then¡­ Did he regret touching her like that? A faint smile greeted her lips. It''s better this way. I will move out, and then I won''t have to worry about these emotions anymore. I will just focus on my career, she calmly and rationally concluded like she always used to. This uneasiness will fade away by itself one day, and then¡­ I will forget all about Jun. Chapter 109 Ais Denial Ai wheeled her suitcase inside her home early in the morning. She nced around her apartment and appreciated the repairs done. Everything looked as good as new. She took a seat on her couch and stayed in silence for a long time. It was only a month from Christmas till now, but so many events transpired in her life. From simply living together to get a roof over her head tost night¡­ It was as if she just stepped out from a rollercoaster. She smiled recalling how fun it was spending time with Jun about their favorite books, discussions over plots and the heated debates. Those sleepless nights had a magic of their own. Making Jun serve her during her periods was strangely very satisfying. It''s because she knew that he was annoyed by it, so she enjoyed irking him even more. The days when Jun helped her like a spartan over her drafts revision made her grimace. He was too cruel, she pursed her lips. It seemed as if ''Rejected'' was his favorite word. She tilted her head. But it was actually ''Perfect.'' Whenever Jun was satisfied with the changes she made, he would smirk and say, "Perfect." After all the trials and tribtions he put her through, hearing ''perfect'' for Ai was akin to getting salvation. Ai brewed some coffee for herself in the kitchen and got back to the couch. She took out her notebook and spent some time writing down these little experiences and all the feelings they invoked within her. But as she came to the events ofst night, her hand stopped. She trembled and still felt the lingering presence of where Jun touched her. She clutched her pen, trying to discern her emotions, but she didn''t get any answer. Or maybe she was, but she refused to acknowledge them. No! She gasped and immediately berated herself. It''s nothing. Jun and I...can never happen...Last night was just... In the end, the page was left nk. *Ding Ding* *Ding Ding!* Ai frowned with the incessant ringing. She opened the door and froze. "Ai!" Guiying let out a loud sigh of relief and jumped into her hug. "Oh, God! You are finally back!" Ai didn''t move. She stared ahead for a few seconds, staggered by her sudden appearance. Guiying withdrew from the hug and carefully looked at her up and down. She turned her backside and then front again. "Alright. So you are not hurt," she finally felt the tension ease from her stiff body. "Guiying," Ai whispered. "How are you here?" Her jaw dropped. "Of course I will be here, idiot!" She grabbed her hand and dragged to the couch. "I returned from vacation, and suddenly, I came to know that your house blew up. On top of that, you were living with a man I have never heard of before! Can you imagine my shock? I have so many questions for you, girl!" Her jaw clenched, feeling the need to punch something. "Did you hear how he talked to me? How dare he threaten me? I am your best friend! How is it wrong if you stay at my home? It''s perfectly natural. He was talking like some goon. Ai, how did you even meet such a guy in the first ce? And you agreed to stay with him? He just leaks danger! I am amazed that you are even alive!" Ai gave her a few moments to catch her breath. Guiying asked, "Ai, why didn''t you tell me if you needed somece to live? The hell you said you would bother me. Besties are supposed to bother each other! That''s the essence of friendship," She shamelessly dered. Ai lied. "It''s nothing. I didn''t wish to ruin your vacation mood." She tremblingly pointed her finger at her. "You-you¡­Ahhhh! Damn, you had me worried there so much. I was this close to going to the cops had you not stopped me." Ai tried to put up a smile. Guiying narrowed her eyes. "But you still didn''t tell me who he is. Who is this mystery man?" She slightly stiffened. An uneasy feeling brewed in her heart. Something urged Ai not to reveal anything about Jun to her. "Just¡­just an acquaintance I met in the library." "And just an acquaintance was ready to let you live in his home?" She touched her chin. "He didn''t mind." Guiying sighed and pinched her cheeks. "I am pretty sure he couldn''t help it. My Ai is so cute, after all. I was just worried if he was some pervert. It''s dangerous to take up a man''s offer." Ai peered into her concerned gaze. There was one Cai Guiying who pushed her off the roof in her past life and snatched Yating from her, and there was this Cai Guiying who was genuinely troubled over Ai''s safety and well-being. It sometimes made Ai feel conflicted about her. Neither the past life was a lie, nor Guiying''s distress right at this moment. Her gaze was without any malice. So, why did things between two best friends turn so bitter and hateful? Ai lowered her gaze. In the end, their careers and their love for the same man wedged a gap between them. Their friendship was bound to break apart. But it won''t happen now, Ai thought. I won''t give up on writing, but Yating¡­ This time, there would be no roadblock to stop Guiying and Yating from dating each other. If not entirely, Ai hoped things would at least remain civil between them. Guiying grinned and patted her head. "Well, I am happy that you are back. You might say that you trust him, but I feel morefortable seeing you moved out. Whatever you think, that man is nothing but a mean person to me. Anyway, now another important thing I wanted to talk to you about is the giarism issue that is shitting your name in the public." "Don''t worry about it. I will take care-" "That is not the issue here, Ai. I know today or tomorrow, your name will be cleared. What I want to know is why you are leaving Dream High? Why did you pitch in your draft to our biggestpetitor? Ai, I feel¡­that there are a lot of things you are hiding from me." Chapter 110 Mr. Lius Denial Chapter 110 Mr. Liu''s Denial Ai fixed her gaze at her. "Have you never hidden anything from me, Guiying?" Guiying looked away for just a moment, feeling slightly ufortable, but she quickly shrugged it off. She shook her head. "Of course not, Ai. Why would I hide anything from you?" "I don''t know. Sometimes, even best friends hold secrets among themselves." She chuckled and flicked her forehead. "Silly, I would never do that." Ai had several questions in her mind. After her confrontation with Guiying in her past life which led her to her death, she was now aware that there were a lot of emotions she had bottled up within her over the course of her lifetime. Those feelings exploded one night that ended her life forever. Ai faintly smiled. "I see. It''s nothing, Guiying. I just feel that I will get more freedom in Sky. Dream High is very specific about its tropes. I cannot write something that I don''t like or just for poprity. I somehow could publish my books until now. But I know it cannot go on forever." In her past life, she could hold onto her style of writing in Dream High only because Yating supported her. As the Chief Editor, he had considerable power and as her boyfriend, he gave her a lot of leeway despite Dream High''s preferences. But this time, she didn''t want to rely on him. She wanted to stay far away from Guiying and Yating, so that she wouldn''t interfere in their lives. gave it some serious thought and nodded. "It''s true that your writing style and plots are quite different. But Yating is there, right? He is the Chief Editor. He will handle it." "No," Ai firmly replied with a slight hint of iciness in it. "I don''t want him to use his position and give me leeway. I wouldn''t want that. If Dream High has certain preferences, then it''s thepany''s choice. I don''t want others to mend the rules for me." Guiying felt helpless. "B-But we have always been together! Now this separation feels so lonely." Ai stared at her. "It''s for the best. Sometimes, we feel that ''always together'' is desirable. In love, in friendship - we think we all want ''forever.''" A flicker passed through her gaze. "But oftentimes¡­the truth is not what we would have ever imagined." ¡ª Jun stood inside the empty living room. He held a note in his hand which was written by Ai. ''I apologize. But I will have to leave early in the morning. It will take the entire day to set up my things at home. I thought I shouldn''t disturb you so early. Thank you very much for letting me stay at your condo for this whole month. I am sorry if I caused you any inconvenience, but I really appreciate your help. It was a good time. -Zhou Ai.'' There was a PS at the end. P.S - A small gift from me as my gratitude. I hope you like it. He crumpled the note in his hands and almost threw it away when he stopped. He stared at the book on the table below which Ai had kept her note - Love amongst chaos. It was the same book Jun had tried to snatch from Ai by bribing her with a cheque on Christmas Eve. He held the book in his hand with aplicated gaze. He wanted this book so badly but now that it was in his hands, he felt as if he didn''t desire it anymore. It reminded him as if it was Ai''s parting gift, which erupted an unsettling feeling within him. ? A mockingughter echoed. "So, you left without even meeting me onest time. Nice excuse you gave there, but do you think I am so stupid to fall for it?" His words were only met with silence. He nced towards the dining table. This was the time Ai and Jun would usually have their breakfast together. Realizing that he would be all alone now, that this house would return to its state of usual silence once again bubbled up a fury within his heart. Veins popped on his forehead, feeling prickly without her presence. "I don''t care. It was just supposed to be for a month anyway. Now, everything is the same as before again. Just the way I want. Perfect. No other people, no unnecessary talking, no cooking food for any extra person, nothing," his voice turned edgy, and the small note from Ai crumpled even further in his fist. Though he seemed to make an attempt in consoling himself, a disconcerted feeling clouded his heart, and his gaze turned several shades darker. He tilted his head dangerously. "You ran away from me, Ai. I feel I should bring you back here and thoroughly exin what happens when you escape from me¡­" Hearing his own words, he jolted and snapped out of that dark territory of possessiveness. Shit! What is wrong with me!? Jun actually did understand her predicament. It wasn''t her fault if Ai wanted to avoid meeting him after what happenedst night. He himself was dodging from facing the situation. No, no, no! I don''t care anymore! There is nothing...I feel nothing for her... But thinking about Ai as a rabbit running away for her life from a big, bad wolf gave him all the morepulsion to catch her from escaping. His gaze fell onto the swing, and he stiffened. He touched his throat, beginning to feel hotter as he recalled him making out with Ai. Fuck! He gritted his teeth and kicked the crescent swing hard with his foot. "It''s all your damn fault! She is gone because of you!" The crescent swing if it had any thoughts of its own - ''...'' His train of angry thoughts came to a halt hearing his phone''s ringtone. It was his cousin, Yunru. "Bro! You meanie! Why did you leave so suddenlyst night? I didn''t get the chance to talk to you!" He whined. Jun took a few deep breaths. "I was in a hurry." "So busy that you didn''t have time to meet your most favorite brother!?" He said, aggrieved. "I have so many things I wanted to talk to you aboutst night! Do you know that a woman snuck into Liu vi and even dared to steal one of Uncle Jing''s handmade dresses? The nerve of her to even wear it and me it on the staff!" "Really? That happened?" He raised his brow. "Uncle Jing must be so furious." "He was! Damn, he was boiling like a volcano. We all know how much of a maniac he bes when ites to his dresses. But that wasn''t the only thing that happened! I saw Dream High''s Chief Editor, Gu Yating, at the banquet too! I was stuck with Uncle Jing, so I didn''t know how the hell he was at our party!" "Gu Yating¡­" Jun narrowed his eyes. "I know why he came. He threatened me to take down Sky statement''s against MissImperfectlyFine." There was a long pause. "Shit! How does he know that you are the Sky CEO anyway!?" Chapter 111 Skys Hidden Enemy? Chapter 111 Sky''s Hidden Enemy? Jun let a frosty smile lift his lips. "He is Gu Rong''s son, Gu Yating. It seems like he has his own connections." "But it''s impossible to learn about your identity!" Yunru was extremely tense. "I thought we hid it well¡­" "I think he learned that the President and CEO are rted. That''s how he made the connection," his dark eyes squinted dangerously. But wait¡­ Jun was suddenly struck with another thought. If Gu Yating could find out about my identity through his influence, then he must have done it the same way in my past life too. "Bro, what will we do now?" It means that he never needed to send a spy in Sky to learn about me. "What if he uses it to his advantage?" Yunru asked, concerned. "Shit, who knew Gu Yating was from a wealthy family? He really didn''t make his presence known like a rich young master." Huh? This doesn''t make any sense. "Plus, he is only the Chief Editor. He could easily be the CEO of Dream High if he wants. Isn''t it, Bro?" If he didn''t need it, then he wouldn''t have sent any spy in the first Are you listening?" Then who sent the spy in my past life? "Brooooo?" "...I will call you back, Yunru." "Huh? Okay. But do it quickly! We need to think of something to deal with Gu Yating somehow. Bye!" Jun''s hand which held the phone ever so slowly lowered. He stared at the crescent swing, lost in trying to reason out this discrepancy. Gu Yating¡­Why didn''t this strike mest night? "Something is wrong. It was him who exposed my identity to the world. But sending a spy doesn''t add up when he can just use his influence. Thetter is easier. A spy involves more risk." Then does that mean¡­it wasn''t him who exposed me? He tilted his head trying to understand the sequence of events that urred in his past life. Until now, he concluded that due to the intense rivalry between Sky and Dream High, Yating leaked out his identity just when the time was ripe. Jun''s reputation was ruined after getting violent with Jin, and soon after, he was revealed as the CEO. But considering how Yating figured him outst night, nothing made sense anymore. If it''s not Gu Yating, then¡­ His pupils were shrouded with danger and threat. Who else is Sky''s enemy that I am not aware of? ¡ª Jun arrived at the library the next day as usual. Mrs. Quan Su greeted him with a warm smile. "Jun. Good morning." "Good morning," he replied with a t tone. "Where is Ai? Don''t you two alwayse together?" Jun froze. Mrs. Quan Su suddenly felt as if the air became darker inside. It''s such a sunny day! With Mrs. Quan''s question, Jun remembered how he miscalled Ai just before leaving his condo. ? "Ai! Where are you?" When he didn''t get a response was when it struck him that Ai had already moved out. He came the whole way carrying an extremely sour mood. Now her question only added oil to the fire. "...She has moved out." Mrs. Quan furrowed her brows, and then her expression changed a momentter. "Oh! Is her apartment''s repair work done? That''s great!" ring his nostrils, he shot her a lethal, cold stare. "What is so great about that?" "..." "What do you mean? It was supposed to be only temporary. Now, you and Ai would have your own space again," she chirped. "I know how much you treasure your alone time." His brow twitched in annoyance. "Unless¡­" Mrs. Quan Su meaningfully smiled. "You have gotten used to living with Ai. Now, you wish you could live with her forever." Jun strangely felt like she hit a bullseye, which made him furthermore frustrated. "Of course not! Why would I wish for that?" He wanted to say a lot of things but couldn''t find his words. "You¡­you talk too much!" "..." He swiftly left for the third floor huffing in anger. Mrs. Quan Su giggled. "Aish, young love¡­It''s so cute when he tries to deny it." ¡ª Jun dumped his bag on his desk, opened his water bottle and drank several sips of water. Mrs. Quan being a busybody. She doesn''t understand anything! Why would I want to live with Ai forever? Jun opened hisptop but nced at the seat where Ai always worked. She alwayses at the same time as I, so why isn''t she here yet? Realizing that his thoughts wandered off towards Ai again, he pped his cheeks hard. "Focus! Focus, Jun! I don''t care if shees or not! I cannot waste anymore time. I have more important things to do." One of them being finding out the person who sent the spy in his past life. The more Jun thought about it, the more he began to feel that Yating wasn''t behind it after all. Even now as he checked the news, there was nothing about Sky CEO''s revtion which indicated that Yating didn''t use this information yet. Though it could be possible that he might be waiting for the perfect opportunity to reveal his identity just like it happened in the past life - thepulsion for sending a spy by Yating diminished the chances of him being involved. Theptop screen shone bright in front of him, but Jun was puzzled on what to do next. If not Yating, then who else is Sky''s enemy? Any other publishing house? But the smaller publishing houses wouldn''t have the guts to mess with either Sky or Dream High. Jun gave it deep thought, thinking about all possible scenarios. But nobody came to his mind. He sighed in frustration and leaned back in his chair. For the sake of Sky''s future, it was important to eliminate this unknown threat as soon as possible. His phone rang, and he picked it without looking at the number. "Yes?" "Mr. Liu Jun?" "Yes. What is it?" As he heard the other person speak, Jun widened his eyes and sat up straight. He spoke after a pause, his expression grave. "I aming." Chapter 112 The Ring Chapter 112 The Ring Jun stepped into avish jewelry store, the sophisticated ss rows scintiting with exquisite and stunning pieces of jewelry right from the delicate diamond earrings to the elegant gold ne sets. The store belonged to the biggest and most popr jewelry franchise in China. The ce was quiet with a few wealthy socialites and couples shopping among themselves. Everybody''s heads automatically turned to size up the new customer who just stepped in. Jun''s presence was so powerful andpelling that nobody dared to meet his eye. The women began swooning over his hot figure and the intense aura he emanated. Jun ignored all the starstruck gazes and went straight to meet the Head Jeweler, Mr. Shao. Mr. Shao noticed Juning and beamed. "Mr. Liu! I am d you are here. Thank you for your patronage. Your order is ready." He took out a small red velvet box and ced it on the counter. He gently opened it, and a beautiful diamond ring was gracefully perched upon it. It was so dazzling that the other customers forgot to breathe. Mr. Shao was extremely pleased. "Mr. Liu. Your ring is exactly made as you had ordered. Please check it. I hope you are satisfied with the result." Jun stared at the ring for several long seconds in silence. He held the ring between his fingers, and a memory from his past life knocked his heart. "Jun! What are you doing?" Shui asked in shock. "The hell he was holding your waist!" Jun''s voice was extremely frigid. "How dare he touch my girlfriend!?" "What!? He wasn''t touching me that way. I slipped, and he was just trying to help me!" Shui was aghast. He sneered. "You think I will believe his intentions?" The ssmate desperately shook his head in fear. "No, no! I was really only helping her! Look, she slipped on this fruit peel." Jun cast him an icy re. "I have seen enough of these tricks people use to cause these idents." The ssmate didn''t know how to make Jun understand. "Trust me. I have a girlfriend, and I really love her! I have no intentions for Shui!" Shui nodded, exasperated. "Yes, Jun. I know his girlfriend too. She is from another college." He gritted his teeth. "You have no awareness, Shui!" "Fine! Then check the footage, and we will know if he dropped the peel on purpose or not!" They did, and it was proved that indeed some random passerby had dropped it identally. He hadn''t noticed it at all. The ssmate was innocent. Shui asked, "Are you satisfied now?" Jun wasn''t, and he went as far as to check if the ssmate had bribed that man somehow, but he didn''t get any results. The ssmate felt extremely humiliated but in front of Jun''s menacing aura, he was too afraid to speak up for himself. ? "Jun, you¡­you made this such a big of a deal for nothing! The Christmas party was going so nice and you!" She bit her lip in disappointment. Jun clenched his jaw. "I¡­" "Forget it. I am going home. I am not in the mood anymore¡­" He curled his fist. "I will drop you-" "No!" Shui warned. "I will go home alone." After that incident, Shui ignored Jun for a long time. That and due to many such fights that urred between them even before Christmas only made Jun more agitated. Out of desperation, he had given an order for a custom made diamond ring several months back. He had nned to propose to Shui on her twenty-first birthday. Since she would be still only twenty-one, naturally he didn''t mean to marry her so soon. But at least, he wanted to be her fiance and shake off this diforting feeling that had been bugging him for quite some time. It felt as if Shui was slowly slipping away from his hands, and he needed a reassurance that tied him to her. The argument settled down and on Shui''s twenty-first birthday, Jun put the ring in her finger. Shui epted it, making him the happiest man in this world¡­ Only for this bliss to remain short-lived. Four yearster, when Jun proposed again with the intent to marry Shui on her twenty-fifth birthday was when the harsh reality shattered all his dreams. It came like a tsunami that drowned him in the depths of hell forever. "Shui, Will you marry me?" Jun asked in anticipation, his heart racing as if somebody was loudly beating a drum. Shui stared at him, tears shining in her ck irises. "...I am sorry, Jun but I can''t." That one word which escaped her lips darkened Jun''s world like a ckhole. His world came crashing down in the matter of seconds. The woman he gave his heart to all this time had rejected his proposal. For a long time, Jun didn''t even understand what happened. He simply nkly stared at her. But then in the next moment, he realized the reason behind Shui''s answer. "I¡­I cannot see our future together anymore, Jun." "Huh? I don''t understand. Cannot see our future? Shui, I am not in the mood to joke around." "I am not joking, Jun. I won''t lie to you at such a time," she trembled. "But¡­the moment I realized my feelings, I couldn''t keep going on anymore. All this time, I felt that there was a big misunderstanding. But it''s not. It''s the truth that has dawned upon me." Jun blinked. "I cannot ept your proposal, Jun. I did so on my twenty-first birthday because I was disillusioned. I thought it was always meant to happen. You and I together. There was no doubt about it. But not anymore. Now, there is no fog in my mind anymore because I have finally realized that I¡­I don''t love you, Jun. I¡­I am in love with Jin." *shback ends* Chapter 113 The Alarming Announcement Chapter 113 The rming Announcement *Present* Jun stared at the ring he had nned to propose to Shui with. Hell had broken loose after her confession about her feelings for Jin. Everything went into a downward spiral for Jun''s life. Everything had ended for him. Realizing that his brother and his fiance were in love with each other made him feel cheated, furious, heartbroken, crazy and lost. He had always treasured his youngest brother but after that single night, that love had taken the shape of hatred. Jun let out a feeble smile. This ring is of no use now. It slipped out from his mind after his rebirth that he had already given this ring''s order a few months ago. When he received Mr. Shao''s call was when it suddenly hit him. I would have cancelled it already had I remembered it sooner¡­ Jun put the ring back in the velvet box and said, "I am sorry Mr. Shao, but I want to cancel this order. I don''t need this ring anymore." "Huh?" He widened his eyes. "Mr. Liu, weren''t you so excited-" He immediately shut his mouth. It was evident that this ring was meant for a marriage proposal. Now that Jun stated he didn''t need it anymore only meant that he had broken up with his girlfriend. "I see¡­" he broke into a cold sweat. this really true? Mr. Liu broke up? It seemed unbelievable to him. Who didn''t desire Jun? Every single woman! Jun continued without any change in his countenance. "You have worked hard for this ring. It was my mistake. I won''t let your efforts go to waste. You will get your full money." "No, no! Mr. Liu. I understand. You don''t need to-" Jun remained stubborn. "No. I will pay, so I will pay," he took out his ck card and slid it towards him. Mr. Shao hesitated. "Take it or I will pay double," Jun remarked without a single twitch on his forehead. The manager choked hard. "I will take it! I will take it! But please don''t pay double the amount¡­" Spare me please! He sobbed and went away to swipe his card. Jun waited. But unknown to him, there were two figures who stared at him from a distance outside the jewelry shop. Nana was squealing so hard that everybody passing by her gave her weird looks. Xinyi joined in her excitement, and the two were jumping around like two schoolgirls who got their favorite ice creams. "Xinyi, Xinyi, did you see!? I didn''t know Jun was nning to propose! Watching him buy the ring confirmed it!" Xinyi pped her hands in delight. "Yes! Aaaaahhh! He is getting the ring! Haha, Shui will be so thrilled. I just hope that Zhiyuan won''t make things difficult for Jun!" Her nostrils red. Nana chuckled. "That''s alright. Jinhai is the same. If he had been in Zhiyuan''s ce, he wouldn''t have done anything different. Our husbands are such a pain!" "I know!! It''s like a switch gets activated in their brains when it is anything rted to their daughters." They sighed in exasperation. They nced back and jumped in excitement again. "Forget about our husbands! Jun bought the ring! Jun bought the ring!" The crowd was even more speechless. What''s wrong with these women? Nana sighed. "But when he is nning to propose? Ohhh! Maybe it''s on Shui''s birthday!" She gleamed. "That will be such a perfect asion. It is almost a month and a half away. Ah, it feels like such a long wait," she whined. "I feel like jumping into a time travel machine." ? Xinyi shared her sentiments. "I feel you. Now, I wonder why didn''t Shui wasn''t born earlier? Then we won''t have to wait for so long!" Nana burst intoughter. "Aish, we are so impatient. Okay, I cannot hold this news in anymore! Let''s go and tell this to Jinhai and Zhiyuan." Xinyi narrowed her eyes. "Yes. It''s better that Zhiyuan doesn''t cause any ruckus, or he is so dead! If he interferes, I will throw him out of the house!" "Let''s go quickly!" She pulled Xinyi''s hand and disappeared. Jun just stepped out, and found a message from Yunru toe to Sky. He thought about it. He had a few things concerning Yating and the possible mysterious enemy to talk to his cousin. He typed back. ''Coming.'' ¡ª Ai faced the Sky Publishing''s entrance as she raised her neck to stare at the tall and enormous building. At one point, she felt dizzy and afraid of the height illusion, so she quickly turned her head. She took a deep breath to calm down. I am on the ground. I am on the ground. Her motive toe to Sky was only one, and that was to visit Mr Perfect. When she thought back to Jinhai and Nana''s wedding anniversary, she realized missed a huge detail. It was a great chance to meet Chen Yunru and possibly Mr Perfect too, who was Sky''s CEO. But Liu Hai had wound her up around the granddaughter-inw stuff, and then she met Jun¡­ The thing simply dissipated from her mind. Yesterday, she gave numerous calls to Xing Bi, but there was no answer. She might be really busy with work, Ai concluded. Since she couldn''t discuss with Xing Bi about the whole mess regarding MissImperfectlyFine and the giarism allegations, she decided toe here herself. Ai stared at MrPerfect''s message which said how he would ruin her career. It was high time she would meet him and rify all the mess she had caused. A tingling sense of nervousness gripped her heart. With this meeting, it was possible - no, she was sure that Jun would learn her true identity soon enough as he worked part time here and was the one toin about MissImperfectlyFine to Sky. Sheter realized that it wasn''t strange. Jun and Yunru were cousins, after all. What would be his reaction? He will be disappointed that I lied to him, she pursed her lips. She gave it a thought and consoled herself that whatever happens would happen. She couldn''t avoid this confrontation forever. Ai nodded to herself and calmly stepped inside. She walked up to the reception, and the receptionist kindly smiled. "How can I help you?" "Can I meet President Chen Yunru?" "Do you have an appointment?" "No¡­" "In that case-" Suddenly, her words got cut off as a booming voice resounded in the office. "Everybody! Gather here!" He dragged Jun in front of everyone, making Ai stunned whose figure was hidden among the gathering employees. "Oh my Gosh, who is that hot man?" "Such a beauty!" "I have never seen him before here." "Is he the President''s friend?" Jun was clearly displeased with this attention and felt puzzled at the same time as to what Yunru had to announce which involved him. Yunru grinned. "I have got great news for everyone!" The employees whispered eagerly amongst themselves, specting what it might be. "Hehehe. My dearest cousin, Bro Jun¡­" he leaned, creating tension but also anticipation in the air, "has bought a beautiful ring for his childhood love and girlfriend, Han Shui! He is soon going to propose to her! Give arge round of apuse for the soon-to-be fiance!" Chapter 114 Like Fate Carved Upon Stone Chapter 114 Like Fate Carved Upon Stone Jun stood rooted as if lightning struck him. His head ever so slowly turned to face Yunru. He felt lightheaded as the words hit his ears. His eyes rapidly blinked. Yunru continued, practically hopping with tion. "The source of this news are two of the most beautiful women in this world - Aunt Nana and Aunt Xinyi, who saw Bro Jun buying the stunning ring for a proposal!" The employees burst into loud cheers and pping. "Congrattions!" "Han Shui is so lucky!" "He is the President''s cousin? No wonder he is so sexy! The beauty just runs in the family." "Aww, a proposal is so beautiful." Jun froze. Mom and Aunt were there too? He was there to cancel the order, but they misunderstood as him buying it for Shui. ''As for Shui and I, I will announce our breakup to my family.'' She lowered her eyes and remained still. Everybody else was cheering and pping andughing, but Ai couldn''t find herself doing any of that. His words that night had put her at ease. But now, she sensed the pain and stiflinging back to her, gripping and entangling her heart like how vines clutched the trees. Not uttering a single word and not making a single change in her countenance, Ai took slow backward steps. She turned and left Sky Publishing without getting to meet Yunru. Her career as MissImperfectlyFine was crucial to her, but the feelings that swayed her heart into a disarray brought everything''s importance to zero. We are nothing but acquaintances. At this point, she began to doubt if Jun and her were even friends? Ai looked ahead and kept walking, but her pace was getting heavier and hastier. So, I have no reason to feel this way. If Shui loves Jin, then why would Jun and her get back together? They have broken up already. She knew it didn''t make any sense, and she tried to think rationally about it. But her calmness, which was her biggest strength, was slowly slipping away from her. Rationality and emotions were at war with each other with her emotions gaining control over her decisions despite her protest. But this is Jun''s choice. I am not anything to him. It shouldn''t matter to me what he does and what he doesn''t. Ai put a harsh brake on her steps and let out a deep breath which shivered her with pain. She gently brushed the tip of her finger against her eyshes and found a pearl of teartch onto it shining under the sun. She remembered their dance, she remembered the night they spent at the swing and now this was the news she heard. It shouldn''t matter to me at all¡­ But why does this still hurt me so much? ? ¡ª Jun dragged Yunru into his office and shut the door hard. "Why did you announce it in front of thepany, Yunru!?" He frowned. "Huh? Why are you so shocked? Isn''t it such good news!?" His face brightened. "My bro is gonna get engaged! Of course, I had to announce it! Aunt Nana told me to. She and Aunt Xinyi were bubbling with such happiness haha. She told me to give a raise to everybody''s sries with this good news." Jun was in disbelief. He remembered that his surprise to propose to Shui in his past life was a surprise until the end. It was never announced to Sky''s employees. But because the course of his fate was diverted by Nana and Xinyi seeing Jun ''buy the ring'' instead of cancelling it, the oue changed, and this wasn''t a surprise any longer. His visit to the jewelry shop that coincided with Nana and Xinyi''s shopping trip altered the flow of events. Yunru grinned. "But don''t worry, Bro! I have taken all our employees in confidence! If they want the raise, then they wouldn''t leak it to Shui. Your surprise is safe~" But there wasn''t any sign of thrill or delight from Jun''s countenance. Instead, he cursed himself. "This is wrong, Yunru!" He banged his palm on the desk, making Yunru widen his eyes in shock. "Huh? What is wrong?" He was confused. "Mom and Aunt Xinyi have misunderstood it! I wasn''t there to buy the ring. I was there to cancel the order!" He gritted his teeth in a fury. He could have cancelled the order on phone itself, but since the ring was ready, Jun felt that he owed a personal apology and talk with Mr. Shao. He could have saved all his efforts by cancelling it immediately after his rebirth, but he missed it. Jun wasn''t so harsh to just rudely wrap things up over a call when it was his own fault. "Cancel? But why? Aren''t you going to propose to Shui?" Jun forced himself to calm down and looked at Yunru. "No. Shui and I broke up." "...What?" "Shui and I have broken up." Yunru gave him a nk stare because it was beyond hisprehension. "You are not Bro Jun, right? Are you some doppelganger of his!?" His expression darkened. "I am not joking!" "Of course you are! You expect me to believe you? Do you think ANYBODY will believe you? If you and Shui broke up, then the earth is t!" He dered. Jun pressed the bridge of his nose. "Yunru¡­" "Bro, how can you say that? You had imed Shui as your wife even before she was born. Don''t you remember what you used to say to Aunt Xinyi? ''She is my future wife.'' ''I will marry her and nobody else.'' ''She is only mine.'' Hell, you even constantly annoyed Uncle Zhiyuan by addressing him as your ''future father-inw'', and this was when you were just four years old. Then you became her shadow the moment Shui was born. You were there wherever she was. Your whole childhood until now revolved around Shui and only Shui. You were so impatient to make her yours that you asked her to be your girlfriend when she was sixteen. At this point, it''s already known that the Liu and Han families are going to be bound by your and Shui''s marriage one day! Your rtionship is like fate carved upon stone. And NOW you say that you two broke up? YOU and SHUI broke up? I don''t believe this at all!" Chapter 115 Their Brotherhood Chapter 115 Their Brotherhood Jun wanted to smack his cousin hard on his head. But as he reflected upon it, he understood where Yunru''s incredulity wasing from. It was tough to digest this fact. Even in his past life, it came as a massive shock to everybody when Shui rejected Jun''s proposal on her twenty-fifth birthday. Nobody could wrap their heads around it. Everything that Yunru said was a hundred percent true. Anything could be a lie but not his rtionship with Shui. Anything could break apart but not them. Jun faced Yunru and stared straight into his eyes. "No matter how unbelievable it is, Shui and I have broken up." Yunru sharply gasped. Watching Jun''s dead set gaze forced him to believe the reality. "H-How? Why? Shui and you¡­You love each other so much! What went wrong? Didn''t you always dere that Shui will be your wife? So¡­" He was baffled as much as he was worried for his cousin. He knew how crazy he was for Shui. He couldn''t live without even texting her at least three times a day. Jun smiled and patted his shoulder. "Don''t look like that, Yunru. I just realized that we aren''t suited for each other." Yunru grabbed his hand, tears threatening to spill from his eyes. "Bro, how can you say that with a smile? Don''t lie to me! You must be heartbroken like crazy! I¡­I still don''t understand. Not suited for each other? B-But you two look so looks on the outside can be deceiving, Yunru. Apparently, we aren''t perfect for each other. Come on¡­don''t cry like a baby!" He sneered and flicked his forehead. "You are Sky''s President. How can the President cry like that? What will happen to your image if anyone sees you like this?" "I don''t care about my image! I care about my Bro the most! And my bro is hurting!" His eyes reddened. "How can you still smile like that¡­? I feel so devastated, so what must you be feeling?" Jun slightly trembled with his concern. This was the brother whom he hurt in his past life by ignoring his responsibilities towards Sky. He broke his dream apart. Jun vowed not to make Yunru cry ever again. Yet Yunru is shedding tears because of me once again. I am so stupid. He leaned in and hugged his cousin. Yunru blinked rapidly. Bro never initiates such gestures¡­ His eyes teared up even more. For Jun to hug him like this which was unusual behavior on his part meant just how painful must it be to bear this breakup? He squished him back. "Bro¡­" Jun shook his head. "Really, don''t cry. It was hard at the beginning, but¡­" The memories with Ai shed in his mind, and his gaze flickered as he whispered, "Now I am fine, Yunru¡­I really am." Yunru withdrew and suspiciously studied him, gauging if he was trying to fool him or not. "I am not fooling you. Trust me," he said with conviction. Yunru rubbed the tip of his nose. "I-If you say so¡­I will believe you. W-wait! Is that why you left the Liu vi?" He stiffened. "But why would you leave your home because you broke up? It''s not like Shui lives there," his forehead creased with thin lines. ? Jun couldn''t confess that Jinhai kicked him out. "Of course, I didn''t have to leave. But I thought I needed a change in my pace. It was difficult to face my family¡­" Yunru quietly asked, "When did you break up?" "It''s almost two months now." He was stunned. "Why keep this until now?" Jun lowered his gaze silently. He had been through a lot ever since he was reborn. Breaking up with Shui was the hardest part to do. Then there were the memories and guilt of his past life which constantly weighed him down. He felt lost. Now that he had decided to give up on Shui, he felt as if there was no direction left in his life anymore. He would just continue living until death would naturally end his life one day. Coming to terms to such a sudden change when he had dedicated his whole life and heart to Shui before was excruciating. In such a situation when he felt he was losing his sanity and adjusting to his new life, he didn''t have the energy to announce the breakup to his family and face their questioning. They would have reacted just like Yunru, and he couldn''t have exined the reasons to them even if he wanted to. That''s why secretly, he was relying on Shui to break this news. He couldn''t have avoided the inevitable confrontation forever. But he wanted to give himself a breather. Jun slowly answered. "...There were many things I was going through. I didn''t realize it, but I was subconsciously dying the confrontation." Yunru felt his heart ache. "I understand Bro¡­" For someone like Jun who always imed Shui as hers, it would have been even tougher to suddenly confess this saddening truth. Jun and Shui''s image as a couple was set in everybody''s minds like an immovable rock. But Jun seemed determined now. "But it''s enough now. I was going to announce it tomorrow anyway. I will bring this matter to an end tomorrow once and for all." He silently curled his fingers. "It''s time they know now." ¡ª When Ai reached her apartment, she saw a figure pacing back and forth in front of her t. As Xing Bi noticed Ai, she eximed. "Ai!! You are back!" She hugged her hard. "I am sorry I missed your calls. It was such a mess because of a certain someone¡­" Xing Bi''s expression turned ugly thinking about Nian and the troubles he put her through. Just hope that you never cross paths with me, you stupid servant otherwise¡­ Ai worriedly asked, "What happened? You usually don''t get so furious. Is it rted to Zhan Yahui?" She softly exhaled. "No. It''s someone else. I will tell you the detailster. But first¡­" Xing Bi eyed her carefully. "Why do you look so down? Did something happen?" Chapter 116 Their Sisterhood Chapter 116 Their Sisterhood They went inside, and Ai served her a cup of tea. Xing Bi pulled her wrist and forced her to sit on the couch. "You look so pale, Ai. Do you feel sick? Should I take you to the hospital?" She shook her head. "No, I am fine." She narrowed her eyes. "It doesn''t look like that. Now, spill it out. There is something bothering you." Ai relented and confessed that she went to Sky to meet the CEO. Xing Bi''s face shone with hope. "That''s great! Did you get to meet him?" "No." "President Chen Yunru?" "No." "Maybe the editor Sun Bai?" "I didn''t. I couldn''t¡­" Ai lowered her gaze. "But I don''t need to anymore." "Why not?" "Because I have decided I won''t go to Sky anymore." That took Xing Bi aback. "Really? I understand that Sky is being difficult right now, but it''s because of the confusion you caused. To be honest, we cannot me Sky. No publishingpany will tolerate giarism." Ai nodded. "Yes. But¡­" It was difficult to exin her reasons when she had trouble grasping it herself. She wanted to avoid Sky because of Jun''s connection with it. She already wanted to put distance between them after herst night in his condo. What happened today only made her resolve firmer than before. I have alreadye between Guiying and Yating once. She was afraid that these unknown emotions within her would make the tragic history repeat. Even as thest thing, she didn''t want to interfere in Jun and Shui''s rtionship. Ai reluctantly smiled. "I have thought about this carefully. It''s for the best if I don''t go to Sky." Xing Bi said, "But you are notfortable working in Dream High either. And honestly, I don''t want you to work with smaller publishing houses. Only Sky can give you the needed leverage apart from Dream High." "I understand." "Also, it''s not just about choosing a publishingpany. The giarism charge against you is still there. Even if you opt for a smallerpany, they won''t take you in until the matter is cleared." Ai nodded. "That''s why I have decided to publicly admit everything. Until now, I hoped to talk with the CEO¡­" Sky CEO, whose identity was MrPerfect on Reading Point, had threatened her to destroy her career. He certainly was doing a good job. ? "I hoped to talk with him and discuss measures we could take to get out of this mess. But I decided not to join Sky. I couldn''t talk to them, but I have to resolve this misunderstanding." She took a deep breath and asserted with conviction. "I will confess everything." Xing Bi widened her eyes. "Ai, even if you confess that you are MissImperfectlyFine herself, it is going to raise another set of questions. The Sky CEO thinks that this story should belong to Butterfly. Sky will grill you like crazy as to why you posed as Butterfly for this whole time. Sun Bai will testify about this. You faked your identity to enter Sky. Just like giarism, you will drown in mes in no time." She sped her temples. "We are in a shitfire no matter what we do. If you confess, you will be in trouble. If you don''t, you are still in trouble." "I am sorry, Xing Bi¡­" Ai trembled and clenched a portion of her skirt in her fist. "I was desperate to enter Sky. My only hope was Sky to redeem myself." She reminisced about her past life. Her career went into a downward spiral, her hopes of bing the best writer and proving herself, Xing Bi''s life - everything copsed being in Dream High. She couldn''t move forward no matter what she did. Within the darkness that surrounded her, the only flicker of light shining at a distance was Sky. She wanted to grab that light at any cost. She wanted to make her life right. But why did life throw her in such a predicament in her second chance too? "No, no!" Xing Bi smashed Ai into her hug like a mother bear hugging her cub. "I am sorry! I didn''t mean to me you! I know you are a very responsible person, Ai. You dislike lying. It must have been tough when you lied about your identity to Sun Bai and if someone like you forced yourself to do that, then you must have your own reasons. Publishing the story as MissImperfectlyFine was an ident. Don''t be hard on yourself, or I will twist your ear," she scolded. Ai''s eyes teared up, and she hugged her back. Being with Xing Bi always provided her with assurance like an elder sister. It was Xing Bi who didn''t let Ai miss her mother, who lived in another city. Xing Bi smiled and brushed her fingers along her hair. "Ai, I will always be with you. Even if the world turns against you. That''s what you did for me when you entered Dream High, right? You were the award winner of the Best Neer writer. You were given the freedom to choose your editor. You could have chosen any, but you chose me. All the other writers were afraid of me because of my height." At five feet and nine inches, Xing Bi was a tall woman among her peers or the society in general. She was always bullied because of her height and given humiliating names in her school and college days. Even the new writers in Dream High used to steer clear from her, finding her intimidating. But Ai chose her without a second thought. Xing Bi had asked Ai, who was dumbfounded at being chosen, "Are you sure? You can¡­you can choose Zhan Yahui-" "I want to work with you only," an eighteen years old Ai answered in front of everyone, who was offered to join Dream High after winning the award. Instead of fear or disdain, her pure eyes sparkled with admiration as she studied her. "But why?" She awkwardly smiled. "Because you are so cute." Xing Bi choked and so did the others. People find her intimidating, and you say she is cute? "You are so tall," her eyes shone brighter, "I wish I could have been as tall as you. Your height suits you so well. You are so beautiful." Xing Bi froze. What? Chapter 117 The Chance Is Over Chapter 117 The Chance Is Over Tears pooled in Xing Bi''s eyes. She could tell that Ai wasn''t doing any lip service, not that she had any reason to do it either. She always kept a strong front that she wasn''t affected by people''s ignorance or their names. But inwardly, she felt alone. It felt lonely to be left out from gatherings or social circles because they judged you for something you didn''t have control over. The others smiled in disdain. "Are you sure you want to be with amp post?" Xing Bi gritted her teeth as she red at them. Mind your own business! "She is right. You should pick Zhan Yahui." "Women shouldn''t be too tall, you know," they giggled. Xing Bi''s heart burned with fury while Ai nced at them, her brows softly crinkling. "But I never read this anywhere that a woman shouldn''t be too tall." "..." "Can you provide me with a reference book where it''s stated as such?" She sincerely asked. "But I didn''t assume it, which means your statement is not a universal fact." "..." Ai alternated her gaze between Xing Bi and the others and seemed to realize it. "I see," she nodded. "I understand now." The others were relieved. Thank God! "See? You get it, right? Tall women look so ugh-" "You are jealous of her. I understand. I also feel envious of her height." Everybody was sharply silenced. "You! As if we would be jealous of amp post!" The women were furious. "Do whatever you want! Hmph, you are gonna regret choosing her one day!" They left with their chests huffing and puffing with indignance. Xing Bi burst into tears and jumped in to hug Ai. "You are shorter than me, but you are way cooler than me! I was never able to speak like that." Ai furrowed her brows. "Why are you crying?" "Because I am so tall, and people always ignore me. They looked at and treated me differently. Heighted women are uncool." She pursed her lips. "Being heighted is the coolest. Your height is God''s gift to you. Everybody is different, and everybody should cherish the aspect that distinguishes them from others. We shouldn''t feel embarrassed about it." Xing Bi felt fuzzy like cotton candy in her chest. She smothered Ai against her chest and dered. "I, Xing Bi, from today onwards, promise to take care of you as an elder sister! I will always protect you!" ¡ª At present, Xing Bi smothered Ai just like the day when they had met. "You stood by my side when others alienated me. You gave me the confidence to appreciate myself. No matter what happens, I will always be with you! Things will definitely get difficult once you confess. But I believe that if you are sincere and honest, then it will definitely reach your readers out there." Ai felt her racing heart gradually calm down. ? She sneered. "Worry not, Ai. If anybody is being overly mean or humiliating, then I am ready to strike them. Nobody can bully my cute Ai!" Her nostrils red. Ai softly chuckled. It was after days since she left Jun''s condo that sheughed for the first time. "Thank you Xing Bi. It means a lot to me," she whispered. Xing Bi warmly smiled and squished her cheeks. "Come on. I will talk to Gu Yating about this and prepare a statement for you." Ai widened her eyes. "Gu Yating?" "Yeah, well you are still working with Dream High. Since this issue is blown up so badly, Gu Yating and I would have to discuss this. Dream High''s PR team is currently managing the media. That''s why we have to be careful." She hesitated but in the end agreed. Xing Bi watched her and slowly asked, "Ai, do you¡­have any problems with Gu Yating?" Ai slightly stiffened. "I noticed that you don''t seem sofortable whenever he is mentioned. Is he rted to why you don''t want to work in Dream High anymore?" There was a beat of silence, but Ai smiled it off. "Nothing like that. Everything is fine." "I see¡­" She smiled. "For now, just take your mind off everything and rx. Whatever happens, we wille out of it unscathed." Ai found assurance in her words and nodded. "We will." ¡ª Dream High. "Yating, did you find a way to end this giarism mess?" Guiying faced Yating in his office as she questioned him. Yating stared at her but didn''t answer. "Yating? I am asking you. When will this end? I am really worried for Ai! Zhan Yahui stopped me from making any statement because I believed that Dream High''s PR team would resolve this as soon as possible. But I won''t stop anymore. I cannot see Ai going down like this!" He shot her a sharp stare, startling her. He quietly asked, "And you think I want to see Ai going down? Never. She is thest person I¡­" Ever since theirst conversation, Yating had been consistently ignoring talking to Guiying. Her reaction that day confirmed that she might have feelings for him which led him wanting to put distance between them. The only thing stopping him from confronting her was Ai''s promise that he wouldn''t ask Guiying anything. He hated these unresolved differences and wanted to put an end to Guiying''s feelings for him. But he was afraid that Ai would hate him more seeing him break his promise. His eyshes trembled. She already hates me¡­She already hates me¡­ Yating couldn''t understand the source of that hatred. Ai started to ignore him suddenly. He couldn''t help but feel that there was more to her rejection than what she was showing. He vividly remembered how hurt Ai seemed when he confessed to her. For a moment, her gaze felt as if she was using him of something. He sensed her strong aversion towards him. But why? What did I do so wrong? Why do you hate me, Ai? Guiying snarled, bringing him out of his stupor, "Fine, if you don''t want to answer me! But nobody will stop me now from defending Ai! I have waited long enough. You do what you think is right. I will do what I think is right!" She stormed out of his office. Yating let her go without trying to stop her. A frost covered his ck eyes as he saw no update from Sky''s side to stop defaming MissImperfectlyFine. A cold smile etched on his lips. "I gave you a chance, Liu Jun. And now my patience is over." Chapter 118 The Eldest Member Of The Liu Family Chapter 118 The Eldest Member Of The Liu Family Liu vi. It was a happy weekend, but there was a grim silence in the Liu vi today. Two figures were carefully sizing up their opponent and thest piece of dumpling on a te. Jian gravely covered touched his chin, staring between the dumpling and his grandfather. Liu Hai''s sharp gaze also refused to leave the dumpling out of his sight. It was war. Nuo, who was doing some online shopping with her grandmother, Liu Chunhua, helplessly sighed. "It''s just one dumpling. Finish it already." Jian exhaled. "You don''t understand the gravity of this situation, Nuo." "Indeed," Liu Hai agreed. "The only gravity of this situation is that you not freeing up that te since fifteen minutes now," she scowled. She looked around and found Nian lying on the couch all lethargic and lost. "Bro, why are you acting like a tragic Romeo?" was close to tears. "I might have struck my own foot with the ax! Leave me alone!" "Huh? What are you talking about?" Jing sneered. "He hasnded into deep trouble with hisdy love~" Everybody''s attention sharply fell on Nian. Jian took the advantage, grabbed the dumpling and popped into his mouth. But Liu Hai didn''t bother for the first time. His eyes sparkled. "I am hearing about this the first time! Who is thisdy love? Where does she live? How old is she? Are you worthy enough of her?" Jin entered, wheeling the eldest member of the Liu family, Grandma Liu. She looked slightly pale and in a daze but hearing upon the mysterious woman Nian liked, she forgot about it and curiously looked at him. "Oh what is this I hear? Nian found himself a woman?" Jin narrowed his eyes. "Bro, you got time from eating cakes to actually look at a woman?" Nian scowled. "Shut up, Jin! Your brother is in misery, and you are making fun of me?" He rolled his eyes. Nana came in, carrying a tray of freshly brewed tea for everyone. Jinhai was already at the other side, ignoring all the chatter. Instead, he was quietly staring at his phone. Nana asked, "What are you all talking about?" Jian answered as he licked his fingers, "Nian fell in love but his love story already ended before it could even begin. He is modern day''s Romeo now." Nian - "..." "Jian!" Liu Hai clicked his tongue. "I knew it. You always get yourself in trouble. Useless." Liu Chunhua smiled. "You are thest person to say that, Mr. Liu. You haven''t been any less of a troublemaker. At one point, I even wondered if I was doing right marrying you." The attack straight hit at his heart, draining all his HP in a single blow. "My wife, how can you¡­" Nana was speechless. "Nian, what did you do!? You finally did something decent for the first time, and you messed it up too?" ? "Pfft¡­" Nuo burst intoughter. Nian was cornered by all sides. "I¡­I¡­didn''t know it would turn into such a mess!" Jing sneered and gave a short ount of what transpired in the wedding anniversary evening between Nian and Xing Bi. Everybody - "..." Jingughed. "He is dead. Once she learns that he is the young master and was fooling around that got her into trouble needlessly, she is gonna kill the shit out of him. She looked so mad that night too~" Grandma Liu pinched his ear hard. "Stupid great-grandson!" "O!" Nian cried. "It hurts!" "Hurts? I wanna p you!" She red at him. Jin sneered. "Pinch it harder, Grandma. He deserves it." Nana asked, "Jing, I hope you-" "Worry not sister-inw. Nian paid the debt with interest~ He dared to use my dress without my permission. Of course, he should pay the price. I didn''t punish her once Nian confessed the truth. But oh boy, she is never gonna forgive Nian, muahahahahah!" Nana was relieved as long as Xing Bi wasn''t in trouble. Nian gritted his teeth. "Just wait you all! I will definitely turn the tide around!" At that point, a figure stepped inside and Nuo brightened as she saw him. "Bro Jun!" She ran towards him and hugged him. Everybody else cheered up too. Only Jinhai was the one who was quietly staring at his son. Nana beamed. "Jun!" She kissed his cheek. "You finally got the time to visit your family?" Jun tried his best to smile. He nced at everyone once and as his gaze fell on Jin, Jin eagerly raised his hand to wave at him, but Jun zed his sight over so quickly that Jin froze mid-air. His gaze dimmed and he lowered his hand, a pang of sadness enveloping his heart. Jun said, "I¡­I have something to say to everyone." Grandma Liu beckoned him to her side, her eyes slightly misty. Jun widened his eyes and quickly bent on his knees to her wheelchair''s level. "Why are you crying?" "Then what else should I do? You suddenly left this house. Even if it was to focus on yourpany, couldn''t you do it from here?" Jun trembled. It wasn''t possible, Grandma. I couldn''t live here anymore not only because it was Dad''s decision. But I felt ashamed to face everyone after how I hurt everybody in my past life. When Jun thought about it, he realized that maybe he confessed to Jinhai not only to share his burdens and guilt but somewhere in his heart, he wanted his fury. He wanted Jinhai to punch him. He wanted his father to throw him out of the house. He wanted him to punish him the worst possible way. He left because he felt he deserved to live a lonely life. Jun softly held her hand, tears threatening to slip from his dark brown pupils. He remembered how she passed away in his past life. It was natural death that happened due to her age. It ured an yearter after Shui''s twenty-fifth birthday. By that point, Jun had turned into aplete mess and disregarded everybody''s feelings. He was thrown out of the Liu vi as his obsession towards Shui grew instead of epting the truth. After he was reborn, what he regretted the most was Grandma Liu and Nana''s deaths. Nana''s death was directly linked to him. But he wished Grandma Liu didn''t have to witness such tension and sadness in her family before she passed away. Chapter 119 A Bad Dream Chapter 119 A Bad Dream There were still six more years until her death, and Jun was sure that Jinhai would do everything in his power to possibly stop it from happening. He might have already reached out to Nana''s elder brother, Liang Shin who was an acimed doctor, to keep a track of her medical reports and scrutinize it even more carefully. Death was inevitable one day, and they didn''t know if these efforts would pay off. But Jun knew that Jinhai would try until the very end. Grandma Liu''s hands trembled, and she lovingly held his face. "You¡­you didn''te to the Christmas party, nor in the New Years! Even at the wedding anniversary celebration, you didn''t meet me! You don''t love your great-grandma anymore?" She coughed a bit and breathed hard. "You suddenly left and then¡­and then broke contact¡­" Nana and Liu Chunhua hurriedly went over to her side, "Grandma, don''t cry. Jun is here now." She wiped her eyes and seemed pale. "But he doesn''t meet us anymore. Sometimes I feel¡­that he is avoiding us¡­" He stiffened. Jian and Nian grinned. "Should we beat him up?" Nuo smacked their heads. "No beating and fighting!" Grandma Liu wiped her cheeks again. "Jun, don''t you love your family anymore?" hastily replied. "Of course, it''s not like that, Grandma. You don''t need to stress over this. She trembled. "But you didn''t celebrate Christmas and New Year''s with us. When did work get so important to you, huh? Then you didn''t bother to meet me during the anniversary too. I miss you so much. But you¡­Now tell me, when will youe back to live here?" She coughed again. "I had a bad dreamst night, you know? I was calling you so many times. But you weren''t a-answering me¡­" Her eyes teared up, and she softly sobbed. "I saw that the whole family was on one side, but you were alone¡­a-and you weren''ting to our side either¡­" At this point, her breaths got ragged and restless. "Grandma!" Jun patted her back. Everybody anxiously got up from their seats and helped her. Liu Hai sighed. "Mom, you were just fine until now. Why are you worrying so much?" She red at him. "Shut up, you brat. I didn''t want to make you all worry. But then I saw Jun, and I couldn''t hold it in anymore¡­*cough cough*" Nuo quickly brought water for her, but Grandma Liu seemed to be trembling even more. Jun held her hand and said with an urgency in his voice, "Grandma, I am here. You don''t have to worry." "B-But in my dream you were not¡­It was such a nightmare¡­" she touched her chest, feeling uneasy and in pain, "I am old. I don''t want my family to break apart¡­" her eyes ached. "I felt so lonely, Jun. You-you seemed to be going farther and farther away¡­I was so scared that you would nevere back¡­" She suddenly gasped and coughed hard, making everyone panic even more. Jinhai immediately said, "I will call brother-inw, Shin. Take her to her room right now." Jian and Nian didn''t waste a second further and quickly ced her on the bed in her room. Jing and the others stayed by the bedside, doing their best to console her. Nana fed her some water and said, "Calm down, Grandma. It was just a bad dream." In her gentle and soothing voice, she tried to reassure her. Jing nodded. "Yes, Grandma. Nobody is going anywhere." ? Jun stood rooted at the back, seeing her in such a fragile state. This hadn''t happened in his past life. But because he left home, the chain of events changed, causing Grandma Liu to have bad dreams. He quickly asked Nian to shift and sat beside her. "Grandma¡­" She dazedly looked up, still tired and restless. "Everybody is here now¡­Good¡­" He slightly squeezed her hand. "Don''t fall sick, Grandma. You have to live a long life." She weakly smiled. "I will if everyone is happy like this¡­" ¡ª A whileter, Nana''s elder brother, Dr. Liang Shin and his son studying medicine, Liang Bao, quickly got busy in taking her checkup. Hearing the news, Shui, Siying and Leina and her little brother, Yuhan also came to visit. Leina stood beside Jian and entwined her hand against his. "Don''t worry, okay? Grandma will be fit in no time." Yuhan patted his arms. "She is even stronger than my muscles! Nothing will faze her." Jian gave them a solemn nod. Siying consoled Nuo on his side, who was sobbing, deathly worried about Grandma Liu. He patted her head. "Grandma Liu is very strong. As if something like this can take her down. So, don''t cry. If you cry, then she will get more worried." The tip of her nose turned reddish, and she nodded. On the other side, Shui herself was on the verge of tears. She had yed in Liu vi countless times in her childhood. Out of everyone, she liked to y with Grandma Liu the most. She used to tell her the best stories. Now hearing that she almost got an attack made her worried sick. She quietly stood beside Jun, keeping aside all the differences between them at this moment. "She will be fine." Jun clenched his fist. "Yes¡­She will be." When Shin came outside, he assured. "She is fine. There isn''t any problem with her blood pressure or pulse either. The nightmare has given her a bad scare." Bao said, "That''s why she panicked and was overthinking. Just make sure not to make her tense about anything. She will forget the nightmare and eventually settle down." Everybody heaved a great sigh of relief. "Thank God¡­" When Grandma Liu saw them gathered around her, she smiled. "En. Indeed¡­it feels good to see you all together like this¡­" She looked at six people and asked them to sit by her side, "Jian, Leina. Siying, Nuo. Jun, Shui. Come here." They obediently sat around her, and she lovingly gazed at them one by one. She sighed in satisfaction, her gaze hazy. "This feels so nice. I never imagined I would live to see my great-grandchildren in such happy rtionships too. You¡­all stay together like this, okay?" Jun and Shui stiffened. "Always love each other, support each other. Even if you fight¡­don''t fight for too long," she gazed at her two lovely great grandsons and smiled. "Jian. Jun. Can I ask you two a favor?" Chapter 120 Predicament Chapter 120 Predicament Jian and Jun immediately held her wrinkly hands and scooted closer to her. "Yes, Grandma?" They gently smiled. Jian softly patted her head while Jun tapped his palm upon hers. "You know that it''s not a favor, right? You just give themand, and we will fulfill it." She coughed a bit and pinched Jian''s cheek. "Jian, you rascal. Aren''t you already twenty-six? When will you marry Leina and bring her home as your wife?" Leina''s face reddened in embarrassment. Her brother, Yuhan, teasingly grinned at her. Leina elbowed him hard, ring at him. Don''t give me that reaction! Jun slightly trembled. ncing at Jian and Leina once, he recalled the past life. He brought differences in their rtionships. If not for him, things would have gone well between them. They would have gotten married and had children. But their rtionship broke apart. Jian became a mess. He took to drinking and became an alcoholic as he could never forget Leina. But the past life won''t repeat this time. Jun wholeheartedly wished for Jian and Leina to marry as soon as possible. He smiled. "Yeah, Bro. What are you waiting for? If you wait too long, then Leing might find another man." Jun was the cause behind their broken lives, and now he wanted to take this chance and mend the mistakes he made. Jian red at him, making everybodyugh. Grandma Liu softly nodded. "If not marry, then at least get engaged. You all young people want to marryte nowadays¡­The generation has changed so much¡­" she tiredlyined. "Think about your great grandmother. Can I live that long really?" jumped on the bed and hugged her. "Come on, Grandma! You are going to live for two hundred years!" He grinned. She weakly pped his cheek. "Shut up. Don''t try to butter me up," she coughed. "If I have lived this far, then at least let me see you two couples getting engaged¡­" Jian smirked. "I am ready for it anytime." Leina cleared her throat, feeling a little shy. "I am ready for it too, provided I can live here for a few days because Dad is gonna explode like crazy." "No kidding," Yuhan coughed. Liu Hai waved his hand in dismissal. "As if that Liang will dare trouble my granddaughter-inw! You have your handsome grandfather''s protection!" Grandma Liu''s eyes teared up, and tremblingly patted his head. "Good, good¡­" She then nced at Jun. "You too Jun. I heard from Nana you bought a ring for Shui." Jin''s gaze ever so slightly flickered. Shui froze, and her eyes widened. Ring? Siying beamed. "Woah! Bro Jun bought a ring for Shui! That''s incredible. Though Dad is gonna explode like crazy if he hears this¡­" he touched his chin. Leina and Yuhan shared his sentiment. Nana bit her tongue. Aish, it was supposed to be kept secret from Shui until her birthday. But in this condition, Nana didn''t me Grandma Liu. Jun stiffened. Grandma Liu was faintly displeased with Jian. "Look. He is¡­he is your younger brother but already bought a ring. What are you doing?" "Hey!" He whined. "It''s hard finding a perfect ring, okay-" Now, he bit his lip. Shit, it was supposed to be a surprise! ? Leina was speechless, at first. He was nning to buy a ring for me¡­? She quickly looked away, trying to hide her crimson flushed cheeks. Jian sheepishly grinned. "Nobody heard that, right?" Jing smirked. "We all heard that perfectly. Wow, Jian. You had your own secret tucked into your sleeve aye?" "..." Nian felt aggrieved and betrayed. "You bastard! How dare you hide it from your best twin brother!?" "Because your mouth doesn''t stop yapping!" He shot back. "You!" Liu Chunhua gritted her teeth. "Stop fighting or leave the room!" They immediately shut their mouths. Nana pped her hands in delight. "So wonderful! Jian is not hopeless. Right, Jinhai?" He smiled and nodded. "I was never hopeless!" Jian defended himself. Grandma Liu expectantly asked, "Where is the ring you bought, Jun? Since your ring is ready, why don''t you put it on Shui?" Their expressions didn''t look so thrilled as one might have expected. Grandma Liu noticed the tension and asked, "Why do you look so worried? Did you two have a fight?" Jun and Shui quickly shook their heads. "No, no! Of course not, Grandma." She felt relieved and faintly nodded, "Good¡­Jun, even if you don''t visit us so frequently, I hope you are not ignoring Shui like that." His smile cracked. He came here to tell everyone about his breakup but now with Grandma Liu''s state, he found himself unable to put her in any possible danger by giving her any tension. She warmly smiled at Shui. "My dear. Don''t get afraid. I¡­" her breaths were a little shallow as she spoke, "You are only twenty. Of course, I don''t want to make you leave your parents'' house so soon. But seeing you two engaged will make me happy¡­I might not live for another four or five years until you two get ready." Shui shook her head. "I understand, Grandma." Nana scolded her. "Grandma, no talking about death and all." She gave a feeble chuckle. "I cannot help it dear. Sometimes I hear your grandfather calling me. He is¡­so jealous that I¡­That''s why I wish to see my great grandchildren settle down until I have the time. Oh but¡­Not Nuo o-okay? Nuo won''t leave this house anytime soon¡­" Siying gently smiled. "Yes, Grandma. We will do as you wish." Grandma Liu asked Jun, "What are you waiting for?" "I¡­don''t have the ring with me right now¡­" Jun lied. She sighed. "I see." Liu Haiughed. "That''s fine. Isn''t Shui''s twenty-first birthdaying soon? They can get engaged at that time!" Liu Chunhua and Nuo pped their hands in delight. "That''s wonderful!" Jinhai kept his silence. Watching Grandma Liu''s state right now, he carefully decided not to reveal why Jun was here for today. Amidst the cheers and excitement, the only ones with conflicting expressions were Jun and Shui. What am I supposed to do now? Chapter 121 Attack On Sky Chapter 121 Attack On Sky Shui fell back on her bed as soon as she reached home. She let out a deep breath, her heart aching to see Grandma Liu in such a sickly state. She wiped the corner of her eyes, twinkling with her tear drops. She knew the purpose behind Jun''s visit and the reason for his silence too. But everything became even moreplicated now. A furious stream of dings made her jolt up. She unlocked her phone and saw that it was Warlord continuously messaging Reading Point''s chat. She facepalmed. This man¡­ [Warlord - Hey hey hey! I heard some awesome news! It''s about the Author''s Summit that is going to be held on 14th February! Hohoho! And guess what? My Goddess is participating in the Summit!] He then entered a string of proud and happy emojis. Shui tilted her head. [HS - On Valentine''s?] [Mimic - That''s just perfect for female authors isn''t it?] [Sandrios - Oh cool! I am excited!] Valentine''s¡­ In normal circumstances, Jun would have nned a date to celebrate this day. - It will be interesting to see new entries.] [GotoHell - Will MissImperfectlyFine be participating too?] There was silence in the chat. Shui didn''t understand why it felt so awkward. She wasn''t always active on Reading Point. From Jun, she already knew that MissImperfectlyFine was a talented author. But then it struck her. She also read the news that Sky pressed charges against her. Naturally, it wouldn''t have happened without Jun''s consent. This is really so shocking, she thought. I have seen him read her books so many times. Her books are even there in his own library which means he respects her talent. [Candywoman - Don''t even talk about it! She is a cheater!] [Sandrios - She giarized someone''s novel and still has the guts to be on this server!] [Warlord - Hey, Hey calm down. I might not read her books, but I feel she cannot cheat like this.] Suddenly, the chat became too active and readers came popping out cursing MissImperfectlyFine. They even pinged her, dissing her like crazy. But despite all that fury, some of her loyal readers still came to defend her. [I trust my favorite author! MissImperfectlyFine can never cheat!] [Yes! @MissImperfectlyFine Don''t worry at all! I support you!] [Hmph! Just you see! She will win this Author''s Summit!] One of CherryBlossom''s fans retorted. [How? By stealing another''s story again?] [She is not a cheater!] [Sky even gave the proof you blind!] [Okay, let''s bet who will win! It will be CherryBlossom versus MissImperfectlyFine! Obviously, my money''s on CherryBlossom!] [I believe in MissImperfectlyFine! She will definitely win this!] Just then, a notification popup came from CherryBlossom''s official social media ounts. It read as- ''I know there are some serious allegations against my fellow author, MissImperfectlyFine. But I take this chance to put forth my stand. MissImperfectlyFine is not just a writer from the samepany as I. We are best friends. I know her better and longer than Sky and all of you who are defaming her. She is the most honest and sincerest person I know. I feel incredibly lucky to have a best friend like her. No matter what, I stand by her side. She is not a cheater. That''s all.'' There was a stunned silence for a long time, but it soon exploded by a fury ofments. ''CherryBlossom has spoken!'' ? ''So they are best friends?'' ''Well¡­if she says so, then I will believe MissImperfectlyFine.'' ''Yeah my Goddess will never stand on a cheater''s side!'' Shui opened her direct message window and dropped a message to Warlord. Among all the readers and members, only he seemed to be calm about this despite being CherryBlossom''s fan. Over the course of time, Warlord was the only member of the group to be good friends with her. [HS - I saw CherryBlossom''s message.] [Warlord - Yes my Goddess has spoken! Hahaha! Now all MissImperfectlyFine''s haters will be shut off!] She smiled. [HS - You are a nice person. You don''t like her books, but you are not being mean about this.] [Warlord - Well that doesn''t mean I will jump on her to humiliate her *shrugs*] But it''s so shocking to see this charge against her. Shui nodded and typed. ''Yeah. Even Jun-'' She widened her eyes and quickly erased Jun''s name. I am still not used to calling Jun by his username, she shook her head. [HS - MrPerfect is also extremely furious at MissImperfectlyFine *sigh* Even though he has read her books so many times.] There was a long pause. [Warlord - ¡­] [Huh, huh, huh!? You say as if you know personally know him?] Shui raised her brow. [HS - I do.] [Warlord - Whaaaaaaat!? I never knew this! You know my best buddy? My best bro!? So unfair! You two chatted like you didn''t even know each other!] He let out a string of shock emojis. ]HS - We had our reasons. But MrPerfect is a very good friend of mine.] He will cry even more if I say that he is my childhood friend and was my boyfriend, Shui thought. [Warlord - Damn!!! We are best buddies! You shouldn''t have hidden it from meeeee!] Her mouth twitched. I don''t think Jun treats you as his best buddy though¡­ [Warlord - And here I wanted to meet him on the signing event day! If I knew earlier, I would have asked you to butter him up!] "..." This man¡­is hopeless! ¡ª The direction had changed. The events had taken a steep and a sharp turn after CherryBlossom''s statement. Her army of readers began to attack Sky for defaming MissImperfectlyFine. Her readers were so loyal to her that they knew she wouldn''t take anybody''s side who was a cheater and liar. Charging on Sky was inevitable. But apart from this ongoing ughter of the massive readermunity against Sky, another threat had already knocked on its door. Late at night, Jun received a call from Yunru. Even through the ringtone that sounded as usual, Jun sensed an urgency behind. He thought that it was rted to the CherryBlossom''s readers attacking Sky, but the news that awaited him was something else. "Bro!" Jun said, "I will deal with CherryBlossom''s readers tomorrow," the air was already icy just like his deep gaze. "It''s not about her readers! It''s our app where our readers read webnovels and weics. It has crashed!" Chapter 122 Bounceback Chapter 122 Bounceback Jun got up with a jolt. "What? Our app?" "Yes! Our IT department is getting a flood of angryints that readers are not able to ess our app at all. They cannot read anything. Many were purchasing chips when the app suddenly crashed, and they lost their money." Chips was Sky app''s currency through which readers essed the web novel''s paid chapters. "The authors are sending another bunch ofints. They are not able to update their chapters they regrly post, and their readers are also getting dissatisfied by this. It''s chaotic everywhere." "How did the app suddenly crash?" He coldly asked. "Put me with the IT team right now!" "But bro, your identity¡­" "I don''t care. I will deal with itter. Solving our readers'' and authors'' issues is more important here." "I will connect you right away!" He opened hisptop and joined a conference with them. "I am Sky CEO. Keep your shock and questions forter on. Just tell me what the fuck is happening with the app?" The members of the IT department had their jaws dropped. Among them, the women who worked in the team lost all their sense of professionalism. H-H-Ho-Hottttt!! Wait, when did we have a CEO!? it always the President? "Who. Is. Responsible. For. This?" The iciness in his voice was raised by several notches, and the IT team was reduced into a bucket of sweat. The IT team manager spoke up, "Sir, we investigated, and it seems like a bug shut down our app out of nowhere?" "Out of nowhere?" He lowered his tone, making the pressure in the air denser. "Nowhere? Does the bug have wings? If there is a bug, then restore our app with the previous version." Another team member quickly added, "Yes, Sir! We tried that as soon as we identified this bug, but even the backup load is not working!" He narrowed his eyes. ''Then face the consequences. I will tear Sky down to shreds.'' Green veins popped on his forehead. Gu Yating¡­ The team was shit scared as his gaze kept darkening with threat and possibly murder. Yunru furiously chimed in. "It''s not only the bug. We got an anonymous message on our server too! Read this, bro." The IT manager swiftly put up the message on the screen. ''I hope you got my message Sky CEO. PS - I feel bad for the readers who might have lost their money while buying your chips? So here''s apensation tip from me.'' "That bastard sent money! To us! He brings the bug in our systems first, and then hepensates!?" Yunru''s body was twitching for some action. "I will kill that man!" Sky''s official social media ount was beginning to get spammed by its furious readers, especially the ones who lost their money. They were demanding to refund the money they lost in the chip transaction. Jun dangerously sneered. "He thinks he can take down Sky by a mere bug attack?" He took the controls of the app''s software code. His fingers flew on the keyboard, the sound of his rapid typing echoing in the call. All the backup versions on the server had gotten corrupted. Without a backup, it was impossible to load the app back to normalcy. Jun squinted his gaze, a disdainful smile curling his lips upwards. He opened another site which was loaded exactly like Sky''s server. The IT team and Yunru watched in amazement and speechlessness. The manager couldn''t stop himself from asking, curiosity filling within him. "Which server is this?" "My basement," Jun sneered. "..." ? "It''s a replica, a backup of the Sky server." "B-But we just have three servers. One main server and two as backups, all three of which are not working." "I made a fourth server and hosted it in a separate environment." He rapidly pulled in thetest app''s backup and loaded it. His movements were so fluid that they could only admire it. Yunru frowned. "But since when did we have a fourth server! I didn''t know about this!" Jun shot a deadly re at him, making him slightly cower. "W-what¡­?" "I told you about this server because as the President, you should know. I taught you the process too if not for you sleeping with your eyes open." "..." The IT team threw questioning looks at their President. You knew about this, President? Yunru scratched the back of his head, grinning sheepishly. "Oh¡­So that''s what you were teaching me that day? The code looked so jumbled! I couldn''t make any sense of it¡­I-I felt sleepy." Jun sneered. "Don''t sleep now, or I will shut your eyes forever." "Yes!" The backup load wasplete, and the IT team quickly tried opening the app with their hearts beating faster. "It opened!" "The app is working!" "I just logged in!" They all shed tears of happiness. "Thank you CEO!" The first thing Jun did was pull out the list of users who lost their money while buying the chips. "Send a refund to all these users," he coldly ordered. "Yes, Sir!" A haunting gleam then shone in Jun''s pupils as he gave it a thought. A bug was too easy. Is he¡­ ¡ª "Sir, Sky''s app is working now again," the hacker hired by Yating reported. "We were right. We shouldn''t have attacked their system with the virus. They had another server hosted in apletely different environment. The virus would have been useless." The hacker had done an exhaustive analysis, yet he didn''t find a trace of a separate server. But his instincts told otherwise which Yating shared as well. Yating raised his brow. "I did have an inkling that he won''t be this stupid of just using two backup servers. He had another one hidden. That''s why I told to simply insert one bug which would force him to use his hidden server," he narrowed his eyes. "I don''t care if their app is working again. This was thest warning. He knows. If he doesn''t apologize, then I willunch a full blown attack on Sky''s systems from which he can never recover." Then he tilted his head and ordered icily. "Do one more thing for me. Find out everything about Butterfly." ¡ª On the other hand, Ai was ready. Xing Bi was by her side, nodding her head. "Whatever happens, happens, okay?" Ai took a deep, silent breath, emptying her mind of any thoughts and worries. "Yes, Xing Bi. I will face whatever is toe now." Ai stared at her mobile screen and finally pressed the ''Post'' button. Chapter 123 MissImperfectlyFines Statement Chapter 123 MissImperfectlyFine''s Statement Back at his condo, Jun copsed on the couch after getting things sorted out on the app''s end. He realized that this wasn''t over. Yating was ying with him. He gave a teaser by inserting a bug in their app''s software. But if he didn''t back down, then Sky might face another graver attack on its systems. Jun had already taken measures to up the security. If Yating could hire a hacker to do his job, then so could he. He called a number, and it rang. "Chyou." The voice from the other end beamed. "Jun." "I am gonna need your hacking skills now," he sneered. "Whaaaat? Why do you always call me when you need my help? First, you needed my acting skills to deal with those C grade actresses - Su Lingxin and Xiong Hui." Su Lingxin and Xiong Hui were the ones who had bullied Ai in their middle school trip when she was sick during her periods. "Ah, but I have to thank you for that~ That was fun seeing them running around like clowns. I was gonna deal with them anyway because they were bullying the staff on the movie set. They always pollute the air. Ah, the set is so peaceful now," she chuckled. Chyou was the daughter of Zhu Xiaosi and Zhu Caihong, friends of Siying and Shui''s parents, Xinyi and Zhiyuan. She was the most popr A listed actress in the entertainment industry but as a side job, she was fairly capable in hacking too. Her father was the CEO of S3pany, a technologypany that provided security services to their customers. Working with him for a spell made her proficient in this area too. Jun narrowed his eyes. "Somebody attacked Sky''s app with a bug causing it to delete all the backups and making me use my different server." "Ohhh~ Wow, that hacker must be quite skillful." "Why aren''t you so surprised by this? By any chance, are you the hacker behind this mess?" Her sweetughter rang from the other side. "Of course not. I won''t bully my friend. But I must say that guy has the guts to attack Sky." He sneered. "Those guts won''t remain for long. If he can y this game, then so can I. Prepare to attack Dream High. He was kind enough to give me a warning, but Liu Jun doesn''t show kindness." Chyou sighed. "Fine. I will do it. You do realize that I am older than you, right?" "Oh really? I never noticed. Anyway, message me when you will be ready." "This is not how you talk to your elders," her voice sounded displeased. "Then how do you talk?" "You talk with money. That''s showing respect," she teased him. "The daughter of Zhu Xiaosi needs money?" "Shopping is a wonderful activity, you know~" Jun rolled his eyes. "You should be ashamed of yourself, looting from a younger man." "And you should be ashamed of yourself too for calling me only when you need me. Otherwise, I don''t even see you," she sharplyined. ? His brow twitched. "I hope you don''t get the lead part in the next movie!" "So petty!" Jun hung up and threw his phone aside. He got up and passed through the crescent swing when he stopped. He slowly walked towards it, recalling the time when¡­ The back of his throat suddenly felt ufortable and itchy. He slightly scratched the skin with his nails, trying to soothe the uneasiness gripping him. What must she be doing right now? He lowered his head and and stared at his palm. With these same fingers he had held onto Ai''s delicate skin and traversed them along her slender body. He remembered the lingering sensation of her breasts pressing on his chest, making a sharp gulp pass down his throat. Fuck! Annoyance, irritation and anger surfaced within him for himself as the familiar sexual heat tingled his body like crazy. The touch of her soft lips and the entwining of their fingers brought forth the same reaction that tortured him that night. Jun''s expression was indescribable. He stared at the bulging member visible from his jeans, and he had an urge to strangle himself. "What am I!? A sexually depraved ape!? The fuck I am getting excited like a pervert!" He punched his fist on the wall, but it failed to soothe him. He stomped his way towards the bathroom for a cold shower, but he abruptly put a brake on his steps. "..." "I. Don''t. Need. A. Cold. Shower. I. Am. Fine!!" He sat on the couch, breathing hard. Pressing the space between his brows, he looked beside him. It was the ce where Ai usually would work on her story in the evenings with him. There was the dining table where they ate their meals. The bedroom behind him was where Ai used to live. The whole space around him reminded him of Ai incessantly. Wherever he nced at, he felt as if Ai was still there. Or at least, he wanted her to be. He didn''t know if she was stilling to the library. He himself skipped a few days because of his problems. Tomorrow¡­ Tomorrow, there was a possibility that he would meet Ai again at the library. But Jun could have never imagined that the time to meet her again wasing even sooner than tomorrow. Wanting to divert his mind away from Ai, he checked his phone and randomly scrolled down the news feed. CherryBlossom''s statement was still on fire and second top trending in news. The topmost trending news post was from MissImperfectlyFine. Jun jolted up and narrowed his eyes. Ever since the giarism charge against her, this was the first time that she was making a public statement. He swiftly opened it and read her post. ''Hello. I understand that there has been a giarism charged against me. I take this chance to rify all the misunderstandings for which I am the sole reason. Everything started when I visited Sky to pitch in my story draft.'' Chapter 124 To Find Answers Chapter 124 To Find Answers ''For some time now, I have been meaning to leave Dream High. It was a great experience working in Dream High, but I wished to challenge myself by working for a differentpany and in a different environment. I wished to join Sky, but I couldn''t. I was desperate, so I Iied about my identity. I entered Sky as an author with the pen name Butterfly. I wrote my story as Butterfly, but I identally posted it as MissImperfectlyFine when I was sick one day. Sky, who knew me as Butterfly, read the story and thought that MissImperfectlyFine had giarized. I don''t me Sky for the usations against me. I hid my identity, and this misunderstanding happened. I could havee out with the truth sooner, but I was afraid. Even if the giarism charge against me dissolved, I had still lied to Sky. I was still to be med nevertheless. But I came to the conclusion that this couldn''t go on anymore. Tensions between Sky and Dream High needlessly increased because of me. I felt guilty and ashamed of myself. That''s why, I decided to speak up the truth today. MissImperfectlyFine is Butterfly and Butterfly is MissImperfectlyFine. I sincerely apologize to Sky for causing thismotion. I know I must have disappointed Sky and my readers a lot. I can only humbly ask you to please forgive me and give me another chance. I won''t fail you ever again, I promise. Thank you so much for hearing me out. Love, MissImperfectlyFine.'' Jun sprung up on his feet with his eyes widened in utter disbelief. He read the post again and again until he felt a headacheing, but he still refused to believe it. and MissImperfectlyFine¡­are the same? "Both are¡­Ai?" He muttered the question to himself. Jun stared ahead with a nk gaze. He tried to put the pieces of puzzle into their ces, but he couldn''t figure out how it happened and why? But Ai said that she is Butterfly. Why would she lie about her identity? He remembered the time Jun met Ai as MissImperfectlyFine and the time they spent after the book signing event. Ai or MissImperfectlyFine didn''t seem like somebody who would be dishonest. Then when he and Ai lived together, he learned that she wanted to join Sky. She even visited Sky but even so, the fact never came out that she was MissImperfectlyFine. The one who visited Sky was still the author Butterfly. Why? He couldn''t wrap his head around it, but it made more sense as he kept thinking about it. Ai said that she had posted her story identally when she was sick. Was that the time when she was sick with periods? That added up because immediately a few days after that, he had received the draft from Yunru and hell broke loose. He had confronted Ai at the library but even so, Ai didn''t confess the truth at that time. "But why did this even happen in the first ce!?" He eximed to himself. Jun ran to his bedroom and opened MissImperfectlyFine''s books. He read through the pages and recalled how he had slightly felt that her and Ai''s writing styles were simr. But she had dismissed it saying that she admired MissImperfectlyFine and took inspiration. Even when Jun read the draft, for a moment, he had wondered if they were the same person. But after spending time with Ai for all this time, it never crossed his mind that she would lie. Jun trembled. ? He stared at the books again. He brushed his palm along the pages. The writer who had left such a deep impression on him in his past life was someone so closer to him. She lived with him for a month, yet he didn''t have a clue. The author who had affected him with her stories and who unknowingly drilled her ce in his heart was right beside him all along. Why Ai¡­Why? ¡ª To get answers to his questions, Jun left his condo and headed straight towards Ai''s house. He didn''t care if it waste at night, but he wanted his answers at all costs. He reached her apartment but abruptly stopped in his steps when he noticed a familiar figure justing out of the building''s gate. Jun froze. He kept his gaze fixed at Yating who left the apartment, his face marred with tension and anxiousness. He didn''t notice Jun standing at a distance. What the fuck is he- He stiffened as it dawned upon him. Ai was MissImperfectlyFine. She worked in Dream High and in the past life, she and Yating seemed to have had a special rtionship. From the way Yating behaved towards Ai after the book signing event, it only meant that he had feelings for her. Realizing the connection between Ai and Yating made his heart burst with fury. He tightly and dangerously balled his fist, his dark brown pupils glinting with an rm. Ai and Yating¡­ ¡ª On the other side, Ai took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. Yating rushed to her home without giving a heads-up as soon as the post got viral. He wanted answers just like Jun wanted to. Ai briefly talked to him and also apologized for causing trouble to Dream High, all professionally and by keeping a distance from him. In the end, she sent him back without telling him why she wanted to move to Sky. Yating could only respect her decision and leave. Her phone buzzed with a message from Xing Bi again. This was almost the twentieth time she had asked for her well-being. Naturally, Ai was receiving a lot of hate once her post was published. Xing Bi was worried sick about her mental state. ''Just stay calm and don''t look at thements, okay!'' Ai softly smiled and replied. ''I won''t. I am fine Xing Bi. Trust me.'' She softly exhaled. *Bang bang bang!* Ai sharply jolted, hearing loud banging from her door. Who¡­? Is it Yating again? But he already- *Bang bang!* Ai quickly rushed, afraid that the person would wake up the whole apartmentplex. She opened the door and immediately felt a chill run in the back of her neck. She slowly lifted her gaze and stiffened. "Jun¡­" Chapter 125 Questions And Answers Chapter 125 Questions And Answers Ai took in a silent breath. She knew that Jun would also realize the truth after the post. But she hadn''t expected that he woulde to meet her sote at night. She remembered thest time she had seen Jun in Sky where Yunru had announced his engagement with Shui. A feeling of bitterness and difort encased her heart. Ai was looking at him but her voice was quiet as she spoke, "...Hello." Jun tilted his head and stared at her as if he was piercing her very soul. "Won''t you invite me inside?" Ai cleared her throat. "It''s a littlete-" "Won''t. You. Invite. Me. Inside?" He narrowed his eyes, icily enunciating his question. Silence. Ai saw one of the neighbors peeking through the slit of their door to know what was going on. She said, "Pleasee in." He sneered. "Good. Because you didn''t have a choice." passed from beside her, making Ai feel that it was suddenly freezing even more than the snow raining outside. Ai quietly closed the door and walked to the living room where his tall and sturdy frame seemed to upy the entire room. The house suddenly felt fuller than before. His presence was silent andmanding akin to a Demon King stepping into the human realm. Silence rang in the air for several long minutes. Ai tapped with her fingers, looked left and then right and finally asked, "You are-" She froze when Jun''s figure towered in front of her out of nowhere. Just a second ago, he was at a distance from her, but now her eyes were staring straight right at his chest. Her breath stopped in her throat with this sudden proximity. Jun''s frost-covered gaze peered into her as he asked in a threatening voice, "What the fuck was he doing here?" The question snapped her out of her trance. "Who?" The look in his eyes turned even icier. "Gu. Yating. What was he doing here?" It was a pressure that would have crushed anybody else miserably, but Ai stood unaffected. She figured that since Jun worked in Sky, he must havee to know who Gu Yating was. She maintained her poise and said, "You must have read my post. As Dream High''s chief editor, he came to talk to me." Though Ai couldn''t understand why he was asking about Yating. She had expected him to shoot questions about her dual identity. Jun took a step forward even though there was no space which made Ai stumble a step back. She looked up and her eyshes trembled as he bent his face closer towards her. "As Chief Editor or somebody else?" Her brows crinkled. If not as Chief Editor then as what? ? "I don''t understand." "Will a Chief Editor bother toe to an author''s house at suchte night just to rify about the misunderstanding?" At the end, she faintly heard the sound of his teeth gritting against each other. "Did hee here just as a colleague or somebody else?" She felt the anger and danger emanate from his aura and his gaze throwing daggers at her. Ai stared at him. "Then why are you here? Didn''t youe here at such ate hour too? What rtionship is there between us?" In the end, her voice also turned a little sour, recalling about Jun buying a ring for Shui. That one moment had clearly drawn the line between them. The danger oozing out of Jun''s aura sharply reached the max level. He coldly smiled and grabbed her arm, bridging the narrow gap between them. "What rtionship is there between us, you ask? Have you forgotten that night we spent in the swing or should I remind you?" Even though nothing had happened between them that night, Jun twisted his words as if something more intimate had indeed urred rather than just making out. Ai narrowed her eyes. "I do remember. But it seems that you don''t." That''s why you could buy a ring for Shui even when you had said that you would break up with her. She left it unsaid, realizing that she had no right to feel this way and have such thoughts. But at the same time, she also wouldn''t bear Jun''s using tone as if she was the one in the wrong. "I don''t remember¡­?" He stared at her in a daze. Fuck, I have been thinking nothing but that ever since it happened! The hell my body- Jun stiffened, his heart burning in anguish. He recalled how he had gotten a reaction just before he read Ai''s post. His nostrils red, feeling furious at himself. Ai noticed the rapid changes in his expressions. One moment he was troubled and the next moment, he would be all angry and riled up. Jun let go of her arm and took deep and sharp breaths. He shut his eyes, forcing the desire within them to dissipate. He was afraid that if he got a reaction once again in front of Ai, he would really end his life here once and for all. He wanted to thoroughly drill her about Yating''s visit, but the conversation had taken a dangerous turn. So, he dropped that subject. For now. Jun red at her. "Please exin the post." He finally asked the question which Ai was expecting. She pursed her lips. "It was my fault. I lied." Jun rapidly blinked. Among the million questions and what-if scenarios running through his mind, he wondered if it was possible that Dream High was forcing Ai to take the me and protect thepany''s image. "You are really¡­" "I am indeed MissImperfectlyFine," she nced up at him. "The same woman who wore the mask and shades at CherryBlossom''s book signing event and the same writer whose signature you had asked. I am the same author whose tragic endings you hate the most." Silence. "Why did you lie? Don''t you dislike hiding stuff?" Ai answered. "At first, I lied to protect my privacy. The first time I said I was Butterfly when you asked my pen name. Apart from Dream High and my family, I didn''t want anybody else to know my identity. But then I felt I had no choice but to lie to enter Sky." "Why!?" This question bogged him ever since he read the post. "Because I heard that Sky will never take any writer from Dream High." Chapter 126 Ais Efficient Methods Chapter 126 Ai''s Efficient Methods Jun nkly stared at her. He stood rooted as if ten thousand bolts of thunder just struck him. Ai continued. "The day I met Sky''s editor, Sun Bai, I heard her talking that it was an order from the President that Sky wouldn''t take any writer from Dream High at any cost. She rejected one small author from Dream High right in front of me. Her pen name is Sparkles. I¡­" she lowered her gaze. "I had my own reasons to enter Sky. I was really desperate. I couldn''t afford Sky not to take me in. So, I lied and said that I was Butterfly." She quickly added. "But I wasn''t going to lie forever. Once I would gain their trust, I was going to confess and request them to forgive me. It was a risk, I know. But I was willing to take it." That''s how desperate Ai felt to join Sky to change her career in this life. She had died with regrets in her past life. No way she wanted to lose this chance just because of Sky''s one rule. "I started writing as Butterfly. But that day when I was sick at your home, I identally submitted my story with MissImperfectlyFine''s ount. Everything went downward after that¡­" Ai looked away. "You confronted me at the library, and I realized the grave error I made. I wanted to confess that MissImperfectlyFine didn''t giarize at all. But it would have brought out my lie in the open. It would havepromised my position as Butterfly. I was conflicted on what to do. That was the time I was shocked to learn that you worked in Sky part time." Jun shut his eyes. "That''s how Sky used me of giarism because you had worked with me on the drafts, so you informed them." Ai sped her hands together. "Then one day, I decided to tell you, but you were looking lost and sad over something. It was about your parents'' wedding anniversary, right?" stiffened. He recalled Ai peeking at him from outside his room with a solemn expression as if she had something very important to say to him. "I heard your conversation and didn''t feel it was the right time to add to your stress. So, I changed the subject." That was an excuse she gave that she wanted to learn how to dance from Jun. Ai bit her lip. "Then after your parents'' anniversary¡­" The passionate time in the crescent swing had changed the dynamics between them and the very next day, Ai left his condo. There was no time and no ce to bring that topic up again. Ai wanted to add that she came to Sky once again to talk to Sun Bai or Yunru. But after the announcement, she couldn''t stay there any longer. "No¡­" Jun finally whispered after a long time. "No, no, fucking no!" He covered his face with his palms, his body trembling with frustration. Ai blinked at him, confused about his reaction. Why does he seem so troubled when I have made a mistake here? Jun was cautious about not letting anybody from Dream Highe to Sky because of the spy. But he never thought that his one order would make things spiral out of control so much for Ai. Anger bubbled inside him, shaking his body even more. He had an urge to scold Ai for hiding her identity, but he wasn''t any less innocent on this matter either. If he knew that she was MissImperfectlyFine or if she knew that Jun was the Sky CEO himself, then this whole chain of events would have never happened. "Nooooo!!" Ai was startled, witnessing him strangely and repeatedly mumbling only ''No'' and nothing else. She felt as if she could see mes of fury bursting from him. Ai pursed her lips. ? Now, he would never want to talk to me again. Not that I want to talk to him either after he went back on his words. Though the sentiment was shared, she didn''t want her house on fire because of Jun this time when it had just been repaired. Jun breathed hard. He wanted to punch someone really badly. At this time, he wished the twins to be here so that they could be his punching bags. He finally gathered his thoughts and faced Ai but stumbled two steps back in shock. He forgot all his frustration caused by Ai''s confession only to be reced by another kind of resentment. "What the hell is this!?" He asked as he speechlessly stared at the thing in Ai''s hands which she just shoved right in front of his face. "Why are you shoving a cactus nt in front of my face!? Do you want to stab me with the thorns!?" Ai blinked. "I didn''t have that intention." His expression darkened. "Then what intention you might possibly have?" "To calm down your anger." "..." "Seeing something green in color is good to soothe your rage. It calms down your nerves," Ai sincerely stated with the purest of intentions. "..." "Ignore the thorns and feel the greenness of the nt cool your fury. There," she brought the cactus nt closer to him. "..." First, the cold water and cold wind, then the feather stick and now a cactus nt¡­ Jun angrilyughed, his fingers twitching with an urge to do something to her. He didn''t know what though. "May I know, Miss. Zhou Ai, which have you been born on and what species are you?" Ai frowned. "Naturally, it''s the earth and naturally, I am a human." "Then why don''t you use human-like methods!?" He red at her. "Because my methods work more efficiently," she said with a hint of pride in her voice. "Do they? Do they!? Because clearly, I am still angry! You could have poked my eye out with those thorns!" He steadied himself, still shooting deathly beams at her. "I was being careful. I wouldn''t have poked your eye." He sneered. "At the most, it would have poked your cheeks or chin. That isn''t as dangerous as hitting on the eyes," she nodded. "..." Chapter 127 Hold Onto That Thought Chapter 127 Hold onto that thought Jun snatched the small cactus nt from her hands and ced it on the table with a bang. He almost felt terrible for unknowingly marking things difficult for Ai when he had no issue with MissImperfectlyFine joining Sky. But now with a cactus nt shoved at his face, a feeling welled in his chest to take revenge from her. He took a deep breath and sneered. "So, Miss. Zhou Ai. Now that the truth is out, how are you nning to join Sky? Do you think Sky will take you after how you lied?" He folded his arms and sexily cocked his eyebrow up. Well, partly it was my fault for hiding my identity too but that''s what you get for shoving a cactus on my face! Ai stared at him and slowly replied. "I will not be joining Sky anymore." He froze and felt at a loss for words. "What? You mean, you are giving up?" His gaze rmingly turned cker. Technically, nopany would take someone who lied and was dishonest. It was natural for Ai to think that Sky would never ept her now. But for Jun, Ai was a strong woman. A weird woman with a strange train of thoughts which always bugged and irked him, nevertheless she was a tough woman. He had an image of Ai imprinted on his mind. She was calm, confident and wise who was in control of her life. She knew what she was doing. Even if she had broken her own ethics for the first time, she was the person to ept her mistake and move forward to achieve her goal no matter how difficult the road might be. But afraid of the circumstances right now, was Ai giving up? "This isn''t who you are," Jun sharply said. "Or I imagine that this isn''t how you deal with stuff if it gets tough. You are not a coward to run away." He is right. I don''t like turning my head to the other side, Ai clenched her dress in her fist. But if she worked in Sky, she would meet Jun. She would keep hearing things about him and Shui. She would see them together. Even though the rtionship between them shouldn''t affect her, she felt she wouldn''t be able to bear these conflicting feelings if she had to watch Jun with Shui. Ai calmly answered. "I have given it a serious thought. I am not running away. But I think it is better that I don''t join Sky." Jun narrowed his eyes. "Oh? Then what are you nning to do? What will you do about your career?" Ai nodded. "I have thought about it." He smiled. "Ho~ Please let me know too." "I will submit a new story in the uing Author''s Summit. A lot of publishingpanies and editorse to the event to scout for writers for theirpanies. I understand it could be next to impossible for anypany to take me in given my image now. But, I will do my best." In her past life, Ai couldn''t be a part of this Summit as she fell sick right on that day. To participate in this Summit, there was a rule that the writer must be physically present with their story submission. Arrangements would be made in case the writer wished not to reveal their face. But the physical presence was mandatory. Otherwise, the story submission would be rejected. It was a prestigious tform for any writer to make their presence known to the editors in hopes of getting into a good publishingpany. Jun too recalled that he was a part of this Summit in his past life, albeit hiding within the shadows. He wasn''t present for the whole event but only for a short time. He never revealed his presence at all. Instead, Yunru did all the work of meeting new writers and the employees of different publishingpanies. He had hoped that he would be able to meet MissImperfectlyFine in this event and get a glimpse of just who this writer was. But she neither came nor participated in the Summit with any story. Now that Jun thought about it, he remembered that he was mildly disappointed and a teensy tiny bit annoyed. She was the sole reason he even bothered to attend the Summit, but the reason herself never made any appearance. The Summit was organized on Valentine''s Day and naturally, Jun had made ns with Shui for a lovely date. But he thought why not have a glimpse at the author who troubled her for all this time? He snapped out of his trance and tilted his head. "I see. I have a suggestion for you." Ai blinked. "What?" "Hold on to that thought of never joining Sky. Who knows, if Sky does take you in at the Summit?" His voice held a bit of mystery in it. She pursed her lips and looked away. "I know that the President is your cousin and you can talk to him about this, but please don''t. I don''t need any favor." She wouldn''t like it if she got on through Jun''s connection. His expression turned ugly. "Who is doing you a favor here? Don''t spoil my reputation! Anything can happen, so stay put," he snorted. She furrowed her brows. "You mean you are not angry at me for lying to you?" Jun squinted his eyes. He tapped his finger on his thigh. "No. It''s shocking how I met you though now that I think about it. But I am not angry or disappointed at you." He hid his identity as the CEO from her too, so he thought he had no right to judge her for doing the same for her own reasons. ''I was desperate to join Sky.'' Jun knew how it felt to be desperate. You would lie. You would hurt others. You would be forced to do things which you wouldn''t have ever thought of doing in your life. Desperation was dangerous. Compared to how I was in my past life, your lie is nothing, he sadly snorted in disdain at himself. Ai felt the burden lift off her chest. Her lie had caused a lot of trouble for Jun and to Sky through him. Even so he stood before her, talking to her just like before. "Thank you for understanding," Ai politely showed her gratitude. Jun smirked. Heh. Brace yourself for the shock of your life. Wait for the Summit, and you will know. He could reveal his identity right here and now, but the Summit was only a few days away anyway. They hade this far ying hide and seek like a cat and mouse. Might as well let her learn during the Summit itself just who Liu Jun is~ Chapter 128 Skys Statement Chapter 128 Sky''s Statement Jun took a step towards her and narrowed his eyes. "So, MissImperfectlyFine. What story are you nning to put forth at the Summit?" His gaze was transfixed at her. This was the woman who had made a ce in his heart through her stories. The woman who always managed to irk him. Strange¡­ She was there in my past life as MissImperfectlyFine and now I met her as Ai in person. He had a long conversation with her at the shoppingplex that day. But he felt as if he still had tons of things to say to her. This revtion still felt surreal to him. Ai slightly lowered her gaze. "I have a story in my mind. But I still have to organize my thoughts over it." Jun waited if she would share her idea with him, but he let it go when she seemed to be in some deep contemtion. Well, I will learn it at the Summit anyway, he squinted his eyes. But until then¡­ Jun royally sat on her couch and bent his right knee over his left as he unlocked his phone. As expected, the storm that arose after her post was quite fierce. ''What? So they are the same person? She might not be a giarizer. But she is still a liar!'' lying to get into apany? Geez, how desperate!'' ''I know why she is so desperate. CherryBlossom is a rising author in Dream High, and MissImperfectlyFine cannot take it. That''s why she is running away like a coward from her rival hahaha!'' ''You are right. She thought she could stand a chance if she switchedpanies, but she is such a loser.'' ''Companies should just ban her! She doesn''t deserve to be a writer!'' Jun''s irises turned frighteningly cold. Who the fuck are you to decide if she deserves to be a writer or not? There was a simr chaos going on Reading Point chat too. The members were flooding Ai with direct pings, demanding an answer from her and expressing their dissatisfaction. But Warlord and some other neutral members along with her few loyal readers were trying to fan down the mes. Ai slightly widened her eyes as Jun made himself at her home and was now oozing out killing aura for some reason. Jun jerked his nce towards her and she straightened up, waiting for him to speak. "Where is my coffee?" She blinked. Coffee? "Am I not a guest here?" He questioned. "Yes¡­" "You are not a very good host," he smiled in disdain. Her brow twitched. "I will bring coffee right away," she headed towards the kitchen, mumbling to herself thinking about the ring he bought for Shui, "You are not a good person either¡­" His ears twitched, and he narrowed his eyes. "Did you say something?" "You are mistaken." Jun sneered and turned his attention back towards his phone. He logged into Weibo using Sky''s official ount. ? He stared ahead for a second before looking back at his screen and typing on his phone. Ai returned carrying a small tray with a cup brewed with fresh and hot coffee for him. "Here." "Hm." She sat on the other couch, quietly waiting for him to finish his cup of coffee. Then she began to feel restless and opened her phone. She knew she woulde across many hatefulments, but she had prepared her heart. Ai took a silent breath and scrolled down the feed. All this time, her post was at the top trending position. But now, it dropped down to second ce with a new post from Sky that had fired up themunity once more. So, they have finally responded to my post. She tapped on Sky''s post, bracing herself for their reply. But she could only look dumbfounded as she read the post. ''After hearing what MissImperfectlyFine has to say, there is something important that Sky wants to rify. It was under my, that is the Sky CEO''s order and rule that no writer or employee from Dream High was allowed to join Sky. I won''t delve into the reasons, but that''s how it was. I had my own concerns, but this incident opened my eyes to the fact that an innocent writer needlessly had to suffer. The giarism charge almost killed her career because Sky''s rule and Dream High''s tag behind her forced her to assume a different identity. I realize my extreme measures were detrimental for those who truly wanted nothing but to progress and move forward. There is no giarism case to be made when Butterfly and MissImperfectlyFine are the same people. For that, Sky takes full responsibility and sincerely apologizes to MissImperfectlyFine. As for the defamation that she had to suffer because of us, Sky will pay 5 million Yuan to her aspensation. Last but not the least. MissImperfectlyFine. Sky have caused you a lot for trouble, but I hope you don''t change your decision to join Sky. We wee you with all our heart.'' The statement was in, simple but sharply direct. Ai rapidly blinked her eyes. She read it over and over again, disbelief filling her. Her lips parted and closed a number of times. How was it possible? Here she apologized to Sky for lying but there Sky apologized to her back instead of ming her? She was fully ready to face the respurcussions and here Sky responded opposite to her imagination. And they even announced thepensation of 5 million Yuan! 5-5 million¡­ She still couldn''t wrap her head around it. Ai peeked at Jun and asked, "Did you talk to your cousin-" "No," he cut her off with his reply. She pursed her lips and thought about MrPerfect, Sky CEO. Why would he do this for me when he doesn''t know me that well? She recalled how MrPerfect had threatened her to ruin her career forever. But now his statement was in her favor rather than destroying her future. Despite the confusion, her heart bloomed in joy. With Sky''s supporting statement, there were now mixed reactions from the readers. Some still med her, some felt pitiful for her and her circumstances while some used Sky of having such a biased rule against Dream High''s writers. It was a weird situation where themunity really didn''t know who to me exactly. But all in all, the situation against MissImperfectlyFine was toning down rapidly. Jun''s pupils were fixed on Ai whose lips had blossomed into a beautiful smile filled with relief and joy. He tilted his head, staring at her like that. Ai felt his gaze, and she lifted hers too to meet his eyes. Jun''s breath got stuck in his throat and he slightly coughed, feeling his heart race faster. Ai''s heart internally skipped a beat too. She looked at the empty coffee mug and then peeked at him. Technically, Jun got all his answers and he should be leaving but¡­ Ai waited. Five minutes, ten minutes and then twenty minutes passed by, but Jun remained seated, not even budging from his ce. She asked, "Is there anything else?" Jun narrowed his eyes and sneered. "Yes. I am staying the night here." Chapter 129 You Are Avoiding Me Chapter 129 You Are Avoiding Me Ai was taken aback. "Staying the night here?" "Is there a problem, Miss. Zhou?" Jun pointedly asked. "I came this far to meet you. It''ste in the evening, and it''s snowing outside. You won''t even offer your ce to stay for one night?" "..." "Look outside. It''s snowing so heavily. What if I get into an ident?" He sneered. "..." "Then all the me will be on you. I could have been safe here, but you forced me to leave in the dark and on a snowy night." Why is he talking as if he is a helpless child going out without his parents? "And then I remember that I left my keys to my house inside. How will I enter? You want me to sleep in the garden on a heavy, snowy night?" Her mouth twitched. Ai ufortably shifted in her seat. She wouldn''t have had any problems before but now¡­ eyes were as dark as the night outside. "Here I offered you my condo for a whole month, and you cannot even grant me a night? Where is the kindness in you? Or¡­do you rather prefer Gu Yating to stay the night here?" His voice was frigid and threatening. Seeing Yating step out of Ai''s apartment felt as if somebody had dropped him into the Arctic. His heart burned with fury, and his fingers flexed with an urge to beat the shit out of him. Thinking about their rtionship and intimacy between them made his body tremble with a dark, possessive emotion roaring inside him. Yating had left, but Jun didn''t feel at peace. The only way to quench this uneasiness was to stay near Ai. He felt a sense of emptiness ever since she had left his house. But the moment he saw her again tonight made the difort vanish from his heart. Meeting her again, talking to her again reminded him of the one month whose importance was gradually growing more and more precious in his heart. Ai blinked. "Where did hee from? He won''t be staying here." Jun broke out of his trance, and his eyes held an impending glint. "Of course, he won''t. That was never an option." She swallowed a gulp, his low growl sending tingles down her spine. "You can stay the night here," Ai had no choice after seeing Jun in a pinch. Also, he was right. He helped her when she was in a dire need of a ce to stay. It was only fair that she offered her help too. "But there is only one bedroom. I will sleep on the couch-" Jun interjected. "I will sleep on the couch." Ai shook her head. "The couch is small for your height. You will only feel ufortable." He coldly red at her. "I said I will sleep on the couch, so I will. End of the matter." She frowned in dissatisfaction. "I cannot ept this. You are my guest. I cannot let a guest sleep on a couch. I had such good arrangements at your house. It''s only fair that you get the best too. It''s only for one night, so it doesn''t matter." He gritted his teeth. "Do you hear loud? How many times should I repeat? I am sleeping on the couch!" Ai squinted her eyes and gave up. "Fine. If that''s what you want. I won''t bother you anymore." She got up, took the empty coffee mug and headed towards the kitchen, her chest puffing up with resentment. "It''s not like you listen or keep your words¡­" she mumbled to herself thinking about Shui and Jun again. His ears twitched again. "Did you say something-" "No." ? "..." Jun watched her back in spection. He thought she was behaving oddly because of that night, but he felt that her reason was perhaps different. He couldn''t put a finger on it. He walked towards the kitchen and saw her washing the cup. As she kept it back in its ce, she said without meeting his eyes. "I cooked curry and rice tonight for dinner. If you want something more too, I will-" She gasped as she was pushed back at the kitchen''s counter when Jun''s stature towered closer to her. His dark eyes watched her carefully. "You are avoiding me." She slightly stiffened. "I am not." Jun''s face ckened. "You are." He took another step even though there was no space to take one. The chill in the air evaporated as she was covered by the sight of Jun''s broad chest. The warmth touched her face, making her tremble. He was about to ask her again when the doorbell rang. His expression turned extremely ugly. Is it Gu Yating again¡­? Ai said, "I have to-" Suddenly, a chill enveloped her as she noticed his icy gaze. "I will open the door. You stay here." "But-" "Stay," he coldly ordered. With every step that carried a deadly and intimidating pressure, Jun walked towards the door. He opened it and saw a delivery boy standing outside. "It''s a courier-" That delivery boy got the scare of his life the moment he looked into Jun''s eyes. W-what did I do? I did nothing wrong! I-I am just here for the delivery! Am I going to be killed? The frost in Jun''s eyes slowly disappeared. As long as it wasn''t Yating, it was fine. Ai quickly came forward and took the parcel. "Thank you so much." Mam, you have a terrifying boyfriend! Hecked tears to shed. Ai had to sign on the delivery receipt, but Jun''s aura was so dangerous that he didn''t have the courage to stay there any longer. He handed her the parcel and ran for his life. "Wait-" Shouldn''t he take my signature? Ai was bewildered. She then peeked at Jun. "It was just a delivery. Why did you want to open the door?" "No reason," he coldly retorted. "..." They went inside, and Ai kept the parcel aside. She set the tes on the table and served Jun''s dinner. "I hope you like it. Let''s eat." Chapter 130 Turmultous Emotions Chapter 130 Turmultous Emotions Jun stared at Ai, who sat on a chair opposite him. There was dinner served on the table and together, it felt just like the time when Ai lived with him in his condo. They had their meals together. They talked about books and random stuff. The atmosphere was warm and fuzzy just like that time. Both shared the same feelings right now. Jun tasted the rice dipped with curry, and his gaze softly flickered. "It''s delicious." Her ears perked up with his praise. She could cook but was nowhere near Jun''s level. Jun was a stern critique too. If he didn''t like it, he wouldn''t sugarcoat things. If he said it was delicious, then it was really delicious. "Thank you," Ai felt proud at being praised. But these moments also brought a mncholy in her chest. Her heart was in turmoil. She was trying her best to get used to living alone again, not thinking about Jun at all. Now only a few days had passed by, and he was here in front of her once again, having dinner together just like before. She had never expected that it would be so difficult to forget those thirty days spent with him. thinking about Jun and Shui again, her gaze dimmed. She managed to keep her mind distracted for all this time but with Jun here tonight, she was incessantly thinking about them despite her resistance. Jun wasn''t any different. He was trying to enjoy his dinner but remembering about Yating made his expression ugly. The conversation he had with him at Jinhai and Nana''s wedding anniversary night continuously rang in his mind. He hadn''t backed off from admitting his feelings for Ai, and a strange sense of irritation engulfed him. It was simr to when he witnessed Ai and Jin dancing together. He clenched the chopsticks. That was only because it was Jin! Only because Jin danced with her¡­ The scar of losing Shui to Jin had made Jun extra sensitive and alert whenever it came to him. So when he saw Ai dancing with Jin, he felt threatened and on contemtion, he figured it was because of his past life that he didn''t want anybody close to him in this life to have anything to do with his brother. That was how he had consoled himself. That was how he gave a reasonable exnation to himself about these inexplicable feelings for Ai which he wasn''t supposed to have. But now realizing Yating and Ai''s connection invoked the simr and intense possessiveness he felt when he had seen her with Jin. Why was he having these feelings? Towards Jin, he could soothe himself. But what reason was he supposed to give for Yating? Jun looked up and found Ai burying her face into a te as if doing her hardest to avoid Jun. Green veins popped on his forehead. Then there was this where Ai was seemingly avoiding him for some reason. Was it only because of that night they spent on the swing? Or something else was the reason too? Whatever it was, he was getting irked by it. She wasn''t like this¡­ ? They had kissed twice, but Ai had never given him such a cold shoulder. Even though things that night had turned several degrees hotter, he hadn''t expected Ai to behave like this when¡­ Jun cleared his throat. She seemed to have wanted it too. Then why is she being like this? Ai jolted as he banged his fist on the table. She saw imaginary dark fumes oozing out of his head as he red at her. She blinked. Why is he ring at me? Didn''t he like my food? Ai took the tes to wash after dinner, but Jun snatched it from her. "I will wash them." He didn''t give her any chance to refute and headed straight towards the kitchen. Ai sighed and thought to take a quick shower until Jun was done. Once inside her room, she got a call from Xing Bi who furiously eximed her happiness about Sky''s statement. "Oh my God! I never imagined that Sky would forgive you! It was pretty much grilling you this entire time but with Sky''s support now, the situation has taken a one-eighty turn added Guiying''s statement to that. And damn you will get 5 million Yuanpensation too! This was beyond my expectations!" Ai softly smiled. "En." "Good, good! I will catch up with you tomorrow! You have been stressed out a lottely. So go to sleep and have a good rest." "Thank you, Xing Bi for staying with me." "Of course, silly. We are sisters, after all!" They hung up, and Ai stepped for a bath. Outside, Jun was done with the cleaning and washing the tes. He walked back to the living room, taking a good look at her apartment. It was just like his condo. Simple and minimalist. Everything was neatly organized. It gave off a feeling that a responsible and wise person lived at this ce. It was a small living space, but Ai had arranged the furniture in such a way that it looked warm, spacious and weing. The window opened to the street view outside. He raised his brow. She must have seen me going to that alley when I killed that thief that night. His gaze then fell on something shiny at a distance. He tilted his head and realized that it was a trophy on a ss shelf. He gently held it in his hand and read the carving upon it. Best Neer Writer - MissImperfectlyFine. A soft smile formed on his lips. A sense of pride filled his heart as he brushed his fingers along her name. He wished she could have won the Best Fiction Award. To him, her novel deserved to win that award. He heard a soft yelp from her room, and his eyes immediately narrowed. He kept the trophy back on the shelf and rushed towards her room. "What happened?" He only heard the sound of shuffling and some running around. "Eek!" Jun was confused. "Ai! What is happening inside!?" Chapter 131 Only In A Towel (1) Chapter 131 Only In A Towel (1) "Ai!" He banged his palms on the door. "What is going on?" "There is a cockroach!" Ai cried. "..." "You are afraid of a cockroach?" He asked, speechless. *CRASH!* His eyes widened, hearing a loud, crashing sound. "Come out! What the fuck are you doing!? You will topple your room upside down like this!" "It''s between me and the door!" Ai''s voice was shaky and panicky. "I cannote out." His expression turned ugly. "Fine. Then I wille inside!" "You cannote inside either," Her voice held a tinge of more anxiety now. He coldly sneered. "Unlike a certain someone, I am not afraid of cockroaches." a cockroach. I am in my towel. So¡­" The sight of Ai''s naked body shed in his mind even before he could stop it froming. It was instantaneous and automatic. The imagination of a naked Ai standing across him, merely separated by a door was enough to make his body grow feverish. He touched his throat, swallowing a gulp. Fantasizing about the time when he had pinned her soft body beneath him inside the swing made his palms itchy. "Jun?" At that time, Jun had cupped her breast with the fabric of her dress which put forth a barrier against his contact with her delicate skin. It would feel even softer to caress them without any clothes, wouldn''t it¡­? "Jun¡­?" Her voice from inside the room was trembling with fear. His fingers moved with a gesture in the air as if Ai was right in front of him, and he was cupping her breast to his heart''s content. He breathed hard, heat flushing towards a certain member of his body. "J-Jun! It''s moving!" She gasped. Her desperate cry finally snapped him out of his sexual fantasy. "....." Jun stared at his hand that was raised awkwardly in the air in a not so very innocent position. At that point, Jun wanted to kill himself. Towel¡­She is wearing a Goddamn towel! She is not naked, you idiot! You are not some horny teenager! He took a few, deep breaths to calm himself. His body refused to listen to his breathing techniques though. It still trembled with a yearning to push Ai down and make a mess out of her. Desire was lurking within his dark brown irises. He shut his eyes and spoke through a clenched jaw, "Wear some damn clothes, and then I wille inside-" "My cupboard is on the same side as my door," she sniffled. "How will I dress up?" Jun wished to bang his head on the wall and pass out. Don''t y with fire, you woman! "Then don''t me me foring inside!" He yelled. "But I am in my towel!" ? "Then deal with the cockroach yourself!" "Don''t leave me here all alone!" She eximed, terrified. "JUST WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!?" Jun was at the end of his patience. "Can you deal with the cockroach withouting inside?" Ai seriously asked. His mouth heavily twitched. "How about you take a looooong jump from wherever you are and escape from your room?" He sneered. "That''s physically impossible." "Then what makes you think that I can kill the cockroach withouting inside!? Am I a ghost to pass through the door!?" The expression on his face was unbearable. There was silence which was quickly broken by another soft scream from Ai. Then he heard her sharply gasp as if she had really seen a ghost. Her sobbing became louder. Jun finally lost it and banged open the door. "Okay, I aming inside! Where is the fucking-" Before he couldplete cursing the cockroach, Ai jumped and leapt into his arms, shaking and burying her head in his chest. Jun froze hard. His eyes remained unblinking and widened in shock for a long time. Ai''s soft sniffles reached his ears, but his mind was too upied feeling and smelling her freshly bathed body. He ever so slowly lowered his gaze, and it sharply obscured with desire as her porcin white naked shoulders came into his view. Her moist hair was fluttering upon it with tiny drops of water perching upon her vicle. His gaze traveled down to the point where the towel barely reached her knee. From there on, part of her thighs and her legs were fully visible. The sweet scent of the rose soap wafted up his nostrils, and the heat which he just controlled while standing outside her room red inside him once again. "I-I think it can fly¡­" she choked miserably. She was always scared shit of cockroaches and now seeing a flying one was akin to a death sentence. Her hands were tightly holding onto his shirt. Ai''s eyes were tired from crying, but Jun''s eyes were not so tired even after staring at her exposed shoulder for several long minutes. Ai fearfully nced towards where the cockroach was and seeing it wriggle brought tears to her eyes. She hid her face in his chest once again, grabbing him even tighter this time. A sharp gasp mixed with a low groan escaped his throat. This is¡­ "Q-Quickly! Or it will escape into the living room!" Ai begged. Jun wanted to tear her apart from him, but a part of him also wanted this sensation to linger. He glowered at the cockroach. It''s all because of you! She is hugging me because of you! And now I am now having these weird feelings because of you! It was just fine before! But you had to fucking ruin everything! As if the cockroach sensed his immense hostility, it scurried towards the other side of the room, took a flight with its wings and escaped through the window. Jun exhaled a deep breath. "...It''s gone." Ai blinked in confusion. "B-But you didn''t even move." "It escaped through the window." Ai looked back and saw that the cockroach had really escaped. She wiped her eyes and let out a deep sigh of relief. "I should quickly close the window or else-" Ai sharply stiffened as their position finally dawned upon her. Chapter 132 Only In A Towel (2) Chapter 132 Only In A Towel (2) Ai swiftly took a step back and stood rooted at her spot. Her hands were aimlessly wandering on and around her face, unsure of what to say. "I am¡­I am sorry." Embracing a man while donned in only a towel made her feel ashamed. "I know it''s silly, but I am really afraid of bugs and insects, especially cockroaches. I freaked out when I saw one, plus it was a¡­flying one," her countenance didn''t look so good. "I apologize for hugging you-" When she finally found the courage to meet his gaze, she trembled. Jun stood absolutely silent, but a storm was brewing in those dark pupils. Now that she stood at a distance, he could see the tiny slit between her breasts that was thinly visible from where the towel covered her chest. He drew his knuckles in, trying to stop his palms from shaking. From her neck to her shoulders and until the point where her chest bulged into her two lovely breasts, he stared at her like that, unable to tear his gaze away. Under his sharp scrutiny, Ai shivered. She looked left and right, and her lips trembled as she whispered, "Y-you can leave-" Fueled and consumed by his desire, Jun took a step forward, not listening to her words. Startled, Ai looked up and watched the distance between them gradually lessening. She bit her lower lip, an action that only enticed Jun further. took another big leap of a step and easily grabbed her waist by his arm in one fell swoop. He held her with such a firm possessiveness emanating from his grip that it made her heart thump and flutter. Her skin tingled with warmth, and she wished for Jun to hold her even tighter. A wish that shook Ai from within as she realized that she wasn''t supposed to harbor such thoughts for Jun. She knew, yet she felt strongly attracted to him. What was it in him? Was it his eyes? His smile? His kindness beneath that cold exterior? The way he cared for her even though he might hide it behind his taunts? Or was it his presence that made her feel reassured and safe? Were it his words that rang into the depths of her heart? Or was it his support which always stood beside her like an immovable rock? She felt a current sizzle through her body as Jun''s fingers traced the curve of her jaw, wanting to cup her cheek. She wanted it too. She wanted Jun to hold her. She wanted to feel the heat of his palm against her skin. She wanted their faces to lean closer and closer until their lips would touch. But her heart was torn apart, recalling the day she went to Sky. That and¡­ No. I have promised myself that I won''t let myself have such feelings again. In this second chance, writing is the only thing that matters to me. Love had only led to a tragic end in her past life. This time, she had no intention to repeat the same mistakes. And even if in one in a million chance I choose to repeat that mistake, it won''t be with Jun who is¡­ Her heart ached. Who will soon confess to the woman he¡­ Ai ced her palm on his chest and slightly pushed it, trying to put distance between them. Jun, whose jaw hovered over her forehead, narrowed his eyes dangerously. He stared at her hand trying to push her away which he grasped and locked within his fingers. ? "You are avoiding me once again," be icily barked. "And I told you¡­" He held her chin up. "Look at me when you talk to me." Ai stared straight at him and said, "You should leave." Instead, he held the back of her head and pulled closer to her until their lips almost crashed. "Then you shouldn''t avoid me." Irked, irritated, angry and frustrated - he hated how she was putting distance between them. His deep, husky and cold voice held rm and threat. "I have been watching you since I came here, and you have been avoiding me. Now, you are pushing me away. Do that again, and I will-" "You will what?" Ai sharply questioned. "This is my house." Jun stared at her and burst into a chuckle. "Oh," his index finger traced the curve of her chin, making her jolt, "Your house? Until when?" He tilted his head, a cold smile stretching his lips, "I can buy this whole building with a snap of my finger. Then I would like to see how you will avoid me," he squinted his eyes. He pushed her with his body until she was forced to bend her knees and sit on the bed. His arms locked her from escaping anywhere as he leaned on top of her. His breaths fanned her face. She peered into his eyes, her heart drumming in her chest. But her expression was unfazed. "You can buy this apartment but not my attention. Money can only go so far." The temperature took a sharp drop. "So, leave. Don''t do anything that will¡­that will jeopardize your rtionship with Shui." "Huh?" Jun''s eyes rapidly blinked. "Excuse me? Where did shee from?" With a bleak voice devoid of any emotion, she said as her eyes shone with pain, "Congrattions. I feel happy for you and Shui. Things seemed to have patched between you two." Jun was getting more and more bewildered. What the hell is she talking about? "What happy? What patch up?" Ai''s brows crinkled. The more Jun denied and asked questions as if it was something unbelievable, the more her heart ached. "You don''t have to look so surprised. I heard the announcement President Chen made that day on Sky." He blinked. "You bought a ring for Shui," Ai stated without a twitch in her expression. "I was there that day and heard the announcement. So my hearty congrattions." Jun slowly widened his eyes, remembering the day crystal clear. "You were at Sky that time?" Her gaze dimmed, but she didn''t respond. Instead, she took a deep breath and pushed him as he was lost in his shock. She got up on her feet, slightly trembling. "Now if you will leave-" "There is nothing between Shui and me!" Jun eximed as he pushed her back. Chapter 133 Only In A Towel (3) Chapter 133 Only In A Towel (3) Ai jolted and stared at him in a daze. Jun gritted his teeth, his eyes turning several shades darker. "Is that why you were avoiding me? You thought I was getting engaged to Shui?" His tone held a mixture of disbelief and shock. Feeling wronged, Ai slightly curled her fingers into her palms. "Did President Chen''s announcement have a different meaning to it that I didn''t understand?" Jun stiffened. On face value, only one conclusion could have been drawn from the announcement, and Ai wasn''t wrong with that. Hearing his silence on the matter, Ai faintly smiled. "So, I wasn''t wrong. You don''t have to keep denying it. I understand how painful it was for you to stay away from her. I heard everything on New Year''s evening, after all. I am happy that you could resolve your differences. So-" Jun coldly grabbed her, pinching her jaw with his fingers. "Hm? Is there resentment I sense from your voice?" Her gaze flickered. there was. She might not show it, but she was feeling extremely aggrieved. Jun was supposed to announce his breakup. But then she heard him buying a ring for Shui. His words and actions were contradictory which stabbed her heart like arrows. "I get the feeling that you are angry at me." "I am not," Ai calmly replied. "There is nothing to be angry about this. It''s your life and your rtionship." He pressed his arm on her waist, digging her fingers and leaning closer to her. "You ARE angry at me. But then what about me, huh?" She furrowed her brows. Him? "At the book signing event, you said to me that you aren''t interested in Gu Yating," he possessively brushed his thumb along her cheek, making her feel ticklish, "But that message didn''t seem to have reached that man." He sneered, inching closer to her, the touch of the tip of his nose faintly teasing her. "At my parents'' anniversary, he didn''t even flinch once as he epted his ambiguous feelings for you." Ai froze. Yating¡­was there at the banquet? She thought as if she had seen his figure but felt she was imagining things. "He threatened that he will ruin Sky if I don''t stop attacking MissImperfectlyFine. He came to meet me personally just for that reason." Her lips parted in shock, and her light brown eyes widened. When did this happen¡­? ? "Now you tell me," Jun''s deep voice rang graver and colder, "Why is he going this far for you when you were supposed to have rified your stance that you aren''t interested in him? That''s what you were telling him at the shoppingplex, right? Along those lines? Then why the fuck was he at your house tonight sote in the evening when you and he shouldn''t have anything to do with each other!?" With a slight push, they copsed on the bed with Jun on top of Ai. Their breaths grew quicker and messier as they locked gazes. Jun traced his fingers through her hair to the back of her neck and dipped his head where he bit on her soft skin. Ai immediately clutched onto his arm as a stinging but pleasurable sensation fired up at the ce where bit. "I don''t have anything to do with Shui. I was at the shop to cancel the order, not buy the ring. Mom and Shui''s Mom misunderstood that and told Yunru. Shui and I have broken up for good. There is nothing between us anymore!" Ai''s gaze blurred. Words failed to describe how the chaos in her heart instantly disappeared. A burden was lifted off, and a tear slipped out of her right eye. "But what about you and Gu Yating? Hees to the anniversary banquet to warn me. Hees to visit you at your house as if¡­" his jaw furiously clenched. "As if he is your fucking boyfriend! He is not, right? Tell me. He is not your boyfriend, right?" The anger and jealousy escaped through his hot kisses which he showered on Ai''s neck. He pinned her slender body between his long arms and trapped her waist between his knees. Ai shut her eyes and gasped, her lips trying to speak, but her words were drowned by the intensity of Jun''s kisses traveling from her neck down to her chest. "I didn''t hear any answer yet¡­" his voice held a frightening ring to it. The ''No'' was at the tip of her tongue when she sharply sucked in a mouthful of air, feeling his tug at her towel''s knot. "No¡­" her voice squeaked inaudibly. "Louder," he ordered as he nipped the fabric of her towel between his teeth and gently pulled it upwards, loosening it around her chest. "N-No! He is not my boyfriend. There¡­" her chest heaved in breathlessness, "there is¡­nothing between us." Ai exerted a small force on his shoulder with her fingers as if trying her hardest to stop him. But it was so weak that Jun didn''t even sense it. She wanted to grip harder, but her own feelings that desired him refused to put up any resistance. The panicky feeling within Jun eased after her confirmation. There was no man in Ai''s life, and that assuranceforted him. Nothing between them¡­Yes, there cannot be anything between them. But then¡­ His eyshes trembled as the towel slipped, revealing her naked breasts. Heat and excitement pulsated through his body. His member throbbed with the beautiful sight of her bosom moving slightly up and down as her chest heaved. But then¡­what is¡­ As if intoxicated by her, he inclined his head in between the valley of her breasts, enjoying the warmth it provided. But then what is between us¡­? He softly pressed his lips on her fair, smooth skin. He had fantasized countless times like now. Ever since they spent that passionate time in the crescent swing, he could think of nothing else but holding Ai intimately like this. Naked in his arms where he could admire her beauty. His lips that stroked her chest and his fingers that caressed her breasts¡­ Chapter 134 The Battle Of Emotions And Promises Chapter 134 The Battle Of Emotions And Promises Ai shook hard. Her breasts were in Jun''s sight. The tip of his sharp nose and his lips teasingly hovered and kissed her skin, making her cling to his neck. Feeling the heat of his palm reaching out to cup her breast, she shuddered. They wanted to stop. They wanted to discard this desire which was grappling them until they felt insane. They wanted to throw away these ambiguous feelings. Neither of them wanted love to knock on their doors. Jun wanted to focus on Sky, and Ai resolved to give all her energy to her career. The emotion that had broken them apart in their past lives - they had no desire to bring it back to their lives and suffer again. But they felt like moths getting drawn towards the same fire once again that had burned them miserably once before. So much that it led to their deaths. Stop Jun¡­You have to stop¡­ A voice in his mind urged him to stop before it was toote. But the voice in his heart threw him into a disarray, making his lips capture hers into a fiery kiss. His left hand held her head and his right hand gently massaged her breast as he dove in deeper into her mouth. soft moan escaped, pleasure invading Ai''s senses and covering her eyes with a mistyyer of tears. The scorching heat from his body grasped her into its shackles from all sides. She craved it more and felt her lips moving in tandem with his. Her quivering hand held his face which he gripped tighter. Jun parted and broke the kiss after a long time. He bit his tongue in order to stop himself from going any further but found himself dipping his head once again to mesh his tongue against hers. He groaned and his member twitched harder, making him firmly squeeze her breast even further. Ai bit her lip, feeling sensitive as the pleasure tingled and cascaded all up to her scalp. A deep sigh of satisfaction escaped as he bit on her earlobe and proceeded to leave his teeth marks on her shoulder. His hand from her breast then traced her waist and reached her thighs. Their hearts were in turmoil to push away from each other, but the fever rushing within didn''t allow them to end this intimacy. The fervor was more intense than the night in Jun''s condo. But a battle was being fought. "Stop¡­" Jun''s forehead rested between her neck and shoulder, whispering and begging to himself to stop touching Ai. His hot and ragged breaths heated her neckline too. "Stop¡­" He was urging himself to put a brake on his actions, yet he couldn''t stop himself from caressing Ai''s face. She lowered her head, slightly gasping. Watching a tiny teardrop wet his eysh, her eyelids trembled. Her own feelings were not in her grasp either to the point that she began to resent herself for breaking the promise she made. She lifted her hand to shake Jun''s fingers away from her cheek, but the warmth was so addicting that she gave up midway. Instead, she scooted closer to him, wishing to engulf herself as he surrounded her by all sides. Ai, you are an idiot¡­You are really an idiot¡­ ? I wanted to stop Jun. I really wanted to. Then why did I not? Why is this happening between us¡­? The strife in Jun''s eyes was the same as Ai''s. Between their physical desire and their emotional resolve, they couldn''t seem to find an answer that extinguished this fire within them. Their determination was wavering. They knew what the onset of these emotions meant, but they were too afraid to ept it. Because with one eptance, the walls they built to keep love away from their hearts woulde crashing down in an instant. It would crumble into dust, and they wouldy bare. Vulnerable. Jun softly kissed her cheek and let out a sad chuckle. Tears fell from his eyes, feeling helpless and furious. "I¡­am a bastard, Ai," he finally whispered after a long time. Ai, whose moist eyes were shut, slowly opened, and she stared at him. "I have no right to demand an answer from you. I have no right to do this to you¡­I am a¡­fucking bastard¡­" His brown pupils reddened, but he made no attempt to wipe his tears. His lips pinched together to form a wry smile. His despair-filledughter echoed inside her small bedroom. "Ah¡­I don''t know how to look at myself in the mirror anymore," he chuckled in disdain at himself. "I must be looking like such a hideous monster¡­Doing this to you¡­Really, I should just¡­disappear¡­" Ai stared at Jun. He was crying. After the New Year''s night, it was now that she witnessed him sobbing like a child. The distraught, the pain was so ringly visible in his expression that it shredded her heart into pieces. She stretched her arm and wrapped it around the back of his neck, pulling him closer to her chest. She cried along with him as she hugged him harder. Jun trembled and embraced her naked back as his tears plopped on her breasts. Theyid like that for a long, long time. After an unknown amount of time passed by, Jun found his resolve to tear himself away from Ai. But his arms felt numb as hecked the strength to support himself. Even so, he forced himself to get up and leave when Ai held his hand back. He stiffened and waited. His heart pounded in his chest, anxious of what Ai had to say. Ai loosely covered her chest with the towel and slowly sat upright. Her silence was eating away Jun''s sanity. "You don''t have to say anything. I will-" Suddenly, he took a noisy and sharp gasp, shuddering hard. He lowered his head and saw Ai''s dainty hand on top of his pants, touching his hardened member. "...What are you doing?" He asked as he sat frozen like a block of ice. Ai asked, unperturbed andposed, "What were you going to do about this?" Chapter 135 Ais Help To Mr. Liu Chapter 135 Ai''s Help To Mr. Liu Jun inhaled a sharp breath. "That is my problem. Leave." "Last time, you slept just like that in the swing," Ai mentioned without feeling ashamed. "Zhou. Ai." His gaze darkened, and his voice lowered as he precariously enunciated, "Take. Your. Hand. Away." She remained unmoved. "I am not unaware or indifferent about this. I know what you want, and it would be painful to bear it, so I will help you." Jun stared at her unblinkingly. "HELP me?" Ai nodded. "Do you know what that HELP means?" He growled in a quiet tone. She frowned. "Didn''t I say that I am not unaware about this?" The corner of his mouth twitched. He grabbed her hand which was pressing onto his member, making him almost lose his mind. He tried to shake it off. "It''s none of your business! You really don''t know what you are babbling about!" Ai slightly narrowed her eyes. "I do. Also, don''t talk like this is only your problem. You got a reaction because of me. But you are bearing it all alone even though I¡­" she slightly trembled, "I wasn''t against what happened between us. It happened because I wanted it too. If I didn''t, I wouldn''t have let you touch me. I saw how miserable you were thest time, and I don''t want to see you like that again," she firmly stated. "Last time too, I was against how you dealt with it. This time, I won''t listen to you." told you it''s none of your business!" Jun was losing it. The longer Ai''s hand remained on his member, the harder and more heated it reacted. "I don''t want you to suffer because of me," Ai was stubborn. "Either you will bear it or take a cold shower, both of which are not good for your health." Jun gritted his teeth. His chest heaved harshly as Ai unzipped his pants. Fuck! "Zhou. Ai!" Ai slightly winced with pain as he gripped her hand harder with his palm. But she continued. His teeth clenched harder, and a series of warm and chaotic breaths escaped his mouth. "I am not really experienced in this so-" Jun shot her a deadly re. Who cares if you are experienced or not!? Just touching me is already making fucking crazy! "If you¡­talk¡­" he inhaled, "I will kill you¡­" Ai pursed her lips. "Do that after you feel better. Focus on getting relief first." "..." The pace of her strokes on his member got faster, making Jun crave to kiss her senseless. His fingers clenched and unclenched, trying to control his desire to pin her down to bed. The pleasure of her hand working across his length reverberated in his body, and his forehead copsed on her shoulder, tired and exasperated. He wanted to stop Ai, but he also didn''t want to stop her and the whole internal battle exhausted him, added with Ai''s adamance. Small beads of sweat from the tip of his hair hopped onto her skin. "Haah¡­hah.. " Ai''s cheeks were slowly tinting in red, feeling his disheveled breaths on her neck and by caressing his searing hot member that throbbed with frenzy and passion. Time ticked by and a whileter after Jun climaxed, he felt his body easing up. His messy breaths came back to normal, and he took several gulps. His focus returned, and his length retracted, satisfied. ? His member was super happy, but Jun was super angry. "Zhou. Ai! What do you think you were doing!? Do you have any idea how dangerous it was!?" Ai slightly blushed as she wiped her hand but overall, her countenance was cid. She didn''t feel she did something wrong or shameful. "Indeed it was dangerous for you to hold it in," Ai replied. Veins popped on his forehead. "Dangerous for YOU I mean, idiot! You shouldn''t approach a man so carelessly in that state!" He eximed as his thread of patience snapped. "You test me like this one more time, and you will have it from me! You touched me like that¡­you¡­you¡­" His trembling fingers pointed at her. Ai stared straight at him. "I only cared about your relief. I know how hard it is to control, yet you were thinking of doing that for a second time. There is a limit to enduring something." Jun''s face ckened. He adjusted his pants and sprung on his feet while ring at her. "You still don''t know what I could have done to you!" "I know and you would have done it already by force if you wanted to," she challenged him. "That''s why I did what I did because I cannot see you in pain." Jun felt as if he wanted to keep scolding her for the entire night but at the same time, he was at a loss for words too. "Don''t talk to me!" He stomped his way out of her room and settled on the couch, huffing and puffing in anger. His body was twitching with an urge to punch someone. How can she¡­? He breathed hard. Ai came out of the room, dressed up and taking soft steps towards the living room. "This is my couch! I am asleep! Leave!" He didn''t allow her to speak. He heard some shuffling noise, and he opened his left eye to see what was happening. Ai ced the cactus on the table in front of his couch. "Your anger will dissipate with the cactus nt by your side." "..." "Also, a nket for you." "..." "Are you sure you want to sleep on the couch? It''s ufortable," she pursed her lips. Seeing the lid on top of his head close to bursting, Ai quickly turned and left. She mumbled. "I was just asking out of concern." Few hours passed by, but Ai couldn''t get any sleep. She was tired of tossing on the bed left and right. Her mind was filled with questions. Now that she thought about it, Sky CEO''s post seemed really coincidental with Jun''s entry in her house. Even the contents of the post felt intimate for some reason to her. Can Jun and MrPerfect¡­? Then her heart battled with her emotions too, and her body could still feel the heat of Jun''s kisses and touch. Sleep failed to visit her tonight. Sighing, she got up and peeked outside. Tiptoeing over to Jun''s side, she saw him soundly sleeping who was barely fitting on the couch. She wondered how anybody could sleep like that. She coughed. Maybe it''s because of my help¡­ Her heart ached as she recalled the tears and pain in his eyes. She brushed her hand along his hair and whispered as she bent, "You are not a bastard, and you are not any hideous monster. You are a man I¡­" her eyes flickered in the dark, the expression in them unreadable, "I¡­ Chapter 136 Receiving A Bouquet Chapter 136 Receiving A Bouquet Ai trembled. She straightened up after a beat and turned when Jun caught her wrist. She stiffened and looked back only to see him still sleeping. Jun hummed in his sleep and pulled her. She copsed on top of him and rapidly blinked. Biting her lower lip, she tried to noiselessly leave. But Jun had firmly held onto her back and pressed their bodies together. His lips lingered on her forehead. Her hair grazed his chin, and her hand was on his shoulder. Ai had no space to move. Her ear that was pressed to his chest could clearly hear his heartbeat. Embraced by him felt warm andfortable. "Jun¡­" she whispered his name, sleep finally greeting her eyes that failed to visit her before. "Ai¡­" A name escaped Jun''s lips too as he ever so slightly opened his eyes. He lightly flicked his thumb over the corner of her lips as he tightened his hold over her. ''You are not a bastard, and you are not any hideous monster.'' "Ai¡­" He slowly shut his eyes, a soft smile faintly curving his lips u the same time in the dead of the night, Yating was aimlessly driving his car. Tears reddened and blurred his vision. From the hacker, Yating came to know about Ai being Butterfly herself. That rattled him so hard that he refused to believe the hacker. "How can she be Butterfly!? Are you crazy?" But then Ai''s confession on Weibo took him by such a shock that he immediately rushed to meet her in her apartment. "Ai, why did you lie? Were you so desperate to leave Dream High that you faked your identity even though it went against your principles?" "It was my decision, Gu Yating." He stared at her, his eyes aching. "Ai¡­even though you have rejected my confession, we can still work in Dream High together. Why¡­ Do you want to leave it so badly? I promise I will do anything I can to make you a great writer! You will have what Guiying has too," his eyes shone with determination. "But-" Ai raised her palm in indifference. "I already said so before. I cannot work at Dream High anymore." Yating asked with an icy gaze, "Is it because of Guiying''s feelings for me? If she is making you ufortable, then please let me rify it to her that I don''t love her in the slightest! If it''s because of Guiying''s rising poprity, then I assure you that you will get the same things as her¡­You will get the same opportunities as her," his gaze flickered, "I won''t let anybodye in the way of your sess. Even if¡­" He clenched his fist whispering something to himself that Ai couldn''t catch onto. "Please leave, Gu Yating." He froze. It was just like before. Whether it was the book signing event or the New Year''s evening when he confessed, Ai was aloof and apathetic. There was a gap between them that he couldn''t seem to bridge no matter how hard he tried. What made him feel the most helpless was that he didn''t even know what caused that distance between them in the first ce. Her eyes were cold. Her voice was detached. The woman he loved so much was going farther and farther away. At present, he put a hard stop on the brakes, and the car came to a noisy, screeching halt. He sped the steering wheel until his palms turned ring red. Ai¡­ ? No matter how tough the road ahead is, I will make you the best writer ever. I will let the world know how awesome you are, a prideful smile formed on his lips. "I will make you a star, Ai. Even if you don''t return my feelings, I will do what it takes to make you reach the peak." He trembled. "You might not love me, Ai¡­But I will always keep loving you." He chuckled as his tears kissed his cheeks. He wiped them and took a deep breath. His ck eyes glinted with resolve. To make way for Ai''s career, the next stepping stone was the Author''s Summit. If Ai could win that, then her reputation would soar. He rested his head on the seat and narrowed his eyes. He had full confidence in Ai''s ability. Whatever story she might write, she would win the hearts of everybody present for sure whether Guiying participated or not. But it was slightly problematic now considering how she was attacked because of the giarism issue first and then her confession about lying about her identity though Sky''s statement had reduced the damage. Yating clenched his jaw. Liu Jun¡­He was talking about Ai. He was fighting for Ai all this time. His body trembled with a deep resentment taking root in his heart thinking about Jun''s possible feelings for Ai. Not you Liu Jun. Not you¡­ ¡ª The next morning, Guiying worriedly brewed herself a cup of coffee. Ever since she read Ai''s post, she couldn''t get decent sleep. She had been trying to reach out to her, but Ai had simply replied that she would talk about thister. I hope Ai is okay¡­ At first, she was terrified with how everybody harshlyshed out at Ai for lying and fooling Sky. Reading some of thements made her so furious that she logged in with an alternate ount to fight back for Ai''s sake. Fucking idiots! As if they know anything about Ai! She gritted her teeth. Talking nonsense about her! But after Sky gave its statements, relief washed over her seeing how the tide was slowly turning. Things didn''tpletely turn into Ai''s favor but even if a little bit, the situation was calming down. Dream High also issued a statementter on indirectly pointing fingers at Sky. Many were still pissed why two reputablepanies would side with a liar. But she didn''t care. Guiying sadly smiled as she read herst message. Her gaze dimmed. ''I will talk about thister.'' Ai before you would always share your worries with me. But now you¡­ Her daze broke as the doorbell rang. She opened the door and saw a delivery man carrying a big bouquet of cherry blossoms. "For Miss. Cai." She widened her eyes. "This bouquet is for me?" Surprised, she took the bouquet and thanked the man. She shut the door and ced the bouquet on the table. Who sent this? She found a card amidst the petals and quickly took it out. ''All the best for the Summit. Hope you win it. I will be watching you. Your most loyal reader, -MrPerfect.'' Chapter 137 You Two Are My Favorite Guiying beamed upon reading the note. It''s from him¡­He would being to the Summit? A flutter set in her chest, and she jumped up in the air in joy. Her heart raced as she read the note again. A bright smile lifted her lips as she picked the bouquet. The pink cherry blossoms were beautiful and breathtaking. Just their sight alone made her feel as if the day got brighter. She brushed her fingers along the petals, her gaze softening. She felt even more fired up now to aim to win the Summit. He will be so proud of me if I win, right? She scratched the top of her head sheepishly. I wonder what expression he will make? Her phone buzzed with a call, and she slightly paused reading the caller''s name. Cai Lingyun. She kept her thoughts aside and picked up. "Bro! You are back from your trip? How was-" "Guiying! I just saw all the mayhem about Ai! What is going on!?" She stiffened. A loud sigh escaped from the other side, "I was on a business trip all this time, and thework was pretty bad there. I came here and opened the news and suddenly saw all these usations and bashing on Ai! What is happening?" Guiying touched her chest, feeling ufortable. "It''s all just a big misunderstanding." "giarism is a serious charge, Guiying! How can anybody use Ai of that? And I didn''t understand Ai''s post," he sounded confused. "What is she confessing about and what about leaving Dream High?" "It''s a long story, Bro. I will tell you when everything gets sorted out. But it will be fine. Sky and Dream High both have talked in her favor so¡­" "Well, it better be fine! Ai is such a talented writer." Her eyshes trembled. "If these baseless charges affect her career, then it would be over for her. I want you and Ai to be the most popr writers. You two are my favorite. I wish I could be there to support Ai but this damn job of mine¡­" She smiled. "Don''t worry, Bro. I am here with her. She is my best friend. I won''t let anything bad happen to her." "Good, good, my little sister. She is your precious friend so always look after her just how she looks after you." "Of course." "And you are living alone, but you are not ignoring your health, right?" He sternly asked. She chuckled. "We just met during my vacation, and you are already asking me that?" "Hahaha. Time flies so fast. It feels as if it has been months already. Anyway! I just read about the Author Summit happening on Valentine''s Day. You must be participating, right?" "Yes," she rubbed her chin. "It will be a toughpetition. I don''t know if I will win though." "Bah. Apart from Ai, nobody can match my sister!" Heughed. A tremble passed through her body unknowingly. "I wish I could make it to the Summit and show my support for you two, but the workload is really high here," he tiredly exhaled. ¦Ñ?????(?)????? "Don''t take stress, bro. Even if you are not here, I know you always support us." "En. My best wishes are always with Ai and you. Do your best!" "Thanks." They hung up after chatting for a bit, and Guiying immediately copsed on the couch. She pressed her forehead, feeling pain enveloping her temples. ''And you still want to be friends with Ai? Aren''t you so naive?'' Aughter echoed. Her eyes widely opened with a jolt, and she gasped. She took short, shallow breaths. But as her gaze fell back on the pretty cherry blossoms, her heart felt at ease. Guiying softly smiled and hugged the bouquet. MrPerfect¡­ ¡ª Ai was the first one to wake up. She softly yawned and dazedly opened her eyes. She felt Jun''s breaths gently blowing on her forehead. His arms were still at the same position asst night. His grip hadn''t budged even an inch from her waist, securely and firmly holding her. She peeked upwards and noticed how peaceful he looked as he slept. There wasn''t any trace of anguish in his expression that had brought tears to his eyesst night. She slightly shifted, but her face almost fell atop him. The tip of her ears turned redder as their lips identally brushed past each other. Ai moved her hand back and gently tried to make space by slightly pushing his arm upwards. She squinted her eyes, wishing that he wouldn''t wake up. A hoarse voice blew in her ear. "What are you doing?" She froze. She shut her eyes,menting on failing to do her task. She slowly lifted her gaze to find his dark eyes watching her with an unreadable expression. p????-?0???,??m Ai pursed her lips and softly said, "I was just trying to get up without disturbing your sleep." Jun tilted his head on the armrest. "Shouldn''t the main question here be as to what you are doing sleeping on top of me?" She blinked twice. "It was you who pulled me to sleep like this." He sneered. "Are you sure?" He clearly remembered that he had pulled her to his sidest night, but he felt an urge to tease her. "Why would I lie?" "Heh. After the stunt you didst night¡­I cannot be really sure about you anymore." The shes of memories of Ai stroking his length to pleasure him rushed into her mind, and her face reddened. That was a bold move from her side, she had to admit. She didn''t know what took over her but once she knew that Jun was going to torture himself again, she was determined to help Jun at all costs. Ai coughed and quickly got up. "You were asleep, so you might not remember," she said indignantly. Jun raised his brow. He recalled how troubled he feltst night getting any decent sleep. His thoughts always wandered off to Ai. The feelings he was repressing were on the tip of his tongue but he failed to admit it, afraid of sinking into the same abyss that destroyed him in his past life. But when Ai whispered the words he needed to hear the most, his heart felt incredibly lighter. She didn''t think of him as a hideous monster. She still chose to approach him fearlessly. ''You are the man who I¡­'' His hand slightly shivered. I am the man you what, Ai? What did you want to sayst night? Chapter 138 Its Valentines Week! Chapter 138 It''s Valentines Week! This time, Jun made the morning breakfast since Ai prepared dinnerst night. He already took his shower in her small bathroom and immediately headed to the kitchen. He thought he would have to wear the same clothes asst night but surprisingly, Ai had provided him with a fresh set of shirts and pants. His countenance turned sour and ugly. He coldly asked, "How do you have men''s clothes with you?" His mind formed a number of scenarios, all leading up to Yating somehow, which only boiled his blood in anger. How dare that fucker- Ai answered with a straight face. "These are my father''s clothes." Pssshhhh¡­ The furious balloon that was puffing up until now deted instantly. "Oh." "Sometimes, Dades to visit me and stays here for a few days. So, I always have his set of clothes ready. I have some extra stuff for Mom too." The menace from his eyes disappeared as well. "I see," his mood turned better. "That''s good." Ai furrowed her brows. "What were you thinking?" "Nothing," he refused to answer her question. few minutester, she stepped out all showered and dressed up and joined in to help Jun. "Just sit. I am already done." Ai pointed out. "You didn''t have to do it. I would have made the breakfast-" "Where is the tape here?" "Tape?" "Yes, so that I can stick your lips shut. You talk too much," he sneered. "..." As they ate their meal, Jun nced up and narrowed his eyes. "You areing to the library today, right?" It was more of getting confirmation rather than asking. She paused. She hadn''t visited the library since she left Jun''s house, unsure of how to face him. Even now, she couldn''t gauge the distance she could keep from him. She felt she was closer to him but on the other hand, there was also a restriction that didn''t allow to go any further than this. Especially afterst night¡­ Ai decided and faced him. "For the Summit, I have to prepare for my story-" "Prepare all you want in the library," He growled in a gruff voice. With Ai''s absence for all these days, he was on the verge of going berserk. Who knew what would happen if she continued to avoid him? Not seeing Ai on her regr seat made him fidgety and annoyed. Ai lowered her gaze and looked away. "I think it''s better I stay at home and focus on my writing." "You can focus in the library too." "But-" Jun cut her off before she could speak further. "If you stoping to the library, then forget about me leaving your apartment," he sneered. "..." "This is childish," Ai remarked. "Heh. What will you do? Childish? So be it. Aren''t you being childish too by noting to the library?" She maintained her poise. "I wasn''t childish. I just¡­" She wondered how to exin herself. Jun scowled. "I don''t care. We are heading straight to the library after breakfast." ? She probed. "You don''t want to head to your house first?" He narrowed his eyes and gave a scornful smile. "So that you run away while you have the chance? No, thanks. Library is our next destination, or I am staying right here." He wanted Ai to be within his sight as much as possible. He still couldn''t shake off the frustration of seeing Yating walk out of her housest night. I will see how that bastard hovers around Ai! Jun hadn''t admitted his emotions for Ai, yet he didn''t want to bear another man even thinking of iming Ai as his. He gritted his teeth. It''s not because I think of her¡­of her anything more! She is an idiot! She doesn''t realize how fucked up the world is! He clenched his fist. "We are going to the library, that''s it!" In the end, as they walked out of the apartment, Ai met one of her neighbors along the way. The neighbor rapidly blinked her eyes seeing Jun and Ai together. She clearly saw Jun stepping out of her house. "Ai¡­Good morning." She suspiciously studied them, especially Jun from head to toe. She then suddenly felt a shiver, feeling Jun''s sharp gaze at her. She gulped and met his eyes which seemed to say, ''Yeah, I came out of her apartment. So, what? That''s none of your judgmental business.'' Even without moving his lips, she clearly got his message. Ai politely greeted her. "Good morning, Mrs. Hao." "G-Good morning, Ai," she wiped her forehead. "It''s such a lovely day. H-hope you enjoy it with your boyfriend." Ai froze. Boyfriend¡­ Terrified of Jun glowering at her, Mrs. Hao quickly rushed away. "I-I will be on my way." Ai parted her lips, wanting to rify. "Um, Mrs. Hao-" Jun grabbed her wrist. "We are gettingte. I don''t like to bete. Don''t bother with nosy neighbors." "...She was misunderstanding something." "Let her misunderstand," his deep gaze was fixed at her. Her breath stopped in her throat. He pressed his palm against hers and pulled her away. ¡ª Reaching the library, Mrs. Quan Su beamed upon seeing Ai. "Ai, you are back! Aiya, I missed you so much," she sobbed. "Especially when Jun was getting angrier day by day!" He red at her. "When was I angry?" "Don''t lie! Ever since Ai stoppeding to the library, you frequently used to gaze at the spot where she would sit to read books. You treated the patrons extra coldly all these days. I got numerousints regarding the assistant librarian!" Ai''s heart raced in her chest. Frequently used to gaze at my seat¡­ Jun''s expression was frighteningly cold. "I never did that!" "You think an old woman like me would lie?" She sniffled. He clenched his jaw. "Go get your eyes checked! I was behaving as usual. And what the fuck is wrong with this library? Why is it decorated with red balloons?" She gasped. "Because it''s Valentine''s week! How can you forget? Today is chocte day!" She forgot all her anguish from a moment before and chirped like an excited child. "So, Ai. Have you made any chocte for Jun?" Chapter 139 Dont Let Go Of Ai Chapter 139 Don''t Let Go Of Ai Ai burst into a light cough. "Chocte¡­?" "Yes. For Jun. After all, you two¡­" Mrs. Quan sheepishly grinned. "I don''t need to say it out loud, right?" They stiffened. Jun grimaced and gave a sardonic smile. "Mrs. Quan. I think you are too bored." "..." "Should I take over as the Head Librarian because clearly, your attention is somewhere else rather than books," he sneered. Mrs. Quan red her nostrils and grabbed Jun''s arm. She kindly smiled at Ai. "Give us a moment, okay?" "Sure," Ai smiled back but internally, her mind was upied with the thoughts of choctes and Jun. "Hey! Where are you taking me!?" Mrs. Quan dragged him into a corner and checked that Ai wasn''t within the hearing range.d, what are you doing?" "What am I doing?" "Don''t act so ignorant! Why are you still behaving so coldly? I am not blind." Jun sneered. "Are you sure?" She gritted her teeth. "I mean to say when will you confess to her?" He froze. "What¡­what the hell are you talking about!?" He red at her. Her question sent his heart into a frenzy. "Jun, you cannot be so dumb that you haven''t noticed your feelings, right? Ever since you have met Ai, you have changed so much." "I don''t think so," he shot cold jabs at her. "Hmph. You won''t notice it but as a third person, I have. You treat Ai differently than other women. I mean, how many women regrly dream of catching your attention? But you never spared them a nce. But towards Ai, you change. You get anxious when she is not around. You let her stay at your house for a month. Youe and go to and from this library so many times! Does any other woman have that liberty?" Every word struck his heart, at the ce where he didn''t wish to. It wasn''t that he was unaware of this growing attraction he felt for Ai. But the grief from his past life didn''t let his heart ept the fact that¡­ "You have a special ce for Ai in your heart," she eagerly eximed in a hushed voice, "I am sure Ai feels the same way for you." He stiffened. "And it''s Valentine''s week. You shouldn''t let this chance go. She is such a nice girl. Polite, responsible, wise and calm. Whenever I look at you two, my heart feels so happy. You two are reallypatible. You two look so good together. You won''t meet another woman like Ai, Jun." He trembled. His chest tightened at her thought. I know¡­There is nobody like Ai¡­Nobody can be like Ai¡­ But I¡­am wed. I will only suffocate her. Just like how I suffocated Shui. Just the rememberance of his rtionship filled him with self-loathe. He felt hollowed out as if he was nothing but an empty shell. He was supposed to cherish the woman he loved, but he made her hate him to the point that he drove her away towards his own brother. ? If one day Ai also says that I stifle her then¡­ He took a strained, silent gasp, his face turning slightly pale from imagining a future where Ai would begin to loathe him too. He envisioned her leaving him but what frightened him the most that he might not her go. If he fell in love once again and if history chose to repeat itself, he was afraid he would be obsessed with Ai just how he had made everyone''s lives miserable in his past life. Mrs. Quan pinched his cheek. "Don''t be so terrified, Jun. Ai is a very strong woman. She can take the love you have to give her." His eyes shot open in disbelief. But soon, a sense of numbness enveloped him as he mockingly chuckled in sadness. "You don''t know how I am, Mrs. Quan." "I think I know, Jun. You are a passionate man. Possessive and a little controlling at times perhaps?" She smiled. "Everybody loves differently. Some may find your way frightening." He stiffened, thinking about Shui. "But some ept it wholeheartedly. Because that is your way of loving. Ai is the kind of woman who won''t ever run away from you, Jun. You don''t have to chase after her to prevent her from escaping you because you will always find her beside you." He inhaled sharply. "Ai is a gem. If you realize your feelings toote, you will lose her forever," she gave it a thought and said, "Do you know what I like about you two the most? When you are all by yourself, you seem lost and alone. But when she is by your side, it feels that you have found a ce to belong to. When you get restless or angry, she calms you down. Her presence tethers you that won''t ever make you lose your way." His gaze flickered. His expression was indecipherable. But his heart beat loudly in his chest. Mrs. Quan ruffled his hair. "H-Hey!" She harrumphed. "That''s why you should listen to me. Don''t let go of Ai. You might not realize the importance now. But one day, if another man stepped into her life and took her away, your heart would be only filled with regrets." He froze. She grinned. "Now, I will be back to my work. Oh, by the way. There are women eagerly waiting for you. They want to give choctes to you~" His expression turned ugly. "I don''t like choctes," he coldly warned. "If womene crying to you, don''t me me." He turned to look for Ai but found her missing from her ce. "..." Did she go ahead without me? He climbed up to the third floor and stepped in. Immediately, women gasped and squealed and shyly looked away. Everybody held a small packet which definitely had chocte in it. He ising! He ising! But Jun was only focused on finding Ai. Which he didn''t. His gaze darkened. Did she use the chance and escape back to her home!? Chapter 140 Natukashi Bakery When Jun and Mrs. Quan were having their secret conversation, Ai had quietly slipped out of the library, thinking of the question she had asked. ''Have you made any chocte for Jun?'' Ai pursed her lips and sped her hands together. We are not in a rtionship. It''s not like I have to give him a chocte with that meaning. She contemted. But Jun has done a lot for me. I can give him some as my gratitude. Or so she consoled herself with that motivation. Ai had no time to make any choctes and considering her baking experience, she decided against trying to even think of doing anything to make sweets. At the very least, I can buy some good choctes. She searched for some good bakeries and found one with the highest reviews and poprity. None of the other bakeries could match up to it. So, Ai decided to visit the shop. She stood in front of the shop named - Natukashi Bakery. But there was a huge rush inside. It was Valentine''s week and Chocte Day at that. Plus, it was super popr. The result was a huge queue in front of the shop. Even from outside, she could see the staff working like crazy to manage the rush hour. Disappointment hung on her face. This might take the whole day. But there was one way of salvation. There was an announcement hung at the bakery''s entrance which stated that whoever managed to solve the owner''s aka the Head Patissier''s problem would be allowed to enter the bakery without worrying about the queue. The customers inside the store would be able to shop for free if they won. So, the ones at the very back outside the shop were trying their luck with this challenge. If they had any solution to give, they were to write on a piece of paper and disy it in front of the camera fit at the entrance, and the owner would ept or reject it. Until now, everybody was rejected. Ai blinked. This is weird. She took two steps forward and read the problem in question. ''I have pissed off the woman I am interested in! I was just ying around and having fun, but it got her into trouble. She got really, really angry and doesn''t want to see my handsome face ever! But I am interested in her, so I want to make it up to her without dying anytime soon! Give me a sensible solution, and the winner will be able to cut the line hahaha! The ones inside will get their sweets for free!'' "..." Ai watched the otherdies in the queue eagerly showing their answers. ''Give her flowers! Girls really like flowers!'' A certain owner sneered in disdain. "She will kill me and then use the same flowers to put on my tombstone! Out!" ''Sing a song for her!'' "She will strangle my throat before I even get to sing," he sobbed. "Out!" Nian was munching on a pastry and watching thedies outside the store hastily scribbling on papers. The customers from inside the shop forgot what they were here for and instead focused on the challenge. If they win, they could get the sweets for free! Every single item in Natukashi Bakery was exquisite in taste and costly in price. Getting it free was like a big boon on everybody''s pockets. Nian then suddenly choked as he saw a familiar figure in front of the camera. The hell¡­what is she doing here!? Ai disyed her writing at the camera. It wasn''t a solution, but a question instead. ''What do you mean by ying around?'' "..." He spoke through the mike. "ying around is ying around. What kind of a question is that?" Ai pursed her lips and wrote again. ''How? Did you lie to her? Did you make fun of her? Did you have fun at her expense? Did you pay not attention to her when she might be talking to you?'' His mouth twitched. "...First one. I lied about my identity and pretended to be a servant because it seemed fun." Ai wrote again. ''Isn''t the solution simple? Confess that you lied and apologize." His gaze darkened. "You think I didn''t think of that? She will kill me if I confess!" Ai blinked. She wrote another question. ''Other than asking us, what solution had you thought of?'' Nian sheepishly grinned. "I would act pitiful and say that my owner fired me while begging her to let me stay at her house as I am homeless! Living together under one roof, and she would be bound to forgive me one day!" The others praised. "This is so cute!" "Living together sounds so romantic¡­" "You will definitely melt her heart!" Nian proudly nced at Ai through the camera only to find her giving a judgemental stare through it. She took another piece of paper and wrote. ''If you want to ask for forgiveness for lying to her by telling another LIE to her about homelessness, then good luck.'' "..." He saw Ai walking away, but he screamed. "Hey! Wait! Don''t just leave like that!" Amidst the dissatisfaction of other customers, Ai was finally brought in where Nian was, and she blinked at him in surprise. "You¡­" He is Jun''s elder brother. She recalled Jun saying that one of his elder brothers was a patissier and a sweets maniac. "You are the owner?" He proudly smiled. "Behold my excellence." "There is nothing to behold about your excellence who thought lying once again was a good option," she calmly stated which drilled big holes in his heart. He burned like charcoal. "..." Nian sighed in frustration. "You don''t know! You didn''t witness it with your eyes. She was so furious that she would have eaten me alive! If I meet her again, she is going to kick my ass so bad¡­" Ai tilted her head. "Then apologize after that." "..." "If she figures you lied to her again to cover up for your first lie, she will twice kick your ass." "..." "Why do you want to agitate the already bursting volcano?" He choked. After a pause, he asked, "Do you really think she will forgive me if I am honest?" Ai nodded. Nian raised his hands in defeat and mumbled. "...Fine. But if it doesn''t work, then just see!" He harrumphed. "If you sincerely apologize, then I don''t see why it wouldn''t work. Women like honesty. I do and so does my close friend who treats me as her sister," she softly smiled thinking about Xing Bi. Nian gave it a thought and eded. He then curiously looked at her up and down and asked, "So. Here to buy choctes for a special someone?" Chapter 141 Ais Handmade Chocolates For Mr. Liu Chapter 141 Ai''s Handmade Choctes For Mr. Liu Ai''s brow ever so slightly twitched. She averted her gaze for just a moment, hearing Nian say ''a special someone.'' Nianzily propped his chin on his palm and asked, his eyes sparkling with delight. "Oh, oh. Don''t tell me that that arrow which Grandpa shot that evening hit its ce?" She frowned. "Which arrow? I don''t understand." "You and Jin, of course. Are you buying choctes for him?" He gasped. "Are you two meeting secretly!?" Ai stared at him. "No. That was just a misunderstanding. I have nothing to do with him." "Tsk. And here I thought you would be my sister-inw," he sighed in disappointment. "..." Nian gave a wide grin and spoke with a gleam shining in his eyes. "Do you want me to market my youngest brother to you? Now that I think about it, Grandpa''s idea is not bad. I like you! It would be awesome if you be my sister-inw, hahaha! I am sure Jin will also definitely like you! You are so cool!" Ai slightly narrowed her eyes. "I think you should ask Jin''s opinion on that first." Nian tilted his head. of how he feels about me, it won''t be possible between us because I don''t like him." He peered into her serious and calm irises that looked firm about her feelings. "Well, if that''s your decision. Then what is your crush like?" Ai stiffened. "He is not my¡­I am buying choctes to show my gratitude-" Nian waved his hand in dismissal and chuckled. "Sure. You think you are the first one to give that excuse?" She lowered her gaze, her heart pounding in her chest. "It''s like how teenage girls act. They pretend to give obligatory chocte to their crush but in their hearts, the meaning is different." She cleared her throat. He got up on his feet, ted. "Anyway! Since I have agreed to your solution, I will keep my promise! You can buy anything for free. But~ I will go one step ahead since we are good friends!" Ai blinked. We are friends? We just met once at the wedding anniversary banquet. "I will give you special treatment and make chocte for you myself!" His nose elongated in pride. Her ears perked up on that. "You will make chocte?" "Yes. Not many have that honor~" Ai gave it a thought and politely asked, "If you don''t mind, can I make the chocte with you teaching me?" I will surely cause a disaster if I try it by myself but with a master patissier by my side, it is possible, right? Her eyes gleamed with hope. There won''t be any idents as long as he is with me. Nian stared at her, his eyes squinting and twinkling. "And then you say that it''s just a gratitude chocte. Who will work so hard unless the chocte has a special meaning to it?" She froze. Her lips parted, wanting to reject his im but she felt her throat go dry. He chuckled. "Whatever. You can keep fooling yourself, but I hope by the time Valentine''s Day arrives, your denial won''t have any ce in your heart anymore." She gripped her wrist and looked away. ? "Anyway! I will ept your request! But mind you, I am extremely strict, okay?" He narrowed his eyes. "I will grill you like crazy if you make any mistakes. If you start crying, I will throw you out." "..." Jun was indeed right. He drastically changes when ites to sweets. But Ai was determined. "I won''t cry. I will do just as you instruct me." ¡ª A few hourster, a sobbing Nian pushed Ai out of his store. His ck eyes reddened with sorrow and pain. He pointed his trembling fingers at her. "You¡­you¡­You shouldn''t ever be allowed to make sweets! You are a bane when ites to sweets!" Ai, who carried a small gift bag with choctes, furrowed her brows. "But, I finally made them." Her lips lifted into a proud smile as she showed him the fruit of her efforts. He clutched his chest while his assistants were holding onto him to prevent him from copsing. "That is all thanks to me!" "Naturally. That''s why I asked you to teach me because I didn''t know how." Nian lived up to his spartan nickname when he was teaching Ai. ''Stop that! You will ruin the taste!'' ''Are you an idiot!? Why did you put so much sugar into it?'' ''Now why did you put in so little sugar!? Don''t you know what ''right quantity'' is!?'' ''Oh my God, have you never stepped into the kitchen before!? Why are you so hopeless!?'' ''Why did you cut it like that!! Have you dumped your brain somewhere!?" Nian gasped. "There is a limit of not knowing! Who beats cocoa that harshly as if a monster is cooking you in a pot of hell!? You look so delicate, but your hands are monstrous! Sweets need delicacy, patience and tenderness. Your hands are anything but that!" He wiped his eyes. "Ahh how they have suffered today¡­We need to give a proper burial to all her failed attempts," he sniffled. The assistants only nodded their heads. They were shocked to see that she was even alive after the hell she brought into his kitchen. But what stunned them the most was that Ai wasn''t affected no matter how harshly Nian scolded her. Many interns had shed tears of blood from his spartan training. They promptly pulled him back before he would get a heart attack for real. Ai bowed and thanked him. "Thank you for your help." His face ckened. "Leave! And you are not allowed into my bakery anymore! You shouldn''t be allowed into any bakery for that matter!" The door shut on her face with a loud bang. She ignored Nian''s outburst and looked at the choctes in her hand. She hugged the small bag to her chest. It was time to give them to Jun now. ¡ª Jun, who was on the verge of exploding at any moment, was continuously emitting ck fumes in the air. All the women who were anticipating to give him chocte only ran away with blood tears in their eyes as he brutally rejected all of them. His chest burned with indignation at Ai''s betrayal. He sneered. The moment I took my eyes off her, she ran away. And the nerve of her not to respond to my calls and messages! It was almost the library''s closing time and Jun was impatiently tapping his foot, still waiting if Ai might show up. There were not many patrons left now. Among them, a woman walked up to him with determination, confident that Jun wouldn''t reject her chocte. She shyly smiled. "This is for you¡­" Jun let out an rming smile. "I think my message wasn''t clear when I rejected all the other women shoving their choctes at my face. I. Don''t. Want. Any. Choctes! I hate choctes. Leave!" Chapter 142 Is That Chocolate I Smell? Chapter 142 Is That Chocte I Smell? Ai, who had just arrived, witnessed his harsh dismissal towards that woman''s chocte. She stared down at her own choctes in her hand. ''I hate choctes!'' Her shoulders drooped, feeling bummed out. A trace of discouragement flickered in her eyes. Jun hates choctes¡­ All her hard work had gone to waste. It would only be an embarrassment now if she showed him the choctes she made. Suddenly, the woman came running out, tears wetting her cheeks. "So mean! How dare he reject my chocte!" She met the same fate as countless other women who died at the hands of Jun''s cold rejection. The remaining patrons also slowly left, afraid of being in the same ce as Jun. His ck aura was only intensifying. Ai softly sighed and was about to put the small bag of her choctes in her handbag when her vision was suddenly blocked by a towering figure. A hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her inside in one swift motion. Jun shut the door behind her and cornered her until her back bumped on the door. His arms put a barricade on her left and right sides. Ai''s breath stopped in her throat, and her heart jumped loudly in her chest. She slowly lifted her gaze. His eyes shone dangerously under the light, and the smile on his lips was anything but weing. "Miss. Zhou. You finally found your way back to the library? I thought you got lost in this big city." the point that I wondered if you were kidnapped," he sneered, "seeing how you were not picking up my calls and messages." Jun bent his head to her level, his dark eyes watching every inch of her face with concentration. "Didn''t I warn you that if you run away, then there will be consequences?" His muffled voice was edged with threat as the tips of their noses touched. Ai slightly licked her lower lip. She met his eyes level headed even though the flush on her neck failed to hide her pounding feelings. "I remembered I had something to do." "That something being as?" The tone of his voice turned a notch lower and denser. How could she say that she was at Natukashi Bakery to learn how to make choctes for him? Her silence irked him. "I am waiting." "I¡­" Jun''s brows suddenly twitched along with his nose. He rapidly blinked his eyes and looked around her. "Is that chocte I smell?" She stiffened. "You are mistaken," she replied without any hesitation. "Weren''t there so many women who brought choctes for you? It must be that smell still fresh in the air." "No. It''sing from you. Very closer from you," Jun was adamant. He leaned and his sharp eyes observed her. He grabbed her hand and studied her palm with interest. Ai gulped, and her eyes slightly widened. She retracted her hand, but Jun didn''t let her. "There is nothing on my hand." His pupils constricted, noticing her reaction. "There is nothing on your hand that I can SEE, but there is some that I can SMELL." Her brow twitched. "It''s a misunderstanding." His lips glinted with a smile. "Why don''t I confirm it?" He raised her hand and brought it closer to his nose. Her fingers trembled as his lower lip teasingly brushed on her palm. Her mouth opened and closed, but she could only nervously exhale. Her hand felt hotter when Jun sniffed the tips of her fingers and grazed his thumb along her skin. "I¡­I said that there is nothing¡­" Jun blinked. "I don''t think so." Ai pursed her lips. "It''s impolite to hold a woman''s hand like that." ? "..." "You are saying that AFTER you have touched you know what of mine with this very hand?" Her ears flushed crimson, and she was rendered speechless recalling how she had pleasured him. "That¡­that was different¡­" her voice squeaked inaudibly. Jun ignored her and continued sniffing her hand. "It is chocte. Why do you smell like choctes?" Ai slightly panicked. His gaze fell on her bag, and he thought back to a few minutes ago. "What were you keeping in your bag before I pulled you?" "Nothing." "It''s definitely not nothing," his eyes squinted further. Jun grabbed her bag, but Ai hastily pulled it back. "What are you doing?" "I want to see what''s in your bag." "There is nothing in my bag." He sneered. "I will confirm that with my own eyes." He pulled her bag again, and Ai dragged it back to her side. The tug-of-war continued for quite some time. Jun''s gaze darkened. "Leave!" She shook her head. "Let go of my bag. It''s impolite to peek into a woman''s bag," she indignantly expressed. He snorted. "Yeah, I don''t care about ethics right now. I want to see what you were hiding." "I didn''t hide anything." "Then prove it to me." In the end, Jun dislodged the bag from her grasp. rmed, Ai stretched her arm upwards to grab it again. But Jun had raised it high up in the air. She tiptoed on her heels but failed to reach the height. Jun shamelessly ruffled inside her bag, not bothering about her resentment. "D-Don''t!" She flustered and tried to stop him. He found a small, beautiful pink cloth bag whose mouth was tied with a golden ribbon. There were five choctes neatly wrapped and stacked inside. Jun nced back at her, whose cheeks were tinted in red now. "There are choctes indeed," he pointed out. After a few shallow breaths, Ai took a deep, calming breath and made an expression as if she was unfazed. "Is that so? I wonder how it got in my bag." The corner of his mouth twitched. "Maybe, it identallynded in my bag." Jun chuckled with a viinous ring to it. "And your hands identally smell like choctes too?" "..." Ai had no answer to that. The clock ticked in silence, and then Jun asked, "Who are these choctes for?" She rubbed her fingers together and lowered her gaze. Jun pushed her chin up and as their breaths tangled with each other, he whispered impatiently, "Who are these choctes for, Ai?" Chapter 143 Mr. Liu Loves Ais Chocolates Chapter 143 Mr. Liu Loves Ai''s Choctes There was no ce to escape. In defeat, Ai finally replied. "You¡­don''t have to ept it. You hate choctes, after all. I wasn''t aware." Jun''s eyes slowly widened. He had eximed in frustration that he hated choctes when the women refused to leave him alone. She heard that¡­ Ai quickly tried to take back the choctes, but Jun moved his arm away. The space in between her brows crinkled in confusion. "You brought it for me, so it''s for me. Take your paws away!" He untied the golden ribbon and took out one chocte. Ai said, "You don''t have to force yourself. The women-" He shot a sharp stare at her. "Don''tpare yourself to them." She froze. "I will ept whatever you have to give me," his voice held such finality and intensity that made her feel as if butterflies were tickling her stomach. unwrapped one chocte and stared at it. At first, he thought it was ready-made store bought choctes, which he wouldn''t have minded either way if it was from Ai. But thinking that she made these choctes for him sent his heart into a frenzy. Her hands faintly smelled of chocte and cream. He imagined how she must have looked while making these sweet choctes. The chocte touched his lips as Jun took a bite. Her shoulders tensed and jitters spread within her, apprehensive about his reaction. The sweet chocte melted onto his tongue but with a slight touch of bitterness in it. His chest fluttered with warmth, and his gaze softened. He popped in the whole chocte and like that, all the choctes quickly disappeared from the pink bag into his stomach. Ai watched the choctes vanish one after the other, and her heart danced with joy. Her eyes shimmered with delight. "You liked them?" Jun kept his gaze intact. "That''s why I ate them. All of it." But at the back of his mind, a faint feeling of annoyance also crept in his chest. It wasn''t rted to Ai''s skills or that the choctes were bad. But the imaginary radar on his head was twitching for some reason. Ai''s heart thumped, and she felt pleased and satisfied. "I see. Thank you. Then I wonder why your brother was shouting unnecessarily? My choctes turned out to be just fine." He blinked. "My brother?" "Yes, your brother Liu Nian. I went to his bakery to buy some choctes for you. He was in some trouble. I helped him, and he offered to make the choctes himself as a reward. But I requested him to teach me instead." She pursed her lips. "Though I only remember him shouting and crying in the kitchen more than him teaching me." "..." "In the end, it seemed he would get a heart attack. He was crying miserably. I don''t know why." "..." Jun''s mouth heavily twitched. He remembered her house getting blown up by her ''baking'' skills and instantly concluded why his brother would have reached that state. "No wonder I felt annoyed eating your choctes." Ai blinked. "You didn''t like the choctes?" Anxiety gripped her once again. ? His gaze clouded with resentment. "Not like that. It''s because I felt the taste was simr. Turns out that you went to Bro Nian''s bakery," he sneered. "Whenever the twins are anywhere near me or are involved in anything, I get extremely displeased." Ai stared at him in wonder. "You felt that connection even through my choctes?" Jun red at her. "When you have lived with them from childhood until now, that radar automatically develops! You don''t know how they are. It''s better you never get to know how they are¡­" his expression turned ugly, recalling all the traumatic experiences his brothers put him through. He dismissed his thoughts about Nian and instead focused on Ai. "Why did you make choctes for me?" Ai replied with the answer she had practiced countless times in her mind. However, she still found her body trembling as she spoke, "It''s for helping me all this time. Whether it was letting me stay at your house or helping me with my stories, I a-appreciate everything you have done for me." Jun narrowed his eyes. "So, it''s a gratitude chocte?" "...Yes." "Are you sure?" The tone of his question made her fluster slightly. "Yes." Jun''s head slightly tilted, and he stepped closer to her. Her chest rattled with a flurry of emotions swirling her heart. The tips of his fingers slowly reached her wrist, and he pulled her until her ear was just a centimetre away from his lips. Her eyshes trembled with how his breath blew on her ear, turning it hotter and redder. "Did you make choctes for anybody else?" His hushed voice vibrated in her eardrums, rattling her heart even further. Her head bobbed sideways. "No." "It''s only for me?" Her chest heaved in breathlessness. "Yes¡­" Her soft whisper of an answer settled peace in his heart. "That''s good," A smile curled on his lips. Ai made choctes only for him. She tried hard only for him. He felt special and treasured. Ai could only release her breath once he stepped away. She quickly said, "I-I will head back now." Jun hummed. Stepping out, she realized that he was going in the same direction as her walking beside her. He noticed her questioning gaze and answered. "I will drop you." Her eyes immediately sparkled with joy, thinking that she would get more time to spend with Jun though she also had mixed emotions about the distance lessening between them. "Thank you," she sincerely said. Jun abruptly stopped in his steps and stared at her wide-eyed. Ai didn''t understand why he seemed so shocked. "Anything wrong?" With an unreadable countenance, he slowly retracted his gaze. "Nothing." He thought she would reject his offer, and he would stubbornly persist to drop her home anyway, one of the many things that had caused arguments between him and Shui in his past life. Jun peeked at her, her eyes glowing in delight. It inevitably warmed his gaze too and brought a tender smile on his lips. Chapter 146 The Valentines Day Arc (2) : Resentments Against MissImperfectlyFine Everybody immediately broke into apuse and appreciation for Guiying. After her book signing event, her poprity had soared even higher. There was CherryBlossom on one side who was the star of Dream High and MissImperfectlyFine on the other side, who was facing resentment from the writingmunity. Both lied at pr opposite spectrums of admiration and poprity. "It''s CherryBlossom!" "Shit, now I am getting even more nervous!" "She is definitely gonna win the Summit." "She is so beautiful and talented at the same time." Some of the writers were also her fans so the squeals in the air were louder. Xing Bi snorted. "Hmph. Praise all you want. But in the end, it''s my Ai who is going to win!" Ai smiled. From a distance, Guiying saw Ai standing with Xing Bi. She beamed and wanted to rush to her side, but she remembered that nobody knew she was MissImperfectlyFine, neither did Ai wanted anybody to know. Zhan Yahui narrowed her eyes. "Focus on yourself, Guiying. Forget about Zhou Ai. She will lose miserably." Guiying shot her a squinted stare. "Enough Zhan Yahui. Don''t make me angry." "Then what do you expect? You know Ai''s reputation is taking a hit day by day. Do you think her story will even pass her batch? Everybody knows the giarism charge against her, which even if she is denying or Sky gave a statement, would be hard to overlook. Didn''t she also say that she lied about her identity? You think she got a chance despite everything against her?" "I have faith in her! Ai is already facing more than enough troubles. So stop it already." Zhan Yahui red at her. "Stop being so childish, Guiying. Don''t forget that I am still mad at you for making that statement on Weibo in her favor. You didn''t even discuss it with me." "Because I knew you wouldn''t allow it. There was no point in talking to you." She clenched her jaw. "Forget it. You will realize it tonight itself. Zhou Ai has no chance of winning this Summit." Ai watched Guiying smiling and waving at everybody. Realizing the distance between them, she couldn''t help but feel a bit mncholic. Xing Bi held her hands and let out an assuring smile. "Ai, don''t be afraid. Have faith in your abilities." Ai nodded with resolve. She didn''t have time to feel intimidated by anybody because her career was at stake. I will win today. No matter what, I will definitely win this Summit tonight. ¡ª A whileter, the Summit''s venue was once again filled with cheers when first Yating and then Yunru made their presence known to everyone. The prominent members of two most influential publishingpanies, Sky and Dream High were finally here. But not only that, Sky and Dream High were in war ever since Sky exposed MissImperfectlyFine, and Dream High used it of only trying to damage their reputation through Ai. The moment they arrived, they were jumped on by a few reporters, asking about the statements that thepanies made about MissImperfectlyFine. The same question was asked to Guiying who showed her full support with her own statement. p¡¢and a-n¡¢o¡¢vel Guiying had narrowed her eyes. "I think it was clear that MissImperfectlyFine and I are best friends. I know her better than all of you. If I won''t stand up for her, then who will?" She refused to answer any further questions or hear anything against Ai. Yating and Yunru were in a simr position as her, but they had made their stand clear. "Mr. Gu. What do you have to say to Sky? It all started when they filed the giarism charge against MissImperfectlyFine."? "And why is Dream High supporting her after her confession?" "She lied to get into Sky. Shouldn''t that be-" One cold and rming re from Yating instantly made not only the reporters but everybody else too step back in fear. He looked just like Guiying - protective about Ai who would not tolerate any nonsense from anybody against her. "When she will prove you wrong is when your mouths will be shut." Everybody was sharply taken aback by Yating''s words. They never thought that the Chief Editor could defend MissImperfectlyFine to this extent. He was practically threatening them. "Does that mean he is openly supporting MissImperfectlyFine instead of CherryBlossom?" "But this is so unfair¡­" "Yeah, CherryBlossom should deserve such treatment." "Why is a liar being protected?" The crowd whispered amongst themselves in dissatisfaction. Not only Yating but when Yunru was shot with the same questions, he only smiled and said, "If there are any answers to be given, the Sky CEO will do so." The look on their faces was indescribable. CEO? Sky also has a CEO? Naturally, everypany had a CEO, but Jun was hidden from the limelight so adeptly that everybody felt that the Sky CEO was just a myth. It was always Yunru''s face in the media as the President. People even thought that he was the CEO himself. The reporters and the people from other publishingpanies eagerly nced at the entrance to see if the Sky CEO was making his way in. But to their disappointment, nobody did. Yating narrowed his eyes. Liu Jun¡­ He had used him of having feelings for Butterfly but when he realized that Ai was Butterfly herself, his own usation stabbed his heart just like it did to Jun. No way¡­There is no way that Ai and Liu Jun possibly know each other. His heart shook with fear and uncertainty. Is that why Ai wants to go to Sky? His eyes scanned the crowd and found Guiying standing with Zhan Yahui, meeting with other writers and reporters. The air around him turned frigid, using her to be the reason behind his and Ai''s difficult rtionship. He shut his eyes and took a deep breath. Tonight, he only wanted Ai to win this Summit, and he would make sure that nothing woulde in her way. ¡ª The Summit was going to begin, and Ai threw frequent nces at the entrance. Yunru was already here. She thought that Jun would apany him too. But she was yet to see him. Her face was marred with a tinge of confusion, nervousness and disappointment. She clutched the hem of her dress. Is Jun noting? But unknown to her from three floors above, a pair of dark brown irises shrouded in darkness was already watching her intently. Chapter 153 The Valentines Day Arc (9) : CherryBlossoms Story Chapter 153 The Valentine''s Day Arc (9) : CherryBlossom''s Story If Guiying was being honest to herself, then she wanted to write a story about her and MrPerfect. A sweet story of admiration culminating into love between a star and her fan. But Zhan Yahui wasn''t really thrilled with this idea. ''A story between a fan and a star? It does have a sense of mystery. But the fan''s identity will y a major role. Is he secretly a rich heir? Or you can show that he poses as your enemy but is actually your well-wisher. As long as he is not ''just'' a regr fan having a normal job.'' Guiying had disagreed. She didn''t know who MrPerfect was, and it didn''t matter to her if he was rich or not. She could write that MrPerfect was secretly a billionaire. But she didn''t want to lie about him or her expectations from him. This was her real story. She didn''t want to make it one big lie. In the end, Zhan Yahui urged her to write that story for some other time but not as a submission to something as important for the Author''s Summit and risk her chances. So, Guiying wrote another story, discussing with Zhan Yahui. "''Ah, today is the blind date!''" She began her story of a woman who went on a blind date. But the guy turned out to be a total jerk. She was too polite to get up and leave, only making her time more miserable. But fortunately, she was rescued by a handsome stranger who bails her out at the right time. story progresses as the woman falls in love with the stranger, who turned out to be a billionaire CEO. At first, it felt like a typical plot of a Prince Charming saving a damsel in distress until Guiying gave it a twist. The CEO she fell in love with wasn''t a Prince Charming at all. He was a hideous antagonist who used women for his pleasure and killed them. He was the mentally deranged, secret serial killer hiding behind the facade of a CEO. Not only Guiying yed with his identity, but it was revealed that the jerk of a blind date she went with wasn''t a jerk in the first ce. His sister had been one of the CEO''s targets and using her, he had thrown the brother out and usurped his CEO''s position. There was a lot of background and mystery as to why he acted like a jerk, and it seemed impossible to show it all in a short story. But Guiying had skillfully handled it. She set a nice tone and background after the revtion of the fake CEO too and how her heart found love in the date she had dismissed as a resentful experience and how he overcame the grief from his sister''s death. Her story sent a strong message that looks are deceptive, and first impressions are not necessarily the right benchmark to judge someone. One needed to understand their past and their story to know what molded them to be the person that they were at present. All this was difficult to pull off in a short story without making the readers bogged down, but Guiying managed it extremely well, earning praises from the judges. Guiying ended the story on a sweet but mncholic note where the couple go to meet his sister''s grave where he introduced her as her soon to be sister-inw. After Guiying finished, everybody pped hard. Some had tears in their eyes, feeling bittersweet at the ending part. "It was wonderful." "I can see why CherryBlossom was selected." "She is not Dream High''s star for no reason." The viewers watching the Summit live from their home also furiously praised Guiying''s story and delivery. Her fans cheered hard for her and sent a string of appreciation messages on social media. At the Summit, Guiying watched everyone satisfied and happy by her story. She felt her heart at ease. She wondered MrPerfect''s reaction on her story, and her chest drummed with anticipation and excitement. Just like she thought, a certain figure d in a dark suit was indeed watching her with pride. His lips formed an affectionate smile as he pped for her too. Guiying stepped down, and the emcee came back on the stage. "Thank you, CherryBlossom! It was beautiful. Ah, I still have tears in my eyes." ? Guiying chuckled and sat back. Zhan Yahui grinned and gave her a thumbs up. "You have bagged this for sure." Guiying paused. "It''s Ai''s turn now." She shrugged. "She won''t be able to match you." She parted her lips to speak but for some reason, she kept quiet. "You are wrong about that¡­" her irises flickered with an unknown emotion. "Did you say something?" She shook her head. "Nothing." ¡ª From her past life, Ai already knew what her story was going to be. Even so, she felt the tears slip into her orbs. Xing Bi patted her hand. "Now it''s your turn. Don''t be nervous and just give your best! You will definitely win this!" Ai wasn''t so sure. Guiying had won the Summit in her past life. She had pledged to herself to win this Summit but thinking about the past life''s results, her confidence dwindled at times. ''You will win this Summit, Zhou Ai. You will for sure.'' Jun''s resilient words rang in her heart, and the jitters within her calmed down. "Now, for the second and thest entry, I would request MissImperfectlyFine toe to the stage," the emcee announced. From above, Jun watched Ai walk with poise. He clenched the wine ss in his hand, his gaze fixed only on her straight back. Yating straightened up and only Nian, too, watched her with interest. He liked CherryBlossom''s story so was looking forward to what Ai had to tell. Jin''s countenance didn''t change much. He only wanted to leave from here, but Nian lost his confidence at thest moment to confront Xing Bi during the break. Now, they were back to square one. Nian ignored Jin''s using stares and eximed. "It''s Ai''s turn!" "And you are gonna meet Xing Bi after this is over," Jin dered. "...I know. This time, I have mentally prepared myself!" "You did thatst time too. It didn''t give any results," he ruthlessly stated. Nian red at him. "Just enjoy the Summit!" Jin sighed. Ai climbed on the stage and as she watched everybody from a height, she froze. Chapter 155 The Valentines Day Arc (11) : MissImperfectlyFines Story (2) Chapter 155 The Valentine''s Day Arc (11) : MissImperfectlyFine''s Story (2) "He came and when she looked into his eyes, the first thing that came to her mind was, ''It is dangerous to be loved by this man.'' His eyes were what had made a strong impression upon her. Deep, silent but dangerous. One look was all it needed to tell her that it was wise to keep her distance from her man. But she couldn''t. His dark eyes carried threat and iciness which didn''t allow anybody to approach him. He lived in his own space - alone and devoid of any warmth. She met him the second time when he tried to give up on his life. She had saved him that day. But she was disappointed in him that whose eyes carried such immense intensity could be so weak and selfish to end his own life. She felt resentful, but there was a strong feeling that also resonated in her by his actions. He was lost. Just like her. seemed as if he had gone through the same pain. Just like her. He was a man with a cold, dark, and distant demeanor. But as days passed by, she felt the incredible warmth his aura emanated. He looked indifferent on the outside, but his heart carried immense concern and love. He said to her that he didn''t like children because they were too annoying. Yet he was the one who secretly gave them a basket of choctes to make them happy. He preferred to shut everyone off. Yet he was the one who asked her to bring an ice-cream with a chocte and ckberry scoop on top of it one day when he was too sick. He always looked like he would never bother to help anybody. Yet he was the one who had helped her countless times in need whether it was to save her from an usation or kill a dangerous thief one night who threatened to rob her of her dignity and life. He seemed like he would never want anybody else to invade his space. Yet he was the one to offer her his home to live in without any hesitation when she had no roof over her head. He was a man who treated his words preciously like gold. Yet he was the one who could talk andugh for hours over his favorite books with her. He was a man whose cruel words sounded akin to poison to others. Yet he was the one who resolutely assured her that as long as he was there, he would never let her fall. She, who began to be afraid of falling ever since the betrayal pushed her to despair, felt like his words were music to her ears. She lived with him. She began to understand him. She felt that he was a man whose love would hold no boundaries for the woman who would make a ce in his heart one day. And she¡­ She didn''t realize it when along the way she started to wish herself to be that woman in his heart. ? She, who had promised to herself that she would never search for love, found the answer to the question. Yes, she fell in love. Once again. Because he was the one who taught her what it felt like to be loved. He gave her the answer she was looking for a long time. Love is unconditional. She was afraid of falling in love because that one time was enough to disillusion her from that emotion. Yet she was standing here once again on the same path. She tried hard, very hard to shake this feeling off her chest. She tried to put a brake on her ramping emotions and her heart that jumped up and down every single time she saw him. She wanted to stop the flutter of her heartbeats that she felt whenever his fingers brushed her face. In the end, everything proved to be fruitless. The more she tried to deny it, the harder the feelings knocked on her heart''s door, refusing to leave her. She was in love so much that it ached. So much that she wanted to live her entire life with him. But she didn''t know his feelings because he was lost just like her. He had suffered the same pain as her. She didn''t know if his scarred heart can make a special ce for her. And now she had two options. She could either confess or hide her feelings forever. She could admit that she loved him and possibly ruin the friendship they shared if he didn''t feel the same way. Or she could keep her love to herself and protect what they had right now. After a long, long debate with herself, she decided to let him know even though it might jeopardize everything built between them. Everything was at a risk. But she took the chance. Now, he knew. And now as he watches her, she waits for his answer, her heart feeling as if it would jump out of her chest at any moment." Ai trembled and softly let out her breath as she finished reciting her short story. Her eyes were slightly shining with mistiness as her body shook hard. This story was her life''s story. In an abstract way, she decided to tell the events of her life and let it out to the world. But more importantly, this story was a medium through which she wanted to confess her love for Jun. If not now, then she knew wouldn''t ever be able to confess to him. Tears threatened to fall because she knew Jun was watching her. He heard everything, and she knew he understood everything too. She had an urge to escape, but her legs were shivering so badly that she didn''t find the strength. Her lips quivered as she spoke, "T-That''s all. I know¡­it might sound strange that the story ended on an open question. It''s not the proper end. But I kept it that way because this is just the first part of the series that I am nning to write. I hope you liked it. Thank you." Chapter ?200 The Boundary Between Friendship And Love Chapter ?200 The Boundary Between Friendship And Love Jun was bewildered. "What pressure? I don''t understand where this ising from." Ai tilted her head, trying to find her words. "It''s more of a psychological thing. Since childhood, you said that she will be your wife one day. Your family was happy. Her family was happy, and they repeated what you said. No matter where Han Shui looked, there were people who only supported your rtionship, but there was nobody to tell her that she could refuse this decision." He was stunned. "Wait. Nobody forced her. She wanted it too." "That''s where I am saying that you are wrong. You ''think'' that you gave her a choice but actually you didn''t. Not consciously. You one-sidedly dered your future with her. Everybody was excited to see you two together, and when she saw so many people favoring one thing as she was growing up, her mind was inclined to believe that this was her only choice, or that this was the only right thing to do. wasn''t really thinking about what she wanted or even if she did, she was matching it with others'' expectations from her. That expectation being that she is supposed to be your wife in the future. That made her misunderstand friendship for love. She liked you but as a friend, and everything that happened made her unable to realize the difference between love and friendship." Jun froze as he was beginning to understand what Ai was meaning to say. Ai continued. "So in effect and without ill intentions, you and your families kind of snatched that power from her to decide if she wanted this rtionship or not. Unknowingly. That exins why you two started fightingter on. Because she was growing up. She was beginning to understand herself, what she wanted and what she didn''t. Her nature shed with yours, but she kept insisting to herself that, ''I am supposed to marry Jun. This is what has been decided for years. Jun had said so. Our families want it too. Everybody is so happy with our rtionship. How can I think otherwise?'' Your and everybody''s future expectations to see you as a married couple blocked her vision of what she really wanted." Jun touched his throat. "I...I understand I might have been a little pushy, but I really didn''t mean to force her..." ? Ai watched his panicking gaze. "Of course, you didn''t. I am not saying you forced her at gunpoint. But expectations are also a way that influences decisions. Do you know that my Mom is against my writing career?" Jun was taken aback. "Against? She doesn''t like that you are a writer?" "Not really. She is a professor at a reputed university. Naturally, she wanted me to be a professor like her too. When I said that I wanted to be a writer, she was against it. Even my neighbors weren''t in favor saying that a writer''s career is too vtile. I won''t have a good future. I will earn less. It''s very risky. Basically, they didn''t view that option as something stable. They wanted me to work in a big, reputedpany or a university." She pursed her lips. "When I heard so many opinions against writing, I was on the verge of giving up on being a writer and do what everyone wanted me to be. I didn''t feel confident anymore. But it was Guiying who urged me to keep writing. There would be no point in working for something that I don''t like, and I would only suffer was what she had said." She nced at him. "So, you see? It''s not like Mom had bad intentions to force me to choose my career. But at the same time, I didn''t want to let her down either. So, there was a spell where I felt pressured from her and everybody''s expectations from me." Silence. Ai touched her chin in deep thought. "I think that''s why Han Shui asked you to give her space. She wanted the time to figure out if she truly saw her future with you or not. It was a hard decision to make because everybody was looking forward to the day when the two families would be tied together by marriage. It would be disheartening to dere that she might not want this rtionship, so she wanted to take her time in giving it a proper thought and not hurt others unnecessarily. And I can understand why now that I met both families today. From your great-grandma''s reaction, I could see that it was a big blow to know that you two won''t be together anymore. That''s why Han Shui must have been hesitating a lot to have such conflicting feelings about you and also why you couldn''t confess your breakup for two months either." Jun took a deep, silent breath. He had never really thought of these things in this perspective but now that Ai pointed them out, he couldn''t help but feel that she made sense. Ai seriously said, "I am not saying Han Shui is not at fault. She did hurt you with her indecisiveness. But it was that background your families built that she misunderstood the boundary between friendship and love. It was through Jin that she realized that difference. You have both hurt each other in different ways because of your limited understanding about love. I think along the way, you also treated her just like a friend but because she was Mrs. Han''s daughter, you forced yourself to believe that you really loved her." Jun widened his eyes. His heart pounded faster in his chest. He didn''t want topare Ai and Shui but now that he gave it a thought, he felt that his emotions for Ai were much stronger and deeper than what he ever had for Shui. He was indeed possessive about Shui but towards Ai, it was as if he strongly felt that he was meant to be hers. Something resonated in his heart about his feelings for Ai. Towards Shui, it was his obsession but for Ai, it was only his love. Chapter 201 A Mystery Chapter 201 A Mystery Jun nced at her and asked, "You figured that all out from my story? You are amazing." Ai blinked. "I am not amazing. I think it''s easier to see what is happening from an outsider''s perspective. Also, I know about your obsession for perfection, so I knew it must have something to do with your rtionship with Shui." He choked. "How does thate in my way? I just wanted to have a rtionship like Mom and Dad have," he defended himself. "You still didn''t ask your parents about their love story, right?" He coughed and averted his gaze. Ai thought back to the time when she met Jinhai and slowly said, "You really should. You will definitely get to hear an interesting story I feel. You will realize that their love story wasn''t perfect either. You see it that way because they have worked to ovee their differences. Once again I am telling you. You are judging their marriage by the result, not the process." Jun rested his forehead on her shoulder and exhaled. "How do you understand so many things so easily?" my natural talent," Ai proudly smiled. Jun raised his brow. "I didn''t know you were a narcissist." "One should appreciate their qualities and what they are blessed with." Jun wanted to puke blood. It was simr to what he had said in the book signing event. With a grim countenance, she looked at him. "But I understand your shock about Jin. He was your closest brother but this time, his words and actions were¡­" He faintly smiled. "Of all people, I never thought that Jin would betray me. And today, he even implied that I was cheating on Shui." He trembled, thinking of all those childhood memories with him that was in stark contrast with his actions today. Ai''s brows softly crinkled. "I don''t understand Jin. Honestly, he is a mystery¡­" Jun felt irked. "What do you mean? I don''t like the way you call him mysterious." She nced up at him, and a soft smile greeted her lips. "You are really cute when you are jealous." His expression turned ugly. "I told you not to call me cute¡­" he spoke through gritted teeth. She shook her head. "What I mean is that I don''t understand what he is thinking at all. When I saw him at the library for the first time, he genuinely seemed worried for you. I don''t think his concern was a lie. But then today he spoke such harsh words¡­ ? Then in the past life, Jin suggested that you break up with Han Shui. If he did that because he liked Han Shui and wanted to separate you two, then why didn''t he get married to her sooner after she rejected you? He should have been happy that you were gone. There was no reason to wait for those years." Jun frowned. "Isn''t it because I was getting in their way?" Ai couldn''t put a finger on it. "I don''t think so. Maybe for some time because they felt guilty? But their feelings were clear towards each other. They would have gotten married eventually but five years is not a short time, especially when his roadblock was gone¡­That also¡­" Jun narrowed his eyes. "That also what?" Ai''s gaze turned somber. "That also reminds me of my past life. Gu Yating and I dated for five years and then he¡­He came up to me one day and said that he wanted to break up with me. When I saw him and Guiying together, I thought they would soon get married because of how they dered their rtionship to the world. It was just a matter of time. But until that night I died, it didn''t seem that things hadn''t progressed between them at all." Jun stiffened. Hearing her talk about her and Gu Yating and their rtionship made him feel sour. But to know more about Ai''s past life, he had to know about Yating too. "How did you listen to me talk about Shui and me so calmly? I feel like killing that bastard!" Ai''s lips twitched into an uncontroble smile. "That''s why you are so cute." He red at her. "I am telling you. If you call me cute one more time, I am gonna severely punish you!" Then he toned down his expression and growled in a low but rming voice, "Tell me everything about that night when you¡­How did you fall from the building''s terrace!? Who pushed you?" His knuckles cracked dangerously. "Whoever it is, I will¡­" Ai lowered her gaze. "It was an ident. Guiying pushed me, and I fell." He froze. "Guiying? CherryBlossom?" Ai slowly nodded and told how that night transpired. The more Jun listened, the more his eyes got darker and murderous. "The hell!" He eximed after Ai was done. "The nerve of her to me you for snatching everything from her!? Who does she think she is fooling!? She had a great career, and then she seduced that fucker Gu Yating who was your boyfriend and after all this, she dares to me you!? I will kill her! And I will kill that bastard too for just standing like a Goddamn useless statue when you were falling! What is his problem? Even at the book signing event, he didn''t do anything to catch you and just kept standing!" His chest heaved restlessly, and he had an urge to let out the bloodthirsty emotions riling within his heart. The thought about Ai suffering by their hands in the past was enough to bring out the viin inside of him. Ai watched the anger and rm swirling in his pupils for her sake, making her feel warm by his concern. "Calm down-" "The hell I will calm down!" Jun narrowed his eyes and asked, "Is that why you are afraid of heights? Because of how you¡­" Ai bit her lower lip. "Yes. When I was reborn, I used to get nightmares about that night. I realized I was getting afraid of being at high ces because that always reminded me of how I fell. I would get dizzy and scared that I would fall." Jun clenched his fists with the green veins popping visible on the back of his hand. That was post traumatic stress disorder. The death at that night instilled the fear of heights in Ai. Nightmares, fear¡­it was all signs of PTSD. How dare they¡­ "Tell me everything from the beginning." Chapter ?202 Ais Past (1) Ai''s gaze seemed far away as she started. "It was Guiying who brought me into writing. It was in high school. She always wanted to be one and then one day, she eagerly said that I should try it too. At first, I wrote only because she urged me to. But then I realized it wasn''t so bad. I randomly wrote the scenes that came to my mind and the more I did, the more I began to love it. The craft, the process - I liked it," a gentle smile curled her lips reminiscing the past. "That was the period when we bonded the closest. During breaks and after school we would meet and share ideas and write together. It was so much fun." Jun felt the sense of mncholy and loss from her voice, and he gently squeezed her hand. "Two yearster, we participated in an inter-high writingpetition. We were nervous because it was our first time. We worked really hard for it, spent sleepless nights, and our efforts paid off. Guiying won the Best Fiction award, and I won the Best Neer award." Jun scowled. "I don''t ept it. Why didn''t you win the Best Fiction award? I have read your story. It deserved to be won!" Ai blinked at him, surprised. She remembered him saying this before. "I am happy to win at least an award. Tragedy wasn''t one of the themes of thepetition. But I wrote in that theme anyway because I loved the story that was in my mind. Guiying scolded me a lot when we were preparing for it. She said the judging team would never consider my entry because it doesn''t adhere to the theme." Jun snorted and mumbled. "I would have given you the award anyway." She chuckled and felt warm by his words. She shook her head and continued. "Our happiness knew no bounds when we won. It was our firstpetition after all. We celebrated a lot," her gaze softened. But it quickly dimmed as well as she said, "Then a weekter, Yating came to our school."p????-?(0??)?.??? The mention of Yating soured Jun''s expression by a hundred fold. Blood rushed to his head in anger. That bastard¡­ "He wasn''t officially working in Dream High back then. He came with the then Chief editor Mrs. Yu and was like her assistant in training. That was the first time we met." Jun had an urge to erase the first meeting and everything rted to Yating from Ai''s life. Then his heart wouldn''t burn with so much anguish. Ai noticed his trembling body and clouded gaze. She leaned and kissed on his lips. "It''s only you in my heart now, Jun. I have no ce for Yating in my life anymore." The burning sensation in his heart cooled down, and he felt pleased. He kissed her back and smiled. "En." Ai coughed. He looks so cute when his anger detes. She cleared her throat and continued. "Mrs. Yu and Yating hade to invite me to work in Dream High and be a professional writer. Naturally, I was thrilled. I didn''t expect the offer. Yating said I could work part-time since I was still studying and then convert full time after my education. I ran to Guiying to share this exciting news, and I was so happy to learn that she had received an offer too," her brown irises shone with delight, "We were going to work together as writers. Even after school and college will be over, we will be together. That was such an exciting prospect for us." Jun smiled. "Though when I shared this to Mom, she was skeptical and against it. Like I told you, she didn''t think the career would sustain me. So, she was against it. But with Guiying''s encouragement, I convinced her as much as I could. Dad helped me too and finally, she agreed. But she had a condition that I had toplete my Majors in Education and English, which I was going to do anyway. So, it wasn''t a problem." Ai softly exhaled. "When I entered Dream High, we were made to choose our editors, and that''s when I met Xing Bi for the first time. She was so tall and cool and beautiful. I immediately liked her and chose her to be my editor." "Hm," Jun said, "I can see she really loves you a lot." Ai''s small face beamed with radiance. "Yes. She treats me like her little sister. After Mom and Dad, I always thought of her to be my closest family. She took care of me the most in my past life. She did everything she could to help me be a great writer." He gently nodded. Ai took a pause and said, "The next few years passed by peacefully. I worked part-time and published two more books with Dream High. It was the time when¡­" she coughed, "Yating and I got closer too." His gaze darkened. She hugged him and softly whispered, "Don''t get mad." "I am trying," he spoke through a clenched jaw. Ai smiled. He took a few deep breaths. "Continue. I won''t get angry." At least, I think I won''t¡­ She knew he was lying, but she went on anyway, "Yating soon became the new Chief Editor after Mrs. Yu retired. We worked together and got closer and then onst year''s Christmas Eve, he confessed to me. I epted, and we started dating." Jun''s lips were smiling but internally, his heart was raging. "I see." "I still remember¡­Guiying was really happy when she came to know about it. She cheered us with all her heart." Jun blinked. "So people at Dream High knew your rtionship?" "Yes. But it wasn''t known outside of Dream High mostly because nobody knew that I was MissImperfectlyFine, and it was kept that way." "But then what about the book signing event!? How could Gu Yating agree to make you apologize in front of CherryBlossom''s fans!" "He wasn''t there at that time when the incident happened. Zhan Yahui wanted me to apologize, and he was still on his way to the event. But the fans were angry, and we couldn''t wait. Guiying tried too but she couldn''t stop her either. So, I went ahead and apologized, albeit hiding my face." Chapter 203 Ais Past (2) Chapter 203 Ai''s Past (2) "When Yating arrived, he was really furious with Zhan Yahui. But what was over was over. He wanted to make a statement in my favor, but it would have been seen as hiding my crime and giving an excuse to save my reputation, so the PR team wasn''t in favor. It would negatively impact Dream High too. But he went against everybody and made a statement anyway." Jun remembered that Dream High did make a statement but after the chaos, it hadn''t helped much. Guiying''s fans were too unforgiving until the end. "You didn''t tell him about the Yinyin?" Jun asked. Ai shook her head. "I didn''t want to implicate them or drag them into this. So, I kept it to myself. This is exactly why I took the me in the first ce. If I had told Yating, everything would have gone to waste." He pursed his li incident passed, and then Yating confessed to me. Many of the people in Dream High weren''t happy with it, especially after the signing incident. But Yating was fierce and intimidating and very pissed off after how thepany didn''t do anything to save me. The other employees were also against me. So in front of his anger and resentment, nobody dared to speak a word against our rtionship. Only Guiying and Xing Bi were truly happy for us." Jun gritted his teeth. He now really wished to turn time back even more so that he could rewrite the past for Ai. "Our rtionship was going well. At least, that''s what I thought," her eyshes trembled, "But I soon felt the distance Yating was putting between us. He seemed to be busier, and we didn''t have time for any more dates. We hardly met, and when we did, he seemed really tired and in a bad mood. I asked on many asions if something was wrong, but¡­he never said anything to me. The distance only widened between us. One day, Mom said that he wished to meet Yating. But he seemed afraid of something and kept making excuses to avoid meeting her." Jun widened his eyes. Ai pursed her lips. "Mom was dissatisfied. I somehow convinced her that Yating was really busy as the Chief Editor, but she didn''t buy it. A whileter, she asked me to break up with him. She didn''t like how things were going between us." He sneered. "Wise woman. I like her." She helplessly chuckled, but then her smile faded. Pain shot in Jun''s heart, and he pulled, and he embraced her tighter, giving her his reassurance. "I am here with you. You are a very strong woman, Ai," he kissed her forehead. ? She felt her vision be blurry. "What happened then?" Ai took the strength from his warmth. "Nothing much really. It was a hard phase in my life. My career was going nowhere and along with it, my rtionship too. Both were going downhill, and I didn''t know how to save any of it. Xing Bi fought a lot for me seeing how Dream High heavily promoted Guiying. But everything went to deaf ears. When I was twenty-eight, Mom was absolutely serious about me breaking up with Yating and stopping my writing career too. Nothing was helping me grow, and my life was only growing more unstable, whether personally or financially. But I remained stubborn. Mom got furious and gave me an ultimatum to decide things once and for all. Dad too, who always supported me, agreed with Mom for the first time that I had to end things with Yating. I got afraid, and that''s when I¡­I went to Yating and proposed to him to marry me. I wanted to show Mom and Dad that everything wasn''t over yet. But¡­" She felt her warm tears slide down as she stammered, "He re-refused. He rejected me. I-It was the same day when he said that he wanted to break up with me. I just stood there. I couldn''t think of anything. I came to ask him to marry me, but he was there to end our rtionship. I was devastated. It felt like my whole world just crumbled." She felt Jun''s body tremble and his hold on her tightening. She looked up and saw his eyes growing moist with tears too. "That fucking bastard¡­Who the hell is he to reject you!?" At that moment, he really wished to burn this whole world who did nothing but hurt Ai in the worst way possible. She lowered her gaze and took a deep breath. "...I felt so stupid. Mom was right. She kept warning me, but I didn''t pay any heed to it. I was standing in front of a reality from which Mom and Dad wanted to protect me. But I was an idiot and kept being stubborn. Even more so when I learned that," she softly gasped, "Guiying and Yating were dating now. I couldn''t understand what was happening. Why¡­Why would they be together? Guiying was so happy for us. Then how could she be his girlfriend now?" She bit her lip. "That was thest straw for me. When I confronted Guiying, she was smiling at me. A smile that I had never seen on her face before. It was evil and mocking. She wasughing as she said that she always liked Yating but kept away because of me. Sh-she told Yating to break up with me, and he did. I couldn''t make sense of the things happening in front of me. Guiying looked so different. We were best friends, but at that time¡­she looked at me as if I was her enemy. Our years of friendship broke just like that in a single day." Ai cried harder as she clutched onto Jun''s shirt. "I had lost everything, Jun. My friendship, my love, my career¡­I had nothing beside me anymore. It felt like all the years until then were a lie. I could only stand and watch everything slipping from my hands like sand¡­I tried holding onto it, but nothing worked. Xing Bi also lost her job, and I could do nothing to save her. I was useless. She did everything she could to help me, but I couldn''t reciprocate her kindness. I begged Dream High to let her keep her job, but nobody listened to me. Then I had no other choice. I left Dream High. I left the writing world. I left everything behind me and returned home to my city where Mom and Dad lived." Chapter ?204 Ais Past (3) Chapter ?204 Ai''s Past (3) Ai took several long minutes to calm down. Even if this was her second chance and her life was different than before with Jun by her side now, nevertheless she felt as if the wounds inflicted upon her were still fresh. They bled her heart and the old memories invoked the same grief which she tried so hard to ovee this time. The ignorance, the betrayal, the loss - was even heavier than what she felt at that night she fell. The nauseous feeling within her settled down, feeling Jun''s gentle pats and his soft kisses on her forehead and cheek. He wiped the traces of tears off her face. As she felt rxed, she said, "For four years, I didn''t hold my pen again for writing. Instead, Mom arranged a job for me in the university where she worked. She was retired, but she had connections. I became a professor in college and spent the next four years teaching, trying to forget everything I suffered," her eyes stung, "It was hard, but Mom and Dad were there for me." There was silence for a beat. Jun then slowly said, "But you resumed writing again. You published onest book before¡­" Ai nodded. Her dim and sorrowful gaze brightened for a few moments as she spoke, "I would never have had the courage. But there were two students in my ss. They were a couple and when they read my book, they came to tell me how much they loved it," she softly chuckled, "I was really shocked to know that somebody still read my books. But I felt so happy seeing their appreciation for my work. It was after so long that I had experienced that feeling¡­" shook. "After much contemtion, I told them that I was MissImperfectlyFine. It was the first time I had revealed my identity." He widened his eyes in surprise, "Oh." "Yes. They were very sweet. We talked for hours. They wanted to know why I quit, but I couldn''t tell them the truth. I just made up an excuse. They really urged me to give writing another shot. At first, I declined. But they were really persistent," she helplessly shook her head. "In the end, it was them who gave me the courage, and I decided to write a book which would reflect my life in it. Just like how I wrote my short story." "I see¡­" "I told my Mom and surprisingly, she wasn''t against it. She advised me to do what I felt was right. Dad was worried but overall, he supported me too. So, I began writing my draft. Around six monthster, when I was a little more confident with my draft and my desire to go ahead, I thought of contacting Xing Bi. I wanted to let her know that I was writing another book. But¡­" she trembled and tears flew once again. ? "H-Hey what happened?" Jun was bewildered to see her crying. She sobbed, and her lips quivered. "I came to know that X-Xing Bi was no more." Jun stiffened. "What? She¡­" "Yes. She died in a drunk driving ident. I couldn''t believe it. The one and only person who was dear to me left from my writing world was gone too. Xing Bi¡­left me, Jun. B-But I couldn''t understand how? She hates alcohol as her mother died because of it. She told me she swore never to touch alcohol. And she died through that? I couldn''t believe she would break her vow. I know life was tough, but I also know that she wasn''t the one to sumb to her pain. I felt restless and after much thinking, I approached a private investigator. But there was nothing much to lead on." Her heart pricked as if stabbed by thorns. "I didn''t even get to be there at her funeral¡­I didn''t get to see her onest time," she burst into tears, her heart breaking into immense sorrow. "Ssh¡­" Jun was continuously brushing his palm along her hair, but her tears that gushed out of her eyes refused to stop. The pain of losing Xing Bi had struck her the hardest. She drew in deep breaths. "It was then that I finally decided. I wouldplete my book and dedicate it to Xing Bi in her honor and respect. Anyst doubts in my heart vanished after she passed away. Parallely, I asked my investigator to keep working on her case because somewhere in my heart, I couldn''t ept the reason behind her death. Since I wasn''t a part of Dream High or any publishingpany anymore, I self-published my book after it wasplete. I didn''t expect much, but it became a huge sess." Jun felt proud. "Of course. My Ai is the best." She softly smiled, and her gaze seemed faraway. "I returned to Beijing for a few days, partly because I wanted to collect Xing Bi''s things and partly because my investigator wanted to meet me. That evening, I stepped into Dream High for the first time in five years. I didn''t want to, but I just wanted to check if they still kept any of Xing Bi''s stuff in storage after she left or threw it away. If they had, then I wanted to take her things with me. The staff said they did have a few things and asked me to collect it the next evening. Until they packed the things, I went to the terrace where I usually liked to be during the time I worked there. I liked to spend my time there to take a breath of fresh air and watch the city from above. It was then that¡­Guiying and Yating came to meet me. Guiying was drunk, and Yating was in disbelief to see me after a long time." She clenched her fists. "Then you know what happened. Guiying cried and med me for stealing everything from her. Her career, her brother''s affection and the man she loved. She was too agitated and pushed me after which¡­my life came to an end that night." Chapter 205 An Accident Or A Murder? How fucking dare they!? Jun sprung on his feet abruptly from the swing and rapidly paced back and forth in front of it. Ai asked, "What are you doing?" He angrily sneered. "Trying to calm myself, or I am afraid I would go to those cheaters'' ces and kill their sorry lives right now! I think that''s not a bad idea. My hands are itching for revenge." Ai noticed the twitch of his fingers and his beautiful gaze that was growing increasingly darker and threatening. "Can you take me out of the swing?" Jun obediently lifted her and helped her on her feet. Ai tiptoed and kissed his cheeks. "Thank you so much Jun for getting angry for my sake," she wrapped her arms around him and rested her head in his embrace. "I love you." Jun tightly pressed her soft body against him and kissed her hair. "I love you too. I¡­" He shut his eyes that were threatening to grow misty. He remembered the impact with which Ai had fallen on top of his car. The blood, the sound of bones breaking¡­ Falling from a building¡­It must have hurt like hell¡­ "I really want to kill them. You have nothing but suffered, and they dare to stand above you!?" He trembled with rage and resentment clouding his heart. "I won''t forgive them for this. I will give them pain a hundred fold more than what you suffered!" Ai softly smiled. "We don''t have to forgive them. But I don''t want revenge either. When I was reborn, I decided not to dwell in the past or with revenge. I will focus on myself and my career and stay away from them." "You have a kind heart, but I don''t! If Gu Yating was your boyfriend, then how the hell your career remained at a standstill like that? Why didn''t he do anything to make you the best writer? On top of that, he got seduced by your best friend and shamelessly broke up with you. Who the hell is he to break up with you? You should have dumped him, not otherwise! And your so-called best friend? She had everything in her life and still cursed you for her misery!? She¡­she was the one who pushed you¡­" He sneered. "How about I push her from a terrace and let her know how it feels to fall and die like you did?" His gaze faced the balcony of his condo as he imagined the scenario of taking revenge from Yating and Guiying. But as he stared outside, something struck him. Jun slowly said, "Ai. When I realized that it was you who I had seen that night, I thought there was some conspiracy against you. You weren''t the type to kill yourself, so I surmised that somebody murdered you." Ai widened her eyes. "It''s wasn''t a murder. Although you may feel that Guiying pushed me on purpose to kill me, it wasn''t like that. I know¡­she didn''t want to kill me. Not intentionally. It happened by ident because when I slipped, I saw the horror on her face. It was real. That clearly showed that she realized her blunder, and she didn''t mean to push me off and kill me." "If it was an ident, then how did you fall in the first ce?" Jun spoke in an extremely chilling voice. "How hard did she push you?" Ai furrowed her brows and tried to remember that feeling. "I stumbled backwards, and my back hit the railing. Then I fell. It wasn''t that hard." Jun stiffened. "That''s exactly my point." He took a step back from their embrace and stared at her. "No wonder I was feeling that something was odd in the back of my mind with how you fell down. Dream High is a bigpany, and big and reputedpanies have good security in ce. Usually, there are good precautions in all houses and offices. That includes a tall and sturdy railing on the terrace and balconies. One cannot easily bend over and fall from above the railing with its tall height. It''s designed in such a way that you won''t fall even if you stumbled a bit here and there at the border. Otherwise, what''s the point? Even if Cai Guiying pushed you, you shouldn''t have fallen anyway because the railing should have supported you and taken that force. It would be impossible for her to exert that much strength to make a human of her size topple from above the railing. Plus, she was drunk. That''s the main point. Alcohol robs you of your energy. She couldn''t have used that much force to bend you over the railing. Maybe for Gu Yating but not for her." She blinked. "But I wasn''t toppled from above. I slipped backwards and fell." "That''s why I asked how hard did she push you? If you only stumbled backward, that was not enough for you to fall. What happened to the railing? You couldn''t have passed THROUGH the railing and fell, right?" Ai tilted her head. He grabbed her shoulders and squinted his eyes. "I am smelling something fishy here. Try to remember. What exactly happened at that moment when she pushed you?" At first, Jun thought if he was thinking too hard about it. But his instinct didn''t agree with him. There was something wrong that had happened and hidden from everybody''s sight. Ai shut her eyes and recalled that night. It was hard and her heart sped fast but with Jun at her side, she feltforted and confident. She ran the whole scene in slow motion in her mind, and then she opened her eyes, feeling bewildered. "I remember the railing broke down when I bumped into it." His eyes slowly widened. "Broke down?" "Yes. I remember now. My back hit the railing, and I instinctively held it for support. But instead, the railing loosened and copsed. I heard a metal crash before I fell the next moment." "Wait a second. The entire long railing which covered that terrace''s side fell at once?" Ai slowly shook her head now that she was beginning to have suspicions too, her heart racing faster. "No. That''s the strange part. Only one part of the railing had copsed. It was the part around where I was standing." Chapter ?206 Two-Faced The air went still. Jun had his doubts about Ai''s death, but his spidey senses that tingled said otherwise. Now her confirmation was all that he needed. "As I thought¡­It wasn''t an ident! You were fucking killed! There is no way that specific part of the railing would just tip over like that." When Jun said it that way, Ai''s own mind churned with suspicions and disbelief. Murder? Until now, she believed that it was an unfortunate ident and even if she wanted to, she couldn''t hate Guiying because she knew that she didn''t do it on purpose. "That''s not possible¡­Guiying wouldn''t go so far¡­" she trembled. "She can!" Jun''s gaze turned dark and lethal. "She was jealous of you and jealousy¡­Jealousy is a dangerous emotion. It can take you to any lengths." Thinking about the past life, he wondered about himself. Wasn''t I the same? I got so jealous of Jin that I thought of killing him. "Jealousy and desperation is deadly," his fingers curled, and his fist reddened from the anger coursing in his veins. He angrilyughed. "I know what must have happened. Cai Guiying wanted to make it look like an ident. She must have already made preparations in ce to loosen the railing sometime before and at the right time, she pushed you!" Preparations¡­ A sharp shudder passed through her mind. Jun narrowed his eyes at her reaction. "What? Did you remember something else?" Her voice stammered. "I-I remembered that during the time I was there, some workers were doing some repairs and maintenance in Dream High building," she bit her lip, tears blurring her vision, "I had caught a glimpse of them working on the terrace too before I went up¡­" Her heart drummed faster in her chest. The repairs getting done on the same day matched with the suspicions Jun was having. Jun gnashed his jaw. "I knew it. The railing was tampered with! It won''t just fall off on its own. Cai Guiying went too far!" Is that really¡­ Ai stared ahead nkly. Did she really hate me so much that she would want to kill me? "She did it exactly like I thought. You would die, and then she would me the ident on thepany from where the workers came to do the maintenance. She wanted to pin the hazard on them and run free. And that Gu Yating¡­Of course, he supported his so-called girlfriend," his gaze darkened. "It''s not difficult for him. After all, he is Gu Rong''s son. He is the Gu family buisness''s heir. He is rich and influential too to handle the mess and escape." Ai snapped out of her daze and looked at Jun, bewildered. "What? Rich? Influential? He is a young master?" Jun gave her a confused look in turn. "Why are you asking me that? Don''t you know? You two were¡­" a vein popped on his forehead, "dating after all." "We were. But he never told me that he came from a wealthy family," she was stunned. "I¡­never knew. I only saw him working as the Chief Editor." "He is rich. His father is Gu Rong and the CEO of Gu Corps right now. His son is Gu Yating, which makes him the heir. That''s how he was able toe to Mom and Dad''s anniversary banquet. Mostly, all wealthy families were invited, Gu Rong being one of them. He is not some average man." It was hard processing all this information at once for Ai. Jun frowned. "Gu Yating never told you about his family?" "He-he did but not much. He just mentioned once about his father. He didn''t speak about his mother." Which made her wonder just how much she was kept in the dark about the people closest to her in the past life? Guiying was her best friend and Yating was her boyfriend. Yet, both of them kept so many things hidden from her. Right now, she felt as if she knew nothing about them. "As expected from him," Jun cursed Gu Yating, "Both are a bunch of liars! Cai Guiying felt jealous of you, and she roped in her boyfriend to end your life. And I know why. You had published yourst book a month before that night happened. It was sessful. It was after five years that you came back to the writing world, and she must have felt threatened by your return. That''s why¡­" His eyes glinted with fury as he thought about the Summit, "That''s why I am sure now that Cai Guiying had something to do with bribing the judges against you. Didn''t Xing Bi say that they would vote for her despite you being the winner? It must be her!" Ai felt her throat go dry. "But why would she defend me? She did put up a post as CherryBlossom and stood up for me when everybody was ming me. Even during the book signing event, she had disagreed with Zhan Yahui to make me apologize to her fans. This was the case in the past too." Jun chuckled. "Do you think a woman who could snatch your boyfriend, push you off the terrace so cruelly and n your murder will be a simple woman? Of course, she did it to be in everybody''s good books. She wanted to show how big of a heart she has who stands up for her best friend. She was always two-faced! It was all an act. Secretly, she was celebrating to see you in misery!" He held her face and brought her closer to him. "But I won''t stand for it. Somebody fucking plotted against your life. It''s unforgivable. Liu Jun won''t let it go," hisughter was enveloped with eeriness and danger, "Ai, no matter what happens, this time¡­I won''t let the past life repeat. I won''t let her or Gu Yating or anybody else even touch a strand of your hair. I will make those bastard judges spill out the truth at any cost. Once¡­Just once I know that Cai Guiying is behind all this, I will make her regret messing with you!" Chapter 207 Full Support To Mr. Lius Relationship Back at the Liu vi, the atmosphere had gone extremely silent after the huge confrontation. Nana anxiously paced back and forth in the room, creases appearing on her forehead and tears meeting her eyes. "This has never happened before, Jinhai. J-Jun and Jin have never fought like that," her eyes ached. "I don''t understand what is going on. First Jun and Shui breakup, then Jun says that he loves Zhou Ai and then Jin deres that he likes her too..." Her face paled. "Jinhai, when did things take such a turn? I didn''t even know when Jun got so much closer to Zhou Ai. And Jin...I don''t know about his feelings for Ai, but he went too far." If two brothers liked the same woman, then it was natural somebody was going to get hurt and as a mother, she didn''t want to see either of her sons in pain. But she couldn''t stand Jun disrespecting his elder brother either. "He doesn''t," Jinhai''s low voice sounded close to her ear. Nana turned and looked into her husband''s eyes. They seemed strangely resolute for some reason. "How are you so sure? Jin wouldn''t bring this up in front of everyone if he didn''t like Zhou Ai." Jinhai''s ck eyes narrowed. He patted her head and smiled. "I mean it''s not really love at this point. He is just interested in her because Dad introduced them. I didn''t see him meeting her after the banquet or talking about her in any way, so I am sure it''s nothing serious." He tilted his head. "Don''t worry, Nana. He is not serious about Zhou Ai..." Nana pursed her lips. "I really hope so, Jinhai. I don''t want their rtionship to grow painful orplicated. But after today, I don''t know how things will get better. I...I never saw Jun so agitated." Jinhai said nothing. "I mean I don''t know how to put it. I understand he would be naturally ufortable with Jining forward and saying that he likes the woman that Jun does. But Jun''s anger felt really...deep and resentful for some reason. His eyes looked so different. I am worried, Jinhai. I am worried this will put a crack in their rtionship." Jinhai kissed her forehead and assured her. "It won''t happen like that. You don''t have to stress about this." Nana said, "...What about Xinyi and Zhiyuan? And Shui?" "I think they know what to talk to her. They are mature and understanding. They will know how to deal with it. If you are worrying that this will bring a problem in the rtionship between our families, then it won''t." Her gaze dimmed. "I hope so too." Then she looked up and asked, "Jinhai, what do you think about Jun and Zhou Ai?" He stared at her with a deep gaze. "I don''t see any problem with it. Didn''t you say that you liked Zhou Ai as well?" She softly smiled. "Yes. She is a good girl. She is so calm and poised and very mature for her age." He chuckled. "You were just like her at twenty-two." Nana coughed hard. "I don''t really think so." "You were," Jinhai said with resolution in his voice, "Isn''t that why I fell for you so hard?" Her cheeks reddened furiously. "You...We are talking about Jun and Zhou Ai! Why are you bringing our time in between?" She cleared her throat and averted her gaze. "And I like how you still get shy," his eyes twinkled. Her mouth twitched. "You..." Jinhai shook his head and stopped teasing his wife. "You don''t have to worry about Jun. He has chosen a fine woman. As his parents, we just want to see him happy, right?" Nana slowly nodded. He smiled and patted her cheek. "I will be back." "Hm." Jinhai closed the door behind him and walked towards Jin''s room, his eyes squinting with an unreadable expression. When he reached near his door, he saw Nian just stepping out of his room. "Yo, Dad!" He chirped. Jinhai raised his brow. Nian watched his gaze and shrugged. "I just thought to talk to Jin about what happened." "And what did he say?" He calmly asked. Nian sighed. "He was insisting that he likes Zhou Ai. Though I don''t feel that is the case. Jian feels the same. I don''t know what is going on, so I wanted some answers. But Jin was stubborn, so I might have gotten a little violent with him~" Jinhai paused. "You hit him?" Nian smiled. "Come on, Dad. You know me~ I don''t like it when us siblings fight. I thought of making Jun and Jin talk together to sort out their differences. But he didn''t wanna go," he shrugged. "And I don''t like it when my cute siblings don''t listen to me. When the elder brother is saying something, they should just do as I say, or I get angry." He said it casually with a grin on his lips, but his eyes were anything but smiling. Jinhai stared at his son. "You better not have that attitude with Nuo." Nian broke into a cold sweat. "Of course not. She is my sweetest sister. Also, I don''t want to be fed to the sharks by you. I want to be alive, marry my cute Xing Bi and have lots of cute children with her!" "What does she do?" "...She is Zhou Ai''s editor. Zhou Ai is a writer. She wonst night''s Authors'' Summit and will work in Sky Publishing from now on." Jinhai cocked his brow. "Interesting." Since Ai and Xing Bi were rted, he knew why Nian was invested in this matter. "What do you feel about Jun and Zhou Ai''s rtionship?" Nian nced at him. "Sure, I was shocked like everybody else. It''s still hard to believe that Shui won''t be my sister-inw. But Zhou Ai is a good woman too, though she is a sweets'' murderer," his gaze darkened, "Anyway. I feel regretful for Jun and Shui. Jun has found himself a great woman. I like her. I am sure Shui will find herself a great man too. I know our family will have a difficult time epting Zhou Ai and since she is so close to Xing Bi, Xing Bi won''t like it if we have reservations about Zhou Ai." He smiled. "But I am not gonna let that affect MY rtionship with her. Jun likes Zhou Ai, Jian and I like Zhou Ai and most importantly, Xing Bi treats her as her sister, so their rtionship has my full support." Chapter ?208 Jinhais Warning Chapter ?208 Jinhai''s Warning Jinhai quietly stepped into Jin''s room and saw him rubbing his cheek as he was seated on the bed. "It has be quite purple," Jinhaimented. First Ai had pped him, and now Nian hit him too. But Jin seemed unfazed and unaffected even though blood trickled down his wound, a proof of Nian''s violence. Jin raised his head and narrowed his eyes. "Was that Nian who pped you?" Jin smiled. "I expected that. Bro Jian and Bro Nian don''t like it when somebody is too stubborn not to listen to them." "Why did he hit you?" He nced at his father. "Is it so difficult to understand or trust me when I say that I am interested in Zhou Ai?" "It is because you don''t like her." Jin paused his movements. "So you will say the same thing as him?" He then spoke, slightly rattled and agitated, "What? Is everyone an expert on what goes on in my heart?" tilted his head and stated in a crisp voice, "You don''t like Zhou Ai. You only said that to provoke Jun." "I have no use for provoking him." "You have and that''s why you did and that''s why Nian hit you. He wanted you to say the truth but you didn''t, and it short-circuited his fuse." Jin asked, "How are you so sure? Grandpa introduced us with the intention of us dating. Can I not get interested in her?" Jinhai sat on a chair opposite the and propped his arm on the armrest. "You can, but you didn''t. You don''t look like someone who is in love. Definitely not with Zhou Ai." He wasn''t saying this because he knew about the past life from Jun and that Jin and Shui held feelings for each other. Even without having that knowledge, Jinhai could gauge that he didn''t like Zhou Ai as a woman. For that matter¡­ Jinhai was in deep thought about something. Questions seemed to be swirling in his jet ck irises as he gazed at Jin. "Your smile, your expression, your eyes when you confessed your interest in Zhou Ai¡­they weren''t genuine at all," Jinhai said, "Jun''s eyes were sincere about her. What Jun showed was genuine. Not you. You only did that to rile up Jun. Why?" "I did nothing of that sort." He fixed his gaze at Jin. "Do you like Shui?" Jin squinted his eyes. "You won''t believe when I say that I like Zhou Ai, but you will believe her words if she says that I like Shui? I don''t think you know her that well." "But I know you well. That''s why I am asking you. Do you like Shui?" He smiled and stated. "I don''t like Shui. I don''t have any feelings for her." Jinhai quietly scrutinized his gaze and ever so slowly nodded. "I see." He got up and got ready to leave. "So you still won''t say why you lied?" ? "I didn''t lie," Jin remained firm. "And if you didn''t lie, then what are you nning to do next? Even if it''s the ''truth'', it''s beyond your control because Jun and Zhou Ai are together. Your feelings have nowhere to go. That is, if they are even there in the first ce." Jin looked away. "What can I do? Bro Jun had Shui, but he broke up with her. And the next woman he found had to be Zhou Ai unfortunately. I am helpless. Guess I have to let her go." Jinhai''s icy voice rang in the air dangerously. "It better be that way. Don''te in between Jun and Zhou Ai. You will hurt a lot of people with that. You have already hurt Jun quite a lot today and frankly, I would have pped you myself if not for Nian. Not only Jun, you implied Zhou Ai to be a homewrecker. She is a good and respectful woman, and that''s not how men in our family treat women like her. So I am warning you, Liu Jin. Stay within your limits." He said nothing. "A long time back, I hurt a lot of people to get what I wanted at any cost. I don''t want you to repeat history," Jinhai tilted his head, "If you remain stubborn and cause discord in Jun''s life, then you will have it from me. Take it as my warning or threat, whatever you wish." Jin smiled at him though his fists were silently clenched. When Jinhai left, he took a deep breath as his eyes showed a hint of anger and cruelty. "Hurt¡­I am not hurting anybody here, Dad. I am only doing what is right." ¡ª Where Jinhai had a conversation with Jin, a simr situation was going on in the Han vi too. Shui was seated on the couch with her parents and brother surrounding her on either side with a grim expression on their faces. Xinyi said, "Shui, something like this has been happening for a while now, and you didn''t tell us anything?" Siying saw his mother getting agitated. "Mom, calm down." "How can I calm down? It''s not a small issue, Siying. We suddenly came to know this today. If there were problems going on between you and Jun, why didn''t you tell us?" Shui trembled. She was listening to Xinyi''s questions but at the same time, there were a lot of questions of her own about what had happened today. Jun''s rtionship with Ai dide as a shock to her. But she didn''t believe it even for a moment that he broke up with her because of Ai or that he cheated on her. Jun wasn''t that kind of a man. Since they had broken up, she didn''t feel it was wrong of Jun to find someone else either. As much as Jun''s rtionship shocked her, so did Jin''s deration that he was interested in Ai. When Jin expressed his interest in Ai, that was when Shui truly felt herself going nk. She had felt her heart stop and shatter into pieces. "Shui? Are you listening to me?" Xinyi shook her shoulder. Shui snapped out of her daze and stared at her. "Huh?" "I am asking you. Why¡­why were you holding these things in your heart?" "I¡­I don''t know!" She eximed, making the trio jolt with her outburst. "I don''t have to give you any answers, Mom! What should I have told you when it was hard figuring things out for myself!? I thought things would go well between Jun and me because that''s how it was supposed to be, right? But I don''t know when and why we started fighting. I don''t know why I didn''t like being with Jun like I always thought it would be¡­" her eyes reddened, and tears slipped on her cheeks. Zhiyuan widened his eyes and quickly held her hand. "Shui, it''s alright dear-" "No! It''s not alright! Nothing is alright, Dad¡­Nothing is fine¡­" Chapter 209 Failed As Parents Chapter 209 Failed As Parents "I feel miserable. Like I have let down everybody. I feel that something was going wrong in our rtionship. I was growing more and more distant from Jun. I was making excuses to avoid meeting him! I felt horrible, a-and I really didn''t want to do that...I wanted to talk to Jun, but I don''t know what and how? We were in a rtionship, so how was I supposed to tell him that I preferred my time without him? I didn''t know how to exin that. I didn''t know why I was feeling that way. Everything was fine when we were children... B-But the more possessive he became after we started dating, the more ufortable I got. He wanted to be everywhere with me but many times, I didn''t share those sentiments, and I felt pathetic!" She wiped her eyes. "I was failing as his girlfriend, and I didn''t want to..." she shook hard. Siying hugged his sister and whispered, "Ssh. Shui, it''s okay. Just don''t cry..." She teared up more, feeling the warmth of her brother. "I-I d-didn''t know how to say these things. Ever since I remember, I had always been with Jun. I loved ying with him. I loved spending time with him. He always said that he would marry me one day...and I was so happy because that made everyone happy around me. Even though Dad looked like he wasn''t, I knew deep in his heart, he liked and epted Jun. I also thought I wanted to marry him, but I didn''t know why things started to change...and it was frustrating to handle these feelings." took a deep breath. "When Jun broke up with me, it was sudden and confusing. I was afraid that this was not how it was supposed to be! But...but somewhere in my heart, I felt that maybe this was for the best. But it was hard telling you all. Bro and sis Nuo had just started dating. I was afraid this would put a stress on their rtionship. And then Grandma got sick...She was so happy seeing that Jun bought a ring for me that neither he nor I coulde out with it." And then there is Jin... It was very faint, but the feelings for him were beginning to take root in her heart. She was forced to face them when Jun tore it out in the open on New Year''s Eve. Yet, Shui kept ignoring those feelings. But she had no ce to hide when she saw Jin and Ai dancing that night and now today too when Jin said he liked Ai. That shook her to her core. He said that in front of the whole family which meant that there must be some truth to it perhaps. But that truth brought only pain to her heart. Now she knew why. I like Jin. She realized this on the same day when Jin already rejected her unknowingly. She epted her feelings only to know that Jin wasn''t interested in her but Ai. Even though he might not be able to do anything because Jun and Ai were in a rtionship now. But it didn''t mean that the feelings wouldn''t be there. ? Shui''s fingers trembled as she curled them into her palm. "It''s all my fault..." she broke down, "I couldn''t ept Jun and his love, and I let him down. I let down our families...It would have been better if we had remained as just friends! Then I wouldn''t have made everyone unhappy like this!" She ran towards her room, not wishing to talk about this anymore. "Shui!" Siying eximed and he wanted to chase after her, but he felt anxious and helpless. He said, "I will try talking to her Don''t worry," and with that, he left to follow her. Xinyi and Zhiyuan didn''t stop them either. Instead, Shui''s confrontation left a deep question in their minds. "Zhiyuan..." she trembled, tears threatening to spill out of her eyes, "A-all this time...Were we unknowingly putting pressure on Shui?" Zhiyuan clenched his fists, ming and cursing himself. "Jun was a good and sincere child. I felt so happy to know that Shui would marry him and have a good family in the future. But did our families'' excitement to see them together form expectations within her? Was she with Jun because she was just following what we wanted? Maybe...maybe she always wanted Jun just as her friend, but everybody''s insistence made her feel as if she really loved him..." Zhiyuan shut his eyes. "You are right, Xinyi. It''s all our fault. We as adults and parents have failed. How..." he gritted his teeth, "How couldn''t we see this? Friendship and love are two very different feelings, but we blurred that difference for her. She was right. Even though I mightin about Jun, I really wanted to see them together because I knew nobody could love Shui as much as him. I wanted Shui to be happy, and I...I thought her happiness would be in him. But really...I didn''t even once ask what she wanted. I...why did I assume that Shui will love Jun the same way he did?" He trembled, and he banged his fist on the table. "Zhiyuan, stop! Hurting yourself is not the solution!" She wiped her eyes and held his hand, rubbing over the slight redness. "Then what should I do? How could we make such a mistake? Just because Jun liked Shui didn''t mean that Shui had to like him back. But we failed to understand it! We unnecessarily hurt our children when we could have avoided all of it. Jun, Shui...we just made everything difficult for them. She just said she would rather be Jun''s friend. Those were her true feelings always. But we pushed her with our expectations and made her feel that she will let everyone down. How can I force my daughter into a corner like that, Xinyi?" "I am her father for God''s sake! How did it happen that I am the reason behind her tears right now? Why did we have to fail like that, Xinyi...?" Chapter ?210 We Will Live Together! Chapter ?210 We Will Live Together! The next day as Jun prepared breakfast, he was also simultaneously on call with his cousin, spewing his dangerous aura through the phone. "What happened with the fucker judges?" Yunru, who was just awake from his peaceful sleep, sobbed. "Bro, can you not use a gentler tone? I am your beloved brother after all!" "Yunru..." he warned. He coughed. "I checked and the two men are unconscious." His expression contorted in anger. "What the fuck are the doctors doing!? I want them awake! I want to know who dared to bribe them against Ai!" "I am already on it, Bro! I have ordered the doctor to inform me as soon as they are awake." Jun wasn''t so pleased but at this moment, there was no other choice but to wait. From the corner of his eye, he noticed Ai already freshened up and ready to leave somewhere. "Where are you going?" Yunru said, "Ah? I am going to brush my teeth. You called me before I could even wash my face!" He clicked his tongue. "I am not asking you. I am asking Ai." "...." He cleared his throat. "She is with you?" Jun, who was walking towards her, paused and said with his dark voice, "Who else should she be with if not me?" Yunru choked on the other end. "Of course, she should be with you!" He smirked. Yunru took a moment and said, "I heard you revealed your breakup with Shui and also your rtionship with Zhou Ai...A-Are you okay, Bro?" Yunru''s restless voice was filled with concern, more so after how he came to know about Jin and Jun''s fight. It was the first time they fought like this, making him extremely worried. Jun thought about Jin and immediately his heart felt unsettled and disturbed. But his gaze softened with his cousin''s consideration. "I am fine," he looked at Ai and smiled, "As long as Ai is with me, I will be fine." Yunru observed his tone for a moment. He wanted to ask about Jin but refrained in the end. He smiled. "En! That''s like my cool Bro! By the way...hehe...When will you officially introduce me to your girlfriend~?" Jun raised his brow. "Soon. Ai will join Sky soon. You can have your first official meeting there." "Yes! I will be waiting!" He chirped. "Now, I am hungry! I am going! Bye!" His mouth twitched. Jun then narrowed his eyes and folded his arms as he stared at Ai. "Where are you going?" "To my apartment," Ai promptly answered. ck clouds immediately hovered over his head. "Why? Don''t tell me you are going back to live there? I won''t agree to this!" She blinked. Jun grabbed her wrist and pulled her in his embrace. He looked into her innocent irises and felt an itch in his throat. "You don''t think that we will be living separately now, do you?" Ai parted her lips to reply, paused and then said, "Oh. I didn''t think of that." "..." She looked thoughtful. "Maybe, it''s a good idea. We should live separately-" ? "No!" Jun cut her off with a resounding rejection. He pushed her until her back bumped and slightly leaned over the couch. "Don''t even think that we will live away from each other. Not when I know how Cai Guiying schemed your death in the past life!" Thinking about Guiying, she felt puzzled. "I still don''t get it, Jun. Yating said that Guiying told him that she doesn''t love him at all. She even said that she has somebody else who she likes. I never knew she had someone like that already. Then why would they get together in the past?" Jun seemed thoughtful. "It is puzzling indeed. Right now, I think that maybe she doesn''t have any such man at all and perhaps lied to hide her feelings about Gu Yating? Then something happenedter or jealousy overwhelmed her, and she decided to snatch him from you. It could also be that she snatched him as a way to take revenge from you. But revenge from what? Nothing happened around that time that would make you her threat, right?" Ai shook her head. "Nothing. Everything was just like usual..." He pinched his jaw and squinted his dark brown eyes. "We will find out whatever her reasons might be. If she likes Gu Yating, then there is nothing to stop her from pursuing him. You are not in the way anymore. So, we will learn what happens anyway. But whatever her reasons might be, she and that fucker still harmed you! That''s why we will live together so that you are always by my side! No ifs and buts." Her lips twitched which finally burst into a smile. She softly said, putting her hands around his neck. "I wasn''t thinking of moving out of here. I am just going back to get my things from my apartment." Jun blinked, and then it dawned upon him. "So you were teasing me." "I couldn''t help it when you were misunderstanding. You looked so cute panicking like that." His gaze darkened. Then he sneered. "I see. You have gotten quite bold now." Ai proudly said, "I was always courageous." Jun smiled. "Then I should give you a proper reward for your courage, don''t you think?" Hepletely pushed her towards the couch and smothered her lips and cheeks with his passionate kisses. Bending on his knees, he leaned on top of her as he tugged her dress to expose her vicle. His lips hungrily attached themselves and sucked on her skin, earning a melodious moan from her. But their makeout was abruptly cut off with a loud and incessant ringing of the doorbell apanied by a more than necessary hyper and chirping voice. "Delivery~~ Open the door!" The person loudly banged on the door after ringing the doorbell several times. They froze as their quality time was interrupted, especially Jun who recognized the all too familiar voice. "It''s delivery~~ I know you are hiding inside, little brother~ Open the door~" Jun shut his eyes. Ai tilted her head. "That sounds like Liu Nian, right?" Veins popped on his forehead, and he had an urge to strangle his brother. "Unfortunately, yes." Nian kept banging on the door. "Where are you little brother? Oh, are you perhaps having some mushy time with your girlfriend whose things are with me right now?" Ai furrowed her brows. "My things?" Jun nced at her. "Yeah. You didn''t have to go to your apartment to collect your stuff and bring it here. I had already arranged for that. But..." his lips curved into a murderous smile, "Where is the actual delivery boy who was supposed to do it?" As if Nian sensed his question, he answered, "Oh as a good Samaritan, I asked the delivery boy to hand all the stuff to me. I thought of personally delivering it to you, otherwise you won''t let me inside. Now, I have Zhou Ai''s things as hostage with me. So, open the door or I will take all the stuff with me~" Jun took a deep, furious breath. Ai curiously asked, "Why won''t you let him inside just like that?" The air turned gloomy. "Because I don''t want to do anything with the notorious twins! They do nothing but cause trouble!" Nian reminded them of his presence by banging again and again. "Open the door, little brother~" Agitated, Jun stormed towards the door with extreme hostility in his expression. Nian immediately felt the ck fumesing out as he saw Jun''s twisted face. He sparkled. "Your most favorite brother is here!" Chapter 211 Nians Buttering Machine Chapter 211 Nian''s Buttering Machine Before Jun could even curse his existence to death, Nian swiftly passed by him and treated him as if he wasn''t even there. Which only added fuel to the already burning fire in Jun''s heart. Instead, Nian ran to Ai''s side at lightning speed and jumped onto hug her. "My dear future sister-inw~ How are you?" Ai, who was hugged out of nowhere, stared at him nkly. "Bro. Nian! Get away from her!" Jun eximed and charged towards him at lightning speed too. Nian pulled Ai in front of him and grinned. "How can you be so heartless to hit your girlfriend?" "Ai. Get aside," Jun ordered in a quiet voice. Ai said, "I cannot move." Nian had firmly held onto her shoulders to restrict his protection cover from moving an inch. "Don''t be so mean, Jun. Can a brother note to visit his brother?" "No. That rule is not applicable for you or Bro Jian. Now, get out." Nian harrumphed. "I didn''te here to meet you anyway. I came to give my greetings to my cute future sister-inw, Zhou Ai!" Jun''s mouth twitched. sheepishly grinned and looked at Ai. "Zhouuuu Aiiiii. Congrattions on your rtionship with Jun. I know he will keep you super happy but if you have any concerns, you can alwayse to me~ I will set him straight!" Ai blinked once and replied. "Thank you for the offer but if I have any concerns, I will directly talk about them to Jun." Jun smirked, feeling pleased. Nian''s brow twitched. He waved his hand. "You don''t have to be so reserved with me. Didn''t we have such a good time making choctes that day? That reminds me! So you were making choctes for Jun!" Ai frowned. "Good time? I remember you only crying and yelling." Jun shot deathly beams at Nian which clearly said, ''I know she is super bad at making sweets, but how dare you scream at her? I should cut off your voice.'' "Hehe...Hehehe..." Nian made her sit on the couch and gave her shoulders a good massage. "I wasn''t screaming. I was just teaching you. You enjoyed our ss so much. Right? Right? Riiiiiiight?" Thest ''Right?'' was really desperate. Jun narrowed his eyes. "What are you really here for?" "I just came to meet Zhou Ai. She is family now!" Nian dered. Ai widened her eyes and looked up at him. "Even after what happened yesterday?" "Of course. Everybody is rattled a bit, but they will soon ept you~ It just needs some time. In the end, everybody wants Jun''s happiness and if that is in you, then they will wee you with open arms." Jun looked somber and faced Nian with a wry smile. "That everybody doesn''t include Jin." Nian stared at him. "He wille around too. You don''t have to worry about what he said. He doesn''t really like Zhou Ai that way." Ai asked, "Then why would he say that?" Nian lowered his head and met her eyes with aplicated gaze. For the first time...I don''t know what my brother is thinking either, Zhou Ai. He smiled. "Forget about it." Ai felt as if he was avoiding answering her question, but she didn''t press on. Nianughed. "Forget about the family drama for now! Let''s talk about important stuff." Jun coughed. ? Such a big confrontation happened and you arebeling it as a family drama? He shook his head. He sneered. "What is this important stuff? I know it''s not about meeting Ai. You have some hidden agenda." Nian scratched his head. "You know me so well." "Out with it." Nian, who was grinning until now, burst into tears as he hugged Ai. "Zhou Aiiii! You are the only one who can be my savior!" Jun emanated an even deadlier aura now. He looked like a hurricane ready to gobble his brother. "First of all, stop hugging her like that, or I will break your arms." "Hey! This is brother and sister bonding time! Stay away from us!" He red at him. "..." Nian ignored him and focused his attention on Ai. He cried. "You were my buttering machine all this time, and I didn''t even know! Life is so unfair." Ai was clueless. "I don''t know what you are talking about." "I am talking about the one and only woman who has made a super important ce in my heart! I want to marry her and have lots of cute children with her!" He sobbed. "But my love story has a lot of roadblocks!" Jun''s jaw dropped. "You...you have someone you like?" "Why are you giving me that strange look!? Yes, I am in love!" Nian scowled. "That pitiful woman..." Jun sighed. "..." Ai asked, "Who is this woman? Oh. I remember. You made a poster outside your bakery that a woman you were interested in was angry at you." "Yes! I am talking about that same woman!" "What''s the problem? She didn''t forgive you after you confessed and apologized?" Nian sniffled. "No. In fact, she beat me up." Jun''s eyes sparkled. "She did that? Who is that powerhouse? She is awesome!" "Shut up!" Ai brought his attention back to the important discussion. "Why did she beat you though?" "Because of you! Because I scolded the person who she treats as her sister! Xing Bi!" "..." Jun - "..." Ai blinked several times and her only response at the end was, "Huh?" Nian wiped his eyes. "Listen to my story!" And then he proceeded from the beginning and told everything that happened between them until now. Ai was at a loss. She remembered she heard Xing Bi saying that she was at the banquet too. But she had no idea she hadnded into such deep trouble. No wonder she didn''t pick my calls when I tried reaching out to her the next day... There was a stretch of long silence when Jun burst into loudughter. "Shit. That''s gold what you did there! Bro, for the first time I am so happy that you yed your pranks," he spoke while clutching his stomach as heughed, "because now I can see you in deep shit, and I am so happy! You deserve it. I told you. Your pranks are gonna get to you one day," he sneered, "But you never listened to me. Now, pay the price!" Chapter ?212 Clear All The Debt Chapter ?212 Clear All The Debt Nian pointed his trembling finger at Jun. "You...! Your brother''s love story is at stake here, and you are enjoying it!?" Junzily retorted. "Didn''t you enjoy my misery since childhood? Now, it''s my turn." Nian wanted to smack Jun, but he couldn''t do so when a certain woman was emitting dark aura. His gaze fell on Ai, who was staring back at him with her light brown irises filled with iciness. She looked exactly like Jun when he would emit ck, dangerous fumes of anger. "You bullied Xing Bi?" "..." She looks even angrier than the time at the library when she scolded Jian and me! "I-I wasn''t bullying Xing Bi! I was just having some fun!" He sobbed. "And that fun led Xing Bi to trouble?" Her voice lowered lethally. An arrow struck right through the center of Nian''s fragile heart. "N-No...Well yes...But I rified it with my Uncle! Zhou Ai! I really troubled Xing Bi a lot! And now she hates me because I lied to her." Ai said in a pointed voice, making his brows twitch. Nian burst into tears. "But I really want to make it up to her! I want her to forgive me, but I had no idea you two knew each other!" Jun looked at him in disdain. "Even if you knew, what would you have done anyway?" Nian gasped as if it was so obvious. "Of course, I would have weed Zhou Ai in my bakery showering her with flowers!" "..." "Hell, I would be her personal p?¡étissier if she wants me to be! If she knows Xing Bi and can help me butter her up, then I would dly make her the exclusive customer of Natukashi Bakery!" His dam of tears refused to end. "Only if I knew sooner...But it''s still notte!" Nian hopefully looked at Ai and shifted closer to her, making Jun''s face cken. "Hey! Keep your distance!" Instead of doing that, Nian grabbed her hand and begged her. "Zhou Ai. You have to help me. I beg you. I want Xing Bi to forgive me. How can I bear to live a lonely life without her? I have already thought of our cute childrens'' names!" Jun and Ai gave him a nk look. He eximed, feeling speechless. "You haven''t even dated her, and you have already nned your kids'' names?" Ai frowned and gave Jun a quiet look after which she said, "You are not in a position to say anything when you dered Han Shui to be your wife when she wasn''t even born." "..." Nian swore he would have puked blood if hadn''t stopped himself in time. He couldn''t imagine the damage to Jun''s heart. Jun was rendered utterly speechless though heter sheepishly grinned thinking that she was feeling jealous. He liked seeing a jealous Ai too. Nian clutched his stomach and rolled inughter. "That was savage. I could feel Jun''s embarrassment. I like it." Jun red at him. Ai nced at Nian and narrowed her eyes. "You don''t have tough so much because I am not helping you." ? "..." This time, Jun smirked at his brother''s misery. "Please continueughing." "Why!? Do you not see my sincerity!?" Nian demanded. "I really, really like Xing Bi. She is amazing. She is strong. She is so cool! I fell for her the moment she took me away like a Prince Charming." "Yet you had fun at her expense," Ai was unforgiving. Nian couldn''t meet her gaze. "I-I really understand I was wrong. Please, Zhou Ai! You have to help me," he cried. "Now that she knows that I scolded you like a spartan that day, she hates me even more! She thought I was bullying you. But that''s not the truth! You were the one who were bullying me with your horrifying and not-so-pleasing-to-my-heart sweet making skills! Who bullied who here?" He asked, aggrieved. Jun''s gaze darkened. "Hey!" Ai pursed her lips. "It wasn''t so horrifying. You were crying unnecessarily." Jun looked away and refused toment on that. Nian sniffled. "Sure, if that''s how you want to soothe your heart." "..." "But you have to help me! You are my only hope!" Ai sternly gave him a hard look. "You really like Xing Bi?" Nian nodded hard. "You will keep her happy? You won''t ever hurt her? You won''t betray her?" Nian''s eyes shone with utmost sincerity. "Never. The moment I realized my feelings for Xing Bi, I swore I only wanted her and nobody else. I will give her all the happiness she deserves. She has all of my heart. I will always protect her. I won''t betray her. I won''t hurt her, and I won''t let anybody else hurt her either." Ai peered into his ck eyes for several long moments and was satisfied with his earnestness. "I see. Then I support you," she softly smiled. Nian''s face illuminated like the sun. His eyes radiated pure bliss. He was now crying tears of happiness. "You are the best, Zhou Ai!" He hugged her again. "Thank you so much!" Jun''s fingers twitched to tear him apart from her. Ai nodded. "Indeed I will support you, but you started in the worst way possible." Nian mumbled guiltily, "I know I shouldn''t have fooled around like that..." Ai shook her head. "I mean by scaring her with debt trouble. That''s thest thing Xing Bi wants to deal with." She gave a short ount of Xing Bi''s life and how she despised alcohol and debt. Nian froze, his expression turning dark and cloudy. Thinking how Xing Bi suffered and bore all the debts by herself made his heart clench. "She still has herst installment of debt to pay. That''s why adding more debt is not weing." Nian stiffened. Now, he felt even more horrible and ashamed for troubling Xing Bi with the thing she sincerely detested. But he was resolute. "I will make it up to her. I will clear all her debt," he gleamed. "Then she won''t have to suffer anymore." "No," Ai rejected his idea, "That will hurt her pride. Instead, she will think you are a rich brat who has too much money to spare. Xing Bi is frugal, and she also doesn''t want anybody else to take her burden. I have tried to help her too, but she has always declined. Even if you help her with good intentions, it will only hurt her." Chapter 213 Need Answers Chapter 213 Need Answers Nian''s eyes glinted with mischief, and he chuckled. "Clearing debt doesn''t mean just paying back the money, dear~" She eyed him in confusion. "Then how else will the debt get cleared?" Nian threw his brother a questioning nce. ''How much does she know about our family?'' Jun shrugged and replied. "She has pretty much seen me killing a robber." "Oohhh~ She has already seen the spicy part. Then this makes it easy." He looked back at Ai and said, "Liu family is the leader of the Underworld. So loan sharking, gambling, casinos, gold - everythinges under us. I can find out in a jiffy about the loan sharks who are collecting debt from my Xing Bi. I will have a ''good word'' with them, and they will set Xing Bi free! Hahaha!" Ai slowly widened her eyes. "You can do that?" Nian''s nose grew longer with pride. "That''s why we rule the Underworld. I will eradicate all the trouble that hangs around my woman!" softly trembled. She recalled Xing Bi''s death in her past life and her efforts to look deeper into her ident. But all her efforts were in vain. It was an open and shut case. She had suspicions that perhaps the debt collectors had a hand in her death. Even though Xing Bi had paid all her father''s debt with her hard work, she couldn''t say for sure if the loan sharks really let go of her or not. Those kinds of dangerous people were hard to escape from. If...If I had Jun or Liu Nian''s help in the past life, then maybe...maybe I would have gotten some leads to Xing Bi''s case. Perhaps, I might have been able to avoid her death altogether... Jun sharply noticed the mistiness in her eyes, and he knew what she was thinking about. He pulled her to his side and whispered in her ear. "Don''t cry. What happened in the past won''t repeat in this life." The confidence in his voice reassured her. Nian blinked. "What? What? Am I missing something here?" "Nothing," Jun replied. Ai nced at Nian. "It will be really helpful if Xing Bi doesn''t have to face anymore debts," she pursed her lips, "though I am not sure if she will appreciate it. She is used to doing everything all alone without anybody''s help. She doesn''t tend to depend on others...I want to help her, but I don''t want to hurt her either." Nian smiled. "She won''t because technically, this debt is not hers to begin with. It''s her father''s. The gang seems like a bad apple who is breaking the Underworld rules. So, I will set them straight. That''s a good thing actually. I hadn''t had fun in a while~" Ai smiled in relief. "Thank you so much," she then smiled. "Though you will still have to work hard. She won''t forgive you so easily." She looked at Nian whose balloon of excitement just got deted. She softly exhaled and said, "But I will talk to Xing Bi and convince her to forgive you. I will do my best." Nian stared at her with his glittering gaze as if she was some Goddess who descended on earth just to help him. "Goddess Zhou Ai..." "You can just call me Ai." Jun''s meter of anger rose. "No need to be so chummy with him! Let him call you by your full name." Nian sneered. "You have got no say in this, little brother, if she has given me her permission! Ai, you can also call me Nian! Same with Jian!" Ai agreed. "Sure." "Enough! Now get out of my house. You already ruined Ai and my time together!" Jun showed no mercy and dragged him out of his condo, kicking him out. ? "Hey!" "No hey, only bye. Get out!" "Wait! I have something else to say to you too," Nian harrumphed and whispered something to Jun. Jun cocked his brow up. "I have already taken care of that." Nian beamed. "Really!? That''s why you are my little brother. I love you, Jun!" Jun clutched his chest and wanted to puke. "Please stop that...You disgust me." Nian winked and grinned. He craned his neck and furiously waved at Ai. "Bye, Ai! Your most favorite brother is leaving." Her mouth twitched and so did Jun''s. "Don''t worry about my family or Xing Bi! I will take care of everything. You have my full support!" Ai chuckled. "Thank you." Jun banged the door shut and rained a string of curses on Nian. He turned and walked back to Ai''s side, pressing his brows together. "You look too happy for someone who interrupted us." "It was nice talking to him," she sincerely said. Jun smiled and blocked her way on the couch. "It would be nice if we continue where we left off too." She coughed while her cheeks reddened. "I have things to unpack..." Kissing her lips and unbuttoning his shirt, he sexily hushed into her mouth, "Yeah sure but after we finish what we had started..." -- Dream High. Yating called at the hospital and asked the doctor on the other side with a chilling voice, "Are those bastards awake?" After getting lethally beaten up by Nian and Xing Bi in the Summit, there was no other option but to admit the corrupted judges in a hospital. The doctor wiped his forehead on the other end. "N-Not yet..." Yating shut his eyes, trying to rein his temper. "How long will it take? They have been there for a whole night now!" "B-But they were beaten too badly. Whoever brought them to this condition was a beast! Just how much did he torture them?" Yating recalled Nian''s appearance and frankly, he was shocked by it. He could understand Jun and Yunru''s presence in the Summit, but why Nian and even go so far for Xing Bi? "Beaten too badly? If it was me, I would have fucking killed them! They are not innocent, so cut it with your sympathies. I just want to know when they will be awake. They have to answer my questions..." he warned in a low voice. Chapter ?214 Dream High And Gu Rongs Connection Chapter ?214 Dream High And Gu Rong''s Connection The doctor assured him. "I will call you as soon as they get conscious." "You better do it," he coldly ordered him. The doctor cried with his threat. Why are two people chasing after me? And both are so intimidating! Not only Yating, but Jun was also keeping tabs on the two men to squeeze the answers from them. The doctor was sandwiched between two dangerous men who wanted nothing but judges to wake up from their pathetic state. Yating hung up and rested his head on the back of his chair. His eyes glowed with threat. How dare manipte the results and try to make Ai lose? "Mr. Gu, i-it feels too cold here. Can you please calm down?" The hacker sweated and requested. "I am freezing here." Yating hired the same hacker who attacked Sky''s systems to take revenge from Jun. Right now, Yating gave him another mission and that was to track down the cul threw him an icy and perilous stare. "I won''t calm down until I get a name. That''s why you are here, and you haven''t given me a name yet." Even though the judges were admitted to the hospital, Yating refused to lie low. The hacker gulped. "Because there is no name yet. You told me to track if there was any transfer in those corrupt judges'' bank ounts, but there isn''t any suspicious transaction of any bribe money. Neither before nor during the Summit. Even now, there is nothing." Yating narrowed his eyes. So whoever bribed them decided to transfer the money after the results were confirmed. Or maybe¡­that person never intended to give any money and simply threw a bait to make them greedy. But then couldn''t the judges just expose that person if they didn''t fulfil their side of the deal? "Did those fuckers meet anybody before the week of the Summit or during the Summit itself?" The hacker''s fingers flew on his keyboard, and he tracked down their movements as much as he could. He shook his head after going through some camera feeds. "Prior to the Summit, they didn''t meet any such suspicious person. Not that I can see from their phone records or in all the ces they went to during that week. It was all work rted stuff." "During the Summit?" "No. I have the Summit''s footage too. They didn''t meet anybody who seemed to be giving them any instructions. There is only the part where I can see them entering a room and then a womanter sticking her ear to the door." That is Xing Bi, he thought. Yating sighed in frustration. "Then how did they meet that culprit!? They should have met him somewhere where he told them to make Ai lose in exchange for money. He couldn''t have just popped out of thin air." He got up. "I am heading out. You keep finding any clue you might get about the one who bribed the judges." The hacker shuddered with the coldness and bobbed his head. Yating went out to take a breath of fresh air. If the hacker cannot find that culprit, then my only option is to wait for those fuckers to wake up and confess, he clenched his hands in his pocket. ? The staff passing by Yating were shocked to see him in such a bad mood. What happened to our Chief Editor? Isn''t he always so amiable? Yating ignored their gazes and headed to the President''s office to meet him to talk about getting Ai back to Dream High by some or the other way. The secretary smiled. "President will be back at any moment. Please wait, Mr. Gu." Yating sat on one of the chairs and exhaled as he was left alone. He was waiting for the President when a phone on the desk rang with a call. Did he forget his phone? He frowned. At first, Yating didn''t bother but when his gaze fell on the caller''s name, he snapped his head back to it, blinking hard. The name was upside down, but he could still make it out. The President then stepped in and smiled. "Hey Chief Editor. My secretary told me you were here. I hope I didn''t make you wait for long." He sat on his President''s chair opposite him and faced. "What''s wrong? Why do you look so sullen?" Yating lifted his gaze and asked, "Why is my father calling you?" The President froze and when he noticed his phone shing with Gu Rong''s number, he quickly hung up. "Ah¡­what? I think you are mistaken." "That was my father''s name," the temperature rapidly dropped, "Why was he calling you? What do you have to do with him?" He stiffened and broke into a cold sweat. "That''s¡­" "Do you two know each other?" Yating asked with a chill in his voice. "No, Yating. That''s not how it is." "Then why would my father, Gu Rong, call you out of nowhere? What would he have anything to do with you?" The President was in a pinch. Yating dangerously smiled at his silence. "Fine then. I will ask him myself." "Yating, wait! Don''t go! I-I will tell you everything!" Yating stopped, who had almost stormed out of his office. "What is going on?" He sighed. "Well¡­your father and I indeed know each other. Gu Rong was the one who told me to arrange a job for you at Dream High here." He froze. "What the hell¡­Why would he do anything like that? He hated me for not agreeing to take over his business. He never supported my dream of working in the publishing industry!" "Well, he doesn''t. So he wanted to make sure that you are within his reach even if you don''t inherit his business." "Excuse me? Within his reach? I don''t understand," Yating tilted his head. The President wiped his forehead. "He arranged a job for you here and also became the secret shareholder of Dream High. Right now technically, Dream High is Gu Rong''spany." Chapter 215 Ais Idol Chapter 215 Ai''s Idol Jun asked Chyou, who was on the other line with a grave voice, "Are you sure?" A deep, frustrated sigh escaped her lips. "Yes. The only suspicious action about the judges is that they entered a room together to discuss the whole bribery issue. But I find no evidence of anybody approaching them before that. Their texts and calls are also clean. I don''t know how Cai Guiying contacted them. Ugh! How could this be.?" Jun lowered his gaze and watched Ai whose head was resting on hisp as she slept. She was naked under his white shirt that covered her upper body. He himself sat upright on the couch, half-naked with his bare chest in full view. His fingers were gently brushing across her soft hair strands. Her face lit his lips with a loving smile, but his eyes carried frostiness in them. "Is that so¡­" Chyou asked, "Are you sure this woman is the culprit? She didn''t do anything skeptical during the whole Summit. During the first break, she was at her own table. In the second break she did move, but it was towards thedies'' room. Then outside at a distance, I saw Yating talking to her when she stepped out. So, I am not sure when she got the chance to talk to the judges." Jun let out a breath. "I don''t know how she did it, but it''s definitely her. She¡­She is Ai''s enemy." all the past grievances that Ai had to face because of Guiying, including her failed career and death, Jun knew it was Guiying''s doing. He swore that he would make Guiying and Yating suffer hell in this life and make them pay for all their sins theymitted against Ai. "It''s only her doing. Her so-called friendship in the end just turned out to be a big facade, and I won''t forgive her for this. It''s fine if there is no evidence of her crimes," he eyes shed with hostility, "the judges will puke her name. I will make them until they gut out every single thing." There was a pause. Chyou then said, "I heard about everything that happened at your house. It''s sad and shocking to see you and Shui breakup," there was ament in her voice, "but also happy to know that you found someone you love. It''s not easy to move on after how you had¡­" she sighed, "But I am d everything worked out for you in the end. Hehe, so when will you introduce Zhou Ai to me? She must be someone really special that could make such a ce in your heart." His gaze softened as he traced the back of his fingers on her cheek. "En. She is really special." They hung up after talking for a bit, and Jun rested his head back, closing his eyes softly. "Who was that?" Jun opened his eyes in surprise and looked down to see Ai staring at him curiously. He coughed. "Sorry, did I talk too loudly and disturb your sleep?" She shook her head. "No." Jun smiled and lifted her to make her sit on hisp. Their bare chests were only separated by Jun''s shirt. He felt an itch seeing her exposed shoulders though. ? "*Ahem!* Well, she is Zhu Chyou. She is Zhu Xiaosi''s daughter. The Zhu family is friends with the Liu family like the Han and Xu families. She is an A-listed actress and as a side business, a hacker too. I asked her to check if she could find evidence against the culprit." Ai tilted her head and blinked as she realized. She softly gasped. "I have seen her movies. She is a brilliant actress. I love all her works," her eyes twinkled like stars in the night sky. "You know her?" Jun raised his brow. "You seem to be her fan." Ai nodded hard. "I wasn''t always interested in movies that much but once I saw one of her movies on¡­Guiying''s insistence." Jun''s expression darkened. Cai Guiying¡­ Ai quickly brought his attention back. "Anyway so I watched one, and I really liked her from then on," Ai was in full fangirl mode. "Her expressions are so spot on. Her dialog delivery is so amazing. She has given me a lot of inspiration for how my characters should act in my novels," she shone eben brighter now, "Even after winning so many awards and with her A-listed actress reputation, she is always so humble and down-to-earth. I appreciate that about her. She is really amazing." An arrow struck right through Jun''s heart watching her innocent fangirling for the first time. He pinched her cheeks. "I see." She twiddled with her fingers and expectantly asked, "Since you know Zhu Chyou¡­can you ask her if I can get her autograph if possible?" She slightly blushed. A second arrow pierced his heart, and he almost died with cuteness overload. This is not good. She looks cute whatever expression she makes. He chuckled. "Why just autograph? You should meet her too. In fact, she just said now before hanging up that she wants to meet my girlfriend," he proudly smirked. Ai blossomed like a beautiful flower at that and held in her breath. "Zhu Chyou wants to meet me?" She felt a rush of excitement as that of any fan who would meet their favorite star. Here, the star herself said that she wanted to meet her. "Yeah. Then you can talk to her as much as you want." Ai''s ears perked up in delight. She hugged Jun in happiness. "I always wanted to meet Zhu Chyou in my past life at least once or at least get her autograph. But I never got the chance. And now I know she is a hacker too. That''s so cool. I feel so happy that I will get to meet her!" Jun was really surprised to see this side of Ai''s. He never thought she idolized anybody like this. His heart ached to know that her wish never got fulfilled in the past life. He held her head, cing a firm kiss on her lips. "Ai. This time, there won''t be any unfulfilled wishes. I will give you everything you want. Just name it, and you will have it." A warm, fuzzy feeling flurried in her chest, bringing tears to her eyes, "Thank you, Jun." Chapter ?216 The Corrupt Culprit (1) "Dad!" Yating stormed into the Gu vi, his body trembling in rage. After hearing the truth from Dream High''s President, he couldn''t believe that Gu Rong would still interfere in his life. Butler Mo widened his eyes upon his arrival. "Young master¡­" "Dad!" Yating yelled once again. "Come out!" Butler Mo hurried towards him. "What''s the matter, young master? You are suddenly here after four years and¡­" You also seem so furious. "Where is Dad?" He coldly asked. "Master is in the study. Young master, I don''t know what has gone wrong, but please calm down," he anxiously tried to convince him. Yating angrilyughed. "Calm down? After how Dad keeps interfering in my life, how should I calm down?" Gu Rong''s figure just then alighted down from the stairs, who had heard his son calling out his name. "Youe back after four years, and the first thing you know to do is shout in the house and disrespectfully call me like this?" He faced him, his eyes boring into him with fierceness. Yating took a step towards him dangerously and faced him, his eyes holding bitterness in them. "Then what should I do after I learn that you arranged my job at Dream High, that you became thergest stakeholder of Dream High just to keep an eye on me and that you disrespected our agreement first! The President told me everything. Not only you wanted to control my life, but you also wanted to make sure that I don''t get entangled with any woman that you won''t approve of!" Gu Rong said nothing while Butler Mo panicked. I see. Young master learned that¡­ "Dad. I think I was really clear when I left this house. I will do whatever I want in my career, and you won''t interfere in it. But what do you want to prove by secretly taking over Dream High!?" Gu Rong gritted his teeth. "Shut up! What do I want to prove? First, you went against me to not be my heir and be some puny editor in a publishingpany. Sure, it was a deal between us. But if you could disregard taking over the business, then you could have disregarded the deal too. And that''s exactly what you did. At first, I only got involved because I wanted you to have a better position at Dream High. You are my son. As if I will let you do a meager job in somepany!" Yating stared at him in disbelief. "Don''t tell me¡­that all my achievements over these four years I worked in Dream High was not because of the hard work I put in but because you pulled the strings from the back!" "Of course, it''s your hard work too. But what is wrong in it if I give a little push? I just wanted to help you. And what do I get to know in return? You had promised me that in exchange for letting you do as you please with your career, you will agree to the woman I would choose to be your wife. But then I learned that you were getting cozy with some small-time author. Zhou Ai, right?" His eyes slowly widened. Gu Rong pointed his finger at him, his veins popping on his forehead in resentment. "Gu Yating, just how much will you disrespect me? I only agreed for your career, not for you finding your bride! That will be my choice, not yours!" "Dad!" Yating eximed. "What? Will you not acknowledge that you have feelings for Zhou Ai? That you didn''t want to break the agreement between us?" ? Yating curled his fingers and shut his eyes. The deal was the truth between the father and son. Yating was never interested in family business, but Gu Rong only wanted to see him inherit it after him. That caused a lot of shes between them and after a lot of back and forth arguments, they decided that Yating will be allowed to pursue the career of his choice in exchange of Gu Rong choosing Yating''s wife in the future. At that time, Yating didn''t care much. He only wanted his freedom to choose the line of work he wanted. As for love, it was never his priority that much, so he didn''t care if Gu Rong chose the woman for him. But when he fell in love with Ai, it was the moment he technically broke the deal between them. Butler Mo intervened. "Master, please¡­" "Don''t tell me. Tell him who always keeps rebelling me!" Yating confessed. "Yes, it''s true that I love Ai! I know that wasn''t how we nned, but I-" "Gu Yating! Do you think that I will ept Zhou Ai? She is nowhere near our family, and you only found a woman like her!? Are you out of your mind?" The ck aura around him only deepened. "A woman like her? She is the perfect woman I could find, Dad. Don''t say anything against her!" "That woman has really hypnotized you! You want to go against me because of her who can never match up to our social ss?" "You-" Gu Rong shook his head. "And you are wasting your feelings over which woman? I saw her dancing with Liu Jin at the banquet night. Clearly, she has set her sights on not only you but other rich heirs as well. Otherwise, how could someone like her be a part of the Liu family''s banquet?" He smiled. "I am d that she is not a part of Dream High anymore. I don''t care if she goes to Sky or Shi Publishing or wherever - At least, she won''t be in Dream High and hover around you!" He froze. "You¡­you hate her that much?" His phone rang and even though he wasn''t in the mood to attend it, he did so. He took a deep breath. "What is it?" It was the hacker he hired on the other side, "Sir. I have news about the judges." Yating instantly became alert. "Did they cough out the name?" "Yes. Well¡­" "What?" He impatiently asked. "One of them is dead." His eyes widened, stunned. "And the other judge who is conscious now said that the one who bribed them was¡­your father, Gu Rong." Chapter 217 The Corrupt Culprit (2) Chapter 217 The Corrupt Culprit (2) City X hospital. Jun faced the doctor in the hospital with his calm but icy gaze, "One of them is dead?" The doctor nodded. "It was unexpected but just an hour ago, his vitals weakened and his condition worsened. Before we could do anything to help him, he was already gone." Yunru, who had also apanied Jun as soon as he got the news, gulped hard with tension. He pulled Jun to the corner and said, his voice panicking, "Bro. This is bad. Everybody knows that Bro Nian beat the shit out of the judges, and now one of them is dead! Won''t this implicate him badly?" That was exactly what Jun thought too the moment he got the news of one of the judges'' death. "We will think about what to do about that. Let''s go and meet the other judge first." The other judge was awake but deathly afraid. He jumped in his bed as he saw Jun and Yunru approaching. His face was pale, and his body was trembling hard. "I-I-I¡­." The doctor squeaked, "M-Mr. Liu Jun. I understand that you have questions to ask him, but I hope you don''t stress out the patient. He is already quite rattled, and it may have a negative-" "I know what to do," Jun cast a warning nce at him. He promptly backed out. bent over and narrowed his eyes at him. "So you say that Gu Rong bribed you?" He gasped and stiffened with sweat forming on his forehead. "Yes. He-he wanted us to choose Cai Guiying instead of Zhou Ai¡­I-It''s the truth." "Why would he do that?" The pressure Jun enforced upon his retreating body was too much to handle. "We d-don''t know much, but he only s-said that he hates Zhou Ai. Something about seducing his son¡­" "Bullshit!" The door banged upon and Gu Rong stormed in in rage. "What the hell are you spouting nonsense for!? I bribed you against Zhou Ai?" The judge didn''t know what happened when he suddenly barged in, but he jolted in terror. Behind Gu Rong came Yating, whose serious but deadly expression brought a chill in the air. Gu Rong pointed his finger at the judge. "Who the hell are you to use me of something like this? I don''t have anything to do with the bribery!" Jun narrowed his eyes. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Gu." He then finally noticed Jun and Yunru''s presence. "Liu Jun? Chen Yunru? What are you two doing here?" His lips formed an icy smile. "What do you think? Two judges plotted against the author belonging to Sky Publishing who ismy girlfriend. Naturally, I want answers." Yating threw a dangerous glint at Jun. Girlfriend¡­ Gu Rong looked at him nkly. "...Zhou Ai?" "Yes." "Your girlfriend?" "I don''t need to spell it out again." ? Gu Rong was left speechless. When did this happen? He chuckled. "I see. So she thought that she could trap another man because she didn''t get Yating? Oh. Is that how she got into yourpany?" "Dad!" The whole ce fell silent when Jun''s dark brown eyes turned frighteningly cold. "Mind your tongue, Mr. Gu. Don''t expect respect from me just because you are an elder. I won''t tolerate shit about Ai at any cost. And for your kind information, she doesn''t need to trap your son when he already got rejected by her on Christmas night," he sneered. The reminder of that night stabbed Yating''s heart. Gu Rong gritted his teeth. "Liu Jun. You think I don''t know women like her? So what if she rejected Yating? Middle-ss women like her only know how to y tricks on people," he balled his fist. Jun tilted his head. "I see. You really hate Ai a lot. I feel maybe there is some truth to this man''s words." Jun actually wanted the judges to spill out Guiying''s name but when Gu Rong''s name got exposed, it greatly shocked him. He was sure that she was behind this plot, but it didn''t turn out to be that way. That set frustration within him because he wanted to punish Guiying at all costs. Gu Rong eximed. "The hell there is any truth! You¡­" He almost lunged at the judge to grab him. "Tell the truth that I didn''t do any such thing. I don''t even know you!" The doctor and the nurse quickly pulled him back. "Mr. Gu, please be calm. It will only deteriorate his condition if you act like this." Which everybody could see with the way the judge was shaking hard. "I¡­I-I am telling the truth! Gu Rong bribed us!" He cried. Yating bored his enraged gaze on his father. To think that Gu Rong would go so far out of his hatred for Ai that he wanted to make her lose purposely¡­ Gu Rong was beyond enraged. "I will sue you for defaming me like this!" Jun eyed the judge and asked, "How did he contact you?" The judge trembled and spoke, his voice stammering, "M-message. He sent a message to us." Yating intervened. "But there are no messages on your phone," he recalled the hacker saying that all their calls and messages were clean. Jun agreed because that''s what Chyou had said too. "There is no message be-because it got automatically deleted after a minute we read it¡­" he breathlessly said. Gu Rong stomped his foot in anger. "All lies! You are trying to frame me!" Yating blinked and gave it a thought of this auto delete mechanism. His gaze turned icy upon a certain realization. "Is it now, Dad? It''s not like you don''t know of this facility. Don''t you work closely with the Zhu family''s S3pany?" Yunru stepped closer to Jun and whispered, "Is that true, Bro?" Jun squinted his eyes. "I have heard that Gu Corps and S3 have been partners for a few projects." Yating confronted him. "Since you work so closely with them, naturally you must know all these tricks through S3. After all, they are the top techpany in China providing security services." Gu Rong stared at him. "You¡­you are using me too!? Gu Yating, don''t cross your limits!" "Then what should I do if not use you? If you could hide your involvement with Dream High for so long, then why can you not do it again with this bribery!?" Chapter ?218 The Corrupt Culprit (3) Chapter ?218 The Corrupt Culprit (3) That snapped Jun''s attention instantly. "Involvement with Dream High?" He watched them sharply. Yating icily said, "It''s none of your business, Liu Jun." Yunru red at him. "Hey! Don''t you dare talk to my brother like that!" "Yunru. Calm down," Jun held his shoulder, "I don''t care what shit he says to me. But if it involves Ai, then I will hunt anybody right down till hell if I have to. What is this about Mr. Gu''s involvement with Dream High?" Gu Rong gave him an angry stare. "As if I am afraid. I am thergest stakeholder of Dream High. So what?" Jun stared at him, his thoughts immediately wandering off to what Ai had said about her past life. She worked in Dream High but never got the chance to really shine as a writer. She never got the promotions and resources she should have. Even when Jun had heard it, he felt as if something or somebody was pulling her back and hampering her career on purpose. Jun now looked at Gu Rong with extreme enmity. hates Ai because he thinks she seduced Gu Yating. Is that why Ai could never¡­because he abused his power and held her back? Coming to this realization, Jun''s level of rage was off the charts. Yunru sensed the displeasure and hostility seeping out from him. "Bro, what happened?" Jun took two steps towards Gu Rong and gritted his teeth. "You are one hell of a bastard. Tell me. Is that why Ai never got the chance to do her book signing event?" Yating inhaled a deep breath. His heart was rattled with these doubts too. But now that Gu Rong''s name was shed to light for this bribery, Yating hated his father even more if he would have anything to do with messing with Ai''s career. "Since you hate Ai so much and since you are technically Dream High''s big boss, wasn''t it easy for you to block that chance for her?" Gu Rong stared at Jun in shock. "I didn''t do such a thing at all! I had nothing to do with the book signing event." Though Gu Rong knew he didn''t have a pure heart. I didn''t interfere with the signing event, but if Zhou Ai would have continued targeting Yating, then I wouldn''t have kept quiet either. Jun sneered angrily. "Yeah, sure. I can see how much you wouldn''t have misused your power." Gu Rong was frustrated and confronted the judge. "Tell me, you liar! Who is feeding you money against me!? Who told you to take my name and entangle me in this mess? I will sue you for this defamation!" He tremblingly shook his head. "I-I am not lying! It''s you who sent us that message!" "And how do you know that?" Jun asked. "Did he reveal his identity?" He nodded hard. "He did! He wanted us to believe that we are not getting fooled by a random message from a stranger. Without a name, of course, we won''t believe it and take such a huge risk¡­He-he said that he wanted Zhou Ai to lose so that his son will distance himself from her seeing she is unworthy¡­" ? Jun and Yating narrowed their eyes. It was impossible for the judges to know this much unless Gu Rong himself had admitted it. "All lies!" Gu Rong''s anger mixed with panic now. "Dad. The President also knows your distaste for Ai! Didn''t you tell him to keep an eye on her and our rtionship?" His eyes zed with fury. "Don''t¡­don''t portray yourself to be innocent now!" More than anger, he felt hurt by his father''s betrayal. "It''s as if you are an enemy of my happiness! Are you really my father!?" He eximed with grievance. Gu Rong froze. He took an uneasy gasp and gnashed his jaw. "Gu Yating! How¡­How dare you question me like that?" "Enough," Jun icily intervened. "I am not interested in witnessing the fight between a father and son. I just want justice for Ai, and I will have it." "But he is lying!" The judge jolted and tried to hide in the nket. The doctor quickly said, "Please, I would like to ask you to leave this ward. The patient has already answered your questions." Gu Rong pointed his trembling finger at him. "Leave? This bastard is framing me!" Just then, two cops arrived at the scene and the chief officer said, "Let''s talk about that outside." Jun and Yunru recognized the second officer. Yunru beamed. "Yijun!" Soo Yijun was the assistant officer in training who had apanied the lead cop on this case. He was Soo Yunru and Soo Zizi''s son. Soo Yunru was Xinyi''s twin brother whereas Soo Zizi was Zhiyuan''s younger sister, making Yijun Shui''s cousin. Just like his father, he followed his footsteps to servew enforcement. Outside, Yunru jumped into his hug. "You are here!" He coughed with his tight hug. "Yeah. Well, I came to know that Bro Nian is kind of involved in this mess," he sighed, "This makes it harder." Jun asked, "Will Bro Nian be really in trouble?" "He was very vocal about messing with the judges at the Summit. One of them has died, so fingers would be pointed at him," he said. Jun narrowed his eyes. "It''s not his style. If he wants to kill, then the person has no other option but to die. He doesn''t leave anybody alive or half-dead if he has the killing intent." Over the years, the cops and Underworld hade to a cooperation which involved exchange of favors from time to time, so Yijun wasn''t surprised about Jun talking openly about Nian killing people, which held true for any Liu family member. "That won''t justify anything," Yijun exhaled a breath. Yunru quickly said, "But this Gu Rong can, right!? What if he secretly killed the other judge?" Jun answered. "That came to my mind too, but why would he leave this judge alive? Then there is no use in killing the other judge if his name is out anyway." Suddenly, Gu Rong screamed from the other side, "How dare you take me to custody!?" Chapter 219 Change Of Plans Chapter 219 Change Of ns The lead officer said, "Calm down, Mr. Gu. We are only following the protocol. Right now, you will have toe to the police station with us. We cannot dismiss the death of Mr. Wang and Mr. Zheng''s testimony against you. We will question both of you to reach the truth. But till then, you will have to cooperate." Mr. Wang was the surname of the first judge who died, and Mr. Zheng, who admitted that Gu Rong bribed them. Gu Rong stared at him incredulously, "You are charging me with murder usation too?" "I am not saying it''s murder. We are only covering all the angles here, Mr. Gu. It has been already proved that they were corrupt, and now one of them has died. We cannot take it lightly so until that suspicion is cleared, please cooperate with us." Yating pressed his brow. Things wereplicated with bribery and now a murder charge too? Though he thought that Gu Rong could bribe the judges if he disliked Ai so much. But will he really kill a warned, his hands itching to be violent. "You better don''t throw a fit, Mr. Gu or it won''t be good to mess with Liu Jun. And don''t worry. I will see to it that you never see the light of the day. Whoever hurts Ai in any way, I will cut off that person''s wings." "You..." The lead officer looked at Yijun. "Yijun, take Mr. Zheng''s statement and also of the staff here regarding Mr. Wang''s death." He nodded. Gu Rong was taken away despite his protests while Yating and Jun were at a standoff. Jun sneered. "So, Mr. Gu Yating. What do you have to say about this? The one who ims to love my girlfriend so much, yet his own father has seemingly caused a big trouble here." Yating curled his fist. He had vowed to punish the perpetrator but with his father interfering with his life first with involving himself with Dream High and now during the Summit, he couldn''t feel more ashamed. He wanted to cherish and protect Ai but seeing his own family against her, stabbed his heart with humiliation. "I wonder who Mr. Gu will protect now?" He smiled. Yating stared at him. "There is no need to question this, Liu Jun. Ai is precious to me. Even if...even if I will have to go against my father, I will do it. If he is guilty, then I will make sure he is punished. You don''t need to interfere," he left, clenching his fingers into a fist. -- Ai was patiently waiting for Jun return when the door clicked. She hugged him. "Jun." Jun inhaled her scent and felt the tension dissipate. He pressed his lips on her forehead. "Ai." ? She noticed his brows easing up and asked, "What happened at the hospital?" Jun gave the whole ount to which Ai could only throw him a gaze filled with disbelief. "His father?" "Yes. He bribed those fuckers to change the result," he gnashed his jaw. "Not only that, he is also Dream High''s boss. He had the power to influence your career in the past life. Plus, he hates you because he thinks that you seduced Gu Yating. I can very well see him misusing his power. He declines having anything to do with you not getting a book signing event, but I know he pulled the strings and interfered with it! He must be behind why you never got promoted in Dream High and your career suffered such a trajectory." Jun trembled with an urge to punch someone. He wanted to burn every single person who harmed Ai in the past life and caused her doom. Ai kissed his chin and patted his head. "Don''t be angry anymore." He scowled. "How can I not be angry?" "Because the past life has already gone. As for this life, his crime is exposed now, and he will get his due punishment. So, everything is fine." Jun sighed. "Everything is not fine. Bro Nian is in a lot of trouble because of Wang judge''s death. He beat them into a pulp, and one died. Though..." "Though what?" Jun narrowed his eyes. "Though I feel something is suspicious. Bro Nian did beat him miserably but not to the point he would die. We know how to kill people and how to not kill people too." Ai felt goosebumps on her skin, not in fear but curiosity. "He cannot die due to the injuries inflicted on him by Bro Nian, and as for Mr. Gu Rong...It doesn''t make sense that he killed one and not the other. If he wants to shut mouths, he will kill both, not just one." Ai coughed. "You know a lot." Jun smiled. "I have shut the mouths of many people, so I know how it works~ But there is no need to worry. The cops are investigating and I know one of them, Soo Yijun. He is Shui''s cousin. He will be questioning everyone rted to the case, so we will eventually know. Bro Nian will also handle it," he sneered, "I would be more than happy to see him spend a night in jail. Good riddance for sometime." Ai helplessly shook her head. Jun pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her. "By the way, change of ns." "About?" Ai tilted her head. "Well, you were supposed to join Sky from tomorrow officially. But Iet''s postpone that for a day so that we can go to meet your parents. I did promise your mother that after meeting with my family, I would give her my greetings. I don''t want to dy it." Ai brightened. "I see. En. Mom and Dad will be very happy to meet you." He touched his chin. "I am not so sure about that considering how our first conversation went down. What if she doesn''t want me for you?" "That won''t happen. I know her. Even if it does, I will rebel," She slightly red her nostrils, "Because I won''t choose anybody else but you." Chapter ?220 Appreciate Mrs. Quans Kindness Ai''s sweet determination triggered Jun''s heart, overwhelming it with fluffiness to the max level. He grabbed the back of her head and pushed his lips onto hers. He narrowed his eyes and dove his tongue inside her mouth, slurping everything that came in his way. He tugged her silky hair with his fingers that hung on her neck and caressed her waist with his other palm. Her words always managed to stir his heart to the point that he couldn''t hold himself back. Jun recalled her expression of when she said she would rebel. Her puffed up cheeks looked so adorable and cute that he wanted to suck and bite them. That''s not a bad idea¡­ His lips curved into a smirk, and his lips found his way to her red tinted cheeks. At first, he dropped light kisses but soon, his teeth took a chunk of her cheek and dug into his feast. Ai flinched with the pleasure and heat igniting within her, making her gasp. When his tongue flicked over her cheek and he bit onto her skin, the delirious sensation caused her to jump. It wasn''t helping that his hand was wandering inside her dress and tugging the straps of her bra. "Jun¡­" she whispered. As she lightly held onto his neck, she shuddered with how hot his skin felt. She sighed in ecstasy, feeling his hot palm cup her breast. She bit her lip hard and said, "L-library¡­" Jun wasn''t really listening to her and continued his sweet onught of her cheek and breast. He then traced his kisses towards her neck and when he was finally satisfied, he looked at her flushed face. "This is what happens when you make my heart skip beats," he gave a firm squeeze to her breast, weakening her knees. Ai said in protest, "I did nothing." "Hooo¡­" Jun smiled. As his thumb yed with the soft bud on her breast, making her brain sizzle with nkness, his raspy voice sexily said, "How about we discuss this thoroughly in bed? I will properly exin the things you do to my heart which makes me do things to your body." She blushed hard and looked away. "I¡­I have to go to the library¡­" "Don''t try and run away," he bit her lower lip. She vigorously shook her head. "I am not m-making any excuses¡­" It was hard to concentrate with Jun ying with her chest, "I-I have to continue with my story and want to refer to some books for that. It''s the truth." "Oh¡­" He finally let go of his breast, making Ai sigh in relief. She was sure she would have fainted with pleasure had he not stopped. Her breaths came back to normal. "I wille with you too. I want to meet Mrs. Quan," Jun said, "I want to thank her." Ai asked as she hooked her bra again and straightened her disheveled dress, "Thank her? For what?" He hugged her waist and tapped on her nose. "She was the one who made me realize my feelings for you. She brought it out in the open on Chocte Day until I had no ce to hide. She gave me the push to confront my love for you. I am indebted to her." Ai beamed. "Oh. Indeed, she is a very kind woman. She offered me her house even though we really didn''t know that well," she cleared her throat, "Even though I never went to stay with her¡­" Jun dangerously narrowed his eyes. "I appreciate the offer and kindness. Jun, why don''t we thank her with a gift?" She asked in anticipation. Jun liked the idea. "Sure. Let''s do that." ¡ª At the Beijing Central Library, Mrs. Quan was piling up some old books for donation when she saw Jun and Aiing in. "Jun! Ai!" Her small face brightened. She hugged them and chirped in excitement. "Ai, I watched the Summit. Congrattions for winning it! I am so proud of you," she wiped the corner of her eye, "I loved your story so much. You were wonderful." Ai''s gaze softened. "Thank you, Mrs. Quan." "I had no idea that you were a writer. Oof, I am so excited! Oh, oh! Will you continue your short story? Ever since I watched you, I wanted to ask this. You ended it on an open note, so I was wondering the reply of the man the protagonist confessed to," Mrs. Quan was squealing in excitement. "I have been thinking of it the whole time. So much so that I couldn''t get any sleep!" She pouted. Jun said, "Well you don''t have to wait anymore now. The reply is a yes." "Ah? How do you know? Did Ai reveal her next story to you?" She sparkled. "Tell me too, Ai! I want to hear it too!" His mouth twitched. "Not like that! I mean that the man is in front of you to whom the protagonist confessed." Mrs. Quan was confused. "Ah? I don''t understand. Are you bullying this olddy?" She harrumphed. "..." Ai quickly exined. "Of course. You are the sweetest," she cleared her throat, "he means that the story I wrote was actually¡­me confessing to Jun¡­" her ears turned red, "And Jun epted it so¡­" Mrs. Quan gasped. "What!?" The other patrons gave her weird looks by her sudden exmation. Jun chuckled. "This is a library, Mrs. Quan." "Who cares? Tell me all the details!" She hastily pulled them towards her desk and intently leaned to hear it. Ai shook her head helplessly and recounted what happened. Mrs. Quan covered her mouth, feeling a mixture of shock, thrill and disbelief. "Oh my gosh! You are a couple now!? That''s¡­that''s such great news!" She pped in delight, "I am so happy for you¡­" she felt emotional, "this idiot finally told the truth." Jun''s gaze darkened. "Hey!" "Shut up. You were so stubborn. Hmph. But whatever it is, I am so d to see you together. I knew it. My eyes cannot deceive me. You two are made for each other!" Chapter 221 Surrounded By Fans Chapter 221 Surrounded By Fans Mrs. Quan was so ted that she wanted to hop around the whole library and announce their rtionship. "I am so proud of you two," she sniffled. "I loved the way Ai confessed! So unique and¡­" she teased, "dering in front of the whole world. You must be so pleased, Jun." Jun smirked. "That was the best part indeed. But¡­it''s all thanks to you, Mrs. Quan." "Ah? What did I do?" She asked, puzzled. Jun smiled. "You made me aware of my feelings or I might have always been in denial. You have helped me a lot since the beginning. You hired me to work here, and I cannot thank you enough for it. I¡­" his gaze flickered, "I really needed a ce to belong to, and you gave me that. That was a hard spell for me and if not for you by my side, I wouldn''t have been able toe this far. I love and respect you a lot. Thank you very much, Mrs. Quan," Jun stood and bowed. Ai smiled. "Y-You don''t have to do that!" She hastily waved her hand, "Oof. You are the CEO of Sky Publishing. What will people think seeing you bow like this?" Mrs. Quan was bewildered to see Jun at the Summit too. When he showed his face as the Sky CEO, she thought she would faint. She wanted to copse with a heart attack. My assistant librarian was a CEO all this time!? tilted his head. "What does it matter? Even if I am the CEO, I am still the assistant librarian here." Mrs. Quan was taken aback. "You are?" "..." "You are firing me?" His expression twisted in a grimace. She was at a loss for words. "Of course not. B-But won''t you be working in Sky now? You are the CEO, after all¡­" her voice held a trace ofment. "Aww, will you feel sad without me? Is that loneliness I sense from your voice?" He teased her. Ai''s mouth twitched. Jun¡­ Mrs. Quan blushed. "You¡­! You have be too bold to make fun of me now. Of course, I will miss you. I treat you like my son. I enjoyed having you as my assistant. You are such a hard and dedicated worker. Though I shouldn''t say this as the head librarian, it was fun to hear patronsin about you." "..." Ai choked. Jun sneered. "You have odd tastes, Mrs. Quan. I didn''t expect anything less from you." That earned him a re. "Anyway. I won''t be leaving this library. I will be working as the assistant librarian." Mrs. Quan was delighted but also realized the situation. "But don''t you have your ownpany to work at?" "Of course, I have. Sky Publishing exists. But that doesn''t matter. I was always the CEO yet I worked here, right? The Summit doesn''t change anything. I don''t have to be in Sky at all times," he shrugged, "I am the Boss. I call the shots. I love this ce. So, I will continue taking my sry from you. Also, Ai would be frequentlying here for her own work. Naturally, I will be there where my girlfriend is. I have two strong reasons to be here so you better not fire me because I will fight for my employee rights," he sneered. ? Mrs. Quan teared up as she covered her mouth. "Jun, you are so cute¡­" Ai nodded hard. "I always tell him that, but he always gets angry." "He is an Idiot! Ignore him," she harrumphed. Jun banged his palm in distaste. "I am not cute! Hey! Stop crying like that. Ai¡­why are you getting emotional?" He was dumbfounded. Mrs. Quan hugged him hard and pinched his cheeks, "I cannot help it. You are so cute that my heart cannot bear it. To hear that you want to keep working here makes me really happy¡­" she wiped her eyes, "I didn''t want to see you leave, but you are the CEO and have so many responsibilities. How could I be selfish?" Jun sighed. These women¡­ He hugged her back and patted her head. "Okay. No more tears. Cheer up with the gift we have brought for you." Her expression was elevated with joy, and she quickly forgot all her sadness. "You brought a gift for me? Where is it?" Jun sneered. "Your tears dried up too soon, Mrs. Quan. Suddenly, I feel cheated." Her mouth twitched. She coughed and ignored him. "A-Ai, why don''t you show me the gift, dear?" It was a beautiful traditional silk cheongsam dress, fitting for Mrs. Quan age with light floral design on it. She touched the fabric and drew in a deep breath. "This is so pretty. But it must be so expensive! Why did you spend so much money?" Ai shook her head. "It''s nothing against your kindness." Jun squinted his eyes. "You better not resist. Your assistant is quite capable and loaded with cash. Use it as much as you want." "You¡­" Mrs. Quan took the dress with trembling hands. She whispered, "Thank you so much. It''s really beautiful." They nodded, pleased and satisfied. When they went up to the third floor, they expected for a peaceful day to pass as they worked and maybe a bit of flirting here and there but as soon as the patrons saw theming, they rushed towards them in full swing. "Oh my God! You are MissImperfectlyFine, right?" "You are the winner of the Author Summit!" "And he is Sky CEO! Oh God, I cannot believe I met them here!" "The CEO and the author are together!" "MissImperfectlyFine, your story was wonderful!" "It brought tears to my eyes¡­" "I cannot wait for the continuation!" "Please give me your autograph. I have be your fan!" "Me too!" Ai was suddenly andpletely surrounded on all sides to her shock. The patrons wanted to surround Jun too, but seeing him leak a dark and displeased aura made them side with Ai even more. Jun was naturally happy seeing Ai get the attention she deserved, but he disliked their quiet and flirty time would bepromised. Damn! Chapter ?222 He Is My Boyfriend Chapter ?222 He Is My Boyfriend Ai wasn''t used to this attention, and she found her heart drumming faster. There were people asking for her autograph and expressing how much they liked her story. She saw the joy in their eyes and the anticipation to read the continuation of her short story. She hadn''t experienced this intimacy with her readers in her past life, nor got the chance to make her ce in their hearts as a good writer. She had received congrattory messages on Reading Point and in the writingmunity, but this was the first time that she was personally meeting her readers and watching their love for her with her own eyes. "Th-thank you¡­" It was sudden and she didn''t have the time to prepare her heart, but she was doing the best she could. Jun was amused to see her flustered. He folded his arms and lifted his brow. When she saw her looking back at him, he eyed as if saying, ''Hoooo¡­somebody is popr now~'' Ai coughed and blushed. Though Junmented the loss of his beautiful time with her in the library, it wasn''t as important as watching Ai as the center of everyone''s attention. He smiled. My girlfriend deserves it. A lot. I will make you popr, Ai. The best writer in the whole world. All that fame and recognition you deserved in the past life but never got¡­you will have a hundred folds in this life. I will make sure of it! the other side, the excited crowd was already taking their pen and notebooks out for Ai to sign. "Please sign, MissImperfectlyFine! I will frame it on my wall." "Tell me when your next book will be ready! I will pre-order it!" "I have read your other books, and they are so good too!" "But I must admit that your short story is even better. I can see your style has improved so much." "I am so d I came to know about you!" Ai''s little heart burst with joy with all the appreciation. The Summit was the first step towards her sessful career, and she couldn''t feel happier seeing the results in front of her. She signed on the books one by one with a soft but bright smile on her lips. "Thank you for liking my work." The crowd stared at her in a daze. So¡­so cute! Damn, I am falling for her and I am a woman! How can this be? But she is so pretty¡­ Jun observed the starstruck expressions on everybody''s faces and gritted his teeth Hey, back off! She is mine. Keep your admiration to yourself. Don''t fall in love with her! One of the young college going students cleared her throat and asked, wanting to satisfy her curiosity, "So, so! What is your rtionship with the Sky CEO? I have seen you together here a few times here and even in the Summit, he personally came to invite you! Oh gosh I cannot believe that the assistant librarian was a CEO all this time! This is what we call a real twist, hehe~" ? The question hit the nail on the head that was on everybody''s minds. The whole world might not know but those who frequented the library had seen Jun and Ai together many times, and now Ai was a part of Sky. They couldn''t help but want to dive deeper into the nature of their rtionship. Jun''s sharp ears didn''t fail to catch the question. Damn, we didn''t talk about that part¡­ He wasn''t sure if Ai wanted to disclose their rtionship to everyone. He had no problems with it but parallely, he was thinking about Ai''s career too. He didn''t want her to have a negative reputation because she was dating the CEO. Though she won the Summit by her own merits, there were still people who would question their rtionship and the connection to her win. Jun didn''t wish Ai to suffer any of that. Otherwise, there would be a bunch of corpses lying around. So until Ai''s career would be more stable and people would judge her by her work rather than her rtionship, he thought of putting off that announcement on hold. But he was yet to discuss that with Ai. Jun took a step forward and was about to speak when Ai answered the question herself, "He is my boyfriend." Jun froze, watching her with his jaw dropping. The patrons gasped in disbelief. "You admitted it¡­?" Ai blinked. "What is there not to admit in it? Jun and I are dating." His jaw dropped even further, and his mind went nk. Hey wait a second. Aren''t we supposed to hide things here? Though we were yet to discuss¡­ Everybody broke into loud cheers and squeals. "Oh God! So it''s really true. I was just really guessing¡­" "Congrattions! You two look so good together." "You two will be working together. That''s so cool." Ai beamed and thanked them. She was suddenly pulled out of the crowd by Jun, making everybody speechless. Where are you taking her? One of them coughed. "I think we are taking too much of their time." "He is jealous of us? Ahhh that''s so cute!" One giggled. "For now. It won''t be cute anymore if he throws us out. Let''s quickly go our way." They agreed and dispersed to do their own work. Jun took her in one corner and anxiously asked, "Are you sure of admitting our rtionship? I don''t want it to affect your career or people pointing their fingers at you." Ai studied the genuine concern in his eyes and smiled. "I don''t want to hide our rtionship, Jun. We are not doing anything wrong. Just because you are the CEO and I work in Sky doesn''t mean that we cannot date. There is no such rule and even if there might be, I don''t agree with it. Our rtionship and career are separate. I don''t want us topromise on either. Why can we not have both?" She questioned. "I want to have a good career but with you, not by hiding you from everyone." Chapter 223 The Topmost Trending Topic Chapter 223 The Topmost Trending Topic Jun kept staring at her dumbly. He felt his heartbeat ring loudly in his ears, and he covered his face with his hands. "You..." Ai curiously took off his hands and was taken aback to his blushing face. "You are...blushing?" "Sh-Shut up! It just feels too hot in here. And even if I am blushing, so what? It''s your fault for always taking me off guard! Why do you always say such sweet things that rile up my heart!?" He spoke in a manner as if he wasining but his heart was actually bursting with immense joy. He wanted the whole world to know that Ai was his woman and seeing that she reciprocated this feeling made his heart squeeze and flutter. To all the patrons'' shock who were secretly eyeing them, Jun pulled her face and kissed her lips right in front of everyone. A series of coughs and gasps echoed mixed with hyper squealing from young college girls. "He kissed her!" "Hot! Hot! It''s way too hot here!" A girl fanned herself. "I am gonna faint..." face reddened as they pulled back amidst the overexcited screaming. "You...Everyone can see us..." A wide smirk formed on his beautiful lips. "Well, everyone already heard you iming me to be your boyfriend. Let them see me iming your lips now. We are a couple after all," he whispered as he pulled her waist, staring deep into her eyes with his loving gaze. The same young girl who was squealing with enthusiasm and probed Ai about her rtionship with Jun came forward and asked, "C-can I take a picture with you two and upload in my moments? Please, please? You two look so good together! Maybe I will get good luck in finding an amazing boyfriend too!" Jun''s ear pointed at the secondst sentence, and he felt extremely pleased. For Jun, they were already a perfect couple but others asserting this same fact only added more joy. Usually, he wasn''t the type to engage in any activity that would lead him to gaining more attention. But if it concerned Ai, he was more than happy to. He thought about Yating and sneered. This is a good chance to show some people their ce. Not only Gu Yating but all the other men too. The picture would be his message of ''BACK OFF. SHE IS MINE.'' Jun smirked. "I don''t have any problem. Ask Ai." Ai smiled. "Sure, I don''t mind." She had revealed herself as MissImperfectlyFine anyway, so taking a picture didn''t matter. The young girl beamed. "Thank you so much!" She hopped to their side and obviously stood beside Ai because standing beside Jun was not an option. She raised her phone to take a selfie and brightly smiled. "Ready?" Jun pushed Ai''s body even closer to his chest as if they were cozily snuggling. Ai''s gaze averted for just a second, her face blushing. Jun''s brow cocked up with a chuckle escaping his lips as he looked at her reddish cheeks. ? *Click* "Cool!" "..." Ai quickly said, "S-Sorry I wasn''t looking at the camera." "Hehe~ This picture is actually more perfect. It''s so natural!" Jun and Ai took a peek. He was satisfied while she only wished to hide from everyone. "You blush for the strangest things. You had no problem admitting our rtionship, but your face turns red when we cuddle." Ai cleared her throat. The young girl thanked them again and eagerly uploaded the selfie with the caption, ''This is my good luck charm in finding an awesome boyfriend!'' She wrote a message below - ''The man is none other than Sky CEO and she is MissImperfectlyFine and they just admitted they are dating! The handsome CEO and my idol author are in a rtionship! Gosh, aren''t they so cute? They are my most favorite couple now!'' At first, the message was visible to her contacts and friends from her moments, but it didn''t take long for this news to go viral. Not only the young girl, the other patrons were also activelymenting on Weibo and in a matter of a few minutes, the whole China knew about Jun and Ai''s rtionship, bing the most trending topic on social media. As the picture was now viral, two certain people naturally saw the news too as everybody else. Yating, who was busy with the matter of Gu Rong''s arrest, peeved only more with such an intimate picture. But the anger was nothing aspared to the torment his heart felt by seeing Ai smiling and blushing in Jun''s embrace. His clenched fist trembled, watching Ai at a ce where he could never reach. She was so far away that no matter how much he chased after her, he couldn''t even touch her shadow. The jealousy that brewed in his heart was unimaginable. He was currently at the Gu residence on Uncle Mo''s insistence. Uncle Mo studied the grim expression on his young master''s face and said, "Young master. Master is definitely innocent." Yating''s stupor broke, and resentment filled his eyes. "Innocent? You knew he was keeping an eye on me, right? I always treated you as my family member, but you also...in the end, you also stood by his side and never told me anything." He pursed his lips and lowered his head. Yating chuckled. "It feels like I am in jail, right? Even if I left this house, I never truly left Dad''s control. And now..." he gripped the phone harder in his hand, "If that wasn''t enough, he wanted to meddle with Ai''s life!? I can tolerate anything but not a single harm to her. He can use his power to achieve his means. Isn''t that how he gained control of Dream High? But not anymore..." It hurt his heart to know Gu Rong was behind this plot. He was his father, after all. "I won''t forgive him. No matter how much it will hurt me, if he is the culprit, I won''t let him take a step out of jail!" Yating noticed an iing call and picked it up. "Yes?" "I am Assistant Officer Soo Yijun. From our investigation, we have found the nurse who might be behind Mr. Wang''s death. Can youe to the police station?" Chapter ?224 The Brothers Affection Chapter ?224 The Brother''s Affection The other person whose eyes glinted with menace as she stared at Jun and Ai''s picture was Guiying or more precisely, the other ''Guiying'' who had taken over her. A sardonicughter escaped her lips. "This is your MrPerfect that you loved so much. Look at all the gifts he gave you and now look at him holding your best friend in his arms so intimately. Are you enjoying this?" Her question was met with silence, but a part of the real Guiying''s answer was visible through the tears rolling down her cheeks. ''Guiying'' wiped the tears in disdain. "Pathetic. Crying even now after seeing the evidence right in front of you." ''She'' gritted her teeth, her heart filled with anguish and outrage. She wanted to wipe that smile off Jun''s face which was there at the cost of Guiying''s heartbreak. "But this smile...won''t be for much longer." The sound of the doorbell snapped her from her daze, and she narrowed her eyes. She threw away the extinguished cigarette in trash andzily opened the door. "I am finally back! How are you, Guiying?" The real Guiying felt thrilled with her brother''s homing, a sentiment which the other ''Guiying'' didn''t share. ''She'' slightly pushed him away, earning a shock from him. ''She'' felt a resistance from the real Guiying by this rude treatment towards him, but ''she'' ignored it. "What happened? Why are you acting so distant? Aren''t you happy that your brother is back?" He grinned. ''Guiying'' raised her brow. "Come,e! I have brought a lot of gifts for you! Let me show you!" Cai Lingyun eagerly pulled her, and they sat on the couch. ''She'' saw him taking out all the gifts, and there was one particr gift bigger and brighter than the others. But there wasn''t her name on it. "For Ai, huh?" ''she'' asked in a mocking tone which Cai Lingyun didn''t catch. His eyes brightened. "Haha, yes. She won the Summit, after all! I cannot tell you how excited I am to meet her. Look at everybody fawning over her now," he snorted, "Just days ago, they were talking nonsense against Ai, and everybody is now her fan!" "You have nothing to say to your sister who lost?" ''Her'' question came so sharp, direct and cutting that Cai Lingyun was dazed for several long moments. He was rendered speechless for sometime, but then he finally found his words. "What? Of course I feel bad for you Guiying! I told you before. Whether you would lose or Ai, I would definitely be sad. I treat both of you so dearly." "Yet I couldn''t see any ounce of sadness over my loss. You were too busy celebrating Ai''s victory that my loss just got drowned in it, isn''t it?" ''She'' sneered. He blinked his eyes rapidly. "Why are you talking like that, Guiying? You look so different. You are my sister. How could I not feel bad? But it''s apetition. Either you or Ai would have won and if you had won, then Ai would have been so happy for you too, right? Her best friend won, after all. Aren''t you happy for her likewise?" ? ''Guiying'' clenched the couch''s armrest, her nails digging into the fabric. "Isn''t that expectation a little cruel, big brother? Even if she is my best friend, can I not feel sad over my loss? You are right. It''s apetition, after all. So if I lose, then I am allowed to feel bad and hurt, right? I worked hard, and I was serious about winning the Summit." Cai Lingyun pursed his lips and held her hand. "I am sorry, Guiying. You are right...I was insensitive. I just thought that you two are such good friends. Even if there is apetition, it won''te in the way of your friendship. But I realize I am wrong." ''She'' shook her hand away. "If I had won and Ai had lost, I think your reaction would have been very different. Anyway, I guess you are more excited to meet Ai rather than me, right?" He widened his eyes. "Of course not. You are my family. I missed both of you!" ''Guiying'' chuckled. "But I don''t think Ai missed you that much. She won''t either since...she has a boyfriend now~" Cai Lingyun froze. "...Huh?" ''She'' narrowed her eyes. "Actually, you should have bought two gifts. One for Ai and one for her boyfriend to greet him." His face turned paler and paler, and he anxiouslyughed. "I-I don''t understand what you are saying...Ai doesn''t have a boyfriend." "Seems like you didn''t check social media today," ''she'' smiled. ''She'' unlocked her phone and showed the picture the young girl took in the library. He read the caption and message with a nk gaze. "My best friend is dating the CEO of Sky Publishing, Liu Jun. The samepany where she has joined as a writer. Such good news, right? Look, how happy they are." Cai Lingyun trembled hard. Since he was on a flight to return to Beijing, he didn''t have the mobile reception to check the news. "T-This..." ''Guiying'' smiled. "It came as a shock to me too, big brother. I didn''t know when she grew so close to him. But this is the fact now. Aren''t you happy for her? You always are when Ai is happy, right?" "H-huh?" He looked at her in a daze, his breathing turning heavy and sweat forming on his forehead. He was trying his best to smile and agree but for some reason, he couldn''t. "But this time you aren''t because how can you bear to see the woman you love with someone else?" Cai Lingyun stiffened. It felt as if ''she'' suddenly opened his chest andid his heart bare. "N-Nonsense! I don''t..." he inhaled, "I don''t look Ai in that way. I treat her as my sister," his hands were shivering just as his words. "Then why isn''t the happiness of this news reflecting in your eyes, big brother~?" Chapter 225 Flowery Police Station Chapter 225 Flowery Police Station Cai Lingyun stared hard at the picture and watching Ai blush and smile in Jun''s arms indeed invoked an ufortable emotion within him. He suddenly felt afraid of losing her, a feeling which had never crossed his heart before. It was suffocating and nauseous. ''Guiying'' narrowed her eyes. "I was right. You like Ai as a woman. You see her as a woman rather than your sister. That''s why, it''sing as such an ugly shock to you." "That''s not..." he swallowed hard. He wanted to refute her, but words failed him. ''Guiying'' patted his hand. "I understand you, big brother. Seeing someone you love dating someone else must feel so prickly, right?" He uneasily shifted in his seat. When did this happen? When did Ai...? "This is too sudden. I mean...wasn''t Ai focusing on her career haha...H-How can she enter into a rtionship?" "Love changes you, big brother," ''Guiying'' leaned back on the couch, observing every single change in his ex was shock and disbelief mixed with a trace of anger and jealousy that he was trying his best to hide. "But this is the same man who charged the giarism case against Ai! He was the one who drove her into a corner. How can Ai join the very samepany and even..." Green veins popped on the back of his hand, "d-date a man like that? This is stupid!" "It feels unreal indeed, but it''s true. But...I don''t think they are suited for each other," ''She'' frowned. "Liu Jun is a rich CEO. There is a world''s difference between their lives and families. Will their rtionship trulyst I wonder...?" Cai Lingyun quickly said, "You are right! Ai is disillusioned. That Sky CEO...he cannot be really serious about her. Rich families like his will never ept Ai, whoes from a middle ss family like us. What is even Ai thinking by getting entangled with a man like him?" A glint of coldness shed in ''Guiying''s'' eyes, and she whispered, "Yeah. I wonder too. Just what...was he thinking?" ''She'' brought her attention back to him. "That''s why I think we shouldn''t let this go on. You love Ai, right? I think you are perfect for her. After all, who can be happier than me seeing my brother and best friend together?" And who could be happier than me watching Liu Junpletely miserable with a heartbreak? ''She'' gnashed her jaw. Cai Lingyun stiffened. Anxiety had gripped him a moment before, but now he couldn''t help but feel hopeful. "Can...can it really happen?" ''Guiying'' smiled. "Of course, big brother. Ai wille to your side, and you can have a happy future with her. I am here with you. I will do..." ''she'' tilted her head, "whatever I can to help you." And to destroy you, Liu Jun. -- "Why am I hereeeeeeee?" A certain man was sobbing his heart out in the police station after being forcibly dragged away from his beautiful dream with his future wife. Yijun sighed. "Bro Nian. Be serious. You wouldn''t have been here if you hadn''t beaten the shit out of the judges. One of them has died." ? "So what? I didn''t kill him. I know how not to kill~ For the sake of proving my Xing Bi''s innocence, I let them live. Here, I am working my ass off to win my woman''s heart, and you pull me away for such useless and trivial things?" His mouth twitched. Somebody''s death is useless and trivial for you? "Well, it won''t-" "Wait, don''t put him in jail!" Xing Bi''s hurried and uptight voice came from afar that jolted Nian upright. Xing Bi? Her sweet, melodious voice fell on his ears, and he felt he was dreaming. It was as if the police station and all the background just disappeared, and he could only see Xing Bi running towards him in slow motion, stretching her arms to hug him with golden light shining behind her back. "Xing Bi..." he sniffled. "You havee for me? Xing Bi, I have suffered...But now that you are here-" He extended his arms to hug her back, but instead they caught nothing but thin air. Huh? Xing Bi passed right by him and stood before Yijun, her chest huffing and puffing breathlessly. "Don''t...put him in jail." "..." My dear, where is my hug? Where is our emotional union? Where is your chest on which I have to bury my face and cry? Yijun was speechless. Why is he standing like an idiot? Xing Bi hurriedly said as she gasped in between her breaths. "I...I came to know from Ai that Liu Nian was taken away. I came here to tell you that he is not at fault. He only beat them because they were violent with me!" Nian stared at her with his teary ck eyes. "Xing Bi...you are defending me?" Her expression twisted. "Don''t misunderstand me! I will never forgive you for fooling me on that banquet night and also how you treated my precious little sister!" She shot deadly beams at him. "But I also cannot see you getting into this mess because of me. You got entangled while protecting me. I won''t ept you going to jail." "Xing Biiiiii..." Nian wiped his eyes. He conveniently ignored the first part she said and only concentrated on the part of her protecting him. "Just look at him. He is so cruel. I keep telling him that I am innocent, yet he wants to drag me to jail," he dramatically sobbed. Yijun - "..." Bro Nian, aren''t you afraid of lightning striking you? "No, no," Xing Bi hastily tried to convince Yijun, "Please listen to me. He is really not at fault. I-I know it''s really serious that Mr. Wang died but if you want to put anybody in jail, then please put me in. I kicked his balls first. That was really painful for him." "..." "Liu Nian was only protecting me. That''s why, please let him go. If you want to punish someone, then please punish me!" Nian tilted his head. "Hm? I don''t think anybody will have the guts to put you in jail, my dear. Not when I am here." Chapter ?226 Medical Negligence Chapter ?226 Medical Negligence Xing Bi suspiciously furrowed her brows and shot a narrowed nce at him. Nian sheepishly grinned. "I am rich. I have power. I have influence. I am very useful, Xing Bi~ That''s why nobody is ever in a position to offend me." Her brow twitched. "So have I offended you Mr. Liu by beating you up after the Summit that night?" Yijun was keenly interested. Hoo. Somebody beat up Bro Nian? Nian gasped in shock. "Of course not dear! You are not included in that sentence. I will never be offended by whatever you do," he chirped. Xing Bi had a lot of questions about what he said but for now, she reverted her attention back to Yijun. "Officer. Like I said, please consider my request. Don''t charge Liu Nian with murder¡­" He shook his head. "It won''te to that. Before I say anything further, I am waiting for Mr. Gu Yating - Ah, there he is." it wasn''t only Yating who had arrived. The atmosphere took a steep chill with Jun who entered the same time as Yating. Yating stiffened and recalled the intimate picture of Jun and Ai circling in social media all over the country. His expression became unsightly that only brought satisfaction to Jun. Usually, Jun hated the sight of Yating anywhere near him or Ai. But today, he was especially looking forward to meeting him because he was sure that Yating would have seen the picture. It was impossible not to. "Good evening, Mr. Gu. You seem to be in a good mood~" Yating threw him a nasty re. He was in no mood for aeback when he was being cornered on all sides, first by Ai''s rtionship with Jun and then with his own father in jail. Nian beamed. "Juuuuunnn! My dear little brother! Have youe to save your big brother here?" Jun scowled. "Save? Save who? I will be happy if you and Bro Jian are dumped into jail even without any charge." "..." "So mean! Is this the only respect you have for your big brother?" Jun sneered and refused toment. Xing Bi quietly stared at Jun and observed him. Naturally, she had seen the picture too. She already had an inkling that their rtionship would definitely take this turn one day ever since she learned that Ai lived with Jun under one roof. But now he was in front of her officially as Ai''s boyfriend. Jun held his gaze at her for a moment and nodded. She was the only one among Yating, Nian and Xing Bi herself whose presence he acknowledged. He then looked at Yijun and asked, "I heard you found some nurse who might be rted to that judge''s death?" Yating took his seat and narrowed his eyes. "What did she tell you? Did she¡­did she take Dad''s name?" ? "No." Yijun sat opposite them and said, "I questioned the hospital''s staff and found that one nurse had been missing since Mr. Wang died. She didn''t report to duty the next day and apparently, she sent her resignation." "She was running away," Jun stated. "Indeed. We caught her while trying to flee from her house though. After interrogating her here, she broke down and said that she identally injected a wrong dose of medicine in the saline bottle. She was new to her job, so the confusion happened. I confirmed this too. Indeed, she joined City X hospital just two months back. She was still under nurse''s training. After the wrong injection, Mr. Wang''s condition worsened, which was already weak¡­" he eyed Nian, who was sneakily trying to inch closer towards Xing Bi, "due to a certain someone here¡­" Nian didn''t catch the usation in Yijun''s tone. He was too busy catching Xing Bi''s attention. Yijun''s mouth twitched. "Anyway. When Mr. Wang died, she panicked because she knew she would be charged with medical negligence, and so she fled. Or at least tried to." Xing Bi''s serious expression lightened. "So, Liu Nian won''t be held ountable for his death anymore?" "No. Though he will still have to process some formalities to bepletely free of the assault charges." She was relieved. This whole time, she felt guilty for dragging Nian because of her problem. "That''s great¡­" Nian eagerly asked, "Xing Bi, Xing Bi! How about we celebrate my freedom with a lovely d-d-date?" He blushed. Xing Bi nkly stared at him. "Is ''FOOL'' written on my face that I will agree to it? You don''t need a date, you need a brain checkup! Also, I am not interested in liars! And those who scold my lovely Ai!" It was a brutal strike through Nian''s heart. Jun ignored their banter and asked after a moment of silence, "So, it was medical negligence after all?" "Yes." He squinted his eyes. "But what if she is threatened to take the me and say it was an ident?" "I did check from that angle too. But footage says otherwise. I saw her stepping out of the ward all flustered and panicked. Then I checked the register, and she had taken a half day leave too. So she did realize the blunder she had made. She hasn''t met anybody suspicious either to give her any instructions." Jun clicked his tongue in anger. He thought Guiying might be behind it but just like bribery, she had no connection to the case. Fuck! Why is this happening? Yating said, "So, Dad is not involved in it." Yijun nced at him. "Yes. But he is still involved with the bribery case because Mr. Zheng''s testimony still stands." "I know." Xing Bi was irked. "Gu Yating. What is the meaning of this? Why would your father hate Ai so much?" The temperature chilled down as Jun slowly retaliated. "Not just his father. Seems like my Ai has many enemies¡­" his curled fist shook with an urge to punch Yating thinking how Ai died because of him and Guiying in the past life. Yating gazed at Xing Bi. "I am sorry, Xing Bi. Nobody¡­" he clenched the edge of his seat''s handle, "is more disappointed than I am. But no matter how much it hurts me and even if Dad is my family, he will be punished for plotting against Ai. I won''t do anything to help him." Junughed. "Help? As if you ever had that choice. Don''t be in an illusion, Gu Yating. Whether it''s you, your father or any so called best friend," his dark brown eyes shone with murderous intent, "I won''t let anybody escape once they dare to touch my girlfriend. You better get that straight in your head." Chapter 227 Nians Confession Chapter 227 Nian''s Confession Outside the police station, Xing Bi called out, "Liu Jun!" Jun halted in his steps and turned. His mouth twitched to see Nian hopping behind her. "Xing Bi, we are free now! How about we get to..." he sheepishly grinned, "know each other?" Xing Bi ignored him and kept her eyes focused on Jun. "I wanted to talk to you." He stared at her in silence. "I know. Why note to my house? Ai is also there." She blinked. "Oh. So you are officially living together as a couple?" He smiled. "Yes. We wouldn''t have it any other way." "I see. Okay. Let''s go," she nodded. Nian brightened. "Yay! Let''s go!" Jun''s expression turned ugly. "Who said you areing?" red at him and signaled him with his eyes. Of course I would be there if Xing Bi is there too! Don''t you dare disallow me or I will haunt you! Jun wished to drown him in the sea forever. Such a nuisance! -- "Xing Bi," Ai''s face blossomed into a beautiful smile seeing her at their condo. She hugged her but pursed her lips as she apologized. "I am sorry, Xing Bi. I didn''t want to let you know about Jun and me through social media like that. I wanted to personally tell you but before that at the library-" "Oho! Why are you apologizing to me?" Xing Bi harrumphed. "You are so cute, Ai. I am not disappointed at all! Really, you worry over the strangest things," She shook her head. "And blush over strangest things too," Junzily added. Ai looked back at him withint which urged Jun to pinch her pouty cheeks. Ai held her hands and smiled like a beam of sunlight illuminating a dark room. "Xing Bi. I would like to introduce you to Liu Jun. He is my boyfriend. We..." her cheeks flushed, "We confessed on Valentine''s Day at the Summit and since then, we are dating." Nian cheered and pped in delight. "Congrattions!!! You are my future sister-inw!" Which made Xing Bi extremely worried for Ai. She grabbed her head and pushed it against her chest. "Ai! I know you are a wise woman, and I trust your choice. If you love Liu Jun, then I support it. But what I cannot support is this man bing your brother-inw! You have no idea how much of a liar he is! I am worried about the family you will be marrying into!" Jun and Nian - "..." Jun grabbed a pillow and hit it towards Nian. "I cannot even me her for getting scared like that, stupid brother!" Xing Bi looked like a demoness at that moment. "You don''t know how Nian fooled me. And then he even had the nerve to scold you! I want to kill this bastard!" Jun sneered. "I have some good sets of knives in my kitchen. Pick one to your liking and just end his sorry life once and for all." Xing Bi stared at Jun, her expression gleaming. "I like you more and more now. I am so d that you are not like your brother! Such a good younger brother...You must have suffered a lot." Jun stiffened, and he watched her with great respect. "You can tell...?" His eyes ached. "You are right. My childhood was hell because of Bro Nian and Bro Jian!" ? She blinked. "Hm? Who is Jian?" "His twin brother." "..." There was a long pause. Then a sharp gasp escaped her mouth as she jerked her head towards Nian in disbelief. "There are two of you? One wasn''t enough!?" Nian gritted his teeth, feeling aggrieved. "Hey, hey! Aren''t you two bonding over the wrong thing here?" "We are bonding over the right thing here!" "We are bonding over the right thing here!" Jun and Xing Bi eximed at the same time as they shot deadly res at him. Tears filled his eyes, and he pulled Ai towards him, who was his only source of salvation. "Ai, tell her something. Please tell her that I am not such a bad guy," he looked at her with his big, ck watery eyes filled with pity to the max. They said, ''You promised to help me to win over Xing Bi!'' Ai nodded and looked at Xing Bi. "Xing Bi. Please don''t be mad at Nian anymore. I know everything he did at the banquet. He confessed to me and said how really sorry he felt for tricking you. He regrets his mistake." Nian bobbed his head up and down. "Yes, yes!" "As for the time he taught me to make choctes, I don''t mind him getting harsh with me. He was just trying to help me," she looked away, clearly having trouble saying the next part, "My skills in baking and making sweets are questionable indeed..." Jun raised his brow. "Oh, so you finally admit it?" Ai looked away. Nian seriously agreed. "She is a sweets murderer." "What did you call her?" Xing Bi''s face twisted. Nian panicked. "I-I mean she justcks practice hehe..." Yeah, I don''t think any amount of practice is really gonna help her, Jun thought. Ai coughed. "Nian helped me make choctes for Jun, and I appreciate all his help even after bringing him to a state of a heartattack." Nian sniffled and wiped his eyes. Ah that cruel time of my life. How my poor choctes suffered by her hands... "So, don''t mind him scolding me. He was just being a good teacher. My mother is a professor herself, so I know how teachers are." Xing Bi pursed her lips. "Don''t take his side, Ai. He is nothing but a troublemaker!" "But he really regrets his actions. That''s why I am asking on his behalf to forgive him." Nian gave her a pleading look as well. Xing Bi folded her arms and narrowed her eyes. "Why do you want my forgiveness anyway? I am just a random person you met by coincidence." Nian widened his eyes. "How could you say that, my dear!? You are not just a random person in my life. You are my dearest woman who will be my wife in the future!" He moved past Ai, grabbed her hand and said, "I have fallen in love with you ever since we met that night. That was a fateful night for me. Ever since then, I have been dreaming of my future with you. I want to date you, I want to kiss you, I want to marry you, and I want to make lots of babies with you. I, Liu Nian, is in love with you, Xing Bi!" "..." Chapter ?228 Xing Bis Minus Points Chapter ?228 Xing Bi''s Minus Points Xing Bi nced at Ai, her expression nk. "What is he talking about?" Ai cleared her throat. "Well, Nian does like you very much. He is very sincere about you. So, if you could give him a chance as your boyfriend¡­" Nian sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "Like me?" She was bbergasted. "How? When? Why? Wait, what?" A confession was thrown at her out of nowhere and more so from a man whom she resented the most. She couldn''t process the sudden feelings he attacked her with. "Yes, I really love you, Xing Bi! You are so strong, cool and charming. You have such a beautiful but sassy heart. I love all of it! I-I only tricked you because I wanted to spend some time with you¡­" Her mouth twitched. "Seeing me in debt trouble is your definition of spending time with me?" He coughed hard. "T-that wasn''t how it was supposed to happen. Uncle Jing really ruined it actually by appearing at the wrong time!" "Shut up! Don''t make excuses!" She glowered at him. "Is this another way of you making fun at my expense? Confessing to me? Find someone else who is fine with it!" She stomped her foot, carrying the weight of her rage. "No, no! I am really serious about you!" He sobbed. Jun smirked watching his miserable condition. He pulled Ai beside him. "This is what life should be like. My woman at my side and my brother getting his ass kicked. What more will anybody want?" tried to resist her smile froming to her lips. "Don''t be so harsh. He is trying his best." He sneered. "Don''t waste your pity on him." Nian kept begging her. "Please believe me!" "Well, you haven''t left a very good reputation for making me do that," Xing Bi spat in anger. "Not even in a million years will I agree to be your girlfriend! I don''t like you!" Nian beamed. "No problem! Leave that to me. I will definitely make you love me back!" Xing Bi raised her brow. "Don''t be too confident. You are younger than me. Younger men are not my type." Nian''s irises twinkled. "Types are not set in stone. Once I sweep you off your feet, age won''t matter to you at all~ You will be mine even before you realize it." Ai beamed and pped at that. Jun and Xing Bi grimaced at her. She coughed. "I like his confidence." Xing Bi studied Nian with great scrutiny. "I see." Nian found hope in the change of her tone. "So, so! Will you give me a chance and go on a date with me? Will you forgive me?" Yes, yes just a little more¡­ Xing Bi smiled. "Of course." Nian cast off a golden light- "Not." "..." The golden brilliance of happiness vanished instantly. "Why!?" He cried. She red at him. "You still ask me that!? How dare you use my cute Ai as a weapon to make me forgive you! You thought of buttering me up through Ai? Unforgivable!" ? "..." "You confessed to Ai first so that she will be ready to convince me. Instead of facing your mistakes head on, you nned of winning me over through Ai because you thought I won''t be able to say no to her," she sneered. "Minus points!" "..." Nian felt himself falling deeper into the pit. Debt trouble, scolding Ai and then using her as a buttering machine - everything Nian did only led to a deduct in his favorability points instead of enhancing them. Jun raised a toast. "That''s how you do it." "Shut up, Jun! If you are not helping me, then atleast stay quiet!" Nian threw daggers at him. Jun simply shrugged. "Anyway. Cry your tearster. Let''s have dinner." Xing Bi harrumphed. "dly. I am hungry now after using my brain cells on him!" "..." It was a wholesome dinner with Jun''s cooking filled with a lively atmosphere except for a certain Liu Nian looking dead. But Jun and Xing Bi didn''t bother. Ai was the only one who was putting food on his te. "There, there. Don''t lose hope. Xing Bi is fierce but if you are sincere, you will definitely melt her heart one day." Her words brought a dead Nian back to life and hope. He burst into tears. "Ai¡­Ai¡­you are the best!" But Xing Bi''s heart was melting because of another reason. "Oh my gosh¡­this food is so yummy! Jun, you are amazing!" "Thanks." "Ai, you are so lucky! A handsome boyfriend, a supervish condo to live in and an awesome chef too!" Jun smiled. "It''s not Ai. I am lucky to have Ai." Xing Bi proudly said, "That''s true too. Nobody is cuter than my Ai." Nian chimed in. "I am also handsome. I live in a supervish vi, and I am an awesome chef and patissier too!" "All that gets negated because of your troublemaking personality, so don''t even try," Xing Bi ruthlessly burst his balloon of hopes. Ai patted his shoulder, who was crouching like a curled ball in a corner all alone with an imaginary leaf rolling past him. Jun put his chopsticks down and faced Xing Bi. "Ai told me about your debt." Nian''s ears perked up at that. "Oh? It''s nothing much," She waved her hand in dismissal, "I am managing it." Then she quickly said as she realized something, "Did you bring this up because you want to help me? It''s not necessary. I will handle it." Ai lowered her gaze, thinking of the past life. Jun said, "I can, but I won''t if you are against it. But I brought it up because¡­I want you to be careful." She blinked. "Hm?" "Loansharks are dangerous men though¡­" he smiled, "they are nothing in front of us. I just want you to be careful at all times even if Bro Nian might not be hovering around you like a damn fly." "Hey!" "My point is, just be alert." She smiled. "I will." Jun nodded. I don''t want you to face the same fate as in the past life. You are precious to Ai. I don''t want to see her crying over your death yet again. Chapter 229 A Trip To Ais Home City! Chapter 229 A Trip To Ai''s Home City! As Xing Bi was about to leave, she asked Ai with anticipation, "So, you will be officially joining Sky from tomorrow, right?" Ai replied. "Ah. We are postponing it by a day. Mom said she wanted to meet Jun, so we are going to my hometown tomorrow to introduce him." Her eyes sparkled. "Wow! You two are gonna meet your parents already? Hehe, that''s a fast development~ Have you met Jun''s parents?" "Yes¡­" "So, what about them? Does Jun''s family like you?" She asked with a trace of uncertainty and concern in her voice, "Well, I can see that this dumbo here does¡­" she was talking about Nian, who was talking to Jun on the other side. "But parents are different. Jun is from a reaaaaally rich family, and I don''t want to see them belittling you just because you don''t share his status!" She harrumphed. Ai felt warm with her concern, and a soft smile bloomed on his lips. "His parents are good. They are not discriminating at all." She sighed in relief and patted her head. "That''s good then. I am happy you found Jun. He seems really cold and unapproachable from outside, but he is very good to you. That''s all that matters to me. As long as he treats you well." Ai''s gaze flickered with warmth and fuzziness. "Yes, Xing Bi. Jun treats me really well. He loves me a lot. I love him a lot too." She pressed her against her chest again and cried. "You are so cute!" whose one eye was always on Xing Bi, felt extremely jealous. Why is Zhou Ai hogging all the love? Where is my part!? "Listen to me, Bro!" Jun shook him, annoyed. "I am listening. I will take care of Xing Bi''s debt like I told you before." Jun paused to find his words. He knew about the past life and about Xing Bi''s death. Though it was supposed to happen ten yearster, he couldn''t be so sure anymore because many things were changing since Jun and Ai''s rebirth. The fate was changing - of themselves and the people around them. "It''s not just about her debt. Just¡­be there for her," he scratched his chin. "We don''t know who might suddenly be our enemy." Nian frowned. "You are sounding so cryptic. Is Xing Bi in trouble that I don''t know of?" He narrowed his eyes. You act so goofy all the time, but why are you so uselessly sharp in these matters? Jun cursed him. Outwardly, he smiled. "Nothing. You just pay attention to be careful to not let Xing Bi make you as her enemy." "..." "That won''t be for long! I will win Xing Bi''s heart in no time!" He puffed his cheeks. "Well, good luck with that," Jun shrugged, "I hope your path may not be smooth sailing at all." "You¡­" Nian gritted his teeth. When he saw Xing Bi leaving, he immediately hopped to her side with imaginary dog ears perking on his head. "I will drop you home!" Xing Bi ruthlessly declined. "No, thanks." "But it''s such a great time to be cuddly~~" ? "Don''t even think about it!" She red at him. They went away while bickering the whole way. Ai felt Jun hug her from her back. "Finally, we are alone." She kissed his cheek. "What do you think of them? Will Xing Bi give Nian a chance?" Jun sneered. "Yeah, I hope she doesn''t. I want to see him suffer." She chuckled but then a sigh escaped her lips. "I am so jealous of you and Nian. You have such a good rtionship." Jun''s pupils looked dead. "With what eyes do you see a good rtionship between us?" "Don''tin. You might bicker and argue, but you care for each other too. That''s how siblings always are. I don''t have a brother or sister," she pursed her lips, "so I always feel envious of you having siblings and cousins." "But now you don''t have to feel envious anymore," Jun made her turn and held her face, "My family is your family. So my siblings and cousins are your siblings and cousins too. You have got a biiiiiiig family now," heughed. "Bro Nian already treats you as his sister. That''s how he acts with Nuo at home too, just like how he behaves with you. You have many brothers and sisters now~" Ai felt warmth flush in her heart. "It feels nice¡­" A mischievous glint passed by his eyes. "Say¡­how about I make you feel even nicer?" He bit her ear and hushed his desire to her. "Tomorrow, we might not have the chance so let''s have our fill tonight." He carried her in his arms and walked towards his bedroom, shutting the door behind him and the sounds of their lovemaking soon reverberating in the condo. ¡ª Xuanhua. Jun and Ai arrived in the city two and a half hours after leaving Beijing. Ai watched the familiar buildings and roads of her neighborhood which hadn''t changed much since she left for Beijing to pursue her career. The gleam and shine in her eyes was unmistakable. Jun could see her body radiating pure bliss as she looked out of the window. He silently chuckled and focused his attention back to driving. A few minutester, Ai said, "Stop, stop." Jun did so and asked, "Isn''t your house a little further ahead?" "Yes. But I want to drop by the convenience store. Mom likes the crackers from this store. It''s really tasty. So, I want to buy it for her." "Cool. I wille with you." "It''s fine. I will be back in two minutes." "Okay." Ai hopped out of the car while Jun waited for her. He leaned back on his seat. But a momentter, a figure caught his attention from the corner of his eye. A middle-aged woman had her back facing him, and he could see that she was intensely staring at the dog in front of her who was ying with a few dropped apples. Clearly, she wanted the apples back. Jun looked away but for some reason, his body twitched restlessly when the woman didn''t budge an inch after some time. Annoyed, he stepped out of his car and crossed the street to stand before her. "Can I help you?" The woman then slowly lifted her gaze towards him and stared at him in silence. Chapter ?230 Xie Nuying Chapter ?230 Xie Nuying She retracted her gaze and pointed at the apples. "I want my apples back." Jun blinked and felt his ears buzz. Her voice and tone strangely felt very simr to Ai''s. He noticed the torn brown paper bag through which the apples must have fallen. "Just shoo away the dog. Plus, it''s actually just a puppy really." *Woof!* The puppy was merrily ying with the apples without a care in the world. "I cannot," the woman calmly replied. "I am scared of dogs." His mouth twitched. "I-It''s a puppy really...He won''t bite you." "Nevertheless, there is still a chance of it jumping on me." "The puppy is harmless." "My reaction to his enthusiasm might not be harmless." He asked, "Then why are you staring at the puppy if you don''t want to shoo him away? You can buy new apples." "I thought that if I looked at him hard enough, he would back off on his own, sensing my concentration." "Are you Ai''s mother?" She blinked and tilted her head. "How do you know?" Jun smiled. "Well, the genes are quite strong between the mother and daughter. Plus, I kind of recognized your voice but didn''t want to guess wrong." I can now see why Ai is like this. Jun''s gaze traveled from her head to toe, and he noticed the elegance and poise from her figure. She looked around Nana''s age, and her eyes exuded the same serenity and softness that Ai held in hers. But apart from her voice, there wasn''t much resemnce with her physically. Ai''s eyes and facial features didn''t quite match with her mother''s. Only her voice and the weirdness in her personality were in perfect tandem with Ai''s. Xie Nuying said, "Oh. As I guessed from your voice too, you must be her boyfriend. Liu Jun, is it?" "Yes, I am Liu Jun. I am Ai''s boyfriend. Pleased to meet you," he bowed. "The one who lured my innocent daughter at his house on Valentine''s night," she spoke unhurriedly. "..." Why are you saying as if I was some big bad wolf who caught an innocent rabbit? Jun gave it a thought. That analogy isn''t really wrong if I think about it. Jun wasn''t sure how to exactly answer that sentence. He bent down and picked up the apples while rubbing the puppy''s head gently. *Woof!* He happily nudged his head against his leg. "Your apples," Jun handed it to her. ? "You didn''t answer." Jun thought about Valentine''s night and all the times Ai took charge of their rounds. "Your daughter and my girlfriend is really not as innocent as you are thinking her to be," he smiled. "Mom!" Ai hurried towards them and called out with a beam in her smile. "You are here. I thought you were at home," she alternated her gaze between them, "So, you two already met. What a coincidence." "Indeed," Xie Nuying replied. "I thought of baking an apple pie for you two. So, I went out to buy some fresh apples. Then I met him." Jun looked at her in horror. Are you sure you have the right skills for baking a pie? Xie Nuying showed a tinge of pride. "I am confident now." The ''now'' didn''t really sit well with Jun. So, he promptly offered for the sake of everyone''s wellbeing. "How about I bake the pie for you?" Ai''s lips twitched. "Oh. You know how to bake? Baking is really hard, you know," Xie Nuying looked interested. "Yeah, I will be fine. Let''s go, shall we?" -- Jun stepped into her modest home and felt a sense of warmth and belonging as he looked around. It was just like Ai''s apartment where the furniture was perfectly ced and matched with the house''s decor. The light colors of the walls and curtains felt homely and weing. His brown orbs shone with tenderness as he saw Ai''s pictures hung on the walls from her childhood and teenage years. "It''s a lovely home," he quietly said with an affable voice. "Thank you," Xie Nuying sincerely felt pleased with his appreciation. Ai coughed and felt a tinge of nervousness as she stood beside Jun, holding his hand. "Mom, I want to properly introduce you to Jun. He is my boyfriend, Liu Jun. We c-confessed on Valentine''s night and are now in a rtionship. He is also the CEO of Sky Publishing, and I will be working in hispany from now on." She looked at Jun and said, "She is Mom and works at XY University as a professor of English and Literature. She is very well reputed in the college and in this area," her expression shone with pride. Jun nodded and respectfully bowed. "Nice to meet you, Miss. Xie. I am dating your daughter Ai with the intention of marriage in the future. Hope you like my presents." With the intention of marriage... The tips of Ai''s ears turned redder. Xie Nuying took his gift. "Thank you. Please take a seat. I will bring water for you." "No, I am fine." "You are a guest. Naturally, I should be a good host. Please wait," she promptly left towards the kitchen. Jun finally let out his breath he had been holding for a long time. "Okay, I am pretty sure she doesn''t like me." Ai furrowed her brows. "What are you saying? She does like you." "She doesn''t like a man who lured her innocent daughter to his house right on the first night of their rtionship and slept with her." "Did she say anything about it?" "She surely made it a point not to hide it. I am screwed." She stared at him and burst into a chuckle. "This is the first time I am seeing you not so confident. Didn''t you confront her when you talked to her the first time?" Jun kissed her hand. "That was because she was using you. I wouldn''t stand for it. Now she is confronting me, which is fine as long as she doesn''t say anything to you. But it might be hard to change that opinion of me being a bad wolf." "Oh. So Liu Jun is giving up?" She curiously asked. He red at her. "Nonsense! Nothing will deter me. You are mine, and nothing will change that!" Chapter 231 The Mother-In-Laws Approval Chapter 231 The Mother-In-Law''s Approval After the pleasantries were done, Jun asked if he could use her kitchen to make the apple pie. "I should be really making it as I am the host," Xie Nuying insisted. "It''s fine. You are meeting Ai after a long time. So catch up with her until I make the pie. You must have a lot to talk about." "Indeed. Okay then." "Thank you." Jun went ahead in the kitchen while Xie Nuying sat beside Ai. "Congrattions on winning the Summit. I loved your story." Ai''s pupils held a beautiful light in them. "Thank you Mom." "You have been working hard. I am proud of you," she patted her head. Ai held her hand and softly asked, "Mom, are you...are you still against me writing?" Xie Nuying nced at her. "I just wanted you to have a good and stable future, unlike your father." Her brow twitched. "Your financial stability depends on your poprity in this field and how much your books sell. It is not a steady flow of ie like other jobs, and it''s a challenge to maintain your ce constantly. It''s risky. I just didn''t want you to have a stressful life." "It''s not stressful for me, Mom. Indeed, there are times when it gets difficult but that is with any other job too, isn''t it? Also, Jun is with me now. My life feels even more colorful ever since I met him. I know as long as we are together, nothing can be too difficult to handle," Ai said with sincerity. you trust him that much?" Ai nodded. "I see." The smell of the sweet apple pie wafted in the air, and the mother-daughter pair''s attention shifted to Jun. When it was finally ready and Xie Nuying took a bite, her expression blossomed with joy. "This is so good. It just melted on my tongue." Jun was nervous about her reaction, but now relief filled his heart. "I am d you like it." Ai added. "Jun is a really good chef! He makes delicious food." "Is it?" Jun shrugged. "It''s nothing really. That credit goes to my Mom. She is an awesome chef and has her own restaurant. It is now run by my elder brother and younger sister. It is because of her that we all siblings became good at cooking." "I see." She observed Jun and asked, "When did you two meet for the first time ?" Jun cleared his throat and answered. "In December." "Oh. So only around three months it is. Yet you are absolutely sure of marrying my daughter?" Ai pursed her lips. "Mom, don''t be like this." "Ssh. Don''t interrupt me. Eat your pie." Dejected, Ai went back to eating her pie. This was the first time that Jun saw somebody managing to stop Ai from talking. Mothers are always amazing, he thought. He narrowed his eyes as he stared at her straight and unflinching. "I am absolutely sure. I don''t need to have second thoughts. I only want Ai and nobody else." "You don''t feel it''s too soon to judge that?" She sharply questioned. "It''s only the beginning of your rtionship. When you get to know more about each other, you may feel you are not suitable for each other. What will you do then? I don''t want Ai to face the same fate as me and my ex-husband. We also felt that we did the right thing at that time when we got married." Jun shook his head. "Even if there is more to know about Ai, there is nothing that will convince me to break up with her or think that we are not suitable." Thinking about the past and this life, Jun confessed with resolution. "Ai and I are meant to be with one another. I know it might sound cheesy to you, but it''s fate to me that we met and fell in love. My heart wants only Ai, and I will only marry her. Nothing can shake that emotion within me. Trust me. I love Ai with all my heart. I love everything about her." Ai felt her heart pound in her chest, and she wished to hop into his tight hug and kiss him on his lips. Xie Nuying and Jun''s staringpetition went on for a few seconds before she finally said, "That''s good. I feel assured." ? Ai probed. "So, do you ept Jun?" "Yes. He is a good man. I like his eyes the most," she smiled. "They are beautiful." Jun coughed in embarrassment. A''s face radiated with excitement. "I know, right? I also like his eyes the most." "S-stop it!" Jun wanted to hide. "My eyes are just normal." Xie Nuying blinked. "Oh you are cute too." "..." Ai nodded her head even harder. "He is really cute though he doesn''t like me calling him that." "We can ignore that." "..." Jun''s brow violently twitched. These two are really the same! Xie Nuying nced at Ai and asked with anticipation, "So, when will the good newse?" "What good news?" "About my grandchild. You two already slept together." *Cough! Cough!* Jun choked hard and had difficulty in breathing. Aunt, you threw that out nowhere! Ai''s face flushed harder. "M-Mom!" "Did you use protection?" !!! Jun''s choking only increased. Xie Nuying looked concerned. "Oh dear, you seem sick. Are you okay?" Jun stared at her dumbly. Do I look okay!? What''s with the sharp change in trajectory of the questions!? Jun tried to smile the best he could. "You were just disappointed at me for luring your innocent daughter right on the first night and now are asking about a grandchild?" Xie Nuying tilted her head. "I was never disappointed in you. I already liked you the day we talked on the phone. I liked the fact that you didn''t hesitate to set me straight when you felt that I hurt Ai. You are a good and fearless boyfriend. I like it." "..." "S-so what happened on the street..." "I was just teasing you. I didn''t know what else to tease you about," she nodded. "..." That was teasing me? You got nothing else to tease me about? And here I thought I was screwed! "So can I expect a grandchild?" Jun coughed. "Well...no." "So you used protection?" Disappointment hung on her face, "A pity." Jun - "..." Ai - "..." Chapter ?232 Her Fathers Way Of Life Chapter ?232 Her Father''s Way Of Life Back in Ai''s bedroom, Jun copsed on the bed with his arm over his forehead. "Your mother¡­is something else really¡­" "I told you. She likes you. There was no need to worry," Ai chuckled. He narrowed his eyes at her and pulled her beside him. "So, your mother was teasing me. Since I cannot punish her, let me settle that score with you." "That''s unfair," Ai protested. "You are not innocent either," his gaze darkened, "What''s with you ganging up on me with your mother and calling me cute?" "But that''s the truth." The need of revenge lit in his heart, and he chomped upon her lips. He pushed his lips and tongue deeper, pressing his body against hers and earning a stifled moan from her. They felt the sound of their thudding heartbeats, and their shared breath provided them with warmth. He felt her breasts bounce on his chest, and his kisses grew only fiercer. To his utter shock, Ai took charge of their kiss and took courage to bite him on his tongue. She wanted to return the overwhelming fluttering of heartbeats that his words caused her and make a mess of his heart and lips too. Dizzy and breathless as Ai parted, she hung her arms around his neck and whispered, "If this is my punishment for calling you cute, then I will always call you cute." "You¡­" He was still wrapping his head around Ai''s boldness she disyed just now. He felt a light stinging sensation on his tongue from her bite, but he relished that feeling. His body shuddered with a craving to tear her dress a like your kisses," Ai confessed straightforwardly. She ced his hand on her chest. "Look, my heart is beating so fast because of your sweet words." Then she ced his palm on his chest. "Now, your heart is also beating fast because of my kiss," she gave a proud smirk, "We are equal now." Jun stumbled on his knee but somehow bnced himself. "You better not seduce me! I don''t want to eat you at your mother''s house." "I don''t mind." "..." "We still have some time before we meet my Dad." "..." He took deep, long breaths to control the fever from rampaging any further. "You seriously want to kill me¡­" he muttered under his breath. Heid beside her and asked, "Speaking of your Dad, what does he do? What kind of a person is he?" It will be a pain if he is like how Dad is possessive of Nuo, Jun grimaced. Ai thought about it. "Thest that I know of, he was working in some sales and marketing of a perfume brand." Jun blinked. "What do you mean by ''thest that I know of?''" "Oh. That''s because he keeps changing his jobs." "Huh?" Ai nodded. "He always says that life is short, and there are so many things to do and explore in this world." "I see. That''s admirable-" "But that is just him trying to look cool. He cannot stick to one job for long, so he fools us with philosophical reasons," she ruthlessly threw shade at her own father. ? "..." "He also gambles but strangely enough, he never got in debt. He hangs in bars and casinos all the time and figures out what he is interested in doing next. That''s how hends in another job most of the time." His mouth twitched. "But what about the money when he is not doing any job?" Ai replied, unfazed. "He lives off the money he would have earned from gambling." "..." "He is charismatic, which he does use to lightly flirt with women at times. But he is not a womanizer or a yer. He knows his boundaries. He drinks asionally. But he doesn''t smoke. But he wants to look cool like the men smoking cigarettes so instead, he holds a small twig between his lips like a cigarette to look the cool part." The level of speechlessness that Jun reached was off the charts. What''s with this man? Somehow, Jun could form the picture in his mind as to why her parents would have gotten divorced. Ai''s mother was calm, elegant, liked discipline and worked in a reputed university with a respectable job. Her father on the other hand seemed rash, doing things at his own pace and certainly not having a stable job. "Did he remarry?" Ai shook her head. "He did not. I thought it was because of me, and I told him that I don''t mind if he remarried. Same with Mom. But neither of them were really interested, so I dropped it." Were they not interested or do they still have some feelings for each other? Jun couldn''t help but wonder. "I see. Your father¡­" Jun brought his lips together, "seems to be an interesting person," he found it hard to find the correct words. Ai chuckled. "I know what you are thinking. He is a little entric." Jun stared at her. You don''t have any right to say that for him when you are entric yourself, my dear girlfriend. "So when are we going to meet him?" "I have texted Dad. He wants us to meet him at the park. It''s where I usually yed as a child with them. Then he will take us to his home from there." Jun cleared his throat. "Is he hard to please? Dads are the biggest hurdle to get approval." "He is good. He is not unreasonable at all," Ai said. Yeah, we will get to see about that part soon. ¡ª Jun and Ai reached the park where her father asked them to wait for him. The ce chirped with kids singing andughing as they yed on the rides. Some of them curiously nced at them and giggled. Jun saw an ice cream parlor near the park and smiled. "Wait here for me. I will bring some ice cream for you." As he held two ice cream cups in his hand and walked back to the park, he noticed a shy guy with shoulder length hair tied in a small pony behind and a lock of his hair dangling in front of his cheek. He wore pants and a shirt with some weird design. But what ticked off Jun was that man flirtatiously smiling at Ai and leaning too close to befortable. He crushed the ice cream cups in his palms and clenched his jaw hard. "Get. Off. My. Girlfriend!" Chapter 233 Zhou Yichen Chapter 233 Zhou Yichen Jun''s every step with which he stomped on the ground carried the deadly weight of his boiling anger and possessiveness. The kids in the park gasped and huddled together watching him ooze out a killing aura as his hand flew to grab the man by his neck. "What do you think you are doing to my girlfriend!?" Jun eximed with an urge to strangle him. The man widened his eyes and whistled. "So hot blooded." Ai hastily stepped in between and stopped his fist from punching the man. "Jun, stop! What are you doing?" "You are asking me that? What is he doing getting so close to you?" The murder and chill in his eyes froze the air around them. "How dare he fucking harass you!? I will kill him!" "No! He is not harassing me!" Ai looked bewildered. "That flirtatious smile and that leaning over you is not harassing?" His gaze darkened. "Move out of my way! I will fucking kill him today-" "He is my Dad!" Ai eximed. Zhou Yichen tilted his head and smiled. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Boyfriend." "..." Jun felt lightning strike him that very moment. The rage in his eyes dissipated which looked dead right now as he stared at Zhou Yichen. He then noticed a small twig between his lips. ''But he wants to look cool like the men smoking cigarettes so instead, he holds a small twig between his lips like a cigarette to look the cool part.'' Jun shut his eyes. "Why¡­?" Zhou Yichen burst intoughter. "Ahahaha. Is that Why? as in ''Why I turned out to be Zhou Yichen?'' or is it ''Why is my luck so bad that I was about to kill my girlfriend''s father and lose my brownie points?'' Or ''Why did fate have to y such a cruel joke on me on my first meeting with my girlfriend''s father?'' or like ''Why did he act like that and make me misunderstand his intentions? Now I am screwed!''" "..." Jun''s expression looked unbearable. "How about all of it?" Ai pursed her lips. "Don''t make fun of him, Dad. Also, Jun wasn''t totally wrong. To someone else, you would totally look like a pervert." Jun stared hard at her father, and words were not enough to describe his state. Zhou Yichen didn''t seem to look like a father figure at all. With his hairstyle and dress up, he looked anything but a father. His hair looked messy with the small pony, nevertheless it didn''t affect his charm. With a goofy smile on his face, he looked more like a brother than a father. But Jun understood why Ai didn''t resemble her mother because she resembled her father. The face and the light brown eyes were just like him. Zhou Yichenughed even more heartily. "Ai-chaaaaaan. As always, your words hit where it hurts the most, but I like it anyway. You are my lovely daughter, after all." "Ai-chan?" Jun''s mouth twitched. Ai answered that. "Dad once went to Japan and got caught onto the ''chan'' honorific that Japanese people use for their dear ones. He found calling Ai chan cute. So since then, he calls me like that." "Ah¡­like how my Uncle''s call Mom Nee-chan. They are half Japanese." Zhou Yichen pointed his finger at him. "I need to find a name to address you too. Hm, what should I use?" ? "Just call me Jun¡­" Jun tried to smile, still trying to recover from his blunder of attacking his future father-inw. "That''s boring. Need to spice it up. Ai-chan! What do you like about him?" He casually hung his arm around her shoulder as if they were more of friends rather than father and daughter. Ai didn''t need to think twice about it. "He is cute." That earned her a re from Jun. Zhou Yichen pped once. "Great. Then it''s decided! I will call you Jun-cute from now on." "....." Ai''s smile widened as if it was a super great idea. "That''s wonderful!" But that name was nothing but a torture to Jun. "Like I said, Jun is fine-" "Let''s go to my home Ai-chan and Jun-cute, hahaha!" Zhou Yichen pulled Ai and merrily walked forward while Jun could already feel his HP draining. On the way to his home, many high school girls passing by waved at Zhou Yichen. "Mr. Zhou! How are you?" They giggled. Jun could see the girls were totally charmed by Zhou Yichen. "Hey, you all! I am great. My Ai-chan is back! She has brought her boyfriend," he winked. They nced at Jun and felt an arrow squeeze right through their chests. That tall and handsome figure, that cold, piercing gaze and the royal aura he emanated¡­ The high school girls squealed hard at his sight. "Your daughter is lucky! He is hot but you are still the best, Mr. Zhou!" Jun''s brow twitched. "Hahaha, thank you beautifuldies. Be safe on your way. Study well for exams, but be on a lookout for a good boyfriend too~" "We will~" Not much time had passed, but Jun observed that Zhou Yichen seemed to be an easygoing man. At least, he was nowhere like Jinhai who was always ready with guns behind Siying''s back at all times. Stepping into his house, Jun noticed that it was way different than Xie Nuying''s house. Where her ce was organized and weing, his house seemed far from it. It wasn''t messy as such, but there were many things jam packed in all nooks and corners of the house, so it looked more filled and upied. The colors of the walls were bright and more cheerful. Guess this is the evidence of him hopping between multiple jobs¡­ "So Jun-cute. What do you think about my house? It''s definitely more interesting than Nuying''s, right?" Jun got off-guard by that question. He expected him to ask about his rtionship. Ai sighed. "Dad¡­" Jun answered. "It''s more interesting indeed, but her home is more weing. I guess you both win then." Zhou Yichen rapidly blinked. "Hey, Jun-cute is cute and also smart! I like it." "..." Aiined. "Don''t live in such a mess." Zhou Yichen ignored thatment and brought a tab before her and chirped. "Check out my blog channel. I have been working as a career consultant sincest week," he proudly said. Ai stared at the blog articles and then back at him. "But you need career consultation yourself. What advice could you possibly give others?" Chapter ?234 The Father-In-Laws Approval Chapter ?234 The Father-In-Law''s Approval Jun was absolutely sure that he could see blood forming at the corner of Zhou Yichen''s lips. He hugged her. "Ai-chaaan, as always, you don''t mince your words at all. You are so much like your mother. Your father doesn''t know if he should feel happy or sad about it." He really wants to cry, Jun thought. He really does. But he doesn''t want to break down in front of her boyfriend. Zhou Yichen said, "Make yourselves at home. I will bring some coffee. Jun-cute, you are more than wee to look around." He dashed away, and Jun finally got the chance to properly look like a dead fish. He covered his face. "I was so close to punching your father. I am screwed." Ai kissed his cheek. "That''s not it. He won''t judge you over this. Plus, it was his fault." His head copsed on her shoulder. "Both of your parents like giving heart attacks¡­" She patted his back. He then looked around and at a distance found some oil paintings. He curiously checked out the paintings hung at the wall. Some were abstract, some had human figures drawn in them and some were sceneries. At the desk, there were notes which seemed to look like a songposition. There were pieces of handmade art like flowers and small cute sculptures made out of paper and y. There was a guitar case resting against the wall and some other notes, seemingly of music slowlymented with praise. "I can see why you became a writer. You got the creativity from him. These are not bad at all." "Dad likes to try out different things, so it''s filled with all kinds of stuff," Ai looked displeased. "But he doesn''t organize it." She bent down and collected all the fliers lying on the table and stacked them neatly. "Ai-chan!" Zhou Yichen popped in. "Perfect timing. Do you feel like cleaning up a bit? That''s good. You get busy here, and I will take Jun-cute with me for a shopping trip." "..." "I didn''t offer to clean-" "Let''s go Jun-cute," he grabbed Jun''s arm and rushed out, "we won''t get a discount at the supermarket if the pretty receptionist left." The door shut in front of her, and Ai remained standing, expressionless. "I thought we were supposed to have coffee together¡­" she mumbled. Though he shamelessly dumped the work on Ai, she still went ahead and started to clean around. While outside, Jun finally realized that he was dragged away. "Um¡­" "It''s okay. I won''t eat you up," Zhou Yichenughed. "I just wanted to talk to you alone." He took him to a casino where he frequently visited. It was a bright day outside but inside, it felt as if it was the middle of the night. The casino owner greeted him. "Hey, Yichen. Ready for another win?" He winked. "As always. Make the special drinks two. I got a guest with me." "Oooo. That''s nice." "Sit here," Zhou Yichen patted the seat beside him furiously. Jun raised his brow and looked around. People were dancing to music, and some couples were openly making out. Women were waving at Zhou Yichen but were not necessarily pushy. Some were seductively eyeing Jun too, but he didn''t even bother. ? Why did he bring me here? "Yichen! Today, I will definitely win!" His long time rival took a seat opposite him and smirked. A crowd gathered around them, whistling and cheering. "I will make you cough out all the losses that I had to bear!" Zhou Yichenughed. "Well, let''s see." A few gamester, Jun was genuinely amazed to see him win it all while his rival was throwing curses at him. He is really good at these games. He has an art of manipting and throwing people off guard, he narrowed his eyes. The curiosity in his gaze was suddenly reced with a dangerous chill as he grabbed a hand approaching him from the back and ruthlessly shook it off. He simply nced at the waitress who brought the drinks for them and coldly spoke with an agonizingly slow pace, "Try to touch me again, and I will cut off your hands. Go find another man to feel up, not me otherwise¡­" The waitress got such a huge scare that tears escaped her eyes. "S-sorry! I was just¡­" Zhou Yichen''s rival clicked his tongue. "Why so edgy? It''s normal here-" Jun cut him off. "It''s not normal for me. I have a girlfriend. I won''t tolerate any other man touching her or any other woman touching me or trust me, there will be a bloodbath." The rival was just joking, but he gulped in fear and quietly backed out. "S-Sure. My bad¡­" Zhou Yichen whistled and grabbed all the money he won proudly. "Jun-cute, let''s go! I have won a good chunk, so I will give you a treat." From the casino, they went to the supermarket, and Zhou Yichen dumped whatever he saw edible on the shelves into his shopping cart. Jun could see how he was popr even in the supermarket. Almost all the workers knew him. Then he saw his other side when he openly but softly flirted with the counter woman for a discount. "Hello, dear. Can this beautifuldy give a beautiful discount to this good customer? I am quite in a pinch now," he grinned. "..." Didn''t you just win a chunk of cash from gambling? How are you in a pinch? The counter woman blushed. "Of course. Did I ever say no to you, Mr. Zhou?" "You are the best," he winked. Exiting the supermarket, Zhou Yichen smirked. "Got such a good deal! Perfect time to make a hotpot with these ingredients~ Let''s go back. Ai-chan must be waiting for us." As they walked back, Jun finally asked the question bothering him, "I thought you wanted to talk to me." "I already did." He blinked. When? He stopped in his steps just beside the park and faced him. "You know, Jun-cute. I have changed many jobs. I have worked in many fields. I have been in the casino for like ever. I have met many rich and spoiled brats who change women like they are changing bed sheets. Honestly, I don''t want a rich guy for my Ai-chan. Wealthy people''s lives are too messy. I don''t want my Ai-chan to be someone''s spare nket," he narrowed his eyes. "I asked that waitress to feel you up and those women to give you seducing looks. I have only one child, Jun-cute, and she is very precious to me. And I say you pass! You have beautiful eyes. They showed pure indifference to those women. Even disgust. Just what I want for my Ai-chan. You are a good man, Jun-cute! I approve of you!" Chapter 235 A Different Jin (1) Chapter 235 A Different Jin (1) Jun was amazed to see Ai and her whole family in sync with two things. First, they liked to call him cute despite his resistance and secondly, all three of them loved his eyes the most. Jun thought about Nana and warmly smiled. They were his mother''s eyes, and she was the prettiest. He faced him and bowed. "Thank you for epting me. Please forgive me for my behavior before. I sincerely apologize. I didn''t realize you were Ai''s father, or I would have never raised my hand against you." Zhou Yichen chuckled. "Raise your head, Jun-cute. I was never angry at you for that. In fact, I was happy to see you so protective of her." He gazed at the park, reminiscing the times he yed with Ai here. "Ai-chan is very important to me. I might have disappointed her with the way I live, but she always unconditionally loved me. Nuying took Ai-chan''s custody after our divorce. I had no problems with that because I feel a mother''s presence in a child''s life is more important. But she refused to take her surname. When I asked why, she said, ''I am already living with Mom, so why should I take herst name? That will be unfair to you. I want to be Zhou Ai, or I will feel that there is no father in my life. If I am living with Mom, then I want something to connect me to Dad too.''" Zhou Yichen burst into tears. "My Ai-chan''s heart is so beautiful...I still cry whenever I remember her words." Jun let out an affectionate smile. That''s so like Ai. said, "Ai is not disappointed in you, and she isn''t pretending either. You live your life in your pace and on your conditions, and I feel Ai appreciates that freedom you enjoy. As long as you are happy, she is happy too." Zhou Yichen sighed. "But we still hurt her with our separation. It aches my heart to remember her childhood." Jun smiled. "I won''t say it wasn''t hard on her. But it also gave her perspective and made her more mature as a person. I think she appreciates whatever she learned from you two and about rtionships. She tries to look positive in all situations, and it''s a good quality." He grinned. "Naturally, my Ai-chan is the best! Nobody can match up to her." Jun smirked and nodded. "Sooo..." he then put his arms around his shoulders, "how far have your rtionship progressed~" "..." Why did the conversation take this turn? Zhou Yichen widened his eyes and gasped. "Your silence says that you have done the deed!" "Well..." Jun was close to getting a heart attack again. "So can I expect my grandchild soon?" His eyes looked starry with expectation. !!! His jaw dropped in shock. "How can you both be sox about this? Aunt asked me the same thing. Are you sure you two should have gotten divorced?" Jun asked suspiciously. Zhou Yichen''s gaze darkened. "Let''s not talk about her. We have set the hotpot mood, so let''s get to it!!" -- ? Beijing. Jin opened the door to his car and stepped out to walk towards a restaurant where Shui was waiting for him. He had received a message from her that she wanted to talk to him. Heading into a private room they booked, he saw Shui already seated and fiddling with her mobile. Jin narrowed his eyes. Shui looked up and straightened up. "Jin." Jin sat opposite her andzily propped his arm on the table. "What is it? Let it be quick, otherwise I will bete to the office." Shui blinked twice. His voice as he spoke to her strangely felt cold and detached for some reason. Must be my imagination... "What did you call me here for?" He sharply asked, making her jolt. Shui awkwardly smiled. "I am so-sorry. If you are busy, we can meetter-" "Nah. Let''s get done with it right now," he shrugged. She felt slightly more uneasy and guilty for bothering Jin. But she quickly chucked out that ufortable feeling. She saw the trace of the faint bruises still visible on his cheek. "Jin. Did you talk to Jun after that day?" He raised his brow. "What is there to talk about?" "I mean..." she sped her hands together, "After the whole confrontation that day, I thought about it a lot and came to the conclusion that I should meet Jun once and apologize to him. Even though we broke up because we might be ipatible, I have still hurt him a lot," her gaze lowered that was beginning to turn wet. "I lied to him to stay away from him, and my indecisiveness has hurt him the most. That''s why I want to properly talk to him." "So?" He asked, bored. Shui felt her heart thud in anxiety. "I-I am feeling a little nervous. I don''t know how to face him. So..." Jin smiled. "So you want me to tag along with you?" "Not like that! I thought that you would want to apologize to him-" "Why should I apologize to him?" Shui nkly stared at him. "Why? Jin, did you forget how you talked to him?" Jin tilted his head. "What do you mean? I didn''t say anything wrong." Her lips slightly parted in shock and bewilderment. "Jin. You insulted Jun. You implied that he cheated on me when you knew that Jun would never do that to me. You certainly realize how much your words must have hurt him, right? Just like..." her gaze dimmed, "how my actions hurt him. How can you say you weren''t wrong?" "I don''t want to get into this discussion with you. But I am not apologizing to Bro. Go alone if you want to." "Jin!" She raised her voice. "Why are you being like this? Are you really so angry at him because you..." he eyshes trembled, "you like Zhou Ai, and he is dating her?" Jin remained quiet. Then he got up from his seat and walking around the table, he leaned his tall figure over her, cing his palms on either side of the walls. Her eyes widened, and she stiffened with the sudden proximity. "W-what..." Jin smiled and ever so slightly grazed a lock of her hair. "Say, Shui. Would you not like it if I like Zhou Ai?" Chapter ?236 A Different Jin (2) Chapter ?236 A Different Jin (2) Jin''s closeness came so suddenly that Shui''s breaths got out of sync. Now that she had admitted to herself that she liked Jin, she was even more conscious around him, especially when the distance between them would be so narrow like what they had now. She inhaled to calm herself and looked up at him. His deep ck eyes were staring right back at her with concentration but also with an indecipherable emotion. "What?" Her question was more of a whisper. "Would you not like it if I like Zhou Ai?" Jin repeated. Shui stiffened, and the difort in her eyes was discernible but only for a few moments. "Why...why are you asking me that?" Jin bent closer to the point that she could smell his scent and feel his breaths on her forehead. She was noticeably trembling, which she was trying her best to stop. He chuckled. "It looks like you are not in much favor of my feelings for Zhou Ai. Do you want me to apologize to him because you think I hurt him or because you want me to give up on her?" Shui blinked and said after giving it a thought, "Can it not be for both? You were harsh to Jun. You...you made it sound like his feelings were fickle for me, and they never were. It must have crushed his heart to hear such words from his brother. As for Zhou Ai, it would be for the best if you give up on her. Jun and Zhou Ai love each other. They are happy with each other. There is no point-" He cut her off, a mockingughter escaping his lips. "There is a third secret question too. Do you want me to apologize to him because you want me to give up on Zhou Ai so that...you would feel relieved since you like me?" froze. The words dropped upon her like a bomb. With a gaze filled with disbelief, she stared at him. "What a-are you..." heat flushed in her neck and cheeks, her heart thumping like loud drums. "Hm? Will you say that it''s not the truth?" It caught her off guard, and she was unable to speak. How does he know...? Did Jun tell him? No, no. He wouldn''t do that. She gasped when his finger lightly brushed the tip of her ear. Jin bored his eyes into her panicking gaze. "You don''t want me to be with Zhou Ai because you like me. You like me, right?" "I..." her mind was in a disarray. Sure, she had admitted it to herself that she liked Jin, but she wasn''t ready yet to confess her feelings. Not when there were such tensions between Jun and their families. The gap between them kept only lessening with how Jin pressed his body against hers. "Say it already. I just want to hear it from your lips." Heid her feelings bare, and she had nowhere to escape. It wasn''t her intention to bring her feelings into this discussion today. But her heart couldn''t help but anticipate his response if she did admit it. Since Jin br-brought it out, does that mean he wants to give us a chance? She breathed hard, clutching the hem of her dress. "I am waiting." His husky voice echoed in the air, and she blushed harder. "I...I...do." It were just two words, but it was incredibly difficult getting them across. It felt like a mountainous task to her. "I li-like you, Jin..." she had an urge to run away, but she couldn''t with Jin blocking her way. ? There wasplete silence. She was so jittery and tense that she had no courage to meet his eyes and face him. She waited and waited, but there was no response from him, making her heart burst into more apprehensiveness. The silence finally broke with a peal of hisughter. Shui blinked. Her countenance was marred with confusion. She slowly raised her head to see him chuckling at her. "Why are youughing?" She didn''t know why but that uneasy feeling gripped her heart again. Jin looked different to her. His gaze and words felt as if he was mocking her. Jin pinched her chin and lifted it towards him. "But I hate you, Han Shui." She froze. The smile on his lips vanished only to be reced by an iciness and cruelty that she never witnessed before. The grip on her chin tightened, making her yelp in pain. "Jin..." "I hate you, Han Shui." The words fell on her for a second time. "You like me. But I hate you. I hate you from the bottom of my heart." She shuddered hard. "Jin..." she nervouslyughed, "What are you-" "Sshh," he squinted his eyes, "Don''t annoy me with your interruption. It will only make me hate you even more. So, be quiet and know this. Throw away all your feelings you have for me. I hate you. Even if you are thest woman on this, I won''t ever be with you." Her vision blurred, and a lump formed in her throat. She felt the hatred from his words that pierced her heart like thorns. All her thoughts came to a halt. "That''s why don''t tell me what I should do and what I shouldn''t. This is thest time I came to meet you because I don''t want you bothering me with your nonsense again and again. Since I can clearly see that you and Bro Jun won''t be together, I don''t need to keep on my ''nice'' act with you anymore." She trembled. Jin let go of her chin and withdrew his towering figure from above her. He dusted his hands and smiled. "It was nice knowing you, Han Shui. But I hope you don''t call me again, or I will break your heart into even more pieces than I did today." He nced at the eatables she had ordered. "I don''t think you would be in a position to pay, so the bill is on me. Goodbye." "Ji-Jin..." she found her strength to speak his name amidst her tears, but it was already toote as Jin turned on his heels and left. She nkly stared at the emptiness and copsed back on her seat, defeated with the five cruel words resounding in her ears. ''I hate you, Han Shui.'' Chapter 237 The In-Laws Catfight Xuanhua. It was in the evening when Zhou Yichen came whistling back home with Jun. "Who is ready for some spicy hot pot~?" But instead of only Ai, there was another person apanying her in the living room who threw a crisp stare at him. His mouth twitched. "Has the sun risen from the west today? Because I see someone else who is not really supposed to be here. What are you doing here, my ex-wife?" Xie Nuying gave him an expressionless look. "I came to know that you are secretly throwing a hotpot party with Ai and Jun. The dinner is at my house. Since I know you so well, I thought ofing here and taking them back." Jun wondered what was going on here. "Mom," Ai intervened. "Don''t interrupt, Ai." Zhou Yichen was dumbfounded. "Okay first of all, it''s not some secret party. I don''t need to hide anything! And second of all, Ai-chan and Jun-cute will have dinner at my ce." She narrowed her eyes. "Don''t try to hog them." He grimaced. "Excuse me, but Ai-chan is also my daughter and Jun-cute is my future son-inw too." "And I don''t want my future son-inw to learn anything untoward from you. He is decent as he is," she retorted. "It''s better that he stays away from your interesting life." "..." Jun eyed Ai, who looked totally helpless. He red at her. "Well at least it''s interesting and colorful, unlike a certain professor''spany where you feel you will be thrown out of the ss at any moment." Her brow twitched. "At least my life is stable, unlike someone who jumps from one job to another and uses gambling money and flirting with young women to pass his days." "That''s not gambling and flirting. That''s called enjoying life," Zhou Yichen''s gaze darkened. "Enjoying life which causes nothing but trouble," Xie Nuying didn''t back off either. "Well at least it''s better than teaching the same sybus every freaking year," he snorted. "Which gives a stable ie." "Which is boring nevertheless." Jun cleared his throat to put a brake on their arguments, but that didn''t have any effect. "You will always say that because you are too noisy." "Home is not a ssroom where I should stay quiet!" "Forget home. Just look at your clothes. Do you think it''s appropriate to look so shy at this age?" "That''s being cool, not shy. But I don''t me you because you are not up with the trends!" "Your whole life is an up and down trend, and you think you can give career consultation to young students? Don''t you need that yourself?" "I don''t need any career consultation, but you definitely need an orientation to know what fun feels like." She calmly bounced back. "First you learn how to organize a house before you talk about the need for my consultation." "You don''t live here, so why do you have a problem with my organization!?" "Okay, stop already," Ai used a firmer and stricter tone this time, and the mother-father fighting duo finally calmed down. Zhou Yichen harrumphed. "You tell her. Jun-cute and I already bought all the ingredients for a hotpot. So, we will be having a hotpot! And they already had apple pie at your ce so shoo. I am amazed that they are even alive after eating your pie." "..." Jun choked. Ai pursed her lips. "Don''t fight today." Xie Nuying slowly nodded. She nced at Jun. "I sincerely apologize. You came to meet us for the first time today, but we showed you such a sight. Zhou Yichen looked embarrassed too. "Sorry Jun-cute." He quickly smiled. "No, no. You don''t have to. Also, there is no need to argue over dinner. How about we all have dinner together?" Silence. Lightning crackled between Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying but for the sake of their daughter and her boyfriend, they formed a truce just for today. pA????[0?)?? "Fine," both agreed. Ai nodded in satisfaction. "Good." Fifteen minutester, a delicious hotpot was simmering on the portable stove, and the delicious fragrance of the spices wafted in the air. "Yummy yum yum!" Zhou Yichen grinned. "Let''s dig in!" Jun promptly put the good parts of the meat on Ai''s te. "Eat all up." Ai stared at the mountain of the meat pieces. "It''s too much." "Eat all up." "..." Zhou Yichenughed. "Jun-cute is right, Ai-chan. Since you are living together, you need to eat a lot of food~" Ai caught onto his meaning and flushed. Xie Nuying pointed out. "No dignity at all." He scowled. It was a good and fulfilling dinner except for the parts where Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying didn''t leave any chance to throw shades at each other. Jun stared at them and thought hard about something. Finallying to a decision, he faced them and said, "I want to say something to you." They turned their attention towards him. "Yes, dear," Xie Nuying softly smiled. Ai noticed him acting odd and frowned. Amidst his heart thudding faster with nervousness, he confessed. "I don''t want to keep you in the dark. Before Ai, I had a childhood friend who I loved a lot and wanted to marry her." Ai''s eyes widened, and she looked stunned. "Jun¡­" "No, Ai. Let me tell them. I don''t want to hide anything. Even if they do not like me for it, I still don''t want to give them a false image of mine." He looked at them and continued. "Her name is Han Shui, and our families have been close for years. I promised to marry her, and we spent our childhood together. I was obsessed with her. We dated for four years but broke up three months back because we realized we were notpatible. It was around that time I met Ai, and I slowly fell in love with her." He clenched his fists. "I know that in front of my years of friendship with her and our rtionship, my feelings for Ai would seem shallow to you, or you might think that I will waver for Shui in the future. But I won''t. I don''t feel anything for Shui anymore. She doesn''t have a ce in my life other than just a friend. The only woman my heart wants is Ai. I¡­I know it''s difficult to trust me now that you know this. But I really mean it." He bowed a full one-eighty degree and touched the floor with his forehead. "I want Ai with all my heart. My past would look questionable to you, but I have already determined my future with her. There is nothing that I want more than spending the rest of my life with her. That''s why I humbly ask you to trust me. I promise that I will die, but I won''t let Ai suffer any grievance!" Chapter ?238 The Source Of Ais Anger Management Tactics Chapter ?238 The Source Of Ai''s Anger Management Tactics Jun wholeheartedly wanted their approval. He couldn''t measure the happiness when Xie Nuying and Zhou Yichen epted him for Ai. But he knew that something was missing. He couldn''t feel at peace, and a strange anxiety tugged his heart. That''s when Jun decided that he had toe out with his rtionship with Shui. It wasn''t supposed to be hidden anyway so before they learned it from somebody else and doubted Jun''s sincerity for Ai, he confessed it himself. He wished them to ept him with his past just like Ai did. The silence was deafening as Jun still kept his head bowed. After listening about Shui, Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying might not approve of Jun anymore. As parents, he knew it was understandable. Even if they would say now that they don''t want him for Ai anymore, he had steeled his heart to not give up. His heart hammered in his chest, imagining their disappointed looks. "Raise your head," Jun heard Zhou Yichen''s voice. He did so and found them gazing straight at him with a solemn expression. Ai on his side was trembling with tears in her eyes. Her cheeks were reddish as she sniffled. Jun quickly wiped her cheeks. "Why are you crying?" She pressed her lips together. "You don''t know? Then you are an idiot." "You are really gutsy, I must admit that," he narrowed his eyes, "especially after we already epted you. Is that your way of tricking us? Confessing after getting our approval so that we feel in a pinch?" Jun swallowed a gulp and hastily shook his head. "No. I didn''t n anything like that or meant to fool you. I will ept your decision even if it might be rejecting me. But I won''t give up on Ai." Xie Nuying grimly asked, "So, you will keep meeting Han Shui in the future as well?" "Our families have known each other for years, so I might see her from time to time in banquets and parties, but-" "What if I say to cut off everything with her? Even your friendship?" "I will do it," Jun answered without hesitation. "The only distance between us is that of friendship. I will cut it off as well. I will do anything to reassure you that my love for Ai won''t waver at any point in time. I will do anything you ask me to. I just want Ai and nothing else. If that means cutting off my rtions with Shui and the Han family, then I will do it." "Hmmmmm¡­." Zhou Yichen scrutinized Jun with a thoughtful and pensive gaze. Jun noticed the doubts and uncertainty surfacing in their eyes, which led him to believe that he was honestly screwed this time. That was before Zhou Yichen finally burst into a loudughter. "Hahahahaha. I am so sorry for bullying you, Jun-cute. But you were just too adorable not to tease~" Jun nkly looked between them. "B-Bully?" Xie Nuying softly chuckled as well to which Ai was dissatisfied. "Stop it. You two are really mean." Zhou Yichen cleared his throat. "Don''t be mad, Ai-chan. He is family now. A little bit of bullying here and there is permissible hehe¡­" Ai narrowed her eyes, and he shut his mouth. Jun asked in a stupor, "I don''t understand. Are you not angry at me?" Zhou Yichen shook his head. "No, Jun-cute. All the stuff we babbled after you raised your head was just a bluff! Hahaha!" "..." Xie Nuying nodded. "I was just joking as well. I don''t demand you to break your friendship with her. You already proved your sincerity by bowing your head. You were not asked to, yet you genuinely did it. Your voice was trembling as you spoke. It showed how much you treasure Ai and how much you want her. That gave me all the assurance I needed." ? Zhou Yichen smiled. "Though I don''t want to agree with her, she is right." "I am always right," she countered. His brow twitched. "Moving on¡­" Her brow twitched this time. "I understand you had someone else in your life before. That is your past and everybody has one. Nobody has control over it. What matters is how you live your life in the present and future. I want Ai-chan to be your present and your future unreservedly. For a rich, young master who can get any woman if he just asks for it to show such respect to us by bowing your head cannot make me any happier, Jun-cute." Jun shook. He still found it unbelievable that they agreed to let him date Ai. "Hahaha! You are really cute. I get it why Ai-chan says you are cute!" "..." Jun''s heart was filled with anger and grievance. This whole family¡­ "I am sorry. It was a serious talk but¡­but, it''s really fun to tease you so much!" Xie Nuying couldn''t control the twitch of her lips that was forming a smile. Fun to tease you¡­ Jun remembered Jian and Nian''s faces, and his gaze darkened. Zhou Yichen waved his hand. "Aish, you look angry. Here, take this balloon and blow air into it." Jun was utterly baffled but did as he was told anyway. The pink balloon slowly took a round shape, and he felt breathless by the end of it. Zhou Yichenughed. "See now you don''t feel angry anymore, right? Why would you? You used all your anger into blowing up the balloon, so you have no energy left to be angry anymore! Brilliant, isn''t it?" "..." Jun stared at him dryly. He nced at Ai and said, "I now understand who is the source of your weird anger management tricks." Ai blushed. "Thank you." He gritted his teeth. It wasn''t apliment! Suddenly, Junmented upon his fate. Ai with her weirdness was already enough for me that two more weird people are added into the mix now. Why? Why, God, just why? Chapter 239 Ais Tour For Mr. Liu Chapter 239 Ai''s Tour For Mr. Liu Jun and Ai were supposed to return to Beijing after dinner, but Xie Nuying insisted on spending the night at her home before which they could only agree. Zhou Yichen protested heavily against this but since the dinner was at his house, she was stubborn that the sleepover would be at her ce. "Tomorrow''s breakfast is at my house. Jun-cute and Ai-chan would have breakfast at my ce before leaving for Beijing!" He dered. Since Xie Nuying had to check some of her students'' assignments and other pending university work to do, she went ahead first while Jun and Ai decided to take a stroll along the neighborhood. They had an early dinner, so it wasn''tpletely dark yet outside. The sun''s orange-golden hue covered the sky with its gleam. Holding Jun''s hand, Ai took the lead and fervently took him to ces where she used to visit as a child and a teenager. "You must have already seen the park. Mom, Dad and I used to y there all the time. I will take you to the shop where I used to eat steamed buns! They make the most delicious buns!" With her eyes sparkling with delight, she took him to a local shop in the street where the owner sold delicious steamed buns. "Ai, is it? Aiya, you have grown so much!" The owner of the shop recognized her. "Long time." Peng," she brightened. Uncle Peng looked at Jun and asked, "Hoho, is he your..." "Yes. He is my boyfriend." Jun smiled and gave his greetings. "Excellent! We missed you so much Ai. Hehe, I remember how you and Guiying used to hop here all the time after high school. Wait here a bit. I will make your usual order! It''s a treat from me!" He chirped. She beamed. "Thank you, Uncle Peng." After talking with him for a bit and carrying a freshly steaming bun in her hands, she eagerly asked Jun to take a bite. "It''s tasty, right?" Jun watched the glee on her beautiful face and chuckled. "The one feeding me is tastier." She broke into a cough, and her cheeks turned rosy. "I am talking about the steamed bun." "And I am talking about you." Sheined. "You are teasing me." He pinched her nose. "It''s nothingpared to your parents teasing me and giving me back to back heart attacks today." Ai guiltily cleared her throat. "L-let''s head over to the next destination." Jun narrowed his eyes. ? The next ce was her highschool which she attended. The school was empty apart from a few students who were behind to do club activities. Jun nced across the school campus and imagined a teenager Ai quietly studying here. He had a sudden desire to know how she must have looked as a teenager. She pointed at three windows. "Those were my ssrooms for the years I was in." His gaze warmed up, and he thought of a serious Ai studying. "Cute..." he whispered. Then he cocked his brow and bent towards her. "I wonder how it would have been if we had studied in the same school as a senior and junior?" Ai blinked and imagined a senior teenage Jun. Her irises were filled with hearts as she spoke spellbound, "You must have looked so cute with a high school uniform." Jun''s face ckened. He was hinting about their possible love story, and her brakes were jammed at adoring his cuteness. It''s useless talking to her! One of the teachers noticed Ai and called out in delight. "Zhou Ai!" He was one of his homeroom teachers. "You are back?" "Teacher San," Ai bowed. "I came back for a day to meet Mom and Dad with my boyfriend. He is Liu Jun." Teacher San gasped. "You...You are Sky CEO, right? I watched the Summit. I was so happy to see Ai win! Congrattions! For winning the Summit and for getting such a handsome boyfriend too!" "Thank you," Ai scratched her chin in embarrassment. He pped once. "We are so proud of you! One of our school''s students won such a prestigious Summit. The principal and our staff celebrated it so much haha! Aish, you were always such a diligent student. Oh by the way how is Cai Guiying? Her entry was also great," he nodded in appreciation. "You two make us feel so proud." Ai faintly smiled. "She is doing good too." She felt Jun squeeze her hand, not wanting her to feel down. "My girlfriend was in your care. It''s nice to meet you," Jun said. After leaving the high school, he hugged her as they walked. "Don''t think about her and feel depressed, or I will punish you." Ai rested her head against his shoulder. "I don''t feel sad when you are there with me." "Good." As thest ce of the day, Ai took Jun to a very special ce that was dear to her heart. She softly smiled as she looked at the dpidated building. "This is the library I told you about. The old librarian here used to give me his collections. He was a very kind person. I used toe here to study and read books." "Why is it not operational?" "The old librarian, Mr. Xiong passed away. His children and grandchildren settled in different cities. So, it slowly shut down. He is still well respected in this area, so the library is still in ce, and it wasn''t sold. The books inside were donated to orphanages." "I see..." Ai''s gaze looked pleasant and tender as she stared at the now worn out building, reminiscing the good times she spent with Mr. Xiong. They stood in silence, giving respect to Mr. Xiong. Jun entwined his fingers against hers and whispered, "Thank you for showing me where you grew up. I am really happy to see the ces and meet the people that were a part of your growing up years. Ai. You lived a good and warm life here. I promise you that the days filled with warmth and peace will always continue because I won''t let anything or anybody take that away from you." Chapter ?240 Astonishing Coincidence Chapter ?240 Astonishing Coincidence Coming back to Xie Nuying''s house after their stroll, Jun and Ai were about to head inside when one of the neighbors saw them going in. "Oh, you are back?" Duan Ren raised her brow. She was a woman in her mid-fifties with a lock of grey hair near her ear. Ai politely greeted her. "Hello, Mrs. Duan." She smiled. "You are back after so long. Oh I heard that you won somepetition?" Jun narrowed his eyes and was disgruntled with the tone she used. It felt as if she didn''t regard the Summit as something important. "Ai has be so famous now. I am surprised you remembered your parents," she chuckled, "You know kids these days are quick to forget their roots. Don''t get too lost in Beijing''s sparkle and glitter, or girls like you meet a sad fate in the end," she sighed. Jun''s fingers twitched with a thirst to kill her. At the same time, he felt the name Ren and her face oddly familiar. Ai was hardly perturbed. "Shouldn''t you give that suggestion to your daughter? I heard that she is dating some rich guy from the neighborhood college and doesn''te back home for days. Shouldn''t you be more worried about her? She is already forgetting her roots living in the same city as you." Her expression twisted. "You¡­it''s a misunderstanding. Her exams are near, so she is a part of a study group. She is working hard for her exams." we will know that after seeing her results." Feeling irked, she said, "Don''t be so arrogant because you have just won apetition or that people are singing your praises, Ai. It''s easier to fall than rising to the top." "Oh. That''s why you are so edgy because people are singing my praises," Ai shot back and revealed her jealousy. "You¡­!" Her gaze fell on Jun, and her eyes widened seeing such a handsome man with a charming aura. From a nce, she could tell that his clothes, watch and shoes were expensive. "He is¡­" "My boyfriend." Duan Ren''s gaze seemed bitter. Why did shend such a capable boyfriend? If my Tingting could get a man like him¡­ "Are you¡­" Jun tilted his head and stared at her, "Ren¡­as in Ding Ren?" She froze. She watched Jun, horror enveloping her pupils. Ai pressed her brows. "Ding Ren?" "That''s her maiden name. I have heard of the Ding family. They were once part of the rich socialite group. Not really rich but fair enough. I was very young when it happened. Three or four I guess? But I heard the ugly divorce you went through at that time, and then your family disowned you." I don''t remember who she was married to though. What was his name again¡­? "I remember reading an article about you with your picture on it. It was a nasty divorce¡­" Shit that husband''s name is just on the tip of my tongue. Something from G¡­ Duan Ren trembled hard and wiped her forehead. "Nonsense! I don''t know what you are talking about. What Ding Ren? That''s not myst name! Don''t go on spreading rumors!" Even though he is from a rich family, I never thought that he would recognize me. It''s impossible! ? Jun''s eyes slowly widened. "Gu Rong?" She stiffened, and her face whitened as if she saw a ghost. "You are Gu Rong''s ex-wife, right?" Ai snapped her head towards Jun. "Mr. Gu Rong as in¡­Yating''s father?" "Yes. I remember now." "Shut up!" Duan Ren stumbled back. "You are bluffing. Don''t make things up as you please!" Jun icily replied. "Liu Jun doesn''t have to make things up." Duan Ren nkly stared at him. Liu¡­Jun? From that prestigious Liu family!? "So you came here after your divorce," Jun narrowed his eyes. Her face turned even paler. Duan Ren hastily said, "You are really misunderstanding. I don''t know Gu Rong. Please don''t spread rumors about me! I-I have to head back." She stepped into her house and loudly shut the door. Ai asked, incredulous. "Is she really Yating''s mother?" "I believe she is. She is- or was Gu Rong''s wife for sure. Even I am quite astonished to know this. Gu Yating''s mother has been living as your neighbor this whole time? That''s some serious coincidence¡­" Ai still had trouble believing it. In her past life, Yating had never mentioned much about his family, especially not his mother. To know now that she lived right next door to her house all this time was baffling. Recalling her past life, she slowly said, "I remember that around the time I broke up with Yating and came back to live here, I found that she had moved away from hereter. She suddenly got a lot of money and moved with her family to a richer area." Jun squinted his eyes. This seems fishy. "Before that happened, there was also a spell where she urged me not to break up with my boyfriend. She never took Yating''s name, but she was quite persistent though. She kept telling to give it another chance and get back with him. I felt she was really being nosy." Jun narrowed his gaze. Getting rich overnight and asking Ai to continue her rtionship before¡­ He gritted his teeth. "Fuck! She was definitely trying to use you to get close to Gu Yating. She must have learned somehow that you were his girlfriend. She thought it was a stroke of luck that you turned out to be her neighbor and her son''s girlfriend. Through you, she wanted to go back to the Gu family! That fucking woman!" "But she is divorced from Mr. Gu Rong and has her own family now." He sneered. "Money. Don''t forget that she belonged to a rich family once. She had to resort to living this average and mediocre life because of the ugly divorce with Gu Rong. Her family disowned her. Then when she learned about your rtionship, she figured it was a good chance to use you and Gu Yating and get hold of Gu family''s wealth." Ai furrowed her brows. "But I never agreed to go back to Yating. So, she could never use me. Then how did she get that money?" His eyes swirled with questions. "She must have found another way to get what she wants. But what?" Chapter 241 Officially Joining Sky (1) Chapter 241 Officially Joining Sky (1) The next morning, it was time to bid goodbye and after having a hearty breakfast at Zhou Yichen''s house, they talked to Xie Nuying before leaving. Ai hugged her mother. "Take care of yourself. Don''t overwork." Xie Nuying nodded and patted her head. "You too." She nced at Jun and softly smiled. "See you soon." Jun bowed. "Thank you for your care yesterday. Don''t hesitate to call me if you evere to Beijing. I will return your care by ten fold. Same goes for *cough* Uncle too." "Even if Yichenes to Beijing, you can just leave him alone," she saltily expressed. "It''s better than turning your house into a circus." His eye slightly twitched. Ai nced once at Duan Ren''s house. There had been no movement since their conversation yesterday. "Mom. Keep your distance from Aunt Duan." If Jun''s theory was right and Duan Ren had tried to use her to get close to the Gu family in the past life, then she didn''t want her mother to get entangled with her or in her schemes. Xie Nuying sternly gazed at her. "Did you meet her yesterday? Don''t bother with what she would have said. You know she is a troublesome person in our neighborhood. She doesn''t talk nicely, especially after you have won the Summit." But still. Don''t talk to her much." "I don''t. Talking to people like her is a waste of brain cells anyway." Jun was impressed. As expected from Ai''s mother. The journey from Xuanhua to Beijing took two and a half hours. They hade to meet Ai''s parents, but this short trip raised questions about Duan Ren and the Gu family and her connection to Ai''s life. During the ride back, they tried to think of how Duan Ren must have gotten rich without Ai''s influence, but nothing substantial came to their minds. Jun clenched the steering wheel, his heart aze with fury. "She dared to scheme through you in the past but this time, I won''t let it happen! I will keep my eyes on her so that she never approaches you," he narrowed his eyes, "The moment she tries to do anything suspicious, we will nab her. That might also give us a clue as to who or what helped her get that money." "You are right," Ai nodded. If not for Jun and his background, she would have nevere to know about Duan Ren''s identity or about Yating''s family even in this life. With the bribery case and now Duan Ren''s identity revtion, she felt an inkling that something was going to happen. The fate was changing with every step they took and the more it changed, the more difficult it would be to gauge the oue. She wasn''t sure how much the past memories and that knowledge. would be able to help them. But as long as Jun was beside her, she had full faith that they would weather any storm. After reaching back to the city, Jun asked, "What do you want to do?" Ai''s eyes shone. "How about going to Sky? Today is my first day after all." "Are you sure? We have just returned. Don''t you want to rest? We can go tomorrow." "It was a short ride back, so I am not tired," she shook her head. "I cannot wait to officially join," her eyes shimmered with eagerness. Jun pinched her nose and chuckled. "Fine. Yunru is also really excited to meet you. Let''s go to Sky then." ¡ª Sky Publishing. The employees who noticed theming gasped and gathered around the entrance. "It''s the CEO and MissImperfectlyFine! They came together!" "They are not just that, they are boyfriend and girlfriend! Didn''t you see their picture?" ? "She is finally joining today?" One of them whispered, "Hey but I don''t get it. Didn''t President Chen announce that the CEO would be engaged to Miss. Han Shui? So how did she be his girlfriend?" "Well, I don''t know either¡­" "When did they break up?" As soon as Jun and Ai stepped into Sky, the employees coughed and straightened up. "Sir!" Jun threw a nce at everybody and studied their gazes. Ai slightly bowed. "Hello. I am Zhou Ai or you might know me as MissImperfectlyFine. I will be joining Sky from today. It''s a pleasure to meet you all." Her soft and mellow voice was really pleasing to hear. She wasn''t overly smiling or too eager to introduce herself. Her calmness and poise made the employees strangely feel rxed too. "Hello, Miss. Zhou. Wee to Sky! We are d to have you here." Jun said, "Now that I am here, I will rify this. The announcement President Chen made that day was a misunderstanding. I am not getting engaged to Han Shui. I never was. It was an unfortunate mixup. Han Shui and I have already broken up." That gave everybody a strong urge to choke, but nobody dared to even let a syble out in front of the CEO. "She is Zhou Ai. She is not just MissImperfectlyFine who will be working here from today, but she is also my girlfriend," he narrowed his eyes, "So-" "So nothing," Ai interjected and looked at everybody. "You don''t have to give me any special status because of our rtionship. Please just treat me as as your normal colleague." Mam, it will be very difficult to do that, you know! "..." Jun red at her. How dare you? Ai scolded him. "Don''t threaten them. I don''t want them to be afraid of me." His mouth twitched. Well you are my girlfriend. They should be afraid of me strangling their necks if they did anything to disrespect you! The scene blinded the employees. Did she just scold the CEO? And Sir seems to be really angry, but he somehow is only listening to her scolding so obediently! Is our cold CEO actually a doting boyfriend? That''s so cute! Going up the elevator, Ai tightly held onto Jun''s hand as she felt the acrophobia set in. Jun touched his chin and seriously pondered. "I should shift my office to the first floor. That way, it will be easy for you." "..." She tapped on his head. "Don''t take so much trouble. I will be fine. Also, I want to ovee my fear. So, don''t spoil me." "I cannot help but spoil you," he kissed her forehead. As the elevator doors opened and they stepped out, a figure dashed towards Ai at lightning speed and bounced to hug her. "You are finally here!" Chapter ?242 Officially Joining Sky (2) Chapter ?242 Officially Joining Sky (2) Ai stumbled back, but Yunru had tightly squeezed her in his teddy bear hug, so he didn''t let her fall. "I was waiting for you yesterday, but you postponed it. You two are so mean! I was so excited!" His cheeks puffed up like two small balloons. He had wrapped his hands around her neck and squished his cheek against hers. Jun facepalmed. "Yunru¡­At least let here inside the office." He stuck out his tongue. "It''s all your fault that you made me wait for so long!" Ai suddenly remembered the feeling that was too simr to when Nian had rushed to hug her and smothered her in his embrace. Yunru was the same. The siblings and cousins really resemble each other¡­ She was quite surprised to see that President Chen Yunru of Sky Publishing had this childlike side to him. "He-Hello." "Hello, sister-inw! I am Chen Yunru! I am Bro Jun''s one and only most favorite cousin! I am also the President here! Nice to meet you finally!" Ai could see fluffy clouds floating on top of Yunru''s head. pushed them inside. "First get inside. Also, don''t strangle her. She is feeling breathless." "Oh! Hehe, sorry for that~" Yunru loosened his hold but didn''tpletely didn''t let go of her. Jun shrugged and took a seat on the couch to which Ai stared at him, bewildered. She hadn''t expected this reaction from him. "You behaved so differently when Nian was hugging me. You were throwing murderous res at him." His gaze darkened. "Obviously! He is Bro Nian. He, Bro Jian, Uncle Jing and Grandpa are nothing but big fat troubles in my life, so I stay away from them! Naturally, I don''t want you to have anything to do with each other so that peace prevails in our life." "..." Jun stared at Yunru. "As far as Yunru is concerned, I treat him more like my son at times rather than my cousin. That way, you be his mother sort of. A son hugging his mother is no big deal. But an annoying brother-inw is!" "..." Yunru''s nose grew longer in pride. "Also, I am the closest to Bro Jun! We are a team! So I am allowed to do anything, including hugging my sister-inw!" Ai couldn''t help but chuckle. "I see. It''s really nice to meet you too, Chen Yunru." "You can just call me Yunru!" "Alright. It''s nice to meet you, Yunru." His smile was like a golden beam of sunshine brightening the room. "You are so pretty, sister-inw. I can see Bro fell for you so hard! I am so thrilled to work with you." "Same here." "Sky Publishing has always focused more on webnovels and weics, but this is the first time we will delve into traditional writing. You are the first author we have contracted with. I am so excited! I will give you a tour of ourpanyter. It''s an awesome ce to work at," he proudly said. Ai''s orbs shone with warmth. "I can see that. If the CEO and President are such cute and warm people, then thepany will definitely reflect that." Jun coughed. Yunru beamed and hugged her even more. "You are so nice!" ? Jun said, "Before taking her around thepany, I want her to meet some people first." "I know, I know. I have already called them here. A woman in her thirties and dressed in a sophisticated ck business suit stepped in first, carrying grace and tact with her steps. Her gaze was professional and no-nonsense. She was a figure Ai was all too familiar with. Jun stood up and introduced her. "You have already met her, but I will formally introduce now. She is Sun Bai. She is the Chief Editor and oversees all the authors and assistant editors here. She was an editor before, but I recently promoted her." Ai greeted her. "Hello Miss. Sun. It''s nice to meet you." Sun Bai politely nodded. "It''s a pleasure to meet you too, Miss. Zhou. Congrattions on winning the Summit." "Thank you," she bowed, "I would like to apologize for lying about my identity the day we met. I am sincerely sorry." She shook her head. "I am not offended, Miss. Zhou. I appreciate you came out with the truth and rified it in the end." Ai really liked the elegance in her voice. Her expression looked stern, but there was also a hint of softness in her eyes. Yunru chirped. "If you have any problems in case your editor is not avable, then don''t hesitate to contact Sun Bai." "Indeed. That''s my job." The second person who came in was a man who Ai had never met before. He was in histe twenties and dressed in a white shirt and ck suit. Jun nced at him and said, "He is the Chief of Secretary, Hou Lin, overseeing Sky''s management and coordinating with all the departments here. He is like Yunru and my assistant. He was also present at the Summit managing the talks with other publishing houses." "I see," Ai smiled. "Hello, Mr. Hou." Hou Lin respectfully bowed. "Wee to Sky, Miss. Zhou. Congrattions on winning the Summit. It''s an honor to work with you." "Thank you." Like Sun Bai, he looked calm and poised. Yunru said, "If you have some ideas about your book marketing or promotion or anything like that, then apart from Sun Bai, you can also talk to him." "Oh. Got it." Jun smiled. "And thest person now. I think you will be over the moon to meet her." Ai blinked in confusion. "Is that so?" The click of the heels echoed as the door opened the third time, and a woman stepped in. Ai''s lips parted in disbelief and her eyes widened. "Xi-Xing Bi?" She blinked her eyes several times to check if it was true. "Aiii!" Xing Bi''s face blossomed with pure gleam. She was about to dash to her side and smother Ain her chest. Sun Bai cleared her throat and gave her a stern nce. Professionalism. Xing Bi straightened up and coughed. "I am sorry." "How are you here?" Ai was at a loss. She looked at Jun in a stupor, "I don''t understand¡­" Jun chuckled. "Well, Miss. Xing Bi will officially start working in Sky too just like you. I hired her after the Summit. She will be your editor." Chapter 243 Invitation To Shanghai Fest Chapter 243 Invitation To Shanghai Fest Ai felt it was a dream. The only reason why she regretted leaving Dream High was because she was leaving Xing Bi behind. She felt terrible at the notion of working without her. Even though she sincerely wanted her to join Sky too, she didn''t want to act selfishly and force Xing Bi. But now even thatst wish was fulfilled today. Jun whispered in her ear. "I told you, right? I won''t let any of your wishes remain unfulfilled this time. You will get whatever you want." She softly trembled with tears threatening to escape her eyes. "Thank you, Jun..." Xing Bi said, "I was really shocked with CEO Liu Jun''s offer after the Summit. He asked me if I wanted to join Sky and be Ai''s editor." Ai was speechless. She grinned. "I was so excited that I wanted to fly. To work at the same ce as you and be your editor once again...what else did I want? I agreed in a jiffy and put my resignation in Dream High. But he told me to keep it a secret from you, so I kept my silence. He wanted to surprise you on your first day!" Xing Bi sobbed. "He is such a-" "*Ahem!* Sun Bai cleared her throat. Xing Bi got her cue and turned into a professional mode. "Good boyfriend." Yunruughed. "That sudden serious expression was so funny. Also, Sun Bai. You can rx." Sun Bai politely disagreed with him. "I beg to differ. In the CEO and President''s presence, I strive to maintain decorum and professionalism." "So strict," he stuck out his tongue. "Decorum, President. Don''t stick your tongue out like that," she scolded. "It''s unprofessional." "..." He cried. "You are mean too!" Sun Bai was unfazed. Xing Bi gasped. She scolded the President! She is so cool! Yunru then sheepishly grinned as he looked at Xing Bi. "Well, Xing Bi. I...I am sorry for using you as a thief for all this time. But now I know the truth!" Her gaze darkened recalling Nian''s prank. "It''s okay. It was a misunderstanding. d it is cleared up now," she smiled. "You are the best!" Ai''s delight to work in Sky increased by tenfold now. Two most important people would be by her side. She couldn''t ask for anything more. "Thank you, Jun." "How could I not bring her here when I know how close you two are?" He bent and hushed so that nobody could hear, "When I learned your past and how she supported you through thick and thin, I knew my decision was all the more right." ? All this and the fact that Bro Nian wanted her here too. The day when Nian was cuddling Ai as his buttering machine was when he asked Jun a favor to bring Xing Bi to work at Sky too. He wanted to hog his brother''s usefulness as the Sky CEO and the fact that Ai was his girlfriend. Xing Bi working at his brother''spany equated Nian to getting more chances of getting closer to her. Jun already took care of it, so Nian went home happy. Sorry, Xing Bi. I mean well for you, but Bro Nian won''t leave you anytime soon. "I suddenly felt that you gave me a pitiful look, CEO Liu," Xing Bi blinked. He coughed. "It''s nothing. Today is your first day so take this time to get familiar with Sky and its employees." He then nced at Hou Lin. "Is there anything next in the n?" Hou Lin opened the file that he was carrying. "Yes, Sir. Miss. Zhou is invited to give a writing seminar organized by Shanghai''s central talentmunity, The Creative Sense. Under that, they have The Writer''s House, which is their own writingmunity. Since she won the Summit, Sky has received many requests for Miss. Zhou to give seminars. I selected Shanghai from the list as it has one of thergestmunities alongside Beijing. It will be beneficial for her promotion as an author." "I see." Xing Bi beamed. "A writing seminar for inspiring new authors? That''s so great!" "They are also offering to host a book signing event for Miss. Zhou where she will be giving signed copies of her short story which she told in Summit." Ai took a few moments to grasp his words. "My...my own book signing event?" "Yes. The profit from the event will be shared between Sky and The Writer''s House." Sun Bai added. "It''s a good opportunity, even bigger than Cherry Blossom''s signing event. It was hosted by Dream High. But an event hosted by a popr writingmunity is on a bigger scale. There will be more exposure and arge scale of fan meetings. Also, you would get to meet people not just from the writing world but from other forms like artists, illustrators, painters, drama, music, influencers, etc. Basically people from all creative fields. It''s a good learning opportunity too." Ai trembled with excitement. She remembered that in her past life, this opportunity to go to Shanghai naturally went to Guiying, who had won the Summit. It gave a huge boost to her career, and the gap between her and Guiying only widened. Jun was pleased to hear about this. After the Summit, this was another step towards Ai''s bright writing career. Yunru nodded. "It will be so much fun! So many cool and talented people to meet!" Her face blossomed with bliss. "Indeed. I would love to meet people from other creative sectors too." Hou Lin continued. "It''s like a fest. It will be a stay of three days and three nights. The day allocated to you will be when you give the seminar and for the other two days, you are free to visit other creativemunities if you like. The Creative Sense will sponsor your stay and all the expenses. Do you want to ept the request?" Ai nodded hard. "Yes. I will be really pleased to visit." Xing Bi coughed. "C-Can they amodate one more person?" Yunru merrily answered. "The editor is also invited with the author so you can," he winked. Yes! But she controlled her excitement in front of Sun Bai. "Thank you, President Chen." Jun felt the enthusiasm in the air and smiled too. But there was another grave matter unsettling his heart. The fest in Shanghai. It was around this time when... Chapter ?244 MrPerfects Request Chapter ?244 ''MrPerfect''s'' Request Yunru grabbed Ai''s hand and said, "Now that all the introductions are done, let''s start our fly in the Sky! I will give you an amazing tour~" Xing Bi raised her hand. "I am ready!" Ai said, "You two go ahead. I wille in a few minutes." "Oh, okay. Guess, Bro Jun needs to privately wee you too~" he teased. Sun Bai and Hou Lin bowed too and left. "Yunru, wait," Jun stopped him. "Yes, Bro?" He took a pause and asked, "Does Bro Zixin have any ns to go somewhere?" He blinked. "Hm?" mean, around the time of Shanghai fest." "Oh! He has actually. Bro will be also going to Shanghai for a business trip," though he averted his gaze a secondter. "I see..." "How do you know?" Yunru curiously probed. He smiled. "Nothing. Take Xing Bi and show her the office." "Yeah!" Once left alone, Ai wrapped her arms around his chest and buried her face into it. "Thank you for everything, Jun. Thank you for bringing Xing Bi here. You make each day brighter and brighter for me." Seeing Xing Bi in Sky today made her really feel as if she was flying in the sky. Jun dipped his head and captured her lips into a deep kiss, striking right through her soul. A smile lifted her lips, and she let Jun invade her mouth as he pleased. The heat of his kiss spread across her body, and she gradually felt herself getting dissipated with the sensation of him sucking her lips. With her cheeks turning cherry red, they parted. Ai watched his dark brown pupils and asked, "Is there something bothering you?" "No. I mean...yeah," Jun pulled Ai beside him and took a seat on the couch. "I was thinking about Bro Zixin. He is Yunru''s elder brother and one of my cousins too." "Oh. Why are you worried about him?" "Because of the past life." "Past life?" He nodded. His expression swirled with a sense of crisis recalling the past. "It was during the time of the Shanghai fest that Bro Zixin met with a very dangerous ident." ? Her eyes widened. "How?" The peril in his eyes expressed the anger his heart was overwhelmed with. "It was an ident when a truck crashed into his car. It was cited as break fail in the truck which was why it crashed but upon our investigation, it was a nned ident against Bro Zixin. Currently Bro Zixin ispeting against apany for a big bid, and we found that the culprit was from thatpany who plotted this when Bro won the bid. He bribed that truck driver to do this!" He balled his fingers into a dangerous fist. "It was a horrible ident. A freaking truck smashed his car. The driver and Bro both suffered severe injuries. The driver''s legs were badly crushed, and he could never walk on his own. He had to be in a wheelchair for a long time. As for Bro...Bro Zixin lost all his memories. His head suffered the most serious impact. When he woke up, he remembered nothing about his identity or his family. Uncle Jianyu, Aunt Serena, Yunru, Yubi, Grandaunt and Granduncle...everybody was crushed by this news. We tried everything, but Bro Zixin never got his memory back, at least not until the day I died." Ai held his hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "He slowly epted us and gelled into our family, but he never really remembered us. He was told who his parents were, who his siblings were, but he still couldn''tpletely be a part of us. The memory loss had formed a wall in his heart. Even if we showered him with all the love we could, he still felt the gap between him and us because he remembered nothing." Even now recalling the eyes of his gentle cousin who felt torn apart by the memory loss, pricked his heart with pain. "How it must have felt...to lose all his memories? He must have felt so helpless." Ai noticed her own vision blur. She gently wiped the corner of his moist eye. Jun took a deep breath. "Naturally, we gave that fucker the worst punishment possible! You don''t mess with the Underworld families. But even with his punishment, we could not prevent the pain Bro Zixin suffered..." Ai brought his hand closer to her chest and squeezed his palm. "But this time, it won''t happen, Jun. You will protect Bro Zixin from this ident. You know what is going to happen. There is no way that he will suffer the same fate this time," she said with absolute certainty. Jun''s eyes shone with resilience. "Yes. That bastard Feng Wuhan! He was the one who brought Bro Zixin and the Chen family''s driver to such a pathetic state!" He sneered. "But not anymore. I have already captured Feng Wuhan under the pretext of suspicion. He and that truck driver are in our base right now. As for hispany, I have made all the preparations to make it go bankrupt. He won''t be able to harm Bro this time!" Ai nodded in satisfaction. "Good." Jun rested his head on herp and hugged her waist. "Ai. This time, I will protect everyone dear to me. I won''t let anybody suffer any grievance. My family, Bro Zixin, Yunru, you...I will protect everybody." Ai bent and ced a gentle kiss on his temple. "Yes. And I will always be on your side." -- Dream High. ''Guiying'' clutched the card in her hand and crumpled in her fist. Today, she had received another card from MrPerfect which read, ''How are you? Ever since the Summit, I feel a strange silence from your side. I know the loss must have hit you hard. But know this. I, MrPerfect, shall always be your loyal fan. Nothing can change that. You will always have a special ce in my heart no matter if you win or lose. I know it''s a selfish request from my side. But will you be willing to meet me? There is going to be a festival in Shanghai, and I know you will be there. If you don''t want to, then feel free to throw away this card. But if yes, then I will be waiting for you in front of theke near Hotel GrandCastle. Yours truly, MrPerfect.'' Chapter ?245 You Seem Different Today Chapter ?245 You Seem Different Today ''Guiying''s'' gaze burned with resentment and mockery. She felt a tremble within her as the real Guiying shook to receive a card from MrPerfect. "You don''t learn your lesson, don''t you?" She clenched her jaw. ''Guiying'' tore apart the crumpled card and threw it in the dustbin. Her body tingled with an urge to punch someone. "You bastard! I guess my best friend isn''t enough for you anymore. You hugged her. You kissed her. But you are still sending cards to CherryBlossom?" She burst intoughter. "What a joke! What do you want, MrPerfect? Aren''t you living a cozy life with your girlfriend?" ''She'' remembered the picture going viral where Jun and Ai embraced in an intimate pose. "When you have MissImperfectlyFine, why is CherryBlossom needed? Wasn''t this dumb girl inside me always being used by you? The nerve of you¡­to ask me to meet you¡­" ''she'' narrowed her eyes. "I wonder what you will have to say to me? Isn''t your rtionship already public now? Or do you wish this dumb girl to be your mistress? Screw up two friends together? Hahaha!" ''She'' felt an annoying headache when she felt a protest inside her. took out a cigarette and puffed out a stream of smoke. "Ah, dear. That''s why you are useless. You want to meet him? And then? Is there anything left to talk about at this point? In fact, I want to strangle him. He is cuddling and cozying up to Zhou Ai but secretly sending flowers and cards to Cai Guiying." ''She'' smiled. "But it''s okay if he wants to meet us," she chuckled as she rested her head back on her chair, "I want to see how far can MrPerfect degrade himself? I want to hear what he has to say to me after dering his rtionship with Zhou Ai. It will be so amusing~" The door then opened, and Zhan Yahui stepped in. But as soon as she did, she coughed, feeling the burning smell of cigarettes. "W-what is this?" She waved her hand in the air, trying to dissipate the smoke and kept coughing. "What is going on here?" Her gaze fell on ''Guiying'', who was casually holding the cigarette between her fingers that touched her lips. She stared at her hard before she spoke, "Since when do you smoke, Guiying?" ''She'' raised her brow and smiled. "Zhan Yahui. I always smoked." "What nonsense. I never saw you smoking before," she looked at her dumbfounded. "That''s because I never smoked in front of you before. Does it really matter? It''s not against Dream High rules or anything like that," she smiled. Zhan Yahui slightly squinted her eyes. She felt Guiying acted differently from before. Her expression and her posture seemed oddpared to how Guiying used to normally behave. She nced at her from top to bottom. "...Are you okay? You seem different today." ''Guiying'' shrugged. "Why won''t I be? Life is going so amazing, isn''t it? My best friend won the Summit, and she also has a boyfriend now. All are singing her praises. She is the bing the face of the writing world now. She must be so happy. So tell me, what''s new? Is Dream High giving up on me because I lost the Summit?" "Bullshit! As if I will let them. You are CherryBlossom," Zhan Yahui pointed out. "Nothing can shake your position so easily. Don''t think about useless things." She tilted her head and watched her. She never really talked that way. What''s wrong with her? ? "Anyway, I came to tell you about something." "About the Shanghai festival?" She blinked. "How do you know?" ''Guiying'' peered at her andzily smiled. "Nothing. I just know. So what about it? Am I invited?" Zhan Yahui flipped out the request from The Creative Sense. "Yes. They want you to give a seminar. You didn''t win the Summit, but you still qualified for the finals. Naturally-" ''She'' chuckled. "You pulled some strings, didn''t you? I am not invited. Don''t bother lying." Zhan Yahui said nothing. But she was surprised to see her so sharply asking that question. Even if she wanted to, she couldn''t bluff that Guiying wasn''t really invited. "Winners get it all." Zhan Yahui narrowed her eyes. "You better don''t bring your self-respect here. Even if I have arranged it, you will go to the fest." ''Guiying'' waved her hand. "Chill. I didn''t say that I won''t go. In fact, I have a very strong reason to be there. Seems like somebody else wants me to be there too," she mysteriously smiled. Zhan Yahui raised her brow. "You are¡­really acting differently today." "People change, Zhan Yahui. They don''t stay the same for their entire lives. Otherwise, people keep fooling us the entire time. It''s better to change at the right time rather than regretter," ''she'' sneered. "I told you many times before not to underestimate Zhou Ai, but you were too busy ying your friendship game. At least now, I hope youe back to your senses." Zhan Yahui kept the flyer on the table and said, "Go through it. I will create a n for your seminar soon." "Sure." Zhan Yahui kept her gaze fixed at her for a moment and left. ''Guiying'' never even nced at the flyer. Instead, her mind was somewhere else. "I wonder¡­just how many women have you yed with? I remember something. Wasn''t there someone else who knows you too, MrPerfect? Another women who imed that you two were good friends. But I wonder how much of that is true?" ''she'' mocked in disdain. "After all, MrPerfect''s words look good only on cards but in reality, they are nothing but poison." ''Guiying''zily took her phone and unlocked it. She stared at a certain app on her screen and opened it. The app was updated a day ago, so it asked for the user ID and password again to login for security measures. Staring at the Reading Point app, ''she'' typed the username on the screen - Warlord. Chapter 246 It Will Be Fun Chapter 246 It Will Be Fun Warlord. A username which made people think that it was a guy on the other side of the screen. But the truth was way different. The name and the mannerism belonged to a man, but the gender was that of a woman''s. It had its own history behind its creation which both Guiyings knew. ''Guiying'' opened the personal chat between Warlord and HS - which was Shui''s username on Reading Point. ''She'' went through the chat history and found the part where HS wrote that MrPerfect and her were good friends. "I don''t really think so,'' sheughed. "Who are you trying to fool? I am pretty sure you must you were more than just a friend to him, right? I remember it was MrPerfect who brought you on this forum. Plus your conversation tone reeks that you are a woman. I want to believe that you could be a man, but I don''t think a man like MrPerfect would waste his time on one." ''Guiying''s'' eyes seemed calcting as she thought of something, staring at the chat. She then typed on her keyboard and hit the Send button. ¡ª Han vi. Ever since the meeting between Shui and Jin yesterday, she had hardly stepped out of her room. Apart from eating meals that was too light for it to be even counted, Shui hadn''t met anybody much. ''I hate you, Han Shui.'' As soon as she had returned from the restaurant, she had locked herself in the room and buried her face into the nket, crying hard. She spent a sleepless night where she could think of nothing else but Jin''s eyes filled with hatred and his words that only struck her heart with poison. The sudden change in Jin''s behavior was unfathomable. Jin¡­He was always so gentle and smiling. He always looked at me so affectionately. We alwaysughed together. Then w-why does he hate me? now as she remembered his icy ck eyes that looked at her with disdain, she shuddered and trembled. He was gone before she could even ask what was wrong. They hadn''t fought or argued. So why this sudden hate for her would erupt in his heart? The tears that left her eyes refused to stop. By now, her irises were swollen and reddish. She thought to call Jin countless times, and she tried too. But Jin never picked her calls. Instead, she received his cold reply, ''Don''t call or message me again.'' That crushed her heart akin to a ss shattering into pieces. She silently wailed, her heart filled with pain and grievance. She liked him, but Jin hated her. She would have understood if he might not return her feelings. But hate¡­? That one word brought nothing but immense agony. Her then phone lit up with a message, and widening her eyes, Shui jumped up in expectation. Jin! She hastily unlocked her phone, but that smile soon faded from her lips when she noticed a message on Reading Point. It wasn''t a message from Jin but from Warlord. Her shoulders visibly drooped, feeling let down. She wasn''t in the mood to talk to anybody on chat, but Warlord seemed persistent. [Warlord - Hey, hey! Are you ignoring me!?] Releasing a soft sigh, Shui replied. [HS - Hey¡­Um, if it''s okay, can we talkter?] [Warlord - No, wait! What happened by the way? You don''t seem to be in a good mood. Did you fight¡­perhaps with your friend MrPerfect?] Shui stiffened upon remembering the meeting with Jin yesterday. I don''t know what to call it¡­ ? [HS - It''s nothing. I didn''t fight with him. It''s just I am a little busy these days, so I am tired.] [Warlord - Haha, of course I knew it! You cannot fight with my best buddy! But that man is so busy! We are bros! How dare he ignore me!?] She faintly smiled. [Warlord - Anywayyy. I wanted to ask if you would be free in the uing days~] Shui thought about it. [HS - I guess so¡­Why are you asking?] [Warlord - That''s cool! You heard about the fest that will begin in Shanghai? I wanted you to invite toe over! I am gonna be there too! The members of our group are nning visit. It will be so much fun! And you know what? My idol, CherryBlossom gonna be there too woohooo!] [HS - Oh. It''s nice, but I don''t think I can make it.] [Warlord - Don''t be like thisssss. It''s a fest! It''s gonna be tons of fun. What about MrPerfect? I am sure he gonna be there too? It''s a heaven for us! He was there at my idol''s book signing event too!] Shui wondered about it. As far as she knew, Ai was a writer who won the Author Summit, and there was a good chance she would be a part of the fest. And if his girlfriend would be there, she was sure that Jun would be there as well. [HS - I guess so.] [Warlord - Then youe with him as well~ I will finally get to meet a pretty woman too, hehe¡­] Shui rolled her eyes. [Warlord - Please, please? Everybody isingggg!] Shui''s gaze dimmed. After what happened with Jin, she was in no mood to enjoy and have fun. But she also thought about Jun who would be there. It will be a good time to talk to him¡­ Shui sincerely wanted to apologize to him and even if she could easily meet him at his condo or at Sky, she hesitated. She felt it silly to meet him all the way in Shanghai when they lived in the same city. But she thought that the fest atmosphere might make it easier to break the silence between them. [HS - Fine. I will be there.] [Warlord - Woohoo! Awesome! Will see you in Shanghai then.] [HS - Yeah.] Shui slept back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. A tear trickled out of her eye, thinking about Jin once again. ¡ª ''Guiying'' stared at Shui''s message. She then dropped a message to Cai Lingyun. ''Be at Shanghai fest, big bro.'' She threw her phone on the desk and smiled in satisfaction. "Shanghai will be fun." Chapter ?247 Shanghai Fest Arc (1) : Landing At Shanghai Chapter ?247 Shanghai Fest Arc (1) : Landing At Shanghai The nended at 8.17 AM in Shanghai. Three people stepped out of the airport. Xing Bi was the first to get excited over the uing Shanghai fest. "We are here! I cannot wait to see my Ai shine on the stage!" Yunru, who came after them, carried three luggage bags with his chest huffing and puffing breathlessly. "It''s just a three day trip. Just what have you two women packed in these suitcases?" Xing Bi was quite reserved at first as Yunru was the Sky President but over the few days before they left for Shanghai today, they had actually grown fonder just like Ai and Yunru. With his chirpy personality, he had himself reduced the distance between them. "Hey. Being a woman is tough," Xing Bi righteously said, "From clothes to skin care to hygiene care to emergency supplies, there is a lot of stuff to pack." Ai seriously nodded. Yunru sobbed. "Wish Bro Jun would have been here. He would have helped me. You two are bullying this cute and handsome young man!" Xing Biughed. Ai checked her phone which buzzed with a message from Jun. ''Have younded? Are you okay? Are you feeling sick? Do you need to go to the hospital? Tell Yunru anything you need, and he will do it for you.'' softly smiled with his concern. Jun stayed back at Beijing for sometime to make sure that Feng Wuhan would absolutely cause no trouble and have a strict eye on him in the Underworld base. No way he wanted Zixin to go through the same ident again. So the trio went ahead while Jun decided toe to Shanghai with ater flight. But he was restless. With Ai''s fear of heights, he wanted to stay by her side. But Ai reassured him that with Yunru and Xing Bi around, she would be fine. Though she did face dizziness as the ne took flight and throughout the whole journey, Jun hardly let her feel any of it by his continuous string of messages. That was Jun''s way of diverting her mind from her fear. She thought it was so cute that she wished to rush back to his side and hug him. Xing Bi and Yunru shamelessly peeked into her phone and saw the onught of Jun''s back to back messages. "Oh my God, you are so lovey-dovey! You were just talking to him during the whole flight. And look at this message? It''s so cute and thoughtful!" Yunru grinned. "Bro Jun is the sweetest!" Xing Bi asked, "But why is he so worried about you getting sick? It was just a flight." Ai coughed. "I...I am a little afraid of heights." She widened her eyes. "Huh? Really? Why don''t I know this? And here I thought I knew everything about you! Jun knows, but I don''t...That''s not fair," she pouted. Ai quickly hugged her. "It''s not like that. I-I just couldn''t bring that up until now." "Oof. I was just kidding. I can never be mad at my Ai," she hugged her back. "Aish, I feel envious. Wish I had such a handsome man to be lovey-dovey with." "I am here, Xing Biiiiiii!" A hyper excited voice came from behind them. The trio stiffened. Why do I feel I heard a very, very familiar voice? Nian dashed and appeared before them in a sh with a wide and cheerful grin on his lips. "Xing Bi, you asked for me and I am right here! You don''t have to feel jealous of Jun and Ai anymore because we will have our own lovey-dovey time, hehe..." The trio - "..." Ai asked, surprised, "You are here too?" "I am there wherever my Xing Bi is~" Yunru puked three litres of blood. He stared at him, aghast. ? "W-what? Are you really in love with her?" Nian red at him. "Do you have any doubts?" Xing Bi watched him with her jaw dropped. "How...Just how are you here?" "By taking the same flight as you!" He beamed. "Though I hid myself so that you don''t catch me and get off the ne." "..." "I was sitting two aisles behind you," he narrowed his eyes as he shot a re at Yunru, "and I haven''t forgotten how chummy you acted with my Xing Bi! Yunru, you are dead meat! Don''t forget that she will be your sister-inw in the future! Keep your distance!" Yunru and Xing Bi were left speechless. "Hey! Who said I will marry you?" She red her nostrils. "Get out of your dream!" "How can I? Isn''t this such a beautiful chance for us to go on a date and get all cuddly with each other?" He shyly said. She sneered. "And how many times have I rejected your date requests? You don''t learn." "It''s called not giving up," Nian defended himself. "You got angry when I took Ai''s help to cajole you. So, I have decided to do things my way without relying on Ai to win you," he proudly said. Xing Bi smiled. "And how will you do that?" Nian sheepishly grinned. "Well for now, I can only think of stalking you till I make a very special ce in your heart~" "..." Xing Bi had imagined an awesome time with Ai, but now there was a huge roadblock in front of her who was totally grinning as if nothing was wrong. Ai cleared her throat. "Well-" Her phone rang with a sudden call from Jun. Somehow from the ringtone, she could sense Jun''s displeasure seeping through it. I forgot to reply to him... She quickly picked up, and he immediately fired back-to-back questions. "Why didn''t you reply? Did you feel so sick that you fainted? Where are you? Where are Yunru and Xing Bi? Are they not beside you? Are you alone?" "..." Ai felt heavily guilty. "I-I am fine, Jun! You don''t have to worry. I just forgot..." "...How can you forget!?" Jun answered as he scolded her, "I was waiting for your reply but you didn''t give one, and I wondered if something was wrong. Do you know how worried I was?" "I am really sorry," Ai sincerely apologized. "It''s just that Nian suddenly popped in front of us, and it flew-" "Who?" "Nian." "Who?" Her brow twitched. "Your brother, Liu Nian. He is also in Shanghai. He was on the same flight as us, stalking after Xing Bi." There was a long, long pause after which Jun yelled, "The hell you doing there, Bro Nian!?" Chapter 248 Shanghai Fest Arc (2) : The Seminar Schedule Chapter 248 Shanghai Fest Arc (2) : The Seminar Schedule It was quite an ugly confrontation between Jun and Nian over the phone. It was actually ugly only on Jun''s side. Nian wasughing without a care in the world. Yunru sighed. "Ah. Bro Nian is gonna be buried in hell. Bro Jun will make sure of it." Xing Bi raised her hand. "I am all in favor of that! How dare he stalk me?" Nian came back all cheery after talking to Jun and handed the phone back to Ai. "Done!" "What did he say?" She asked. "What will he say? What can he say? I am staying right here," Nian winked. "You see, dear sister-inw. People often forget that I am the elder brother here~" "That''s because you mostly don''t like one in anybody''s eyes," Ai mercilessly stabbed his little heart. "..." Yunruughed hard. "Ahahaha! That was cool!" "Shut up, Yunru! You want me to beat you up?" He grabbed him by his neck. "Ah, ah! This is violence!" Bi felt her soul leave her body. It''s gonna be a tough three days¡­ "Xing Bi, it''s gonna be an awesome three days! I will definitely make you love me back!" He dered. "Just wait and watch." ¡ª They stepped into the GrandCastle hotel where The Creative Sense had already made reservations for their stay. Normally, Xing Bi and Ai would have shared a room but with Juningter, it was pretty much obvious that he and Ai would stay together. Ai put her luggage on the side and went to the bathroom to freshen up. Patting her face with the soft, moist towel, she sat on the bed and unlocked her phone. She contemted for a moment and then grinned as she raised her phone up. *Click* She clicked a selfie, showing the room in the background and put the caption, ''This will be our room for the next three days. It''s so pretty.'''' "And send." It was hardly fifteen secondster that Jun already replied. ''I see prettyfortable spots there for making out~'' Ai choked in her throat and coughed hard. Her ears turned red, and she swiftly pressed her fingers on the keyboard. ''You¡­We are here for work.'' She conscientiously nodded to herself. *Ding* ''My girlfriend who was openly seducing me at her mother''s house hardly has any right to speak righteously.'' "..." She could imagine the sneer on his lips as he must have replied. ''Don''t worry. We will have all our fill here which we couldn''t do over there.'' The redness from her ears spread to her neck. She thought that making love in a hotel room would be a different experience, and her mind wandered off to not so innocent thoughts. Ai pursed her lips and typed inint. ''Don''t corrupt me. I need to go now. Bye!'' She softly harrumphed. She stepped out of her room where Xing Bi, Yunru and Nian were already set to leave. ? Xing Bi''s gaze glimmered with excitement "Let''s go! The car is all ready to take us to The Creative Sense! There, we will get your schedule too. Ah, I cannot wait." Yunru quickly said, "Wait, wait! I will be back in a moment." He quickly walked towards the reception desk and spoke to the receptionist for a minute. Then he nodded and came back. Nian raised his brow. "Hooo. What''s with this secret talk? Let me in too!" He coughed. "It''s nothing." Nian strangled his cousin. "Don''t dare to hide anything from me. I am your big brother!" "You will¡­kill me!" He breathlesslyined. "Well¡­I cannot reveal it now. Somebody else ising to Shanghai too, and he wille out on his own once his work is done." Ai''s ears perked up in curiosity. "Oh? Is it a surprise?" He scratched his chin. "Even I don''t really know. Br- *cough cough!* I mean he didn''t give me much information. But, he is definitely excited about it." "Spill out the name!" Nian smacked him hard on his head. "I promised him I won''t! I won''t bend to your tyranny, Bro Nian!" Xing Bi separated them. "Oof! Let him do as he pleases. If he has promised, then it''s not good to break it. Now, let''s go. The driver is waiting for us!" ¡ª The Creative Sense was a huge skyscraper building which made Ai feel as if it touched the sky. She felt dizzy with the height illusion and quickly looked away. As they stepped inside, they witnessed a sea of people darting from one ce to another. Some had a guitar case on their back or holding some sort of a musical instrument while some carried a drawing case. At one corner, there was a whole setup of cameras and shooting equipment where people were posing and reciting lines. The ce was bright, colorful and cheery and filled with artistic enthusiasm and vigor. Xing Bi collected a file from the organizingmittee and eagerly brought it forward. "Hmm. Let''s see¡­" she scanned through the pages and found the section for The Writer''s House. "Got it. Ai''s seminar is tomorrow! That means, today you are free!" Yunru beamed. "Cool. Then today is a fun day!" Nian nudged his arm on her elbow. "That means today is our date day!" "No. Today is your funeral day," she shot back. "..." Xing Bi randomly flipped the page and widened her eyes as she recognized a name on the list too. "This¡­" Ai asked, "What happened?" "Cai Guiying''s name is also here." "Huh? Guiying?" "Yeah. It says here that CherryBlossom will also give a seminar. That will be on the third day. I guess she was also invited then¡­" she felt a little bitter about that though she didn''t have any personal beef with her. Did Zhan Yahui y some connections from the back? Ai scrunched her brows. As far as she remembered, only the Summit''s winner was invited in the past life. But this time, it changed. "I see." Nian frowned. "Oh. So that other author and that other editor is also here? Xing Bi. You stay by my side. I didn''t like the way the other editor talked to you that night. So, I will protect you!" His eyes sparkled. Chapter ?249 Shanghai Fest Arc (3) : Meeting Cai Lingyun Chapter ?249 Shanghai Fest Arc (3) : Meeting Cai Lingyun "I will be just fine," she smacked the file on Nian''s head. "She is just Zhan Yahui. Don''t be so dramatic. You just want a reason to get cozy with me! Do that, and I will throw you away!" "In your heart?" Nian dreamily grinned. "..." Yunru gave a disdainful look. "Bro Nian. Your cheesiness is disgusting." "Shut up. Don''t act Jun part two!" Ai chuckled. "Anyway. Since we are here, let''s not waste time and look around." Which proved to be a tad difficult when Ai got lost. Everything was going smoothly, and they visited floor by floor to enjoy the fest. There was music and dancing and it was chaotic, but it was fun. Ai being the curious cat, stopped at several ces wherever she found something interesting. It was not just a great ce to enjoy and rx, but with so much energy in the air and the different forms of art and creativity flowing in the atmosphere, it was a great source of inspiration for her as a writer. She had a small notebook and a pen in her hand which she used to jot down any sh of imagination she got. Somewhere the music touched her heart, somewhere the dance clicked her heels in rhythm and somewhere a beautiful picture brought tears to her eyes. Along the way, she met many people who recognized her as the Summit''s winner and chatted with her. was a warm and pleasant experience, and she wished Jun could be with her too. This was when Ai got left behind as she admired a painting on the wall. She got so mesmerized with it that she failed to realize when Xing Bi, Nian and Yunru already left. The trio also didn''t notice and assumed that she was following them. Ai at the moment - "..." Where did everybody go? She looked around but found them nowhere. Sighing, she took out her phone to call Xing Bi but failed to see anywork. She then noticed that a few others too wereining about the coverage area. She thought it was better to wait rather than moving around and causing more confusion. Maybe Yunru or Nian wille back looking for me? So she stayed put. "Ai?" She turned and as her eyes fell on a particr figure who called her out, her eyes widened with shock. "Bro...Lingyun?" She was taken aback by Cai Lingyun''s sudden presence. She blinked her eyes rapidly. She thought back to the past life and remembered how Cai Lingyun''s affection and bias towards her resulted in Guiying''s worsening hatred for her. She was used of stealing his affection that Guiying deserved. It was one of the reasons that brought a crack into their friendship. It was the first time in this life that Ai was personally meeting him. "...Hello." Why is he here? Oh...is he here to support Guiying with her seminar? Whatever the reason was, Ai decided to keep her distance from him. She didn''t want Guiying to see them together and misunderstand that her brother was ying favorites. This time, she won''t let the tragedy repeat. Cai Lingyun''s demeanor brightened upon seeing Ai. "Ai! I finally get to see you. It''s been such a long time...How are you?" His voice held a trace of longing and warmth. ? Ai nodded. "I am doing well." "Haha, I can see that. Oh! Congrattions for winning the Summit! I am so proud of you!" "Thank you," she eyed him, "What are you doing here?" "Guiying told me about her seminar and that you will be here too," he grinned. "I just returned from my business trip and wanted to meet you anyway. So we came to Shanghai together." He nced around searching if he could see Jun anywhere, but he didn''t. He couldn''t help but feel relieved. Cai Lingyun smiled. "What are you standing here for? Come with me. Guiying is on the other side. Let''s watch the fest together," he chuckled. Ai politely declined. "No, it''s okay. You carry on. I am already here with somebody. We got separated, so I am waiting here for them." He slightly stiffened and felt an uneasy itch in his chest. "Oh? Oh! It must be Xing Bi," heughed. "Guiying is also with Zhan Yahui after all. No worries. Why not have a coffee over there?" "Xing Bi will get worried if she doesn''t find me-" He waved his hand. "Come on. You are not a child. The cafe is right beside this area. She will find you easily. We have met after such a long time! I want to talk to you." Ai pursed her lips. With so much insistence, she found it hard to refute. She couldn''t exactly say that she was avoiding him because of her past life. "I..." "Why are you hesitating so much? We have known each other since you and Guiying were in high school," heughed. "I am the same Cai Lingyun, not a ghost." In the end, Ai agreed but only temporarily. She decided to give an excuseter on to quickly leave. Giving the coffee order, Cai Lingyun asked, "So, what''s going on? I am sorry I couldn''t watch the Summit. It was too hectic at work. But I am so d that you won. You deserve it." "Thank you." "Oh yeah! I bought a gift for you. Good that we met." He eagerly took out the gift from his bag and slid it across the table. Ai stared at the gift. "No. I cannot ept this." "Of course you do. You won the Summit after all," he gasped. "Take it. I have always bought gifts for you and Guiying, haven''t I?" "That was before," she replied without any reservation, "That was when we were only high school students. But now, I really cannot ept it. Your wishes are enough for me." Cai Lingyun looked at her in disbelief. "You don''t have to be so shy. You are important to me as much as Guiying is to me." Ai nced at him. "...Guiying should be more important to you, bro Lingyun. She is your sister. I am just her friend. You don''t have to keep me in the same position as hers. She is your family first. That''s why all these gifts and attention...Guiying should have it rightfully. As for me," she smiled with warmth and tenderness, "I have a very special person in my life to take care of me." Chapter 250 Shanghai Fest Arc (4) : Mr. Lius Jealousy Chapter 250 Shanghai Fest Arc (4) : Mr. Liu''s Jealousy Cai Lingyun watched her eyes and felt a stifling sensation grappling his heart. He just felt relieved that the supposed boyfriend was nowhere here. But Ai''s words said otherwise. The waiter brought the coffee mug, and Cai Lingyun thanked him. He subconsciously held the mug handle a little tighter. "A special person..." Ai nodded. "Yes. He is my boyfriend. Liu Jun." At that moment, he felt as if he was dropped into icy, cold water. He had already heard and seen it from Guiying but listening to it from Ai''s mouth felt a sharp jab to his heart. "So it''s really true..." She looked up and furrowed her brows. "What do you mean?" looked at her and said, "I mean, he is the Sky CEO, right?" "Yes." "A-and that picture in the library..." "Oh. A college student asked if she could take one," she smiled. "Ai. You...are you really sure about this?" She blinked. "What do you mean?" "I mean your rtionship. Isn''t it going too fast? I don''t know how you and Liu Jun got...closer, but I don''t think he is not right for you. Ai, you two are from totally different worlds!" Ai frowned. "It''s not different at all. We are actually from the same world. We have so many things inmon. That''s how we slowly bonded in the first ce." He shook his head. "You are not getting it, Ai. I don''t mean by your likes and dislikes. Your families, your status. There is a whole world of a wide gap between you two. He is from a wealthy and influential family. How can you ever match up to him? Do you even know how young masters like him act? He might be infatuated with you right now, but he will dump you the very next moment he finds a more suitable woman! They don''t treat people from our ss with high regard, certainly not for marriage!" Ai narrowed her eyes. "You are totally wrong, bro Lingyun. I know you might be worried about me. But I know Jun. That''s why I chose him. I also know his brothers and cousin," she thought about Yunru, Jian and Nian, "They are far from your assumed image of young masters. If you ever meet them, you won''t even recognize that they are from any rich family. They are just like us. I am not saying there aren''t such families that discriminate. But Jun or his family isn''t one of them." He became more restless. "Ai, you are getting blinded by him. What has he promised that you are acting like this? Money? Status?" "No," she calmly stated. "He has promised me a life of love, warmth and protection. That''s what I want. I am not chasing after his money or status." ? "No. I am not using you, Ai. I am saying that all that glitters is not gold." "But the love that sparkles in his eyes for me is." He froze. "Bro Lingyun. You cannot judge Jun without even meeting him. That''s not fair. You are just imposing your assumed image upon him." "Then what about the whole giarism scandal?" Cai Lingyun pointed out. "You chose such a person to be your boyfriend who brought you into such a mess!? Your whole career could have gotten ruined!" She seriously countered. "That was my mistake. Jun only reacted that was in my best interests, and that was expected. He didn''t put me in any trouble. In fact, my lie troubled him and Sky." "Is that why you left Dream High? Because of him? Because he is your boyfriend?" He felt bitter and ufortable. "Do you know how shocking it was for me to know that you left Dream High? Guiying and you always stayed together. High school, starting your writing career and then you two joined Dream High together. Suddenly, you left all of that for a man?" Ai''s pupils ever so slightly flickered. "No, bro Lingyun. I didn''t leave all of that just for Jun. It''s because I realized that Guiying and I are not high school students anymore. It''s fun to imagine that we would live doing everything together. It was an innocent wish. But it''s impossible to achieve. Sometimes...distance is more necessary than togetherness. Sometimes, that''s what saves a friendship rather than destroying it." She trembled thinking about the past life and the grief she had gone through. Ai said, "I will leave. Xing Bi must be looking for me." His eyes widened. "Wait! Ai, if Jun is really so special and good that you im him to be, then why isn''t he here with you now? Was it because he thought it''s too low for the Sky CEO to be a part of this fest for a small seminar?" He expressed with denunciation. "It''s because I had toe with the next flight. There is no way that Jun won''t be there where his Ai is," A chilling voice immediately dropped the temperature of the cafe, filling it with a freeze. Jun''s dark brown and angry gaze fell on the back of the man who was seemingly pestering Ai and refusing to let go of her. His finger bones cracked with an itch to grab his neck and bang his head on the floor until he bled to his death. Ai looked up, and the whole dimness from just a moment ago dissipated as if it was never even there. "Jun!" Her small face lit up with delight, and she blitzed her way to hug him. "You are here." He narrowed his eyes at her and pinched her cheek, hugging her back. "I am. And the first thing I see is you having coffee with a strange man I have never seen before. I think you would have figured out my jealousy meter by now and how I absolutely detest somebody else hovering around you." She defended herself. "I just apanied him. I didn''t have coffee with him. I was just waiting for Xing Bi." He sneered. "And that''s supposed to cajole me somehow? Clearly, you still don''t understand how my jealousy works exactly." Chapter ?251 Shanghai Fest Arc (5) : Mr. Liu Slapping Dream High Jun narrowed his eyes and bored his gaze at the man''s back. "Who is he who thinks he can act so close towards you?" Ai patted his head. "Don''t be mad. He is Cai Lingyun, Guiying''s brother." That only turned his expression uglier and his gaze several shades darker. "Her brother? What is he doing here?" At that moment, Cai Lingyun turned and faced him. As Jun met his gaze, he stared at him, his eyes slowly widening. Cai Lingyun stiffened as he noticed Ai clinging onto his arm. Jealousy erupted in his heart, and his expression slightly twisted. Ai said, "He is Liu Jun. My boyfriend. He had some work to do, so he came with ater flight." "I see¡­" He nced up at him and tried to smile. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Liu." But Jun didn''t respond. He just kept staring at him silently with an unreadable expression. Cai Lingyun wasn''t sure why he was so deathly quiet. He could feel that Jun was thinking hard about something as his gaze was fixed upon him. "Jun?" Ai tilted her head, observing his solemn expression. He stirred out of his daze. "You are¡­Cai Lingyun?" "Yes. I am Guiying''s older brother and have known Ai since she was in high school. We are quite close," he made it a point to point that out. Jun narrowed his eyes and smiled. "Sure but you cannot be as close to her as me. After all, I am her boyfriend which is way different than being a brother to her, right? Ai always told me how you always took care of her as an older brother. I appreciate that. But now I am here with her, and her boyfriend is very capable." Cai Lingyun stiffened. His words struck right through his heart like a poisonous arrow. "Since Ai has me now, you are free to focus on your sister," Jun''s voice turned chilly and full of warning. "Look after her. I just don''t want thepetition to ruin their friendship. Ai will be very hurt if Cai Guiying grows distant or¡­does something inappropriate." He widened his eyes. "You are talking about my sister. She and Ai are best friends. Of course, nothing wille between them." Ai remained silent at that while Jun smiled. "Hope so. You never know when people change. Sometimes what we hold dearly to us turns out to be fickle for the other person." Jun took another chair opposite him and studied him from head to toe. "What do you do, Cai Lingyun?" He frowned at his inquisitiveness. "I work in apany as the Senior Analyst." "Do you know anybody named Tang Gengxin?" Cai Lingyun looked more and more bewildered. "Never even heard of that name." Ai was also wondering why Jun was asking these questions. Jun squinted his eyes. "Are you sure? That name doesn''t ring a bell at all?" "No. What are you getting at?" Jun observed his facial expression and said, "Nothing. Anyway, I heard you two were talking about me," he folded his arms and stared at him. "Seems that you are dissatisfied about something." Cai Lingyun nced between Jun and Ai and smiled. "I was just concerned about Ai. Her rtionship with you came as a shock to me." "What is there to be so shocked about?" Jun tilted his head. "Is it so strange that we love each other?" "...Not strange. But I cannot help but get worried. You are the CEO and a rich young master while of course, you know Ai''s background which doesn''t really gel with your world. The future seems¡­" He left it unsaid, a doubtful expression cast on his face. Jun raised his brow. "Bro." Jun and Ai watched Guiying and Zhan Yahui arrive. Though Ai already knew that she was going to be a part of this fest, Jun was angrily surprised that Guiying made her way here as well. "You are here. We were searching for you on the third floor." ''Guiying'' also noticed the couple and smiled. "Ai." Ai kept a polite smile and nodded. "Guiying." "And¡­Mr. Liu Jun," ''She'' tilted her head. "I think this is the first time we are properly meeting like this. I did see Ai and your picture on Weibo. Hahaing to know that Ai was dating you was so shocking. I didn''t even know when she got a boyfriend." ''She'' thought she will MrPerfect like he requested near theke, but she didn''t expect to meet him sooner. Ai said nothing. Jun silently clenched his fist remembering all the injustice Ai had to suffer because of her. "You two siblings are really so simr. Both of you find our rtionship questionable when it''s just perfectly fine." ''Guiying'' narrowed her eyes. "Perfectly fine you say¡­but at what cost I wonder?" "Excuse me?" "Nothing." Jun despised her sight and sneered. "It''s surprising to see you here. Guess the management team decided to let in the Summit''s finalists too apart from the obvious winner." Ai slightly coughed. That was a direct insult said indirectly. He clearly expressed how only Ai deserved to be here and not her, which also pointed out a possible backdoor connection for Guiying toe here. Zhan Yahui expressionlessly countered. "Don''t you think that the finalists of such a prestigious Summit deserve to be invited too?" "Don''t you think that my girlfriend should have gotten a chance to do her book signing event which somehow Dream High never bothered to host?" Jun dryly shot back. Zhan Yahui said nothing. Jun chuckled. "You won''t say anything because CherryBlossom was DreamHigh''s star then. She deserved it, right? So it was okay if Dream High never bothered with Ai. But now that the situation has reversed, you will conveniently say that Cai Guiying still deserves to be invited to the fest. Nice. Whether she wins or loses, she should have everything and get all the chances to shine. But for Ai, the rule suddenly changes. And then people ask Ai why she left Dream High? Because clearly something and somewhere is going wrong. Or¡­somebody is purposely making things wrong for my girlfriend," his voice lowered with a deadly ring to it. Chapter 252 Shanghai Fest Arc (6) : We Already Accept Zhou Ai Chapter 252 Shanghai Fest Arc (6) : We Already ept Zhou Ai ''Guiying'' stared at Jun with wonder and appalled. ''She'' had no romantic interest in MrPerfect. But ''she'' couldn''t believe that the man who sent her a card and asked to meet in Shanghai was tantly humiliating her in front of Ai. Rage bubbled in her heart as her nails dug the soft flesh of her palm. So, there was no meaning behind calling me to meet me. You just wanted to insult me. You have crossed all your limits, MrPerfect¡­ Zhan Yahui noticed her trembling and whispered, "Calm down, Guiying. You don''t have to take his words to heart. You are still a star." Don''t take his words to heart? How can I when this very man sitting right in front of me is showing how true-faced he is! Cai Lingyun gritted his teeth. "You are going too far, Mr. Liu. Guiying is my sister. Ai," he anxiously shifted his gaze at her, "Will you not say anything to him? Guiying is your best friend, and he is openly humiliating her. Do you think you can be happy with a man who insults your friend and your dear ones?" Jun felt irked at the phrasing of his words. Dear ones¡­Are you pointing at yourself? Ai was about to answer when Cai Lingyun spoke, "I told you, Ai. His world is very different. Today, he is not respecting the ones you care about and tomorrow, he won''t respect you. Forget about him. What about his family? Such a wealthy family like theirs will never ept you!" says that? The Liu family does ept Ai," a voice sounded from a distance which was filled with a hint of amusement mixed with chilliness. The trio of Nian, Xing Bi and Yunru who had lost Ai came back in search of her. But they had an additional member with them as they came. It was Nian who spoke as hezily took a chair and sat beside Ai. "Sister-inw!" Yunru jumped to hug her. "Where were you? Do you know how worried we got when we didn''t see you? And then we couldn''t call you either! Xing Bi''s condition was even worse!" Xing Bi turned her head left and right and nodded in satisfaction. "Good. There is such a huge crowd here. You scared me there," she sighed in relief. Ai quickly assured them. "I am fine. I am sorry. I got lost in admiring a painting." Nian looked up and down at Cai Lingyun and smiled. "I don''t know who you are and neither do I want to know. But you don''t have to worry about the Liu family not epting Ai. I am Liu Nian, her future brother-inw and from the Liu family''s behalf, I say that we already ept her." He stiffened. Ai stared at Nian with warmth enveloping her heart. Xing Bi''s ears perked up by the way he defended and stood up for Ai and cleared her throat. Good that he said that or I would have thrown him out from the balcony¡­ Yunru puffed up his cheeks and harrumphed. "I am Chen Yunru, Bro Jun''s cousin and the Chen family epts sister-inw Zhou Ai too! My grandmother even wanted to pair her with Bro Zixin." Jun''s mouth heavily twitched. Ai gave a simr reaction. Grandpa Liu wanted to match me with Jin. Grandma Chen had simr thoughts? Ai looked at Jun. "Yunru''s grandmother¡­" He replied. "She is Grandpa''s younger sister." ? "..." No wonder. Nian smiled. "So you see, you don''t have to worry about Ai''s happiness. She has a big family to look after her. You say that our worlds are different, but I guess you are ignorant of who our mother is." Cai Lingyun blinked. "She wasn''t from an influential or wealthy family. She ran her own small restaurant which my brother and sister have taken over now. Even my grandmother wasn''t rich. But you don''t have any idea just how much Grandpa and Dad dote on them. They are wife ves. There is no concept of rich and poor in our family, so there is no way that we will reject Ai based on her status. Hah! If we do that, Mom and Grandma will throw us out of the house! They are the cool Bosses, and we are at their mercy." Cai Lingyun smiled ufortably. "I¡­I see." Ai''s eyes glistened with thrill. "That feels so wonderful." Jun looked at her disdainfully. "You look too excited for some reason, my dear girlfriend. Is the ''ve'' part that interesting?" She sincerely defended herself. "What do you mean? I think the Bosses part is cooler." Nian snorted. "Ignore him. He just acts like that, but he is already your ve." "Shut up, Bro! You are not even supposed to be here!" "Hey! I am always there wherever my Xing Bi is!" That earned him a smack on his head. "Stop addressing me as ''my Xing Bi.''" He grinned. "But you looked so happy to be in my arms just a few minutes ago~" "That was because somebody pushed me, and I slipped. Don''t think of any ideas," she smacked him again. "Ow!" ''Guiying'' and Cai Lingyun witnessed the banter and chitter and chatter with their hearts burning in resentment. For Cai Lingyun, Ai seemed as if she had already gone far away and formed her own world where he wasn''t a part of it at all. He didn''t even realize when this distance suddenly formed between them. As for ''Guiying'', she wished to tear Jun''s smiling face apart. That won''t be for long, Liu Jun. Your happiness won''tst for long! Ai then noticed a familiar presence standing behind Yunru and was taken aback in surprise. "Shi Huan¡­? MysticMidnight. You are here too. I am sorry I didn''t notice you there." She observed her gaze which was watching in Guiying''s direction and was reminded of the time when she was simrly staring at her table during the Summit. Shi Huan broke her gaze and looked at her. "Hello. You don''t have to apologize. It''s nice to meet you." Chapter ?253 Shanghai Fest Arc (7) : MysticMidnight Chapter ?253 Shanghai Fest Arc (7) : MysticMidnight Ai beamed. "It''s a pleasure to meet you too. How is your health now? I am sorry that you couldn''t be a part of the finals," she pursed her lips in disappointment. Shi Huan took a pause and smiled. "I am much better now. And I don''tment being disqualified. It''s an honor to even reach the finals." ''Guiying'' was getting annoyed at their interaction and more so because they werepletely ignoring them. Zhan Yahui held her arm. "Let''s go. We don''t have any more time to spend here." Jun narrowed his eyes. His gaze fell on Cai Lingyun again, seemingly feeling disturbed by his presence. Cai Lingyun didn''t want to leave, but it was clear that Ai won''t being with them. The light in his eyes flickered with distaste and difort. Ai stared at ''Guiying'' who was looking back at her with hostility in her eyes. It was the same resentment that caused a rift between them in the past life. But she didn''t understand why she looked so different? Guiying feels different today...Until the Summit night, she was smiling and friendly. But now she looks indifferent. Is it because of Bro Lingyun? Worry filled her heart. It wasn''t that she yearned for Guiying''s friendship anymore, but she also didn''t wish for them to have any differences and be neutral and civil. Zhan Yahui finally pulled them away, throwing a squinted gaze at their group before leaving. Cai Lingyun also followed them reluctantly. Ai brought her attention back to Shi Huan who looked visibly morefortable now that Guiying had left. Strange, Ai thought. Do Shi Huan and Guiying know each other? Huan said, "Congrattions for winning the Summit." "Thank you. How did you all meet?" Nianughed. "Hahahaha!" Jun grimaced. "What is so funny about that?" Xing Bi coughed while Yunru blushed furiously. He eximed. "It''s nothing at all! We just bumped into each other!" Nian chuckled. "But how is the main question~" "Shut up Bro Nian! If you say another word, then I will curse your love story!" "Hey! Respect your elders!" Ai and Jun curiously leaned in. "Now, we want to know what happened. I never saw Yunru acting so flustered." "I-It''s nothing!" Shi Huan shrugged and answered. "Indeed it''s nothing much. He just identally grabbed my chest." "..." "..." Yunru felt the silence that crushed his heart. "It''s not like what you are imagining!" His cheeks reddened like a tomato. "Listen to my story!" *shback* "Where is Ai!?" Xing Bi was looking around everywhere but couldn''t see her. "She got lost? I didn''t even realize!" She gasped. Yunru quickly said, "Calm down. Let me call her." But the call didn''t connect. In the end, they had no choice but to go back and fetch her. Along the way, a woman bumped into Xing Bi, who tripped andnded directly into Nian''s arms. He effortlessly held her waist and supported her, a garden of flowers instantly surrounding his head. Xing Bi is in my arms...Ah, she is so soft... A silly and perverted smile lifted his lips, but it soon disappeared when she stepped on his foot. "How dare you take advantage of me!?" "But I was just holding you!" He cried. "More than you should have," her nostrils red, "And I felt your hands wandering on my waist. Pervert!" ? "N-no, I was just protecting my Xing Bi. How could I let you fall? So, I was tightly holding onto you," he nodded sincerely. Yunru rolled his eyes and left them to bicker while he searched for Ai. From a distance, he noticed someone''s back and hair that looked simr to Ai''s figure. Even the dress color matched. He beamed and rushed towards her. "Sister-inw!" Then two things happened. The woman turned, and a passer by''s bagpack hit Yunru, making him lean over the woman. His hand identally touched her chest, making Yunru gasp in horror. I-I-I...What I am touching!? I am so dead! "S-S-Sorry-" But as he looked down, he noticed that she wasn''t Ai at all. Shi Huan nced at his hand that was on her chest and then back at him, who was staring back at her with his jaw dropped. "Well..." she said. He immediately pulled his hand back, steam escaping from his face. "I...I...I..." She...she is MysticMidnight, right? The third author to reach finals in the Summit and who is from Shi Publishing? "It w-was an ident...I wasn''t trying to harass you! I respect women a lot!" He wanted to kill himself. The touch of her chest against his palm made his ears burn. "It''s alright. I saw what happened," Shi smiled. "It''s not your fault. There is just too much crowd here." "Tsk, tsk. You have a dirty mind, Yunru," Nian teased as he walked to his side. "It cannot be dirtier than you who was clearly taking Xing Bi''s advantage! Back off! Leave me alone!" Yunru cried and ran away, unable to shake that embarrassing incident off his mind. *Present* Ai burst intoughter when she finally couldn''t hold it in. "I see. Indeed, our dress colors are simr. It''s not your fault if you mistook her for me, Yunru." Jun chuckled and shook his head. Yunru wiped his eyes. "Sister-inw...." He cleared his throat and said without looking at Shi Huan, "I will apologize once again for outraging your modesty! Y-you can p me if you are angry." "..." Shi Huan was speechless. "It''s alright already. I know you didn''t do it on purpose." Ai smiled. "It''s really good to meet you here." She gave a dry smile. "I wasn''t supposed to be here, but Mom insisted I do. I didn''t even qualify for the finals, but...she can get very persistent." Clearly, Shi Huan wasn''t in favor ofing here through her connections. Ai shook her head. "I am d that she was. I wanted to meet you again." She smiled. Ai then curiously asked, "By the way, do you know Guiying personally?" Shi Huan blinked. "Cai Guiying? No, I don''t." "You don''t? But I thought you were looking at her as if you knew her already. Even at the Summit and now. So..." She tilted her head thoughtfully. Then it clicked her, and she said, "You thought I was staring at Cai Guiying? I wasn''t. I was looking at Zhan Yahui." Jun asked, "Her editor? Why?" Shi Huan took a pause after which she said, "Because we know each other. She is my half-sister." Chapter 254 Shanghai Fest Arc (8) : The Shi Familys Secret Chapter 254 Shanghai Fest Arc (8) : The Shi Family''s Secret "Huh?" Ai stared at her with confusion written all over her face. "Half-sister?" Yunru and Xing Bi also didn''t hide the disbelief in their expressions. "Zhan Yahui? Zhan Yahui? Your Half-sister?" "Yes," Shi Huan replied. "Though I am not supposed to tell this to anybody." "..." "Then why did you tell me?" Ai asked. She stared at her. "Honestly, I don''t know. But I felt like I could reveal it to you. I liked talking to you at the Summit. I also heard how you stood up for me to let me have the chance to be the finalist," her gaze and smile was filled with gratitude, "You have my deepest thanks. I really appreciate it. I also loved your story. When you asked, I just felt like you are the type of person I can share this with. It might sound silly though." Ai solemnly replied. "It''s not silly. I understand that feeling very well." She was someone who vowed to take her rebirth secret to her grave and never fall in love again, yet she was here with Jun with whom she had shared her deepest pain and secret. Jun knew what she was thinking about and slightly nodded his head in agreement. continued. "I apologize. I didn''t know you were supposed to hide it." "That''s okay. It was my choice to tell you." Xing Bi asked, "But herst name is Zhan." "I think that''s her mother''sst name. We have the same fathers. I don''t know much about her." Silence. "I am sorry for asking something insensitive-" "No, no. I wasn''t offended," she politely smiled. Jun tilted his head. "So you work in Shi Publishing whereas she works in Dream High." Two half-sisters working in differentpanies, Jun thought. Don''t siblings usually fight for power? Shi Huan remained silent for a few moments. "Yes. It''s aplicated matter, but I find it really silly." "You don''t seem to hate Zhan Yahui," Ai remarked. "Zhan Yahui seemed as if she didn''t even acknowledge you." "I don''t hate Zhan Yahui or her existence. If anybody is at fault, then it is my father. As for Zhan Yahui, I don''t think she likes me. But that is to be expected given the circumstances." Nian and Jun exchanged nces. They knew about the Shi family, and it was one of the fairly elite families. But little did they know that Shi Huan''s father had such a shameful secret of his mistress. Ai held her hand and sincerely expressed. "Thank you for trusting and telling me this. You don''t have to worry. We won''t talk about it to anybody." Yunru and Xing Bi furiously bobbed their heads. "Yes. Rest assured." Shi Huan beamed. "Thank you." ? Yunru stared at her radiant smile for a second longer and quickly averted his gaze, coughing lightly. That earned him a whistle from Nian. "W-what?" He usingly asked. "Nothing," Nian chuckled. ¡ª After lunch, everybody went back to their own rooms for a short nap after getting tired from all thr running around. Jun shut the door and pushed Ai against it, capturing her lips in a deep and fierce kiss. Clutching the back of her neck, he trapped her within his arms and slurped across her tongue. As they separated, their lips looking redder and moist, he bit on her cheek and jaw, making her tremble. He lifted a lock of her hair and yed with his fingertips as he stared. "So, how do you exin yourself, my dear girlfriend?" "Exin what?" She feigned ignorance. He tilted her chin up and narrowed his eyes. "Your memory needs refreshment. I am talking about the part where you were enjoying your time with that brother." "I wasn''t enjoying. I was just talking to him." "Knowing that that man clearly likes you?" His voice coldly growled. "Ah?" Ai rapidly blinked her eyes. "Who likes me?" Jun peered into her light brown eyes which lookedpletely clueless. "Ai." "Yes." "You do realize that Cai Lingyun likes you, right? And when I say like, I mean it as a woman, not a sister." She looked at him dumbfounded. "He doesn''t like me that way. What are you saying?" "I want to ask what are you thinking? Isn''t it so obvious?" His gaze darkened. "One look and you can tell that he likes you. Ai, I thought you are perceptive about these things." It was still hard for her to believe. "I¡­But he is like a brother to me. He always was since I met him through Guiying." He gritted his teeth. "But you are not a sister to him. Plus, didn''t you say that he was always more affectionate to you than Cai Guiying in the past life? That''s because he is biased due to his feelings for you. I want to kill that man! How dare he harbor feelings for my woman? That''s also why he was talking shit about our rtionship and giving excuses that my family won''t ept you! He is jealous." This was like a serious bomb dropped upon Ai. To her, Cai Lingyun was just a dependable big brother. She never saw him in a different light other than just a sibling, and she assumed that he treated her as a sister too. Was that really why he favored me all that time? "But he never told me in my past life at all." "That''s because you were dating Gu Yating," he clenched his fist, "and then you left the city when you broke up. He never got the timing right or simply, he was a coward. Whatever it was, it doesn''t change the fact that he likes you! That''s why stay away from him. Also, I have another reason to say this." "What?" She blinked. "I was quite shocked to see him and even more shocked to hear that he is Cai Guiying''s brother." Ai furrowed her brows. "What is shocking in that?" Jun squinted his eyes. "That''s because I have met him in my past life." Chapter ?255 Shanghai Fest Arc (9) : What Tied Their Lives In The Past * Chapter ?255 Shanghai Fest Arc (9) : What Tied Their Lives In The Past * Ai widened her eyes as a second bomb was dropped upon her. "Huh? You have met him?" "Not just met him. He has worked for me." "Worked? But as far as I know, Bro Lingyun never worked in Sky. Though I cannot be sure after I left Beijing..." Jun shook his head. "Not in Sky but as a sort of my attendant or a butler you can say when I stayed away from my family after Shui''s twenty-fifth birthday. I clearly remember his face. He was Cai Lingyun. But that wasn''t the name he told me when he worked for me. He said his name was Tang Gengxin then." Her lips parted in shock. "That''s why you asked him about that...I wondered who Tang Gengxin was." "When you introduced us, I couldn''t believe that I was seeing my attendant in front of me. And as Cai Guiying''s brother? I don''t understand where this is going at all. Why would her brother work for me and under a false identity?" Ai didn''t have an answer to that. She asked, "How did you meet him?" Jun thought back to his past life. "I don''t remember much honestly. I never really paid much attention to him. I just know that I was drunk one night. I had talked to Shui again after her birthday night, but she was adamant about her decision of not going back together. I..." his gaze dimmed. "I felt the worst and drank heavily in the bar that night. The next thing I knew that he had brought me back to my house from the bar. He said he was Tang Gengxin. I just thanked him perfunctorily, and then he requested me if I can keep him on a job. He was broke and said he was ready to be my butler for money." The more Ai listened, the more she could only feel more bewildered. "Broke? Bro Lingyun''s financial condition was never that bad. He worked in a goodpany with a good sry. He even lied about his name..." Jun continued, a swirl of suspicion and anger shining in his eyes. "At first, I didn''t want anybody to invade my space. But then he kept begging me. He didn''t have a proper apartment to live in. In the end, I agreed since he also helped me. But now after meeting him...I cannot be sure anymore! Just what does Cai Lingyun have to do with me? Knowing that he is Cai Guiying''s brother, it doesn''t seem to be a coincidence..." He pressed his brows. "The hell is going on. The more we get to know things, the moreplicated it bes. Cai Guiying was your best friend who betrayed you, and her brother worked for me?" He couldn''t help but think if everything was connected. Until this point, he only considered that Ai and he were connected because of their deaths at the same time and the same ce. That was the only moment in their past lives which wasmon and shared. But now their lives felt more interwoven than they thought before. It wasn''t just theirst moments connecting them but something muchrger had happened that inevitably associated them in more ways than one. Apart from their deaths, one more thing - or one more person was now a source that tied them together. Guiying. ? Guiying, who was Ai''s friend and Guiying, whose brother worked for Jun. And this realization rattled their hearts. Even though Ai and Jun never actually met in their past lives, their lives were still somehow andrgely rted to each other in some form or the other. Ai pressed her head against Jun''s chest and softly said, "I also don''t understand what is going on. It seems fate found its way to connect us even though we never met. Now I feel that...our past lives weren''t so simple, Jun. You had your own life, and I lived my own, yet something kept bringing us back together. But whatever hidden things there might be, we will face everything together. It feels scary but as long as we are with each other, nothing can hurt us this time." Jun''s gaze softened. His heart was at unease by meeting Cai Lingyun today, but just a few words from Aiforted his heart. He felt the warmth of her embrace melting away his negative thoughts. Ai tiptoed and kissed his lips and thest strand of difort, if any, also dissipated. He lifted her soft body, his long arms firmly enveloping her. Heid her atop the fluffy mattress and pinned her beneath him. He gently lifted her hand and ced a tender kiss on the back of it. "Ai, you always make my heart feel so much lighter," he whispered. A soft and cid smile greeted her lips. "I feel the same when you are by my side. I feel like I can ovee anything, no matter how difficult the path might be." Jun smiled and leaned to kiss her forehead. "Say my girlfriend. Why don''t we inaugurate our time in this room by doing something special?" Ai blushed, knowing what he was hinting at. "E-En..." *WARNING - MATURE SCENE* A second after her approval, Jun lifted her dress to reveal the fair skin beneath it. He got undressed himself with his lips soon finding his way on every inch of her naked body. The sound of her melodious but messy breaths and moans fell onto his ears, urging him to go faster. Her bra fell next in line after her dress, and Jun dipped his head between her lovely and soft breasts, kissing and sucking on it. His tongue licked the pinkish bud, earning a shiver from her as he parted her thighs. Ai swallowed a gulp, knowing what was toe and as soon as Jun entered her with deep thrust, her back arched with the pleasure tingling in every cell of hers. Her lips trembled as he began to pound inside her, and she hugged him closer to feel his warmth. "Jun..." Chapter 256 Shanghai Fest Arc (10) : Mr. Liu Holds Grudges * Chapter 256 Shanghai Fest Arc (10) : Mr. Liu Holds Grudges * Jun clutched her knees with his palms and kissing the top of her forehead that was slightly damp with her sweat, his length nudged inside to im her walls. His fingertips traced the shape of her jaw that traveled towards her arched back sensually. Watching her expression of ecstasy made him exert a force that threatened to devour her whole. His hungry and cloudy dark brown eyes examined the red hue of the blush appearing on her cheeks. The shivering of her lips forced him to bend and capture them. Thinking about Cai Lingyun and his feelings for Ai and the way with which he eyed her with not so innocent emotions smoldered his heart with rage. He knew that Ai didn''t feel anything for Cai Lingyun. Jun was the only man in her heart. But the thought of another man dreaming his future with Ai stirred his heart with a chiling and murderous intent. But soon, the ominous and dark emotions got swept away from within him as if a gentle breeze brushed past him. He felt Ai''s hands wrapping themselves around his back, urging him closer to her. He saw his reflection shining in her beautiful pupils and her lips that were curved with a satisfied smile as he made love to her. The bloodthirst in his eyes faded away, reced by warmth and affection. With his thumb, he lifted her chin and pressed his lips on hers harder and deeper. When he felt her feeling breathless, he let go for a few moments before diving to enter her mouth with his tongue. "Mmnn..." It was a bright afternoon outside but with the curtains drawn, the darkness hid their they climaxed andid breathless after their first round, Jun flipped with his back on the bed, bringing Ai on top of him. They were still connected and flicking away her hair dabbed with sweat, he stormed hot kisses on her neck and shoulder. At one point Ai slightly yelped, feeling a burning sensation on a spot as Jun dug into her soft flesh with his teeth deeper than ever. She felt his tongue licking over the faint bruise, soothing the pain. She knew he had left a hickey on her neck, and she became curious too to leave one on Jun. So, she chomped upon his neck, but it was nowhere like a hickey, making her brows crease into a questioning furrow. Hisughter echoed in her ear. "That''s not how you do it." Judging from his expression, Ai was sure that he was having a lot of fun seeing her failed attempt of leaving a kiss mark. But she knew how to take revenge too. "Jun, you are very cute." "..." That immediately turned his expression ice cold. "You know, cute will now be the word that might not make me desire you anymore," he sneered. "I can already feel my little brother resigning." Ai raised her brow, watching him with interest. "For how long though?" She bumped her forehead against his, inhaling the scent from his hair and rubbed her breasts against his chest. He shuddered. A deep groan escaped his lips and instead of resigning, his member twitched even more. He took a sharp gasp, feeling the press of her lovely chest. It made him want to take her breasts into his mouth once again and ravish them. "That''s not resigning, you know?" She innocently said. ? His brow twitched, and he grabbed her waist, starting to thrust his awakened and hot length deep inside her until he heard her helpless moans and cries. "You will pay for riling me up like that," his voice howled like that of a triggered and dangerous animal. "Don''t worry. We have all the time in this world for me to teach you a lesson," he smiled, "Didn''t I say before that there are a lot of ces to make out here? Let''s try them one by one." Ai gulped and before she could sincerely apologize, she trembled hard as she felt his member hit the pleasurable spot inside her. He kept plunging himself inside her faster and faster until she released for the second time. But he didn''t let her rest and continued his thrusting onught by pinching another sweet spot just above her haven with his thumb. "Ahhnnn!" She had already climaxed but with the way he teased her sensitive and hidden ce, both inside and outside, she felt a burst of shivering sparking in her stomach that led her to release another orgasm once again. Her head copsed on top of his chest as she panted hard. She never thought she would experience two back to back orgasms. But that experience nevertheless was out of the world. Jun wiped the sweat off her forehead and chuckled. "Did you like it?" She was too tired to say anything. Her body was still trembling with the after effects with her vision still being blurry. Jun kissed her upper lip and thrusting ast few strokes inside her, he came as well. He withdrew himself and discarded the used condom. But Ai''s eyes popped out of her sockets when she saw him tearing a second pack of a condom and pulling it on his member. "That..." He smirked. "We just finished on the bed, my dear. We still have lots of ces and positions to explore in this room. Do you want to do it on the couch or in a standing position next? I am fine with anything as long as I get to enter you." "..." Her face blushed a furious crimson. "Are you taking revenge for calling you cute?" "I hold grudges." "But I am your girlfriend," she pointed out. "No exceptions, darling. Also, we had way more rounds than just two on Valentine''s night. I trust my skills. I am feeding you quite well, so you definitely have the energy to do a lot more," he gave a meaningful smile. Ai faked a yawn. "What is this? I am feeling so sleepy..." Jun rolled his eyes. He lifted her off the bed and walking up to the window, he pushed her back against it where she felt the soft curtain''s fabric. "Your sleepiness won''t exist for longer, dear," he sneered, "Also, I will punish you for faking that yawn, so ge t ready." "..." He tilted his head and smiled. "Let''s begin, shall we?" Chapter ?257 Shanghai Fest Arc (11) : Shui And Warlords Meeting Chapter ?257 Shanghai Fest Arc (11) : Shui And Warlord''s Meeting Outside the entrance to The Creative Sense, Shui looked at her watch as she waited for Warlord. She sighed for the tenth time. Where is that idiot? He said he would wait for me here. Her foot tapped restlessly on the ground. Through the transparent ss doors, she could see the hustle and bustle going on inside. It sparked the curiosity within her too to take a look but not before meeting Warlord. She dropped him another message on the Reading Point direct messages chat. [HS - I am here already. Where are you?] "I am here," a chuckle sounded from behind her. Turning her back, Shui noticed a woman standing before her. She blinked at her several times, feeling as if she had seen her somewhere before. "Hi. I am the author CherryBlossom." Shui''s eyes widened. "Oh yes. I have seen you in the news before. Hello." Isn''t she Zhou Ai''s rival from Dream High? Though she didn''t understand why CherryBlossom suddenly came forward to meet her. eyes twinkled. "And you will be shocked to know this, but I am also Warlord." "..." Shui stared at her, her lips parted in shock as felt speechless. "Huh? Say that again?" ''Guiying''ughed. "I expected that reaction from you. I know you thought that I must be a guy." Shui was still dumbfounded, but when she saw ''Guiying'' showing the app on her mobile screen and logged in as Warlord, she took a sharp gasp. "You are really Warlord. You were a woman all this time!?" "Yes." "H-How¡­I mean why?" She still couldn''t wrap her head around. The goofy and funny guy who she always thought to be silly and a little annoying was actually disguised as a man. But actually, it was a woman on the other side of the screen. "Well, it''s nothing," she smiled. "I just thought it would be fun that way. Also, once everybody knows that you are a woman, you can face online harassment too which I didn''t want to get myself into. So making a fake male identity was easier." "I see¡­It''s still hard to believe," Shui shook her head. "Gosh you are a narcissist. You praised yourself so much to the point of being your own idol." ''Guiying''ughed. "So what? We should be our own fans first~ At least it''s better than¡­having none," she dryly chuckled. "But I request you not to reveal my gender to anybody or the fact that I am Warlord. Please?" Shui thought about it and nodded. "Sure. If you are notfortable with it, then I won''t say anything." "Thanks." "Where are the others by the way?" "Well, I have told them that Warlord won''t be able to make it. They are quite pissed off since I made the n, and now I disappeared. But I came here because I really wanted to meet you." "What if I was a man too?" She chuckled. "Na. I was sure you were a woman by the way you chatted. Plus¡­I now remember that there were times when MrPerfect would pitch in and yell at others when anybody tried to be cheesy with you. That also made me more sure." Ah¡­ That was the time when Jun would get possessive and bash any men trying to flirt with her online, guessing she was a woman. "Yeah haha¡­" ''Guiying'' tilted her head. "It seems like you and MrPerfect were really close for him to act so¡­" ? Shui gave an awkward smile which ''she'' didn''t fail to notice. "He is actually my childhood friend. That''s why we are close." "Of course, you did say that. I remember. Hehe¡­" ''Guiying'' inwardly sneered. Just a childhood friend? I don''t think so. "But have the childhood friends turned into lovers? It''s so romantic, right?" Shui widened her eyes. "No. We are not like that." Not anymore. "We are just friends." Then Shui remarked. "By the way, if you are CherryBlossom aka Cai Guiying, then it means that you know Zhou Ai, right?" ''She'' narrowed her eyes. "Well, yes. She is not just someone with whom I worked in the samepany but we are¡­best friends too. You can say like you and MrPerfect but just that we met in high school." Her eyes slightly widened. "Oh." "Why do you ask?" Shui shook her head. "Nothing." ''Guiying'' pped her hands once in delight. "Oh where is MrPerfect by the way? Of course, I don''t want to meet him as Warlord, but I surely want to see him~" She cleared her throat. "I don''t know. I mean, I think he is here." "How are you not sure? Weren''t you going toe together with him? Don''t tell me he is not here!" ''She'' pouted. Shui scratched her chin. "L-let''s talk about himter. How about we head inside first? It''s feeling too hot outside." ''Guiying'' didn''t miss how she was trying to avoid the subject. But she let it go. "Sure~" They were about to head inside when Shui caught a familiar figure from the corner of her eye. She turned her head and froze as she saw a man''s figure walk past her from a distance. How is he¡­ Shui quickly said, "I-I will be back. Wait here for me, okay?" ''Guiying'' tilted her head and saw her hurrying towards the opposite side. What happened to her? Shui ran behind the man and caught his arm hastily before he went any further. "Jin!" Jin stopped in his steps and narrowed his eyes. He turned and noticed her clinging onto his hand as she felt slightly breathless. "Jin¡­" Shui recalled the time at the restaurant and his cold gaze coupled with his harsh words. She found her own words at a loss, but her heart felt happy seeing him again. "Jin¡­" Tears threatened to escape her eyes. Jin stared at her and burst into a mocking smile. "Han Shui. Such a bad surprise to see you here. I arrive in Shanghai and the first thing I see is your face. I am so unlucky." She froze. "Did you seriously stalk me all the way from Beijing to Shanghai because I wasn''t replying to your calls and messages? I thought I was very clear about my feelings for you that day," he smiled, "Or do you want to hear that again?" Chapter 258 Shanghai Fest Arc (12) : The Pianos Melody Chapter 258 Shanghai Fest Arc (12) : The Piano''s Melody "Jin, why are you talking like this? What has happened to you?" Shui''s heart sank at his distant and unfeeling voice. "I just felt happy seeing you¡­" Jin looked down at her hand clutching his coat. He quietly lifted it and shook it off from him. "But I am not happy at all. Didn''t I tell you to stop bothering me?" She stiffened. "Seriously, Shui," his voice turned several notches colder, "I have better things to do than entertaining you right now. So leave my way. Better go back to Beijing if you don''t want me to humiliate you anymore. I can push you away if I want, but I don''t wish to in front of so many people." Jin didn''t say a word further and turned on his heels, leaving a gust of chilly air that made her shiver. Shui remained standing there until his back disappeared. She trembled, feeling frost in the afternoon sun. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and jolted as she turned. "Hey. What''s wrong?" ''Guiying'' asked. Shui quickly shook her head. "Nothing." "I saw you talking to somebody. Is he your friend?" Shui clenched her fist and was unsure of how to respond. With the way Jin looked, are we even friends now? frowned. Her instinct told that something else was going on. She had seen them talking from afar, watching Shui''s expression grow paler. But she couldn''t hear their conversation. Strange. She looked as if¡­ "A-Anyway. How about we go inside?" Shui wanted to divert the topic away from Jin. ''She'' smiled. "Sure." Well, I will get to know about it sooner orter. ¡ª After taking some rest in the hotel, everybody came back to The Creative Sense to check out the remaining floors and events hosted in them. Ai was walking slower than usual, throwing aggrieved nces at Jun from time to time, who remained indifferent to her gazes. Yunru asked, "Sister-inw, are you not feeling well?" Ai pursed her lips. "I had a heavy lunch¡­" Nian whistled. "Was it a heavy lunch or ~~ Ow, ow!" He felt Xing Bi pressing her foot upon his and ring at him. "Speak another word, and I will break your foot." Nian wiped his tears. "How can you be so violent with your future husband, my dear?" Yunru was looking around and as he saw Shi Huan''s figure at a distance, he eagerly waved his hand. "We are here!!" Nian sneered. "Aren''t you a little too excited?" "You are the most hyper here, Bro Nian! Watch out, or you will never win over Xing Bi''s heart." "Don''t you dare curse my love life!" Jun grimaced at his tactics and sighed. He held Ai''s hand and gently pulled her towards him. "Hey." Ai pinched his cheek which didn''t faze him at all. "You are mean." "What can I do? You were just too sexy for me to control." Her mouth twitched. ? "Should I carry you in my arms?" He smiled. "No, thank you," she softly harrumphed. Shi Huan came to their side and smiled. "Hello. Where are you going?" Yunru cleared his throat and answered. "We are heading towards the music gallery. D-Do you want toe with us too?" "Oh," she beamed. "Sure. That was my next destination too. If you don''t mind-" "We don''t!" He quickly said. Xing Bi grinned. "Yes, yes! The more, the merrier." Ai asked in anticipation. "What will be there at the music gallery?" Jun answered. "I heard many talented musicians are invited to y a piece. It''s up to the artist''s choice if they want to use the piano, violin, etc." Xing Bi was thrilled. "I love piano." Ai nodded hard. "Me too." Jun chuckled. "Should I y something for you?" Ai was taken aback in surprise. "You know how to y the piano?" "Yes. A little bit of violin too." Nian scooted closer to Xing Bi. "I also know how to y the piano. How about I y a lovely melody,memorating our beautiful time together?" Xing Bi smiled. "No, thanks." "..." This won''t do. I would definitely win you over with my piano charms! Yunru eyed Shi Huan and casually asked, "What instrument do you like?" Shi Huan replied. "I think I like the guitar''s sound the most." His ears perked up with delight. "I know how to y guitar. My elder brother had taught my sister and me. I am quite decent at it. D-Do you want to listen to me ying?" His cheeks slightly flushed. She seemed excited too. "Sure! I would love it too." And thus, a fire lit in the hearts of all three men to impress the woman they liked with their music. Jun smirked. "Get ready to be swept off your feet." As they reached the venue, a soft melodying from the piano hung in the air. It was so sweet and maic that it felt timeless. Everybody stood extremely still as if enjoying the warmth which the elegance from the notes provided them. But to Jun, it felt anything but warm because he crisply recognized that music. Nian as well. Jun stepped in front of the venue''s entrance and his gaze was fixed upon a certain back, who was calmly sitting on the piano with a gentle smile on his lips. Jin''s fingertips tapped on the piano''s keyboard with grace and gentleness. His ck eyes felt warm but with a trace of loneliness settled in it. The crowd hearing him y had tears in their irises. So beautiful¡­ Ai''s eyes slowly widened. What is Jin doing here? Jun watched his brother''s figure with a faint tremble in his eyshes. It was as if the music transported him back to his childhood days. ''Bro, bro. I like hearing you y," A six years old Jin came to Jun''s side all ted. "Will you teach me how to y the piano too?" Jun, who was ten at that time, tilted his head. "You want to learn?" "En!" Little Jin bobbed his head hard. Jun smiled. "Sure. Let''s begin tomorrow." Chapter ?259 Shanghai Fest Arc (13) : Meeting Jin Chapter ?259 Shanghai Fest Arc (13) : Meeting Jin It was an enjoyable time for Jun to teach his little brother how to y the piano. The twins mostly goofed around all the time even during their sses. Nuo was also quite naughty in that aspect, or it could be said that the twins'' mischief got rubbed onto her. But it was only Jin who sincerely ever focused. The melody that Jin yed right now was the same which Jun had taught to him back in their childhood. It was one of Jun''s ownpositions which everybody liked the most. Nana had evenmented once. "Jun could be such a great musicposer too! Aish, all my children are so talented," she proudly said. It waster on that Jun slowly lost interest in music, so he yed less frequently. But the warm memories with his brother remained. Ai gently asked, "Do you remember something?" Jun''s stupor broke, and he said with a slightly hoarse voice, "That melody. It was me who taught Jin that melody. I used to teach him how to y the piano during our childhood." She could feel how precious those sweet memories were for Jun, especially now when there was a rift between the brothers in this delicate time. Even so, Jun forgot all his resentment for these few finite moments only to cherish the happy childhood they had shared. Xing Bi and Shi Huan looked at them and wondered why they seemed so serious. Even Nian and Yunru who always merrily chirped, had a grave light in their eyes. They both were unaware of the sour rtionship between Jun and Jin. Is everything alright? Xing Bi thought to herself. Even this goofy Liu Nian suddenly fell so silent¡­ little boy approached Jin, who was seated in front of the piano. He smiled and lifted the boy in hisp. He then proceeded to teach him how to press the piano keystrokes. When he was done and the music stopped, everybody broke into loud cheers and ps as they sniffled. "It was so beautiful." "Did you see him ying? His movements were so light." p?-?0???¡¢??? The organizers came to shake hands with Jin as they thanked him. Jin''s gaze fell on the group standing at the entrance, and he smiled. He walked towards them and stared at Jun. "Such a pleasant surprise seeing you here, Bro Jun." Jun stared at him and said nothing. He recalled thest violent confrontation that happened between them, and he felt a sense of burden pressing upon his heart. Nian narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing here, Jin? Because if you are here to cause trouble then¡­" Xing Bi was surprised. What are they talking about? But this man really resembles them. Wait, he called Jun as Bro Jun¡­Is he their little brother? But more importantly, why does it feel so tense? Jin smiled. "Don''t be so suspicious, Bro Nian. I was simply invited here to y. I did participate in musicpetitions in the past, right? The word got around, that''s all." "It got around or did you make it that way?" He sharply countered. "You are way too cautious, Bro. I just came here to enjoy since the fest organizers were requesting so much. But yes. I do have to say that I have another motive. I came to know that Zhou Ai would be here too for giving a writers'' seminar. I thought it would be a nice chance to meet her." Jun''s dark brown irises slowly turned clouded and dangerous. Ai nced at Jin. "If that is so, then this meeting is over. You saw me. I saw you. We can move on." "Not so soon. Now that we have already met, why not have a small snack time together?" Jun coldly answered. "No, thanks. You be on your way, Jin. You better not cross paths with us again." "It''s just a small meal. How hard can it be?" ? "Jin¡­" Nian warned him with his perilous gaze. One of the organizers recognized Jun and Nian and brightened up. He came up to them and gave a weing smile. "Oh, I didn''t know that Mr. Liu Nian and Mr. Liu Jun would be here too. Oh, I see! Of course, you came to apany Miss. Zhou. She is giving a seminar tomorrowz after all. As her boyfriend, of course you are here to support her haha. By the way, I heard Mr. Liu Jin talking about a meal." Jin smiled. "Yeah. Since we brothers are all here, I thought it would be a good idea to have some fun." Yunru red at him. You just want to cause trouble! The organizer suggested with enthusiasm "In that case, how about I take you all to our private diner above? There is a sumptuous buffet going on. Mr. Liu Jin gave such a wonderful performance. I want to sincerely thank him." Ai didn''t wish for anymotion to happen, so she tugged onto Jun''s arm and gave a slight nod. Jun agreed through gritted teeth. Let''s just get done with it, and I won''t ever see him again! ¡ª When they arrived at the diner, the group settled on a big table but even with seven people on board, there wasplete silence. The air felt too stifling, and nobody wanted to talk. Xing Bi finally broke the ice, feeling suffocated. "Haha. Look outside. The chefs are cooking live. That''s so amazing, right? I have never seen live cooking before," she tried to ease the tension. Shi Huan added. "Indeed. It''s so amazing." Yunru took the cue and chimed in. "Yeah, it''s really cool! Hah, this is nothing. Bro Jun can cook even faster than those chefs. Aunt Nana is the best chef after all. They have learned from the Queen hoho." That gave Jun a good idea. Since I couldn''t y for Ai in all that confusion, how about I cook something delicious for her? He also felt secretly guilty about tiring her with their lovemaking. Even if Jun was the guest, who would dare stop him if he wanted to be the chef? He smiled at Ai. "Wait for me. I will make something for you." "Ah? But-" "Ssh. Just wait." Nian felt left out. "Hey! I wille too. Let me show my patissier skills. Xing Bi will then definitely fall in love with me." "..." He never gives it a rest, does he!? Then Yunru got the same idea, and he rushed behind his cousins to join them. "W-wait for me!" Which left only Jin and thedies at the table all alone. Chapter 260 Shanghai Fest Arc (14) : Hiding Behind A Mask Chapter 260 Shanghai Fest Arc (14) : Hiding Behind A Mask Once again, silence reigned. Xing Bi fidgeted with her fingers with the awkward atmosphere surrounding them. She nced at Ai, who seemed to be cold and not bothered about talking to Jin at all. There was definitely a sense of distance she felt in her gaze. She talks to President Yunru and that annoying Liu Nian in a friendly way. So why not with him? She wondered. Jin shed a warm smile. "I am Liu Jin, Bro Jun and Bro Nian''s younger brother. I saw you two at the Authors'' Summit, but I guess this is the first time we are officially meeting." Xing Bi was visibly surprised. "You were there?" "Yes. With Bro Nian as his buttering machine to speak some nice words about him to soothe your rage in your heart," he ruthlessly disclosed Nian''s secret n. "..." That fool wanted to use his brother too!? How shameless! Her smile cracked and so did her fingers with a violent urge to strangle him. "I see¡­It''s nice to meet you." Shi Huan slightly bowed. "I am Shi Huan or the author MysticMidnight. Nice to meet you too." He nodded. "So Miss. Xing Bi. Does my brother have any chance?" Bi smiled, but her gaze didn''t match the vigor of her smile. "Right now, not in a million years." "Cool. Keep torturing him like that," he shrugged. Wow, even he seems to be like Liu Jun who is annoyed by Liu Nian. Hoho~ good for me. I have a big team. Jin eyed Ai and pointed out. "How cruel, Zhou Ai. They are your friends, and you know me too. But you didn''t even bother to introduce us." "There is no need for them to know you," Ai didn''t mince her words at all. He chuckled. "Why not? Don''t you remember how Grandpa paired us together as a couple? Sure, you are dating Bro Jun now, but it hurts if you ignore me so tantly." Xing Bi, who was sipping her water, almost spat it out as she coughed hard. Say what!? Liu Jin and Ai together? Wait, wait. Does that mean that Liu Jin likes Ai? She gasped. Shit, is this a love triangle!? Is that why the atmosphere was so awkward? p¡¢and a-n¡¢o¡¢vel Shi Huan blinked and cocked her brow. Ai remarked. "That is the only way to open your eyes to the fact that I will never look at you more than anything but simply as Jun''s brother. Also, I know that you don''t like me, so you can stop lying." "I do like you. Why is it so difficult to believe in that?" "Perhaps because your real face is hiding behind a mask. What you think and what you act lies on pr opposite sides of a spectrum. Until you are willing to let go of that mask and reveal your true feelings, nobody will believe you," she replied, unperturbed. Jin stared at her with an expressionless gaze. My true feelings you say¡­ "Am I not expressing my true feelings?" He tilted his head and raised his hand towards her gradually. Ai straightened up in attention and thought he was going to touch her cheek. "Don''t you-" ? Instead, he went further back and dusted off something from her hair dangling on her shoulder. "There was a small leaf stuck inside. What did you think I would do?" He smiled. A moment of silenceter, Shi Huan said in a stern voice, "You could have just told her." Jin narrowed his eyes and looked at her. Since Ai stood up for her during the Summit, Shi Huan wanted to help her too today. She could also see like Xing Bi that something tense was going on where Jin was concerned. Xing Bi also frowned with this behavior. He kept saying that he liked her, but she couldn''t feel his sincerity at all. How dare he y with my Ai as if she is some toy!? Her body burned with imaginary mes of anger as she red at him. At that point, the trio returned with their cooked dishes. Jun has made a delicious chicken spaghetti with barbeque sauce, Nian was grinning while holding a chocte tart on his te, and Yunru was really nervous with the fried rice he had prepared. The drooling fragranceing from the dishes dissolved the stiffness from the atmosphere. Ai beamed. "This is the first time I will be having Spaghetti cooked by you." Jun smirked with pride. "You will definitely like it. I have perfected this dish like a pro." Jin stared at his brother, serving the te with chicken spaghetti in front of Ai and subconsciously clenched the fork in his hand. It was an action that didn''t go unnoticed by Ai. His ck pupils seemed icier and cruel as opposed to the fake smile. Nian hopped towards Xing Bi''s side and slid the chocte tart towards her. "Xing Bi. This is my creation where I have poured all my love and heart into. Now eat it and fall in love with me!" "..." Yunru just quietly sat down and nervously offered Shi Huan his te of fried rice. "Do you want to try it? I am a good cook too¡­" his forehead broke into a cold sweat. Shi Huan blinked at him in surprise. "Are you sure?" "Yes!" He nodded hard until his neck threatened to break. Xing Bi grudgingly took a bite of the chocte tart because Nian refused to leave her side. It cannot be that good- "Damn this is delicious! It just melts on my tongue," She blurted out in amazement. "..." She stiffened, wanting to bite her own tongue. Why did I say that? But damn he has skills! I never tasted such fluffy sweets before¡­ Flowers bloomed around Nian''s head. "I knew it! Hehe from now on, I will feed you delicious cakes every day until you will be forced to say yes to me," he blushed. She was speechless. Make sweets for me everyday and make me gain weight? Shi Huan took a bite of the fried rice, and Yunru awaited her judgement. Her eyes widened in delight. "This is really splendid. Very vorful. I love it. You are a good cook." Yunru sobbed with happiness. All the days I trained to be a good chef paid off! He was dazzled by her smile and stared at her as she continued to stuff more rice into her mouth. She looks cute like a squirrel, he giggled. But where there was a warm atmosphere between the four of them, a different cold war was being fought between Jun, Ai and Jin. Chapter ?261 Shanghai Fest Arc (15) : An Elder Brother Teaching A Lesson To His Younger Brother Chapter ?261 Shanghai Fest Arc (15) : An Elder Brother Teaching A Lesson To His Younger Brother Ai took her chopsticks and took a bite of the piping hot spaghetti dipped in the barbeque sauce. "Delicious!" She eximed with glee. Jun was pleased to hear thepliment. He loved watching the satisfied and fulfilled expression on her cute face. "Eat all up." Jin was the only one in the group who wasn''t enjoying the meal. Instead of his own food, his attention was solely focused upon Jun and Ai. The more theyughed, the more of an ugly and distorted feeling enveloped his heart with darkness. He disyed a stoic and deadpan expression on the outside but inside was a whole different level of resentment brewing up. Everybody was enjoying their food without focusing on Jin at all. Ai happily dipped her chopsticks into her te again to take another bite when Jin rose from his seat. "I have something to attend to." Jun noticed the untouched food on Jin''s te and was about to say something when he held his tongue back. In the end, he remained silent. As Jin got up, the table suddenly and violently shook. The ss of water on Ai''s side of the te tilted, and the water spilled all upon the spaghetti and trickled down to soak her dress wet. The ss slightly fractured as well with its tiny and sharp shards scattering towards her. immediately pulled her chair back and dusted her dress. Xing Bi hastily asked, "Ai, are you okay? You are not hurt, right?" Yunru called for a waiter to clean up the mess on the table. Shi Huan quickly offered her a tissue. "Wipe it with this." Jun anxiously checked her fingers and hands, "The ss didn''t prick you, right?" "No, I am fine, Jun. I am not hurt," she assured him. She pursed her lips in disappointment. "I just feel bad for the ruined pasta. It was so delicious and you worked hard for it," her shoulders slumped. "Idiot. What are you worrying over such a simple thing? I can make it for you anytime you want. Your safety is more important." Jin said, "Oops. My bad. My knee identally struck the table. I didn''t know the impact would be like this." Jun eyed him with a dangerous glint. "Be careful Jin! You would have hurt Ai!" p??(?)? ?o??? "I apologize. I am really sorry, Zhou Ai." But Ai neither epted nor rejected his apology. As Jin stepped out, he felt a hand clutch his shoulder, forcefully pulling him back. "My dear little brother." He stiffened upon hearing Nian''s voiceced with rm and coldness. There were very few people passing by, so Nian was free to disy his hostility. ? "You are stooping too low. I think I warned you before that if you don''t stop doing what you are doing, then it will be really bad for your health," he remarked by lowering his voice and simultaneously tightening his painful grip on Jin''s shoulder. Jin faintly pressed his brows. "I already told you it was an ident." "Lie to me once again, and I will p the shit out of you. Since when did you be so gutsy to stand against me?" The dark pressure his aura emanated would have brought somebody else on his knees. "I am still very lenient, Jin. Trust me, if Jianes to know about this, then¡­let''s not talk about how miserable he will make your life," Nian smiled. "You know how we can get if somebody flips our switch to the wrong side, right?" Jin involuntarily shuddered and just for a moment, his gaze expressed the deep and innate fear towards his older brothers. "You know, it''s such a good time to sort out your differences but here you made Jun angry again. I told you, I don''t like us siblings fighting," Nian yawnedzily and from his shoulder, he held Jin''s ear, pinching it tightly. "Why don''t you learn when I say something for the first time, Jin?" Jin''splexion suddenly paled. "Leave!" "Then don''t do things that make me angry," he sighed helplessly. "You know I am not a good man when you tick me off like that." "You don''t understand anything!" "I don''t want to either," Nian shrugged. "Just behave as you are supposed to, and everything will be fine." Nian was about to twist his ear harder when a hand came in between and stopped his fingers. "Enough, Bro." Nian took a sideway nce and stared at Jun. "Ah my other dear little brother." Jun saw Jin''s ear turning redder and pressed his hand firmer. "Ai is alright, Bro. Take your hand off his ear." "You don''t tell me what I should do and what I shouldn''t, Jun," he iterated casually, but Jun didn''t miss the menace in his tone. "Don''t forget that YOU are also my little brother. Follow the age hierarchy here. I wouldn''t like it if you step out of your line either. Do you want me to pinch your ear next?" Jun said nothing. "Also, what if Jin did it purposely? Will you still be soft towards him? If so, then you are pathetic." Jun nced at Jin, who wasn''t meeting his gaze. He studied the animosity and fear In Jin''s eyes. "Even if Jin did it purposely, I will punch and punish him. Nobody can hurt my girlfriend, and I will make sure he won''t do that again. So, leave him. I will deal with him." Nian pouted. He then let go of Jin''s ear but not without tugging it harder onest time, making Jin gasp. "You better do, or I will take matters into my own hands. And that will be veryyyyyy ugly," he smiled. Nian turned on his heels and left, whistling a merry tune. Jun left for a minute and brought back a medical kit with him. "Put the ointment. It will hurt less. You should know better that you should just hang your head low and apologize when you are standing in front of Bro Jian and Bro Nian. They don''t like it when we challenge their authority." Jin snatched the ointment tube from him and gritted his teeth. "You don''t need to care about me!" Chapter 262 Shanghai Fest Arc (16) : Discipline Is Necessary Chapter 262 Shanghai Fest Arc (16) : Discipline Is Necessary< Jin scowled at him. "Bro Nian was right! I shook the table purposely," he mocked at him, "but it''s only because you broke your promise first." "What?" Jun looked bewildered. "Which promise did I break?" Jinughed angrily. "It''s no use telling you if you don''t remember it. But know one thing that I will never ept your and Zhou Ai''s rtionship. As long as I am there, I will never let you leave in peace!" "Jin!" He clutched his cor and pushed him back furiously "Enough! This is my life and who I choose to live with is none of your business. I had enough of you meddling into my life!" For a moment, a sh of hurt and sorrow flickered in Jin''s eyes. "Meddling? And what will you do if I don''t stop meddling? Kill me?" He sneered. Jun froze. The memory of his bullet piercing Jin''s chest in his past life made him ufortable and shiver. His grasp weakened, and he let go of him. "Right? I don''t think you would hesitate to kill me if you got the chance," he balled his fist. Jin studied his brother''s eyes which looked increasingly dim and lifeless. Since he knew that Jun was also reborn, he also knew that he must be thinking of the past. "You...you and Zhou Ai will never be happy, Bro," he then left takingrge strides. the other side, Ai and Xing Bi had watched the whole confrontation between Nian and Jin. Needless to say, they were quite surprised to witness this side of his. But at the same time, they were also quick to believe the change in his personality. Ai had seen how dangerous Jian and Nian looked when they had separated Jun and Jin from fighting each other that day of breakup announcement. Whereas Xing Bi had witnessed it first hand how rming he could be when he had beaten the shit out of those judges to the point that they had to be admitted to the hospital. At that moment, she felt her heart pounding faster. The menace in his eyes was real. She thought that if Jun hadn''t stopped him then Nian would have definitely tore Jin''s ear apart. Yunru shuddered and whispered. "Yeah he can crazy if he gets angry. Same with Bro Jian." Shi Huan asked, "Are you also afraid of them?" Yunru didn''t want to look like a scaredy cat in front of her, but he had to admit the terror. "No kidding. They can be really vicious. You have no idea. Bro Zixin is also like that. He is not goofy like them. Gentle and calm. But if somebody annoys him too much..." he wiped his forehead. "Rest is history." They saw Nianing back, behaving as if nothing had happened. He beamed upon seeing the love of his life. "Xing Biiiii!" He was about to hop into her hug when she cleanly moved away. "Don''t be so touchy!" He sobbed, feeling hurt. "How could you? Didn''t my chocte tart win over your heart?" "You will need to work a lot harder than just making me a chocte tart." "Then let''s go on a date!" He suggested. "I will work my ass off to impress you and then we happily get into a rtionship!" He chirped. "..." He is bing an expert on how to bring date in any conversation... Ai cleared her throat and brought his attention back to her. "You were quite strict there." ? For a moment, even she felt bad on Jin''s behalf for some reason. "Oh with Jin? You saw that?" He shrugged. "That''s necessary you know. Siblings should live united, but he is making things difficult. I don''t like that. I really wanted to tear his ear off." Xing Bi gulped. Ai and Yunru''s mouths twitched. Nian copsed on the couch, sighing. "But that damn Jun alwayses in the way. He is just too softie." Ai gave it a thought. "...Yes. I actually didn''t expect that he would step in to help Jin." Especially considering how sour their rtionship is now... "He was always like that. You know there was once a time when Jian and I punished Jin for being a troublesome kid. He was four I think? He wanted to eat something made by Mom, but she was sick that day. Even so, he insisted that she make food for him. He acted like a selfish brat. So Jian and I locked him in a dark room because he was afraid of the dark. We were pissed off. We told Jun and our sister, Nuo as well not to help him at all." Ai, Xing Bi and Shi Huan - "...." "That was fun. He was crying so much and begging us to let him out. But we didn''t listen to him, haha. He was miserable." "..." Nian clicked his tongue. "But turns out that he was not so miserable after all because Jun was beside him the whole time." Ai blinked her eyes. "When Mom felt better, she scolded us really badly for locking Jin like that. When we came to bring Jin out, we saw that he wasughing with Jun. It was still dark. Jun hadn''t switched on the lights because he knew that if he did that, then we will punish him like hell. When we give a punishment, nobody is supposed to interfere in that." Ai was speechless. "Whatever but Jin was quite happy and rxed," he sighed again. "See? Jun is such a softie. Even though we told not to help Jin, he still didn''t listen to us." Ai was afraid to ask the next question but she did so anyway. "Did you punish Jun for helping him?" "We smashed his most favorite video game into pieces and also made it sure that he didn''t get to buy back again through Mom or Dad or another family member," Nian said nonchntly. "..." Xing Bi was horrified. "W-weren''t you going too far?" "Discipline is necessary and a certain amount of fear too," he smiled. "Jin is also the youngest. Youngest siblings tend to be more spoiled so Jian and I wanted to set that boundary of not crossing the line. You cannot excused just because you are the youngest." "But what if getting locked in a room would have impacted Jin in a negative way? Like trauma?" Nian shrugged. "Not Jian or my problem. If he was afraid of having a trauma, he shouldn''t have acted so selfishly and troubled Mom in the first ce. Do you know how Mom felt so guilty for not being able to cook for him? She was literally forcing herself to make food despite being sick. We couldn''t see that. That''s why we punished him. If you are so afraid of the consequences, then you shouldn''t act wrongly in the first ce." "Well...children tend to be like that sometimes," Xing Bi coughed. Nian smiled. "And that''s when you set the boundaries as soon as possible to make them know what they can do...and what they cannot." Chapter ?263 Shanghai Fest Arc (17) : Mr. Liu Is Totally A Softie Chapter ?263 Shanghai Fest Arc (17) : Mr. Liu Is Totally A Softie Late at nightas Ai tossed in bed and turned towards Jun, she kept thinking of what transpired throughout the whole day. The first day of the Shanghai Fest had juste to an end, but she already met Guiying, Cai Lingyun, learned about Zhan Yahui''s half-sister rtionship with Shi Huan, Cai Lingyun''s hidden feelings for herself and then the whole scene with Jin. There were so many things to process. But what she felt the most striking was Jun and Jin''s rtionship. When the whole thing happened during the meal time and then the conversation between Nian, Jun and Jin, she felt as if something was bugging her, but she couldn''t quite put her finger upon it. She wasn''t able to reach a realization she should have. "What are you thinking so deeply?" Jun rested his head on his palm and watched her with interest. With his other hand, he tucked the lock of her hair behind her ear. "Just about the day but particrly about you and Jin. Nian told me of the time when he and Jian had locked Jin into a room when he was four." "Ah that. I remember that clearly." "He also said that you are a softie always standing up for Jin." mouth twitched. "Did he say that?" .?O? She nodded. "I am not a softie. Jin was just four at that time. I know he was being selfish when he asked Mom to cook for him despite her being sick, but I thought that locking him in a room was too much of a harsh punishment. He was just four. It would have been fine if they had just scolded him a bit. That''s why I secretly stayed with him without switching on the lights. Actually, I did. I brought a small toy with me that would light up when you switched it on. It ran on battery. It also didn''t shine too brightly that the twins would catch the lighting out of the room through the door slit." "You did that so that Jin wouldn''t be afraid of the dark?" "Yeah. He was terrified of the dark. That fear faded away as he grew up but in childhood, darkness really scared the shit out of him. He would cry endlessly. That''s also why I thought that it was a very harsh punishment," he grimaced. Ai stared at him and smiled. "I see. Nian also said that they smashed your favorite video game because you helped him." Jun still felt the pain as he thought of the past and recalled how they ruthlessly broke his game into pieces. "Well, I had expected that. They had already warned me not to help Jin. Yet, I did. They are not very nice people when you go against them. Like when they are totally serious and angry." Ai coughed. "You should know something about them," Jun seriously remarked. "For most of the time, the twins are simply idiots." "..." ? "But no matter how much they trouble us siblings, they know that they are the eldest brothers. They greatly value that age hierarchy. They feel proud that they are the eldest because being the eldest gives them the most authority. They really like authority and being in control. That''s something they learned from Dad. They could never go against him. Even when ying tricks and having fun, they were very careful around him. They respect him, but they also fear him. That''s the same feeling the twins want to invoke within others. You can be casual with them, but they always want to stay in charge." Ai remembered Nian threatening Jun the same way. ''Follow the age hierarchy here.'' "And if you go against them¡­" Jun cleared his throat. "Then be prepared for a few punches. If you are in the wrong, then they don''t like themselves to be challenged. When they seriously say that one is wrong, they should ideally just shut their mouths and apologize. in simple. Just apologize and get it over or if you force them to drag the issue, the consequences are very severe. That''s why you see that I don''t bother with them most of the time, and they don''t mind if I ignore them or taunt them. But when shit gets serious, they are quick to show that they are the eldest brothers. Even in my past life after Shui''s rejection, they had hit me quite a few times because I remained stubborn." Ai felt saddened to hear the past. She knew Jun was wrong with his obsession, but still imagining him to be hurt pained her. He sighed. "Trust me, their punches are no jokes." Ai said, "I can see that. For a moment, even I felt bad for Jin when he twisted his ear. It looked really painful, and Jin seemed genuinely terrified for the first time." Jun replied. "Well there''s the fact that they had locked him up once. So, he is always wary of them subconsciously since that day because he knows how dangerous they can get. Plus Jin is the youngest, so the age difference hits him the hardest. He does feel the five years age gap between them and with that, their authority too." Ai came closer to him and patted his head. "I feel bad for your video game." "Things could have been much worse actually," he coughed. "How?" "Because I cooked for Jin what he wanted to eat. I went into the kitchen and tried my best. I did fail a few times because I wasn''t getting the exact taste right like how Mom used to make. It took a few tries, but I finally made it. Jin was very happy. I made it secretly for him. I even asked the maids not to leak out that I was cooking in the kitchen. If the twins hade to know that on top of staying beside Jin the whole time and consoling him, I also cooked what he wanted, they would have wrecked my room apart. They wouldn''t have stopped at breaking just ONE video game." Ai waspletely speechless. "You¡­brought a lighting toy so that he won''t get scared of the dark, you stayed beside him the whole time and you cooked for him. Nian is right. You are totally a softie." "..." "By the way, what was the dish you made for him? I mean, what was it that he was so excited to eat?" She curiously asked. "Oh. It was chicken spaghetti with barbeque sauce. What I made for you today." Chapter 264 Shanghai Fest Arc (18) : From Educational To Love Talk Chapter 264 Shanghai Fest Arc (18) : From Educational To Love Talk The second day of the Shanghai Fest was the main event for Ai which consisted of her seminar and book signing event. The seminar had many new and blooming authors who wanted to make a name of their own in the writing world. Meeting Ai who was still rtively new in the field as well but who already won the Summit was like a dreame true for them. The one and a half hour seminar passed by without their realization. Ai stood poised and calm, and her voice was pleasing to the ears. Her tips and process of writing proved to be useful for many budding authors. Talking to her made them see her in a new light. Xing Bi was also beside her, giving insights to proofreading and editing. Ai focused on storytelling while Xing Bi concentrated on polishing their writing. Jun and Nian''s chest were puffed up with pride as they watched them from the back. My girlfriend is amazing, Jun grinned. My future girlfriend is amazing, Nian grinned. Yunru pped for both of his sister-inws. He nced at Huan who sat on the chair next to him. She was softly smiling as she listened to Ai on the podium. He asked, "Do you also have a seminar?" She faced him and shook her head. "I don''t. I mean," she tilted her head, "My mother had arranged it for me. She insisted on meing here." blinked. "But I didn''t see your name in the schedule." "The organizers canceled it. I came to know when I arrived here." His eyes widened. "Why?" "They already had a jam packed schedule. They could only amodate Zhou Ai and at most squeeze in one more writer. Mom...well, she had pulled some strings to get me a ce here, especially when I couldn''t participate in the Summit because I fell ill. But when I came here, I saw that CherryBlossom took the second spot." His nostrils red. The one with her half-sister!? "How could they do this? Doesn''t Mrs. Shi know about it? Didn''t she do anything about it?" "I came to know after I arrived here. I didn''t tell her. I decided I would lie that I gave the seminar to save the trouble, otherwise she would get really mad." Yunru felt extremely aggrieved and unjust upon hearing this. "Don''t you feel bad?" Huan looked back at Ai. "No. It''s fine. I am not really doing it for fame. I just write because I want to. It''s for fun. Mom just gets too serious about it that I have to seed and be the best. I just don''t share that motivation, so I don''t feel bad." Then she quickly rified. "Wait. I didn''t mean it like other authors are doing it for poprity." "I know," he smiled. She nodded. "Thank you. Since I was here anyway, I decided to enjoy the fest." "I see..." "Miss. Zhou!" A young girl raised her hand, albeit with embarrassment. That was thest question after which the seminar would end. "I-I have a question." "Yes?" Ai kindly smiled. ? She coughed. "D-Do you know how to...how to write...mature scenes? Like kissing or m-more than that..." she felt embarrassed again. "That''s also an important part of writing a romance story s-so...I don''t have experience either so I don''t know how to write..." Jun cocked his brow in amusement and watched Ai blush with the girl too. Why are you blushing? You are quite wild at times too, you know. Ai felt a super strong gaze from Jun as if he really wanted to hear what he had to say. She could also feel that he was enjoying this. "*Ahem*" Xing Bi coughed. "Yes, Ai is perfect to answer that question," she dragged Ai into the fire because she wanted to save herself from embarrassment. Nian pouted. "Xing Bi doesn''t seem to know anything which is good or I would have killed all those men she was intimate with." Jun - "..." Then he thought that he had no right to judge him when the thought of Yating and Ai''s rtionship had made him jealous too. "But worry not! I will teach my Xing Bi everything there is about intimacy. Then she can confidently answer these questions too in the future~" Jun grimaced. "You think she is keeping quiet because she doesn''t know anything? She is older than you. Of course she knows how kiss and sex works. She is just embarrassed." Nian red at him. "You have to ruin my beautiful imagination, don''t you?" You have to know your character well for that. Kissing or sex isn''t just about physical pleasure. There are a lot of emotions someone feels other than just ecstasy. You have to grasp and express those as well apart from the actual process. Focus on what the characters are going through, and the words will automatically form in your mind." The young girl thought about it and beamed. "You are right!" One of the authors jokingly asked, "Miss, Zhou, you have such a hot boyfriend. Hehe, you definitely must have experience kissing and a lot more things, right?" Xing Bi loudly cleared her throat. Yup time to end the seminar. Ai''s cheeks lightly turned pinkish, and she agreed. "I do..." The author and Xing Bi stumbled in her chair. She had just jokingly asked and didn''t think that Ai would answer that. Nian sneered at Jun. "What little brother? You are a beast!" "Shut up!" "Heh, wasn''t Ai limping yesterday? That just proves you are a beast!" Jun coldly said, "Should I wring your neck, Bro?" The women squealed in excitement. Suddenly, the seminar turned from educational to having love talk. "Miss. Zhou, tell us more about Mr. Liu, please?" "How is he as a boyfriend? He looks so cold and detached." Ai quickly shook her head and corrected them. "Jun is not cold at all. He is warm, caring and very cute," her small face radiated happiness. Chapter ?265 Shanghai Fest Arc (19) : Stuck In An Elevator Chapter ?265 Shanghai Fest Arc (19) : Stuck In An Elevator "A!" Jun looked utterly displeased at being called cute again. I should just delete that word from the dictionary! "Miss. Zhou, *ahem* I know it''s a really personal question," one young author trembled with excitement, "But how is Mr. Liu in bed?" Ai choked. Her face turned instantly beet red. Jun''s ears immediately pointed out to hear her answer. He didn''t know why, but the nervousness gripped him when asked about his performance. Nian nudged his elbow and grinned. "Don''t worry, Jun. Even if you are not upto the par, this big brother will teach you all the tricks~" Jun gritted his teeth. "Sew your mouth shut, Bro," he then sneered, "If Xing Bi heard about you teaching tricks, then she might think that you have had other women in your life. What if she doesn''t like that?" "..." Xing Bi quickly stood up and pulled Ai aside. "Well, thank you so much for being a part of this seminar. We conclude it here." "Booooooooo~" They thoroughly expressed their dissatisfaction. Once the seminar was over, the book signing event quickly started fifteen minutester. Ai gave signed copies of her short story she told at the Summit with a massive crowd standing in queue to get a glimpse of her. There were even some readers from Reading Point who were MissImperfectlyFine''s fans that came to Shanghai all the way from their home towns and cities to meet her. "MissImperfectlyFine, I love you!" know, I watched the Summit clip thousands of times now! I have kept your story video on repeat mode." "It was so touching," one sniffled. "Have you started working on the sequel?" One reader eagerly asked. "Yes, yes, I cannot wait to know the ''He''s'' answer!" "I will even pre order your book online!" "Hehe, can you give me a spoiler?" One whispered, "I promise I won''t leak it." "Hey, I heard what you asked! That''s not fair. We wanna know the spoilers too~" Ai was so overwhelmed with their love that she couldn''t help but choke. A pleasant and warm feeling slowly encapsted her heart, watching their eyes shine with glimmer. Her fingers trembled as she signed the books and handed them to her readers. "Thank you very much," she sincerely expressed her gratitude. ? Her smile and gaze was so earnest and genuine that it melted their hearts. Her boyfriend is really lucky to have her! "Achoo!" Jun sneezed and rubbed his nose. Yunru grinned. "Maybe somebody is talking about Bro''s handsomeness." Nian touched his chin. "They should talk about my handsomeness." Yunruughed. "Haha, I have recorded this! Let Xing Bi hear this and know how Bro Nian is vying for other women''spliments." "..." "Of course, I didn''t mean it like that! I only want to listen to my Xing Bi''s sweet words. You and Jun are the same!" He red at them. "Cursing my love life." He dragged Yunru and started beating him. "You violent cousin!" He cried. Jun shook his head. He nced at Ai''s side once again, feeling happy to see her smiling. It doesn''t seem like this will get over any sooner, he sighed, I want to hug her. "Excuse me, Sir? Mr. Liu Jun, right?" He turned back to see ady wearing the staff uniform and politely smiling at him. Jun raised his brow. "Yes?" "Sir, there is ady who wants to meet you," she pointed at the other side of the corridor. "She asked me to-" Jun grimaced. He had seen women hitting on him but calling him out like this was new. "Not interested," he coldly answered. "Leave." ? "Sir, but Miss. Han Shui told that you would-" "What? Shui?" Jun widened his eyes. "Yes. She said her name is Han Shui." Jun stood confused. Shui is here? In Shanghai? Then he thought about Jin and wondered if she came with him. But I didn''t see her with Jin yesterday. Jun checked his phone and saw that there were no messages or calls from Shui. Why would she call me through a staff member? He frowned. Jun narrowed his eyes. "First show me if she is really here." He walked with the staffdy and from a distance, she pointed out. "There." He stared at the ce she pointed and was taken aback to see that Shui was really standing near the elevator. She had a small ck purse hanging from the right arm, and it clearly seemed that she was waiting for somebody. "Sir?" "Leave." She nodded and left. Jun remained standing at his ce for several moments. On the other side, Shui waited for Guiying for a long time, but she was yet to arrive. She sighed. I will just head to the fourth floor and wait for her there... The elevator door opened, and she stepped into it. As the doors were about to close, a hand slipped in between and Jun walked in too. Shui''s eyes widened as she saw him suddenly appearing in front of her. Her heart almost lept out of her chest. "J-Jun?" "Shui," he spoke monotonously. He observed her eyes which looked tired and puffy for some reason. The elevator doors closed with a ding, and it started moving upwards. "Fourth floor has a good balcony with privacy. Let''s talk over there," Junmented without much emotion. Shui came to her senses, but she immediately became nervous once again. Jun wants to talk to me? She wanted to have a conversation with Jun too, but it just so happened suddenly that she had difficulty arranging her thoughts. "O-okay..." They waited inplete silence as the elevator went up. But a few secondster, the elevator shook hard and came to a sharp halt. Jun grabbed her wrist and prevented her from tripping. "Are you okay?" "Y-Yeah..." That gave me a heart attack! "What happened to the elevator?" She looked around in a daze. Jun pressed the buttons, but the doors didn''t budge. He frowned. He picked up the receiver to call the emergency, but that wasn''t working either. He then banged on the door. "Hey! Anybody out there?" There was no response. Jun pressed his brows, feeling frustrated. "Looks like the elevator got stuck between two floors." "What!?" Chapter 266 Shanghai Fest Arc (20) : Mr. Lius Apology Chapter 266 Shanghai Fest Arc (20) : Mr. Liu''s Apology Jun kept banging on the door but to no avail. "We are definitely stuck in between two floors. That''s why they cannot hear us." He pressed the emergency call button a number of times but everytime, it automatically got disconnected. He tried calling Nian with his own mobile, but there were nowork bars to get the call through. "Wait, let me check too." Shui did the same and felt disappointed at being unable to connect to anyone. p?-?0???¡¢??? "Damn!" Jun cursed under his breath. Shui worriedly asked, "How will we get out of this jam now?" "It''s fine. The staff will notice it soon enough that the elevator is not working. They will do something about it. Let''s just wait for sometime. There are so many people at the fest. We won''t remain stranded for long." "Hm." Silence fell. The air felt so quiet that Shui could hear her breaths. After the Christmas night''s confrontation, it was the first time that they were alone like this. Jun walked back towards the back of the elevator and sat down. He nced at her and shrugged. "Sit down. You will just tire yourself out standing like that wearing heels." Shui pressed her lips together and sat beside him, keeping a distance between them. She fidgeted with her purse and idly looked around. A minute ticked by and Jun asked, "How are you in Shanghai?" gave it a thought. Should I tell him about Cai Guiying? But she doesn''t want anyone to know that she is Warlord. Then¡­ "Actually, Warlord and some other members from Reading Point invited me here." Jun blinked. "Warlord? That goofy guy? He is here?" Her mouth twitched. He is not a guy actually¡­ "Yeah. He insisted that Ie with you. In one previous chat, I told him that you and I were friends, so he was excited to meet you too." Jun remembered how he was eager to meet him during the book signing event. "I see. Don''t let him meet me. He gives me vibes like Bro Jian and Bro Nian and those two are enough for me already. I don''t want another hyperactive person around me." "..." Well from the chats, Cai Guiying did give that impression¡­ Her lips burst into an uncontroble smile, and she finallyughed. "You¡­seriously, the twins'' trauma will never leave you for life I think." Jun gritted his teeth. "It''s impossible. I thought I will have some peace with Ai at this fest. But damn Bro Nian came here stalking us!" "Huh? Bro Nian is also here?" She asked, puzzled. He smiled in disdain. "Following hisdy love." "..." "B-Bro Nian is in love?" She asked with her jaw dropped in disbelief. "Wait, I remember Sis Nuo telling me this one day. How Bro Nian keeps acting like a tragic Romeo in the house." "Yeah because he messed up big time," he sneered. "And now he is following behind her like an annoying dog." Shui was speechless on what to say. When did love change him so much? "Who is that woman?" ? "Xing Bi. She is Ai''s editor." Shui tilted her head. "An editor and apatissier. Where could they possibly have met?" "At Mom and Dad''s anniversary banquet. It''s a long story," for which Jun quickly gave her a shorter version. "....." Bro Nian¡­Why¡­? Seriously, why? She facepalmed and pressed her brows in helplessness. "I can understand why Xing Bi must not be so¡­thrilled at the prospect of having Bro Nian as her boyfriend," she wanted to wholeheartedly support Nian, but she couldn''t bring herself to do that. Shui let out a sigh. Then she softly chuckled, imagining how distraught Nian must be right now. I feel like teasing him. Well, he brought that upon himself. "Xing Bi shouldn''t forgive him so easily." He sneered. "She couldn''t forgive him at all. Let him be single all his life." She coughed. I thought you would say that. She gave a sideways nce at Jun and softly spoke after a pause, "It''s been a long time since we have talked like this¡­I mean so cfortably." "...Yeah," he quietly acknowledged. Jun''s gaze flickered with warmth. I thought I wouldn''t be able to face you, Shui. But with Ai beside me¡­everything feels so easy. Their rtionship had affected their friendship too but in this elevator as they say beside each other, talking to each other, they felt as if nothing ever went wrong between them. "I-" "I-" They spoke at the same time. Jun said, "Go ahead." "No, no," Shui quickly shook her head. "You go first. It''s okay." He let out a silent breath and asked, "First, I want to ask how Uncle, Aunt and Siying are after that day?" He wryly smiled. "Do they¡­hate me?" Shui slightly widened her eyes. "What? No! Nobody hates you, Jun. Don''t even think like that." "How can I not? Especially Uncle Zhiyuan. I hurt his princess after all." "No. It''s not like that. Seriously, nobody hates you, and nobody mes you. Not Zhou Ai either. Please don''t worry about that. They always considered you their son like Bro Siying, and you are still their son." Jun faintly smiled. "Is that so¡­?" "Yes. The Han family will never hate you," she seriously said. He looked into her eyes and felt relieved. "That''s good to hear then." He genuinely felt a burden lift off his chest. He then stared ahead at the empty space and sped his hands together. Thinking of what Ai remarked about his and Shui''s rtionship, he slowly said, "I am sorry, Shui." She stiffened and disbelief filled her to hear his apology. "What are you apologizing for?" "For everything. Right from the beginning when I arrogantly imed that you will be my wife. For putting you into a position where I left you unable to decide for yourself. I got so immersed with the idea of marrying you that it just didn''t ur to me whether you wanted that in the first ce. I was blinded and obsessed, and I hurt you a lot in that process. I troubled you with my possessiveness and made your life difficult. I always thought I faced the most injustice because of you avoiding me. But I was wrong. It was you who faced the most unfairness since childhood where we all just forced our marriage decision upon you." He clenched his fists. "I was too blind to realize that. I am really sorry, Shui. It all started because of my ignorance, and I made you unnecessarily suffer because of my whims. If possible, then I would like you to ask you to please forgive me." Chapter ?267 Shanghai Fest Arc (21) : Shuis Apology Chapter ?267 Shanghai Fest Arc (21) : Shui''s Apology Shui couldn''t express the shock she felt upon listening to his words. Where Jun med her on Christmas night, today he was apologizing to her. The shift in his thoughts and attitude overwhelmed her. "I tried to force my ideals on you. My idea of a perfect rtionship which I had no right to do," Jun pursed his lips. His heartfelt words and apology stung her eyes with tears. "Please¡­please don''t apologize, Jun. Why are you asking for my forgiveness when it should be me?" She trembled, and a tear rolled down her cheek. "I hurt you the most. I behaved selfishly and ignored you. I hurt your feelings. I brought pain to you. I couldn''t be a good girlfriend. I feel horrible for lying to you. I-I wanted to talk to you since the day you announced our breakup, but I felt too ashamed to face you." She rubbed her eyes as she sniffled, slightly rubbing her nose. "The first reason I came to Shanghai was not because Warlord invited me but because I knew you would be here to support Zhou Ai. I wanted to face you, that''s why I am here today. I felt doubtful and indecisive that only made things worse. You loved me wholeheartedly, but I couldn''t give you any happiness. I utterly failed as a girlfriend. So, you don''t need to ask for my forgiveness. It should be me asking you." "Don''t be silly, Shui!" Jun disagreed with her and shook his head. "Our rtionship was always meant to fall apart and that''s not because of you. Ai¡­it was her who made me realize how wrong I was to chase after you because I didn''t understand the first thing about love. I put you in a difficult position and everything cascaded after that." Shui was surprised. "She said that?" "Yes. She scolded me for my obsession for you because how I liked Aunt- *ahem!*" He put a brake on his words and shut up. She blinked. "Liked Aunt? Liked who?" Jun looked away. "It''s nothing." She felt even more curious now. "Tell me. What is it?" "Nothing." She was taken aback. is he suddenly acting like that? "Why are you hiding it?" "Nothing." "..." Her brow twitched. "Fine. If you don''t want to say it, then I will ask Zhou Ai myself." "..." "Don''t ask her!" "Then just tell me!" Jun gritted his teeth. "Just give up!" "No! I feel¡­you are about to say something very interesting. I am more curious now." He red at her. In the end, he grudgingly gave up. "It''s just that¡­that Ai said that¡­I¡­" "You?" She probed. He looked away and mumbled. "I had a crush on Aunt Xinyi when I was little and so I wanted to marry you because you are her daughter." Silence. "....." "Crush on¡­Mom?" Jun wanted the earth split up and bury himself in it. Gosh this is so embarrassing! "You had a crush on my Mom?" Shui asked again because it was too hard to believe. "That is what Ai says, but she is weird. Her theories are as weird as her. You don''t have to believe everything she says!" He eximed with a blushing face. "..." You will throw shade on your own girlfriend just because you don''t want to ept the truth? ? Shui tried not tough. She tried her hardest, but then sheughed very loudly. "Oh¡­oh my God. You had a crush on Mom? That''s so cute." "..." "Ahahahaha!" Shui clutched her stomach and leaned over to the other side, literally rolling withughter that was too much to handle. Jun sneered. "You areughing too much, Shui. Be careful or you will hurt your stomach." Shui waved her hand and dismissed him. "Go away. Just¡­.just let meugh¡­" He gnashed his jaw. That''s why I didn''t want to tell her! I am an idiot for letting that slip out! At first, she shed tears of grief and guilt. But now tears were falling because her stomach was hurting due toughter. "Seriously, that''s so cute¡­" she wiped the corner of her eyes. "You don''t have tough so much! It''s precisely because of that I messed up our lives." "I understand where you areing from but I cannot just help it. Never¡­never did I think that you chased after me because you actually liked my Mom. I don''t know if I should feel jealous of Mom or not?" She seriously pondered over it. "Forget about it!" "Sorry, but this is the one thing that I won''t forget," she chuckled. Jun felt too frustrated and simply refused to talk to her anymore. Shui finally had her fill and cleared her throat. "I am sorry. I see. Since Dad snatched Mom away from you, you wanted her daughter as your future wife." "..." He threw daggers at her. "I know you are teasing me." "I am absolutely serious," she grimly stared at him. "I don''t feel your sincerity, Shui," he sneered. "That''s not my problem." He scowled. Nevertheless, he felt lighter after having this talk with Shui. They surely weren''t dating anymore, but he still cherished their friendship and if possible, he wanted to remain as a friend to her. Jun smiled. When he met her, she looked tired and in pain. But now she just looked like the usual Shui he always knew. "Shui?" "Hm?" "I am¡­sorry forshing at you during Christmas Eve. But I really mean what I said about Jin. I know you like him, and he likes you too." She froze. Jin''s mention brought goosebumps on her skin. Her expression paled. "What''s wrong, Shui? You suddenly don''t look well¡­" The tears that had dried up were beginning to fill in her pupils once again. "You are¡­you are right and wrong, Jun." His brows crinkled. "I don''t understand. And why are you crying?" Shui broke down as she answered with a trembling voice, "You are right that I like Jin. I really like him. I¡­realized it when he said that he was interested in Zhou Ai. I realized that I didn''t want to lose him. I was afraid of his feelings for her. That''s when I knew that I saw him as more than a friend. But¡­" Her palms clutched onto her knees as Jin''s icy words cruelly echoed in her mind. "Jin doesn''t like me, Jun. In fact¡­he said he hates me¡­" Chapter ?268 Shanghai Fest Arc (22) : You Should Feel Ashamed Chapter ?268 Shanghai Fest Arc (22) : You Should Feel Ashamed "What?" Jun couldn''t believe what Shui just confessed. "Jin said he hates you? That''s impossible." Shui let out a wry and helpless chuckle. "It''s true." He shook his head in dismissal. I know how the past life went, Shui. I cannot tell you, but you and Jin were going to get married. You two were so happy. "It cannot be like that." She bit her lip hard, and tiredness and hopelessness set inside her once again. "Jin and I met beforeing to Shanghai. I asked Jin if he could meet me and..." She cried and told the most painful day of her life. "I am not lying, Jun. He hates me the most. I saw his eyes. They were so cruel and cold as if e-even my sight disgusted him. He told me never to contact him again. Yesterday too, I met Jin. Did you meet him yet? He is also here at the fest. I wanted to talk to him, but he shook me off," she broke down, her heart twisting in pain, "He pushed me away. He asked if I stalked him all the way from Beijing to Shanghai...What more proof do you need Jun?" Jun only listened to her, feeling incredulous. What the hell... knew Shui wouldn''t lie about this, and he could see how much this was hurting her. But what he couldn''t understand was the reason behind Jin''s behavior. But he also loved Shui in the past. They were going to get married! Then how is it that he hates her now? Shui''s tears refused to stop as he hugged her knees. "I don''t know...w-why he is acting like that. We didn''t fight either. We had no shes recently. So why..." her eyes reddened, and her voice turned into a hoarse, "Jun. It''s fine if he doesn''t like me back...I-I won''t force him to return my feelings. But why does he hate me so much...? I kept asking what I did wrong, but he always...gives me a cold look and walks away." Jun felt restless. What the hell is happening? Jin isn''t supposed to act like this. I thought they would get together once I left their world. Then why is the opposite happening? He nced at Shui and then understood why she looked so low when he saw her outside the elevator. It pricked him to see her defeated like this. Jun pursed his lips and slowly raised his hand. He hesitated for a second but then went ahead and ced his palm on her head. He lightly patted her and said, "Shui. I also don''t get why he is acting this way. I will talk to Jin about this." Feeling Jun''s pats on her, Shui remembered the days when they were little. Whenever she cried, Jun would always console her with his pats, and she always felt better. "No, Jun. Don''t talk to him. He is against you too. I don''t want you two to fight..." sheughed sadly, "He will think that I sent you to sort things out, and he will hate me even more." His gaze hardened. "Bullshit. I want to talk to him, and that''s my choice. I won''t let him misunderstand anything about you-" Suddenly, the elevator shook hard with a sharp jolt, and it started to slide down. "J-Jun, is it going to crash!?" -- Ai and the others rushed towards the elevator and heard some violent soundsing from above. The crowd around them took three steps back, terrified. "Is there going to be an ident?" ? "I heard the elevator was stuck for quite some time." While waiting for Jun, Nian came to know that Jun had headed towards the elevator and a man from the crowd had seen him step inside it too. But the elevator never reached the top floors. When they learned that the elevator was stuck between two floors, he and Yunru immediately called for the staff. Ai was extremely anxious the whole time as they waited for the elevator to get fixed. Xing Bi and Huan were constantly assuring her about Jun''s safety. "Jun..." she felt nauseous, thinking about Jun in danger. Nian patted her head. "He will be fine. As if a puny elevator can get him." The elevator came to a sudden halt at the floor, and the doors opened. "Jun!" Relief washed over her. But they stopped abruptly in their steps as they witnessed the scene in front of them. Jun was lying on top of Shui as she was pinned beneath him. The people slowly came forward and peaked what was going on. They gasped. "What are they doing?" "Don''t tell me that they were trying to...*ahem*" "In the elevator? That''s shameless." "But isn''t he Liu Jun who is dating MissImperfectlyFine? I saw their picture once!" "Oh yeah!" That caused even more whispers and gasps. "If he has a girlfriend, then why is he acting so intimately with another woman?" "It''s not just some other woman, it''s Han Shui!" "What? From the Han family?" Amidst all the incessant talking, Jun slowly stood up and helped Shui on her feet too. "Are you alright?" It happened too fast and suddenly, but she nodded in a daze. "Yeah. What about you?" "I am fine." They stepped out and instantly felt everybody''s sharp and suspicious gazes at them. Shui looked left and right and didn''t understand why everyone was looking at them with disdain. Jun didn''t even notice them and headed straight towards Ai. "Ai. I am really sorry. Were you worried about me?" One woman from the crowd poked him with her words. "You should feel ashamed. You are worried about your girlfriend when you were busy getting cozy with your ex-girlfriend in the lift?" p?-?0???¡¢??? That brought forth even more shocked gasps. "Ex-girlfriend?" "Yes. Hmph. My daughter goes to the same college as Han Shui, and she told me how her and Liu Jun''s rtionship was always the talk of the college. She heard that they broke up, but what does it mean now that they were in such a position in the lift?" Chapter ?269 Shanghai Fest Arc (23) : Ambiguous Feelings Chapter ?269 Shanghai Fest Arc (23) : Ambiguous Feelings Jun''s face twisted with a precarious emotion lurking in his eyes. "Excuse me?" His voice sounded so lethal and icy that the woman shuddered and subconsciously took a step back. "Are you implying that I am two-timing with my girlfriend? Be careful before you answer yes to that question because offending me is not a choice you can afford to make." She broke into a cold sweat. "I was just saying. H-How can you threaten me like that?" "Yeah, she is an elder. That''s so rude of him to do that," one whispered. "Maybe he is really guilty. That''s why he wants to shut her mouth..." "So scary." "Seriously, these rich young masters..." Ai nced at everybody and narrowed her eyes. "Don''t talk about Jun like that. I also saw what everybody saw, and I know that there is some misunderstanding behind it. Please refrain from judging the situation too quickly to suit your convenience." Jun''s gaze softened seeing her protect him so fiercely. Yunru red at everybody. "That''s right. Don''t talk about Bro Jun like that! How dare you all question his loyalty for sister-inw?" Shui frowned. "Yes. It was a coincidence that we got stuck inside the elevator. As for what you saw, he stumbled upon me when the elevator suddenly moved with a jerk. There is no need to give such a deep thought about it." There was arge TV screen mounted on a wall which lit up with video footage. Everybody''s attention went towards where they saw Jun and Shui sitting beside each other in the elevator. Jun''s gaze darkened. The hell... Shui was taken aback as well. She looked at Jun in confusion. Why is this video suddenly ying? There was no audioing from the video, so everybody could only see their actions and expressions. Which was suspicious for many people. Jun and Shui were quiet at first, but then they eventually started talking andughing together. Even Yunru and Nian were quite surprised to see them opening upfortably after all that had passed between them. But at one point, Shui started to cry and Jun was seening closer to her and patting her head. To anybody else, it would look like the old love between them was getting rekindled. Shui watched the video, dumbfounded. What the hell!? The video without the audio is giving a totally different meaning! People started to whisper again. "Hah. Did you look at Han Shui and how she was crying?" "It looks like she regrets the breakup and now wants Liu Jun back." "Maybe she is jealous of Zhou Ai and wants to act pitiful to get him back." "But even so, how shameless Liu Jun is. She just shed a few tears, and he already melted for her. I think he still has feelings for her." "Just look how he is looking at her so softly. If he really loves Zhou Ai, then would he waver towards Han Shui?" Shui couldn''t believe that the crowd wasbeling her as a white lotus. The temperature took a steep drop, and Jun''s eyes turned frighteningly cold. "Who the hell yed this video!? Who fucking dare!? Come in front of me!" He roared. "Where is the staff!? If you want to y a video then why not y it fully so that everybody can HEAR what we talked too?" He angrilyughed. "But no. You wouldn''t do that because whoever did this knows that there is nothing scandalous we talked or acted. That''s why you are only showing the picture to make it look all ambiguous!" Through the crowd, Cai Lingyun came forward and gritted his teeth as he red at Jun. "It''s your feelings that are ambiguous, not the video, Liu Jun. You still want to defend yourself now that you are caught?" Nian and Yunru frowned. This man again... Ai narrowed her eyes as well. Shui blinked. Who is he to barge in and talk like that!? Jun stared at him with his murderous gaze. "So you are the one who yed this video," heughed. "I see. I get it now." Cai Lingyun ignored him and worriedly looked at Ai. "Ai, do you still want to be with him? Just look how they were acting when left all alone!" Jun stiffened and didn''t know why his heart felt uneasy. Shui furiously eximed. "Shut up! Who are you and are you out of your mind!? Sure, Jun and I have broken up. But does that mean that we cannot even talk or meet as friends anymore?" He sneered. "From the video, it doesn''t really seem that you talked as just friends. And cut the crap! Liu Jun was crazy and obsessed with you. I heard your marriage was all set from your childhood days. A man like him would forget about you and treat you just as his friend? Such a deep love and rtionship...Hah! I should ask, are you out of your mind?" Yunru spat on anger. "You are stepping out of your line!" Jun nced at Ai, his heart thudding with trepidation. He held her shoulders and said, "Ai. There is nothing that happened that will make you doubt my love for you. We got stuck and then we were really just talking." "Jun..." Ai stepped towards him and pursed her lips with disappointment. Cai Lingyun felt more confident that Ai must have definitely lost trust in Jun. Who wouldn''t after seeing her boyfriend getting cozy with his ex-girlfriend? Watching that expression form on her face made him seem paler than before. "Ai, really I-" "Do you really think that you have to exin yourself to me?" She questioned him. "Did you think I would misunderstand you?" She looked downcast. "N-No!" "Then why are you panicking like that?" He didn''t know. He knew Ai trusted him, but it was hard not thinking whether she would feel hurt. If it was some other woman, Jun wouldn''t have felt so unsure. But of all people, it was Shui who Ai saw him in apromising position with. "I just..." he curled his fingers into a fist. "Be-because it was Shui. I just..." "So what?" Ai pinched his cheek hard as if she wanted to punish him. "Jun, you confessed your past rtionship with Han Shui to my parents and bowed in front of them when you asked to ce their trust in you. I don''t think I or anybody else will ever question your feelings for me after seeing that. And those who do..." she narrowed her eyes at Cai Lingyun and the entire crowd, "are ones who are ignorant and brainless who just want to enjoy throwing mud at your face." Chapter 270 Shanghai Fest Arc (24) : Make Jobless And Penniless Chapter 270 Shanghai Fest Arc (24) : Make Jobless And Penniless Cai Lingyun stared at Ai, stupefied. "Ai, you¡­" She gave a sharp and pointed look towards him, her voice filled with a tinge of coldness. "Bro Lingyun. I respect you as an elder brother. I also understand if you might be worried about me. But I won''t stand for anybody humiliating Jun like this. You are not only questioning his love but also his character. Who gave you that right? You or anybody else here?" The people whispered among themselves. "Is it true? Liu Jun already met Zhou Ai''s parents?" "If he met them, then isn''t their rtionship serious?" "She said he even bowed in front of them and confessed his past himself." "Is Liu Jun really sincere towards Zhou Ai? After all, who would dare to bring up their past in front of his girlfriend''s parents?" Cai Lingyun helplessly said, "Ai, you are being blind in his love! I care about you. Who knows if he really won''t waver in the future?" "I know, he won''t," Ai squinted her eyes. "And that is enough. I don''t need anybody else''s certificate." He stiffened. The roughness in her voice shook him hard. He never saw Ai talking to him in that piercing tone. But only for Jun''s sake, she was ready to go against him. She nced at the crowd andmented. "And you all. I think everybody will fare much better in their lives if they focus on improving themselves instead of pointing fingers at others. You should also be afraid of karma hitting you. You are now enjoying someone else''s drama. I know more than half of the people here don''t even care about Jun possibly cheating on me or fighting for my justice. You just want entertainment, but be careful. Today, you areughing at us. Tomorrow, you will be somebody else''sughing stock. What goes around,es around." "..." Nian clicked his tongue, feeling the poison in her words. It''s really so much better when I am not in the direct line of her attack. Xing Bi gave her a thumbs up. That''s my Ai~ Ai looked at Shui and continued. "If anybody has any decency here, please apologize to Jun and especially Han Shui." Shui nced back at her, surprised. "She doesn''t deserve all the insults you gave her. Compared to Han Shui, Jun would go pretty much unscathed by these usations. For a man, it''s always fairly easy. But for a woman, once her character is judged, the world refuses to forgive her even if she is innocent." Some of them felt ashamed and lowered their heads while clearing their throats. Ai held Jun''s hand and said, "We don''t have any reason to be here anymore. I was worried about you, and you are safe. So, let''s go." Jun wanted to hug Ai really badly. It was just like that time when she stood up for him during his breakup announcement. "We will leave but before that¡­" Jun seeped out a deadly and chilling aura as his dark gaze fell upon Cai Lingyun. He grabbed his shirt and gritted his teeth. "It was a very pathetic way to make me stoop low in Ai''s eyes," he sneered, "What? Did you think that this would work? Or¡­" he leaned and whispered, "that Ai would fall in love with you because you came as a knight in shining armor for her?" He froze. "N-nonsense." "I know you have feelings for Ai. That''s why you are doing all this shit," he smiled, "But it''s hopeless Cai Lingyun. Ai is only mine. You will never have any ce in her heart even if I die, so forget about even trying because trust me if you don''t, then I will gouge your eyeballs out myself. I can squash you like a bug anytime." He felt his hair stand on the back of his neck. Jun''s threat brought goosebumps on his skin. "I won''t tolerate another man eyeing my girlfriend," he pushed him away with such force that he fell on his back. "Get lost." ¡ª Everybody returned to the hotel where they were staying with an addition of Shui in their group too. Yunru eagerly jumped up and down. "Sister-inw, you were so amazing! You shut everybody''s mouth so damn well! Hah! That''s what they deserve." Huan nodded with praise. "What you said was right. People are really getting nosy these days." Xing Bi proudly smirked. "Ai''s counterattack never fails. She can make people cough blood." Jun and Nian had absolutely no doubt about that, having the first hand experience of her verbal assaults. Yunru said, "But I am surprised to see Shui here. Is everybody from the familying one by one? Yesterday it was Bro Jin and now you." Shui smiled. "I just came at somebody''s invitation." Oh yeah! I forgot about Guiying! We were supposed to meet on the fourth floor. She quickly typed a message to her and hit Send. She then frowned. Herst name is Cai and that man''s name was Cai Lingyun¡­Both surnames are the same. "By the way, who was that man who made the ruckus?" Jun''s expression twisted. "Just a useless bug who thinks he will win Ai''s love if he pulls such shit." Xing Bi was speechless. "Cai Guiying''s brother likes Ai?" Shui rapidly blinked. "Brother?" "Yeah. I don''t know if you know her. Cai Guiying is CherryBlossom, and he is her brother. Even I met him today for the first time. But I didn''t know he liked Ai that way! How dare he eye my cute Ai?" Saying that, she smothered Ai''s face in her chest as usual. And once again, Nian felt extremely jealous. When will this timee for me!? "I see¡­" Guiying is a nice person, but her brother¡­she frowned with distaste. Nianzily asked, "By the way, how are you going to punish that man?" Jun sneered. "Seems like he is too busy plotting these games, so he doesn''t need his job, right? I think making him jobless and penniless will be a good start. As for the staff of this fest who helped him y that video, they will suffer too." Chapter ?271 Shanghai Fest Arc (25) : Nians Scandalous Flirting Video Chapter ?271 Shanghai Fest Arc (25) : Nian''s Scandalous Flirting Video Now that Ai knew that Cai Lingyun had some connection to Jun in the past life and seeing him humiliating Jun today, she agreed with Jun''s revenge. Whatever respect she had for him vanished today. Usually, she refused to delve into revenge. But he needed to learn his lesson and stay in his line. Shui came forward and faced Ai. "I did see you at Liu vi twice, but I think this is the first time we are properly meeting each other today. I am Han Shui," she smiled. "For today, thank you very much for defending me. I really appreciate it. I...didn''t expect you would do that, considering my past with Jun." Ai tilted her head. "The past is the past. It doesn''t have any bearing on what is right or wrong. I didn''t like people using you of faking your tears. I will never stand for people wrongfully behaving in any way." Nian nodded hard. "I know it the very best." Reminds me of the time when Jian and I yed that prank on her in the library... Shui beamed and sincerely thanked her. "Thank you so much! You are such a nice person. I am really d that Jun found you." Jun was inwardly quite shocked. He thought that Ai and Shui''s first meeting would be awkward or ufortable. But here they seemed to talk as if their past rtionship wasn''t a matter of concern at all. I was getting worried for nothing, he shook his head. Ai has her ways of making her ce in anybody''s heart, he proudly thought. Ai softly said, "It''s me who is lucky to find Jun." "Nah. It''s pretty much Jun who has scored here," Shui chuckled. Nian agreed unreservedly. "And I wanted to meet you more when I heard from Jun how you made him realize about his crush for my Mom." Jun puked blood. "Shui!" Yunru and Xing Bi were filled with speechlessness. "Bro Jun, you...you had a crush on Aunt Xinyi?" He blushed hard. "Of course not!" Nian waved his hand in dismissal and snorted. "Ohe on. You were totally all over Aunt Xinyi ever since you rescued Siying and met her for the first time. You even hated Uncle Zhiyuan for marrying her." Jun made a fist with his hands. "Bro Nian, you better shut your mouth." Everybody burst intoughter. "Bro Jun loved Aunt Xinyi?" "That''s so cute," Xing Bi remarked. Huan was also secretlyughing. Shui grinned. "Yes, Jun. You don''t have to feel embarrassed. Everybody goes through a phase like that.Hmph. And just because you wanted to deny it, you called Zhou Ai weird." Ai - "..." She pursed her lips and frowned at him. "You called me weird for pointing out the truth?" Jun''s mouth twitched. "Not...not like that." "Then how?" She folded her arms. Nian brightened. "Yes, yes answer her Jun." It was clear that he was enjoying his misery. Jun glowered at him and sneered. "Careful, Bro Nian. You cannot afford to sink your love ship with Xing Bi more than it already has." "Hah! What do you mean? As if anything cane between us now!" Jun evilly chuckled and yed a video on his phone. It was the time in the library when Jian and Nian were flirting with Ai. Which made Nian''s heart stop in his chest. "Stop that!!! You didn''t delete that video!?" He gasped, aghast. He suddenly felt a gust of chilly air poking his back. "Liuuuuu Niaaaaaan...What is this I am watching? You...you were acting a hooligan towards Ai? You were flirting like a pervert with her!? The likes of you confessed to her!?" With every word, her voice sounded more sinister and unforgiving and so did her eyes from where he could see two bursts of angry mes burning ferociously. Nian violently shook his head. "No, no! This is not a real video! Jun faked this. He edited it to make us look like the viins!" cO,m Jun rolled his eyes. Yunru countered. "Don''t be silly, Bro Nian. Bro Jun doesn''t waste his time with such pranks. Only you and Bro Jian do." Shui was beyond shocked. "Cornering a woman like that...you should be ashamed of yourself. Especially Bro Jian. He is dating Sis Leina!" Nian sobbed. "We already got our punishment. Xing Bi, believe me. It''s not what it looks like. I didn''t misbehave with Zhou Ai at all!" "Then is this video lying!?" She cracked her knuckles and looked like a demoness at this point, "How dare you bully my Ai!? First you flirt with her, scold her and then use her to butter me up! Liu Nian, you are going too far!" She ruthlessly started beating him up. "Tell me, how much more are you hiding from me? How much more did you bully my Ai? I will make you puke every crime today!" "Help me somebodyyyyyyy!" Nian burst into tears. "I didn''t do anymore crimes!" Jun and Yunru shrugged andpletely ignore their brother''s cries for help. "You traitors! Shui, dear at least you..." She cleared her throat. "Well, I am on their side. You were totally acting like perverts and hooligans." "..." Xing Bi twitched her fingers more ready for another round of violence. "Get ready..." "Noooo!" -- "Damn it!" ''Guiying'' angrily threw stuff here and there. ''She'' had nned the timing so carefully so that Shui and Jun would get locked up in an elevator. She knew she could use that to sow discord between Jun and Ai and tarnish MrPerfect''s reputation at the same time. Two birds with one stone. But ''she'' never expected that Ai''s trust in Jun would be so strong. It was so easy to misunderstand Jun, but she underestimated Ai''s belief in him. Even Cai Lingyun couldn''t hold on the maniption for too long. ''She'' pressed her brows and gritted her teeth, fuming and bubbling in anger. The door opened and Cai Lingyun stepped in. His eyes widened seeing the mess in the room and the dark and twisted expression on her face. "Guiying, what happened here? What is with this broken mess?" Chapter 272 Shanghai Fest Arc (26) : I Will Teach You A Lesson Chapter 272 Shanghai Fest Arc (26) : I Will Teach You A Lesson Cai Lingyun had never seen Guiying in such a state before. She looked restless and angry with a sinister light glinting in her eyes. "Are you okay?" ''Guiying'' narrowed her eyes on him. "Am I okay? Bro, shouldn''t I ask YOU that question? You just wanted to help Ai, and I feel so bad that she chose to trust a newly made boyfriend rather than you who has known her for years." He stiffened. "Of course¡­of course, I am hurt. You saw Liu Jun smiling in that video, right? He still hasn''t forgotten Han Shui! And yet he pretends to love Ai. Just how much has he blinded her in his love!? Ai is being fooled. She refused to listen to a word against him!" His clenched fists trembled in anger as he remembered her standing up for him. "That Liu Jun¡­he must have felt so arrogant. He was caught red-handed, yet Ai made him go unscathed on a silver tter!" ''Guiying'' tilted her head. "Indeed. He escaped unscathed of the consequences," the air turned darker and denser as she thought of all the cards and flowers MrPerfect sent. "He ys around with women as if they are his y toys. That Han Shui¡­" she sneered. "Even she is too blinded by her friendship. Liu Jun seems to know how to manipte women well like puppets. He uses them, but they still defend me." But I won''t be like that, MrPerfect. I will make you pay for making me a target of your pathetic game! This n might have failed. But not the next one. Cai Lingyun asked, "But Guiying, how did you get ess to the video? Isn''t it supposed to be restricted?" ''Guiying'' squinted her eyes. "I had some help. You don''t need to get into the details. We just have to focus on destroying Liu Jun until his¡­all so perfect and colorful life doesn''t get dyed with despair." ¡ª Since GrandCastle was the most nearby hotel from The Creative Sense, it was not unusual that all who were a part of the fest would be staying at this hotel for their trip. Or at least how much the hotel could amodate. Including Jin and Cai Lingyun. The second night in Shanghai had fallen, and Cai Lingyun was smoking a cigarette near theke. He stared into the distant water ahead, seemingly lost in his memories as the cold wind made him shiver. He wasn''t getting sleep. Everytime he tried, he would always remember what happened today. He couldn''t digest the feeling of Ai acting so far away from him as if they were strangers. The more he thought about Ai and Jun together, the more his chest tightened with an ugly feeling. It was not until this moment that he realized how truly important Ai had be a part of his life. But he wasn''t an important part of her life anymore, and that stabbed him like crazy. As if he was going insane. While he was away because of work, Ai had already formed her own world and found someone she loved. Love¡­ Impossible¡­Liu Jun is not suited for her! I won''t give up. I won''t give up on you, Ai. Soon, you will realize that you don''t belong to that world. His gaze softened. You belong here. Where Guiying and I are. You will be happier here. That day won''t be far. Unknown to him, a shadow was sinisterly lurking and approaching him ever so slowly. The steps were silent as if not even a fallen leaf rustled on the ground. But the shadow was inching closer and closer. Cai Lingyun took hisst drag when he suddenly felt a sharp and painful jerk at the back of his knee. His eyes almost popped out with that vicious attack. "Ahhh!" Before he could properly react, the man grabbed his wrist and twisted it at his back, which brought only more pain. "W-who are you!?" He sweated instantly, terrified. "Did you plot that against my brother?" A shrill voice reverberated in the air. He gasped breathlessly as he raised his head. What he saw was a man who resembled Jun a lot. Jin was staring down at him with his expressionless gaze, but the more it looked that way, the more Cai Lingyun felt his blood freeze. It was truly an expression that made him feel as if Jin came from hell just to torture him. "Wh-who are you?" He stammered. "The man''s brother who you tried to defame today. It was you who yed that video? Seriously?" He tilted his head that shone him with an even more of a dangerous streak. Liu Jun¡­? Jin gazed at him up and down as if he was looking at some pest. "Who the hell do you think you are to mess with him? Who are you to question him? Sure, I have questioned him too, but I can do that because I am family. But you are not." Without a warning, Jinnded a punch on his abdomen that made him fall backwards. Cai Lingyun coughed hard, and a thin line of blood trickled down the side of his lips. "S-stop! Why are you hitting me like this?" He clutched his stomach in pain. "Because I am pissed off. You don''te even close to his foot for you to humiliate Bro Jun," he kicked his thigh with his foot, his eyes turning cloudier. "Plus, you tried to defame him using Shui? That''s even worse of a mistake you could have made." He clutched his hair, making him yelp in pain. "That has pissed me off even more. So I should teach you a lesson, right?" Cai Lingyun gritted his teeth. "You are going to beat me up just because I tried to bring out your brother''s dirty truth in front of everyone? I knew it. Liu Jun and his whole family is-" He got punched right at his face, forming a big red mark on his cheek. "At this point, you should know you should have stopped talking, but you refuse to. Guess I will have to teach you a lesson," Jin sneered. He was about to punch him again when a hand caught his wrist. "Jin! What are you doing!?" The coldness in his eyes turned up several notches. "Han Shui. Let go of my hand." Chapter ?273 Shanghai Fest Arc (27) : You Can Stoop To Any Level Chapter ?273 Shanghai Fest Arc (27) : You Can Stoop To Any Level Shui separated him from Cai Lingyun. "Stop it Jin. Why are you beating him up? Jun will already take care of what happened. If anybody sees you acting so violent-" cO,m "So? What''s it to you?" Jin spewed out rigid and unyielding words. Shui gritted her teeth. "What''s got into you, Jin? One moment you say that you don''t want to apologize to Jun for how you behaved and now you are getting furious at Cai Lingyun for insulting him? Why do you care about him now?" "None of your business," he coldly rebuked. Shui balled her palm. She stared down at Cai Lingyun with displeasure. "Leave. Do you want to stick around for him beating you even more?" He stiffened. "Also, don''t act like a jerk for everybody''s sake. Don''t mess with our families. You are already in deep trouble for targeting Jun and me like that," she icily remarked. "Trying to bring me and Jun into a bad light won''t get you anywhere, and you will soon face the consequences for doing that." Cai Lingyun felt agitated and irked by her tone and threat. But before the pain which shot up in his stomach and arm, he had no energy to retort or fight back. He struggled to stand on his feet. Giving Jin a nasty re, he limped and left. Shui let out a breath. She then stared at Jin and eximed in frustration. "People still pass by thiske. Did you want to cause a ruckus by beating up a man for no reason?" Jin sneered. "I don''t need to exin myself to you." "You do! You have a lot of exining to do! Why are you acting with Jun like that? Why are you suddenly ignoring me and saying that you hate me? You don''t have to love me back if you don''t feel the same way for me, but why so much hatred for me?" Towards the end, her eyes were beginning to tear up. "Bro Nian told me how you ruined Zhou Ai''s meal purposely yesterday that Jun cooked for her. Clearly, you have some enmity with Jun. But now you wanted to punish Cai Lingyun for messing with him. Just what do you want, Jin? Sometimes you behave one way and other times, you behavepletely differently!" Jin turned the other way and headed to leave when Shui blocked his way. "Jin, I am talking to you!" "But can''t you understand that I don''t want to talk to you? Get out of my way." "Jin please¡­tell me what''s going wrong. I know that Grandpa chose Zhou Ai for you and you¡­" her heart ached to admit it, "You might have developed an interest in her. But isn''t this going too far? You just met her only once. You don''t even know anything about her. Will you really hate Jun so much because he is dating her?" "Heh so does it automatically mean that I should date you?" Jin mocked her. She clenched her jaw tightly. "You know I don''t mean it that way! Why are you giving things a different direction? I mean that your interest in her cannot be so deep enough for you to resent your own brother, especially Jun whom you always followed since childhood more than Uncle, Aunt, Bro Jian, Bro Nian, Sis Nuo or anybody else in the family." Jin stared at her in deep thought. He then slowly approached her with light steps, making her heart skip a beat. It reminded her of the time when he leaned closer to her at the restaurant. "Even after telling you so many times, you refuse to stop interfering in my life. Do you like me so much that even after my rejection, you continue to bother me? You already stalked me to Shanghai. What more do you want?" Shui slightly trembled. She was unsure if it was because of the chilly wind or Jin''s heartless words. "I didn''t stalk you here." "Oh? Then what is the purpose of your great presence here?" He chuckled. "That I-...I came here to meet my online friends who invited me to the fest." "And who is this online friend?" She wanted to say Warlord, but Guiying didn''t want that secret to be out. "Heh. Some imaginary excuse of yours?" She red at him. "I met him at the fest! Just because you didn''t see him with me doesn''t mean that I am lying! If you want, I will show you the chat!" But her phone had already run out of battery. Damn it! "It got switched off, but I will show my chat. Do you really think I will stoop so low to stalk you?" More than anger, she felt hurt for his distrust towards her. Jinughed. "Do I really think that? Yes, I do. You can go to any lengths," he emanated even more of a deadlier aura as he trembled. "Even if it would hurt others, as long as it got your work done, you would go as far as you could." She looked at him, bewildered. "Say Shui¡­" he smiled as he twirled her hair."What will it take for you to get the hell out of my life?" He bent and whispered, "Will it be enough for you if we slept together?" She froze hard. "That should satisfy your-" The sound of a loud p thundered in the air, forcing Jin to separate from Shui. "Is it that you don''t understand things until you get a p on your face?" Jin faintly touched his cheek and chuckled as he recognized Ai''s voice. He faced her, narrowing his eyes. "Can you not barge in with ps whenever you wish?" Ai dangerously stepped forward, not looking away from him. "Then you have to stop acting like a despicable man first." She nced at Shui, who was trembling hard with what she had just listened to Jin asking her. It was fine if he said he hated her. It was fine if he was ignoring her. But asking to have sex just so that she could let him go? It was as if he was implying that¡­ Ai firmly held her hand and pressed her palm against hers. "Please snap out of it, Shui. You don''t have to waste your tears on a man like him who doesn''t respect your love." Chapter 274 Shanghai Fest Arc (28) : Bonding Chapter 274 Shanghai Fest Arc (28) : Bonding Jin cocked his brow and sneered. "Respect needs to be earned if you want respect in return." "And you think you did good deeds that will make people respect you?" Ai sharply countered. "On the other hand, it seems that you are worsening day by day. Today, you went too far with your words." Shui couldn''t help but let the tears slip down. It was too much to take. The man she loved not only rejected her feelings but also used her of stalking and then made a one-night stand deal with her. This was beyond humiliation that she could bear. Ai ordered. "Apologize to her." Jin chuckled. "And what will you do if I don''t? Run over to Bro''s side andin to him? Make him hate even more?" "Even more? Your actions are the only ones that cause the people around you to keep their distance from you." "Is that so? My actions? Or..." Jin squinted his ck eyes and looked straight at her, "are they my reactions?" Her brows furrowed. "Nobody has done anything to provoke you to act so miserable and cruel. Don''t try to justify your actions." "Not in this life..." he mumbled a whisper that was impossible to hear. "Whatever. I am leaving." Ai stopped his way, and the expression on her face was chillier than the cold winds blowing past them. "Apologize to Shui." "No. Do whatever you want. You want to p me? It''s like your signature reaction, isn''t it?" He smiled. "Go ahead. I don''t care." Silence. Shui cold palm held onto Ai''s hand, and she shook her head. "I...I..." her voice was hoarse and was filled with pain, "it''s okay. I-I don''t need to h-hear it." Jin watched Shui''s eyes and the moistness in them shimmering under the moonlight. For just a fraction of a second, his hand trembled. But that feeling disappeared soon enough, enveloping his heart with hatred again. Cry, Shui. I want to see you cry. Until I let you suffer everyst bit of pain you made me go through...you will keep on suffering. Jin didn''t hold onto a minute longer and left by takingrge strides. Shui finally lost the strength in her knees as if something had sapped the vitality out of her. "Shui!" Ai bent down and pulled her into her hug. She patted her head and whispered. "It''s okay." "It''s not...It''s not okay..." Shui broke down into loud sobs that threatened to tear her heart apart. She felt like all the painful emotions that she had bottled up inside her broke through. She hadn''t shared the conversation between her and Jin to anybody. Not even to her family. She was handling it all alone, and she didn''t know who she could talk to. The warm tears endlessly flushed on the soft grass as she poured her heart out. "How could he s-say that to me? A-am I so despicable in his eyes? He spoke about a o-one night stand so casually...as if it didn''t mean anything to him...When did I be that kind of a woman in his eyes?" Ai held her face and said with conviction, "You are not despicable, Shui. It''s Jin who has be too blind, chasing after something that only he knows what it is. He doesn''t have any right to demean you, and you don''t have to listen to him. I know you love him, and I understand it is hurting you a lot to hear such a thing from him. But if he said that, then you should also realize that you shouldn''t waste your precious love on him anymore. Someone who treats a woman like that doesn''t deserve it." Shui cried harder, feeling a jab on her heart every time she remembered Jin talking about a one-night stand between them. Ai sat beside her and softly said, "I know it''s hard to move on. I...I have experienced that feeling." Shui looked at her, surprised. "You had a boyfriend before?" Not in this life but in the past life... But Ai couldn''t rify that. "...Yes. It felt crushing to forget about him. It was really...really hard. But then..." her light brown irises brimmed with tears, "Jun stepped into my life and that pain wasn''t so painful anymore. Jun keeps me so happy that sometimes I feel that that whole phase was just an illusion. That man...I loved him just like you love Jin. It was hard, but time eventually healed that scar. That day wille for you too, Shui, but only if you steel your heart to let go of Jin. The more you think about him, the more you will want him and the harder it will get for you." Shui''s gaze looked empty. "I...I don''t think I can love anybody other than Jin. I know I sound stupid after what he said. I should hit him, I should feel angry at him, and I should throw him out of my life but...a part of me doesn''t want to...Jin is not like that. He-he never acted in such a way. He is not raised that way. Aunt Nana...has raised her children really well. S-something has changed within him, but I don''t know what." She wiped her cheeks. "Even towards Jun, he is acting very strangely. Sometimes it feels as if he cares about him and sometimes he pushes him away as if he is his worst enemy. And Jun out of all people? Jin...really liked Jun the most. He used to follow him all the time when we were kids. It was always Jun, Jin and me who yed the most. Even now...he came here to beat up Cai Lingyun." Ai widened her eyes. "He did?" "Yeah. He was angry that Cai Lingyun tried to set Jun up and humiliated him. He would have beaten him to death had I not stepped in between." Ai frowned. What is going on? Why would Jin go so far? Ever since the breakup announcement day, Jin had only been acting hostile towards Jun. And now he wants to protect him? But he likes Shui. They were going to get married in thest life. There is nothing to stop him from having Shui. Then... Why is saying that he hates her? "Everything was fine until a few days ago," Shui sniffled, "but now he suddenly hates Jun. He hates me. He is thest person we thought...would hate us." Ai was in deep contemtion. Something was not adding up, and she had a feeling there was more to know about Jin''s actions. But how? She held her hand and softly assured her. "There are a lot of unanswered questions. I know everything is confusing. But even so, Jin has no right to trample over you like this. I know he is important to you and maybe you cannot believe that he would act this way. But you have to be strong. Even if you might not feel angry at him right now, you also cannot let yourself get hurt by him again and again or your pain will never end." Shui pursed her lips and slowly nodded. "You...you are right." She nced at Ai and smiled through her tears. "Jun is really lucky to have met you. And if Jin really likes you, I don''t think I can me him either. You are a really nice person. I didn''t think you would treat me so well after all that has happened." She sped her hands together. There was Ai who was being kind towards her despite her being Jun''s ex-girlfriend and when she didn''t know much about Ai at all. Then on the second hand, there was Jin who she knew since childhood and was her good friend but was now hating and hurting her. Ai exhaled a deep breath. "Jin doesn''t like me. He is only doing that to hurt you." "Maybe he really-" "No," she shook her head, "he really doesn''t like me that way. I am sure of it." Shui stared at her and gently nodded. After a pause of a few minutes, she said, "I want to apologize for this morning. I know you trust Jun. I really appreciate that you didn''t misunderstand us, but y-you must have felt hurt when you saw us together. Especially us together when you are his girlfriend. I am really sorry. I didn''t even know Jun would enter the same elevator." Ai sighed. Then she softly flicked on her forehead, making Shui dumbfounded. Did she just flick me? She dazedly touched her forehead. "You and Jun are really simr. He was also worried about the same thing. Trust me, I didn''t feel hurt at all. It''s very difficult to doubt Jun considering how he loves." Shui slightly choked. Well, that''s true... It was also the reason why she never believed Jin that Jun cheated on her and broke up with her because Ai came into his life. It was just impossible. "You got a point there," a chuckle escaped her lips after a long time. She looked at the night sky and felt her chest getting lighter. "Thank you, Zhou Ai. We just met today but I never thought I would feel...so much better than the past few days." Especially with you. Are the present and ex-girlfriends of a guy supposed to be on such good terms so easily? She thought. Shui carefully studied her and touched her chin. "I think you have magic." Ai sincerely replied. "I am a human." "..." Then she cracked intoughter. "Hahaha,you answered that so earnestly. Aish, you are cute. I can see once again why Jun fell for you. You have magic and then you are also cute." Her eyes sparkled as she thought of an idea. "Hey, do you want to see Jun''s childhood pictures?" Ai''s ears perked up, and she instantly shone as if a golden light surrounded her. "Childhood pictures? Yes!" "Cool! Hehe. Get ready to squeal hard because Jun was really cute, especially with sses." "Jun had sses?" She beamed. "Yeah, when we were kids." Ai imagined Jun wearing sses now. He will look so handsome. I want to see him wearing sses now. In their room, Jun sneezed hard. "Achoo!" He shuddered too and suspiciously thought to himself, "Why do I get this bad feeling that somebody is having fun at my expense?" Chapter ?275 Shanghai Fest Arc (29) : I Am Coming Chapter ?275 Shanghai Fest Arc (29) : I Am Coming Beijing. Zixin put on the ck coat and adjusted his shirt as he looked at his reflection in the mirror. He stared at himself for a few seconds before taking a deep breath. "Hey, somebody is getting dressed up~" Zixin''s mother, Chen Serena, stepped in carrying a tray with a cup of coffee. "Hmm, you always dress your best, but today you look different, even nervous for some reason." Zixin didn''t show much of an expression, but his heart was indeed racing faster in his chest. "Nothing." "Nooo. My radar is sensing something," Serena pouted as she looked at him up and down. "Is it a woman?" "No," he instantly denied. "Liar liar pants on fire! It''s definitely a woman! So, so who is she?" Serena sparkled and between the mother and the son, she looked more like a child right now. "How did you meet her? What is her name? What does she do? You have to tell me everything!" Zixin said nothing, but the tips of his ears were clearly blushing. Serena sobbed. "You are just like your grandpa. My father-inw is really cute, but he is so silent that it''s impossible to know what he is thinking. You make the same expressions as him. By the way, where are you heading? Can you tell me that or is that a secret too?" "Shanghai." "Oooo to meet a woman?" She eagerly hopped. Zixin said nothing. "Bro, don''t be like this!" Yubi dashed into his room and crashed to hug him. "Why are you keeping secrets from us? Even if there is a woman you like, what''s wrong in sharing it with us? You clearly told Yunru. What is this partiality!? Yunru and I are twins! How could you favor that puppy idiot over me?" She shed fake tears. "Yunru doesn''t know anything," Zixin inly countered her. "That''s not true. He is in Shanghai and now you are going too. You definitely told him something. How could you leave your pretty and dearest sister out of the loop like this?" Serena gravely nodded. "Don''t worry. You can tell me. I won''t leak it to Mom or Dad." "Hey!" Serenained. "I thought we were in this together!" Yubi seriously said, "Siblings trust is more important." Serena red up her nostrils. "Children forget all filial piety once they grow older." She ignored her daughter and sheepishly grinned at her son. "Zixin, tell me no! Who is that woman? Why are you feeling so shy to admit it?" Zixin kept his silence. But Serena and Yubi kept drilling holes into him with their searing eyes that wanted to know the truth at any cost. He looked impassive but inwardly, he was sweating secretly. It was hard to ignore their gazes. He looked away, but the mother-daughter pair popped up in front of his vision wherever he moved his eyeballs. This happened a couple of times, but he never lost patience. Eventually, he pursed his lips. "I am only going to meet her." Their eyes illuminated like stars in the sky. They had tons of questions in their mind. "Oh my God! You really have someone you love? What is she like?" He said nothing. Serena''s mouth twitched. "Well, does she live in Shanghai?" No answer. Yubi asked with anticipation, "How did you meet her?" Silence. "Ohe on!" They eximed in unison helplessly. "You seriously are like your grandpa. Why are you hiding it from us?" "I don''t know if she will say yes," he quietly spoke. "Yeah well but-" Serena choked and jerked her head in shock as she just realized what she heard. "You are going to confess to her?" Silen- "You dare keep your mouth shut, and you will have it from me Chen Zixin!" She red at him. That was his mother''s ultimatum and that was it. Yubi cleared her throat and eyed her brother secretly. You know not to mess with Mom now. Zixin pressed his lips together again. "Yes." Serena pped her hands in delight. "That''s so wonderful! What was there to hide in this?" "I don''t know if she will agree," he calmly repeated. Yubi wrapped her arm around his and hugged him tightly. "How can she not agree? You are the most dashing, handsome, caring and coolest guy in the whole world! Any woman would be blind not to say yes to you!" Serena pinched his cheeks. "I hope things go well for you. But even if she doesn''t say yes, you don''t have to keep it from us. I am your sweetest mother. Whether you seed or fail, I should know everything about my son. I just don''t want to see your smiles but your pain too. It''s not good to take in everything by yourself." Zixin thought about it and nodded. Yubi asked, "So, so! Will you bring her here for us to meet?" Clearly, they were excited for this more than anything. "If she says yes first." "Oof! You are worrying too much!" Yubi flicked her elder brother''s forehead. "If she knows you well, she will never reject you. I have full faith!" Zixin ever so softly smiled, shooting an arrow right through her heart. "See, this is what I was talking about. Your eyes and smile are so beautiful. How can anybody bear to reject you?" "You are getting cheeky," hemented. "I was always cheeky," she stuck out her tongue. Serena tiptoed and kissed her son''s forehead. "I wish you all the best. Go get her!" His gaze softened. "I hope so." "It''s not just hope. It will definitely happen." Yubi said, "So you will meet Bro Jun and that idiot Yunru too. Oh by Bro Jun I remember! I heard that he secretly kidnapped Feng Wuhan, Bro Zixin''spetitor. Why so?" Serena wore a solemn countenance. "Jianyu told me that Jun told him that Feng Wuhan was nning to harm Zixin. He had his suspicions, so he brought him in. But until now, he hasn''t confessed anything." Yubi harrumphed. "Doesn''t matter. Since Feng Wuhan is in the base, there is nothing to worry about. Bro Zixin will be safe," she grinned. Serena nodded. She worriedly said, "But still. Be careful on your way, okay Zixin?" He smiled and hugged his mother and sister. "I will be fine. It''s just a one day trip. I will be back by tomorrow." "En." As they left his room, Zixin let out a breath and looked at a certain picture in his phone with a gentle gaze. "I aming, Guiying." Chapter 276 Shanghai Fest Arc (30) : Jins Accident Chapter 276 Shanghai Fest Arc (30) : Jin''s ident Shanghai. Jun woke up with a silent yawn and opened his eyes from the lovely dream he was having about himself and Ai. Last night was also just as lovely as they passionately made love. But this time, he spared her from having more rounds with her as they were going to return to Beijing tomorrow. His ears perked up as he heard Ai faintly giggling. Sheid beside him, her naked back facing him as she was checking something on her phone. What''s so funny early in the morning? He cocked his brow with interest. He quietly raised his head and peeked into her phone. Looking at Ai scrolling through his childhood pictures made his brows twitch incessantly. Even more so when he noticed that she was chatting with Shui. He sneered. "You seem to have grown very close. I must say, too close to my taste." Ai gasped in shock and looked back. "Don''t just pop in like that suddenly." His gaze darkened. "You tell me what secret conversation you are having with Shui first!" She furrowed her brows. "There is no secret conversation. She is sharing your cute childhood pictures. Jun, you looked so cute wearing sses," she peeked at him with hope, "I want to see you in sses again." "No. How could she share my pictures like that? I have no privacy at all!" "Why do you need privacy from your girlfriend?" "You just want to see me in sses, don''t you?" He dryly asked. "I also want to see you wearing Pikachu ears," she pointed at a picture where the twins were grinning beside him. Jun was forced to smile in that picture, wearing a Pikachu ears headband. His dark brown eyes shone with violence. "I didn''t put those damn ears on by choice! Those annoying twins forced it upon me!" Ai nodded with appreciation. "They did good. You look so-" He shot her a re as if expressing the severe consequences she would face if she uttered the word cute again. "Moving on¡­" she cleared her throat and scrolled through the other pictures. Most of the pictures had Jun either reading a book or ying some video game. Then there were many other pictures of various celebrations held but Jun didn''t look interested in any of them. It was as if he wanted to be left alone. Jun snatched her phone away. "That''s enough." "Hey! Give me my phone back. I haven''t seen all the pictures," she pursed her lips. "What is there to see other than my miserable expressions?" He grimaced. She chuckled. "Not all are miserable. You looked happy in all those pictures clicked with Mrs. Liu and Mrs. Han." "..." "I can see the crush in your eyes for Mrs. Han," she teased him. "You¡­No more pictures!" Ai protested. "But I want to know how you were as a child." "It was nothing special." "It''s special for me. In that sense, I do feel jealous of Shui because she has seen that side of yours. She has spent her whole childhood with you. I haven''t. So, at least I want to know your life through the pictures," she gave him an extremely sincere look. His mouth twitched. It was hard to ignore her when she said it like that. "Fine¡­" he gave her phone back. "But no calling me cute! That''s my condition." "Sure." I will call you cute in my mind, Ai thought. They went through his pictures together, giggling andughing. She slowly pointed out after seeing through most of the photos. "Jin is with you in almost every picture." Jun tilted his head and raised his brow. "Now that you say it, it is like that indeed." "Shui told me that Jin always stuck around your side wherever you went." "Yeah, pretty much," he weakly smiled, "We were always together. Or atleast most of the time. That''s why¡­it was hard to imagine that Jin would snatch Shui away from me like that. But you know what is even stranger? In the elevator, Shui said that Jin hates her. She confessed her feelings and he said that he hated her." "I know," Ai looked grim, "Last night when I was near theke, I heard Jin talking to Shui. He thought that Shui stalked him in Shanghai and¡­" "And what?" "Jin said a terrible thing to Shui. He wants to get rid of Shui, so he asked¡­if she would leave him after a one-night stand." "What!?" Jun eximed loudly. It gripped him by such disbelief that he wasn''t able to process it. "I got angry and I pped him." "You bet you did!" Confusion, anger and shock were all over his face. "What the hell Jin is thinking suggesting such a pathetic thing like that!? He cannot degrade Shui like that! Did he really ask that?" "Yes. That''s why I pped him." He gritted his teeth. "I have to talk to Jin. This is going out of hands! I am already out of his way. Shui also loves him. Then what does he want? How dare he say such a thing to her? Trust me, if Bro Nian gets to hear about this, he will torture him and bury him alive!" Jun then pressed his brows and asked, "How is Shui?" Ai lowered her gaze, feeling wistful for her. "Naturally, very hurt. But I talked to her, and she is fine now." Jun drew out a long and angry sigh. He balled his fist and spoke through a clenched jaw, "I will talk to Jin. Hell, he cannot act like this!" ¡ª "Jin!" Outside the hotel where some were doing some painting and maintenance work, Jun grabbed his brother''s shoulder and harshly made him face him. "Are you out of your mind? What the hell did you say to Shuist night!? Is that what Mom has taught us? I don''t know what is going on in your mind, but is that how you are supposed to behave to a woman? Your childhood friend at that!" Jin clicked his tongue. "Your present and ex-girlfriends are such tattletales, Bro. Don''t they have better work to do?" "Jin!" But he forced himself to calm down and took a deep breath. "Tell me. What is going on?" Jin sneered and shook off his question. Without answering anything, he was about to leave when his gaze fell on a heavy paint can above falling towards Jun''s head. "Jin you have to answer-" Suddenly, Jin gave him a hard push and screamed. "Bro, get out of the way!" As he stumbled back, the can hit on Jin''s temple and he copsed on the floor, unconscious. Chapter ?277 Shanghai Fest Arc (31) : Yunrus Small Gift Chapter ?277 Shanghai Fest Arc (31) : Yunru''s Small Gift Forty-five minutes earlier. Back at The Creative Sense, Yunru brought Huan to the venue to show her something. "Why did you bring me here today? I thought that since Ai has no work today, we all will be touring Shanghai." Yunru cleared his throat. "Indeed, we will do that. But there is a small thing that you have to do." Huan tilted her head questioningly but also curiously. When they were going to step into a room, ''Guiying'' and Zhan Yahui just came out after ''Guiying''s'' seminar was done. Zhan Yahui slightly stiffened and narrowed her eyes, seeing Huan''s presence. ''Guiying'' was also slightly surprised. What are they doing here? Huan didn''t show much change in her countenance, but Yunru was quite expressive as well as vocal too. Zhan Yahui eyed Huan and asked, "What are you doing here?" Instead of Huan, Yunru answered her and in a not so pleasant tone. "Do you have a problem with it? Or what? Can you only arrange your writer''s seminar here by pulling some strings?" Zhan Yahui alternated her gaze between him and Huan. "I didn''t pull any strings." Yunru sneered. "Yeah sure. Whatever, I don''t want to get into proving myself right." "Then why are you here? I thought your tour over here was done." Yunru smirked. "Since CherryBlossom got a chance - or you gave her one - we all know what it was. If she could give a seminar despite not winning the Summit, then why not MysticMidnight? She lost the Summit too but she was able to reach the top three. If your writer deserved that chance, then she does too." Huan stood, stupefied as she faced him. "You mean to say¡­you arranged for my writing seminar?" Yunru hesitated. "Yes. I-It''s actually not as long as sister-inw''s or Cai Guiying''s. The schedule was tight, so I could only squeeze forty-five minutes for you¡­B-But still, I thought it was better than having nothing. There are readers out here too who are your fans, and you should meet them." ''Guiying'' wasn''t really bothered with Huan getting her tform or not. She could care less of that. But as she nced at Zhan Yahui, she could faintly see her gaze flickering for just a second. She stood absolutely still, and even she didn''t know what she was thinking. Zhan Yahui raised her brow. "I see¡­" Yunru didn''t hide his displeasure at all. "Why are you staring at us? Whether you don''t like it from a professional standpoint or something else¡­" By something else, he meant the fact that they were half-sisters, "Huan will also shine as a writer." Zhan Yahui smiled. "Good for her. Good luck, Shi Huan." Huan paused and then said, "Thank you." Zhan Yahui then nced at Guiying and said, "We are done here. Let''s go." As they left, Huan finally confronted Yunru. "Why did you do this? I don''t even work for Sky." Yunru coughed. "I know. But we are¡­friends right? Friends are supposed to help each other. I know you said that you don''t mind that your spot was stolen. But it''s not just about poprity," he pursed his lips, "Don''t you want to feel how it''s to meet new authors and your readers? It''s awesome, I tell you! You will really like it and then you will thank me a lot!" He grinned. Huan stared at his radiant and beaming smile and for a moment, her heart thudded in her chest thinking he looked cute. Then she suddenly realized her train of thoughts and snapped out. "Th-thank you¡­" She didn''t ask, yet she felt really touched by his thoughts. "B-But like I said, it''s a little short," Yunru nervously reminded her. She shook her head. "I don''t care about how long or short it is. It already matters a lot to me that you did this for me." "Oh. That''s great then." Their gazes met for a brief second and they quickly averted their gazes, slightly coughing. "You should go inside," he cheerfully smiled. "Yes," Huan nodded. ¡ª When she stepped out forty-five minutester, her face was beaming with bliss. Yunru grinned. "I told you that you will enjoy it! Look, you even made so many new fans!" She nodded hard. "I-I really did¡­" Yunru''s phone buzzed with a call from Nian, and he frowned. Why is Bro Nian disturbing me? He always has to bully me at important times! "What is it, Bro Nian? Right now, I am-" "Jin is in the hospital." His eyes widened. "What!? Bro Jin¡­in the hospital?" That took Huan aback too. "W-what happened?" p He heard Nian talking at the other end, and he turned pale. "Shit! How is Bro Jin? And Bro Jun? Is he hurt? Wait, we areing!" He hung up and anxiously pulled Huan. "We need to go to the hospital!" "What''s wrong? I heard your brother is hurt," she worriedly asked. "It''s Bro Jin. He got hurt while protecting Bro Jun from falling a paint can over his head." Huan gasped and covered her mouth. "Let''s go quickly then!" As they rushed off, ''Guiying'' who was hiding behind a pir came out. She watched them leaving in a hurry. An ident with Liu Jun? But his brother got hurt¡­ From the corner of her eye, she saw her brother approaching her. "Hey." ''She'' frowned as she observed something different about him. His smile faltered, and his gaze looked nervous. "Are you done with your seminar?" "I was done long back. Where were you all this time?" He looked away. "I just woke upte. I am sorry I couldn''t be there at your seminar." ''She'' smiled. That was expected. If it had been Zhou Ai''s seminar, then you wouldn''t have missed it at all. But still¡­why does it feel he is lying to me? ¡ª As the doctor came out of the ward, Jun rushed towards him. "Jin! How is Jin? He was bleeding a lot a-and suddenly fell unconscious. He is fine, right?" The doctor reassured him. "Yes, Mr. Liu. Liu Jin is out of danger. He had a concussion, and its effects mightst for a while like faint dizziness and pain in his temple. But he will recover in a few days. Thankfully, the paint can didn''t hit his head or eyes or we don''t know how severe his condition might have be. Don''t worry. He will regain consciousness in a few hours." Chapter 278 Shanghai Fest Arc (32) : Little Jun And Little Jin Chapter 278 Shanghai Fest Arc (32) : Little Jun And Little Jin Everybody sighed in great relief. Ai sat beside Jun, who wiped the corner of his eye. She held his hand and smiled. "I told you he will be fine, and he is." "It''s my fault-" "It''s not your fault," Ai cut him off. "It was an ident. Please don''t me yourself. Nobody saw iting." "It doesn''t matter!" Jun broke down and whispered, "Jin, he¡­protected me just like he did in my past life. He took the bullet for me. This time, he got hurt again. The whole time he was inside, my thoughts only wandered off if he would¡­die again" he shuddered, "No matter what he did or is doing now, I don''t want him dead," a tear slipped from his reddened eyes. "If something had happened to him again, I would have never been able to forgive myself. It''s al-already enough that I killed Jin and Mom once. I don''t want to see anybody hurt because of me once again." Ai felt helpless. She wanted to help him and throw away all the guilt from his heart. But considering what happened in thest life, she knew she couldn''t me him for feeling sensitive at this time. Shui was on the other side who was crying and staring hard at Jin through the ward''s window. Huan was by her side consoling her. Yunru jumped to hug his cousin. "Bro, are those tears what I see!? Why are you looking like you are ming yourself for this!" "Because he is," Ai agreed with dissatisfaction. "How dare you! I protest!" Nian folded his arm. "The one who should me himself should be the one who caused the ident. It''s not your fault for standing at that ce. So quit it with any guilt or I will p you." Xing Bi hit his arm. "Don''t be like this to him! Can''t you see he is already in distress?" "O-of course not, Xing Bi. I am being a good brother!" He patted Jun''s shoulder and said, "You stay here. I will look into how the ident happened." Yunru stood up ring his nostrils. "I wille with you too! How could the hotel be so irresponsible!? I will sue them!" Nian nced at Shui''s side once with a hint of worry in his eyes. But Xing Bi shared a gaze with him and nodded. I am here with her. He smiled. "Thanks." ¡ª *shback* A four years old Jin was crying in the dark room where his brothers, Jian and Nian had locked him up. Nuo had tried to stop them, pulling Jin to her side, but they didn''t listen to her and dumped Jin into this room. His heart thudded and he felt a knot in his stomach, feeling dark all around. Sometimes, he hallucinated as if shadows were creeping onto him. "N-No¡­" he sniffled hard and kept wiping his tears, "I want to¡­to be out¡­I don''t want to be here¡­Waaaaa¡­Somebody help me¡­I will die. I am scared¡­" He covered his ears with his hands and shut his eyes, sobbing loudly. His small body was trembling hard with fear. He didn''t know how much time had passed, but he felt a hand on his head. "Jin. Open your eyes." He froze. He slowly raised his head which he had hidden between his knees. He looked at Jun with his eyes and cheeks stained with tears. "B-Bro Jun¡­" he squeaked with a tiny and helpless voice. Jun, who was eight at that time, adjusted his spectacles and sat beside his brother. He wiped his face and said, "Don''t cry." Jin burst into tears again and begged him. "Bro please¡­Take me out! I-I don''t want to be here. I hate the dark¡­" he sniffled. "I don''t want¡­to be here," he cried. "I cannot. You made them really mad." Jin''s face lost more color. "I cannot let you out. But I will stay here with you," saying that he took out a small toy from his pocket that lit up with a dim light as he pressed a button. He kept it in front of him. "Is it better now?" Jin gasped through his tears, whose fear of the dark was slowly disappearing as he stared at the toy that faintly illuminated the room. His teary eyes beamed, and he hugged Jun. cO,m Jun patted his head. "Mom is sick. You shouldn''t have been stubborn." Jin bit his lip hard. "I-I just wanted to eat Mom''s spaghetti¡­" "But she is sick. Do you like to y when you catch a cold?" "...No." "It''s hard right if you force yourself to y? You feel weak and just want to sleep." Jin nodded. "It''s the same with Mom. She is also weak right now and has to rest." Jin lowered his head with shame as he understood his mistake. "I am s-sorry¡­I am really sorry." Jun bobbed his head and ruffled his hair. "Good that you understand. When Bro Jian and Bro Nian will let you out, apologize to Mom." "Yes." Then he panicked. "When will Bro let me out? I d-don''t want to be here¡­" tears pooled in his eyes once again. "I don''t know. But it doesn''t matter," Jun smiled and wiped his tears again. "Because I will stay here with you as long as it takes." *shback ends* As the memory resurfaced in his mind, Jin slowly opened his eyes. He recognized the white ceiling of a hospital and looked around to find Jun beside him. His eyes slowly widened and for a few moments, he felt as if it was just like the time when they had spent in that dark room where Jun stayed with him. He felt as if he was seeing little Jun''s apparition in front of him. "Jin!" Jun noticed he regained consciousness and leaned. "Jin, how are you feeling now?" Jin stared at him hard for a longer time until a tear slipped down on the pillow through his right eye. Jun looked at him shocked. "Jin, what''s wrong? Is your temple hurting too much?" The concern and worry in his voice was distinct. Jin crumpled the sheet in his fist, remembering how it was Jun''s bullet that had killed him. "Bro¡­" "Yes? I am here. Should I call the doctor?" "Bro¡­" a weak snide curled his lips, "Why are you here? It''s¡­not like those days anymore where we were always together. You hate me. So do your part and¡­" he became slightly breathless, "leave. You don''t have to care about someone who snatched everything from you." Chapter ?279 Shanghai Fest Arc (31) : Jins True Feelings Inside Out Chapter ?279 Shanghai Fest Arc (31) : Jin''s True Feelings Inside Out Jin gasped and felt a sharp headache tearing the left side of his head apart. Sweat formed on his forehead, making Jun panic. "Jin, wait! I will call the doctor for you!" The doctor immediately arrived but by then, Jin had fainted again. He checked his stats and vitals and said, "The wound was deep, so he will be in and out of consciousness for some time. Plus, there might still be some lingering effects of the anesthesia kicking in." "So he is okay, right?" He tensely asked. He smiled. "Yes, Mr. Liu. Like I said, your brother isn''t in danger. He will fully wake up in some time." As the ward fell silent, Jun felt a hand on his shoulder. "Jun." "Hey," he quickly wiped his eyes and tried to hide his shaky voice from Ai. "The doctor said he is fine." "Hm." She stared at Jin and thoughtfully said, "Jun. I have something in my mind. Will you listen to me?" -- When Jin came around the second time, he felt the pain in his head much lighter and better and his mind working more clearly. But the moment his eyes fell on a certain woman beside him, he felt as if that headache would return. "Zhou Ai. You do realize that you are thest person I want to see after waking up, especially the woman who doesn''t know anything other than pping me?" Ai''sposure only irked him further. "It''s not like pping is my hobby." He sneered. "Sure it doesn''t look that way." "Then you can only me yourself," her sharp words made him grit his teeth. "Get out." "No. Before that, I want to talk to you." "Yeah, I am not exactly in the mood to chit chat here with you," he gave her sardonic smile. "Doesn''t matter." His gaze darkened. Ai bored her eyes straight into his as if she wasn''t leaving him any ce to escape. "Jin, you are a veryplex person." "Excuse me?" "You are very different from Jun. He doesn''t hide whatever it is in his heart. But you do. That''s why I said before that you wear a mask to hide your true intentions. It''s very difficult to know what''s inside YOUR heart." "Your point?" He asked, bored. "Jun told me once that you like Shui. When we met at the library for the first time, you were really worried when Jun suddenly fell sick. But I doubted your concern when you were staring at Jun and Shui dancing at the banquet night. Then your whole tone changed when Jun announced his breakup. You openly became his enemy. Then here in Shanghai, you ruined my meal that Jun prepared for me. But you beat up Cai Lingyun for revenge and saved Jun from getting hurt today." Jin yawned. "I am sleepy. Get out." Ai ignored him and continued. "It was really hard to decipher your feelings, but it finally urred to me when Nian told me that incident in your childhood when he and Jian locked you up in the room." This got Jin''s full attention. "And then I waspletely sure when Jun also added to that incident." "And exactly what did you decipher, Miss. Zhou?" Jin mockingly asked. "Who is more important to you? Shui or Jun? Tell me." He narrowed his eyes. "I want to know." "You are not getting any answer from me." "I already know. I just want to hear it from your lips." He shrugged. Ai said it herself. "I had everything backwards. It was always Jun from the beginning." He froze. "You, Jun and Shui were always together during your childhood not because you liked Shui too but because you wanted to spend time with Jun. You...have a brotherplex towards Jun, right?" Jin curled his fist, and his gaze with which he looked at Ai only became darker and icier. He wanted to cover her mouth and stop her from talking. "You disliked Shui because Jun loved her so much that you thought she was snatching his affection that was meant to be yours. But then you began to hate her when their rtionship fell apart because she med Jun and his possessiveness which you couldn''t tolerate. You cannot tolerate anything against Jun. That''s why you beat Cai Lingyun. You really care about him. That''s why you took the hit for him today. You ruined my meal because spaghetti was the first dish that Jun cooked for you, so it has a really special ce in your heart. That''s why you didn''t want me to eat it." The more she talked, the more rattled he got. It was as if she was exposing his deepest secrets which he never wanted toe to light. He wanted to fight back, but he was too tired with the mild headache he was having. He exhaled a restless breath. "Why are you talking so much?" "Because I think that things will be easier if you and Jun had a proper conversation. But you don''t want to do that because you don''t want to let him know that you care about him more than what he had expected." Jin chuckled wryly. Heughed for a long time but as opposed to his smiling lips, Ai could gauge the sorrow reflecting in his eyes. Then he stoppedughing and quietened down. "It''s very easy to like Bro Jun, right?" He said as he looked outside the window. "Yes," Ai didn''t hesitate to answer. "Say, Zhou Ai. What do you like about him the most?" Ai took a moment to answer. There were so many things that she loved about Jun. But if she wanted to name one thing, then it would be... "Jun is very kind. I like his kindness the most," she answered with the purest of her smile and the softest of her gaze. Jin showed no change in his expression, neither did he ept or reject her answer. Instead he said, "Brotherplex you say...Do you know why it''s like that?" Chapter 280 Shanghai Fest Arc (32) : The Promise Between The Two Brothers Chapter 280 Shanghai Fest Arc (32) : The Promise Between The Two Brothers cO,m "I have four siblings. As five siblings together, we are united and we love each other. But at the same time, there was also an invisible division between us." Ai tilted her head questioningly. "Among the five of us, Bro Jian, Bro Nian and Sis Nuo seemed to have formed their own group. They were quite mischievous, and it became more pronounced when all three of them wanted to have a career in cooking. They spent most of their time together in the kitchen, experimenting stuff and making new dishes. I loved cooking too but not as much as them. I felt I couldn''t really fit in over there. Also, Bro Jian and Bro Nian are the eldest. So, I couldn''te over that gap between us quite often." Ai remembered what Jun said the night before. ''Jin is the youngest so the age gap hits him the hardest.'' Jin faintly smiled. "Bro Jun was different and opposite. He would be cooped up in his room the whole day, either reading books or ying video games or ying with Shui if he went out. He talked very little, and I really couldn''t figure out if he even liked me or not. At times, I felt really lonely because I couldn''t connect to anybody until the day the twins got furious at me and locked me up. I still remember that day clearly. I had cried and cried, but they didn''t let me out. I begged them, but they didn''t listen to me. I thought...I would be locked there forever, or that a ghost would eat me up. Silly, right?" "It''s not silly," Ai exined. "I am still afraid of monsters under the bed attacking me from underneath." His brow twitched. Whatever... "But then I suddenly saw Bro Jun in front of me. He brought a small toy that lit up the darkness, and I wasn''t so afraid anymore. But what shocked me the most was that it was him out of all the people. He was there when I was begging the twins. But he just remained standing there, reading his book and didn''t even bother to look at me. He ignored all my cries, and I lost all hope of any help from him. That''s why it was so puzzling to see him helping me. But it wasn''t just that he kept mepany." *shback* Little Jin''s stomach grumbled loudly. Jun nced at him. "Hungry?" He nodded. Jun stayed silent and then said, "I will bring something for you." He caught his hand in panic, tears brimming in his eyes. "Don''t leave me alone, Bro. D-don''t go!" "I am not leaving. I will bring some food for you and return," he patted his head. "The toy light is here. It won''t go out, so you don''t have to be afraid." "O-okay..." he hesitated but agreed. Jin waited in silence. Time ticked by, but Jun didn''t return. He was on the verge of tears, thinking that Jun left him alone. "Bro..." he trembled. But soon, he smelled something delicious. He saw Jun, and his eyes brightened. "Bro!" "Sshh. Don''t talk loudly," Jun seriously warned. "Or you will alert the twins." Jun put the te in front of him. "Eat." Jin''s moist eyes blinked as he saw steam wafting from the spaghetti and barbecue sauce that he wanted to eat the most this whole time. "This is spaghetti." "Yes. Eat up." "Mom made it for me?" "...No. Just eat." Jin slowly took a bite, and his eyes sparkled immediately. "This is just like Mom''s! It''s the same!" "Really?" "En!" He nodded hard. "Good," Jun smiled. "Eat up." Jin''s happiness knew no bounds. It was so delicious that he gobbled everything up in a few minutes, and his hungry stomach was satisfied. Jun went out to keep the te back and opened the window of the room to let out the spaghetti smell so that the twins wouldn''t catch onto it. "Thank you, Bro!" Jin giggled and jumped to hug him. "En." They spent the rest of the time together with Jun reading him a story from the book. Jin listened to him with full attention and the seemingly scary time passed by without a hitch. When the twins finally let him out, the first thing Jin did was to apologize to Nana just like Jun said. Then he went to the maid next to thank her for making spaghetti for him. "Thank you!" "Aiya. It wasn''t me, young master Jin." Jin was confused. The maid chuckled. "Young master Jun told me to keep it a secret from the twins, but I can tell you. It was actually him who had cooked the spaghetti for you." Jin widened his eyes. "He tried really hard. He even got his fingers hurt while making the barbecue sauce. I told him many times that I will make the dish, but the young master insisted he would do it. He wanted to make it exactly like how Madam Nana makes it. He failed eight times before he finally perfected it during his ninth time," she sobbed, "Young master Jun is so adorable. He loves you so much." The moment he heard this, Jin ran towards Jun''s room and noticed the bandages on his fingers. In the dark room, he was hiding his hands inside his pockets. But now he could clearly see them. "Bro..." he burst into tears and hugged him hard. Y-you...got hurt because of me..." Jun pursed his lips and mumbled, "The maid said something unnecessary." He wiped his eyes. "You cry too much." "Why did you..." he gasped, "make spaghetti for me? I was bad..." He smiled and ruffled his hair. "Because you were hungry and you wanted to eat spaghetti. You felt sorry for acting like that to Mom, so you are good. It''s good to realize your mistake. There was no reason not to make spaghetti for you." Jin couldn''t understand why, but the tears fell even harder. He saw the band-aids wrapped on his fingers, and he felt warmth gush in his little heart. "Bro, I like your spaghetti the most! It was the best! Bestest than Mom''s. I will only eat your spaghetti from now on!" He gleamed. Jun chuckled. "Is that so?" "En! Will you promise me, Bro? That you will cook spaghetti only for me? Only for Jin! Not anybody else. Please? It will be our own special dish!" Jun pinched his cheek and smiled. "Sure. I will make spaghetti only for my little brother from now on. That''s a promise." *shback ends* Chapter ?281 Shanghai Fest Arc (33) : Jins Revelation (1) Chapter ?281 Shanghai Fest Arc (33) : Jin''s Revtion (1) *Present* Ai stared at Jin who seemed to have lost himself in a trance of the past. The past where the days were blissful and without any worries and the days which he felt like living them once again. "Bro Jun became my most favorite person after that. The most important person in my life. I used to sleep with him in his room and he would tell me all kinds of stories at night. It wasn''t Mom who used to do the storytelling part. I loved hearing stories only from him. I loved ying with him the most. I used to sit beside him silently when he was busy reading books or ying games because he didn''t like being disturbed. He treasured his silence and his alone time the most and I never did anything that would bother him. But then he would always stop doing his stuff and asked what I wanted to y. Then we would have lots of fun together. Even though he hated ying with the twins¡­" he smiled, "he never sent me back. He treated me differently from them." He smiled. "He used to take care of me whenever I got sick. He used to deal with the boys who would bully me sometimes in school. He always helped me study for my exams and make notes of all the important questions. I really¡­really treasure him the most. The days when we grew up are really precious to me. But¡­I was also selfish. I know I should support Bro''s love for Shui. But I hated the fact that he paid attention to her. Sometimes¡­sometimes, I felt that he liked her more than me." His expression was marred with disdain and apathy. "The more he treated her with affection, the more I felt lost and jealous. Sometimes, I used to secretly bully Shui just to take my revenge, and she never knew who the person was. If she hadn''t been in the picture, then Bro''s attention from me would never have wavered. It was hard telling him that I didn''t like Shui and secretly, I didn''t support their rtionship when he loved her so much." He chuckled reluctantly. "But I also knew that I couldn''t continue like this forever. I would have to ept them one day or the other. So even though I hated it, I came to terms with the fact that Shui will always be the most important person in his life. She was his choice, and I couldn''t do anything about it." Ai let the silence sink in for sometime. Then she quietly asked, "From what point did everything change? If Jun is so important to you, then why do you hate him so much now?" Jin narrowed his eyes. He nced at her and sneered. "You know, Zhou Ai? You im that you love and trust Bro Jun so much. But I wonder for how long? How far would that trust go?" "I don''t understand." "Heh. What if I say that Bro Jun is hiding something from you? His most hideous side that might change your impression of him. Maybe you wouldn''t love him so much anymore." "That would never happen," Ai shot him a cold and acute stare. "Really? Even though you two are in a rtionship, I am pretty sure he has missed telling you a most important detail of his life. He isn''t beingpletely honest with you. Which makes me wonder if this is a perfect chance to break you two apart?" Heughed, expressing his evil intentions. "Yup, it''s definitely the perfect chance. I hate Bro Jun and I hate you and you two would never be together!" "No matter what you say, nothing will break us apart," she remained firm. "Even if I say that he has killed me with his own hands?" Ai froze. He shook with an angry tremble. "Even if I say that I did nothing but care for him and love him for my whole life and in the end what I got was a bullet in my chest!?" He suddenly heard a clicking from the side and the door to the washroom slowly opened with Jun''s frame visible in front of him. Jin''s eyes widened, and he was left bewildered to see him here. But he quickly connected the dots and threw a deadly re towards Ai. "You wanted him to listen to me." "Because there were things he should have listened to from your own mouth and some feelings that he needed to know which you were hiding," she answered, unperturbed. "Jin¡­" Jun slowly and noiselessly walked towards him and stared at his brother. His chest tightened with a feeling he didn''t know how to make sense of it. "What¡­what did you just say?" Jin quietly but sharply met his gaze, not hiding his animosity at all. His chuckle turned into aughter as he spoke, "Well, who cares if you heard everything? Actually, it''s a good thing that you came, Bro. This way, you can confess to your crimes in front of your girlfriend who you love the most, and I would witness your rtionship shattering. Who would want to live with a murderer? That''s what I want. To see you suffer!" He grabbed the tubes and needles which were inserted into him during his treatment and tore it away forcibly. He hissed slightly in pain. "Jin! What are you doing!?" Jun intervened and grabbed his shoulders to stop him from getting up, but Jin pushed him away. "Leave!" Jin gasped with pain and breathlessness, and his feet trembled as he struggled to maintain his bnce. With his ck pupils filled with hatred, he said as he studied the panic in Jun''s eyes, "Why do you look like that, Bro? Why do you care if I am hurt or in pain now?" His vacant smile made Jun shudder. "This¡­this pain is nothing aspared to the pain your bullet brought me. YOUR bullet of all people, Bro¡­" Ai felt a chill run in the back of her neck. What is he talking about? Bullet? Isn''t that how he died in the¡­ She stiffened, thinking about the conclusion she just came to. Impossible¡­ Chapter 282 Shanghai Fest Arc (34) : Jins Revelation (2) Chapter 282 Shanghai Fest Arc (34) : Jin''s Revtion (2) Jun nkly stared at him, the words which Jin just uttered hammering in his mind as if somebody was loudly beating a drum. Bullet¡­? Jin watched the priceless expression forming on Jun''s face andughed. "What''s wrong? Are you wondering which bullet I am talking about? How could you kill me when I am alive at this moment right now? But I am sure you do know which bullet I am talking about." His eyes slowly widened as he was struck with the only realization that could exin this bizarre turn of events. "That''s¡­That''s not-" Jin tilted his head, his vicious words stabbing Jun right through his heart. "The same bullet with which you took my life¡­in your past life." Jun froze. He couldn''t articte what he felt at this moment. It was as if he was in the middle of a dark and dangerous storm from where he had no way to escape. His breath got stuck in his throat, and a suffocating feeling enveloped him from within. The mention of the past life from Jin made his body shiver non-stop. "Jun!" Ai tightly held onto his arm and gripped it to provide her assurance. Jin smiled. "I know it must be beyond yourprehension, Zhou Ai. A bullet, a past life where I already died once,¡­wouldn''t make so much sense to you. But it would make all sense to Bro Jun. After all, isn''t he also reborn just like me?" Jun jerked his head towards him, his heart almost stopped beating in his chest. "Jin¡­you¡­" "Yes, Bro. I thought I died when your bullet struck me. When everything turned ck before my eyes, I felt myself floating in a never-ending ck void. The next thing I knew I hade ten years back in time. So yes. I remember everything from our past lives just like you do," he gripped his fingers into his palm, "I remember every single moment where you pushed me away. Where you refused to look at me. Where you said you hated me. And where you eventually killed me! I remember everything!" Jin is reborn like me¡­? Jun recalled everything that happened ever since he opened his eyes to his new life. But as far as Jin''s behavior was concerned, nothing struck him out of the ordinary. The only thing different was the fact that he hated Shui and showed an interest to date Ai. Jin said, "Are you wondering how I know about your rebirth? Of course, I did. The moment you left the house, I knew you had been reborn too because if you hadn''t, then the timeline wouldn''t have changed. You never left to live in your condo in ourst life, so why would you do that now? I became even more sure when Shui said that you broke up with her. It was impossible considering your obsession with her so the only conclusion was that you were reborn too." Jun raised his trembling hands and clutched his shoulders. His moist eyes let out a tear on his cheek. "If-If¡­Jin, if you knew that I was reborn then¡­why didn''t youe to me? W-Why didn''t you say anything to me? I¡­" Jin took a step near him and spoke in a deathly somber voice, "What should I have said to you, Bro? That the brother you killed with your own hands was alive? That the brother you failed to kill got a second chance in life? You would have felt so disappointed that your most hated enemy vaas back," he sneered. He stared at him, stupefied, "Disappointed?" "Then what else should I say!? Ever since Shui rejected you, you did nothing but hate me! You did nothing but cast me away! You only cursed my existence! Why? Why!? Why did you hate me so much when I¡­I kept begging you to believe me that I had no feelings for Shui!? I kept crying and pleading with you that you were misunderstanding me, but you never chose to believe me!" His eyes slightly reddened as he crumpled Jun''s shirt in his fist. "You got so blind in your obsession that you threw everything important away from you! Just because of a single woman, you left your family, hated your family, you hated me and you hated the whole world! The¡­the kind Bro Jun who I always idolized had changed within a single night. You¡­" he gritted his teeth, "you had the kindest heart of all, but you behaved the cruelest to us all." Jun shook hard. The guilt and his wrongdoings of his past life which he was trying hard to bury in his heart, resurfaced as Jin shed light onto them. Jin wiped his tears and chuckled. "Do you remember, Bro? I once told you that you should break up with Shui. I once told you that she wasn''t the right woman for you. But you didn''t listen to me. Instead, you got furious at me and stopped talking to me! Bro¡­I could see that Shui wasn''t into you. She didn''t love you the same way you loved her. And I just wanted to protect you! But you got so mad at me that I had to apologize to you. Because¡­I didn''t want to lose you. I didn''t want to make you hate me¡­" he trembled. Jun felt it difficult to breathe. It was the time when Shui had asked Jun for some space after her twenty-first birthday when he had proposed to her. He thought that Jin said so because¡­ "I didn''t say that because I liked Shui. I said that because I had understood that you would never be happy with her! You two were constantly fighting with each other, and I was disliking Shui more and more! How dare she think that your love was suffocating? How dare she push you away? There was nobody else in this world who could keep her as happy as you. You spent your whole childhood loving her and waiting for the day when you would marry her. But who was she to throw everything away? Who was she to reject you when you dedicated your whole life to her!? That''s why I wanted you to end your rtionship with her. Because she didn''t deserve you! If she found your love suffocating, then I didn''t want to see you with a woman like her who didn''t respect your love. But what did I get? Only your fury and nothing else!" Chapter 283 Shanghai Fest Arc (35) : Jins revelation (3) Chapter 283 Shanghai Fest Arc (35) : Jin''s revtion (3) Jin slightly faltered in his steps with a headache gripping his temple. Jun held his brother steady and anxiously said, ¡°Jin, sit down-¡° But he shook off his hand and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Jun stiffened. The loathe in his eyes was so deep that made Jun feel as if somebody was strangling him. Ai watched the grief of Jin¡¯s hate reflecting in his wet eyes, and his pain brought tears in her own irises. She hated the thought of seeing him suffer Jin¡¯s bitter words. But she also knew that this conversation was important to bridge their differences. A little pain now was necessary to prevent a lifetime of misunderstandings and sorrow. On the other side, Jun¡¯s mind was aplete mess. What he thought was way different to what the reality was. Jin drew in a breath and clenched his jaw as he faced him. ¡°That was my way of telling you that Shui didn¡¯t love you. I couldn¡¯t outrightly confess that she didn¡¯t love you because that would have hurt you a lot, and I¡­thest thing I wanted to see was you getting hurt. I wanted you to realize the truth yourself, but you refused to look at anything that meant you and Shui getting separated!¡± Jun felt an ugly feeling arise in his chest, questions swirling in his mind. ¡°If you¡­you didn¡¯t love Shui then on her twenty-fifth birthday¡­she rejected me. Then the fact that you and Shui cheated-¡° ¡°Was a lie!¡± Jin eximed, his every cell bursting in a fury. ¡°We never cheated on you! We never had any rtionship behind your back! Whether in thest life or in this life¡­you still think that we cheated on you,¡± he tiredlyughed. ¡°I never once¡­¡± tears plopped down as his voice broke, ¡°thought about betraying you, Bro. I can do anything, I can stoop to any lengths, but I never thought of hurting you. Even if I had loved Shui by any chance, I would have nevere between you two. You were everything to me, Bro. Even in my dreams, I would never think of bringing pain to you.¡± *shback* ¡°I have made my decision, Jin,¡± Shui affirmed as she stared at Jun just a few days before her twenty-fifth birthday. ¡°I finally realized where I was going wrong. Jun and I are not meant for each other. I thought that this period of space I asked from Jun would help me reaffirm my feelings for him. But I cannot.¡± Jinughed with a hint of panic in his voice, ¡°I don¡¯t understand, Shui. What are you talking about?¡± ¡°That I cannot continue my rtionship with Jun anymore,¡± her fists trembled and her voice shook. ¡°Ever since Jun proposed to me four years back, I couldn¡¯t help but think that this isn¡¯t how it¡¯s supposed to be. I became afraid of our future instead of feeling any happiness. I wanted time to sort my feelings out. I wanted space because I wanted to know what was going wrong between us. And I realized now that it¡¯s really impossible between us because I¡­I like you Jin,¡± she shut her eyes as she confessed her deepest feelings. Jin tilted his head as his ck eyes watched her expression with a cold scrutiny. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I like you, Jin,¡± The back of her throat felt ufortable and only she knew how fast her heart was drumming at this moment. ¡°A-and aftering to this realization now, I cannot keep Jun in the dark anymore. Now that I know that I don¡¯t love him, I cannot¡­continue our rtionship. That will be cheating, and I won¡¯t ever cheat on Jun.¡± ¡°You cannot be serious, Shui!¡± She jolted back as his loud and angry voice sharply reverberated in the air. He grabbed her shoulders and gritted his teeth. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting!? You like me? Are you crazy!?¡± She looked at him, stupefied. ¡°I am not crazy, Jin. This is the truth. I like you-¡° ¡°But I don¡¯t!¡± She froze. ¡°So throw any thought out of your mind that I will ever ept you! Wake up, Shui. It¡¯s a misunderstanding. Your feelings for me are a mistake! Bro Jun and you have always been together. He has pr-proposed to you,¡± he chuckled with beads of sweat forming on his forehead. ¡°He wants to marry you, Shui. You¡­you are his everything. You cannot back out right now!¡± Startled, she slowly parted her lips to answer, ¡°Cannot back out? Jin, so you want to say that I should lie to Jun? That I keep fooling him even though I don¡¯t love him?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care! You¡­¡± tears threatened to escape his eyes, ¡°You cannot break my brother¡¯s heart, Shui. He has given his everything for you. He will be¡­devastated if you leave him. We all will lose him forever. You cannot do this, Shui.¡± ¡°And I do feel heartbroken Jin!¡± She broke down into tears as she stammered, ¡°No-Nobody knows it better than me how much he loves me. But it doesn¡¯t mean that I keep him in an illusion! You want me to marry Jun while having feelings for you in my heart? Isn¡¯t that cheating!? You are being the cruelest one here, Jin!¡± ¡°Cruel?¡± With a scornfulughter, he mocked her. ¡°My brother devoted his entire life for you and you want to abandon him. And you say I am the cruel one?¡± ¡°I know!¡± She cried, ¡°I know I have hurt Jun a lot. I know I cannot answer his years of love and devotion. I know¡­he will be devastated. But he will be even more destroyed if I married him knowing that I had another man in my heart. He waited for years for this day, and I cannot give him what he wants. I am horrible, Jin. I am pathetic. I will suffer any punishment Jun would give me. His hate, scorn, revenge¡­I will take everything,¡± tears kissed her cheeks as she sadly smiled. ¡°But I cannot lie to him, Jin. Not when I now know what I want.¡± She gently shook off Jin¡¯s hand from her shoulder and sniffled. ¡°You care about Jun, and I care about Jun too. But what you are suggesting is the way I will never walk onto.¡± Green veins popped on the back of his clenched hand. Silence fell for a few long minutes. The only sound spinning in the air was of the wind fluttering their hair. ¡°Shui,¡± Jin said in a deathly quiet voice, ¡°If this is your final decision, then remember one thing. You say you like me. But the only thing you will ever get from me is hate. If you reject my brother, then I swear your love for me will be your greatest curse. You will regret having feelings for me. This is my promise to you.¡± *shback ends* Chapter 284 Shanghai Fest Arc (36) : Jins revelation (4) Chapter 284 Shanghai Fest Arc (36) : Jin''s revtion (4) *Present* No¡­ Jun felt his head spin. For his entire past life, he hated Jin¡¯s sight because he had snatched Shui away from him. He had kept his heart burning with resentment for his brother for taking away the woman he cherished more than anything in his life. But now his whole reason for which he had pushed Jin away from him shattered in just a second. The sound of that shatter was so sharp as if he felt his ears bleeding. He was under the assumption that Jin and Shui had an affair, and she rejected him when he proposed to her. He didn¡¯t want to believe that she would ever do this. But his heart arrived at the same conclusion over and over again. ¡®I am in love with Jin,¡¯ was what Shui had confessed to him as she cried. But now when that scene reyed in his mind, he realized that she never said that Jin liked her back too. Or that they both were in love with each other. She only one sidedly affirmed her feelings for Jin. It was enough to break his whole world apart and enough for him to not care what Jin¡¯s real feelings were this whole time. He saw his love slip from his hands like sand, and he simply assumed that Jin loved her too. Everything ended with that single assumption. It didn¡¯t matter how much Jin kept begging him to listen to him and to believe him, Jun never paid any heed to him. He had made up his mind. Jin was guilty. He was the culprit. Every word that came from Jin¡¯s mouth as he rejected Jun¡¯s usations against him only made him feel as if he was acting like a pitiful white lotus. Instead, he felt as if was the viin this whole time, who forced two lovers to be apart. ¡®Bro, I don¡¯t like Shui! You are misunderstanding me.¡¯ ¡®I cannot ever think of hurting you. Please trust me¡­I didn¡¯t betray you, Bro.¡¯ ¡®Please Bro. Don¡¯t hate me¡­I beg you. Please don¡¯t hate me¡­¡¯ Jin¡¯s chest heaved up and down. His eyes reddened with pain and fury. He saw the realization and remorse hit Jun. Jin felt as if somebody was tearing his heart apart. His eyes brimmed with tears, watching the hopelessness settle in his gaze. He wanted to hug him, but he was also crushed by the pain Jun had inflicted upon in his past life, which still felt fresh in his mind. ¡°I thought you would definitely believe me one day. Once you calmed down, you would realize that I could never betray you. But that day never came! And what happened instead? Shui¡¯s one rejection changed you forever! You were not the same Bro Jun anymore whom I had loved the entire time! You kept on hating me and our family with every passing day! You threw us away from your life because you couldn¡¯t have Shui. You humiliated Mom and Sis Nuo, who only cared about you and nothing else!¡± Jun shook. He looked down at his shivering hands with which he had pushed Nana away. He had questioned her love for him. He spoke the cruelest words to his mother that broke her heart. ¡°Even when Great-grandma wanted to meet you onest time, you selfishly refused to see her even though you knew she had not much time to live!¡± Jun suddenly jerked his head towards him and stared at him nkly. ¡°What? Great-grandma had ca-called for me?¡± Jin angrilyughed. ¡°Are you feigning ignorance now? She got so sick after you left home that none of the treatments worked on her anymore. How could she bear her great-grandson resenting his family? The only thing she wanted¡­¡± he clenched his fists, ¡°was to see her family together onest time. That was her dying wish. But you never came to see her no matter how much we called you!¡± His eyes slowly widened. The more he spoke, he only got more confused. ¡°Impossible, Jin¡­When did you or anybody from the family inform me about Great-grandma¡¯s wish to meet me? The only thing I knew was that she was no more one day and when I went to her funeral¡­nobody allowed me to see her.¡± ¡°Of course, Dad didn¡¯t allow you! Did you expect that anybody would let you in when you didn¡¯t even bother to meet her during her final moments? That¡¯s how cruel you had be for Shui¡¯s sake¡­¡± he trembled. ¡°No¡­no, no, no!¡± Jun hastily replied. ¡°Jin, I wasn¡¯t aware of this at all. I really didn¡¯t know that Great-grandma wanted to meet me!¡± Ai quickly nodded. ¡°Yes, Jin. There is definitely a misunderstanding here. I know Jun had behaved wrongly, and he did hurt his family. But he would never be so cruel to reject his dying great-grandmother¡¯s wish. He would never go that far.¡± Jin stared at Ai in a daze. How does she know¡­ For that matter, he wondered that he and Jun were talking about the past life for such a long time, but Ai hadn¡¯t dismissed it at all or expressed her disbelief over this whole rebirth thing. Shouldn¡¯t it have been impossible for her to believe this fantasy? Ai noticed his gaze and understood what he was thinking. ¡°It¡¯s a long story, but I know everything about Jun¡¯s past, including that he is reborn. He told me this himself.¡± ¡°¡­And you believed it?¡± He jolted and sincerely couldn¡¯t hold his shock. She pursed her lips. ¡°That¡¯s another long story but yes, I believed it. I have no reason not to.¡± Jin stayed silent. He never thought that Jun would reveal this truth to anybody because it was just too bizarre to ept. ¡°¡­Dad also knows,¡± Jun quietly said. That came as another massive shock to him. Jin widened his eyes. ¡°You told Dad!? And he believed you too?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡­told him because I wanted him to punish me for all the sins I did,¡± he wryly chuckled, ¡°I wanted him to hit me and throw me out of the family because that¡¯s what I deserved. Chapter 285 Shanghai Fest Arc (37) : Jins revelation (5) Chapter 285 Shanghai Fest Arc (37) : Jin''s revtion (5) ¡°Deserved?¡± Jin scoffed. ¡°Yes, you deserved to be punished! Because for Shui¡¯s sake, you threw each and everyst one of us. You let Great-grandma die with regrets-¡° ¡°Jin, I told you I never came to know about her wish at all!¡± He shook his shoulder and pleaded. ¡°Believe me, Jin. She is my great-grandma¡­¡± his eyes stung with tears, ¡°How could I have not fulfilled herst wish? I really didn¡¯t know she wanted to meet me.¡± He chuckled as he leaned. ¡°Why should I believe you, Bro? Did you believe me when I was screaming that I was innocent?¡± His eyshes trembled. ¡°Look at you all begging me to trust you. Why¡­why should I trust you now when you didn¡¯t believe me in the past!? Where were you when I cried for you to trust me? Where were you when Grandma was dying? Where were you when Bro Jian and Sis Nuo¡¯s rtionship was falling apart!? You know what, Bro? Even when you had thrown us away, everybody still cared about you.¡± He took a deep, tired breath. ¡°Sis Nuo. You had harshly rejected her concern when she came to meet you. But you know? She still fought with Shui for your sake even though she always treated her as her sister. She was angry at her that she rejected you when you had devoted thirty years of your life to her, which eventually brought cracks into her rtionship with Bro Siying. Bro Jian, who always took her side over you to tease and annoy you, also¡­stood by your side in those five years when you were not there. He was torn apart to see his brother in pain. He still respected Shui, but he had stopped talking to her after her rejection. He cut off his rtions with Shui which strained his rtionship with sis Leina.¡± From thest to this life, a whole lifetime had passed, but Jin felt as if the pain and tears of the wounds everybody got were still there, fresh and bleeding. ¡°Bro Siying and Sis Leina¡­They wanted to support you too. But when you refused to let go of Shui, they inevitably stood against you. See? Everybody got divided in the end. Did you ever get to see how miserable Bro Jian became when he broke up with Sis Leina? Did you ever witness how thin Sis Nuo had be when she simply refused to eat anything? Grandpa and Uncle lost their vigor. The ones who brought smiles on others¡¯ faces with their annoying chatter had lost their own smiles. Nothing was the same anymore.¡± Jun gasped, feeling the knot around his neck tighten. When he crashed Jin a d Shui¡¯s wedding in the past life, he came to know how miserable his family had be. But listening to it in detail from Jin was like he was being dragged to hell. ¡°Jun¡­¡± Tears spilled from Ai¡¯s eyes as she slowly held his hand. Jin mocked. ¡°Don¡¯t show your sympathies to Bro, Zhou Ai. I cannot believe that you still refuse to hate him after how he cruelly discarded his family.¡± Ai pressed her fingers and tightly intertwined them against Jun¡¯s hand. ¡°I already know the truth, Jin. Jun had confessed everything to me, and I know how much he regrets-¡° ¡°Who cares how much he regrets!?¡± He roared. Jun froze with the sharpness of his voice cutting his heart. ¡°Is it going to change anything?¡± Jin gritted his teeth. ¡°Can he undo all the pain he caused? Can he undo the fact how Mom¡¯s health deteriorated seeing her whole family copse? Bro Jun left the house and hated us, Bro Jian and Sis Nuo¡¯s rtionship had fallen apart, Great-grandma left us ¨C the family had be like a funeral house! Nobodyughed anymore. Nobody even properly ate anymore. It was as if our entire happiness had disappeared without a trace and because of whom? Your boyfriend who is standing right next to you!¡± Jun shut his eyes, letting the tear escape his eysh. Jin wiped his cheeks rigorously that were stained with tears, but more tears fell. ¡°He wasn¡¯t there. He didn¡¯t see how everybody had be an empty shell. But I was there! I saw everything. I lived through the suffocation that you left by your decision! Dad¡­he just stayed by Mom¡¯s side the entire time, praying hard that she would recover. The fearsome man had be so weak. But her health only sank more and more¡­¡± he broke down. The stretch of silence prevailed for a long time. Jun nkly raised his hand to touch Jin¡¯s head but in the end, he couldn¡¯t gather the courage. His fingers paused mid-air, feeling the void widen in his heart. He had misunderstood Jin and his feelings and because of that one mistake coupled with his obsession for Shui, he had destroyed the happiness of his family with his own hands. Jin never loved Shui. He never betrayed him by snatching Shui from him. Which meant¡­that something was wrong about Jin and Shui¡¯s marriage too. ¡°Then¡­your and Shui¡¯s wedding¡­¡± The fateful day which made Jun kill his own brother. From the bottom of his heart, he didn¡¯t wish to know the truth behind it because then he had no idea how he would ever be able to recover from that guilt. The mention of the wedding flickered Jin¡¯s eyes with a sinister bloodthirst. His body shook with anger. ¡°Wedding¡­oh that wedding which Shui forced upon me?¡± Jun stared at him, bewildered. ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°The wedding which Shui forced upon me by threatening to end her life.¡± Jun and Ai listened to this revtion in disbelief. ¡°What did you think, Bro? That Shui and I were getting happily married? No. The truth was far from it. I didn¡¯t even want to see her face anymore and I would marry her by my own choice? No. That¡¯s not how it happened. She came to me one day and said she wanted us to get married.¡± Heughed. ¡°Can you believe it? She wanted to marry me. I thought she had lost some screws on her head. Because why would she talk nonsense otherwise? But then it wasn¡¯t suddenly nonsense anymore when she threatened to cut her wrist with a knife.¡± Chapter 286 Shanghai Fest Arc (38) : Jins revelation (6) Chapter 286 Shanghai Fest Arc (38) : Jin''s revtion (6) *shback* ¡°Why did you call me here?¡± Jin angrily demanded an answer from Shui, who had suddenly contacted him after a long time to meet her. ¡°Is there still anything left for you to destroy? Or¡­¡± With a malevolent sneer, he mocked her, ¡°Is it that you aren¡¯t satisfied enough seeing me sleep with other women?¡± Shui didn¡¯t respond, but she had silently held on to her breath. ¡°I told you, right Han Shui? I promised I will make you regret having feelings for me. You broke Bro¡¯s heart and with it, you drove him away from us forever. You ruined everything, and you had the nerve to say that you love me? You thought you deserved happiness with me after how you ended everything!? Look what you did Shui¡­Bro Jun doesn¡¯t believe me anymore¡­even after five years, he refuses to believe that I did not betray him. All because of you¡­¡± his knuckles cracked. ¡°He hates me¡­¡± his gaze turned empty and nk. ¡°He hates everyone¡­¡± Everything that ensued after Shui¡¯s rejection triggered the deep resentment in Jin¡¯s heart for her even more. She made Jun¡¯s life miserable, who was the most important person to him. She made Jun lose all his trust in him, making Jin look like a cheater in his eyes. Thest thing Jin wanted was for his most beloved brother to hate him, but Shui did just that. So, Jin wanted revenge. He wanted to punish Shui in the worst way possible. And what was the best way other than targeting her love for him? She broke Jun apart, so he decided to break her apart too. He had flings with women right when she would be in front of him. He made it a point for her to know that he slept with other women only so that she would spend all her days crying miserably. ¡°So why did you call me here?¡± He sneered. ¡°Do you want to see me kissing another woman again? Have you developed a taste for it I wonder?¡± Shui spoke after a long, long time. ¡°I want to marry you, Jin.¡± He stared at her unblinkingly. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get married, Jin.¡± After a period of brief silence, Jin burst intoughter. ¡°Marry you? Are you hearing yourself? Maybe you have finally totally lost it.¡± ¡°I am serious, Jin. I want to marry you.¡± ¡°Thank you for wasting my time,¡± he smiled and took off to leave when Shui blocked his way. She said once again, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me?¡± ¡°Oh I heard you alright. But you are not listening to yourself. Get out of my way.¡± ¡°You have to marry me, Jin!¡± She shook hard as her voice trembled. ¡°You¡­you have to marry me.¡± ¡°And you think that bing my wife would change me or my feelings for you? You dream quite boldly, I must say.¡± ¡°I am not joking!¡± She eximed. ¡°You have to listen to me¡­¡± she bit her lip hard as she faced him. ¡°Oh? And what will you do if I don¡¯t. I thought I was quite clear of my hatred for you.¡± Shui chuckled with tears brimming in her eyes. ¡°Yes¡­I am quite clear about that, Jin. You have always made it so very clear to me. But that ends now. You have to marry me or else¡­¡± A sharp object shone in the darkness of the night as she pointed it at her wrist. ¡°I will kill myself if you don¡¯t agree.¡± Jin merely raised his brow. ¡°Really? After thinking so hard, that is what you came up with? Threat? Shui, you do realize that I don¡¯t give a damn about you or your life, right?¡± She snickered. ¡°You do. But you think I am not serious.¡± Jin narrowed his eyes as he saw the edge of the knife dig in her skin. ¡°Suit yourself. Do whatever you want.¡± He pushed her harshly that made her stumble, but he didn¡¯t look back. But soon, he heard painful gasping sounds from his back. When he turned, he froze to see that Shui had really cut her wrist. Blood trickled down on the ground as she copsed. ¡°Shui!!!¡± He rushed towards her and held her head. ¡°Shui! What the fuck! Are you crazy!?¡± Shui weakly smiled. ¡°Jin¡­please¡­you have to ma-marry me¡­Please¡­I won¡¯t leave you with,¡± she sharply gasped, ¡°another choice¡­you have to¡­marry me¡­at all costs. E-even if you save me now, I will kill myself again. Over and over¡­again¡­until you agree¡­¡± Jin trembled. His heart surged with a rush of anger, but he was helpless to do anything. The only thing he could grudgingly do was take her to the hospital. When their families came to know about this, Xinyi and Zhiyuan hadpletely fallen apart. ¡°Shui¡­¡± Xinyi held her daughter¡¯s hand with tears streaming down her eyes as sheid on the hospital bed. ¡°Shui¡­¡± ¡°Mom¡­¡± she smiled at her. Zhiyuan gritted his teeth. ¡°What do you think you are doing, Shui!? You actually¡­you actually tried to end your life!?¡± ¡°Because I want to marry Jin. I will¡­go to any lengths for that¡­¡± ¡°No, Shui please!¡± Xinyi cried hard. ¡°Please¡­don¡¯t do this¡­You are our daughter. We cannot lose you, Shui.¡± ¡°And I cannot lose Jin, Mom. Tell him to agree to marry me or next time, nobody will be able to save me¡­¡± ¡°Shui!¡± Siying eximed in rage. ¡°Why do you want to go so far!? You cannot force Jin to marry you! Even if you did be his wife, do you think you will ever be happy in such a marriage?¡± She chuckled. ¡°My happiness or sadness is up to me, Bro. I only know that I don¡¯t want to wait anymore. I thought¡­things would settle down after some time. But they never did. If I don¡¯t do this, I will lose my future with Jin-¡° ¡°You won¡¯t have any future with him with this forced marriage either, Shui!¡± Zhiyuan roared. Xinyi broke down. ¡°Shui, I know you love Jin. I know it¡¯s really painful¡­but this is not the way. Please try to understand. Won¡¯t you think about your family even once? You love Jin, but doesn¡¯t our love matter to you at all?¡± Silence. Shui gave her final answer. ¡°I have made up my mind, Mom. I want to marry Jin and that¡¯s it otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t see me alive anymore.¡± Chapter 287 Shanghai Fest Arc (39) : The fateful wedding (1) Chapter 287 Shanghai Fest Arc (39) : The fateful wedding (1) *shback continued* The day of Jin and Shui¡¯s wedding was unlike any other normal wedding. A wedding was supposed to be filled with brightness andughter, but the bleak atmosphere rang with nothing but hopelessness. Jin, who was ready in a white tuxedo, had an expressionpletely devoid of any joy. He nkly stared at himself in the mirror, plotting how he would punish Shui for forcing him into his marriage. He felt a hand on his shoulder, but Jin didn¡¯t react. Nian watched his little brother¡¯s nk eyes and felt helpless. ¡°Jin¡­It¡¯s time.¡± Jin chuckled. ¡°Time for what? To make that bitch my wife-¡° ¡°Jin!¡± He sighed in frustration. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­don¡¯t curse her like that.¡± ¡°Oh? But she is cursing my whole life here, Bro, and I cannot even give her names?¡± Silence. ¡°Strange, right? Everybody is against this marriage, but nobody can even lift a finger against her. Just to save her pathetic life¡­I have to marry the woman I hate the most,¡± his eyes reddened. Nian pulled his head against his chest and patted his hair with his trembling fingers. ¡°I am sorry, Jin¡­I am sorry that I cannot help you¡­¡± Outside, the gloomy atmosphere kept worsening, especially when Siying and Nuo crossed paths. They froze and remained silent. But soon, Nuo mockingly smiled. ¡°I guess you must be happy now, right? Your precious sister is getting married after all.¡± Siying balled his fist. ¡°Nuo¡­¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay,¡± she wiped the corner of her eye as she chuckled, ¡°It waspletely wrong when Bro Jun acted selfish and possessive. But it¡¯s fine when Shui acts the same way for Jin. How rules change.¡± He trembled. ¡°Nuo, even we are against-¡° But she didn¡¯t give him any chance to speak as she passed right past him, cutting him off. The same chilliness crackled in Jian¡¯s heart too as he met Leina. The only question he asked her was, ¡°I wonder who you stand with now?¡± She said nothing. ¡°Oh, I am sorry. Whether Shui rejects Jun¡¯s more than thirty years of his love or whether she threatens Jin into marrying her, you would never see any fault in her, right? Everything was Jun¡¯s fault before, and now it must be Jin¡¯s.¡± Leina met his cold gaze and said, ¡°I never supported Shui in this, and I still don¡¯t. Nobody does.¡± He faintly smiled. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore. But hey, be happy. Even if everything is broken between us and our families, Shui wins today. At least somebody is winning. You should celebrate.¡± His sarcastic words twisted her heart with pain she felt unable to bear. The skirmishes between the Liu and Han families echoed in the eerie silence. Nana, who waited for the inevitable to happen as she sat on a wheelchair, weakly coughed. ¡°Nana!¡± Jinhai rushed to bring a ss of water for her and bent on his knees. He anxiously helped her hold the ss in her hand. ¡°Here. You haven¡¯t drank anything yet.¡± She looked at her husband with tears from her eyes falling atop his fingers. ¡°Can I when I am watching my children suffer like this?¡± Jinhai pressed his hands against hers and tried to smile. ¡°Everything will be fine, Nana. One day¡­everything will turn alright.¡± She stared at Jinhai, her sobs echoing between them. ¡°I don¡¯t see that daying, Jinhai. My children¡­everybody is broken and I¡­I cannot do anything to help them. I cannot do anything to ease their grief. I am their mother, but I am not able to protect them at all. Jun, Jian, Nuo, Jin¡­they are in so much pain,¡± she trembled with her cheeks turning wetter, ¡°But I am so useless. This wasn¡¯t the future¡­I wanted to see.¡± ¡°No! Don¡¯t you dare take the me for all this! I won¡¯t allow you to!¡± He gritted his teeth. ¡°Nana, I will fix everything. I will definitely¡­¡± Nana pressed her forehead against his and let out a helpless smile at his attempt to reassure her. Not only her children¡¯s grief pained her but seeing her mighty husband reduced into epting defeat like this was simply unbearable for her. When the time arrived for the wedding to begin, Jin and Shui stood opposite each other. Both families were present, but none of them were smiling. Jin stared at her wedding gown with hostility and disgust, and his hand shook with rage to strangle her. You wanted to marry me, right Shui? Fine. You win today. But not for long¡­Your victory won¡¯t remain forever. As the ceremony began, Jun¡¯s enraged voice roared as he barged in. The air suddenly went still as he walked towards Jin and punched him on his face. ¡°JIN!!!¡± The strong impact from the punch knocked Jin out of bnce, and he stumbled. He stared at Shui¡¯s wedding gown in a stupor and a broken chuckle escaped his lips. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Jun¡­¡± Shui¡¯s gaze fell back at him, filled with disbelief. ¡°Y-You are¡­¡± ¡°I am here. Yes, Shui. I am here. But¡­¡± Jin slowly got up on his feet and slowly walked towards him. ¡°Bro.¡± Jun alternated his gaze between him and Shui and tilted his head, his eyes shining with the moistness left by their betrayal. His heart felt like an empty shell to him. ¡°That was some nice game you yed¡­¡± ¡°Bro¡­¡± Jin¡¯s heart raced in trepidation as he anxiously tried to exin, ¡°T-this is not what it looks like-¡° Gasps then echoed as Jun suddenly pointed his gun at him. ¡°J-Jun!¡± Nana shrieked as she cried. ¡°What are you doing? Put the gun down!¡± Jinhai and the twins rushed forward, but Jun warned them. ¡°Don¡¯t take a step near me, or the bullet will really fire off.¡± They froze. He stared at his mother, who shed tears and smiled. ¡°Why are you telling me to stop, Mom? I thought¡­¡± he nkly stared into the distance, ¡°you still cared about me. But seeing them ready to marry today¡­Ah, I finally got my answer.¡± ¡°Bro¡­?¡± Jin dazedly tried to reach him. ¡°Y-you want to¡­¡± You want to really kill me? Chapter 288 Shanghai Fest Arc (40) : The fateful wedding (2) Chapter 288 Shanghai Fest Arc (40) : The fateful wedding (2) ¡°Kill you?¡± Junpleted his question. ¡°After taking everyst happiness away from my life and after seeing you getting married to the woman who I had vowed to marry ever since my childhood¡­what do you expect?¡± He mocked. ¡°Did you expect me to forgive you?¡± Jian slowly said, ¡°Jun, calm down. Lower your gun. We will talk-¡° He emptily answered. ¡°There is nothing left to talk about anymore, Bro Jian,¡± he nced at Shui again, and her wedding gown only added more despair to the already looming darkness in his heart. Jin tried to reach him, his eyes begging him to listen to him. ¡°Bro¡­please believe me. I never betrayed you, Bro. I-I never tried toe between you and Shui.¡± ¡°SHUT UP!!¡± Jin sharply stopped in his tracks. ¡°Enough with your lies. Enough already¡­¡± Jun broke down, ¡°Everything is ruined, Jin. Everything is over¡­¡± Nana tried to stand on her feet from the wheelchair. ¡°Jun. Jun, dear. Please listen to me. You are misunderstanding things,¡± she cried. Nuo nodded hard. ¡°Yes, Bro! Please put your gun down,¡± she sniffled. ¡°Th-This wedding-¡° Jun raised his palm, signaling her to stop talking. ¡°Like I said, enough Nuo.¡± His gaze was fixed at Jin for a long time. The gun trembled in his hands and in the end, his lips curved in a defeated smile. The memories of little Jin following Jun everywhere around brought tears to his eyes. He smiled and then slowly pointed the gun at his temple. ¡°Jun!!¡± Nana shrieked. ¡°What are you doing!?¡± Shui scrambled on her feet. ¡°Ju-Jun stop¡­please stop!¡± She slipped and fell on her knees. ¡°Jun, put the gun away!¡± Xinyi and Zhiyuan paled as well. They tried to talk him out of suicide as well, but their words fell onto deaf ears. Same as with Grandpa and Grandma Liu and his Uncles¡¯ cries. Jun touched the trigger with his finger and chuckled. ¡°You won, Jin. I lost.¡± Jin gave him a hard stare. Jian and Nian shared a nce and before Jun could react, they jumped upon him to stop him. ¡°Get away from me!¡± He eximed angrily. The scuffle went for a while. Jun¡¯s anger and resentment added to his strength, and he didn¡¯t let the twins overpower him. ¡°Drop the gun, idiot!¡± Nian shouted. ¡°Listen to us!¡± Jinhai and Siying took quick andrge strides to stop Jun too but suddenly, Jin appeared in front of Jun out of nowhere. Seeing Jin trying to stop him only agitated his fury further and in that skirmish, the finger touching the trigger pressed harder. Jin grabbed his gun and without a second thought pointed it towards himself. A loud bang resounded and tore the air with its violence and blood. The bullet pierced Jin¡¯s heart, making the atmosphere deathly still. Shui and the others stared unblinkingly at the horror unfolding before them. Jin shuddered with a sharp gasp, and an excruciating pain erupted in his chest. With a vision that was blurring slowly, he lifted his gaze to look at Jun onest time. Bro¡­You¡­wanted to kill me¡­ If the brother most important and dear to me hated me so much that he wished I didn¡¯t exist then I¡­he smiled amidst his tears, I don¡¯t have any reason to live anymore. I cannot see you die, Bro. E-even if I resent you for not believing me, I still cannot see you end your life. That¡¯s why¡­it¡¯s better that I die and give you some relief. Then¡­then you will be happy, right? Bro, once I take myst breath, you will finally be happy¡­right? Jin copsed on the floor with the crimson blood seeping into his white tuxedo and slowly staining it with his death. In hisst moments, Jin couldn¡¯t hear any screams nor see the tears in everybody¡¯s eyes. Everything had turned hazy but amidst that, he saw two figures crystal clear as he gasped. Little Jun was ruffling little Jin¡¯s head as he hugged his elder brother. The warmth and affection in Jun¡¯s eyes brought the faintest smile on his lips. It was as if he was transported back to their golden childhood days where everything was still right between them. Bro¡­Bro Jun¡­ Darkness enveloped his irises, and they slowly closed themselves forever. *shback ends* Jun copsed on his knees, learning the truth behind Jin¡¯s feelings and the fateful wedding day that had changed their lives forever. The day which stained his hands with his brother¡¯s blood. Hot tears uncontrobly left his eyes, the pain and guilt of his blunder cruelly tearing apart his heart. Jin asked, ¡°Tell me Bro. What happened after I died? Especially¡­Mom. She was already so weak. How did she-¡° ¡°Mom died.¡± Jin froze. ¡°She¡­¡± Jun answered with his face losing all its color, ¡°She suffered an attack after your death, and she¡­passed away.¡± He stared at his brother, unable to grasp the reality of the past life. ¡°Mom¡­died¡­¡± he burst into a sadughter, ¡°Ah the only woman who could hold our family together had died¡­Mom¡­¡± his eyes were tired but the news of Nana¡¯s death in the past broke his heart into pieces. ¡°How could she have seen a brother killing his own brother? Dad must have gotten so miserable. Mom was always his lifeline,¡± he chuckled. ¡°I cannot even imagine what Dad would have looked like after her¡­¡± He looked down at Jun who looked as if somebody had sucked out his soul. ¡°Were you happy, Bro? Bringing doom and despair to our once happy family, did you finally get your happiness that you wanted? How do you feel, Bro? Losing yourself in obsession over a woman and destroying your family because of it, how do you even look at yourself in the mirror?¡± Ai red at him. ¡°Please stop, Jin! I know Jun had made irreparable mistakes in his past life, and they cannot be forgiven. But that¡¯s why, he got a second chance so that he would choose a different path this time and fix his mistakes. He might have brought sadness in the past, but he is reborn only to secure the happiness of his family this time. That¡¯s why¡­¡± she blinked amidst the tears blocking her vision, ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to me Jun anymore.¡± Chapter 289 Shanghai Fest Arc (41) : Nians punishment delivery Chapter 289 Shanghai Fest Arc (41) : Nian''s punishment delivery *Knock Knock* Cai Lingyun, who was pacing back and forth in his room, felt startled and paused in his steps. He let out a breath, trying to calm himself. Maybe it¡¯s Guiying¡­ He turned the knob and opened the door. As soon as it just moved slightly ajar, it banged open with its force throwing him back. He fell and then in a state of confusion staggered to get up. ¡°What the hell¡­¡± He looked up and widened his eyes, seeing Nian whistling as he smiled at him. Behind him was Xing Bi, who was just as confused as Cai Lingyun. ¡°Liu Nian, what are you doing?¡± ¡°To punish the one who bullied my brother, right Mr. Cai?¡± Cai Lingyun noisily breathed. ¡°Punish? What are you talking about, Liu Nian? And what is this way of barging in my room like that!?¡± ¡°Well what do you expect after bashing my brother¡¯s head with a paint can?¡± He raised his brow. Cai Lingyun froze. ¡°It was you, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, Liu Nian! What do I have to do with Liu Jin¡¯s ident?¡± Nian¡¯s pupils twinkled with malice. ¡°Everything.¡± He took two steps, and Cai Lingyun¡¯s posture immediately and instinctively straightened up. It was involuntary. Nian ced his hand on his shoulder and smiled. Xing Bi got a really bad feeling about it. The expression he wore was the same as that of the Summit¡¯s night when he beat up the judges and when he punished Jin. Nian patted his shoulder. ¡°You know, Cai Lingyun? Jun and Jin are my dear little brothers. I am their elder brother, and I am very proud of the fact that I was born first. Since I am their elder brother, I do two things. First, I trouble them a lot and that¡¯s fine because I am their brother. I have every right to make their life hell. The problemes when somebody else tries to take that role away from me.¡± The quieter his voice became, the more fidgety his movements turned. ¡°Which you tried to do today by trying to harm my brother. I don¡¯t like that. And when somebody tries to hurt them, I do the second thing. That is to protect them. They are my cute little brothers, after all,¡± his fingers slowly but agonizingly dug in the back of Cai Lingyun¡¯s shoulder, making him gasp in pain. Nian chirped. ¡°No matter how old they get, it will always be my responsibility to protect them. So, that wasn¡¯t really nice what you tried to pull off with Jin,¡± he frowned. ¡°ordingly, I need to deliver your punishment.¡± Cai Lingyun tried to move, but Nian¡¯s grip was so iron tight that he couldn¡¯t even budge an inch. ¡°Liu Nian. You cannot use me like that!¡± Nian ignored him and continued. ¡°I wonder who was your target? Jun, because you felt jealous of Ai being his girlfriend or Jin, because you wanted to take revenge from him for beating you up. It could be either one, but I bet on the first option.¡± Cai Lingyun tried to intervene, but Nian only almost dislocated his shoulder, which was a clear warning not to try and interrupt him. ¡°Now you will ask why. So apart from the whole jealousy thing, I have another good reason. I found something interesting on CCTV and that was you roaming in the corridor, passing across Ai¡¯s room.¡± He stiffened. Nian chuckled. ¡°But I observed that your expression wasn¡¯t looking quite good after some time which I presume is because¡­you realized that Jun and Ai were sharing a room. You kind of didn¡¯t expect that, did you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous.¡± ¡°Now I don¡¯t need to tell you what they must be doing in a room together at night, right? I could tell you heard some not so innocent voicesing from their room.¡± Xing Bi cleared her throat. Cai Lingyun clenched his fist. ¡°Is that why you got so agitated that you nned to hurt Jun? But Jin took the hit for him and regardless of how much he is being a pain in the ass right now, he is still my brother, and you put him to a hospital,¡± he pouted and narrowed his eyes. ¡°That won¡¯t work. We put people into hospitals, not the other way around.¡± Xing Bi was speechless. This man¡­ Nian sighed. ¡°So now¡­¡± he punched his nose so hard that the sound of bones cracking echoed in the air. ¡°Liu Nian!¡± Xing Bi pulled him back. ¡°Stop it!¡± He nced at her. ¡°But he put Jin in the hospital. So I want to see his blood. It¡¯s as simple as that.¡± Cai Lingyun felt the room spinning in front of him. Dizziness set in, and blood trickled down his nostrils. ¡°You are¡­you are crazy! You don¡¯t even have any evidence and,¡± he gasped, ¡°you hit me. That bastard of your little brother did the samest night-¡± he choked when a sudden and brutal kicknded on his stomach. ¡°Don¡¯t call Jin a bastard,¡± his cheery expression froze just like how the temperature of the air suddenly dropped. ¡°He is my brother. I don¡¯t like it when random bugs humiliate my siblings,¡± he raised his foot and crashed it on his shoulder. ¡°Ahhh!¡± His brows tightened in pain. ¡°As for the evidence, isn¡¯t it right there on your shoulder that I almost broke just now? Or should I say your coat? When you pushed thedder upon which the worker was working with his paint can, a drop of that paint fell on your coat when the can tilted. You were there, you pushed thedder, the worker just slightly got off bnce but enough for the can to slip from his hands.¡± Cai Lingyun¡¯s expression turned white with fear, and he immediately checked his shoulder. He did feel some paint mark upon it. ¡°Now¡­¡± Nian whispered, ¡°How do you suggest I punish you?¡± He felt his vision darkening but even through it, the danger Nian¡¯s voice instilled was unshakeable. Xing Bi sighed in frustration and pulled his arm back, ring at him. ¡°Liu Nian, are you nning to beat him up like the judges and get yourself in police trouble again!? Because I won¡¯t let you do that. He deserves punishment for sure, but don¡¯t get into trouble because of him!¡± Chapter 290 Shanghai Fest Arc (42) : Xing Bis date offer Chapter 290 Shanghai Fest Arc (42) : Xing Bi''s date offer Xing Bi tried to make him understand. ¡°He tried to hurt Jun, which is obviously a crime. Let the police handle it.¡± Then she red at Cai Lingyun. ¡°And you! I thought you would be a good person since Ai used to talk highly of you as an elder brother. But now I saw how far you could stoop. You im that you care for Ai? If you did, then you wouldn¡¯t have tried to hurt the man she loves the most! Because if Liu Jun is hurt, then Ai will be in pain too.¡± Cai Lingyun froze. The man she loves the most¡­ That sounded like poison to his ears. ¡°So stay away from Ai! Even if you might have feelings for her, she is in love with Liu Jun and is happy in her rtionship. Don¡¯t try to intervene and mess with that otherwise, if Liu Nian is an elder brother, then I am also like an elder sister to Ai. I won¡¯t forgive you if you hurt her in any way!¡± Saying the piece of her mind, Xing Bi dragged Nian away. ¡°Let¡¯s go and inform the police.¡± But he didn¡¯t move. ¡°Ohe on! Did you forget the mess you got into by beating up the judges?¡± He smiled. ¡°They deserved it because they tried to hurt you. Cai Lingyun deserves it too because he hurt my brother. Nobody must mess with the people I hold very dear to me or there are dire consequences. I am not very forgiving.¡± The people I hold very dear to me¡­ Xing Bi was absolutely clueless about how to handle this side of Nian. It was just like the Summit night. She could easily talk to him and even beat him up when he was being goofy and funny and annoying. But when his gaze looked like a looming death sentence upon somebody, she would suddenly feel at a loss. She touched her face and felt it growing warm for some reason. W-what? What is there for my face to be so hot? It¡¯s still Liu Nian only! It is just that he looks more serious right now. So what? She coughed. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°I want to put him in the hospital too just like Jin is,¡± he inly remarked without much emotion. Damn he is so stubborn! She smiled. ¡°Look, right now, Liu Jin needs you by his side as his brother. How will you support him if you get into unnecessary trouble?¡± ¡°My family name is enough to stop any trouble from reaching me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± That confidence¡­I feel like beating him up. ¡°You did break his shoulder and nose and punched him in the stomach. He is already writhing on the floor. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± ¡°Nowhere near enough,¡± he smiled again. ¡°Till yesterday, you were pinching Liu Jin¡¯s ear so hard¡­¡± ¡°Of course. He acted out of line. As his elder brother, it was my responsibility to teach him what he can and cannot do. But that is the thing,¡± he chuckled dangerously, ¡°Only Jian and I can punish or hurt him, not anybody else. Certainly not pests like him.¡± She sighed. She was sure that Nian wouldn¡¯t face much issue but still, she didn¡¯t wish to see his hands stained with blood even though that was second nature to Nian. Being in debt left by her father for a long time, she had seen her fair share of threats and cruel methods that the loan sharks resorted to. So it became her instinct to stay away from violence as much as she could. Xing Bi suggested a solution after thinking hard. She somehow dragged him out of Cai Lingyun¡¯s room and said, ¡°How about¡­¡± she cleared her throat, ¡°we have the date you were talking about in exchange for leaving him to the police in one piece?¡± Nian choked on his saliva and watched her wide-eyed. ¡°A date?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± she averted her gaze for some reason. Nian tilted it back to his side, lifting her chin towards him. He closed the distance between them, narrowing his eyes. ¡°You are giving me a hard choice to make, dear.¡± Seeing his gorgeous face suddenly up close and his husky voice whispering into her ear made her hold her breath back in her throat. Those genes are not good for my heart! Damn these siblings are all so handsome¡­she gritted her teeth. ¡°D-don¡¯t get too ahead of yourself. It¡¯s just a date, not like I epted your confession. Also, I have not forgiven you yet. So hold your horses!¡± With his unblinking gaze staring straight at her, she didn¡¯t know where to look. Nian pointed his index finger and hovered it over her upper lip. She felt as if he would touch her at my moment, and she couldn¡¯t help but stand extremely still in all that nervousness. Even she was unsure what she was waiting for exactly, and it felt like ages. Nian smiled a mischievous smile and ced his finger on the tip of her nose. Their faces came closer and closer until his scent invaded her nostrils. H-Hey wait wait! Is he going to ki-kiss¡­ Instead, Nian slightly deviated from his path and reached her ear, brushing past her cheek. He chuckled. ¡°Considering how loud your heart is beating right now and the breath you have been holding in your throat with just how close I am standing to you, I guess I can get a teeny tiny bit ahead of myself, don¡¯t you think?¡± She froze. ¡°Also the fact that you were expecting me to kiss you, but didn¡¯t move away from me,¡± his eyes twinkled. ¡°¡­¡± Wait, why didn¡¯t I move? Xing Bi felt that she was being yed at the dance of his fingertips. She was older than him but felt helpless at the flirtations of a younger man. ¡°You¡­Don¡¯t l-look like that when you are with me!¡± She tried to manage her messy breaths. ¡°Look how?¡± Nian tilted his head questioningly. ¡°I don¡¯t know! Just act like how you always do. Goofy and annoying.¡± Because I don¡¯t know how to handle you when you get all serious¡­her mouth twitched. Nian wanted to tease her a bit more, but it got interrupted by a phone call. Tch. He saw Jian¡¯s iing call and raised his brow. ¡°Yo, Jian. Don¡¯t worry about Jin. I will handle it.¡± Jian¡¯s grim voice answered him after a long time. ¡°I know Jin will be fine. You and Jun are there. But you need toe to Beijing right now.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Xing Bi was finally back to normal but frowned upon noticing Nian¡¯s eyes slowly turning darker and graver as he listened to his twin talking. ¡°What¡­?¡± Chapter 291 Shanghai Fest Arc (43) : The grim news Chapter 291 Shanghai Fest Arc (43) : The grim news Back in the hospital, there was a standstill between the brothers. The elder brother looked guilty while the younger brother looked in contempt. Jin nced at Ai and smiled. ¡°You say not to me him, but can I really not now? When I realized that time had turned back and I was reborn, I thought a lot about what I should do. A new life. A new chance. But as long as Shui liked me, history would just repeat itself. And since¡­¡± Jin bore his vicious gaze at Jun. ¡°Since Bro was so desperate to have Shui even at the cost of everybody¡¯s happiness, then I felt obliged,¡± he gnashed his jaw, ¡°to unite him and Shui in every way possible. But then I saw Bro Jun leaving home one day. He just suddenly disappeared and broke off all contact with us and especially with Shui. I thought it shouldn¡¯t be possible. That is¡­IF only I was reborn. I did nothing to change the timeline and events, but they still changed. Why?¡± He smiled. ¡°That¡¯s when I slowly realized that he was given a second chance too. He had his past memories and so he left. And I thought that was such a joke,¡± heughed.¡± Jun stayed silent with his lifeless gaze. ¡°You wanted to forget everything and just disappear from our lives? J-Just like that?¡± He tilted his head. ¡°I wondered for a long time if this was for the best. Maybe I should move on too? But I couldn¡¯t. The pain your words, actions and distrust caused to everybody in the past¡­how could I just forget that move on? For God¡¯s sake how could I let go of the bitter reality that you wanted me dead!?¡± He grabbed his shirt and forced him to face him. ¡°Jin!¡± Ai cried. She tried to stop him, but Jun gently raised his palm. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Ai,¡± he let out a defeated voice, ¡°Let him.¡± Jin crumpled his shirt in his fist hard upto the point that his knuckles turned redder. But the tremor that faintly shook his hand gave a peek into the agony that his eyes reflected. ¡°Do you know how I felt when I saw you pointing the gun at me? Do you¡­have any idea how painful it was to feel the killing intent in your eyes for me? For me¡­I loved you so much, Bro. I idolized you. Out of everybody, I made you my most favorite. Even more than Mom,¡± tears fell from his eyes, ¡°You were really special to me, and I wanted to be special to you too, but I couldn¡¯t. Heh, I could neverpete with Shui¡¯s ce in your heart and in the end what I saw was a bullet waiting for me.¡± Jin smiled. ¡°If YOU wanted to kill me, then I wondered why I should be alive anymore? Really¡­first you never believed me, you loathed my existence and then you wanted to kill me. And you wanted to walk out of all that as if it never happened? I should just forget the grief you put everybody through and the fact that you pointed a gun at me? That¡¯s what hurts the most Bro! And I can never forgive you! My brother I love so much despised me to no end. How can I ever bear that?¡± Jun¡¯s lips trembled to speak something, but nothing came at the tip of his tongue. What was he supposed to say? Sorry? He felt that a mere sorry for everything he did was too little and toote. Jinughed evilly. ¡°That¡¯s when I thought that since you love Shui so much, you had to have her this time at any cost. I still hate Shui, and I never wanted to see you with her. But it was your desperate wish to have her, right?¡± He tilted his head. ¡°So I decided to ensure that you would get what you want. Then you would finally let everybody live peacefully, right?¡± He shook. ¡°I tried making you two patch up so many times, but nothing worked. When you went to cancel the ring order, it was me who sent Mom and Aunt Xinyi around that corner so that they would misunderstand your intentions. I influenced Mom to say to Yunru to announce your engagement in Sky.¡± Jun slowly raised his head and met his gaze in disbelief. Ai, too, stared at him wide-eyed. Jin chuckled. ¡°Shocked? You shouldn¡¯t be though. I just wanted to unite you with Shui because of whom you made our lives so miserable. But then you wanted to announce your breakup and I had no choice but to take Great-grandma by my side. That was some nice pressure she put on you there, right?¡± Jun froze. ¡°¡­That was an act?¡± ¡°Notpletely. But I just influenced her a little bit in the right direction, and she wanted to see you getting engaged to Shui no matter what. Her health threat worked beautifully.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too low, Jin,¡± Ai didn¡¯t shout, nevertheless the seriousness and anger in her quiet voice was evident. He narrowed his eyes. ¡°What do you expect after going through hell in myst life and dying by my most beloved brother¡¯s hands? I didn¡¯t want to go this far. He made me choose this path. Unfortunately, everything changed after the Summit when you became his girlfriend. That¡¯s why I made people question your rtionship that day. How could I see Bro living a happy life, after all? The wounds he inflicted upon us are not¡­easy to forget. For me, they still bleed.¡± Jun took a long, deep breath. He hesitated and trembled a lot but finally stood up on his feet and reached out to hold Jin¡¯s hand. ¡°Jin¡­I-¡° The door suddenly opened, and Nian came in, breathless. His sharp eyes immediately caught that something was wrong with how Jun, Ai and Jin faced each other and observed the tears in their eyes. What happened here? Jin looked away, making himself seem normal. Jun snapped into his senses and cleared his throat. ¡°Bro Nian.¡± ¡°¡­Why do you all look like that? Did Jin do something-¡° ¡°No,¡± Jun instantly denied. ¡°We were just talking. It¡¯s nothing. You tell me. Why are you in such a hurry?¡± Nian knew it wasn¡¯t nothing, but he let it go for now. ¡°We need to leave for Beijing right now.¡± ¡°We are leaving tomorrow anyway.¡± Nian grimly ryed the news. ¡°We need to be back home right now. Jian called me. Zixin got into an ident and is in the hospital now.¡± Chapter 292 Shanghai Fest Arc (44) : Its going to happen again Chapter 292 Shanghai Fest Arc (44) : It''s going to happen again ¡°¡­Say what?¡± ¡°Zixin got into an ident,¡± Nian repeated. ¡°He was leaving for the airport when a truck¡­¡± he gritted his teeth, ¡°smashed into his car. The driver and Zixin are heavily injured. It¡¯s¡­¡± his voice cracked, ¡°a horrible ident.¡± Behind him stood Yunru who looked deathly pale. His face was as white as a sheet with tears continuously rolling down his cheeks. He also just received the news from his twin sister, Yubi, who was crying hard on the phone. ¡°Bro¡­My brother is in the hospital¡­A-ident¡­¡± his knees felt weak, and he almost fell when Huan firmly caught him. Looking at his pale face unnerved her. She felt a knot tighten her heart seeing the tears in Yunru¡¯s eyes and felt her eyes brimming with tears too. Just an hour ago, he was brightly shining with his beautiful smile. ¡°St-stay calm,¡± Huan was at a loss of how to console him. The news wasn¡¯t easy to digest. She hesitated for a moment but then gently rubbed his arm to reassure him. ¡°He will be fine,¡± she whispered. Jun nkly stared at Nian unblinkingly. ¡°Bro Zixin¡¯s ident? I-It¡¯s not possible, Bro Nian.¡± Xing Bi anxiously replied. ¡°It¡¯s true. That¡¯s why we need to go back.¡± Jin and Ai, too, shook hard. ¡°No, no!¡± Jun grabbed Nian¡¯s shoulder and eximed with a mixture of disbelief and fear in his voice. ¡°How did this happen? Why¡­? This ident is not supposed to happen! Isn¡¯t Fang Wuhan in the base?¡± ¡°He still is. But he has nothing to do with the ident. How can he when he is in our base? We are investigating who the shitty truck driver is who crashed into Zixin¡¯s car,¡± his eyes disyed revenge in full light. ¡°But we need to leave for Beijing right now. I have already arranged our private jet. It will be here in a few minutes. I have taken care of Jin¡¯s discharge procedure too. Shui is also outside. Let¡¯s go.¡± Nian turned, and his heart ached seeing Yunru¡¯s state. He patted his shoulder and softly said, ¡°Come, Yunru. Zixin needs all of us.¡± Yunru broke down. ¡°Bro i-is¡­hospital¡­¡± ¡°He will be fine,¡± Nian sternly said, ¡°Don¡¯t cry like it¡¯s over! He is your strong brother and nothing can take him down! Got it?¡± The four of them quietly left, leaving Jun, Ai and Jin standing frozen at their ce. ¡°How is this possible¡­?¡± Jun questioned and mumbled to himself. ¡°How did I fail?¡± Even Jin couldn¡¯t make any sense of it. ¡°It was Feng Wuhan who had nned Bro Zixin¡¯s ident in thest life. When I heard that you captured him and the driver, I knew it was to prevent the ident from happening and protect Bro Zixin. You already took care of them so why did this ident still ur? The timeline should have been changed!¡± He exhaled in frustration. Ai held Jun¡¯s hand, who looked to be sinking more and more in despair. ¡°Jun, it¡¯s not your fault. Don¡¯t make that expression as if you are ming yourself.¡± His eyshes trembled as he looked at Ai. ¡°Then what else should I do? I-I failed. I couldn¡¯t protect Bro Zixin. I¡­I knew what was going to happen. I know from past life. But I still failed, Ai. He still got into an ident. Then,¡± his eyes slowly widened with realization, ¡°does that mean in this life too, he will¡­lose all his memories?¡± ¡°Jun, it won¡¯t happen again-¡° ¡°No¡­Bro Nian said it¡¯s a horrible ident. The driver and Bro are heavily wounded. Just like the past life. Nothing changed. It¡¯s going to happen again.¡± ¡ª ¡®Guiying¡¯ stared at theke in front of her. She stood near a tree beside theke situated in front of GrandCastle hotel. It was this same ce where MrPerfect had asked her to wait for him. ¡®She¡¯ had no interest in meeting him but at the same time, she wanted to know what he wanted to talk to her after making his rtionship with Ai public. ¡®She¡¯ smiled. ¡°Are you excited dear? The day has finally arrived. You finally get to see him or should I say his true face as he would lie through his teeth. I seriously wonder what excuses he will give us for all those little sweet nothings with which he won your heart? Let¡¯s wait and watch.¡± ¡®She¡¯ waited and waited, but nobody came. It was close to three hours. The sky turned dark, but there was no sign of MrPerfect evering to meet her. ¡®Guiying¡¯ burst intoughter while clenching her fist. ¡°So it was a joke, after all. All that sincerity in your message was fake. I knew it. I thought you would feed me with some lies but never did I expect that you won¡¯t even show your face.¡± ¡®She¡¯ felt tears in her eyes and the pain in her chest which didn¡¯t belong to her. The real Guiying inside her was crying. ¡°You still cry for him!? Stop that! You disgust me!¡± ¡®Guiying¡¯ ruthlessly scolded her other self. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± A voice came from her back. ¡®Guiying¡¯ heard a pair of footsteps clicking on the grass approaching her. Zhan Yahui stood before her and asked, ¡°Why are you crying?¡± ¡®Guiying¡¯ smiled. ¡°Those are not my tears. Apparently, the fool inside me still held hopes.¡± ¡°So I guess he didn¡¯te.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that certainly but then again I know how cruel MrPerfect aka Liu Jun is. If he didn¡¯t want to meet the fool inside me, then why bother sending any letter?¡± Her eyes shone with a malicious glint. ¡°But it¡¯s okay. It only strengthens my resolve even more topletely destroy Liu Jun one day. That day¡­wille soon.¡± ¡®She¡¯ turned and left with the need of revenge burning furiously in her heart. Left alone, Zhan Yahui watched her back and smiled. ¡°Sure, Guiying. Destroy Liu Jun. I will help you with everything.¡± She saw an iing call on her phone and picked it up with a smile. ¡°You did great with arranging the ident. Now with him in the hospital, I am rest assured. It would have been a big problem if Chen Zixin came to Shanghai and met Guiying. The cat would have been out of the bag. Guiying shouldn¡¯t know that the MrPerfect sending her all the sweet gifts and letters is not Liu Jun but Chen Zixin. But he wasing and I,¡± her eyes flickered in the dark, ¡°had to stop him.¡± Chapter 293 Rude concern Chapter 293 Rude concern Beijing. Even from far away, the still and grave air stabbed Jun hard as he rushed towards his families. He abruptly stopped in his tracks, watching Serena and Yubi trembling and crying as they waited in front of the operation theatre. ¡°Mom¡­¡± Yunru dashed towards them and bent on his knees. He held her face with his reddened eyes bawling out tears. ¡°Bro. W-where is Bro? He is o-okay, right? Bro Nian said that he will be just fine. He is very strong!¡± Yubi jumped into her brother¡¯s embrace and sobbed loudly. ¡°Yunru, you are back¡­Bro is st-still in the operation¡­¡± she gasped as she cried. ¡°Why is it taking such a long time?¡± Chen Liling hushed her granddaughter and gently caressed her head, wiping her eyes continuously. ¡°Th-there is nothing wrong with taking more time. We want to see Zixin all fine and safe, right? As long as¡­¡± tears brimmed in her eyes, ¡°he stands on his feet safe and sound, I-I don¡¯t care how long it takes. We should be patient.¡± Jianyu watched his family agonizing, and he couldn¡¯t do anything to assure them. His son was battling for his life and his wife and twins were distraught over the whole tragedy that had befallen upon them. The fear for Zixin¡¯s life ran deep in his heart too, but he had to stay strong. If he broke down too, then who would give them the strength? Chen Guiren quietly put his hand on his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t hold back your tears, Jianyu. You are his father. You have every right to cry.¡± Jianyu took a silent breath and trembled. It was excruciating to control his tears from falling. ¡°¡­There is n-nothing to cry for, Dad¡­Zixin will be¡­He will be alright¡­¡± Shui and Nian were already over at the Liu family¡¯s side, talking to Jian and Nuo. Nana was by Serena¡¯s side as she consoled her while Jinhai was at the other corner, talking to somebody on the phone with a chilled countenance on his face. Huan pursed her lips and sped her hands together. She stared at Yunru and wished to stay here with him, but she wasn¡¯t really close to their families. She had hardly met him three days back, so she thought it was inappropriate to be here at such a sensitive time. ¡°I think I should leave¡­¡± she lowered her head. Xing Bi felt a bit awkward too. She naturally wanted to be with them at this difficult time, but she had simr concerns as Huan. They wouldn¡¯t want a stranger hanging around them at this time¡­ ¡°You two aren¡¯t strangers,¡± Jun quietly said as if reading their minds, ¡°Stay.¡± It was just a few words from him, but Xing Bi and Huan felt overwhelmed and emotional. They silently nodded and slowly walked towards Nian and Yunru. Jin stared hard at the lit red bulb which indicated that Zixin¡¯s surgery was still in progress. Why did this still happen¡­? He nced at Jun and with the way his eyes looked dead and bleak, he knew he was inwardly ming himself for this tragedy. His trembling fist expressed the storm that was messing his heart. Ai entwined her fingers against his and threatened Jun with a steely voice, ¡°I won¡¯t forgive you if you spiral yourself in guilt and me. You did nothing wrong. So stop whatever you are thinking or I won¡¯t talk to you anymore.¡± Jun slowly lowered his gaze and faintly smiled at her. He kept his silence but pulled her head against his chest. Jin took off with tworge strides, not wanting to stay beside Jun anymore. But he stopped. With numerous thoughts swirling in his head, he finally said without looking back at him. ¡°Stop wasting your time with the me game, Bro. If you have so much energy to be depressed, then pour at least half of it into finding the culprit,¡± he then whispered after a pause, ¡°I am also reborn, and I also knew what was going to happen. But I couldn¡¯t protect Bro Zixin either. Does that mean you me me too?¡± Jun widened his eyes. ¡°Of course not, Jin-¡° ¡°Then don¡¯t me yourself either,¡± he cut him off mid-sentence. ¡°Rebirth or having past memories gives us an advantage for sure, but it doesn¡¯t make us invincible against fate. We are still humans. There is only so much that we can do.¡± He sneered and walked away. Jun watched him leave with his lips slightly parted in shock. Ai peeked at Jun and softly smiled. ¡°He said it rudely but you sensed it too, right? His concern. He doesn¡¯t want to see you feeling guilty over Chen Zixin¡¯s ident.¡± ¡°Jin¡­hates me.¡± ¡°Then he wouldn¡¯t have cared about you and tried to ease your guilt. He wouldn¡¯t have taken the hit for you otherwise. He still loves you a lot though he won¡¯t show it.¡± A tiny ray of hope illuminated his heart. Was it really possible for them to reconcile? ¡ª The surgery got over with Nana¡¯s elder brother and a prestigious doctor, Liang Shin, conveying that Zixin was out of any fatal danger. It brought great relief to everyone and they only needed to wait for a few more hours until Zixin would wake up. Which he finally did after nine hours had passed by. He groggily opened his eyes and looked at the blurry shapes and the outlines of the figures standing next to his bed. ¡°Zixin¡­!¡± Serena tremblingly held his hand, smiling through her tears. ¡°Y-you are awake¡­You are finally¡­¡± Jianyu softly pressed her shivering shoulders. ¡°Sshh.¡± Yunru and Yubi stood on either side of his bed. Zixin slowly raised his gaze and noticed the tears in their eyes. ¡°Bro, we missed you!¡± Yunru wiped his cheeks. ¡°I-I am here now, Bro. I won¡¯t let anybody hurt you!¡± ¡°Me too!¡± Yubi red at her nostrils. Chen Liling scolded the twins. ¡°Oof, don¡¯t talk so loudly. He has just woken up! Sshh!¡± Standing in front of his bed, Jun watched every single expression with extreme scrutiny that Zixin made as he saw his family. His heart raced faster, waiting for Zixin to speak. Zixin took a nce at everybody and weakly parted his lips. ¡°Who are you all¡­?¡± Chapter 294 Interrogation Chapter 294 Interrogation ¡°Who are you all¡­?¡± Zixin questioned. Jun stiffened and so did Jin. He slowly shut his eyes, feeling crushed and defeated. The thing that he most feared happened. Serena and Jianyu blinked at him in confusion. ¡°Zixin, what do you mean? It¡¯s us. Your family.¡± Zixin¡¯s brows tiredly furrowed. ¡°Zi¡­Zixin? Is that my name?¡± Coming to a certain chilly realization, everybody froze. Serena¡¯s breath stuck in her throat, and she asked with terror striking deep in her heart, ¡°You d-don¡¯t remember us?¡± Zixin threw another nce at everybody and tried to recall any faces that might know. But his memories all felt to him nk like a white clean te. He started to panic and forced himself to remember anything about himself, but even the name Zixin didn¡¯t ring a bell. ¡°I¡­¡± he was breathless. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know anybody here. What is going on?¡± When Liang Shin came in, he sent everybody out for some preliminary tests and scans of Zixin¡¯s brain. Ai hurriedly walked towards Jun, who was waiting for him outside. ¡°What happened, Jun? Is Chen Zixin alright? Also, why did Dr. Liang head inside again?¡± Jun massaged his temples that were beginning to ache. He pulled her closer and rested his forehead on her shoulder. ¡°Jun?¡± She worriedly whispered. ¡°¡­It¡¯s just what I had feared, Ai,¡± he trembled, ¡°Bro Zixin doesn¡¯t remember anyone.¡± Her eyes slowly widened. She felt his hot tears on her neck and with it, the sense of loss that was going through. ¡°Jun. You have to be strong because only you know about the true nature of his ident. We have to find the culprit.¡± She held his face and tiptoed to kiss him. ¡°Jun, you don¡¯t have to take everything on yourself. You are not alone. I am here with you. Always. I love you.¡± Jun stared at her with an unreadable gaze and kissed her forehead. ¡°I love you too. Ai, I will be back in some time. Stay with Xing Bi and Yunru.¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± His dark brown eyes were filled with a dark chill. ¡°To get some answers.¡± ¡ª *Ssh!* ¡°Hhaaaaa!¡± Feng Wuhan gasped in shock with the sudden and harsh ssh of water on his face. He breathed heavily, looking confused at the man standing before him. ¡°You¡­Liu Jun! You have forcibly locked me up here for ages! Let me go already!¡± His fearced voice echoed in the base. Jun clutched his hair and grabbed his head up, pulling them harshly at his scalp. ¡°Ahhh! Hurts-¡° ¡°Hurts?¡± Jun icily cut him off. ¡°Does it hurt when I pull your hair like this?¡± He tugged them harder again, making him yelp. ¡°This much pain is nothingpared to what my brother is going through right now.¡± Feng Wuhan felt the hair at his back tingle with terror. ¡°If you want me to spare your sorry life, then tell me. Before I brought you here, did anybody contact you about any n to hurt Chen Zixin?¡± Feng Wuhan couldn¡¯t concentrate at all with his scalp burning with pain. He felt his hair getting torn off his skin. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t understand what you are talking about.¡± He gave a frosty smile that rang all kinds of rm bells inside Feng Wuhan. ¡°A bit more torture here and there and you will understand what I am talking about. You were nning Chen Zixin¡¯s ident because you lost the project deal to him, right?¡± Feng Wuhan widened his eyes. ¡°What? N-No!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Jun gave him a hard p across his face. ¡°Trust me, I am not in the best of my moods right now. So if you lie to me, then you will suffer hell.¡± He shook his head hard. ¡°I-I am telling the truth! I never nned anything against Chen Zixin!¡± ¡°But you lost to him.¡± He gritted his teeth. ¡°That¡¯s true. He is my biggestpetitor, a-and he has been winning many deals back to back.¡± Jun dangerously lowered his voice, ¡°So you wanted him out of your way.¡± ¡°No! I didn¡¯t n anything! You have trapped me here for so many days!¡± He shivered. ¡°What can I even do if I wanted to do anything against him!?¡± Jun studied his eyes and got frustrated. It was true that Feng Wuhan was in no position to harm Zixin, but he didn¡¯t know who else to question. The driver who smashed his truck into Zixin¡¯s car in this life was still on the run. Jun only had Feng Wuhan to whom he could ask questions. ¡°Did anybody contact you before we locked you up here? Who wanted to hurt Chen Zixin?¡± ¡°No-Nobody-¡° ¡°Remember about the lying part. I have many tools at my disposal to torture you,¡± he warned. Feng Wuhan paled. ¡°It¡¯s the truth! Really, nobody called me regarding Chen Zixin at all! Chen Zixin won the deal and then I was suddenly dragged here¡­I don¡¯t have any idea what¡¯s going on¡­¡± he begged. ¡°Fuck!¡± Jun cursed and pushed him away. He banged the door shut behind him in anger but stopped upon seeing Jin in front of him. He slightly stiffened. ¡°You are here too.¡± ¡°I want answers too naturally,¡± Jin narrowed his eyes. ¡°If Feng Wuhan was unable to lift a finger against Bro Zixin, then it means that we were wrong in the past life. The real culprit was someone else.¡± Jun frowned. ¡°I understand that now. But why did he take the me in the past? He had confessed it himself that he nned the ident against Bro-¡± He paused after the possibility dawned upon him. ¡°Unless he was¡­¡± ¡°Forced to do so,¡± Jinpleted his sentence. Jun came to the same conclusion. ¡°But who? Who hates Bro Zixin so much that they will go to such lengths?¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°But I guess we will get an answer to that soon.¡± Jin replied. ¡°Pretty much. If the same thing will happen in this life too, then whoever the culprit is will surely find another scapegoat to take the me for the ident just like they did with Feng Wuhan. Somebody else will confess, most likely another one of Bro Zixin¡¯s rivals.¡± ¡°But this time, we will know that he would be lying and through him¡­¡± his eyes glinted with peril, ¡°we will learn the culprit who forced him to confess. This time, I won¡¯t let that bastard get away with this.¡± Chapter 295 A nightmare Chapter 295 A nightmare It was a moonless night with chilly winds rustling the air around Jun. He found himself standing on a terrace with the city night view glimmering beyond him. What is this ce¡­ He shuddered, thinking about the past life. The night tonight felt eerily simr to the night he died in his car crash of suicide. He took a step back when suddenly, he saw Ai standing right before him. But she wasn¡¯t inside the terrace. She stood outside the terrace¡¯s railing, upon a narrow tform that barely fit her feet together. ¡°Ai?¡± He took slow steps towards her. ¡°Ai? What are you doing here?¡± When he reached closer and realized that she was actually standing outside the railing, the color drained from his face. ¡°Ai¡­No! It¡¯s dangerous over there! Come inside! W-wait. Don¡¯t move. I will help you!¡± ¡°You cannot help me, Jun.¡± Jun stopped abruptly. Her quiet voice coupled with her impassive expression made his heart pound in his chest. ¡°Don¡¯t be an idiot, Ai!¡± He extended his arm and anxiously urged her. ¡°Hold my hand, Ai! Quickly!¡± Ai stared at his outstretched hand but didn¡¯t make any attempts to move at all. She softly shook her head. ¡°You cannot help me. I am supposed to fall.¡± ¡°What nonsense! Just stop talking and give me your hand!¡± ¡°I am supposed to fall, Jun. It¡¯s fate. Just like how Chen Zixin was hurt.¡± Jun froze. ¡°You cannot win against fate. I died by falling from this ce in my past life. I will die once again just like that.¡± ¡°No¡­Don¡¯t talk like that, Ai. I won¡¯t let you die. I won¡¯t let you die!¡± Ai showed a pained expression. ¡°Nothing can stop it, Jun. I am sorry.¡± Her body started tilting backwards, and Jun scrambled towards her. ¡°No! Ai!¡± He stretched his arm once again to catch hold of her, but he narrowly missed by an inch. It was empty air in his palm, and he could do nothing but watch Ai fall and vanish into the darkness. ¡°Ai¡­¡± tears fell from his face and he screamed. ¡°AI!!!!!¡± Ai opened her eyes and woke up with a jolt, hearing a loud scream. At her side, she saw Jun was restlessly moving in bed, sweating and breathing hard. ¡°Jun?¡± ¡°Ai! Ai!¡± Jun kept screaming her name in the dead silence of the night. ¡°Jun, I am here,¡± she quickly held his hand and patted his cheek to wake him up. She then gave his shoulders a hard shake and loudly called out his name. ¡°Jun!¡± His eyes snapped open, and he gasped wide awake. He woke up with a start and looked around the room, confused. ¡°Jun,¡± she wiped the sweat off his forehead. ¡°T-this is our room¡­¡± he mumbled in a daze. ¡°I was there¡­¡± She turned his head to make him face her. ¡°You were having a bad dream. It¡¯s okay now. I am here with you,¡± she gently whispered to soothe him. Jun grabbed her head and looked at her cautiously from head to toe. His hands trembled as he touched her cheeks and hands. ¡°You are¡­alright.¡± You are not dead. Not dead¡­ Ai felt the fear in his gaze, and her heart ached. The corner of his eyes were moist, and she could imagine how horrible of a nightmare Jun might have seen. ¡°It¡¯s because of Chen Zixin, right?¡± She slowly asked. The failure of preventing his ident from happening had taken a huge toll upon Jun¡¯s heart. He thought everything was in control but then suddenly, it wasn¡¯t. Jun felt deathly tired. He ever so slowly pulled her into his embrace. It was the first time that Ai felt his hug so weak, shivering and diffident. ¡°Ai, I saw you fall in my dream. You were standing outside the terrace railing. You fell, but I couldn¡¯t save you. I couldn¡¯t pull you back¡­¡± his hoarse voice was filled with gloom and self-doubt. ¡°You said that I cannot change fate. That I cannot help you, and then you fell.¡± Ai pursed her lips. ¡°Is that what I said? Then that woman in your dream cannot be me. Because I never say hopeless and sad things like that. I will never say something like that to you. It must be somebody else.¡± ¡°¡­It was you.¡± ¡°Then you need to look at me a little harder. You misunderstood another woman as me. I am hurt,¡± she tried to lighten the mood. Which did make Jun burst into a soft chuckle involuntarily. ¡°What?¡± She beamed hearing his chuckle and continued her drama. ¡°Yes. I didn¡¯t know you were dreaming of other women when you have such a cute girlfriend. And here you get possessive if I even look at another man. Isn¡¯t that unfair?¡± She questioned the sincerity of his love. Jun knew what she was trying to do and hugged her tighter. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s unfair. I am sorry.¡± Ai seriously nodded. ¡°Ai.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Can I really protect you?¡± ¡°If not you, then nobody else can protect me either,¡± Ai spoke without any hesitation. ¡°And I don¡¯t want anybody else protecting me either. It has to be you.¡± He trembled. ¡°Jun. Chen Zixin¡¯s ident doesn¡¯t reflect your failure. You already did what you could based on your previous life¡¯s memories. Nobody knew that somebody else had pulled the strings, and you cannot act on something that you don¡¯t know about. How is it your fault? You are being too hard on yourself,¡± she scolded him. ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Really.¡± ¡°I am scared, Ai. I promised you that you never have to be afraid of falling ever again. What if I failed that promise?¡± Ai pinched his cheek. ¡°You have never failed me before, and I know that you will never fail me in the future too. Jun, don¡¯t take everything on yourself. Don¡¯t feel that it¡¯s only your responsibility to protect everything and everyone. I want you to rely on me too. But you don¡¯t. When ites to your problems, you take everything by yourself whether it was announcing your breakup to your family all alone or right now with the ident.¡± Jun cleared his throat. ¡°I can hear your guilt with that cough.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ai thought about something and quickly got off the bed. ¡°Wait here for me.¡± Chapter 296 Following the tradition * Chapter 296 Following the tradition * Jun heard some shuffling noisesing from the kitchen and was rmed. ¡°Are you in the kitchen?¡± He called from inside the room. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­Why? If you are hungry, I will cook for you.¡± There was a long pause. ¡°I have trouble with baking, not cooking,¡± she replied with grievance. ¡°*Ahem..*¡± ¡°Just wait for me.¡± Ten minutester, Jun noticed hering inside the room, carrying a tray in her hand and with a candle lit at the left side of the tray. Ai ced the tray between them and sat on the bed. The te had freshly steamed and delicious dumplings perched upon it. Jun tilted his head. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a tradition.¡± ¡°What tradition?¡± ¡°It¡¯s called ¡®Late-night candlelight meal to shoo away the fear and anxiety left by a bad dream.''¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long name.¡± ¡°Courtesy ¨C my Dad.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a really long name.¡± ¡°Courtesy ¨C my Dad.¡± His brow twitched. Uncle Zhou? Ai said, ¡°When I was a child and used to have bad dreams, Dad used to cook me such meals atte night. He says it¡¯s a sureshot way of driving away all the negative emotions. Food is the best distraction.¡± ¡°With a candle?¡± ¡°I added that for a romantic atmosphere.¡± Well, it does feel like a candlelight dinner, Jun smilingly thought. Ai took the first dumpling and brought it near his lips. He opened his mouth and gobbled the dumpling. He nodded in appreciation. ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± Thankfully, she can cook safely¡­ Jun took a second dumpling from the te and fed it to her. ¡°I think Uncle is a bit wrong. For me, it¡¯s my girlfriend who is feeding me is the distraction, not the food.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The yellow light from the candle did a good job in showing the red tint of her cheeks. ¡°I think you are right. Even for me, Dad¡¯s presence felt more reassuring than eating the food.¡± I guess I have to thank Uncle for this. This candlelight dumpings meal in the middle of the night felt more special to himpared to a candlelight dinner at a fancy restaurant. After finishing the dumplings, Ai kept the tray aside with the candle still burning with its soft warm me atop it. ¡°Now, we will do the second part of the tradition.¡± Jun choked. ¡°The tradition has steps?¡± ¡°Yes. Next step is to dance,¡± Clearly, she was eager to fully follow the tradition. Ai held his hand and pulled him in front of the bed. She ced his hand on her waist and intertwined her fingers with his other hand. Jun smiled. ¡°Last time I checked, I taught you how to dance.¡± ¡°And your student has improved a lot,¡± she looked proud. There was no music ying in the background, yet they softly danced in silence in the candle glow. Ai was very cautious so that she wouldn¡¯t step on his foot. Her sincere and serious expression to show her dancing skills gave him an urge to pinch her cheeks. He raised her hand, twirled her around herself and grabbed hold of her waist. He pressed her fingers on her back and pushed her against his chest until she felt his breath on her forehead. ¡°Is there another step in your tradition?¡± He hushed near her ear. ¡°Yes,¡± she lifted her eyes to meet his gaze. ¡°As the final step, Dad used to sing a song and sleep beside me. But instead of singing a song, I can do this¡­¡± She tiptoed and gently pressed her lips on his. She closed her eyes and gingerly deepened the kiss, wanting to ease the doubts in his heart. She moved away after a few seconds, not daring to meet his eyes after her bold kiss. ¡°Time to sleep now.¡± Ai hastily turned but Jun pulled her back equally hastily. He returned her kiss with his own that made her breathless within just a few seconds. When he closed his eyes, the sight of Ai falling from the terrace invaded his mind again, which only rattled his heart and urged him to kiss her fiercer. ¡°I won¡¯t lose you, Ai,¡± he whispered between the kiss, ¡°I won¡¯t lose you¡­at any cost.¡± He clutched her hair in his fist and narrowed his eyes. ¡°I won¡¯t let anybody take you away from me. Not even death.¡± Their kisses turned wetter and messier as their naked bodies soon embraced each other. Tonight felt different to Ai. She felt the change as Jun made love to her. She sensed the lingering traces of his fear of the nightmare through the way he fiercely pounded inside her. She felt his need to feel every inch of her to assure himself that she was alive. Her neck burned with the pleasure of his bites, and her breasts shuddered with the intensity of his caresses. Her knees were tightly held by his hands and his thrusts in the deepest part of her core was an ecstasy that was beyond her ability to put it into words. Her fingers could barely hold onto his shoulders for support. Jun lifted her chin and the watching the gasps and moans escaping her lips urged him to hit her walls harder. He gently kissed her lips. His tongue licked her chin, cheek and jaw. He soaked in her warmth which was way better than feeling the chilly wind on the terrace in his nightmare. He pressed her body against his until there wasn¡¯t even a centimeter of space left and his length imed every part of her walls until he filled herpletely. It was a night where they made love in silence, yet every breath that escaped from his lips told Ai how much he treasured her and how much he feared of losing her. His climax hit her harder than ever, and she gasped with the warm pleasure driving her insane. She felt him burying his head in the nape of her neck. She smiled andbed her fingers through his hair. ¡°Jun,¡± she uttered his name, breathless. ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°I love you too.¡± ¡°I will never leave your side.¡± He hid his smile as he whispered, ¡°I won¡¯t let you.¡± Chapter 297 How MrPerfect Came To Be The next day at the hospital was even gloomier than yesterday. When the news broke out that Zixin had lost all his memories, the Chen family felt devastated. Zixin remembered nothing and the sense of loss and confusion he felt was heartbreaking to bear for everyone. Yunru was outside the ward, sobbing in silence. He and Yubi tried their very best to make him remember something. Anything. But Zixin only returned their efforts with a nk gaze. He felt a soft pat on his shoulder and saw Jun and Ai standing before him. "Bro...sister-inw..." He jumped into his hug, breaking down into tears. "Hey..." Jun patted his head. "Don''t cry." "Then what should I do, Bro? I am not able to help him at all. He looks at us like...strangers. It hurts, Bro." "Yunru." He sniffled and looked at Ai. "I know it hurts a lot. Seeing the one you love not remember you is a painful feeling," shemented. "But that''s why you have to be stronger. You know everything. But Chen Zixin doesn''t. Imagine not knowing anything about one''s own identity must be so frightening." He blinked. "You wake up and you realize you don''t know anything about yourself. Suddenly, there are strangers all around you, iming that they are your family. It is really difficult to trust others when you are in such a state. It feels like an existential crisis. Chen Zixin is suffering even more than us. That''s why we have to be stronger for his sake." He softly gasped in realization. "Y-you are right. I didn''t think of it this way...I am stupid." She smiled. "You aren''t. You are his cute little brother." Yunru wiped his eyes. "Why did things turn out this way? Who hates my brother so much!? If this ident didn''t happen, then Bro would have been in Shanghai with us." Jun furrowed his brows. "With us? Wasn''t he on his own business trip?" "No. He was going to stay at the same hotel with us. I even confirmed his booking on the first day of our trip." Ai recalled him talking to the receptionist on that day. He blinked. "Really?" Yunru nodded. "Bro was mean. He didn''t tell me much about it. Just that he was going to meet someone special." Jun widened his eyes. "He has someone he likes?" "I think so. He was there at the Summit too." "Ah?" "I know right? I was just as shocked as you! But I did see Bro outside the hotel. I asked him what he was doing, and he said he was attending the Summit too. Bro was so secretive! He is not really interested in reading books, so I couldn''t believe that he was at an event like that." "Yeah..." Jun said, "Does that mean the one he likes is a writer?" "I thought so too. Isn''t that why he wanted toe to Shanghai? Because of the fest. Maybe that writer was at the fest too." Ai asked, "He revealed nothing about this person?" Yunru pursed his lips. "No. He just said that if everything went alright, then he was going to introduce that person to us." Jun tilted his head as a faint memory resurfaced his mind. "Wait, wait. Now that you say that...I remember Bro Zixining to me one day. It was about making his ount on Reading Point. What, maybe it was around one year ago?" Yunru stared at him, speechless. "Reading Point? That chat forum for readers?" "Yeah." He remembered that day Zixin hade to Sky to meet him. *shback* One year ago, Sky Publishing. Jun lifted his gaze off hisptop and was surprised to see Zixin in front of him. "Bro." "Jun." "Howe you are here today?" He asked, interested. He calmly sat on the chair opposite him. "I want your help." "With what?" "I want you to make an ount for me on Reading Point forum." Jun stared at him hard. "Reading Point? You read books?" "...Not really." "Then why would you want to be a part of a forum? They are also so noisy which we both hate so much. We are not exactly chatting types." Zixin stayed silent as if he was contemting something hard, most probably an excuse. Now Jun was even more interested. "Hoo...Is it someone special?" His expression gave out nothing. "What? Is it seriously a woman? You want to join Reading Point because she is there?" "...No." Junughed. "Ah so it''s definitely a crush. Wow, Bro. You didn''t even let us know that you found someone you liked. But why are you asking me? Can your cute little twins not help you with it?" Zixin answered, unfazed. "They cannot keep anything in their stomachs for too long. They will babble everything out." Jun choked. They will be so heartbroken to hear you say that. He shook his head. "What do you need?" Zixin said, "Create an ount for me. I tried, but it''s not letting me do it. I don''t know much about these things." Jun frowned. He opened the forum on hisptop and asked, "What were you typing?" "Chen Zixin." Jun coughed. "You were typing out your real name?" "I cannot? It''s simple." "Well you can, but it''s advisable not to," he shrugged. "It''s always better to use a random username than a real name and notpromise your identity." "I see." "I think you were putting a space in your name. That isn''t allowed." "Oh. Then what random name should I put?" "Anything that you like or something that matches your personality." Zixin gave him a nk look, making his mouth twitch. He is not really good with this creative stuff... "Forget it. I will choose one for you. Hmm..." he touched his chin thoughtfully, "what name should I choose?" Then he smirked a minuteter. "Found a good one." "What is it?" "MrPerfect," he proudly said. "..." Zixin blinked. "I am not obsessed with perfection as much as you." "Hey. You are unable to choose, so at least appreciate my help rather thanining, Bro," he snorted. "What is wrong with the name I chose? You are perfect in every sense. Looks, money, family." Zixin didn''t give much further thought on it. He simply wanted his ount created. "Done," Jun smiled. "You can chat now." "How does this work?" He showed him. "There are different channels here. Mainly it''s readers discussing their favorite books." He slowly asked, "How do you search for another user here?" Jun raised his brow and chuckled. "That search bar above? If you know the username of that person, you can find it here and send her a friend request." "Got it." Jun curiously asked, "Who is that person?" Zixin paused and ever so softly smiled. "You will know one day." *shback ends* Jun now remembered it clearly. To others, it might have been only a year back, but to him there was his whole past life years he went through. Yunruined with grievance. "That was mean of Bro to do that...I could have kept his secret very well!" Ai seemed to be thinking about something as she asked, "But I was talking to you on the forum, right? Not Chen Zixin?" Jun replied. "Yes, that was me." "How is it that you were using the same username?" She tilted her head. "Oh? That was because Bro told me one day to delete the ount from Reading Point. He sounded quite low that day. When I urged him, he said that that person left the forum. So, he had no need anymore to remain on the forum. He said he only chatted with that person, and if she wasn''t there anymore, he saw no point in being there." "Oh, I see." "As for why I am using the ount, I asked his permission. Since the ount was already created and he didn''t want to use it, I thought I could use it instead to chat up with potential good authors and search for new talent for Sky''s benefit. It was a good ce to explore. He had no problem with it. He literally chatted with only one person, so it wasn''t like others really knew who MrPerfect was. He was just another member of the forum." Ai nodded with understanding. Yunru asked, "That means that you must have seen the chat history, right? You didn''te to know who the mystery woman was?" "It doesn''t work like that. Reading Point has a policy that if you delete your ount, your associated chat histories also get deleted for security reasons. Also," he smacked on his head. "It''s not nice to peep into someone''s messages like that, Yunru. If he wanted to take time to reveal it to us, we shouldn''t pry our way and invade his privacy." Ai nodded at that too. "S-sorry..." he scratched his chin. "So Bro left Reading Point and then yesterday, he wasing to Shanghai to meet someone. Was that the same woman?" He smiled. "You know how he is. She must definitely be the same woman. I was just wondering if she knew that he wasing or he kept it as a surprise?" Ai said, "Indeed. If he told her that he wasing, then wouldn''t she have been waiting for him? How will she know that he got into an ident?" Jun gave it a thought. "I will see if I can find anything about her. If he really likes her then, I wouldn''t want her to misunderstand Bro Zixin." Chapter 298 Who Is The Real Puppet Master Jun shook his head. "Anyway. How is Bro now?" "He is recovering," Yunru pursed his lips, "Mom, Dad, everybody is¡­just putting up a strong front. But watching that he doesn''t remember anyone is¡­" "I understand," Jun ruffled his head. "Just stay by his side. As for who is behind this ident¡­" his eyes glinted with pure menace. "I will find out who he is at any cost. He won''t be spared. Not this time¡­" "This time?" Yunru asked. "Nothing. Where is Driver Chi?" ¡ª In one of the other wards, Zixin''s driver, Driver Chi, who was taking him to the airport yesterday was lying on the bed, weakly breathing. His wife was by his side, sniffling and trying to control her tears. Jun quietly stepped inside and Driver Chi''s wife raised her head. "Young master¡­" she hastily got on her feet, but Jun raised his hand and urged her to be seated. Driver Chi slowly opened his eyes. "Young¡­master¡­" Jun saw the state of his legs and clenched his fist in his pocket. It was the same asst life. His legs were barely hurt and he wasn''t able to walk for a long time. He lied helpless on a wheelchair with his wife diligently taking care of him day and night. A tear dropped from the corner of his eye. "I¡­Please forgive me, young master Jun," he said in a hoarse voice, "I couldn''t protect young master Zixin. I-" "Enough. Did anybody from the Chen family me you?" He tiredly shook his head. "Then why do you think I came here to point fingers at you?" He gasped and trembled. "He-he is young master Zixin¡­I heard what h-happened to him. He has forgotten everybody. How can I not me myself?" He softly cried. "If o-only I could turn the car¡­at the right time¡­this wouldn''t have happened¡­Please forgive me¡­" His wife begged Jun. "Yes, young master, please forgive my husband. I know-" Jun stopped her. "I already told you I am not ming him." She felt relieved hearing that. "Thank you¡­" she wiped her eyes. "Young master, Jun," her face was a little pale, "He is not able to feel his legs. The doctors are not c-clearly saying what is happening. My husband¡­will be okay, right?" Jun stiffened. Watching the state of his legs ignited the fury within his heart even more. Two innocent people suffered in this ident. He smiled with assurance. "He will be fine. And don''t even think about worrying about the bills. We will take care of itpletely. You just only focus on recovering." Driver Chi''s eyes reddened. Jun slowly asked, "Can you tell me what happened? I know it''s difficult to recall that horror. But we need to punish whoever that person was that brought you and Bro to this state." Driver Chi spoke while taking pauses in between. "I was just driving as usual¡­when a truck suddenly arrived from the left. I panicked and to-took an abrupt right turn to avoid it. I screamed at him. But¡­it still crashed into us. It felt like the driver did it purposely¡­" his eyes teared up. "The car crashed backwards. It was horrible¡­" Silence. "Did you catch any glimpse of that driver''s face?" "I¡­" he tried to recall. "There was a tattoo on his forehead. I-I saw it when I was screaming at him. I don''t remember anything after that¡­" "It''s okay," he smiled. "Everything will be fine." When he stepped out, his expression returned to that of a frosty one that didn''t have any ounce of mercy. He dialed Nian''s number and coldly said, "It will be easier to find a man who has a tattoo on his forehead." ¡ª After Zixin''s ident, everyone''s one and only mission was to find the culprit behind the ident. To find the one who put Zixin and Driver Chi through such an ordeal and the one who dared to mess with the Underworld families. With the Underworld on the chase of that driver, it didn''t take much time for Jinhai and Jianyu to find him, especially when Jun ryed the mark on his forehead. In the darkest world of the Underworld base, Jianyu, Jinhai, Jian, Nian and Jun were all present to get their answers. Jin was at the far back, listening to every detail. The driver''s face was beyond recognizable with how Jian and Nian personally dealt with him. They used all sorts of tools to submit him to all sorts of torture. The mark on his forehead was burned due to acid. Jianyu, whose heart was lit with revenge and rage after seeing how helpless his son has be, took chilly and heavy steps towards the man. "You do realize that my fingers are itching to kill you, right? And I can give you the worst possible death that you would have never imagined. You have no idea whose son you have touched. My son is lying in the hospital, unable to recognize anyone and it''s all because of you," His ck pupils were glimmering with animosity. He kicked hard on his abdomen, making him puke blood and gasp with pure terror. "Now tell me. Who told you to target Zixin? Who gave you the order to hurt my son? And I warn you, if I hear any nonsense, I will make your life a living hell. I just want to hear the name. Anything other than that and you will¡­" The driver trembled. Jian raised his brow. "Did we perhaps go too far? We should have kept him in a good condition until he told us a name." Nian shrugged. "Hurting any of our family members is a big no-no. I am not really a fan of being patient," he dangled and swirled the knife close to his face that kept on cutting his cheek every time the de touched his skin. But he wasn''t even given the liberty to scream. If he did, the next pain woulde tenfolds. He gulped and spoke with trembling lips. "Mao Yong¡­" Jinhai and Jun narrowed their eyes. Jianyu tilted his head. "Mao Yong?" He furiously nodded. "I-I don''t know anything other than that. Just that he gave me money to hurt Chen Zixin." Jian gave it a thought. "I remember that family. Didn''t the daughter of that family - what was her name again? Mao Jingyi, yes. She was quite infatuated with Zixin if I remember. She had even confessed to him, but he rejected her. Mao Yong is her brother." Nian frowned. "I remember. Mao Yong had even fought with Zixin for rejecting his sister. He was furious with him." Jianyu gnashed his jaw. "Is that why he targeted Zixin?" Nian smiled. "We will know once we bring him here. Let''s not wait." ¡ª Within a matter of thirty minutes, Mao Yong was dragged from his home and brought to fall on his knees in front of Jianyu. "What the hell is going on!?" He raised his head and immediately his body ran cold after seeing Jianyu''s figure looming over him. "Mr. Chen Jianyu¡­" "I think you know very well why we forced you to make your presence here, right?" "I don''t know! Your guards just showed up and - aahhh!" Jian crushed his hand by pressing his foot upon it. A crisp cracking sound was heard as his boot smashed the bones of his fingers. "We are not in any mood to hear any nonsense right, Mao Yong. Just say yes or no. Did you tip this ugly driver to crash into Zixin''s car?" Mao Yong shuddered. "He took your name and now you have to just a teensy tiny thing and that is to nod your head." Nian smiled. "I must warn you that lying will have deadlier consequences. So think very carefully before you speak. Two people are in the hospital who battled hard for their lives so no bullshitting, okay?" Mao Yong shut his eyes and each one''s icy gaze only increased the chill running in his spine. "...Yes." Jianyu punched his face, almost breaking his jaw. "Why!? How dare you plot against my son?" Mao Yong threw him a deadly re. "That''s what he gets for rejecting my sister! He rejected my precious sister''s confession. Does he have any idea how much she suffered? She went into depression and refused to eat! She liked Zixin so much but he heartlessly rejected her. Your son''s pain is nothingpared to what my sister went through. I could never forgive him for that and he had to pay!" Jianyu angrilyughed. "So you mean to say that he should have epted her even though he didn''t love her? Destroy his own life and hers too?" "I only know that Jingyi has suffered. She begged him for just one chance, but could Chen Zixin not even give her that?" Jun observed him from the dark. It''s happening the same way¡­ Feng Wuhan had the rivalry reason on the surface to attack Bro. Mao Yong has his own reason to be wanting to hurt Bro. Jun stepped out from the darkness where he stood and asked in an rming voice, "Mao Yong. The driver said that you bribed him. So then...who bribed you to take this ident''s me? Tell me who is the real puppet master." Chapter 299 What Was The Purpose? As Jun popped that question, everybody nced at him with a doubtful look except Jinhai who had realized where he was getting with this. Jianyu asked, "I don''t understand, Jun. Mao Yong is behind this." Jun bent on his knee and watched Mao Yong with an acute stare. "That''s what we are made to believe so that we stop with finding the culprit right here. But somebody else is expertly pulling the strings. Right, Mao Yong?" Mao Yong stiffened. Jian tilted his head. "How do you know this, Jun?" "I just¡­know. I just had a feeling. If Mao Yong really wanted to harm Bro Zixin, then he wouldn''t want to be caught naturally. But we easily found the driver, and he easily pointed at Mao Yong. He cannot be so foolish that he would let the driver know his identity so that once we catch him, we can easily capture Mao Yong." Nian touched his chin. "This does make sense. We didn''t even break a sweat while catching them, and it all looks too easy now that I think about it." Jianyu shook hard. "But who would else have any reason to hurt Zixin? Who can it be that can plot such a vicious trap?" Jinhai narrowed his eyes. "That''s what Mao Yong will say." "I¡­I don''t know what you are talking about. It-it''s all my doing." Jun smiled that didn''t reach his eyes. "You should know that Underworld people have very limited patience. Somebody did tell you to nod your head to the usation. Just tell me who that was and what he offered you?" Nian yawned. "You remember our no-nonsense policy, right?" Mao Yong shuddered. Sweat trickled down the sides of his ears, and he weighed the odds in his mind. Jun snarled. "Give me a name." With the final warning that definately meant his doom if he didn''t answer his question, Mao Yong blurted out. "I don''t know who he is!" Jianyu widened his eyes. That means there is really somebody else¡­ He clutched hair and pulled them until his scalp slightly bled. "Zixin is in the hospital, and you say you don''t know who bribed you to do this!? Are you shitting me!?" He shook his head furiously, trying to make everyone believe him. "It''s the truth! I don''t know who that person is. I just know that he¡­has my sister with him." "What?" Jian narrowed his eyes. "Has as in kidnapped?" "...Yes. I got pictures of Jingyi trapped somewhere. Her eyes were blindfolded, and she was tied on a chair at some dark ce. If I want them to give her to me safe and sound, then I would have to take the me of Chen Zixin''s ident when the time woulde. Once that person sees me punished, he assured that he will release her without any harm. If I tried to be smart and inform the cops about it, I will never see Jingyi again." He anxiously said, "Look, I-I am only doing this to protect Jingyi! I cannot see her in danger. I¡­I admit that I was indeed angry at Chen Zixin for betraying Jingyi. But I wouldn''t go so far as to kill him." Silence. "I just want Jingyi back at any cost. Once this matter settles down, he will automatically release Jingyi." Jun asked, "You never met him?" "I didn''t. I just got the pictures and the message of what I had to do with a warning of not to investigate in Jingyi''s disappearance or¡­" he bit his lip harder. They left Mao Yong inside the room and came out. Jinhai dered. "I will take care of finding Mao Jingyi." Jianyu clenched his jaw. "Once¡­just once I catch that person who is ying this game with Zixin¡­I will wring his neck with my own hands!" The twins sneered. "Of course, we will join in too." Jinhai nced at Jun and said, "I want to talk to you. Come with me." The twins looked at them with interest. "Hey hey what is this all about? Why so secrecy?" Jinhai gave them a cold look. "Get going onto find Mao Jingyi." "..." "Didn''t you say that you will take care of her?" They demanded. "That meant you." "..." Inside the main area where Jinhai always carried out his Underworld work, he stared at Jun and quietly asked, "What had happened to Zixin in the past?" Jun''s eyelids trembled. "He never regained his memories. At least¡­not until the day I died." Silence. Thinking of Jianyu and Serena, Jinhai felt a tinge of ache in his heart. They were hoping for Zixin to regain his memories but instead, he hadn''t even after ten years had passed by in Jun''s past life. As a parent himself, he could understand how heartbreaking it must have felt. Jinhai then narrowed his eyes. "Did this culprit use Feng Wuhan in the past?" "Yes," the nerves on Jun''s forehead twitched with anger, "that''s why I locked him up in the base so that he doesn''t get to attack Bro. But even so¡­" He studied the sh of guilt in his eyes. "It''s not your fault. You did what you could. Anything more than that wasn''t in your hands." Jun stiffened. But just like Ai, his father''s reassurance gave somefort to his heart. Jinhai asked, "When was Zixin attacked again? We need to be prepared to prevent any further-" "Again? No. Bro wasn''t attacked again. Just like what is happening now, he slowly recovered. Physically. He had no memories but with everyone''s help, he slowly got closer to his family." Jinhai blinked. "Then how about his life in general?" "Nothing really. He gradually started to handle the business again and carried on with his life. He never got married. That''s all." Jinhai tilted his head. His keen eyes seemed to be thoughtful. "Then isn''t it strange?" He blinked. "What is strange?" "I don''t understand the purpose of this ident. Did that culprit want to kill Zixin out of hatred? But he survived. Even though he lost his memories, he was still alive. If whoever is responsible really wanted to end Zixin''s life, then why wasn''t there another attack on him? Or ruined his life in some other way? Throughout the ten years after that ident, the culprit did nothing else to hurt Zixin. So, I don''t understand what was the whole point of this ident if everythingter was so peaceful?" Chapter 300 Beneath The Cherry Blossom Tree Jun stared at his father, slowly beginning to understand what he was getting at. Jinhai propped his arm on the armrest of his seat. "You are not looking at the bigger picture here, Jun. I have trained you, Jin and the idiot twins in the Underworld myself. If you want to take revenge on someone, what would you do?" Jun answered in a calm but firm voice. "Finish thempletely." "Yes. There is no leeway. There is no kindness. It''s applicable for other people in general too. If they hate someone so much that they want that person dead or see himpletely destroyed, then they would stop at nothing to achieve that. But strangely enough for Zixin as you said, his life after the ident didn''t have any hups and I question why? He went so far to bring Zixin on the brink of his death and then what? Did that culprit not hate him anymore? What happened that he didn''t interfere with his life anymore?" Jinhai squinted his eyes. "Or should I ask, what changed after the ident that he just didn''t feel the need to target Zixin anymore?" Jun froze. The only thing that changed... "His memories..." he whispered. Jinhai thought so too. "Yes. Zixin doesn''t remember anything. I don''t know if that''s how it was nned or was it a convenient byproduct that worked for the culprit''s favor, but there was a reason why he didn''t bother with Zixin because he simply wasn''t a threat anymore. I think there was something Zixin knew, knowingly or unknowingly, that threatened to jeopardize the culprit in some or the other way. Something...is there within his memories that is the answer to our questions." -- Zixin slowly opened his eyes and saw the white ceiling of his room once again. He blinked his eyelids to wake himself up from his nap. "Zixin!" Serena quickly came to his side and gently held his hand. Her tear-rimmed eyes looked at him with concern. "Are you okay? Do you need anything, dear?" Zixin stared at her in silence and hesitated. He was told about his family but calling her Mom was still ufortable to him. There was this strange sense of barrier he felt between him and everyone else. "...I am a little tired of staying in this room. Can I go outside for some fresh air?" "But you are still weak," Serena''s heart broke. "Wait, let me check with the nurse." The nurse came in a few minutester, bringing a wheelchair with her. "Mr. Chen can use this wheelchair to go outside. He is still too weak to walk on his own until hepletely recovers." The male nurses helped Zixin on the wheelchair, and Serena took him outside. The atmosphere was a little cloudy today with beams of soft sunlight passing through the clouds at times. The gentle breeze felt cool and pleasant. Serena softly smiled and brushed her fingers through his hair. "I know it must feel lonely in the hospital. But don''t worry, Zixin. I am here. Yunru and Yubi will be here too soon. They went back home to fetch some stuff for you." He nodded in silence. Serene affectionately smiled but mixed with a tinge of a strained smile too. More than anybody else, she understood that Zixin was suffering the most. She caught his hesitation to call her Mom just before. Zixin didn''t express it, but it was frightening to live like this knowing nothing about himself. All nk and clueless. No, no. I cannot cry in front of him, she quickly wiped her eyes that were beginning to tear up. She softly said, "I will bring some juice for you to drink. You will enjoy it in this nice weather." Zixin paused and nodded again. As she left, he exhaled a long and tired breath. He looked around him with families of other patients spending time with them. But it was something that he couldn''t connect to. No matter how much he tried, he couldn''t remember anything about anyone. It was all white in his mind. A long stretch of deste and lonely white and as such, he was slowly beginning to detest the color white. Zixin took a deep breath with a slight pain numbing his head. His gaze fell on a faraway cherry blossom tree. The warm color of the pink cherry blossoms felt refreshing to his conflicted heart. He slowly strolled the wheelchair with his hands, taking it nearer to the tree. He nced up at the branches and the blossoms and felt mesmerizing. Unknowingly, a soft smile came upon his lips. Zixin saw many cherry blossom petals scattered on the ground. They rustled in the direction where the wind took them. He thought about it and leaned. He stretched his hand to pick one blossom. But the nearest one was a little farther away from his feet. He bent more but couldn''t do more than that in his weak state. His fingers kept stretching to grasp the cherry blossom when somebody else caught it. Zixin slightly widened his eyes in surprise and looked up. The moment his gaze fell on the woman staring at the blossom she just picked, he felt a new and an odd feeling enveloping his chest. He didn''t know why but he couldn''t break his gaze off her, who stood silently in front of the cherry blossom tree with a beam of sunlight illuminating from behind her but which didn''t match with the sense of mncholy etched on her face. Guiying stared at the cherry blossom petal with an unreadable expression. Her daze broke, and she looked at Zixin. She smiled and offered the blossom to him. "I think you wanted this." Zixin slowly took the petal from her. "...Thank you." "Do you like cherry blossoms?" He neither epted nor denied it. "I don''t know." Guiying blinked. "You don''t?" "I don''t. I don''t remember anything. I was feeling lost but when I saw this tree, I just...felt like holding a cherry blossom. I don''t know why." Memory loss... Looking into his eyes that looked doubtful, confused and in search of answers, pain swelled in her chest at his helplessness. She looked at the cherry blossom tree and smiled. "I know why. I think you like cherry blossoms. Your mind may not remember it, but your body does. That''s why you reached out towards it." Zixin slowly nodded at that conclusion. "Maybe." He then asked in his low, soothing voice, "Do you like cherry blossoms?" Guiying couldn''t immediately answer. She slightly lowered her gaze. "It''s strange that my answer is the same as yours. I don''t know. Not anymore..." Zixin detected the sorrow reflecting in her eyes, making him strangely feel ufortable. Guiying noticed a middle-aged womaning towards Zixin. Thinking her to be someone from his family, she said, "I will take my leave. It was nice talking to you." "You...what is-" "Zixin," Serena came to his side and smiled. "I brought juice for you." "Oh. Thank you." Zixin looked back, but she was already gone. Serena noticed his gaze searching for someone. "Was somebody here?" He softly blinked. "Yes. A woman." But...what was her name? Chapter 301 For The Third Time When Guiying was at some distance from Zixin, she felt her head spin with the voice inside her taking over her. ''She'' raised her brow with amusement. "Strange that you suddenly appeared after so much time and out of nowhere for aplete stranger." ''She'' looked back and watched Serena tending to Zixin. A few minutes ago as ''she'' was passing by this ce, she saw a man in a wheelchair staring at the cherry blossom tree. The soft smile that appeared on his lips was so serene that the real Guiying inside felt like looking at him for sometime longer. When Zixin struggled to touch the cherry blossom petal, her steps automatically moved towards him to help him. Even she didn''t realize when she repressed her other personality and revealed her true self. ''She'' shrugged. "Guess there is at least one person that didn''t make you cry. I was so sick of your tears." Silence. ''She'' smiled. "Whatever. Let''s go back to my brother dearest." ¡ª On the other side, Ai waited for Yunru to return to the hospital. She wanted to meet Zixin once and thought that it was appropriate to do so through Yunru introducing her. "Ai?" She turned to find Cai Lingyun standing behind her and frowned. She didn''t understand why there were more bruises on his body. She had seen Jin beating him up but now there were fresh wounds on his face. After how he tried to defame Jun and Shui anding to know his feelings for her, she was particrly more distant from him. She stared at him with suspicion, wondering why he worked at Jun''s ce in the past. She wanted to know the answers but unfortunately, the Cai Lingyun in this life would be unable to give her any. Ai had no interest in chatting with him, so she was about to leave. "Ai!" Cai Lingyun quickly stopped her. "Why are you leaving just like that? Won''t you even ask me why I am in the hospital?" "I can clearly understand your reason judging from your wounds. Also, this is a hospital. Peoplee here to get treated." "And won''t you ask me who put these wounds on me?" The hostility in his eyes was clear. "I suppose it was Liu Jin." "No! It was Liu Nian! He just barged into my room and suddenly turned violent! He used me without any evidence." Ai furrowed her brows. used of what? "Without any proof, he said that I was behind Liu Jin''s ident. Is this seriously the family you want to marry into? The bunch of brothers are nothing but spoiled and arrogant brats. Just because they are rich, they think they can do anything as they wish! Ai, do you really think I would go so far to hurt anybody? You know me, right?" He urged with his gaze. She narrowed her eyes. I thought before that I knew you. But not anymore. "How should I answer that? I never thought that you would throw Jun into such a situation to humiliate him. There is a very thin line to cross after that." Cai Lingyun gritted his teeth. "Ai, how can you say that? You are beingpletely brainwashed by Jun and his family! I just wanted to show you Jun''s true face. I care about you. But his brothers think that they could just beat up anybody they wish. They only know how to suppress others if things don''t go their way. You will never be happy with a family like them!" Ai didn''t mince her words. "I am perfectly capable of thinking of my own happiness. I know now whom I can trust and¡­whom I cannot." "Ai, you-" "Is that my future granddaughter-inw I am seeing!?" Ai had just barely moved her face by a fraction when she noticed someone dashing towards her with lightning speed. Before she knew it, a certain hyper active man took her into his giant teddy bear hug, and her vision waspletely blocked. "..." Thrice. This was happening to her thrice. "Hohoho! Just when I was searching for some fun and look who I found? My future granddaughter-inw!" Ai felt suffocated, and she signaled the same with her coughs. But a certain hyper active grandfather was too happy to meet Ai and ignored the feeble resistance was putting. With the brightest beam of radiance sparkling on his ever so handsome face, Liu Haiughed heartily. The nurses passing by them furiously whispered among themselves. "What is that old man doing hugging a young woman like that?" "Is he a pervert?" "Don''t tell me he is eyeing that woman in that way¡­" "That''s so creepy. We should report him to the security as soon as possible!" The security guards came in no time and sternly coughed. "Sir, leave that woman. We need to take you with us. You have to answer some questions." Liu Hai watched them with his jaw dropping. "Excuse me? What is all this fuss about?" "A few nursesined about an old man harassing a beautiful, young woman." "..." "Now we can clearly see it too by that hug," they narrowed his eyes. "..." "You are all blind!" Liu Hai red at him. "How can you call this beautiful and handsome man creepy? And for your kind information, I am hugging my future granddaughter-inw! I am not a pervert! I am very much in love with my wife!" "Sir, please leave her alone or we will have to use force on an elder." "..." Liu Hai hugged Ai even tighter in response. "Ai, tell these stupid idiots that I am not any creepy old man! You know me as your fluffy handsome grandpa!" Ai wanted to speak, but her face was too smothered against his chest. "Sir, if you will let her talk¡­" "Oh?" Liu Hai sheepishly grinned and loosened his embrace. "I am sorry, dear. I got too excited." Ai could finally breathe. She looked at the guards and rified the misunderstanding. "I am fine. He is not a pervert." "Are you sure, Mam? You don''t have to feel threatened by him," they suspiciously asked. Liu Hai gritted his teeth. "How can I bear to bully my granddaughter-inw? Don''t talk such things or if my wife hears it, she will bury me alive!" "She doesn''t trust you?" "She has long lost her trust in me!" He cried. "Isn''t that too harsh?" "..." Chapter 302 A Friend Of The Past The guards left after Ai''s reassurance with Liu Hair''s reputation still intact somehow. Liu Hai harrumphed and beamed once again as he saw Ai. But he frowned noticing an annoying presence. He narrowed his eyes at Cai Lingyun. "Why are you standing like that and leering at her? Are you possibly having some dirty intentions towards her? Then let me tell you right now to scram before I beat you up!" Cai Lingyun was dumbfounded. Liu Hai arrived like a storm and this strange man suddenly grabbed Ai as if he knew her since ages. "Excuse me but who are you?" He scowled. "Do you have hearing problems!? I said so many times that I am her fluffy handsome grandpa! What does that make her? My future granddaughter-inw!" Granddaughter-inw...? Is he... "My handsome grandson Jun is her boyfriend. But who are you?" He coldly squinted his eyes. "I can tell very well that you feel something for Ai. But I tell you I already chose her first! Even before Jun did!" Ai''s mouth twitched. Cai Lingyun widened his eyes. Liu Hai? Until now, he had aplete different image of the Liu family''s elders. But how was it that Grandpa Liu acted so...out of his supposed character? "She is already a part of the Liu family. You dare target someone from my family!? Some nerves you have! But this handsome grandpa still knows how to drive away such pests like you." Angry veins popped on his forehead. How dare he...And when did he grow so fond of Ai? "Are you leaving or should I beat you up with my stick!? Be careful what you wish for. Your face is already such a mess." Cai Lingyun saw Guiying from afar and didn''t want her to witness his humiliation. He forced a smile. "I will talk to youter, Ai." Liu Hai was displeased. "There is no chance for you to talk to her again! Hmph. Jun is not doing a good job in keeping my future granddaughter-inw safe...Will need to teach him everything from the beginning," he muttered to himself. Cai Lingyun finally stomped his way out unable to bear anymore. Liu Hai sneered. "Good riddance." He then focused his attention back on Ai. "My future granddaughter-inw! It''s such a long time since I saw you." Ai studied his chirpiness which was exactly like the night she met him for the first time during the banquet. Even after everything that happened through that time, Liu Hai didn''t feel any different. "Grandpa," she softly said. Liu Hai patted her head. "Good, good. You are such a good girl calling me grandpa. Who was that noisy man from before? He was so annoying! If he troubles you again, just dial your grandpa''s number!" His nostrils red. "I have many methods to make such men disappear." Her light brown irises beamed. "Thank you. I didn''t expect that you would ept me so easily." Liu Hai tilted his head. "I had already epted you the evening we met. You forgot how I offered Nian and Jin to you?" He sheepishly grinned. "I-I was a little off mark there by offering you the wrong grandson hehe..." Ai coughed. "You are still my future granddaughter-inw. It''s just that the target grandson has changed. No biggie." "..." No biggie... "Once upon a time, I had chosen my sweet daughter-inw Nana for my younger idiot son, Jing. But she got married to my first idiot son instead," He then gravely said, "I think I have the knack of choosing the right girls but for the wrong men." Her mouth twitched into a smile and then she finallyughed. "You are cute and funny. I think I know why Jun is so cute too." His eyes teared up, feeling emotional. "You are such a good child. I always told everyone that all my grandchildren take upon me! But that Jun! He has no respect for his grandfather at all!" He wiped away his imaginary tears. Ai smiled. "Thank you, Grandpa. I thought it would be difficult for everyone to ept me after Jun and Shui''s breakup." Liu Hai pouted. "It dide as a shock to us, but Jun and Shui''s happiness is what matters the most," he pursed his lips, "To be honest, it made me also realize how I failed as a grandparent. But I cannot express how happy I am to see you and Jun get together! As long as you be Liu family''s granddaughter-inw, you are weed to choose any grandson of mine~" "..." He is quite easy going in many ways... "But what are you doing here all alone!? How is Jun not here with you?" "He said he will be back soon. I am waiting for Yunru so that he can take me to meet Chen Zixin." "Why do you need that brat when I am here with you?" His eyes shone with immense happiness. "You should definitely meet him and the rest of the family." He sighed. "I know it''s a difficult time for Liling and everybody else. I understand their pain. Zixin is like my grandson too. But so many tears will only make look everybody ugly. Thest thing Zixin wants is an ugly family." She choked. Stepping into Zixin''s room, she saw him getting back to bed with Serena''s help. "Uncle," Serena faintly smiled and nodded at him. "Serena! Did you miss the handsome me?" He grinned. "How could I not?" She nced at Ai and blinked. "Zhou Ai." Ai bowed. "Hello. I am Zhou Ai. I wanted to meet Chen Zixin. I hope you don''t mind." She smiled. "Of course not. You are wee here." Serena looked at Zixin and said, "Zixin, she is Zhou Ai. Your cousin Jun''s girlfriend." Ai greeted him with a smile. "Hello." Zixin slowly nodded. Ai caught the sight of a small cherry blossom in his hand. "A cherry blossom." Zixin stared at the small blossom in his hand. "Yes. I found it outside." Thinking of the past days, Ai slowly said, "It''s pretty. I have-...had a friend too who liked cherry blossoms a lot. So much that she chose her penname after that. CherryBlossom." Chapter 303 Just Speculation "Cherry¡­Blossom?" Zixin slowly whispered the name, his gaze seeming faraway. "Yes." "I see. Pen name as in¡­" "A writer. She is a writer and so am I. Her pen name is CherryBlossom," she smiled, remembering the good memories between them once upon a time. "The petal blossom in your hand reminded me of her." Zixin lowered his gaze. He had lightly held onto the petal between his thumb and index finger. Guiying''s face shed in his mind for a moment. Liu Haimented. "The same author who was in the Summit andpeted with you, right?" He then proudly said, "The Summit which my future granddaughter-inw won." "Yes. The same author." Zixin seemed to be in a trance. Serena held his shoulder and asked, "Zixin? What are you thinking?" Covering the cherry blossom in his palm, he said, "Nothing." ¡ª Zhan Yahui returned to her apartment after her day''s work at Dream High. She sat back on her couch and pouring some wine in a ss, she breathed out. She took a sip and stared at the ceiling, narrowing her eyes. Chen Zixin is out of the way. He won''t bother with approaching Guiying anymore. Now MrPerfect''s identity will be safe, she smiled. Her phone rang, and she furrowed her brows in displeasure. She stared at the name disyed on her iing call log. "What?" She asked,ing to the point without any emotion. "Yahui," a hesitant voice came from the other end. "You are back from Shanghai." She smiled. "Yes daddy dearest. I am back. Why? You wished I didn''t?" "O-of course not, Yahui!" "Then how is it that daddy dearest is remembering his illegitimate child?" She sneered. There was a beat of silence. "Can youe to the Shi residence?" Zhan Yahui raised her brow. "Oh? Quite novel for you to ask that question. What about your wife? I don''t think she will wee me with open arms." "Yahui¡­" his voice was strained. She chuckled. "Fine. I wille. I cannot miss any drama, now can I?" ,m ¡ª Zhan Yahui watched two grim faces with great interest as she entered the Shi residence. Shi Shuren, the head of the household, awkwardly smiled while averting his eyes from Zhan Yahui. His wife, Shi Zhn, didn''t make any attempts to hide her hatred and disdain for her. Zhan Yahui was about to sit on the couch when Shi Zhn sharply poked her. "This is not your home. Who gave you the permission to sit as if you own this ce?" She stopped and narrowed her eyes. Shi Shuren widened his eyes and hastily pulled back his wife. "Zhn! Stop it¡­" "We just called her to meet us here. That doesn''t mean she gets to act like a part of our family. Shi Shuren. I think I had already made it clear what I feel about her and¡­" she dug her nails in her palm, "you don''t have any right to question me after how YOU cheated me with her mother. So, don''t tell me what I should and what I shouldn''t." He stiffened and remained silent. As Huan came down, she was surprised to see Zhan Yahui in the house. "Hello." Zhan Yahui threw her a nce but didn''t bother to reply. "I am not sure why I am called here? This is the same old conversation we had before. I am crystal clear about your feelings for me, Mrs. Shi. So, why am I here today?" Shi Zhn gritted her teeth. "Don''t act as if you don''t know why I called you! You are making trouble for Huan at every single step and you expect me to say nothing?" "Mom," Huan pursed her lips. "Please. Don''t fight because of me." "Don''t be silly, Huan." Zhan Yahui tilted her head. "Making trouble?" "Yes, making trouble! I know that Huan couldn''t participate in the Summit''s finals because of you. You mixed something in her drink, and she was forced to fall sick so that she would get disqualified. You plotted against her, Zhan Yahui. You didn''t want to take the chance of Huan winning the Summit, so you made sure of clearing your writer''s way by making my daughter disqualified! I don''t believe it''s a coincidence that she fell sick right at the time of such an importantpetition." Zhan Yahui smiled. "What you think or not is hardly relevant, Mrs. Shi. What matters is the evidence. Your theory sounds usible but only on paper. What proof do you have against me?" Shi Zhn angrilyughed. "Proof? What more proof do I need that you interfered with Huan''s seminar in Shanghai! It was Huan who was supposed to give the seminar, but it was cancelled at thest moment. And who reced her? Your writer, CherryBlossom. Your writer reached the finals, not Huan and she got to give the seminar and not Huan once again. You were present at both ces and every time, Huan has suffered. Doesn''t that obviously mean that you are interfering with Huan''s career!?" Zhan Yahui chuckled. "That''s just spection on your part," she folded her arms, "It''s not wise to put usations without proper evidence. Of course, I will be at the same ces as Shi Huan. We work in the same industry, after all. Naturally, our paths will cross." Huan sighed. She was getting a headache with all this mess. She wanted to leave as soon as possible to visit Yunru in the hospital. She continued. "Huan not able to participate in the finals could be just her bad luck." "You think only she would fall sick by drinking the juice? Do you take me for a fool!?" Shi Shuren tried to calm her down. "Zhn¡­" "Well, Shi Huan was always so delicate. Maybe the juice didn''t quite fit her. As I said, bad luck. As for what happened in Shanghai," Zhan Yahui mockingly smiled. "It''s nice that she has the whole Shi Publishing backing her, but Shi Publishing still cannot beat Dream High. Dream High is more influential and certainly ranks higher than Shi Publishing." Shi Zhn trembled. "For Dream High, Cai Guiying is a star. It was the management''s decision to make space for her." "And you say you didn''t have any hand in influencing that decision? Especially after the deal between us?" Chapter 304 Not Coincidence But Scheming Shi Zhn narrowed her eyes. "Considering the deal between us, anybody withmon sense will be able to say that you are behind all these schemes!" "And anybody withmon sense will also say to prove your ims," Zhan Yahui calmly shot back. Shi Zhn fumed. "You say that Shi Huan fell sick because of me, but did anybody say that they saw me mixing something in her drink?" She questioned. "Obviously, you definitely hired somebody to do your dirty work!" She pointed her finger at her. "Then bring that man before the whole world and make him say that I told him to harm her. That is, if that man exists in the first ce." Shi Zhn banged her palm on the table. "Don''t be so arrogant, Zhan Yahui! Not just the juice, but I know that you are behind the bribing of the judges too," she sneered, "Since you didn''t want that other writer to win, you bribed the judges to make the result in CherryBlossom''s favor. Do you think so many things happening in one night is a coincidence and you have nothing to do with it? You have some nerve trying to steer clear away from these obvious problems brewing for everybody else but CherryBlossom!" "Mom¡­" Huan pressed her hand. "Please stop. Stop fighting over all this already-" "Stop fighting?" She looked at her daughter, incredulous. "My husband cheated on me." Shi Shuren clenched his fists and had no face to say anything in his defence. "He slept with another woman while being married to me," she trembled. "If that wasn''t enough, there was a daughter out of that affair too and then that daughter came to this house one day, dering that she wants her rights in the family and thepany. You think I should stay silent and bear all this?" Her eyes reddened. "One affair¡­one affair ended everything for us¡­" her contempt filled gaze didn''t spare her guilty husband. "My marriage, my happiness was destroyed in a single night." Huan''s gaze dimmed. "And the product of that affair suddenly came before us, demanding her rights. Why? Why should I let her have her way? Shuren already did what he wanted." "Zh-Zhn¡­" "Now I should bear his illegitimate daughter to wreck our lives too!? No! This family,pany and all the assets belong to you, Huan. An illegitimate child has no ce here! I won''t yield to her having anything that belongs to you!" Sheughed as she threw a dirty look at Shuren. "Your father imed that he was guilty of his mistake and wanted to repent. But when Zhan Yahui made demands, he didn''t speak a single word against it. In fact, he supports her wholeheartedly. Is this what his repentance means? Goes to say just how much he cares for his real family." He froze. His throat went dry. "Zhn that¡­" "Indeed," Zhan Yahui raised her brow, her voice making him twitch. "I wonder why he would go back on his words when he wanted to repent." Shi Shuren wiped his forehead and met his daughter''s eyes, whose pointed question made him feel jittery. Shi Zhn expressed with indignation. "It doesn''t matter why he did that. Once a cheater always a cheater," sheughed. "I should have expected this. After all, he is a father. In the end, his heart melted for his daughter even if that meant destroying his family in the proceeds. But no matter what his decision was, I would never stand for it! Zhan Yahui, I will definitely prove one day that you were behind Huan''s misfortunes. It wasn''t bad luck or a bigpany''s influence but your scheming!" She red at Shuren. "Don''t forget that our deal was off if I found even a whiff of Zhan Yahui plotting against Huan!" "I know. She¡­she won''t do anything like that¡­" he tried to convince her. Seeing him take her side made her even more agitated. Zhan Yahui exhaled. "There is no point in catching a whiff if you cannot prove anything." Shi Zhn sneered. "Don''t feel victorious so soon. If you think your ns are hindering Huan, then your writer isn''t faring any better, especially after the Summit." Zhan Yahui narrowed her eyes. "If it was before, then her name would have been enough to get a ce at the fest. But Dream High had to use its influence now to get her a ticket. That means something, right?" "It''s nice of you but you don''t have to worry about my writer. I can take care of her and make sure she bes the biggest author," she eyed Huan. "Bigger than anybody else." "Of course. Your whole deal depends upon your performance after all. But don''t think that you can take things too far, Zhan Yahui. I won''t sit idle and let you tarnish Huan''s career." She felt bored. "Give your best, Mrs. Shi," saying that, she left. Shi Zhn got up, boiling with anger and walked away. "Mom!" Huan tried to stop her but to no avail. Shi Shuren stepped towards Huan. "Huan¡­" "Sorry, but I cannot talk to you right now. I have to leave," she replied without much emotion. "Mom is already riled up enough for today. Don''t talk to her or try to make her understand anything and worsen the situation. You have already hurt her enough as it is." He stiffened and could only swallow her words with embarrassment. ¡ª Stepping out of the residence, Zhan Yahui chuckled and sneered. "So foolish to think that there would be any evidence against me. Mrs. Shi is so naive. All eyes are on me for me to make one mistake and lose. Did she really think I would be so careless?" She clicked her tongue. She got a call on her mobile and cocked her brow. "Guess it''s time to get some good news." She slid her finger along the green button. "Did Mao Yong confess to Chen Zixin''s ident?" "No. It''s bad news. Somebody rescued his sister, Mao Jingyi. Right now, we have no coteral against him. We are in trouble." Chapter 305 An Odd Feeling Jun copsed on the couch as soon as he reached the condo. He felt a hand on his forehead and smiled. "Ai." He pulled her on the couch and ced his head on herp. "You must be tired," Ai pursed her lips. "Don''t overwork." He pinched her cheek. "I won''t. I am tired because of the whole deal with those Mao siblings." "You said that you found Mao Jingyi, right? Is she safe?" "Yeah, she is okay for now. A little bit in shock but she wille out of it. But she couldn''t say anything useful against the one who kidnapped her. She was blindfolded the whole way. She heard nothing much either. They made sure not to talk about anything in front of her." "Was there nobody guarding her?" "We didn''t find anybody apart from Mao Jingyi in that room. That guard must have escaped. Now that she is rescued, the culprit knows that we are onto him. I don''t know what he will do next. I am getting worried. I need to find him as soon as possible. I don''t know what Bro Zixin knows that forced him to do this¡­" his anxiety was clear with how lines creased on his forehead. Ai shook her head. "Don''t be hasty, Jun. We make more mistakes when we act rashly. We have time now. The culprit knows that we know that Mao Yong is innocent and he tried to frame him. He won''t do anything that will threaten his identity. At least for now, he will stay quiet for sometime. It was already a risk of kidnapping Mao Jingyi andpromising his exposure. We can use this time to figure out the truth." Jun agreed with her. He held her hand and kissed the back of it. "You are right. But that''s what I don''t understand," he sighed, "How to find out the truth? Dad thinks that Bro wasn''t harmedter on because he forgot everything. But what does he know that is of danger to that fucker? I am so mad that I want to squeeze his neck right now! Just thinking of how heartbroken the Chen family is, I¡­" he ground his teeth in a fury. Jun felt a familiar tickling sensation on his forehead, and his mouth twitched upon seeing the object in her hands. "What is this feather duster doing here!?" His gaze darkened. She earnestly said, "I always had it with me. It''s very effective to calm down your anger. I am speaking from experience. Remember how I tickled you outside that cafe?" "..." Ai kept the feather duster aside and kissed his forehead. "Don''t be angry. Anger is not good for your health." He sneered. "Do you perhaps ever wonder that that feather duster might be the cause of my anger?" "Of course that is not the case. It''s a cute and fluffy feather duster. How can anybody get angry because of it?" He warned. "Ai¡­" She said, "I mean to say that getting furious is also a type of a victory for that culprit. You are angry, and you are restless. This is good fodder to feed the culprit''s ego. He is doing everything from within the shadows. Calmly and calcting everything. We should be the same." Jun agreed once again. She has a point¡­ "I am always right," Ai chuckled, reading his mind. He looked at her in disdain. "Not always." He grabbed the back of her neck and pressed their lips together in a passionate kiss that reached her very soul. "If you want to calm the anger in me next time, I find this method very effective. Remember our first kiss outside the cafe?" She still felt her heart pounding in her ears. "...Not fair," she mumbled. He stayed like that in herp in silence, hugging her waist. Ai smiled and brushed her fingers through his hair. A whileter, Ai said after much contemtion, "I was thinking. If Chen Zixin knows something that the culprit wants him to forget, then¡­maybe there must be something in his room that could point us towards it. His bedroom or maybe his office? He must have kept something about it somewhere. It cannot just exist solely in his mind." Jun narrowed his eyes. "That''s true. We don''t know what we are finding, but it''s a good start. Doing something is better than nothing." She nodded. "Got it. I will visit Chen vi tomorrow and take a look in his room. Maybe, I will find something." ¡ª Zhan Yahui kept tapping her finger on the table as she emanated a dark and sinister aura. Her pupils disyed full hostility. "If Liu Jun and his family managed to secure Mao Jingyi, it means that Mao Yong opened his mouth," she gritted her teeth. "The nerve of him opposing my orders even when his sister''s life was at stake." Herpanion on the other side of the phone was silent. "I should have been more careful." "It''s not your fault. Rather I wonder what is going on? I am getting an odd feeling about this whole matter." "Why?" Zhan Yahui narrowed her eyes. On the table, there was a pile of some photographs. Out of those, her finger touched Jun''s picture. "I don''t know. But I cannot shake off this feeling. I have been feeling this way ever since Feng Wuhan disappeared and that truck driver I had nned to use. I wanted to make Feng Wuhan as the scapegoat to take the me but just around that time, he disappeared. How? And why only him?" She slid her nail around Jun''s face in the picture. "Then Mao Yong came in handy, and I was pretty sure he wouldn''t open his mouth at all. He loves his sister very much. So, I cannot fathom that he would put her in risk and babble out the truth. Then the Liu family set in motion and rescued her before we could do anything about it. It happened so suddenly. For both Feng Wuhan and Mao Yong, the n went awry. It feels¡­it is impossible, but sometimes I feel as if somebody already knows what I am doing." Chapter 306 An Additional Member For Breakfast The voice on the other side immediately rejected that im. "That''s impossible. Nobody can connect you to Chen Zixin. They have no idea about us. That''s why they cannot predict anything we will do. If they had even a trace of doubt, they wouldn''t have let Chen Zixin leave for Shanghai." She listened in silence. She couldn''t argue about the logic, but that uneasy feeling didn''t settle in her heart. "Trust me. They don''t know about us." "Now, they do," Zhan Yahui raised her brow. "I don''t mean literally. But the knowledge is enough that somebody is pulling the strings secretly. They won''t sit still until they catch the real culprit." "...What should we do?" "Nothing. Not now. It''s too dangerous. Kidnapping that useless Mao Jingyi was already a risk. I don''t want to leave any traces behind." She exhaled a deep breath and rested her head back on the couch. The voice on the other end pointed out. "Let''s wait then. But regarding Chen Zixin, we are notpletely out of the woods yet." She slowly opened her eyes. "I know what you''re talking about. CherryBlossom''s books. Chen Zixin will definitely have them. He has lost his memories, but if hees across those books...it''s likely he might start to remember about her. He might or might not, but it''s a risk for sure. Before he returns home, we need to dispose of them. He cannot see them again." "But outside-" "We will worry about thatter. I don''t want anything in his immediate vicinity for now." It said after a pause, "Okay. But we don''t have any way to enter the Chen vi." Zhan Yahui tapped her finger, thinking of the possible ways to get in without notice. Then a smile formed on her lips. "I think I have a way. The Chen family will open their doors for us themselves." -- Jin woke up the next day with light bags under his eyes. He yawned and stretched his arms. He saw the door to his room open as Nana stepped in. "Jin." "Mom. Good morning." She smiled and put his cup of coffee on his bedside table. "Good morning." She frowned, looking at theptop beside him on the bed. "And why do your eyes look so tired? Were you awake for the whole night?" Jin wanted to lie, but he knew it would be fruitless. "Just some work." She shook her head and scolded him. "Don''t mess up your sleep," she then nced at the injury on his forehead and said, "I will change the dressing once you freshen up." "Cool." She softly asked, "Does it still hurt?" He smiled. "Not anymore." She nodded. From Nian, she already knew the story of how he got hurt while trying to protect Jin. Nana stared at her son. "It would have hurt you more if Jun had gotten hurt." He didn''t reply to that statement. She inwardly sighed. This boy... "Anyway. As always we do every year, we will be donating all the things we don''t use anymore to orphanages. The workers willeter to collect them. So keep all those things ready before you head to the bath." "Ah, it''s that day already..." he nodded. "I will gather all my stuff." She smiled and pinched his cheek. "Get ready ande for breakfast." Jin saw her leave and stared at hisptop, sighing. "Let''s get back to work again but first, I am damn hungry." -- As Jin walked along the corridor, he heard the loud and booming voice of his grandfather. "Hohoho! Eat up more!" Not just him, but the twins were making a bunch of chatter too. He frowned with disdain. "Why does this old man have so much energy at all times of the day?" When he reached the breakfast table, he finally learned the reason behind his loud and booming voice. He froze upon seeing a particr woman on the breakfast table as if nothing was wrong. Ai lifted her gaze and stared at Jin, and he stared back at her. Silence. A deep, long silence. Jinhai had no expression on his face while Nana and Nuo were clearly curious to talk to her. Jian and Nian were on a whole different level of hyperactivity. Liu Chunhua was scolding her husband to rein in his excitement. As for Ai who waspletely surrounded by the Liu family, she seemed as if she was still processing the reason behind her presence here. "...What is Zhou Ai doing here?" Jin slowly asked. Liu Hai brightened. "I brought her here!" Liu Chunhua gritted her teeth. "Brought? Or kidnapped!?" Ai wondered the same. I was going to the library as always, but... *shback* As Ai walked towards the library early in the morning, a ck Porsche suddenly stopped beside her. "Ai! Ai! It''s me!" Liu Hai waved his hand from inside the car with full vigor. "Grandpa?" She was surprised. "What are you doing here?" "Morning walk!" He chirped. She stared at the luxurious Porsche. "From a car?" "Don''t look at the minor details~" Your big and luxurious car is not a minor detail, Grandpa. "What a coincidence to see you here. Hey, I know! How about having breakfast with me?" Ai politely smiled. "Jun already made the breakfast-" The door opened, her hand was suddenly grabbed, and she was pulled inside in a sh. "Hoho, isn''t it such a great idea to have breakfast with your grandpa?" "I already had-" "We will have so many delicious dishes~ This old man is getting bored." "..." His expectant expression was hard to reject. Even if Ai was full, she couldn''t really go against him. "...Sure." *shback ends* Ai stared at all the family members. ''How about having breakfast with me?'' I thought he meant just the two of us in a restaurant. Clearly, I misunderstood him, she pursed her lips. Jian sneered. "I am surprised nobody lodged aint against him, seeing how he grabbed a young woman off the street." "Shut up, you brat! Eat your food!" He red at her. "There is nothing wrong in taking my future granddaughter-inw home!" The vein on Jin''s forehead violently twitched. His gaze shot deadly beams at Liu Hai. This old man... Chapter 307 Not Welcomed Here "Hello," Ai looked up and calmly greeted Jin as if she had never pped him in Shanghai. Jin had no clue how to answer her. Nana cleared her throat. "Sit down, Jin." He remained unmoved. Nian smiled. "The food is getting cold, Jin. I don''t like eating cold food." With Nian''s looming threat, he silently took his seat while cursing the hell out of Liu Hai. After how Jin had once dered his ''interest'' in Ai, the atmosphere was a little odd at the table. But not for a long time though. Liu Chunhua red at her husband. "Why didn''t you bring Jun too?" "Hey! Ai was all alone," Liu Hai defended himself. Ai smiled. "He is at the Chen vi today." "Oh! I see," she nodded. "And why aren''t you eating anything?" She pouted. "You have hardly touched the food." Liu Hai gravely said, "I think she needs more egg rolls." That immediately triggered Nana. "I will make some more." "No, no!" Ai hastily stopped her. "I am actually a little full." Jian gasped. "Preposterous! How can anybody''s stomach get full? Is that even possible?" Her mouth twitched. "I already had breakfast. Jun made it as usual so¡­" "Oooooooo~~" Liu Hai and the twins whistled teasingly. "That reminds us¡­" They put their chopsticks on the table and giggled. "How is it living together with Jun? All alooooooone under one roof~" "Shameless¡­" Nuo muttered. "Do you work together?" "Do you cook together?" "Or is your whole day consumed in doing mushy mushy stuff in the bedroom~" Nana gritted her teeth. "Shameless!" She threw an using look at Jinhai. "It''s all your genes." Jinhai, who was just silently eating his food, looked at her nkly. I didn''t even speak. Why did I get dragged into this? Ai looked at the trio and concluded that the trio were the male version of gossiping auntys. "All of the above." "Ooooooooo!!!" Their excitement had no bounds. Liu Hai asked with a sparkled gaze, "Are you using protection? If not, then can I expect a great-grandchild?" They were more interested in digging deeper about the third answer. "Hai!" "Dad!" Nana gasped in horror. "It''s too personal¡­" "What? Don''t you want a grandchild too?" Nana imagined holding her grandchild, and flowers blossomed around her head. "Th-that¡­well¡­" Ai choked on the water she was drinking. "Grandpa!" Nuo scolded him. "Let her eat her food in peace." He grumbled. "Fine. I will grill about my great-grandchildter¡­Anyway! I heard that Jun met your parents. Did they agree to your rtionship?" He probed. Ai beamed. "Yes. They like Jun a lot." Nana pped her hands once. "That''s wonderful." Liu Hai brightened. "Great! I would love to meet your parents one day~" The twins wondered if they would be grilled by Ai''s version 1.0. We don''t feel like meeting Aunty¡­ Ai thought about Zhou Yichen and stared at Liu Hai and the twins. Shepared the four of them together. "I think you my Dad and you would bond really well." "Hohoho! That''s obvious." She then threw a consoling look at Jinhai. "I think you won''t." "..." Nuo finally burst out with her grievance. "Okay, okay enough about their rtionship. I want to know more about your work!" She sheepishly grinned. "I read your books, you know. And of course your short story too! And I loved it! So, I want to know if you have already started to write the next volume?" She smiled. "I will start today. I was going to jot down a few ideas in the library." "Will you let me take a look at your draft?" Nuo squeezed her way for spoilers. Nian sneered. "Shameless." "Shut up. You worry more about your sinking love story," she frowned. This time, Nian was not a sad Romeo. "Hah! Those sinking days are far behind me! I have finally scored a date with my Xing Bi~" Ai gave him a suspicious look. "Are you possibly mistaking another woman as Xing Bi?" Jian choked withughter. "Damn Nian, you are so pitiful." "I can never mistake another woman as my Xing Bi!" Nian red at them. "We will really go on a date soon~" "When did this happen?" Ai asked. "In Shanghai~ She offered to go on a date herself," he proudly smirked. She gave him another look and nodded. "It''s definitely someone else." "..." "You can call Xing Bi and confirm it for yourself!" He gritted his teeth. "I am not lying!" Nana sighed. "Okay, enough. Let her eat her breakfast, and then she can go see Jun''s room. Hehe, you would want to see his room, right?" Ai''s expression perked up as if a child got the most delicious treat. "Can I?" "Of course, dear." Jian giggled. "His room will be your room one day anyway." The chopsticks in Jin''s hand almost got crushed. Liu Hai was displeased. "What is there to see in that brat''s room anyway? It''s boring. Ai, why don''t youe to Grandpa''s room?" He asked with anticipation. "Grandpa has many fun things to show you~" Nian sneered. "You are creepy, Grandpa." "Shut up!" Nian nced at Jin. "Jin, why don''t you take Ai to Jun''s room?" Silence. Jin smiled. "I am busy today. I got to pack stuff for donation too. Our house is not a maze. She can find her way herself," he didn''t remain seated a second longer and left, throwing a mocking look at Ai. Nana sighed. "That insolent brat!" Liu Hai harrumphed. "Talking to my cute granddaughter-inw like that¡­" Ai didn''t mind. "It''s okay. Jun told me about today''s donation day too. Everybody must be busy. I will take a quick look at his room and leave." But on her way along the corridor, she totally lost her way. "..." Which one was Jun''s room again¡­? Was it the second or third one? She thought of checking both of them and stepped into the second room first. The decor of this room was like Jun''s condo. Simple, minimalist and appealing. This must be Jun''s room- "What are you doing here?" A cold voice snapped at her. "You are not weed here. Get out." She recognized Jin''s voice and turned her head to meet his inhospitable ck eyes. Chapter 308 Swallow The Pride Ai looked at Jin and then nced around the room. "I thought it''s Jun''s room-" "Well, it''s not," Jin sneered. "Get out." p Her gaze fell at a picture on his bedside table, and she curiously walked towards it. She picked the photo frame and saw a picture of a teenager Jun standing with a teenager Jin. Jin had a bright smile on his face while Jun wasn''t smiling much, but she could see the warmth in his gaze. Jin snatched the picture from her hands, his voice getting several shades lethal. "Seems your parents forgot to teach you some manners that you shouldn''t enter into someone''s room and on top of that, touch their stuff without permission." Ai smoothly replied. "I surmised you wouldn''t let me see the picture if I had just asked you normally." "Obviously." "So, I made myself at home," she replied, unfazed. The sound of his angry knuckles cracking echoed, but Ai wasn''t much affected. "I can see how much you love Jun. Your room is really simr to how the condo looks. I guess Jun''s room will be just like this," she smiled. "Why are you talking to me as if I am even a least bit interested in chatting with you?" "You aren''t?" "What gave you that impression?" He dryly asked. She said with full sincerity, "You didn''t talk to me during breakfast. I thought you might be feeling shy and perhaps wanted to talk to me alone." Jin stared at her. Like really stared at her as if she was an idiot. "You have some high level of misconceptions, don''t you think?" Ai tilted her head. "Not really. You see, you like Jun." "I don''t like Bro-" She ignored him. "So as I was saying, you like Jun. I like Jun too." Getting cut off mid-sentence made him clench his jaw. "So if we both like Jun, I don''t see any reason why we should be so hostile to each other." He sneered. "I am not supposed to like the person who has pped me twice." She shot back. "That''s because you are supposed to say sensible things. Like I said before, pping is not my hobby." Jin shut his eyes and breathed out. "Leave." Ai pursed her lips. "Do you not like me?" A vein popped on his forehead. "Are you realizing that NOW?" "No, I know. But I am a naturally lovable and warm person. I don''t understand why people might not like me," she truly seemed confused. He gritted his teeth. Oh my God! Just what the hell Bro saw in this woman!? "Get out! You are weird!" "Oh. You say the same things as Jun too." "Anybody will say that!" Ai smiled. She gazed at him earnestly and said, "I am sorry." Jin narrowed his eyes suspiciously, wondering what switch got activated in her mind now. "I am sorry for eating that spaghetti. I didn''t know that dish held a special meaning for you. It''s also Jun''s fault for forgetting his promise and hurting you. He will apologize to you, but I want to personally do it too. Rest assured. Jun will never make that dish for me again, nor would I ask him. If it''s something special between you two, then it shouldn''t be shared with a third person. I agree why you got angry that day, and you had the right to be angry." Silence. His eyshes ever so faintly moved. Jin chuckled. "You cannot be seriously thinking of buttering me over with this apology, right?" Ai blinked. "I don''t need to do any buttering as I am a naturally lovable and warm person." "..." "Also, I am only apologizing for how I hurt you. That doesn''t mean I agree with how you behaved with Shui and spoke harsh words to her," she narrowed her eyes. "You still owe her an apology." He sneered and ignored her. "She doesn''t deserve an apology. After how he brought everything to ruin inst life, she fucking doesn''t deserve any mercy." She thought about the time she spent with Shuipared to what Jin revealed about her. Still feels so strange imagining Shui forcing a marriage like that... His impatient voice brought her out of her stupor. "Are you done or do you need me to escort you out? I don''t want to see your face anymore." "Even though I am a naturally loving and-" "O.U.T!" She pursed her lips. "I will be your sister-inw one day. You should get used to seeing my face..." Jin got busy working on hisptop and as she turned, she saw something about Zixin''s name disying in it. "What is that?" She curiously leaned in to read clearly. "Nothing to do with you," he coldly said. "Why not? Jun is at Chen''s vi today to check if he could find something in his room against the real culprit. Were you doing the same?" Jin narrowed his eyes. "...I was just trying to track down all the possible things Bro Zixin knew which got him into an ident." "Oh. Then what is this list?" Jin said that he hadpiled a list of all the projects that Zixin undertook while he worked in thepany. "Did you find anything suspicious here?" Jin red at her. "Why should I tell you anything?" "Because as someone who Jun is close to and respects a lot, I care about Chen Zixin too. I also want to help." He snorted. "Don''t need it. I will find out everything that I have to. I know I can do something. I know the past life," he then whispered to himself, "There must be something in those memories that will help me..." he clenched his fist, "I just need to look harder." "I-" "Leave." "You are not very amodating," she pointed out with dissatisfaction. Jin sneered. "I hate you. I don''t have to be amodating towards you." "Chen Zixin is family. We should keep our differences aside." "Yeah, right. Bro Zixin is family. You are not, nor will I treat you as one. I don''t need your help to know anything about him. Get out." Ai then thought about any leverage that she could put in her favor. "So you must know about MrPerfect too, I think." "Why are you bringing Bro Jun in between?" "Oh, so you don''t know that Chen Zixin-? Forget it. It''s not important," she nodded and turned to leave. "Wait!" He grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. "What about Bro Zixin?" "Nothing." He squinted his eyes. "Tell me." She pressed her lips together. "But you don''t need my help. You are throwing me out of this room." He gritted his teeth. This woman...is doing it on purpose... But Zixin was more important. So, swallowing his pride and anger, Jin smiled through his clenched teeth. "...Please stay." Chapter 309 Search For Any Clue Chen vi. Inside Zixin''s room, Jun was methodically going through all his stuff one by one. Yunru, whose head was going to explode, cried. "Bro, what are we exactly looking for here?" "Don''t know." His brow twitched. "Then how will we find it?" "Keep looking," he put one of the files back on the shelf and picked another one. "..." "This is not an efficient method, Bro." His sister, Yubi, smacked his head. "Youin so much, Yunru. Just do what Bro Jun is saying. If there is something here that will give us a clue to Bro Zixin''s ident, then we have to keep searching for it!" He copsed on his back. "But we have been looking for an hour already¡­We don''t even know what it looks like." Jun ran his fingers through the shelf and stared ahead. There must be something here. Yunru said, "Isn''t it much easier if we check Bro''sptop?" Jun smiled. "Do you know the password?" He coughed. "W-well¡­" "Don''t worry. I have already asked Chyou to unlock it for us." "Oh yeah!" He brightened. "She is awesome. She will unlock it in no time. Then Bro¡­" he sheepishly grinned. "Since she is gonna unlock Bro''sptop anyway, can we not wait and directly check hisptop?" Yubi''s mouth twitched. "You are sozy, Yunru!" "W-what? I am just saving everybody''s energy!" Chen Liling stepped in just then and smiled. "Here kiddos. Have some coffee. You have been at it for an hour now." Yunru said, "I am not a kiddo." She ruffled his head. "Yes, yes. My grandson is all grown up now." Jun thanked her and took the coffee mug from her. "Uncle and Aunt are¡­" She sighed. "At the hospital with Zixin. I worry for them so much. Serena hasn''t eaten properly for two days¡­" He hugged her. "She will be fine. Aunty is very strong." She sniffled. "Yes¡­Why did this have to happen with Zixin?" She couldn''t hold her tears back. Jun narrowed his eyes. "That''s what I will find soon." Chen Liling smiled. "Aish, you are such a good child. Hehe, I can see how Zhou Ai has changed you. You are so happy with her." His gaze softened. "Very." Sheined. "Even though you are my sweet grandnephew, I am still mad at you. Hmph. I wanted Zhou Ai for my Zixin¡­" His brow violently twitched. Chen Liling''s gaze dimmed. "Jun, will¡­Zixin ever get his memories back?" He stared at her hopeful eyes glistening with tears. In hisst life, Zixin had never gotten his memories back. He felt his heart stab with those memories. Jun smiled and kissed her forehead. "Of course, he will. Our Bro Zixin will be back one day. He will remember all of us for sure." The twins furiously bobbed their heads too while hiding their wet eyes. A maid knocked on the door. "Madam, the workers are here to collect the things for donation." "Oh, yes," she wiped her eyes. "Yunru, Yubi. Have you sorted out your stuff?" "Yes!" "Good. Bring all those boxes in the hall." Yubi pushed her brother''s back. "Get to work, Yunru." He was dumbfounded. "Why should I carry your boxes!?" "Because that''s what brothers do. I am not free, okay? I will be helping Bro Jun here," she harrumphed. "You¡­" Chen Liling ignored their banter. "What should we do about Zixin''s room?" Jun thought about it. "Guess we can collect Bro''s old clothes and shoes. There should be no problem with that. But no books and bags and other stuff until I get what I am looking for." She nodded. "Okay." Yubi chirped. "I will start with all the old clothes. Bro really needs a wardrobe makeover anyway." Chen Liling and Yunru left to attend to the workers while Jun went back to his work. He browsed through his shelf and files but didn''t find anything of much interest that would be potentially harmful to anybody. "Sir?" Jun casually turned halfway and saw a worker standing outside the room. He had his hat partially covering his face. "Madam said there are some things to collect from here." "Hm. Go help Yubi over there," he said while ncing through a file. "Yes, Sir." Yubi breathlessly took out a bunch of Zixin''s clothes and dumped them all on his bed. "Oof. These are all so out of fashion now¡­" she mumbled. She looked at the worker and asked, "Put that cardboard box here. I will fold all the clothes and you stack them in." "Yes, Mam." From the shelf, Jun focused his attention on the bedside table. He opened the first drawer and checked all the papers inside. Then the second and third, but there was nothing useful. When he reached for the fourth drawer, he found that it was locked. He frowned. "Yubi, do you have the key to this drawer?" She shook her head. "No. There should be its key somewhere¡­" Jun checked around the table and the bed but didn''t find the key anywhere. "Maybe there is nothing special anyway." He furrowed his brows. "If there is nothing special, then why is it locked? The other three aren''t." He let out a sigh. "Let me check with Grandaunt if she knows something. You check the cupboard if you find the key." "Yup." Jun walked towards the hall and asked Chen Liling. "Grandaunt." "Oh, Jun. Are you done?" She smiled. "Nope. I want to ask if you ever saw Bro putting his keys anywhere?" Chen Liling tried to recall but then shook her head. "No, dear." He nced at Yunru. Yunru pouted. "He hardly ever let me inside his room because I liked bugging him all the time." His mouth twitched. Chen Liling asked, "Is it something important?" "Yeh fourth drawer of his bedside table is locked-" *THUD* A slightly loud noise came from above as if something had crashed on the floor. ,m She gasped. "Oh dear. What happened?" Jun rushed towards the room and his eyes widened seeing Zixin''sptop on the floor with water from the jar spilled on it. Chapter 333 Burning With Trust The hugemotion that roared after Ma Dong''s fall shook the entire school. He was immediately taken to the hospital and was dered in a critical condition. His right shoulder and left leg had fractured, and he bled from his head too. Seeing his friend in the ICU with whom he had spent three years in school, Yating''s state wasn''t any better. He went into a state of shock and stared at his hand unblinkingly that had failed to protect Ma Dong. "Yating!" Gu Rong shook him hard. He was trying to get through to him ever since the incident urred, but it was as if Yating couldn''t hear or sense anything around him. "Yating! For God''s sake listen to me! I won''t let anything happen to you. Stay calm. Don''t me yourself for this ident, okay? Nothing is your fault. You did your best to save him." None of the assurance mattered to Yating. He could only rey the scene in his mind endlessly of Ma Dong''s fall and seeing him crash on the ground. The blood which slowly percted in the ground and spread wider refused to leave his memory. "It''s Ma Dong''s mistake that he brought alcohol to school and fooled around with it!" His nostrils red. "So don''t you dare look like that!" He didn''t respond. Gu Rong gritted his teeth in helplessness. "I will sort this out with his parents," he looked at Butler Mo and said, "Take him back home right now." "Yes, Master," he bowed. Yating refused to leave. He quietly said, "I will stay here." "Young master, but Master..." "I will stay here." Butler Mo couldn''t do anything much with the finality in his voice. The confrontation with Ma Dong''s parents in the hospitalter was uglier than Gu Rong had imagined. Mr. Ma and Mrs. Ma med Yating for the ident. "How could Gu Yating do this? He was there..." Mrs. Ma cried. "He was ready right there when my son begged for help! How did my son fall then!? How could Gu Yating not protect him?" Yating, who was secretly listening to their conversation, froze. Gu Rong angrilyughed. "You have some nerve using my son. I think you didn''t see those empty beer cans in the ssroom, or you are acting blind to it. Ma Dong illegally brought alcohol to school and even intoxicated himself despite being underage and you want to gloss over this fact just like that?" Mr. Dong eximed. "Of course it''s my son''s fault too! But this doesn''t make your son any less innocent. Like my wife said, people saw him holding Dong and everybody thought he would pull him up to safety! But why didn''t that happen? How could Dong fall despite Gu Yating being with him?" "You..." green veins appeared on Gu Rong''s hand as he clenched it. "You cannot be seriously implying that he did it on purpose, right? Because if you are, then you have no idea who you are messing with." Between this heated argument, Yating stepped in with a solemn expression and a nk gaze. "It''s my fault. I should have saved him. I am really sorry. Dong is in this state because of me." "Yating!" Gu Rong widened his eyes in disbelief and roared. "What nonsense are you spouting!? If you don''t know what you are talking about, then get the hell out of here!" Mrs. Dong said, "See, now even Gu Yating admits his mistake! But you want to selfishly protect him. Where is the justice!? What about my son''s life and future?" Yating trembled. "Dong was supposed to head to California this year..." she broke down, "What will happen now? What about his dreams? You are rich. Gu Yating will still have a bright future. But we are not wealthy like you, Mr. Gu. We struggle to earn money and make our ends meet. Even these hospital bills will cripple us financially..." her eyes reddened. "When Dong will recover, how are we supposed to send him abroad and pay his college fees? His arm and leg have broken! What if...what if he has to live a crippled life forever?" Mr. Ma angrily said, "We will not back down from this, Mr. Gu. Gu Yating is responsible for this. He clearly feels guilty and ashamed! The damage that he has caused, you will have to bear thepensation for it or we will go to the police!" Gu Rong took a deep breath and threw a deadly re at Yating. "I will deal with this. Leave from here right now." "I..." "RIGHT NOW!" Yating jolted. He balled his fist and slowly left. Standing in front of Ma Dong''s ward, he saw him lying unconscious on the bed, through the small window on the door. His body looked small and was bruised heavily. The tears from his eyshes slipped down to his cheeks, and he finally broke down in fear, guilt and shame. "I am sorry...I am sorry Dong..." He couldn''t stop his hand from trembling. "It''s all because of me...I-It''s all because of me..." *shback ends* The incident traumatized Yating forever. For a teenager, it was hard to cope with the stress and despite doing many counseling sessions, the trauma never truly left him. It was a long period of torment and pain he went through at that time but in this fire zing across the set, he lived in that nightmare all over again in these seemingly miniscule seconds. He saw Chyou hanging for her life, and he desperately wanted to help her but remembering the past horror that happened because of him, his hand shook unstoppingly. "YATING!!!" The loud call of his name snapped him out of his daze. He saw her eyes burning with the same intensity as the fire around her, but this fire in her eyes only meant to show her trust in him. "I don''t know what you are suffering right now. I can feel you are in a lot of pain and hesitation. But I won''t die because of you, Yating! You risked your life in this fire to protect me. You will never be the reason behind my harm. So pull me up, damn it! I know you can do it!" Chapter 345 Intertwined Fates Xing Bi wasn''t sure what she wanted to know about her life. She scratched her chin. "I don''t know if I want to know something particr..." Nian gasped. "Don''t you want to see our happy future through the cards?" "Yeah, I am at least sure that I definitely don''t want to see that." Nian cried. "You are harsh, Xing Bi. But my love for you shall not fail!" Ai thought about it and said, "How about we see the three cards for you too? I...want to know about your past." She had Xing Bi''s death in herst life in mind as she suggested to her. "Okay! As my Ai says!" She chirped. "Such partiality..." Nian mumbled as he sobbed. Xing Bi took three cards out of the deck and ced them before the elderly woman. The first card showed a woman lying on the ground helplessly. A source of light was before her and she had desperately stretched her hand to reach the light. But there was a figure of a dark person behind her, d in ck clothes who was pulling her away from the light. Nian frowned. "Who is that ck man? Is it any one of her possible suitors? If so then..." I need to dispose of him. The elderly woman quietly said, "It''s the grim reaper." Nian blinked. "Sorry, what?" "Death. The light this woman is trying to reach means that she is chasing after the truth. Bring the truth to light. But before she could do so, death took her away." Ai''s eyes slowly widened. Is this card referring to the ident that killed her? "But why is this grim reaper smiling?" She couldn''t help but shudder. "Because this Death is not the real Death. It''s somebody else who is evil, who was happy to see the woman die. Death is never evil. It is a natural part of our lifecycle. But this smiling grim reaper represents bad intentions-" *BANG!* Nian''s palm struck akin to thunder on the table. The expression on his face at this moment didn''t look any less than grim reaper itself. "Grandma, as an elder, I really respect you. But if you are going to talk nonsense about Xing Bi''s life or the end of it, then that respect won''tst for much longer." The woman was calm and unfazed about his threat. Jun quickly said, "Bro, it''s alright. They are just cards-" Nian wasn''t in any mood to joke, and he gave that message crystal clear to his little brother with one look. "Don''t interrupt when I am talking, Jun." Jun quietly backed off. Xing Bi coughed and smiled it off. "You don''t have to be so serious. I told you I am not into divinity anyway." "It doesn''t matter if you are into fortune telling or not. I won''t spare anybody who will even remotely imply your harm." The hair on the back of her neck tingled, gazing into his ck, impeding eyes. The elderly woman wasn''t offended. On the contrary, she gave a kind but mysterious smile. "It''s not about sparing me or not. You shouldn''t close your eyes to the things just because they don''t suit your convenience." The frostiness in his eyes only deepened. "It''s not that they don''t suit my convenience. It''s meaningless because there is nothing in this world that I will let even touch Xing Bi''s hair! So I won''t tolerate this nonsense at all!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her up. "We are leaving. I don''t want to know any fortune anymore," he coldly remarked. "Ah? W-wait..." He gave Xing Bi no chance to speak as he furiously left the tent with her. After a moment of silence, Jun apologized. "I am sorry on his behalf. But when he is like that, everybody is pretty much helpless." She smiled. "I never felt offended. Rather, I like the young man. It is his fierceness and protection that she needs the most." Though Jun and Ai were ideally supposed to follow Nian and Xing Bi, they remained for some time to freely talk to her. Jun opened and closed his mouth, trying to frame his question, which the elderly woman read. "I can see what the others cannot. You two are reborn, right?" They answered after a long pause. "...Yes." Jun faintly smiled. "This was a fantasy to me until a few months ago when I woke up again. Rebirth felt impossible. It felt even more of a dream and coincidence when Ai was the same woman I shared myst moments with and in this life, she became the woman I love from the depths of my heart," he squeezed her hand gently. "Coincidence? There is nothing such as coincidence," her gaze twinkled with enigma. "Do you think that it''s a mere coincidence that you died alongside her and were reborn to meet her again? It was destined. Your lives are more intertwined than you think they are. Your past was connected, so is your present and so will your future." Ai slightly parted her lips. "Past is connected...? But Jun and Ai never met each other. We didn''t know each other." "Just because you never met doesn''t mean your lives weren''t connected. If they weren''t connected, the woman with the different shadow wouldn''t have appeared in both of your cards." They stiffened. "Your eyes have questions in them. You look lost." Jun thought about Zixin''s burnedptop and sighed. Indeed, I am lost. We lost thest hope too. "If you wish to seek your answers, she is the key. She is the one that leads to everything." Cai Guiying... Which reminded Jun that somehow her brother, Cai Lingyun, was his aide in hisst life. Something really connected me and Ai in the past too? Ai nodded. She continued. "The woman who was with you just now..." "Xing Bi?" "She also knows the answers that you wish to find," she said cryptically, "Just like the woman in white. She could also help you." Chapter 353 To Learn More About CherryBlossom Chen Corps. Zixin was slowly beginning to settle in hispany under the guidance of his father and grandfather. Even Yunru, who was Sky''s President, helped his elder brother with the work in Chen Corps to manage his responsibilities for sometime before he fully blended in. "Hohoho! Isn''t your little brother so capable?" Yunru''s nose grew longer with pride. Zixin smiled and nodded. "Yes. You helped me a lot. You are a good brother." He grinned. "Yes, yes, praise me more and don''t praise Yubi at all." His brow slightly twitched. Jianyu smacked on his son''s head. "Don''t talk about my daughter like that." "This is partiality! You always take her side," heined. He shrugged. He ruffled Zixin''s head and smiled. "I hope you are morefortable now. You don''t have to stress about work or feel that you have to quickly learn everything. We just want you to get used to it gradually. We will leave now. If you need any help, call Yunru or your assistant." "Thank you," he softly showed his gratitude. Left alone in his office, he felt lighter and more rxed. He looked around and thought that he might remember something, but he didn''t. The work wasn''t so difficult. It felt as if his body and brain knew how to do all his professional tasks, which he did wlessly. Taking a break, he rested his head on the back of his chair and exhaled a deep breath. Until now, everything was going well for him. Even though he lost his memories and had a terrifying ident, he had an extremely lovable and supportive family. His family was good. Hispany was good. Yet, he still felt something missing from his life. Was there something else? He wondered to himself. He shut his eyes to rx only to see a certain woman''s face shing in his mind. He tilted his head, thinking about the two meetings he had with Guiying. Or CherryBlossom. He was simply remembering her without exactly knowing what he was actually thinking about her. She was just there, yet that ''just'' felt to be a strong presence. Zixin wasn''t sure why he thought about her or what he was actually supposed to do. It was surprising to him as well to know that he was so curious about her, considering all the questions he asked Ai. He took out his phone and thought for a moment in silence. Then on the inte, he searched for CherryBlossom. His eyes slightly widened to see so many articles about her, and through those articles, he learned that she was quite a popr writer in her field. She won apetition during high school and got the Best Fiction Writer award. She worked in Dream High and had been since then, the most popr writer in thepany. She had her own sessful book signing event a few months back buting to the Authors Summit, he read that she was a grand finalist but didn''t win the Summit. Instead, it was his cousin''s girlfriend, Zhou Ai. Zixin continued to read more of her articles and though it seemed that the Summit''s loss hadn''t affected her poprity on the outside, he could read between the lines of how Ai was quickly overshadowing her. CherryBlossom was invited to the Shanghai Fest but there were slight suspicions here and there whether she was officially invited or not, though they never went so viral or vocal. People were anticipating Ai''s uing book more than Guiying''s. It was unnoticeable at this point, but it was there. He felt the shift in the air for the top position. It wasn''t that she was instantly pulled down. Rather the process was gradual. Zixin pursed his lips, and his gaze slightly dimmed. He knew that working in any field was highlypetitive and it took a lot of effort to stay at the top. It wasmon for someone to take over the other''s position in a sh. It was all about merit. Yet, he still felt at a loss. He remembered Guiying''s eyes when he had asked her about her career. Instead of confidently answering it and feeling proud of herself, her eyes looked hesitant and worrisome to reveal it to him. ''Nothing fancy...'' Her eyes and so did her voice - nothing reflected the joy of being a well-known writer. Was it because she lost the Summit that she felt ashamed of telling it to me? He thought it was quite possible. He didn''t know anything about the writing world but from what he read, he could understand that the Summit was quite prestigious for any author. Losing it was definitely a setback. He also read that Ai was already working on her next novel, but there was no news or hints about Guiying''s next book. Zixin pressed his lips again. He wasn''t sure why but imagining her to be sad, pulled his mood down too. If possible, he wanted to help her. But how? Their work areas were worlds apart. There was nothingmon between a CEO and a writer''s work. He gave it a deep and sincere thought. Shouldn''t I get to know her as a writer first? He couldn''t recall if he was a book lover or not before he lost his memories, but he decided to give it a shot. The hardcopy of CherryBlossom''s books were avable online, so he quickly ordered them without a second thought. He smiled with satisfaction. He was curious to know what sort of books CherryBlossom wrote. I will read all your books and will support you. For some reason, he had a feeling that he would definitely like her books. Zixin had opted for the same day delivery and by evening, a small box containing her books arrived at the Chen Corps'' doorstep. He unpacked the box and beamed to see all the books inside. From the chronological order, he took the first book that was published and went back to his seat. Turning onto the first page, he smiled seeing CherryBlossom''s signature and so, he began to read. Chapter 367 Possible Interest? Ai looked at the hopping and floating before her, stunned and mesmerized. She raised her hand tapped on a small bubble which reflected rainbow lights across her face diagonally. The bubbled softly popped. Soon, the entire room was filled with big and small bubbles floating all around her. The golden light that beamed upon them made them glimmer beautifully. Jun stood behind her and snaked his arms along her waist. "How is it?" His soothing and husky voice teased her ear. "It''s beautiful¡­" Her breath stopped in her throat for several long moments. She couldn''t tear her gaze off the adorable bubbles kissing her forehead and cheeks. Jun chuckled and the sweet sound of hisughter made her tickle. "Now, you don''t have to feel afraid of monsters under the bed." Ai nced at their bed and saw once again how the bubbles were entering the room from under the bed. With the warm glow of the light, her heart thudding in anxiety until a few moments ago felt at peace. "Whenever you looked at the bed, you always got frightened that monsters woulde grab you from under the bed, right? So I thought of eradicating the fear from your heart once and for all. I want you to think of bubbles next time, not monsters. There cannot be ugly monsters grabbing my girlfriend, only cute bubbles." Ai was spellbound and at the same time at a loss for words. She had never imagined that Jun had nned something like this in his mind for her fear of monsters. Jun pressed his lips on her cheek. "Isn''t my girlfriend so cute? So she can only be surrounded by cute things." Ai hugged him hard to his chest and whispered. "I am already surrounded by the cutest man in the whole world. Bubbles are only second to you." His mouth twitched. "How many times should I tell you not to call me cute? "I thought you had epted your fate by now." ? He threw her a nasty stare. Aiughed and kissed him back on his lips which managed to appease him a bit. "Jun, this is the most beautiful surprise you have given me. And the most thoughtful too," her heart thanked all the stars in the world that led her to meet Jun in this life. Ai happily jumped on the bed and danced with the bubbles. When she looked below, instead of the creepy and gloomy darkness that she always struggled to deal with, the bubbles made their way towards her. She pulled Jun on the bed to jump with her too. Jun coughed and felt silly but seeing the bright smile on her lips made him join her too. "My boyfriend is the best!" Her gaze was warm and loving. Jun pinched her chin and shared a gentle but passionate kiss with her. "It''s because my girlfriend is the best." ¡ª The next day at Sky was just as usual as Xing Bi continued with her work. From the corner of her eye, she saw Sun Baiing in and she straightened up in her seat. "Good morning, Miss. Sun." "Good morning, Xing Bi," she smiled and nodded. "How is work going?" "It''s good. How are you feeling now?" "Me?" Sun Bai blinked. "Yeah. You were on sick leave yesterday, right?" That brought a change in her expression for just a moment. "Oh yes, yes. I am fine. It was just some fever and cold. I rested at home the whole day, so I feel better now." Xing Bi stared at her. The whole day? But she was outside with that man, right? Why is¡­Miss. Sun lying? First, she lied about her sickness and now that she had stayed at home for the entire day. "That''s great. But still. Please don''t work too hard today." "Of course." Sun Bai left towards her office, bringing only more confusion in Xing Bi''s mind. "Ugh. I am tired of thinking now!" "Then have some coffee and don''t think about anything," Hou Lin said as he was passing by Xing Bi''s desk. She stiffened and coughed. "Hehe. Please i-ignore that. I tend to rant to myself at times." "We all do," Hou Lin expressionlessly nodded. He then passed a file to her. "There are some new authors who have joined Sky, and I have distributed some of them under you. These are webnovel authors and I know you don''t have experience with webnovels, but this will be a good opportunity to hone your editing skills for a different tform." Xing Bi beamed. "Oh, that''s great. It''s certainly new to me, but I am up for it! I love stories, whether books or webnovels haha!" "Yes. I will share the final list to Miss. Sun too." "...Sure." Hou Lin noticed her odd expression. "You are thinking again?" "..." "N-nothing. I am just d that Miss. Sun is back and all healthy again." "Indeed." Xing Bi then thought of a question and asked, "By the way, how long have you known Miss. Sun for?" "Pretty much from the beginning. We almost joined at the same time and climbed our way until here in our respective fields. She is very diligent and hardworking. Why do you ask?" "Oh? No, no. It''s nothing," sheughed it off. "Just curious." "I see. I will leave now," Hou Lin nodded. "..." He is also very diligent and hardworking. Doesn''t waste a single second outside his scope of work¡­ She drew a long sigh and copsed her head on her desk. I should really stop thinking about this so much or my hair will turn gray at this point. Let''s just leave this topic for now. ¡ª Zhu vi. Chyou whistled and was in a good mood as she climbed down the stairs. Her father, Xiaosi, noticed the joyful smile on her face and asked, "Somebody is very happy today." She grinned. "Yes, I am. Yating will be getting a gift for me which he had lost in the fire that day. You know how much I love gifts hehe~" Xiaosi blinked. He leaned in and curiously asked, "Gu Yating?" "Yeah." "You are interested in him?" "Yeah. Wait, what?" "You know, as your potential date. Remember Gu Rong''s proposal I told you about?" She widened her eyes. "Oh no no no no no. It''s not like that, Dad," sheughed and quickly dismissed it. He narrowed his eyes. "...Really now?" Chapter 368 Gift Shopping Caihong brought a te of fruits and took a seat beside Xiaosi. "What are you two talking about?" Xiaosi said, "Chyou is going shopping with Gu Yating." "Oh?" Caihong also leaned in curiously and asked, "You are interested in him?" Chyou - "..." "Howe you and Dad are always in sync?" "That''s the power of love." Even Xiaosi''s brow twitched at that. "Yeah, now I know why Chyou is an actress. The drama side is definitely from you." Caihong dismissed her husband and focused on Chyou again. "So?" "So nothing, Mom," Chyou heaved a deep sigh and shook her head. "We are good friends. He just wants to appreciate my help for what I did for Uncle Gu." Her little brother, Xiang, popped a piece of an apple into his mouth. "It''s not just that. You were also so diligently washing his coat and ironing it. I saw it with my own eyes." Xiaosi''s ears perked up. "You have his coat?" Chyou was speechless. She smacked her brother. "Xiang! You dummy! Don''t make it sound like I got his coat in any suspicious way. He had wrapped it around me while protecting me from the fire. Thankfully, it wasn''t damaged much. So I washed and ironed it and now I will return it to him. That''s the least I can do." The trio bobbed their heads in unison. "Okay." Xiaosi asked, "So you are really not interested in him?" Chyou could sense a trace of hopefulness in his voice. Sheughed and kissed his cheek. "Not in a dating way. Don''t worry. I won''t leave my handsome Dad''s side ever!" Xiaosi feigned ignorance. "I am not worried about anything. I was just curious." "Yeah, yeah, I know. I am gettingte now, oof. Gotta go. Bye!" Caihong said after a pause. "Chyou and Yating¡­They will look good together. Yating is a nice guy too." Xiaosi nodded. "That''s why I told her about him. But I guess it''s nothing more than friendship." "You are the happiest person, Dad," Xiang chuckled. "Shut up." Caihong smiled. "Well it''s our dear daughter''s choice. I just want her to choose a man who will keep her the happiest." ¡ª Chyou waved her hand as she saw Yatinging. "I am here!" "Hey," Yating smiled. He observed her expression a bit more and slowly remarked. "You look quite happy today. I mean, you are always cheerful. But today, I can feel an extra zest in it." Chyou seriously answered. "Well, it''s actually about Cheng Yin. I was worried when you had said that you had seen him with a suspicious man that night possibly with drugs. So, I asked him straight away!" Yating choked. "You did?" "Yeah. At first, I thought a lot if I should investigate him secretly. But then I thought that I don''t want to. It just didn''t feel right to me. If I love him and want to spend my life with him, then I don''t want to do things behind his back. It was better that I properly ask him." "And what did he say?" "He did admit to it." Yating slightly widened his eyes in surprise. It was indeed out of his expectations that Cheng Yin woulde out with it so easily if it was the truth. Chyou sighed. "It was during his earlier days when he started out acting. You know how difficult it is to make a mark in this industry. He admitted he got in a bit of a badpany during his challenging days. After that, he couldn''tpletely leave it. But he is not a hopeless addict either. He takes it very few times and that''s when you saw him a few months back¡­" "I see." She nodded. "He was very guilty. He knows he shoulde clean but sometimes, he just couldn''t help it during stressful times. Like when a movie gets released. We all worry if it will work well or not. That time too when you saw him, his movie was just released and he was stressed out. If it doesn''t work well, the rivals just get a chance to take over and he could lose his position as the best actor. Our positions in this industry are very fickle¡­" she sadly smiled. "But! He promised me that he won''t take drugs again. That was thest time andst meeting he had with his contact for the supply. I also felt that he was serious about it." Yating smiled, seeing her eyes shining with joy. "Well I am d that he confessed and also promised to be clean from now on." "Yes! Hehe, that''s why I am so happy. It feels like a big burden lifted off my shoulders." "I am sorry¡­" Yating hesitated. "I didn''t mean to stress you out." "Oh no no. I am d that I came to know about this. I also understand why he kept it hidden from everybody. It would be the end of his career if it got leaked out. Fans would never be so understanding of his struggle. They want their idols to always be perfect and when something like this happens, they are not so forgiving about it. One moment, they stand with us and then against us the moment something goes wrong." "Difficult life." "Very." Walking and talking upto that point, they reached the store where Yating wanted to buy a gift for her. "It is supposed to be a surprise. Thanks for yourpany." Chyou stuck out her tongue. He chose a simple but elegant pendant for her. "This." Chyou beamed. "It''s so pretty. Damn, your choice is so good. Even better than a woman''s. I love it!" "If you want something else-" "Nope. This is perfect." "Great," he gave a wide smile. He paid for it at the counter and handed the gift bag to her. "Here is your gift which you already know what''s inside it." "Hehe~" As they stepped out, a young girl approached Chyou and gasped. "I-It''s you. You are Zhu Chyou, the actress, right? And¡­" she eyes Yating and squealed, "is he your boyfriend?" Chapter 369 Topmost Trending Gossip Chyou stuck out her tongue but in her mind. Ah, somebody recognized me even though I put on shades! "Haha...I am not sure what you are talking about." "No, no, you are definitely Zhu Chyou! I can recognize my favorite idol anywhere!" The young girl''s eyes were glittering with stars. "Oh my God I cannot believe that I met my idol!" Her excited gasps reached the other passers-by and soon enough, a crowd formed around Chyou and Yating. "It''s Zhu Chyou! It''s really Zhu Chyou in the flesh!" "Ahh, I cannot believe I met you!" "I have watched all your movies!" "I am your big fan, Zhu Chyou! You are the best actress in this industry!" "I loved your tomboy role in the other movie. You were so awesome!" By that point, Chyou waspletely exposed. "Hehe, you caught me~" It turned into a frenzy with everybody wanting to click pictures with her, which she very patiently did. But soon, their attention turned towards Yating. A handsome and seemingly wealthy man with Chyou outside a gift shop naturally arose suspicions in everybody''s hearts. Yating simply shed a polite smile to them which tugged many heartstrings. Chyou naturally caught their gaze and cleared her throat. "He is Gu Yating and my friend." One of them from the crowd guessed. "I think I have heard of him. Chief editor of Dream High, right?" "Yeah," he admitted. She gasped. An editor and an actress are an item? How did they even meet? Despite Chyou rifying their rtionship, the fans were not ready to believe her. Some of them whispered among themselves. "Are they dating?" "They definitely are! Look, she is holding a gift bag. Gu Yating definitely pampered her with a gift. Isn''t that what boyfriends do?" "That''s right! But I thought that there was something between Zhu Chyou and Cheng Yin. They have acted in so many movies together..." "Yeah me too! I always felt their chemistry was so amazing." "Maybe she doesn''t want anybody from the entertainment industry? Whatever it is, I think Gu Yating looks cute with her too," she giggled. "Is it only me or I find him sexier than Cheng Yin?" Chyou talked to some of her fans and quickly dragged Yating away from the crowd. Coming to a safe distance, she took out her shades and exhaled. "Thank God. Damn their eyes are sharp. Sorry you got pulled along." He waved his hand. "No big deal. I finally witnessed your poprity with my own eyes," he chuckled. Chyou grinned. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot!" She unzipped her bag and took out his coat. "Here. I washed and ironed it." Yating was taken aback. "You still have my coat?" "Of course. Did you think I would throw it away?" "I thought so." She red at him. "You protected me with this coat! How can I throw it away?" Yating helplessly chuckled. "Thanks." "How is Uncle Gu by the way?" "He is doing well. Already back to managing thepany." "Did you learn anything about the bribe issue?" "No," he sighed. "But Soo Yijun is looking into it." Chyou was in deep thought. "We are definitely missing something. If Uncle is innocent, then the judge was contacted in some other way. But we don''t know how...Let me check the footage once again. I will give everything a thorough check. There is definitely we are not seeing something," she narrowed her eyes. -- Cheng Yin''s assistant ran to his side, huffing and puffing. In his makeup room, Cheng Yin was getting ready for the next shot when his assistant just barged in. "Sir!" Cheng Yin grimaced. "Why are you in such a hurry?" "The...news..." he breathlessly said, "Trending news...Zhu Chyou..." "What? It must be some promotion going viral. What are you so hyped up about?" "It''s not a promotion. It''s her rtionship! Zhu Chyou is dating!" Cheng Yin choked and stumbled in his seat. "What!?" He snatched the phone from him and checked Weibo. The topmost trending news was of Chyou in a rtionship with Gu Yating. Her fans had seen her exiting a gift shop with him andter on, there was another picture of Chyou giving Yating a coat. They wereughing and the mood was cheery around them. Cheng Yin looked like he was struck with lightning. The assistant said, "I was so shocked. There was never any news about Zhu Chyou dating anybody." One of the makeup artists said, "Hey isn''t he the same man who saved Miss. Zhu from the fire that day?" "Oh yeah! He went back and brought her out!" "Hehe, what if that incident ignited a whole different fire inside them?" She giggled. "Maybe he won Miss. Zhu''s heart with that." Cheng Yin stiffened. The mention of the fire definitely bugged him because he still felt stupid for not checking upon Chyou. But what also bothered him was about the part of his drugs. He was taken by utter shock when Chyou confronted him about drugs a few days ago. Since she had this suspicion, he believed that it was Jun who must have ratted out everything because he had threatened him in doing a blood test to prove his drug addiction. Damn, what should I say!? That bastard spitting out everything! He thought to lie but what if she insisted on a blood test too upon Jun''s insistence? Everything would be spilled out. I have no option but to confess to her. I will totally lose her if I am found lyingter... So he made up a story of getting into a badpany and tried to exin his addiction and also assured that he had stopped taking drugs. As expected, that made Chyou happier than if he had lied. He was relieved but now looking at this trending post made his fingers fidget with doubt. Why is she with him? Didn''t Gu Yating say that he only met her for some temporary work? It cannot be that Chyou changed her mind? He clenched the phone in his palm. The post made him extremely ufortable. Just a few days ago, the video of him yelling at Ai went viral and it had already affected his reputation a lot. People who were shipping Chyou and him together were now shipping Yating with her. Damn! What the hell is going on!? Chapter 370 Shock Therapy "Jin!" Nana merrily hopped to his side and held his arm. Jin smiled. "Mom. You look extra cheerful today." "Hehe of course I am. Tomorrow is Shui''s birthday after all." Jin stared at her but said nothing. "Jinhai and I were deciding on a gift for her, but it''s so difficult," she sighed. "Do you have any idea?" "I don''t," he smiled. "It''s fine, Mom. Shui will like whatever you have to give her." She pouted. "I know, but I still want it to be thoughtful. Oh, what are your ns by the way?" She pped her hands once in delight. "Nothing. Sorry, Mom but I won''t being to the party tomorrow." Nana widened her eyes. "Why not?" He didn''t know how to answer that. It was difficult to make her understand but at the same time, he had no interest in being a part of Shui''s birthday banquet. "...I am feeling a little sick." "What? How? Why? What happened?" She quickly touched his forehead to check for a fever, but there was none. "Okay, you don''t have a fever. You seemed to be well at the breakfast table," she pursed her lips, "How could I not notice it?" "Oof, Mom. You don''t have to feel guilty," he pinched her cheeks. "It''s not so bad. Just feeling tired. It will be too much to attend the party for me. Of course, I will give my wishes to Shui." Nana wondered about something and anxiously asked, "Jin. Is it because Jun will be there too?" He blinked his eyes in surprise. "No. It''s not because of Bro. In fact¡­Bro and I are good now." This wasn''t what Nana expected. "Really!?" Her heart bloomed with immense joy. "You and Jun are¡­" He smiled. "Yes. It was my mistake, Mom. I was being silly about the whole thing. We had a good conversation and sorted things out." Her eyes ached with tears. "Aish, I am so happy to know this," she sniffled. "I was so worried about you two." Jin held her hand and guiltily apologized. "I am sorry, Mom. I didn''t want to make you sad over this. But everything is fine now between us." "En!" Nana bobbed her head. "Good, good." Nana patted his head. "You should take a good rest. Don''t worry about tomorrow''s party," she kissed his forehead. "I will cook your favorite dishes for you too!" He brightened. "Mom is the best!" Nana left even more happily than before to give this good news to Jinhai about the brothers'' patch up. The sunny expression on Jin''s face reversed to his grim and icy countenance. After talking to Jun, he knew that there could have been many things at y in hisst life that involved Shui and the events that transpiredter. But that was separate from how she broke Jun''s heart. In hisst life, this birthday was a major turning point. Jun had proposed to her. She had epted it but soon asked for some space in their rtionship which broke Jun''s heart. The subsequent four years were nothing but a torture to him. "I don''t know if you were manipted or not Shui," Jin balled his fist. "But it had nothing to do with how you treated Bro. Celebrate all you want, but I would never be a part of it." ¡ª The next evening at Han vi was dazzling and sparkling with lights and flowers as Shui''s twenty-first birthday party sprung into action. Guests poured in and the atmosphere became even more lively and cheery. Naturally, the main question in everybody''s mind was about the Liu and Han family''s rtionship, especially Jun and Shui. It was already public for a while now that Jun and Shui had broken up, and he was also happily in a rtionship with Ai. It was a big discussion at that time but tonight, it will be different to witness it. "Hey, do you think Liu Jun woulde to the party tonight?" "I don''t think so. I mean sure, they im they are still good friends, but we all know the truth. It will be so awkward to face each other after years of their rtionship." "Yes, yes. It''s impossible for Liu Jun to be here, much less his girlfriend." "No way! Zhou Ai, that writer right? It will be so embarrassing if they dide together. Like ex-girlfriend and current girlfriend together at the same ce?" One snorted. "Not happening. Han Shui will never ept this." "But we still don''t know what caused their breakup. It was going so good and then Zhou Ai suddenly entered into the picture¡­" "Who knows if she seduced Liu Jun and forced this breakup to happen¡­" one murmured. Amidst all the rumors and talk, the two controversial people in question gracefully made their presence known in the banquet. The group of socialites who were gossiping about them were left stunned and aghast at their entrance. "W-wait what? Liu Jun and Zhou Ai¡­together?" "The hell¡­they actually came¡­" "I can understand Liu Jun for once but even Zhou Ai¡­!" "How will the Han family react to this?" Unaware of the brewing discussions about them, Jun and Ai were in their own world. Ai sincerely appreciated the arrangements and decorations of the birthday banquet. "Everything is so pretty," she nodded hard. Jun''s ears perked up. "I will make it even grander for you on your birthday. Be ready to be impressed even more." She chuckled. "You always have topete, don''t you?" "I don''t like your attention spanning away from me," he narrowed his eyes and kissed her temple. That earned even more silent gasps from the different groups of people observing them. But that wasn''t the end of their shock therapy yet. "Jun! Ai!" The birthday girl Shui beamed upon seeing them and immediately rushed towards them in joy. "You are here!" She chirped. She hugged Jun and then hopped to embrace Ai. "You look so pretty, Ai!" Jun smirked with pride. "I chose the dress for her." "Tch, why do you have to take the credit, Jun? Ai''s beauty has nothing to do with you." "..." "It has definitely a lot to do with me, excuse me? Of course, Ai was always beautiful. But now she has even more glow to her face, you know thanks to- Ouch!" Ai stomped on his foot and squinted her eyes. Jun received her message and shut his mouth. "Well, I don''t need to state it explicitly." Shuiughed. The whole scene between the trio made everybody dizzy. When did these three get into such good terms!? Chapter 371 Shuis Birthday Banquet Arc (1) Scialites couldn''t believe the sight of happiness on Shui''s face. She was talking to Ai as if they were always besties. It didn''t look one bit that one was an ex-girlfriend while the other was Jun''s current girlfriend. Ai beamed. "Happy Birthday Shui." "Thank you!" "Sister-inw!" Nuo''s energetic voice came from the other end, who was just as excited to meet her. "Hehe, you are here~" Jun raised his brow. "How about greeting your brother too?" Nuo sheepishly grinned and hugged him. "How can I forget my handsome brother?" Her eyes darted from one ce to another. Shui smiled. "Bro Siying is with Mom." Nuo coughed. "I wasn''t looking for him particrly..." Jun grabbed Ai''s hand and said, "Let''s go." "Huh, where?" "If Nuo is here, then the twins are nearby too. I don''t want to meet them." Nuo chuckled. "Don''t be afraid, Bro. For now, they are busy. Bro Jian is trying to escape the clutches of Uncle Liang for flirting with his precious daughter, Leina. Bro Nian is stubbornly standing outside to wait for Xing Bi. He wants toe inside with only her." "Why?" "So that he makes it clear to every man in the party not toy eyes on her." Ai''s mouth twitched. "If Xing Bi hears this, she will beat up Nian for good." "He is fine with that. My brother is turning into a masochist." "..." Shui didn''t show it, but she was waiting for Nuo to talk about Jin; an expression which both Jun and Ai caught. Jun casually said, "Good riddance from them for at least some time. But what about Jin? I don''t see him anywhere." Nuo pouted. "Jin is not feeling so well, so he stayed back home. But he said he already gave his wishes to Shui." Shui blinked. Jin didn''t wish me today though... "Y-yeah! Haha, he did." Ai pursed her lips, seeing Shui''s gaze dim. She didn''t wish to see her sad on her birthday. "Oh when will the party start? I am excited for the cake cutting ceremony!" She tried to divert the topic. "Yes, it will begin in a while now," Shui sighed. "I get so anxious with all these socialites staring at me. Everytime, I say that I want a simple party, Dad always says the opposite and wants to make it as grand as possible." "He dotes on you." "Too much sometimes!" On the other side, Zixin made his way with the Chen family with the twins hanging around his side. People gossiped about him for another reason and that was the ident he just went through. "Hey, it''s Chen Zixin and his family." "Heard he got into a super bad ident!" "That''s harsh. Was it really an ident or...?" "Yeah, he might have a deadly rival who nned it against him. But they are not disclosing anything." "Even so, he is so hot!" One woman squealed. "It''s just all handsomeness everywhere!" On their side, Yunru dered. "Bro, it''s the first banquet you are attending after you have recovered. But you don''t have to feel intimidated at all! I will protect you from the hungry socialites here! You have to be careful. Women will be targeting you to get into your good books. But worry not. I will deal with all of them!" Yubi hit his head. "You will deal with them? Are you sure you can do that? I am afraid you will get seduced instead!" His gaze darkened. "Yubi! You should be more aware of your surroundings. You won''t even know if some man here flirts with you and you would only get swept away by him." She gritted her teeth. "Are you saying I am dumb?" He snorted. "d that you know it yourself." Chen Liling separated them. "Enough, you two. You never fail to argue no matter what event it is. It''s Shui''s birthday, so go and wish her instead of fighting!" Zixin looked around and saw unfamiliar faces everywhere. Though he liked Shui as a friend and wanted to be here for her birthday party, he couldn''t help but feel slightly restless with this grand celebration when he hardly knew anybody. He would have preferred reading CherryBlossom''s books back in his room, but he also wanted to be here for Shui. Jianyu and Serena assured him. "Just enjoy it at your own pace, okay?" Zixin nodded. -- Chyou craned her neck and tried to find Shui in the crowd, carrying her gift in her hand. When she entered, the atmosphere was filled with a third source of gossip and that was the recent trending post on Weibo. "It''s Zhu Chyou! Did you see thetest post?" "I saw that. She is dating Gu Yating! Damn, I never expected that." "There was never even a hint about her being with anybody and suddenly boom. She has skills, I must say." "But I was so sure that she will get together with Cheng Yin. Both A-listed actors who have worked together for several times." "But wasn''t his father, Gu Rong, in jail until a few days ago?" That sparked another round of heated discussion. Chyou, who waspletely focused on finding Shui, bumped into a man, who was crossing her path. The gift fell from her hand, but the man quickly caught it. "Ah thank Godddd!" She sobbed. "The gift is made of ss. It would havepletely broken." As she looked up, she was taken aback to recognize the man. "Yating." He smiled and handed the gift back to her carefully. "Hey." "You are here too?" Yating recalled Gu Rong''s stubborn insistence to attend this banquet tonight at any cost. He didn''t have much work on his te and neither a choice. When will he give up on Chyou and me? He inwardly grimaced. "...Yup. Dad couldn''t make it. So I came instead. Though I feel awkward because I hardly know Han Shui." "No worries! I will introduce you to her," sheughed. But if Chyou wasughing, somebody on the other side had his dark brown eyes filled with ice. Why the heck Gu Yating is here? Jun''s expression twisted as he noticed him. He wasn''t there at the banquet inst life, so why now? Chapter 372 Shuis Birthday Banquet Arc (2) Chyou then sighed as her ears clearly caught the murmurs and gossip regarding them. "Did you see the trending post?" "Ah, yes¡­" Yating shook his head. "That one sneaky fan clicked our pictures and everything exploded." She cried. "I am sorry. First, you were attacked by my fans and now this misunderstanding. I am just causing you too much trouble, am I not?" "Hey, hey why are you ming yourself? There is nothing to apologize for. More than me, it''s you getting affected by this rumor, and I feel it''s my fault. I should have chosen a different ce for shopping." Chyou proudly said, "Doesn''t matter. Somebody or the other would have definitely recognized my charm anyway. I am very popr.* "..." His brow twitched. But then his gaze fell on the pendant on her neck, and a joyous smile formed on his lips. "So you wore the pendant tonight." "Yes!" She chirped. "Perfect asion to start with. And it looks so pretty. You have some good taste." Yating nodded. "You look beautiful." "Hehe thanks~" Then Chyou closely looked at him and softly took a breath. "Hey this is the same coat of fire!" He was dumbfounded. "Coat of fire?" "Yeah I just gave it a name. You saved me from that fire with your coat, so it''s a coat of fire. You wore it tonight." "Ah, yes," Yating chuckled. "Well, you took so much effort to clean and iron it. I definitely wanted to start using it again from a good asion. A birthday banquet was the perfect choice." Chyou was indeed thrilled to hear this. "You are so thoughtful. Yup for me, this coat will always look the best on you!" Jun, who was watching them intently, couldn''t help but question. "When did they get so close? Or is it after the fire incident¡­" he mumbled. Ai nodded. "It must be definitely that. After all, he saved her that day. They must have gotten closer." Nuo said, "Ah? You don''t know?" "What?" "I heard from Xiang that Gu Rong went to Uncle Xiaosi with a proposal for Chyou for his son, Gu Yating." "..." They stared at her, stunned. Jun asked, "When did this happen?" "I am not sure but around Mom and Dad''s anniversary banquet maybe? Hehe, do you think that''s why they are so closer? Maybe they decided to give it a try." The two were sure that it wasn''t the case because Chyou had no rtionship with Yating in the past life as she had married Cheng Yin. So in the past too, did Gu Rong try to set them up like this? He wondered. But because Yating dated Ai and Chyou had Cheng Yin in her life, their paths simply never crossed. But this life''s trajectory was going onpletely differently. Watching Yating and Chyou together made him aware that if things remained the same in the form of Zixin''s ident, then there were other events too which were slowly taking a different form. The lights then dimmed and the birthday banquet was soon going to start. Xinyi and Zhiyuan proudly looked at their daughter with the most radiant smile on their lips. "Our Shui turned twenty-one today¡­" Zhiyuan stared at Shui with tears in his eyes, feeling emotional. "Damn it, why does time fly so fast? I still cannot believe that twenty-one years have passed by." "Oof!" Shui hugged him tightly and pouted. "It''s my birthday. You are not allowed to cry, Dad. You don''t have to feel so emotional because I am gonna stay with you for a long long time!" That was definitely something Zhiyuan wanted to hear. "Yes, yes. Shui will always be by her father''s side." The mother-son duo watched them with helplessness. "Zhiyuan, do you want to spend the whole banquet here itself?" "Of course not. But let me admire her beauty which she has inherited from my dearest wife." Xinyi sheepishly grinned. "As always, you have the sweet tongue." Siying started to look for Nuo. "Okay, I am missing my girlfriend now." The birthday girl, Shui, made her way down and everybody broke into loud ps and cheers. The maid brought a huge cake wheeled on a table in front of her. Zhiyuan took the mike and said as he hugged his dearest daughter. "Thank you all foring here and being a part of Shui''s birthday celebration. This is a day which has always been so special to me. From a newborn baby who I held in my arms to seeing a beautiful twenty-one years old woman grow up right before my eyes has been such a beautiful journey." Then tears sprung from his eyes, and he sniffled. "She is growing up too fast. Why can''t time just stop?" Shui''s mouth twitched. Xinyi and Siying facepalmed. "Mom! Dad is embarrassing us!" He whispered. "Why does he always have to cry? I knew this would happen! I told you to let me do all the talking stuff." Xinyi pursed her lips. "But Zhiyuan promised me that he wouldn''t do it this time!" "And you believed him?" She stared at him. "He¡­he kind of seduced me after that, so I don''t remember much¡­" "..." "He definitely fooled you using his body, Mom! And you fell for it!" "I-I definitely won''t get fooled the next time!" She blurted out with her reddened cheeks. Zhiyuan continued. "But Shui is going to live with her father for a long, long time so that gives me somefort." Everybodyughed. "So if anybody tried to hit on Shui tonight and crush all my hopes of my long, long time with my daughter, then you are dead." "..." A deep and sharp silence fell. At this point, Siying really wanted to bury himself in a hole. Dad!!!! The only ones who were agreeing with Zhiyuan were the other fathers themselves with a daughterplex like Jinhai and Liang. Xiaosi secretly agreed in his heart too though he maintained a poker expression on the outside. "I know you definitely support Han Zhiyuan in this," Caihong didn''t fail to remark, making his brow twitch. "Your face cannot fool me." "I don''t know what you are talking about," he shamelessly feigned ignorance. Ai asked Jun on the other side, "Are you going to be like this too in the future?" "Of course not," Jun snorted. "That''s better. Because if you pulled this stunt, then you can forget about our marriage." "..." Chapter 373 Shuis Birthday Banquet Arc (3) After the cake cutting ceremony, guests arrived one after the other to give Shui birthday wishes and gifts. As soon as Jun and Ai arrived, a sense of awkwardness loomed in the air but for the guests. Meeting Shui was different but Jun and Ai meeting Xinyi and Zhiyuan? It would be bound to get ufortable! But in contrast to what they imagined, Xinyi was the first one to actually hug Ai, which definitely took Ai aback. As Shui''s mother, she wasn''t expecting her to be so cordial. "I am d you came here," Xinyi withdrew and smiled. "I always wanted to thank you." "Thank me?" She tilted her head. "Of course. I heard what happened in Shanghai and how you stood up for Shui. Shui praised you so much when she returned. As a mother, I cannot be happier that you protected my daughter. And not just at Shanghai but from the moment you started dating Jun, you were never hostile towards Shui, which I sincerely appreciate. It takes guts to do that." Zhiyuan gravely nodded. "Thank you, Zhou Ai. We are d to have you as Shui''s friend. It''s all because of you that things never became awkward for us." Siying chirped. "Yes. The one who treats my sister well is also my friend! Also, I heard a lot of praises of you from Nuo." Suddenly, he felt a chill run on his back feeling a strong and piercing gaze. His brow twitched, and he didn''t even need to guess who was the source of this hostility. It''s like Uncle Jinhai has an antenna whenever I take Nuo''s name... Ai felt at a loss for several moments. "Thank you." Xinyi chuckled. "It''s we who thanked you, so you said wee." Zhiyuan and Jun were busy in their own staringpetition. It was a bubbly and flowery atmosphere between Xinyi and Ai but a serious and suffocating air between Zhiyuan and Jun. "Uncle Zhiyuan. Your little speech was amazing," Jun randomly said what came to his mind. Zhiyuan narrowed his eyes. "Liu Jun." "Yes." Shui cleared her throat. "Dad, you promised me..." Suddenly out of anybody''s expectation, Zhiyuan pulled Jun into a big hug. "Hahaha, why are you so tense? It''s your Uncle Zhiyuan! No need to be so stiff." "..." Even Xinyi hadn''t expected this response. Jun suspiciously asked, "Uncle, it seems you are too happy with Shui''s birthday tonight." "And the fact that you won''t steal her from me anymore. So you are a good boy to me now, hohoho~" "..." "Mom..." Shui pleaded Xinyi for help. Jun asked, "Then what was I to you until now?" "A viin. Which every man who dares to target my daughter is." Jun smiled. "Is that so? Then I hope that a new viin quickly enters and disrupts your life, Uncle." "..." "Liu Jun! How dare you curse my happiness!?" Zhiyuan eximed. "Don''t you curse mine?" A cold, detached voice shrouded with deep hostility seeped into the air. With Jinhai, ck clouds immediately entered the scene, rumbling and thundering. He gave on murderous stare to Siying, freezing the atmosphere. Siying tried to pull in his most affectionate smile, but Jinhai was in no mood to entertain him. Instead, he calmly nced at Zhiyuan. "Your son has been doing the same thing for years now, cursing my happiness. But you seemed to ignore all of that." A vein popped on his forehead. "Liu Jinhai. You were being a tyrant. Siying and Nuo love each other but you are acting as a viin in their love story." "So were you in Jun and Shui''s..." his deathly quiet voice rang with menace. "But I am d we were on the same page. You won''t be confused as to why Siying might suddenly disappear one day," he narrowed his eyes. Oh God, just kill me...Siying sighed. It''s such a treacherous path loving Nuo. Zhiyuan snarled. "Don''t dare touch my son just because you cannot handle your daughter falling in love!" Jinhai sneered. "Don''t be happy for my son just because he and Shui aren''t together anymore." Ai seriously wondered what was wrong with these fathers. They sure don''t see their hypocrisy... "Jinhai!" Nana puffed up her cheeks and pulled him back. "Why are you causing a scene tonight? It''s Shui''s birthday!" "He started it," Jinhai said, unfazed. "No excuses!" Xinyi also gave a stern scolding to Zhiyuan. "If you don''t stop it now, I will throw you out of the party." Siying and Shui gave a thumbs up, crushing Zhiyuan''s heart. "You all are heartless!" Jun wanted to get away from this headache, so he held Ai''s hand and slickly tried to leave. But as soon as they turned, he met his mortal enemy. Lightning crackled between Jun and Yating''s eyes as they crossed paths. Yating smiled. "Liu Jun." "Gu Yating," Jun smiled back. "You seem to be a lot free these days. How is your health by the way? You should have stayed back home and rested," he emphasized more on thest sentence. Indirectly, it also meant that he didn''t want Yating to copse or get sick for Ai to tend to him again. "I am fine, Liu Jun. You don''t need to be so concerned for my health," he dryly said. "As long as it doesn''t involve Ai taking care of you, I am really not so concerned about your health," Jun shot back. Ai tugged his arm and signaled him not to be mean to Yating, to which Jun only snorted. Yating was close to punching his face but instead, he calmed himself by looking at Ai. "Ai. Nice to see you here. I am sorry I couldn''t properly thank you that day. My sickness caused you unnecessary trouble." Ai shook her head. "No problem. Hope you are not overworking like before." p "I am being more careful and conscious now," he softly smiled. "That''s better." Jun''s mouth twitched. He whispered in her ear. "He knows what is good for him or not. You don''t have to be the one to explicitly state it." Now, Ai''s brow twitched. "I am just telling him as a friend." "No need." "..." Chapter 374 Shuis Birthday Banquet Arc (4) The atmosphere eased up when Chyou entered just at the right time. Naturally, Ai shone the brightest. "Chyou!" "Ai!" They hugged each other like long-lost sisters. Ai praised her as she nced at her from head to toe. "You look beautiful," she slightly blushed. "That pendant is pretty." "I know right? It''s Yating''s choice! He gave it to me as a gift." Yating was embarrassed. "It was my thanks for helping Dad." Chyou chuckled as she noticed Jun''s gaze turning darker and darker. "Hahaha, Jun. Come on, lighten up," she furiously patted his shoulder. "It''s a birthday banquet! We should just chill, eat and enjoy a lot!" Jun shot Yating a re. "I want to but not by seeing this man''s face." Yating coldly answered. "The feelings are mutual, Liu Jun." "Then why don''t you-" Suddenly, Jun froze as he saw a familiar person entering the banquet from the corner of his eye. He stared at that figure for several long moments. Ai blinked with his sudden quietness and followed his gaze. She, too, soon had the same reaction as Jun. The person in question that had riled them up was none other than ''Guiying'' who was dressed in a beautiful pink dress, carrying a hand bag on her shoulder. "What is she doing here?" Jun asked, his voice expressing his shock. Yating and Chyou curiously nced at the other side too. Naturally, Yating was taken aback as well by ''Guiying''s'' presence in the banquet. ''Guiying'' looked straight ahead and found Shui who was busy with attending to other guests. But along the way, she also noticed the group staring at her. Oh¡­ ''She'' smiled and walked up to them. "Nice to meet you, Ai." She replied in a low voice. "...Yes." Seeing ''Guiying'' here was beyond their expectations, especially for Jun who knew that she wasn''t a part of Shui''s twenty-first birthday party. Needless to say, his temper wasn''t faring well by her sudden appearance. It was Yating who asked the burning question which Jun and Ai had in their hearts. "Guiying, how are you here?" He looked at Chyou and said, "She is Cai Guiying, a writer. We work at Dream High together." "Oh, yes, yes," Though Chyou already knew her from the time when Jun had asked her to investigate her. ''Guiying'' felt pleased, watching Jun''s eyesced with confusion and questions. It also disyed a hint of anger which made her feel even more victorious. "Well I am here because I am invited by none other than Han Shui." Ai slightly widened her eyes. Shui? "Han Shui?" Yating blinked. "You know her?" ''She'' touched her chin. "It''s kind of a long story but yes." ''She'' clearly felt Jun''s piercing gaze, shooting questions and doubt at her. "What happened, Liu Jun? You don''t seem to believe it for some reason." He said nothing. ''Guiying'' said, "Okay, let me catch up with you allter. Unfortunately, I am already a littlete for the banquet. I still have to give my wishes and gift to Shui." "Yating smiled. "Yeah go ahead." Jun''s fist trembled as ''Guiying'' passed right by his side towards where Shui was. He turned and saw Shui beaming as she noticed Guiyinging. That reaction was enough to prove that Shui had indeed invited her to the banquet. ''Guiying'' hugged Shui and talked to her for a bit. After giving her gift to her, ''she'' walked away to make way for other guests. ¡ª Once Shui was done with meeting all the guests, Jun quickly pulled her to a side as she was finally let free for sometime. "Hey, hey, where are you taking me?" "Shui, what is Cai Guiying doing here?" Ai asked, "Did you invite her?" Shui blinked twice. "Yeah." "Why?" Jun widened his eyes. "Did you forget what Cai Lingyun did to us in Shanghai? How could you invite her after that?" She sighed. "I know what you are getting at. But whatever happened, Cai Lingyun was behind all that mess. Guiying wasn''t even aware of it. She apologized to me a lot after that for her brother''s behavior. It was really unexpected that he did that. Since she wasn''t at fault, I have no reason to be hostile to her. Also, she had invited me so eagerly to the Shanghai Fest. Naturally, I felt that she should be invited to my party too." Jun restlessly gritted his teeth. "Did she ever talk to you after the fest?" "We were in touch now and then." Jun narrowed his eyes. She definitely nned this. Shui noticed their odd behavior and asked, "What happened to you two? Why are you so tense?" Jun knew that Shui had no clue about the past life. "Shui, I don''t think you should get too close to Cai Guiying. I¡­I don''t like her." Ai smiled a bit ufortably. "Look, I don''t want you to get hurt because of her. Stay away from herpany." Shui slightly parted her lips in bewilderment. "Do I really have to be so cautious? She was very nice to me in Shanghai and what happened with us wasn''t her fault. She wasn''t even there when the whole mess started. Plus, aren''t Guiying and Ai such good friends? Right, Ai?" Ai had nothing to answer her. It was aplicated situation that they couldn''t exactly reveal it to her. Jun pursed his lips. You don''t know Shui. You don''t know anything about her. She was involved in our lives more than what we had ever imagined. There is a high possibility that she used you to achieve whatever her goal was. That''s why...I won''t let history repeat this time, his dark brown irises zed with resilience. ¡ª ''Guiying'' smirked to herself, remembering Jun and Ai''s frozen expressions. Heh. They didn''t expect me to be here at all. Ah, it was so satisfying~ This is nothing, Liu Jun. This is just the beginning. You are still left to get zapped by a lot of shocks. "You." ''She'' heard a deep voice echoing from behind her, and she turned. She blinked rapidly as she recognized the man standing in front of her. Zixin walked upto to her and lowered his gaze to stare into her eyes. "You are here." Chapter 375 Shuis Birthday Banquet Arc (5) ''Guiying'' parted and shut her lips as even she was stunned to meet Zixin here. First at the hospital and then at the hotel...''she'' felt like the number of coincidental meetings with this man were too phenomenal. ''Guiying'' could feel the real Guiying inside her wanting to take over and talk to him. But ''she'' didn''t want to relinquish her control this time. Shut up, you idiot. I have note here for a chit chat with anybody. So stop with this bullshit. Zixin tilted his head and observing her in a trance, he repeated. "Hello." ''Guiying'' looked up and raised her brow. "Hello." For a moment, Zixin wasn''t sure how to respond. It was the same woman before him but somehow, her gaze with which she met his eyes seemed different. Like the time he had seen her smoking that evening. He felt as if her eyes didn''t hold much warmth in them. But that was ridiculous ording to him. The Guiying whom he talked to was a gentle woman with a soft voice. Zixin smiled and said, "It was surprising to see you here." At first, he was indeed surprised when he recognized her figure. But considering that she was Ai''s friend, it made sense why she would be here. Though he then wondered the reason for her not being present at his get-together party. Whatever her reason was, the moment he noticed her, the light in his eyes gleamed. ''Guiying'' smiled. "I would have asked you the same thing only if I had a bit more time. So if you don''t mind, can I leave?" His eyes rapidly blinked. ''She'' snorted. Poor him. Isn''t he so used to talking to this idiot inside me? Well for that matter, anybody is. ''She'' turned on her heels and left. "When can we talk then?" His question managed to stop her. ''She'' frowned and asked as she looked back, "What?" Zixin patiently asked, "When can we talk?" "Why do you even want to talk to me? Aren''t there already so many people here?" Suddenly, ''she'' felt a resistance inside her. "But I don''t know these people." He remarked in a matter of fact tone but at the same time, his voice held with a tinge of helplessness. "At least not in the way I used to know them before." ''Her'' brow twitched. ''She'' could feel a sense of annoyance and disappointment from the Guiying inside her. Why are you feeling so sad? ''Guiying'' pinched her space between her brows. Why do I have to deal with this now... ''She'' tried her best to smile the way Guiying always did. "I will let you know when I get the time." "When?" "..." "...Soon." "How soon?" ''She'' gritted her teeth. Okay, what is the deal with this man!? Zixin smiled. "I have a lot of things I want to talk to you about." He wanted to surprise her by revealing that he had started to read her books. "I wille meet you by myself, okay?" ''Guiying'' was very close to snapping. Zixin nodded. "Okay. I will wait for you. I will be by that corner when you need to find me." "Sure." ''She'' finally got to leave and exhaled. God, that man is stubborn! -- "Xing Bi!!!" Nian hopped to hug her to which she slyly moved aside. "Liu Nian! Don''t you dare get so chummy with me." "Why not? Didn''t we spend such a lovely and beautiful date and then a lovely and beautiful time at your house?" Xing Bi gasped in horror. "You idiot!" She kicked on his ankle and pulled his cor. "Don''t say misleading things! People will misunderstand!" "Misunderstand what?" Nian blinked. "That we-" "That we?" "You know exactly what I am talking about!" She red at him. "Don''t feign ignorance!" The only thing Xing Bi wanted to do now was to lose Nian''s sight and meet Shui to give her wishes and gift. So she ran away at lightning speed. "Xing Biiii! Don''t leave me here all alone." He sobbed. "This cruel world scares me!" Everybody around him - "..." The world scares Liu Nian? Some of them who had heard the rumors of Nian''s violence whenever his switch got flipped could hardly agree. Then again, they had also seen how he brought two limp judges at the Summit. Clearly, he was the culprit. Xing Bi disappeared amidst the crowd, sighing in relief. Phew! The real reason why Xing Bi wanted to escape from him was theirst date, specifically how it had ended. She knew it was just a peck on a forehead and she should forget about it but somehow when Nian appeared before her again, she always recalled hisst expression, words and kiss. And then she had no clue what to speak or how to act. You have been single for far too long, idiot! A peck is nothing to get so riled up over! "Grandpa, you idiot! How dare you forget my gift!?" Xing Bi''s eyes widened and as she looked to her left, she was more taken aback by seeing Nian before her once again. W-wait wait! I just lost him at that side! How is he here already so soon!? She scratched the top of her head for a long time. Nian seemed to be arguing with an elderly man. The hell...does he have wings!? "I told you to stay put with my gift but you forgot!" Jian''s gaze darkened. "Now what will I give to Shui?" Liu Hai shot back. "I didn''t forget! It just got mixed up!" "You sure would never mix up your choctes, won''t you stupid old man?" He sneered. "You-you..." Liu Hai was unable to respond. Jian glowered. "Ugh! I feel like dumping you somewhere- ow, ow, oww!!!!" Suddenly, somebody grabbed his ear and pulled it hard until he felt it would tear off. Xing Bi, who was mercilessly twisting his ear, threw a deadly re at him. "Liu Nian! Is this how you talk to an elderly person!? And your Grandpa at that?" Chapter 376 Shuis Birthday Banquet Arc (6) Jian rapidly blinked at her,pletely aghast. "W-what? I am not-" "Shut up! Apologize to your grandfather right now! I won''t tolerate such harsh behavior. So what if he forgot your gift? He is also human. You have no right to disrespect him like that!" Xing Bi eximed in defiance. Silence. Then Liu Hai burst into tears out of nowhere. "Yes, yes! Tell this brat. He disrespects and humiliates me so much," he sniffled. "I always suffer at the hands of my grandson¡­" This bubbled her anger even more. Liu Hai''s shoulders drooped with helplessness as if he became a ball. At that moment, he perfectly looked like an elderly person ignored and chastised by his family. Jian felt a looming death threat from Xing Bi''s eyes. "Hey, hey, we can talk about this, okay? First of all, I am not who you are thinking me to be-" "Silence!" "..." Nian, who was desperately searching for Xing Bi, finally found her. But the scene before him dumbfounded him. Ah? Why is she scolding Jian? He didn''t know. He didn''t care. Because it was amusing to see Xing Bi scolding his twin. As a brother, he just found it to be entertaining so he hid behind a pir and watched the show. ,m Xing Bi said, "Your grandfather just forgot your gift. What''s the big deal in that? Everybody forgets things once in a while. That doesn''t mean you get to talk to him like this!" Liu Hai furiously bobbed his head up and down while simultaneously wiping his ''tears.'' "It''s all because of children and grandchildren like you that elderly people are forced to leave home! Don''t you have any shame? He must have raised you so lovingly and dotingly." Jian and Nian - "....." L-Lovingly? D-Dotingly? When? The only thing I remember is this old man stealing my food every single time! Xing Bi twisted his ear further. "Now apologize!" She nced at Liu Hai with concern and softly assured him. "Don''t worry. I will set this man straight tonight so that he won''t ever have the guts to disrespect you again!" Liu Hai was over the moon. His eyes sparkled like a child. "You are the best, my dear!" Nian smirked with pride. Of course she is. She is Xing Bi after all! Jian couldn''t bear this injustice anymore. "Hey I am not going to apologize to an old man who obviously did this on purpose!" Liu Hai looked even more pitiful with more tears filling his eyes. "W-why would I do it on purpose¡­?" Jian''s jaw dropped. That fucking acting as if he is so innocent!! Which only irked Xing Bi further. "Liu Nian! That''s it! You dare try to woo me by hiding this hideous and cruel side of yours? It was a mistake giving you any chance! I didn''t know you were so pathetic!" Nian''s bnce stumbled off the pir. He stared at Xing Bi in horror. He didn''t care about Jian getting scolded before. But NOW he did because apparently, Xing Bi was scolding ''Nian.'' The hell! She thought he was me all this time!? His love life was on the line now. Xing Bi was ruthless. "Thank you for showing your true side to me tonight. At least I now know not to waste my time over you!" "Nooooo!!! Don''t say that, my Xing Bi! Your future husband is here, not there!" Nian came crying and grabbed her hand. "Don''t say that you will leave me. How will my fragile heart be able to bear this separation from you?" "..." Xing Bi gave Nian a long and a hard stare. Then she slowly turned her gaze towards Jian whose ear she was mercilessly twisting. She looked at Nian. Then she looked at Jian once again. They looked exactly the same. This repeated a few more times. Then her mind shed with the memory of Jun telling her once that Nian had a twin brother. She had even eximed her shock over that. ''There is another one like him? One wasn''t enough!?'' "...You are Liu¡­Jian?" She ever so slowly asked. "Yes!" Jian finally got to clear the misunderstanding. Now that she thought about it, Jian''s clothes were indeed different from what Nian was wearing. Nian wore a red shirt with ck coat while Jian wore a cream shirt. But she was too focused on his face that she missed the color of the shirts was different. "..." Then only one word echoed in her mind after this realization. Shit!!! Xing Bi quickly let his ear go and tried to smile while hiding her tears. "Haha¡­hahaha¡­You two really look the same, don''t you?" "..." Jian, who suffered this pain needlessly, didn''t know what to say. At that moment, Xing Bi had never felt so embarrassed before. She mistook Jian for Nian, twisted his ear and even scolded him so harshly. Wait a minute¡­ Xing Bi blinked at Liu Hai. "You heard me saying Nian''s name, didn''t you? Why didn''t you say anything about it?" Liu Hai - "..." Her misunderstanding was so amusing and entertaining that I thoroughly wanted to enjoy it but I cannot tell her that, can I? Or she will rip off my ear next! The twins sneered. Yeah, tell her. What excuse do you have to give her now? Liu Hai hastily looked confused. "I-Is that so? Well their names are also so simr. I didn''t quite catch the N instead of J¡­" The twins - "..." This shitty grandpa! Do you have any conscience when you lie through your teeth! But my Xing Bi won''t definitely fall for it! Nian was sure. "Oh! Yeah, I get it. It''s easy to hear the wrong name when it''s so rhyming. I understand." "..." You fell for that!? Liu Hai beamed. "I know, right!? You understand me! I like you! Yup, I like you very much!" "Th-thank you Grandpa¡­" Xing Bi felt shy. "Are you single?" "Yes¡­?" "Then will you date my grandson? Even though Nian is an idiot, he has a few redeeming qualities of himself. He will definitely keep you happy! So, so! Please date my grandson and be my granddaughter-inw!" He chirped. "..." Xing Bi was blinded with the shine of Nian''s wide grin. "Grandpa, you always act so useless most of the time but now I feel like I love you so much!" He jumped to hug him. "How dare you say I am useless!" Xing Bi stared at the trio in a stupor. Huh? Wasn''t Grandpa so helpless and pitiful before? How did his character change so much!? Just what the hell is with this family¡­ Chapter 377 Shuis Birthday Banquet Arc (7) While Xing Bi talked with Liu Hai and Nian, Jian dashed into a corner to quickly ask for help to the onlyst hope of his life. The phone rang a few times and when it didn''t answer, Jian''s forehead began to sweat. Pick up...pick up damn it or I will kill you! "Bro?" Jian''s call of mercy got finally picked. "Jin! Jin! My dearest and cutest little brother!" "..." "Bye." "No! No, no wait! You cannot leave me alone here!" Jian tragically cried. "Only you can help me out now!" "With what?" "With my gift! That stupid Grandpa forgot ny gift for Shui back at home and now I have nothing to give her. I will be so screwed. The cake cutting is already done here." "Then buy a new gift for her. Bye." "No, don''t hang up! Look, I would have bought a new gift for Shui without any issues. But the thing is that Leina and I selected the gift together..." he burst into tears. "Now she is after me to bring the gift, but that stupid old grandpa abandoned it back home! If I tell Leina that I forgot it and there is nothing to give Shui, she will be so pissed off. She will eat me alive. She will kill me. She will break up with me. You know how close she is with Shui. She treats her like her sister!" Silence. "So hehe...hehehe..." Jian sheepishly grinned. "Bye," Jin ruthlessly dumped him. "No! Why are you being so mean to me? Please help your elder brother here! It''s the question of my rtionship with Leina. Will you please bring the gift here?" "No." "Please!" "I am chilling at home." "So send it out through any driver or butler." "I have already retired them to take the evening off. Nobody is here anyway." "So you are the only person left!" "Bye." "Jin pleaaaaaase..." he sniffled. "Aren''t you my cute little brother? Please help me out with this just once. I will do anything you want!" No answer. "Please, please, please. You will have my gratitude for the rest of my life!" "I am sick and supposed to be resting." His brow twitched with an arrow filled with guilt passing straight through his heart. "Th-th-th-that...Hahaha...Juste to the party and all your sickness will fly away! There is so much good food here!" "I am not a foodaholic like you and Bro Nian." "..." "Jian! Where is the gift?" Leina''s voice and her clear question cut through the air. "We are gettingte." Jian saw his future crumbling. "Jiiiiiiinnnnn..." "Fine!" He gritted his teeth and relented. "Really!?" Jian beamed. "But I will only hand over the gift and leave. Don''t force me to stay at the banquet." Jian furiously nodded. "Of course! Just give it to me and you can immediately leave. Promise!" -- "Happy Birthday, Shui!" Shui smiled and took the gift. "Thank you." The guest''s wishes and presents poured to congratte her. But Shui felt tired by now. The banquet went on full swing and Shui sat by the couch to take some rest. She didn''t know why but her chest felt uneasy. It was her birthday, and she was supposed to be full of joy but somehow, she couldn''t sink into this feeling of bliss. On one side, there was Xinyi and Zhiyuan talking to the guests. There was Siying and Nuo who wereughing together as they ate the cake. Her Aunt, Soo Zixi and uncle Soo Yunru, seemed to be having fun too. There were her grandparents, Han Tian and Han Liqin too who danced together. Then there were Jian and Leina and Nian and Xing Bi who hung around each other. Jinhai and Nana enjoyed the party together. Yating and Chyou seemed to be having a good time together too and then, there was Jun and Ai. Jun was flicking her forehead and apparently, flirting with her. She couldn''t help but feel a tinge of loneliness set in. Everybody had a special someone to share their smiles andughter with. But what about her? Where should she go to feel even a little bit of doting and spoiled? Not the kind that parents showered their child with. Not the kind that siblings and cousinsforted her with. But a partner with whom who would share your life with. It was her twenty-first birthday and considering that she had just barely crossed her twenties, she had no hurry to find someone to date. Life was just starting for her. She knew that. Yet the feeling of destion gripped her heart. She thought back to the days when Jun broke up with her. It was painful and filled with tension, but she also felt a burden lifting off her shoulders. She felt free. Shui faintly smiled, recalling the day of Jun announcing his breakup to the family. The day when she had realized for the first time that she was in love with Jin. She had felt heart race faster like never before. The butterflies tickled her stomach endlessly as she looked at Jin romantically. She never expected it would be instantaneous, but she had a teensy tiny hope that this birthday for her would be very special for her if she would have confessed to him before and if he had epted it. Even if not as a boyfriend, she still had hopes that they would grow much closer to each other, maybe more than just childhood friends. But the dream was crushed tonight. The dream was already crushed the day Jin said how much he hated her the first time. So much so that he refused to attend the banquet tonight and so much... That he refrained from even wishing her happy birthday. Shui trembled as she bit her lip, but she didn''t let her disappointment show. "Sis Shuiiiii!!" Her cousin Soo Zhenya, Yijun''s twin sister, hopped over to her side. "Why are you sitting so lonely here? Come on! It''s your birthday. Let''s spice things up!" Shui quickly smiled. "Spice things up? What do you mean?" "Well, it''s your banquet and how can there not be any dance?" Chapter 378 Shuis Birthday Banquet Arc (8) Shui blinked. "Dance?" "Yes!" Zhenya chirped. "Yijun and I came up with this idea together. Let''s shake things up with some chits, hohoho~ Do you have any special someone in your heart you want to dance with?" She winked. Shui stared at her, an awkward smile forming on her lips. "Not really." "Come on. There must be someone at the party, right? Did anybody catch your eye here?" The one I am looking for is already not here, Zhenya¡­ Zhenya sighed. "Okay. But!" Her eyes glittered once again. "That''s why I am here toe for your rescue, sis." Shui chuckled. "Rescue? How?" "Hehe¡­You will find that out soon!" On that note, her twin, Yijun brought a big ss bowl with colorful chits present inside. "*Ahem!*" Everybody''s attention snapped over to Yijun, who was ready to make some kind of an announcement. "Now that everybody has filled their tummies with yummy cake, it''s time to have some fun at this party!" "Yoooooo!!!" Everybody cheered. Yijun cleared his throat. "Sooooo, I have brought this bowl here. As you can see, there are many chits inside. Every chit has a number written on it. The pink ones have some numbers and the blue ones have the matching numbers as well. You pick one chit and you have to dance with the partner whose number written on your paper matches the other one! Cool, isn''t it?" Liu Hai objected. "Heyyyy! Why should I see my wife dance with another male partner? She already has her super handsome husband here!" Liu Chunhua red at him. "It''s just a game, Hai. What are you getting so anxious for?" Zhenya added. "Come on, Grandpa! It will be fuuuuun~ You always dance with your partner in all banquets anyway. That''s exactly why we thought of this game. It is fun to try something different~" she giggled. Jian sneered. "Heh. Grandpa is just afraid that Grandma will meet another hot, handsome and more importantly, sane man who she might fall in love with. Then poor Grandpa will be abandoned." "Because it''s very obvious that Grandma would rather choose that man instead of her own husband," Nian smirked. Everybody burst intoughter. "Shut up, you brats! As if you can see your girlfriend and your girlfriend-to-be dancing with other men!" "..." Jian and Nian thought about that scenario and knew it would cause a bloodbath at the banquet. Leina and Xing Bi, who were dragged in unnecessarily - "..." "I revolt against this game!" The twins shouted in unison, making Nuo and Nana facepalm. Jinhai dered. "I won''t dance with anybody else but Nana." Nana - "..." Zhenya rolled her eyes. "It''s just one dance. Things will be so exciting and fun to leave the fate of your partner at the hands of some chits. Keep your jealousy at bay, all you doting husbands!" The mouths of the men twitched. The women had no problem with this game. And since most of the men were wife ves, they were at their mercy. Yijun shrugged. "And it will be some super great luck if your number actually managed to get matched with your husband/boyfriend. This is a battle of fates too!" Jun sneered, observing Ai''s excitement to y the game. "Why are you so excited?" "I am always excited to y games," Ai seriously answered. "Why do I feel that you might be enjoying my misery more than enjoying the game?" "How could you say that? I will also be watching you dance with another woman right? It will be so hard for my heart." "Yeah I don''t see that tragedy on your face though," Jun grimaced. "You justck imagination." "..." After the feeble resistance that the men put forth which was already discarded and mercilessly thrown away, the game finally started. Everybody came one by one and picked their number chits. Women were supposed to pick pink chits and men the blue ones. Soo Yijun took the mic once again. "Okay, so everybody got their chits?" "Yesss!" "Cool! Now open your chits and find your partners. And remember, no cheating okay? No exchanging of chits or threatening to exchange the chits. This is applicable especially for some super doting and possessive husbands." The guilty men who had exactly thought of doing that - "..." One by one, everybody started to search for their dance partners by referring to the number on their chits. There was pandemonium and chaos ensued for several long moments. "41! Who is number 41?" "9? Number 9 anywhere?" "Here! I am 17!" Ai looked at her chit with the number 25 written on it. She looked for anybody who would call out number 25, but strangely enough, she didn''t hear anyone. She wondered if she should call out, but she didn''t like to shout or scream, especially when there were so many people. "25?" Ai asked, though her voice was hardly audible. She raised her hands in defeat. I won''t be able to shout like the others¡­ "25?" She heard a voice from behind her. Ai felt relieved as she turned. "Yes." But she was taken aback by the person. "Yating." ¡ª Jun stared at his own chit, and his expression turned ugly. He didn''t want to dance with a random woman even if it was just once. Maybe I should just scare her off with my gaze alone, heh. "37!" His brow twitched at his number being called but when he saw Xing Biing towards him, he slightly widened his eyes. "You are 37?" "Yes!" Xing Bi beamed. "Haha, I am so d it''s somebody I know," she chirped. Jun thought about Nian and his endlessly crying. "Bro will be so mad." She harrumphed. "Let him be. Come on. Let''s go!" ¡ª Shui''s chit had the number 50 written on it. Zhiyuan chimed in as he peeked at her chit. "Do you want me to find number 50 for you?" "So that you dispose of him?" "...Of course not. As a good father, I just don''t want to see my daughter work too hard." Her brow twitched. "No, thanks. I am not so fragile." Then she heard amotion at a distanceing from Zhenya. "Hey, hey where are you going? You are number 50! Where are you taking off?" Shui craned her neck, hearing the number 50 and she froze. The man Zhenya was arguing with was none other than Jin, who held a blue chit in his hand with the number 50 on it. Chapter 379 Shuis Birthday Banquet Arc (9) A few minutes before. This wasn''t supposed to happen. This wasn''t what Jin had nned. He arrived at the banquet with Jian''s gift in his hand. But the moment he entered, he noticed people rushing here and there from one ce to another. It seemed to him like everybody was finding somebody. He didn''t care. He just wanted to hand over the gift and end Jian''s whining once and for all. But he couldn''t find him anywhere. So instead he thought to give it to anybody he would meet from his family first and leave. From a distance, he did catch Nuo''s sight and was walking towards her when a man bumped into him in a hurry. The man widened his eyes as he recognized Jin. "Oh Liu Jin. I am so sorry!" Jin also knew him as an heir of one of the rich families. "No problem." He shrugged and began to walk away when he saw a chit flutter by his foot''s side which he realized probably fell from the man''s hand who he had bumped into just now. He picked the chit and saw the number 50 on it. He raised his brow and saw such simr chits on everybody''s hand. Is this some game going on? Ugh. I am not interested in being a part of this. Jin quickly found Nuo and said, "Here." "Jin? What are you doing here? Weren''t you resting at home?" She asked, surprised. He gritted his teeth. "I have an incredibly selfish and idiot elder brother. If not for him, I would have been at home." "..." What did the twins do now? "Sis, this is Bro Jian''s gift. Just give it to him, okay? I cannot find him in this crowd. I am leaving now." But as soon as he turned, a hand grabbed him and pulled him back. "Hey, hey, hey! Where are you going? You are holding the number 50 chit!" His brow twitched, watching Zhenya puff her cheeks. Jin replied. "It was an ident. I just picked it from the floor." "Yeah but now you have it anyway. It will be too troublesome to find the person who had this chit before. Look around you, everybody is moving from one ce to another! We will just give another chit to that person." Nuo nodded. "I agree." Jin grimaced. "So what do you want me to do?" "Since you are here anyway, why notplete this game?" Zhenya chirped. "No, thanks," he coldly said. "Hey! It''s a game which Yijun and I thought of so painfully. At least finish this game and then go. Please don''t be so heartless," she sobbed. Nuo patted his head. "It''s okay, Jin. You should go. You are not feeling well. It wouldn''t be good to stay here forcibly." Jin pursed his lips. "Fine, I will stay till this game is over." Zhenya beamed. "Yay! The more the merrier. It will be fun. You will forget all your sickness~ Soooo...who is number 50...?" "Here is number 50!" Yijun dragged Shui in front of the group, who was resisting with full force. "Yi-Yijun I..." Jin froze, and the chit slowly crumpled in his fist. Yijun narrowed his eyes. "The birthday girl herself is breaking the rules! I saw her sneakily taking another chit from the bowl and recing her 50 one. Sis Shui, this is your party." Shui''s smile faltered. She could feel the chilly winds blowing from Jin''s side, who was clearly not thrilled to see the 50 number chit with Shui. Zhenya''s mouth twitched. "Sis Shui, were you really cheating?" "I..." her heart thudded in her chest. "I just thought..." "Anyway! Now that Jin has the number 50 chit too, it means that he is your dance partner! Hohoho, head over to the dance floor." By that point, everybody had pretty much found their partners and had already started dancing. The music turned on and the DJ yed song tracks in the background. Since it was Shui''s birthday banquet, everybody also focused on her from time to time, curious to know as to who was her partner. Being the focus of this attention made things even more difficult for her. Jin stood inplete silence, watching her unblinkingly with his narrowed eyes. Shui heard the sound of her heart pounding even harder. The main question bugging her mind was why Jin came to the banquet when he had no interest in the first ce? Just for a moment, she hoped that he might have had a change of heart but soon, she realized that he only came to hand over Jian''s gift. She wasn''t the reason. Even if she didn''t want to, her hopes still got deted. Clearly, Jin was also pulled into this game by ident. She really wondered if it was a stroke of luck that Jin got the 50 number chit. But what was the use of getting happy? She knew for a fact that Jin would die rather than dance with the woman he hated. A woman to whom he didn''t even give his birthday wish. Shui took a deep breath and whispered. "You can leave. You don''t have to force yourself to stay and go through with this." Jin didn''t answer. There was a deep stretch of silence until people started to wonder what was going wrong. Shui felt increasingly nervous for some reason. Why isn''t he saying anything? Then it clicked with her that it would look really bad if Jin simply turned and left. Though she herself would be more humiliated, it would have an effect on Jin as well. "Just y along with me, okay? That way, it wouldn''t look so awkward for you once you leave," Shui quickly exined. Jin still said nothing. Shui bit her lower lip. She had no clue what he was thinking at all. In the end, she just turned to go ahead when she caught something from the corner of her eye. Jin''s hand was ever so slowly rising in the air until it halted at a point with his palm open and out in front of her. Chapter 380 Shuis Birthday Banquet Arc (10) Shui stared at Jin''s posture, particrly his hand that was open right before her. She knew what the gesture meant, but she still had trouble processing the meaninging from Jin. She looked up at Jin with confusion and couldn''t help but ask, "What¡­?" Jin pointed his gaze towards her hand, which she followed and couldn''t believe that he was really asking her hand for a dance. "No, that''s fine¡­Like I said, you don''t have to force yourself." Jin tilted his head and smiled. "Everything that I want to do will be of my own free will. YOU cannot force me anyway, Han Shui. Not again." Shui blinked. Again? Jin slowly took her hand in his, making Shui stiffen. The light focused on them as Jin pulled her and wrapped his arm around her waist. She swallowed a sharp gulp and felt her head spinning. Is he really¡­dancing with me? Their fingers intertwined but a little tighter than what Shui expected. She felt the tips of his fingers digging on the back of her hand, slightly making her ufortable. "I-It''s¡­It''s¡­" She didn''t know how to put it. "Hurting?" Jin smiled. To others, that smile would look like a friend smiling at his childhood friend, but it was only a condescending smile filled with loathe for Shui. Shui said nothing but the awkward expression on her face was a clear answer to his question. "Then that''s good, isn''t it?" Jin chuckled. Her eyshes trembled. "Or did you think that I would be so forgiving and kind-hearted just because it''s your birthday? It''s just a birthday. Nothing to treat you so special over it, right?" She said nothing. "Look, there are soooo many people already treating you like a princess tonight. One man not treating you like that won''t make a difference to you." Shui trembled again and her misty eyes shone with anger. "Jin. I didn''t force you to dance with me. Why are you humiliating me when I did nothing wrong?" "Because I like to see you sad. I like to see you hurt, Han Shui." She froze. "As for what you did wrong¡­do you really need to ask me that?" Jin''s voice turned sharper and colder. He twirled her around his finger but his movements were not as elegant and smooth. Instead, the harshness from them made her almost stumble, though it was unnoticeable when Jin quickly caught her. Jin smiled. "Dancing with me is more of a humiliation than me leaving you stranded, isn''t it? I like this option better." Shui tried to calm down her messy breaths and stop her shoulders from shivering any further. Instead of getting furious again, she peered into his eyes and tried to look for an answer in them. The answer for his hatred. Resentment. It wasn''t just now. Ever since the Shanghai Fest concluded, she gave it a serious thought for Jin''s actions. For a childhood friend to hate her like this wouldn''t bubble out of nowhere. ,m But no matter what, she really couldn''te up with anything. Except¡­ "Jin. Do you¡­hate me because you think I didn''t treat Jun well?" The fingers that were painfully digging on her skin paused. His gaze looked different too, and she immediately noticed the change. "You think that I hurt Jun by ignoring him or not loving him the way he wanted me to?" "Shut up, Han Shui," his voice grew thunderously grim. "Don''t fucking dare to talk about Bro Jun." His threat was enough for her to know that she spoke the truth. "You¡­" "Shut up," Jin pulled her closer but there wasn''t a speck of intimacy between them. "Don''t talk about Bro Jun. You have already broken up with him. So don''t dare to talk about your pathetic rtionship and your pathetic role in it." Shui stared into his gaze. Her words had hit his nerve and his reaction equally hit her childhood memories of him. "I knew it¡­You always followed Jun everywhere. You liked him so much. More than anybody else in your family, you always chose to spend your time with Jun. But whenever he paid more attention to me, you always got so angry." Jin narrowed his eyes. She faintly chuckled. "Remember that day? We three were ying and drawing together. Then Jun went outside for a while. Only the two of us remained who were drawing together." *shback* Little Shui was humming with joy as she colored the characters of her drawing. "Jun will definitely like this!" She chirped. "This is the most handsome I have drawn him till now! Right, Jin?" Jin, who was busy with his own drawing, threw a bored nce at her picture. His brow slightly twitched. He looked at his own drawing where he had sketched out Jun''s figure. He was trying to draw little Jun and little Jin - two brothers standing together. But he bit his lip in anger, realizing that Shui''s imitation of Jun was actually better than his. "Haha, Mom knows how to draw too! She helps Aunt Shuang with game characters, and she taught me too. Look, it hase out so well, right?" Shui beamed. Little Jin clenched the pencil in his hand. He suddenly felt like tearing apart his drawing. Bro will¡­like her picture more than mine, right? It''s so ugly¡­ Shui was whistling a happy tune, eager to show her picture to Jun. Jin stared at her picture again and felt irked. Will Bro y with her even more if he gets impressed? It''s not that good either! In a fit of jealousy that he couldn''t control, Jin sshed paint upon her paper, ruining the drawing. Shui gasped in horror. "My drawing!" She picked her paper and stared at her ruined picture with tears brimming in her eyes. "Jin! My drawing! It''s all ugly now!" She cried. "Why do you ssh paint on it! You are mean!" Jin snapped out, and his face paled. Shit! Jun was alsoing at any moment and if he saw Shui crying, it would be over for him. "Sh-Shui¡­please¡­Please don''t tell me Bro that I did it. Please I beg you!" Chapter 381 Shuis Birthday Banquet Arc (11) Before Jin could hear Shui''s answer, Jun had already entered the room. Noticing the off atmosphere around him, he asked, "What''s the matter?" Which only made Jin panic inwardly. He begged Shui with his eyes not to tell him the truth. Jun''s eyes widened seeing the tears in Shui''s eyes. "Why are you crying? What happened?" He quickly asked, concerned. "Jun¡­" Her voice choked. He saw the ruined drawing. "Oh. Is it because of this?" Jin gulped even more now. His little body was trembling with fear and sweat. If he came to know the truth, then Jun would be definitely disappointed in him. He might not talk to him anymore. "I sshed the paint by ident¡­" she sniffled. Jin stiffened and widened his eyes. His head jerked towards her in disbelief. "Oh¡­" Jun shook his head. "That''s unfortunate. But that''s nothing to cry over silly," he wiped her eyes. "Let''s draw a new picture together!" Shui pursed her lips. "But it was my most best drawing!" He chuckled and patted her head. "Then we will draw your most best drawing once again. Nothing is impossible." "Really?" "Yes." She beamed. "Okay!" "Wait, let me bring some tissues for you." Jun observed Jin''s ghastly white face. "What happened to you, Jin? Why do you look so afraid?" He straightened up and furiously shook his head. "Nothing!" "Okay¡­if you say so," he ruffled his hair too. Jin couldn''t speak much after he left. More like, he wanted to thank Shui but he felt ashamed. Shui pouted. "You have to give me chocte for this!" She dered as she faced Jin, cing her hands on her hips. "Lots of chocte!" Jin bit his lip after he went through an almost heart attack. "...Why did you help me? I ruined your drawing¡­" Shui blinked. "Because Jun will be angry at you. I don''t want to see that. I want us to y together and be happy! I don''t want to see Jun and Jin fighting!" At that point, Jin felt extremely embarrassed at himself, who was supposed to be a year older than her and technically act more mature than her. "I am the worst¡­" he mumbled. *shback ends* Jin smiled with menace in his eyes. "I remember that day perfectly well. You said that you wanted to see us happy together. You said¡­" he clutched her hand until it pained her, "that you didn''t want to see Bro Jun and me fight. But then those words quickly lost their meaning, didn''t they? You went back on your own words." He gnashed his jaw, recalling how much Jun began to hate Jin after that birthday banquet in his banquet life. "You became the reason why everything went wrong between us. You¡­everything is your damn fault," he wanted to scream and shout but with the banquet going on, he couldn''t. "If not for you, then¡­Bro Jun would have never hated me so much. He wouldn''t have had to suffer so much. You are the one who destroyed every single thing in our lives." Shui couldn''t grasp the meaning behind some of his words. "Hate? When did Jun hate you?" Jin felt even more irked. He had a strong urge to reveal the past, but it would be useless. "Doesn''t matter if you understand it or not, Han Shui. It wouldn''t change the fact that you broke his heart. My brother dedicated his life for you but instead¡­you only returned everything of that with pain. Lots and lots of pain. Heh. Did you think he broke up with you just like that? No. Youpletely disappointed him as a girlfriend." She froze. "You began to lie to avoid spending time with him. Fooling my brother with your pathetic excuses¡­did you ever stop to think how much it would hurt him?" That struck her hard, and she couldn''t retort because until now, she felt guilty for lying to Jun like that. "And then¡­you have the fucking nerve to say that you love me?" His gaze looked nk but lethal. "Me? When you broke the heart of the person who is the most precious to me, for whose sake I bitterly epted the fact that you will be the most important person to him, the man who only knew how to love you like crazy¡­did you really think that I will ept your disgusting feelings as if nothing ever happened? Bro Jun is my pride and after striking down my pride like that, you thought you will ever have any future with me? I am not sure if you are too gutsy or just a big fool." Shui felt the distance even more widening between them. Jin was the closest to her right now but only physically. His heart was the farthest, at a point she believed she wouldn''t be able to touch it at all. Their steps were in sync as they danced, but the emotions swirling in their eyesy on two sides of a spectrum. "Jin," her voice quivered. "I have always¡­always tried my best to be a good girlfriend to Jun. I admit I might have been a little stupid that day of lying to Jun. I still feel guilty of that. But did you think that I was enjoying doing that? Things were difficult for me as they were difficult for Jun." Jin''s countenance darkened even further. "Say that again¡­" ¡ª On the other side, Jun, who saw Jin dance with Shui, couldn''t believe his eyes. Not only Jin came to the banquet, but he agreed to dance with Shui too despite how much he imed he hated her. He had been worried that he would abandon her midway just to humiliate her, but he was relieved he didn''t do that. "What''s wrong? Am I not dancing properly?" His dance partner, Xing Bi, asked. "Ah? No, you are dancing just fine. I am sorry. I was thinking about something else." "Ai''s partner?" She chuckled. His brow twitched. "Not really¡­" But in fact, Jun''s eyes were searching for Ai and that man who she would dance with. Xing Bi caught something on her left and eximed. "Found Ai!" Chapter 382 Shuis Birthday Banquet Arc (12) "Where!?" Jun''s high-pitched voice was enough to express that he had been really anxious this whole time. Xing Biughed. "Gosh, you are so possessive, Jun." "I don''t like unnecessary bugs hovering around her. I don''t want to see useless rivals sprouting here and there." "Haha, I am sure you wouldn''t be bothered. Look, her partner is Gu Yating." He froze and jerked his head back. His frosty, dark brown eyes were locked onto them as they talked. Xing Bi, who waspletely unaware of his past life, chirped. "Well, they are good friends, so you can be rest assured." Rest assured? That was far from what Jun was feeling at this moment. Out of all the people in this banquet, Ai and Yating picked the chits that matched numbers. Out of all the people in this banquet, the man Ai was going to dance with was Gu Yating. What was this feeling¡­ Jun knew it very well that he shouldn''t be bothered by this. It was a dance. Just a few minutes of dance that would soon be over. But why¡­is it with Gu Yating!? "Jun?" Xing Bi waved her hand before his face. "Where are you lost?" "Nothing¡­" But he still felt bothered. Anxious. Restless. Jun hated this feeling. Say no, Ai. Say no to him. Don''t dance with him. He felt his vision darkening and his heart enveloping in a sort of gloominess. It was simr to the emotion he had felt while watching Jin and Ai dance during the wedding anniversary banquet. I don''t¡­want to fucking watch this¡­ ¡ª ''Guiying'', from a distance, tilted her head, observing Jun''s facial expressions. He was trying to smile his hardest in front of Xing Bi, but the restlessness that leaked out from his gaze said how much it bothered him watching Ai and Yating together. Perfect¡­''she'' sneered. It was a good n to switch Gu Yating''s chit. What I had nned is taking effect. Part one is sess. Satisfaction filled ''Guiying''s'' heart. "11?" Her chit had the number 11 written on it, and ''she'' turned instinctively. "Yes-" ''She'' stiffened as Zixin appeared before her. Zixin nced at her chit and then smiled. "My chit has the number eleven too. "Well, I don''t really want to-" As opposed tost time, ''Guiying'' couldn''t control the real Guiying from taking over. For some reason, she didn''t want her alter ego to talk rudely to Zixin once again, so when it was regarding talking to Zixin, she felt it was better that she did the job. "I-I am really sorry forst time!" Zixin blinked his eyelids and once again felt the difference in her expression and tone. "Sorry for what?" Guiying shut her eyes, feeling ashamed. "I talked rudely to you when we just met before. I am sorry. I didn''t mean it that way." "I didn''t feel it was rude." She awkwardly smiled. It was definitely rude and disrespectful. "You have a kind heart¡­" Zixin wondered about that. "I am not sure. Don''t fret over it." "Thank you," she slightly bowed. When she raised her gaze, she saw a hand stretching towards her. She felt her heart stop beating when she suddenly faced his sincere eyes. "If you don''t mind, will you dance with me?" "I-I¡­" She wasn''t sure of how to respond. "We have the same numbers," Zixin tilted his head. "We should seriously y this game." Guiying stared at him in wonder. Is it only me or he looks a little¡­stubborn today? "Yes, of course!" Guiying ced her hand in his, making Zixin give a wide smile. "Good. Let''s go." ¡ª A few minutes before, the atmosphere between Ai and Yating was at a standstill. It was too sudden and shocking to see their chits with matching numbers. Inwardly, the two of them had a bullet train of thoughts speeding in their minds. For just half of a second, Yating was overjoyed seeing Ai as his partner. The lingering feelings for Ai filled his heart with a sparkling joy. But it was momentary, considering their situation. What should I do? Should I ask her for a dance? I-It''s just a game, after all. Yeah, it shouldn''t be a problem, right? Everybody is dancing. No, no, forget it, Yating! Don''t be stupid and selfish! Ai will definitely feel ufortable. I don''t want to put her in a hard position. It was a tug-of-war in his heart. He really wanted to dance with Ai, but he also didn''t want to put her in an odd position. Ai was in a simr thought process. Should I go ahead or not? This is just a game though¡­ But then again, she could imagine Jun''s heavy distaste if he ever saw them dancing together. Which he would. But if I reject Yating, will he think it''s his fault for me being suspicious about his feelings? I would have definitely thought that if I was in his ce¡­ She pursed her lips. Ai didn''t wish Yating to feel guilty either or make Jun restless. "Ai, it''s okay," Yating smiled. "Let''s skip the dance." Listening to his understanding words, Ai felt guiltier for her hesitation. "Hey, what is this I am hearing?" The game police, Zhenya, who was passing by, stopped before them. "You cannot skip the dance, okay? "..." She puffed her cheeks. "You have picked the chits and found your partners. Now, you cannot leave without dancing, okay? Otherwise, everybody would prefer to skip dancing, especially those ultra max doting boyfriends and husbands! Rules are rules." Well, she had a point. Yating asked, "Is there a penalty I can pay?" Her mouth twitched. "You will pay a penalty rather than getting over with a five minutes dance?" He coughed. "Well there is a penalty indeed. The penalty is a five minutes extra dance!" "..." "The penalty for not dancing is more dancing, hahaha! Now get going you two. And I will be counting the time, okay? Ten minutes!" Yating felt he had no face to show to Ai. "I am sorry." "You don''t have to be. Actually, Zhenya is right. Let''s go ahead," she nodded. He widened his eyes. "You¡­" She smiled. "I am sure of it." He gulped and felt his heart pounding in his chest. "If¡­if you say so," he offered her his hand, "Shall we?" Chapter 383 Shuis Birthday Banquet Arc (13) Yating could see his fingers trembling as he held Ai''s hand in his. His gaze fell at Ai, and his heart skipped a beat. He quickly looked away, not wanting her to catch his expression. "Your hand feels cold," Ai remarked. ? "Is that so? I don''t know¡­" His other arm pulled her waist and with that, she stepped even closer to him. He lowered his gaze and noticed her eyshes at a closer distance, blinking and fluttering. "I apologize in advance if I step on your foot," Ai said. His daze broke, and he smiled. "Doesn''t matter." They danced to the music ying in the background while Yating took slow, deliberate steps so that Ai could match his pace. Ai asked, "How is work going in Dream High?" Yating thanked the heavens that she asked that question because he was at aplete loss. He didn''t want to be mute during this whole time of dancing with her. "Yeah going pretty good¡­" he couldn''t make up his mind if he should focus on his answer or at the heart loudly beating in his chest. So close¡­ He tried to shut off any intimate thoughts that kept hammering into his mind the closer the Ai was. "How is your new booking up?" She smiled. "Yes, it''s good. Oh and how is Mr. Gu?" He nodded. "More energetic now since he has joined back thepany. Of course, he still demands an answer from that judge for using him." "Indeed¡­" Now that they knew that everything was linked to Guiying to such an extent, she wondered if the bribe against her was really her doing. Though Chyou never got any evidence against her, she couldn''t help but think if there was something more at y. "Ai?" "Yes?" He chuckled. "What are you thinking so deeply?" She shook her head. "Just some random thoughts. By Mr. Gu, I remember. Nuo said that he is interested in a marriage proposal for you and Chyou." His brow twitched. "Please ignore that! Dad is all going on about this on his own. Chyou and I are just friends." He was a second too quick to answer that, and he didn''t understand why he felt the need to rify. He was aware that it had no point. "I mean," he cleared his throat. "She helped me a lot with Dad''s stuff. It''s because of her that Dad could get bail. Also she-" He was about to reveal that she was interested in Cheng Yin but he had promised Chyou not toe out with it. "She¡­is a brilliant actress. It''s her golden time to focus on her career," he randomly came up with it. The mention of that made Ai shine. "Yes! Chyou is so talented. I have watched all her movies! I am also her biggest fan," she softly smiled with pride, "I have her autograph too." Yating blinked and stared at her. Their steps continued to be in a rhythm. "You are her fan?" "Yes," her eyes sparkled. "That day we met you at her set, it was because Jun took me to meet my idol." Howe I never got to know that she had an actor she liked so much¡­? Suddenly, he felt depressed about not knowing something about the woman he loved so much. "I see. Indeed, she is very talented. I watched her performance on the set that day when it got on fire. I had to admit that even if I wasn''t interested in movies that much, she actually made me want to try watching one of her movies." She chuckled. "Yes, nobody can beat Chyou''s charm." From a distance, Jun''s aura kept on darkening and worsening. First, he had to bear that Yating was her partner and now, he watched them talk andugh together. His heart burned as if somebody was continuously pouring acid on top of it. Xing Bi was dumbfounded. "You are leaking too much of a murderous aura. It feels chilly, okay?" She felt her hair tingle on the back of her neck, feeling an intent gaze from her right which belonged to none other than Nian, who wasmenting on his fate of not being Xing Bi''s dance partner and simultaneously also getting extremely jealous of Jun. These two brothers¡­Can they not just let this dance get over in peace!? ¡ª "Are you nervous?" Zixin asked Guiying as she was fumbling in her steps as they danced. "Oh-oh¡­Sorry¡­I am not used to dancing like this," she apologetically smiled, feeling embarrassed. "You have never danced with someone before?" "...Not really." Zixin''s eyes twinkled for some unknown reason. "I see. I thought you had experience considering how you wrote a perfect dancing scene in Forever Heart." "Oh yeah that, I had to research a lot from that and-" She abruptly paused and stared at Zixin. "What did you say?" "How you wrote a perfect dancing scene in Forever Heart?" She blinked rapidly. "How did you know that?" "Know about your book? Indeed, I do. I came to know that you are CherryBlossom. You wrote the book Forever Heart, right?" "Yes¡­" For some reason, Guiying felt a nauseous feeling erupting in her chest. It wasn''t that she was particrly trying to hide it from Zixin but she also preferred he didn''t know her identity. "I-I see¡­" Zixin beamed and nodded. "I read your book. I loved it. You did a good job." She froze. He said with absolute sincerity. "I didn''t know much about the writing world or the process. But reading your book made me realize how much effort you had put in. From the beginning to the end how you crafted it; it was amazing. I didn''t realize when the time passed by at all. I have your other books with me too and I am reading them next." She stared at him, tears threatening to form in her eyes. What was it? It wasn''t like she hadn''t gotten appreciation from her readers before. But she had this strange urge to cry as something welled in her chest. She had been asked to think of a new story but been feeling nk since the Summit ended. Her mind was empty. No new ideas flowed anymore. But Zixin''s appreciation was simple, yet heart touching. For a moment, a note she had once received from MrPerfect shed in her mind. ''You did a good job. I didn''t realize when the time passed by.'' Chapter 384 Shuis Birthday Banquet Arc (14) Zixin watched her expression with wonder. He thought she would feel joyous to know that he appreciated her work. For any author, it was a hugepliment for readers to love their work. "Did I say something wrong?" He blinked, slightly anxious. Guiying felt her voice going hoarse. "You...read my books?" "Yes." "You liked them?" He nodded. "Yes." The Summit had shaken up her confidence but a few simple words from Zixin felt as if those dark clouds of uncertainty and doubt were fading away. She nced at Ai and for the first time, she thought she could breathe a little. "Thank you," she sincerely said. "I am d you liked my books." "I like them a lot," he smiled. "You are extremely talented." Zixin felt her hand shivering in his. He couldn''t understand what was the reason behind it. But he grasped it firmer to reassure her until the shivering had stopped. "Your fingers are trembling." "I-Is that so?" She exhaled. She stared at his hand tightly holding onto hers. Zixin pursed his lips. "You seem a little in distress." Guiying didn''t know what to say. She herself had trouble dealing with her own emotions. On top of that, Zixin wasn''t a writer like her. She wasn''t sure if he would understand her struggle. "I...have toe up with a new story." Zixin gleamed at that. A new book from her? She wryly smiled. "But I feel lost these days. I try to write my ideas on paper. But I don''t get any..." He twirled her around his finger and immediately caught her waist before she could stumble. Guiying bit her lower lip, feeling his palm clutch onto her back. Her gaze got stuck at his chest level as she swallowed a gulp. "Are you afraid of something?" He softly asked. She froze. Zixin stared ahead as if in a trance. "I don''t remember anything. While I work, I feel nk at times. I understand what I am doing. I understand my responsibilities. But sometimes...there is a nagging feeling in my heart," he whispered. "What if I screw up? I am not the previous Zixin who knew everything. I have a supportive family, yet I am afraid I would disappoint them if I don''t learn my work fast enough. If I don''t gel with the family soon enough." Guiying furiously shook her head. "You don''t have to be worried about that. You said you have a loving family, right? You went through such a horrible ident and lost your memories. They would never put such pressure on you. You should do things at your own pace." Zixin lowered his gaze at her. "Yes. It''s the same for you, right? You shouldn''t be too worried either. You are talented. You know what you are writing, and your readers will love your work. You have many loving readers to support you. I am one of them. I will always be your loyal fan." Her breath got stuck in her throat, and she was unable to respond. Especially when thest sentence from him was whispered closer to her ear. His low and deep voice sent her heart into a frenzy. MrPerfect used to convey the same thing through his notes at times. ''I will always be your loyal fan.'' Why am I thinking about MrPerfect at this point...? I don''t want to. She threw a quick nce towards Jun, making her feelplicated. But there were also Zixin''s soothing words who kept her turbulent heart in peace. "Thank you so much. I will try my best," her eyes ached. Zixin gave it a thought and came up with an idea. "If you don''t mind, how about we work together?" "Sorry?" "I mean for your new book. If you feel you arecking ideas, how about we brainstorm ideas together? I will do my research," he solemnly said. "Then we can list them out and you might get some inspiration." The more he said, the more eager he looked. "Since I read your books, I have been interested in the whole process of writing and publishing. I want to know how you work. I want to learn more about you." Guiying stiffened. Thest line was usually meant in terms of getting to know a person from a rtionship''s perspective. That''s why her heart skipped a big beat for a moment when she assumed this. But looking at him now, she understood that he meant it in a professional sense. Which made her exhale a breath of relief. Idiot, Guiying! He didn''t mean it that way. What were you thinking? "Shall we?" His eyes were subtly sparkling, expecting a yes from her. Zixin looked like a person who wouldn''t talk much but right now standing in front of her, Guiying had apletely different impression of him. "S-sure." Guiying thought it wasn''t a bad idea. It might even prove helpful to get a fresh perspective from someone who didn''t know much about books. "Okay," he nodded with a sense of satisfaction. Guiying couldn''t help but chuckle at his excitement. She then had a thought and apologized. "I am sorry I didn''t tell you that evening about my writer identity. I," her heart flushed with embarrassment, "I had lost a big Summit just a month before so...I didn''t have the confidence." Zixin tilted his head. "But you reached the finals, didn''t you?" "Ah? Yes." "Isn''t that awesome then? You reached the final two amidst such tough and intensepetition. You already won by a wide margin. Of course, the final prize would make anyone happier. But standing second in anypetition is never a loss. It just means that you are one step away from winning a big prize the next time you try." She blinked her eyes rapidly. "Be proud of yourself," he leaned in face ever so slightly. "There is no reason for you to feel like a loser at all." Suddenly, Guiying''s heart flooded with a downpour of emotions she never felt before. Be proud of yourself. Can I...really feel that way? Chapter 385 Shuis Birthday Banquet Arc (15) Zixin asked, bringing Guiying out of her stupor, "You didn''te to my get-together party. I thought you would." Guiying failed to understand his point. "The evening we met at the hotel?" "Yes." "But why would I be at your party? We didn''t know each other so well." "But Zhou Ai knows me. Since my siblings and cousins brought their friends to the party, I thought you would be present too." Guiying stared at him unblinkingly. "A-Ai...?" "Yes." She stiffened, her heart beating faster. She didn''t know why Ai was suddenly brought into the picture. "How would Ai know you?" For that matter, it now struck her as to why he was at this party tonight. Was he someone who knew Shui? Zixin blinked once. "Because she is dating my cousin." That felt as if she was zapped by lightning. Her eyes slowly widened, aghast. "...Cousin?" He nodded. "Liu Jun. He is my cousin and Zhou Ai is dating him. So she was at my party too. I wonderedter if Zhou Ai should have invited you. I had my other cousins who brought their friends too." Hemented. Guiying was so close to him that evening. She could have been a part of the get-together too. It waster that he realized this. But the realization that Guiying was mounted upon was enormous. He and Liu Jun are...cousins? Then she remembered that at the time she met Zixin for the first time in the hospital, Cai Lingyun said that he had met Ai. She was at the hotel too, but she only knew it was a party, not which or whose party. She trembled and her mind went nk. She was absolutely clueless that Jun and Zixin were rted. "How..." she whispered under her breath. Nevertheless, Zixin answered her question. "My Dad and his father are also cousins." She froze. So he is...that Chen Zixin? Her heart sped faster in her chest. A slight dizziness surrounded her. "Are you alright?" He worriedly asked, seeing her pale expression. But instead of his worry, he received a cold shoulder as he was slightly pushed away. ''Guiying'' stopped the dance, and her gaze was filled with menace and iciness. It was extremely tough not tosh out, but she also didn''t want to create a scene. Not until the second part of my n is executed... Gritting her teeth, ''she'' tried her hardest to smile. "I am tired. Let''s stop the dance here." Zixin wasn''t sure what went wrong, but he felt the subtle distance that she suddenly brought between them. He nodded. "Of course." ''Guiying'' then turned, her countenance darkening and her balled fist trembling. Chen Zixin and Liu Jun...? Her heart burned with resentment. ''She'' had no particr thoughts about Zixin for that matter. But ''she'' couldn''t ignore now that Zixin and Jun were cousins. Anything and everything rted to Jun irked her. And to know that Zixin was a part of that same circle... ''She'' couldn''t feel more frustrated. Damn! What the hell is with this idiot''s fate! Why did she have to meet a man rted to that cheater Liu Jun!? ''She'' took a few deep breaths to calm down. Nothing was lost. At this point, Zixin and her were merely acquaintances who met each other a few times with coincidence. Apart from my revenge, I don''t want to keep any other rtionship with any of Liu Jun''s damn rtives! ''She'' sneered as she thought of her n. It must be any moment now- From the corner of her eye, ''she'' saw a man making his way, and smiled. Just in time~ -- Yating and Ai continued dancing for some time until the time was finally up. He slowly let go of her. "You danced well. You were needlessly worried." Ai only scratched her chin. A man then approached Yating, and he smiled brightly. "Gu Yating!" He spoke in a slightly louder voice than necessary, which already caught some of the people''s attention. Yating nced at him and furrowed his brows as he tried to remember him for a moment. "Mr. Lin." "Yes! d that you remember me." Yating couldn''t help but slightly get ufortable. "How are you?" "I am doing well. Mypany is working on another project with Han Siying to build a new hotel. Haha, I only have to thank you for that. You know how markets are already so down globally. There is not much demand for constructions but ever since we contracted with you, it seems my luck has opened! Hohoho!" Yating stiffened. His mind became a mess. Mr. Lin doesn''t know? Ai, on the other side, couldn''t really follow their conversation. But guessing from what Mr. Lin said she surmised that he dealt with construction business. He beamed. "So, Gu Yating! How is the construction going on for your project? I hope mypany and people are doing a good job." "Mr. Lin-" "Ai Publishing, right? That was the name of your project. Don''t worry! I have already allotted my most capable manager to do the job. You won''t have anyints!" Yating froze hard and so did the silence in the atmosphere. The guests dancing near Yating and Ai were at a total loss. "Did he say Ai Publishing?" One whispered. "Ai? I don''t understand. Who is Ai?" "Oh, oh! It must definitely be his girlfriend! Ai is a girl''s name..." But when everybody''s gazes fell upon Ai, they rapidly blinked their eyes as they also realized that her name was also Ai. Mr. Lin nced at Ai and looked at her curiously. "You are dancing with Gu Yating...So you must definitely be Ai, right?" The guests were now keenly watching the trio. Ai frowned. "...Yes. But I am not Ai because I danced with Yating," she couldn''t understand his logic. "Huh? Howe? Aren''t you Gu Yating''s girlfriend?" She stared at him. "Sorry?" Yating felt his entire body go rigid. He red at Mr. Lin. "Mr. Lin! Enough! What are you talking about!?" "I am talking about thepany you want to build for Ai. Ai Publishing. It stands for the woman''s name you love. You forgot you told me this yourself when we were discussing the project details?" Yating widened his eyes in utter disbelief. The hell... He had indeed talked about this to Mr. Lin during the very initial stages of the project but... "Mr. Lin, didn''t the manager in charge tell you that I have cancelled the project?" Mr. Lin was taken aback. "What!? T-The project has been cancelled? How? Why?" Yating felt his head spin. "Let''s go somewhere else-" "I had no clue about this! I swear! I thought Ai Publishing is continuing as expected. Did we do something wrong that you cancelled the project?" He anxiously asked. "Please tell me, Gu Yating. I won''t tolerate any misconduct from mypany''s side for any project!" Yating gritted his teeth, and a vein popped on his forehead with anger surfacing in his eyes. "Did you think this was the right ce to talk about it, Mr. Lin?" He jumped back slightly with fear. "I-I am sorry, Gu Yating. I thought everything was going on as nned! And then I just arrived, and I saw you dancing with her, so I thought she must definitely be the same woman you were talking about." A series of sharp gasps echoed among the guests. "Hey, hey, what does this mean?" "Okay, my head is spinning. Gu Yating loves Zhou Ai!?" "But isn''t she Liu Jun''s girlfriend?" "So...is this a love triangle?" "Damn Gu Yating was nning to build apany for Zhou Ai''s sake? Isn''t that awesome?" "But then he cancelled it...hey is it because Zhou Ai started dating Liu Jun?" "Of course, it''s definitely that." "Was it one-sided love on Gu Yating''s side then?" "Wait, wasn''t Zhou Ai working in Dream High until a few months ago? It must be definitely during that time!" "But then he cancelled the project...it must be around the time Zhou Ai left Dream High and joined Sky." "I never could have thought that the heir of the Gu family was interested in Zhou Ai too?" The whispers and specifications reached Yating''s ears, and he only felt more furious at Mr. Lin. The hell he got only this time to talk about this!? His gaze darkened, thinking about the manager who didn''t convey such an important message to his Boss, and now all hell broke loose. One of the women coughed. "To be able to garner Liu Jun and Gu Yating''s attention at the same time...Zhou Ai is definitely impressive." Ai narrowed her eyes. Yating shot a chilly gaze at the socialite, who took a step back in fear. "There is nothing between Ai and me. So whatever you want to imply, keep that to yourself." Some other woman snorted. "Did she say anything wrong? I don''t know if anybody realized it here yet, but if you were thinking about making a wholepany for Zhou Ai''s sake...doesn''t it mean that she must have also liked you at some point? I mean, making apany on someone''s name is a huge thing. You won''t be so stupid to go for it until you had some confidence that she might like you back too, right? Otherwise it would be such a big joke if you are going to this extent when the woman in question doesn''t even have any feelings for you." Chapter 386 Shuis Birthday Banquet Arc (16) Shui worriedly went over to her family''s side. "Bro, Dad. What is happening?" Siying answered. "I don''t know. I never thought this would happen. I am not sure what misunderstanding happened between Mr. Lin and Gu Yating, but did he have to bring that here!?" His gaze darkened. "Look, how the atmosphere has turned so grim." Zhiyuan was well beyond his tipping point. "I don''t get it either but hell that Lin guy to ruin my daughter''s banquet. Not only that, people are unnecessarily targeting Zhou Ai. This has to stop. Siying." "Let me settle it-" Before that could happen, Yating burst with angry mes at the woman taunting him. "Mind your own damn business!" He snarled. "What I do and what I don''t doesn''t concern anybody here, and I won''t hear a single word against Ai." Somebodymented. "Of course, you won''t. After all, she is the woman you love so much. I am more concerned about Zhou Ai''s character. She first seduced Gu Yating and then left Dream High. She then met Liu Jun, joined Sky and since then, hasn''t her writing career flourished so much?" That earned Ai a lot of suspicious gazes. "Yeah she won the Summit and immediately got an offer from Sky." "Personally from Liu Jun!" "I cannot help but think if she used his influence...is her victory even legit anymore?" One of them sneered. "What will Zhou Ai do next? Once she gets bored of Liu Jun, will she leave Sky too and find another man to hug his thigh?" "Maybe she found somethingcking in Gu Yating and left him for the more prestigious Liu family''s son." "Poor Gu Yating. Wasting his feelings for such a fickle woman..." "What can be more expected from a woman of her ss?" "Gu Yating loved her so much that he wanted to make a wholepany for her sake. Such true love that I pity him." "Heh. If she won the Summit like this, then even we can be writers. How hard can it be?" "Hahaha, yes!" Within a matter of a few minutes, Ai''s credibility - both as a person and as a writer, was heavily questioned and looked down upon. Until now, she was praised for winning the Summit but all her efforts now fell under the scrutiny of deceit. Which made Xing Bi and Yating flip. But before they could confront, a voice sharply echoed. "Enough!" Shui eximed. At first, she was going to let Siying handle the mess but seeing Ai humiliate so much, she couldn''t hold back anymore. Shui red at all those women, talking bullshit about Ai. "You have some nerveing to my banquet and humiliating my friend right in front of me! How dare you question Ai? If you don''t know anything about her, then shut the fuck up!" The women froze and didn''t expect such a reaction from Shui. "Han Shui, we really respect you. But are you sure you should be taking her side? I mean, everybody here knows about your and Liu Jun''s rtionship. Now Zhou Ai came out of nowhere and you broke up soon enough." "Don''t you think that she might have something to do with it? How could you be friends with a woman who has possibly ruined your rtionship?" Shui sneered. "If you think that''s what it takes for us to break up, then you really don''t know Jun at all." Xing Bi gritted her teeth. "And don''t even think about questioning Ai''s credibility as a writer! Do you know how hard she worked for her story!? It was just a short story for the whole world, but she spent endless sleepless nights to craft and polish those few lines that touched everybody''s hearts. Don''t demean her efforts behind somebody''s influence! I am her editor and I have seen my Ai''s struggle from the point she professionally started to until now!" One of the socialites raised her brow. "Oh you are Xing Bi, right? I heard that Liu Nian is openly wooing you. How strange. First Zhou Ai captured Liu Jun''s attention and now you caught Liu Nian''s...Heh. Did you two n to target the Liu family''s sons?" Her brow twitched. This woman...is garbage filled inside her brain!? It was now when Ai, who was calmly listening to everything until now, unfazed and unperturbed, spoke up, "We didn''t have any such n in our minds but sure enough, it seems that you do." Silence. Nobody really expected Ai to speak up, thinking that it was her guilty silence. "Why are you going in roundabout circles when you can just directlye to the point?" Ai said, "Just say that you are jealous of Jun liking me and Nian liking Xing Bi and how unfortunate you feel that it''s not you in our ce, so you got the perfect chance to vent out your frustrations on us." Every woman who ever had thoughts about Jun or Nian coughed out blood in their minds. She kept it so simple and to the point in the open that it was a home run. "If you think I am blind, then you are wrong. When I entered the banquet, I already noticed so many women oogling at Jun. I felt some not so pleasant gazes and the owners of those same not so pleasant gazes are the ones talking so much right now. But here is my question. If you want to talk so much, why didn''t you invest that energy before? If you have the guts, then confess rather than curse the person he or she is dating. You are all not so amazing cornering me like this. You are just looking like cowards." Liu Hai could feel the mental damage on behalf of every socialite. They are going to need a lot of booze to handle that... She continued. "As for my credibility as a writer, my hard work and the result is out there in the world for you to see. If you think that I used Jun as a connection to seed, then more than half of you present here should simply zip their mouths because more than half of you are heirs to your family businesses, and that is using your family''s connections to be the CEO. If I did use Jun, then how are you different from me?" "Let me prove that difference," a quiet but a cold voice echoed. Chapter 387 Shuis Birthday Banquet Arc (17) Hairs stood straight and the skin tingled of those socialites when Jun made their way towards them. His expression looked extremely serene, but it carried an air of lethality that showed how they had stepped on andmine. The damage from Ai''seback was already making them spit blood but adding Jun to that mix was only a recipe for disaster. He had been quietly listening to everybody''s nonsense while also making a mental note of his targets. Jun''s tall figure looked like a menacing tower looming upon a woman who had voiced quite of her ''opinions'' against Ai. He tilted his head, his dark brown irises staring straight into her eyes as if he would suck out her very life force at any moment. Sweat broke out on that woman''s forehead that threatened to ruin her makeup. Her gaze fell on his hand that had a notepad and a pen with him. W-what''s that for? Jun shoved the notepad and pen in that woman''s hand and he did the same with the other socialites too. The women had no clue what the hell was going on. Jun dragged a chair, perched upon it like a demon king and rested his chin on his palm. "Start writing." They blinked rapidly in confusion. "W-write what?" "A story. Write a story for me right now." "..." What the hell is he talking about? "I-I don''t understand...What story-" "Have you read stories?" Jun cut the voice off. "Yes s-some of them..." "Have you been told stories?" She tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear in a state of nervousness. "Yes..." "So you know what a story means. Good. You are not that illiterate. So write a story for me." The women nced at each other in more bewilderment. "How do we write a story-" "Didn''t you just say how easy it would be to be a writer?" She stiffened. "Didn''t you just say that you can also be a writer if you want?" She gulped. "So show me. Write a story for me worthy to be winning the Summit," his matter-of-fact and cold gaze was too piercing and difficult to bear. Their hands with the notepad trembled. They couldn''t believe that they were asked to write a story in the middle of a banquet. "T-this is preposterous. How can we suddenly-" "RIGHT. NOW!" The socialites gasped in horror and stumbled backwards when Jun''s voice sharply rose and resounded in the hall that almost gave them a heart attack. Jun''s gaze reflected further madness. "Nobody is leaving until you all write me a story. Okay, let me be generous. Give me a decent paragraph of the first 500 words of your story. See? I am so generous. From a whole story, I reduced it to a mere 500 words. Write it for me." The families of those socialites were too afraid to speak up but at the same time, they found this too bizarre. They looked at Zhiyuan and protested. "Mr. Han, what is this-" "Talk to me not anybody else here," Jun''s one threatening gaze shut them up. "Rather thanining and wasting time, tell your daughters to write a story for me. You know, your future depends on it because if they couldn''t, yourpany would cease to exist from tomorrow." They froze. "They write 500 words and show me. I will be a fair judge. If they pass, you are safe. If they don''t, you are doomed. I want them to prove their worth as a writer to me." He nced back at the women again. "Start writing. I don''t have the entire night to waste upon you." They shuddered and wanted to cry. They stared at the nk pages of the notepad and felt their own minds going nk too. What the hell should I write? Do I have to write a story like those princes and princesses? But it''s just 500 words, not a full story... But when they took their pens, they found themselves unable to think of even a single sentence, much less 500 words. When some of them actually started writing, they suddenly saw 500 words as too far of a goal when they couldn''t even write 10 words straight. Jun narrowed his eyes. "Let me remind you. You don''t have to just write 500 words and get done with it. You have to write 500 words worthy enough to be winning apetition." Their blood ran cold. They were hardly able to manage to get a line out on the page and here he was ordering them to be worthy enough to be winning apetition? On top of that, there was the mounting pressure of the fate of their family''s business hanging upon a thread if they didn''t perform well. Instead of words of their story, the page was filled with more of their tears and sweat, feelingpletely humiliated and embarrassed. Amidst this pandemonium, it wasn''t only Jun who wanted to see bloodshed. There was another of the Liu family''s son who wanted to have revenge. Nian yawned. "You are all so slow. Let me have my own fun until then." He pointed at a few women. "You, you, you and you. Come here." They jolted sharply. One Liu brother was already acting as a tyrant. They were too afraid to face Nian now. Nian''s jolly smile vanished. "When I saye here, you should listen to me ande here without making a fuss. I hate disobedience." Jian nodded. The twins didn''t like being disobeyed. He knew his brother well and so did Nian. Jin slightly touched the cor of his shirt. d it''s not me this time... The sudden contrast in Nian''s expression frightened them. The women he picked robotically walked towards him while praying that he didn''t have something crazy going on in his mind. But he was Liu Nian and as a rule of thumb, all Liu men were naturally crazy and insane. Nian brightened. "That''s much better! I don''t like people not listening to me. And you know what is the other thing I hate the most?" They gulped. "Any worthless creature on this pointing their fingers at my Xing Bi. Since you still did question her, that means you think you are more worthy, right? Then prove your worth to me. Give me three good reasons why I should choose you and not Xing Bi. For every invalid reason, you cut off a bunch of your hair and if all three are invalid to me, you will have to go bald," he chirped. Chapter 388 Shuis Birthday Banquet Arc (18) The socialites were scared shitless by Nian''s challenge. Cutting hair and going bald!? Wasn''t that the worst form of humiliation for any woman? Going bald was more of a nightmare to them than confessing and getting rejected. Xing Bi gasped in horror and even she felt the goosebumps on her skin. She unconsciously touched her hair, swallowing her gulp and imagining this horrible nightmare happening to her just in case. That''s not just a punishment. That''s hell! Everybody was way too shocked and aghast to respond, especially the socialites. Nuo sighed. There he goes again... Nana facepalmed. She scolded Jinhai. "Why do you and your sons like doing this stuff so much?" "What did I do?" He asked. "It''s all your fault," she harrumphed. "..." Sweating, paling and trembling - The women could hardly maintain their bnce with tears in their eyes. Three reasons? At this point, their brains weren''t functioning to even give one valid reason. "Ahahaha," Nian suddenly burst intoughter amidst the sharp silence clutching his stomach, "Look at your faces...hahaha. They are so funny. You look like clowns," he then waved his hand in dismissal, "Scram. I was just kidding. No matter how many good reasons youe up with, my heart is already set for Xing Bi. I will forever chase after her!" Xing Bi''s heart thumped, forcibly pulling her out of her going bald just-in-case imagination. N-No matter how much you chase me, it''s not going to matter...! She thought so in her mind, but her drumming heartbeat gave a different story altogether. Nian smiled. "You should have resisted when I told you to prove your worth in the first ce. There is nothing wrong with liking me. But you have to like me for the right reasons and before that, you have to like yourself enough to not bend to what I say unconditionally. You were thinking of reasons to give me but actually, you should have pped my face for threatening you with your worth and hair. You know, if I had ever dared to ask Xing Bi this, she would have beaten me mercilessly ck and blue and dumped my sorry body into the ocean with the sharks!" Xing Bi seriously nodded. The women froze and their faces burned with embarrassment. "If nobody has the right to judge you, then nobody has any right to judge my Xing Bi either. So, your hair is safe as I am a very generous person. I just wanted to give you a teensy tiny scare~" They stiffened and the moment Nian took back his words, they heaved a big sigh of relief. That wasn''t a teensy tiny scare! Nian yawnedzily. "But next time, it won''t be if you speak nonsense about Xing Bi again. Remember, I am not a very tolerant man, and there are things I could forgive only once," he narrowed his eyes. They swallowed their gulp but their throats felt too itchy. On the other side, the socialites Jun was ''handling'' weren''t faring any well either. He sneered. "You are such a good writer for somebody dering that they could be one so easily if they wanted." Their hands were cold and trembling and they felt like just throwing the notepad and pen away from them. One of them bit her lip hard and amidst his taunting gaze and words apologized. "I-I am sorry..." Jun raised his brow. Joining her, the rest of the socialites quickly apologized to him too. Rather than not being able to write anything and then see their family business getting destroyed, they chose to apologize to soften his heart and the blow to their reputation. "Sorry for what?" "S-sorry for humiliating Zhou Ai and taking writing lightly." "I-I am sorry for using Zhou Ai..." "Yes please forgive us...!" "We won''t insult Zhou Ai anymore..." The guests'' gazes at them felt too humiliating but it would notpare to the humiliation they would face if their family business was destroyed because of them. Shui and Xing Bi snorted. d they came to their senses! Spewing nonsense just because they feel like it! There was a long silence where every moment felt like a needle pricking the women. W-will he not forgive us?" Jun coldly remarked after a long pause. "Get out. And don''t ever show me your faces again!" They looked at him, dumbfounded. They didn''t expect him to let them go. But they only thanked the heavens and scrambled on their feet. After such a tightening and suffocating atmosphere, the banquet''s mood was already ruined. There was no point in continuing with it after such a big ruckus. Siying showed them the way out and all the guests quietly but hurriedly began to leave. The banquet had left a huge mark in their minds, not just with what Jun and Nian did but also due to the revtion of Yating''s feelings for Ai. Shui pursed her lips and hugged Ai. "I am sorry, Ai...It was my birthday banquet and you were my guest, but you had to suffer such-" Ai shook her head and kindly smiled. "You don''t have to apologize for anything, Shui. You are not responsible for their actions. Also, I wasn''t really affected by their words," she shrugged. "People I don''t know and who don''t know me as a person cannot affect me with their humiliation." Jianughed. "Hahaha, she is right! Did you look at their faces? It was pure gold when she talked back!" Liu Hai''s nose grew longer with pride. "As expected of my future granddaughter-inw! I like the chilly tongue, hoho~" Nuo wiped her forehead. "Bro Nian, you were too terrifying. Do you know what mental damage it was for the women to imagine losing their hair and going bald?" "Hmph. They needed that scare so that they wouldn''t target my Xing Bi again." She kicked his foot. "I can take care of myself." He cried. "But I am your future husband, dear. You are super duper strong, but let me protect you sometimes!" "Shut up!" Zhiyuan gritted his teeth. "I wanted to have a perfect banquet for my daughter but everything spiralled out of control..." he looked at Ai and said, "Let me apologize too. We are the hosts. You shouldn''t have faced such a situation..." "Please don''t. Neither it was Shui''s fault, nor yours." Yating clenched his fists and didn''t know how to face Ai. "But it was definitely my fault, Ai. I...I don''t know why the hell Mr. Lin wasn''t aware of such a big fact. If not for his misunderstanding, nothing would have happened-" Suddenly, he sharply stumbled back as a vicious sound of a punch reverberated in the air. A slight cut appeared on Yating''s cheekbone, and he turned his face towards Jun in disbelief. "What the hell are you doing, Liu Jun!?" It happened so fast and suddenly that everybody was still in shock with the turn of events. Ai anxiously pulled him back. "What happened?" He chuckled. "What happened? I think it''s pretty clear but nobody is able to see it?" She blinked. Jun grabbed his cor and snarled. "You are apologizing to Ai but wasn''t this just your n to cause this mess in the first ce!?" Yating stared at him in bewilderment. "Have you lost it, Liu Jun!? My n? What the hell are you talking about!?" "You are right. That Mr. Lin should have known that you cancelled the project, but he didn''t. And what a coincidence that he was here today and spoke so loudly about your project at the banquet that it was inevitable for people to hear about it. Gu Yating..." he gnashed his jaw, "you nned to do this on purpose, didn''t you? You wanted the whole world to know that you love Ai! You wanted the whole world to misunderstand that Ai possibly had feelings for you too. That''s why you thought of making apany for her. What? Did you want to give an image that I snatched Ai away from you? I mean, people could have taken that meaning too." He froze. "Sky and Dream High are rivals in the publishing industry and to take you down, maybe I brought Ai to my side on purpose to make you weaker. But it backfired and people started using Ai instead." "This is pure nonsense!" Yating pushed him away. "I didn''t even know that Mr. Lin was going to be a part of this banquet! I panicked myself when he was talking so loudly-" "Shut up!" He charged to punch him again, but Ai and Nian held him back this time. "Jun, stop!" He angrilyughed. "Why should I stop? Clearly, he nned this to happen. Mr. Lin didn''t know that the project was cancelled? That''s bullshit! He surely fed him some nice chunk of money to say the opposite." "Liu Jun, you are going too far with your usations!" Yating roared. "Am I? Or is it you who just doesn''t want to leave Ai alone!? Whether it''s identally dropping her message for her to rush to take care of a sick Gu Yating or now when you wanted everybody to know your love for Ai, you want people to see that it was always supposed to be Gu Yating and Zhou Ai together. But Liu Jun came in between and rest was history." Chapter 389 Lie On The Opposite Spectrum A vein popped on Yating''s forehead. "How many times should I tell you that it was an ident! I didn''t mean to message Ai or make her pity me in taking care of me." Jun''s dark gaze was unforgiving. "Sure. The message was an ident. Mr. Lin announcing your n of making apany for Ai was also an ident which you didn''t expect. Everything is a fucking coincidence or a mistake for you, isn''t it?" Yating trembled and clenched his fists. If anybody looked at it this way, then it would surely seem that he was plotting something against their rtionship. "It''s all just a big fat lie when you said to Ai that you would be just a friend to her," he glowered at him with vicious eyes, "Hell with just a friend! You want to take Ai away from me. The truth is that you still haven''t given up on her! Do you think you can achieve anything by ying such tricks?" "Liu Jun¡­I was sincere in my feelings when I said that I will only treat Ai as my friend." "How much of that is the truth, Gu Yating?" He questioned. "Does that mean you don''t love Ai anymore?" Yating stiffened and couldn''t immediately answer. The ''No'' was at the tip of his tongue, but he couldn''t outrightly say it. He could lie and say yes, but his heart resisted with full force. Jin narrowed his eyes while Shui felt a little restless about this confrontation. Jun gritted his teeth. "You cannot even answer that question and you im innocence!? You got some nerve, don''t you?" When Yating couldn''t defend himself, it was Chyou who came forward and faced Jun. "Jun. I understand why you are angry and why you might feel Yating is guilty. But it''s the truth when he said that he had let Ai go." Xiaosi and Caihong nced at each other once. For everybody else too, it was quite unexpected for Chyou toe up. Chyou said with her gaze facing straight at Jun. "I was with Yating that evening at Zixin''s get-together party. I had seen and heard Yating talking to Ai. I had seen his struggle of letting Ai go and the heartbreak that it came with. I was there with him to console him. I know whatever has happened might look misleading to you, but Yating''s intentions are equally the truth. I am sure I am not mistaken in my judgment. These are really some unfortunate coincidences." Yating stared at her wide-eyed, unable to speak anything. It was a battle he needed to fight for himself. He felt touched by Chyou''s concern and also embarrassed that somebody else had to step up for him. Jun met her gaze head on and with silence. "You all think that a man who still has feelings Ai can be innocent?" "I think he can be innocent despite having feelings for Ai." He smirked. "Think whatever you want. But Gu Yating¡­It will be a mistake to trust him on this, Chyou." As he turned, his gaze met Ai''s but without saying a word to her, he passed right by her and left. Ai slightly bowed and left too. It was a momentary event that slipped everybody''s notice, but that was what ''Guiying'' was looking for. That moment of avoidance and distance as Jun ignored Ai and stormed out and Ai, who was slightly rattled by this. ''She'' remembered what Zhan Yahui had told her. ss doesn''t break in a single hit. First crack, second crack, third crack¡­until the ss wouldn''t be able to hold itself together anymore. ''She'' stared ahead, her eyes glistening with a mixture of anger and satisfaction. Her fingers inside her palms were trembling. Ever since Jun betrayed Guiying as MrPerfect, ''she'' always looked for a chance to y her reverse card and bring that suffering back to him a hundred fold. Breaking Guiying''s heart into pieces, there was bound toe a time when ''she'' would break Jun too. ''Take it slowly,'' Zhan Yahui had said, "Haste makes waste. You need to be careful of the situation around and the people inside it. Do whatever you want, but don''t expect instant results. You must have learned that after the Shanghai Fest,'' she smiled. ''Guiying'' narrowed her eyes. Indeed, I learned a lot¡­ It was before Shui''s birthday banquet when ''she'' had been talking to Zhan Yahui and letting her frustrations out. "Was there any point in making Zhou Aie to Gu Yating''s ce? Fine, she took care of him and Liu Jun might have felt angry. But then what? They will simply talk it out. It''s not like Zhou Ai was technically wrong. They will sort it out and I am back to square¡­" ''she'' gritted her teeth. Zhan Yahui raised her brow. "You are very impatient, my dear. Do you know why I was against the n you made in Shanghai? Trapping Liu Jun and Han Shui in the elevator?" "...You said that it won''t have any effect on Zhou Ai." ,m "Yes," Zhan Yahui calmly said, "There were very few chances for Zhou Ai to misunderstand Liu Jun. She is very resilient and poise and always in control of her emotions. But Liu Jun isn''t." She picked a pen and twirled it around her finger. "Liu Jun and Zhou Ai''s innate personalities are very different. From that perspective, you can say that they actually lie on the opposite sides of a spectrum. You can put them in the same situation, but their reactions will bepletely different. Zhou Ai tending to a sick Gu Yating alone won''t achieve anything. You need to keep piling such small small incidents on top of each other until Liu Jun explodes. There is a limit to which he can bear things." She chuckled. "I came across an interesting incident during the time Liu Jun was dating Han Shui. It was at a Christmas party and some boy or her ssmate had saved her from falling, but he misunderstood his intentions. There was a huge row after that. Not just with the boy but also between Liu Jun and Han Shui themselves. It''s a simple incident but it says a lot about Liu Jun, right?" Chapter 390 Sore Spot Zhan Yahui leaned back on her chair. "He is extremely possessive and jealous. He gets immediately rattled when somebodyes too close to the woman he loves. What I am telling you to target is this part of his personality. It''s gonnae in handy a lot. Especially now¡­" she squinted her eyes. "When it seems that things between Zhou Ai and Gu Yating seem to have turned better for some reason." ''Guiying'' frowned. "That is the part I still didn''t get. Why did Zhou Ai want to leave Dream High and be so distant from Gu Yating? Is it only because of this idiot inside me getting all the exposure?" Zhan Yahui said nothing. That''s what perplexes me too¡­Until she left, I thought there was definitely something going on between them. It was actually a point of concern for me if Zhou Ai and Gu Yating got into a rtionship from Guiying''s career perspective. But one day, her mannerisms suddenly changed. And she had no clue why. She clicked her tongue in annoyance. Zhan Yahui didn''t like to be kept in the dark about something. She felt she was missing something but until the end, she couldn''t really figure it out. In that sense, the change in Ai was an enigma to her. "Hey?" She snapped out of her stupor and nced at her. "Possibly. But it doesn''t matter anymore. What matters now is that since that day the film set was set on fire and Zhou Ai met Gu Yating in the hospital, their rtionship seems to have improved a lot. I don''t know what they talked about but¡­whatever previous misunderstanding they had between them seems to have softened up? First she learned that Gu Yating was nning to make apany for her. That struck her harder than what she will give the credit for. Then they must have had a heartfelt conversation in the hospital which further made things better for them. This is like touching Liu Jun''s sore spot." ''Guiying'' asked, "You think he won''t believe Zhou Ai the way she believed him during the Fest? Will it work? You just said that Zhou Ai is resilient and calm." "But she has a strong sense of responsibility," Zhan Yahui chuckled. ''She'' then slowly added. "If you are thinking that Zhou Ai will start to like Gu Yating again, then you are mistaken. I don''t see that happening." Her eyes twinkled. "But it doesn''t mean that she cannot feel guilty, right? I don''t think she is understanding this herself but what Gu Yating was nning to do for her has left a huge impact in her mind. She left him and Dream High before getting to know any of Gu Yating''s ns for her. And that must be eating her from inside. I don''t know what happened between them but if Zhou Ai wrongly misunderstood him, then learning these things about him now will make her spiral into a sense of taking responsibility for her mistakes. She would want to do something - anything for him to settle the guilt inside her." "You are terrifying," even ''Guiying'' couldn''t help but shudder with the level of understanding Zhan Yahui had of the situation. "I am not terrifying. It''s how people behave. If you understand their character even a little bit, you can gauge what they can and cannot do in certain situations," she smiled. "The biggest difference between what you did in Shanghai and what you will be doing now lies in the past love. You targeted Zhou Ai then, but she has no reason to feel intimidated by Han Shui. Not just because she is calm and collected but also because Han Shui didn''t seem to have much feelings for Liu Jun, especially when he can be so possessive. And also Zhou Ai and Han Shui quickly became good friends as we saw in Shanghai. It would have been impossible to achieve that if Han Shui loved Liu Jun even a little bit. But that''s not the case with Gu Yating. Why can Liu Jun and Gu Yating not be friends like them? Because he is possessive. He doesn''t want to do anything with the man who eyed Zhou Ai and the fact that Gu Yating still loves her is why¡­somewhere or the other will always leave a distaste in his heart. If on top of that, he sees Zhou Ai unconsciously melting for Gu Yating, then it''s just pouring oil into the fire. You are right. Zhou Ai won''t fall for Gu Yating." She smiled. "But we will target her guilt coupled with Liu Jun''s insecurity. Rtionships areplex, my dear. They might love and trust each other a lot, but there is always some vulnerability, especially when there is a third party involved. You just need to know how to exploit that." ¡ª At present, ''Guiying'' could finally see what Zhan Yahui was talking about right in front of her eyes. Piling incidents on top of each other¡­ Slowly, steadily but surely¡­ ''Guiying'' didn''t care about the drama that happened with the guests. Her motive was simply to make things flow in a particr direction. Fan mes in the right way and the seeds ''she'' had sown would slowly bear its fruit. As she turned to step out of the vi, ''she'' felt a hand on her shoulder. Ugh¡­! Is that Chen Zixin!? I really don''t want to do anything with this cousin! When ''Guiying'' turned, ''she'' was taken aback to see a rather different face than she had expected. He is Liu Jun''s brother, right? ''She'' narrowed her eyes. Jin watched her with scrutiny and asked, "Cai Guiying, isn''t it?" "Yes, that''s me. "Who invited you to this banquet?" ''She'' blinked. "You really are Liu Jun''s brother. He had the same question, and I have the same answer for you. Han Shui invited me to her birthday banquet." Jin said nothing. "Anything else?" He then gave a smile. "Nothing. I was just a little surprised to know that you and Shui knew each other." ''Guiying'' thought about Reading Point and remarked. "What can you say? People meet at unexpected ces at times." Chapter 391 Differences Jun hadpletely shut himself off when they reached the condo, not talking a word to Ai no matter how much she wanted to. When he was about to storm into his room, Ai came in between his route. "You know that keeping it to yourself is not gonna help anybody," she pursed her lips. "I know you are angry and that''s why I want to talk to you." Jun smiled. "Why do you want to talk to me now? Did you think before epting to dance with Gu Yating?" She said withplete seriousness. "I didn''t want to at first. I was contemting not being a part of the game when I saw that Yating was my partner. But Soo Zhenya insisted. Also¡­" She was thinking of how to put it. "I didn''t want to make him feel that I doubted him. He said he would be friends with me and not epting to dance would have made him feel like I am suspicious-" Jun grabbed her shoulders and his dark brown eyes watched her closely with disdain. "And why do you care about his feelings so much? Until a few months ago, you didn''t want to have anything to do with him! But now you are considering his feelings!? Who cares if he gets hurt!? You are my girlfriend. You have no obligation to care so much about your ex-boyfriend!" Ai took a pause and slowed down her thoughts. She was aware that Jun would definitely get upset because of this, but now that she thought about it, she admitted she was in the wrong here. I should have indeed been firmer in declining Yating. I wonder why I didn''t¡­ She knew herself well and there wasn''t anything that deterred her stance. But for the first time, she hesitated. Nevertheless, it was a mistake from her side to make Jun ufortable. Her heart plundered into depression, and her shoulders slumped. "Jun¡­" Biting his lip, heshed out further. "This is the second time you did this! The first time was when you rushed to his ce. Why? You didn''t have to!" Ai blinked this time. "Jun, but I rified about that. I suddenly got his message and-" "So? Did it mean that you had to take responsibility for attending to him?" She stared at him and asked back, "Jun, I understand I was wrong tonight. You are right. I should have declined to dance with him and made you ufortable. I won''t defend myself over that. But regarding that day, I only did what I thought was right at that time. He was asking for help. How could I have ignored it?" He smiled with his lipsced with fury. "And give him a wrong idea about your intentions?" Ai slightly furrowed her brows with dissatisfaction. "Jun, if Shui had called for your help in this manner, would you have been able to ignore it?" He stiffened. "Would you have left her alone?" He gritted his teeth. "The difference here is that Shui clearly doesn''t have any feelings for me! Even if I rush to help her, she would only think of me as her friend. But Gu Yating? He is not like Shui! He likes you. He still loves you. And you know what? That''s exactly what made him misunderstand your ''kindness.''" Ai rebuked. "He won''t, Jun. I was already clear about my feelings at Valentine''s evening itself. And even if he did misunderstand me, I have no problem in reiterating it to him again and again that there can be nothing more than friendship between us. The part of myself that loved him is already in the past. There is nothing that would waver me in his favor. But that doesn''t mean that because of a hypothetical misunderstanding that might ur, I refuse to help him. That will be too inhumane." Jun stared at her, stunned. "Inhumane? Isn''t it because of that cursed day that he chose for the whole world to know his feelings for you tonight? He definitely thought that somewhere in your heart, you still care about him. So let''s give it a push." "He said he only wants to be friends-" "And you believe him?" Heughed. "You did see his hesitation to admit that he had no feelings for you, right?" Ai narrowed her eyes. "Yes. I saw that too. He hesitated because yes, he might still love me. But that also doesn''t mean that he is not trying to move on. When you broke up with Shui, was it that you stopped loving her from the very next moment?" He clenched his jaw, unable to retort. "That day outside the cafe when you saw Jin and Shui together - you were furious to see them spending time together. Even though you had broken up with her, Shui still affected you so much. It took sometime for you to move on. It took sometime for me too topletely give up on Yating after I was reborn. When he had confessed to me on Christmas, I hesitated a lot even if I knew what the past was like. If you and I can take time to heal, then why cannot Yating do the same? Jun, you have given up on Shui for Jin''s sake. So you know what it feels like to take that step and move on. It''s not easy and it takes time." A deep and cold silence ensued between them. Jun slowly let her go, facing her with a cold and hurt gaze. "You will fight for him even though he put you in such a predicament tonight? You wouldn''t have had to face such humiliation if Mr. Lin had not interfered." She answered after a thoughtful pause. "But just like Chyou, I feel that it was a genuine mimunication between Yating and Mr. Lin. If Yating had to do this, he would have already done so after the Summit." "And somebody''s patience can slip at any point in time, Ai. Maybe he still had hopes for sometime but when he didn''t see them getting fruitful, he finally yed this trick." Ai knew that could be the case too as Jun said, but she had troubleparing this evil Yating to the one from that evening who showed sincerity towards letting her go. He smiled. "But it''s fine if you or Chyou don''t think that way." He held her shoulder and slightly pushed her out his way. "You can keep showing your sympathies to him. It''s me who has to learn to deal with it, isn''t it?" Chapter 392 The First Night Of Distance The door shut behind with her with a thud, leaving Ai standing in front of the room where only stillness apanied her. Her heart was strangely beating faster, and her eyes were slightly blurring with tears. The push at the end felt lonely and distant. It wasn''t like they hadn''t had disagreements before but this time, it felt different and too agonizing. Somewhere, she felt that Jun was right but at other ces, she also thought that she couldn''t agree with him. She didn''t wish to end this night with the wall of shes and arguments separating them. She looked back at the tightly shut door with a hint of helplessness. Maybe he wille out after sometime... She nodded. It was better to have some time for themselves so that both could cool down and talk calmly the next time. Ai slowly walked up to the crescent swing in silence. She put one knee on it to climb on it with a faint anxious feeling knocking on her chest. She took support and eventually climbed inside after a few tries. Her face was lit up with pride and joy. "Jun look, I climbed on my own-" But Jun wasn''t there to share her happiness with, and her enthusiasm met with only silence. Ai pursed her lips, her shoulders drooping. Once hees out, he will definitely notice my achievement, Ai reassured herself. She leaned back inside the swing, staring at the ceiling above. She quietly and calmly reflected upon a lot of things that happened in thesest few days. Slowly, steadily, she thought about the events from all the perspectives she could and came to a conclusion. Her eyelids slowly felt heavy, but she pped her cheeks to stay awake because she knew that Jun would soone out to talk again. -- The air inside the room was grimmer and tense as Jun trembled with anger and pain. He looked down at his hand that had pushed Ai away with his beautiful eyes that were clouded with guilt. It was the first time he had pushed her away from him, not...pulled her towards him for a hug. He clenched his fingers, wanting to stop this uneasy feeling from hammering his chest. He wanted Ai so badly. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to wrap her body around his and rest his head on top of hers to have a sound sleep. But there was a part of him who couldn''t let go of whatever was happening between Yating and Ai. It''s that feeling again... He sat on the edge of the bed, tired. I hate it. I hate this feeling so much. Since when was it that Jun was beginning to feel troubled like this? From the time at the hospital? When Ai went to Yating''s home? No. The first bell of uncertainty and restlessness rang in his heart when Ai met Yating at the hotel during Zixin''s get-together party. Something faintly resonated within him, and it wasn''t a good feeling. It was when Ai revealed Yating''s n of making apany for her. It was when he learned that the reason why Yating ignored her in the past was because he had dedicated his time and energy into this surprise project. It was when he realized that Yating...wasn''t as bad as they had originally thought him to be. Jun covered his face in his palms, trying to shut out all the ugly emotions. But it always came back to Yating and Ai. With this one thing that came out in the open, they had to conclude that there might have been a different reason for Yating breaking up with Ai, which would most likely be linked to Guiying. Not necessarily because he had stopped loving Ai or he got seduced by Guiying. And this was the cognizance that stirred Jun for the first time in a way that settled a bitter taste in his mouth. It was like the reason they hated Yating suddenly vanished into thin air. Which meant that there was a possibility of Ai''s rtionship with Yating improving. A chance that they might be friends again. This was what Jun didn''t wish to happen from the bottom of his heart. He felt a sense of crisising even though he knew he could trust Ai. There was nothing that would take her away from him. Even if Yating had his reasons, Ai would never waver. But that annoying feeling kept buzzing in his heart constantly. Then the intensity increased more violently when he came to know that the reason why Yating couldn''t save Ai from falling in the past was attributed to his trauma. Once again...yet again, a side of Yating''s came into the picture that further substantiated him not being evil at all. Jun chose not to express it in the hospital in front of Ai, but he was rattled hard. He felt a looming and impending feeling which solidified when Ai rushed to Yating''s home to help him. Why...why, why, why? He trembled. Was it because Ai''s heart was melting for him without her notice? But he felt stupid. No, no, no! Ai is not like that...Ai won''t leave me for Yating. It''s impossible. I am an idiot. It won''t happen, it won''t happen... Jun didn''t even realize it when he was beginning to console and reassure his heart. He didn''t know when that tiny seed of disturbance took root in his heart which tonight grew its branches as Yating''s feelings for Ai came out in the open. Everybody knew now. What would they think? That Jun snatched Ai away from Yating? Or maybe that Yating and Ai look better together than he and Ai? Jun gritted his teeth hard. Why am I thinking of these things!? The hell I care about what the world thinks! He copsed on the bed, mumbling to himself as his eyelids tiredly shut themselves. "Ai is mine...No matter what anyone says, I can be the only one to make her happy..." Chapter 393 A Cat Mr. Liu? Jun slowly opened his eyes the next morning and woke up, feeling vacant and nk. His energy felt like somebody had forcibly drained out of him. He rubbed the space in between his brows where he was having a mild headache. His hand unconsciously stretched to reach out to his side, but he found it empty. Jun blinked and noticed Ai was nowhere. Her side of the bed didn''t have any folds or creases either. Wait, she...didn''te back to sleepst night...? He jumped on his feet with a start and came out of the room, takingrge strides. He nced around in the living room and kitchen but found her nowhere, making his heart palpitate faster. Where is she... Then he found a toe sticking out of the crescent swing, and he blinked. He slowly and quietly walked towards the swing and finally found the missing person. He heaved a sigh of relief, and all the worry circling in his mind left. Ai had turned on her right side facing therge windows and sleeping inside the swing without a care. Her head rested on the pillow, and she had almost curled into a ball tofortably fit her body in the small space. Jun gritted his teeth. Why are you sleeping here, you idiot!? You want to fall sick? Then the next thing that struck him was that Ai actually managed to climb on the swing on her own despite her fear of heights. He tilted his head and beamed. She did it! She actually overcame it! His heart blossomed with happiness and pride. Good, good! But then he also felt sorry that she slept outside and without even a nket covering her. Once again, Jun gritted his teeth seeing her sleep in the cold. You really want to fall sick, don''t you? Jun went back, fetched the nket and returned. He gentlyid the nket over Ai, making sure he waspletely covering her. He nodded to himself. Much better. Jun faced her in silence, remembering their fight fromst night. His gaze dimmed, not knowing what to do. His fingertips gradually touched her cheek, brushing past a lock of her hair. He tucked a few of her hair strands behind her ear which were fluttering in front of her eyes. Gazing at her sleeping face, he felt his heart tighten. Sometimes how I feel like taking you away from everybody...will this unsettling feeling then finally fade away? -- Ai stretched her arms and body and softly yawned a whileter. She looked around in a daze and felt herself covered with something. She stared at the nket tucked over her. I didn''t have a nketst night...Jun! She got up with a jerk and looked around. The door to the bedroom was open, but there was no sounding from anywhere. Even the kitchen was empty. But she did smell something in the air as her nostrils twitched. She found a te covered with another te on the dining table. Ai took her feet out and felt her heart almost skipping a beat in fear, but she felt something soft touch her the next moment. It was a big pillow, perfectly reaching the swing''s height for her to take its support and climb down. It was safe and not scary at all. She pursed her lips. Is he so angry that he would rather nt a pillow than carry me out in his arms? Then again, she also knew thatst night''s fight wasn''t a simple one. She came down, walked towards the dining table and as expected, Jun had prepared breakfast for her. Did he eat? She wondered because considering his mood, he definitely would have left on an empty stomach. She took her seat and stared at the egg rolls and toast. She wasn''t in any mood to eat either. She stared at the bedroom and feeling theplete silence in the air, her expression turned somber. A lonely breakfast... Ai took a bite of her food and ate in silence. -- Ai took the bus to the library and stepped down at the stop, two minutes away from the library. She might have gone to Sky but seeing how Jun left early for work showed that perhaps he wasn''t ready to talk to her yet. She didn''t want to force the conversation on him either, so she thought it was better to do her work in the library instead. She kept walking when she heard a soft voiceing from an alley. Ai paused for a moment and blinked. She continued walking when she heard a soft howl again. *Meow* Ai took a step back and craned her neck. Somewhere at a corner, she found a cat staring at her with its big eyes. Oh. She smiled and bent on her knees. "Hello." The cat ignored her and continued searching food for himself in the alley. Ai took a closer look and saw that its long fur was a mix of brown and white but his eyes were the exact shade of dark brown as Jun''s irises. Jun. Then she suddenly shook her head. No, no. It''s a cat, not a human. "Should I bring some food for you?" She politely asked. The cat gave her a disdainful look and went back to his work of finding his food. Ai blinked and thought that his expression looked exactly like Jun wherever he sneered or snorted. So cool. ? She wanted to touch the cat, but he strongly hissed at her and took several steps back in his defence when he saw her fingers reaching him. *Meow!* "..." Which again reminded Ai of how Jun acted so cautious and alert when they had just first met, when he misunderstood she was interested in him and hence kept his distance from her. Ai''s eyes sparkled further. Really cool. You are definitely Jun. She pursed her lips, feeling disappointed that the cat wasn''t allowing her to pet him. A charming voice chuckled. "That''s not how you pet wild animals, Ai-chan~" Chapter 399 And So The Catfight Begins Zhou Yichen rolled his eyes, seeing Ai so disheartened. He flicked on her forehead. "Don''t look so dead. You will ruin the charming looks you got from me." "..." "Also, it''s not the end. You have been together for hardly a few months. It''s understandable that the path to a good and longsting rtionship can be bumpy once in a while. You should be d that this happened so that you know what to do and what not to do. Now, get up. Let''s go back and talk to Jun-cute." Ai nodded. "Thanks Dad...I would have not realized it by myself," she genuinely appreciated his help. He sheepishly grinned. "What can I say? I am just too good. The talent just continuously flows in each of my cells. I also wonder just how more awesome I can be. But you might start to feel inferiorityplex. So I won''t praise myself too much~" Her brow twitched. You already did more than enough... "Oh yes, before we leave, I want another ice cream, hehe. Also, I am a bit low on cash so..." he winked, "please pay for me." "..." "It''s just an ice cream. Just how low on money are you?" "Hey! I wasted a lot of money on cabs to find my way. Now, I am broke," he snorted but it looked as if he was proud of it. "I couldn''t let your mother find you first. Time was of great essence." Ai mumbled as she adjusted her handbag. "You can find so many different careers to work in, but you cannot find your way in the city..." The words fell on his ears, and a lethal arrow pierced straight into his heart without mercy. "Ah Ai-chan, as always your roasting skills are unmatchable. It''s fine if they get a bit of rust on it, you know? I won''t mind. But Daddy still loves his daughter the most!" He chirped as he walked while wiping the blood off his lips. -- Jun was personally giving a tour of Sky to Xie Nuying after she had some refreshments. When she met Xing Bi, thetter brightened with all her might. "Aunt Xie! Oh, gosh. I didn''t know you were in the city. Ai told me a lot about you! I always wanted to meet you." Xie Nuying bloomed with happiness. "Xing Bi. Indeed, Ai talked to me a lot about you too. Thank you for always helping my daughter. It feels nice to see her having good and reliable friends to depend on." Xing Bi waved her hand with embarrassment. "It''s my pleasure. I love Ai''s stories so much. I will do everything in my power to make her shine as a writer. And it''s not just her. Ai is so cool that I depend on her a lot too!" Xing Bi nced at Jun and observed his expression. When he had left, he seemed to be distraught and disturbed. Now Xie Nuying was here too. She wondered if things would go well since Jun and Ai seemed to be having some differences. But now, she couldn''t gauge if Jun looked actually better or not. He looked as if he was much morefortable than before, but then he also looked in a daze. I hope things don''t turn worse... Xie Nuying then met Hou Lin and Sun Bai along the way and they greeted her too. Jun took her to thest floor where his office was. Xie Nuying nced through his office with appreciation. "You have good taste. I love your decor." He smiled with a little hint of shyness. "Thanks." "Otherwise there is Yichen, whose outrageous choice can make someone go blind," she smoothly snuck in herment, more like a diss for Zhou Yichen. "..." I don''t know what to say to this... So he kept his silence. She looked satisfied. "I am d Ai fell for a normal person." Yeah, I don''t know how to respond to that either, so I will keep my mouth shut. The door then opened just a bit with a head peeking in. Even before Jun saw her face, he recognized that it was Ai and he straightened up. Ai... His heart elerated by a few beats. But for some reason, she wasn''tpletely entering the office. "Ohe on! Get in already. I want to rx on the couch with the air-conditioning on!" Zhou Yichen''s voice reprimanded her from her back. Ai was mercilessly pushed inside with Zhou Yichen walking behind her. As soon as Xie Nuying and Zhou Yichen''s gazes met, a deep and painful silence filled the office. Lightning crackled between their eyes too, and the air smelled of an uing war. Both were, naturally and very obviously not so thrilled to meet each other. What annoyed them the most was that they couldn''t meet Jun and Ai together first. She already met Jun-cute!? Zhou Yichen gritted his teeth. He already met Ai? Xie Nuying looked heavily disappointed. "So you are here," shemented with a grimace. "You are here too?" He sneered. "I am more shocked it took you so long. Aren''t you so adept in finding your ways? You couldn''t find your way in the city? You have no problem with finding a shady career. Or are your skills might be getting rusty?" He snorted. "I am just fine. I won''t get lost in the city. But are you okay? I am amazed you found Jun-cute all on your own. I thought you would definitely waste your time poking your nose in some students'' business. Professor Xie is hard to get rid of." "I believe it''s my responsibility to educate students so that they don''t be like you, who steals other people''s ideas." He red at her. "For your kind information, YOU stole my brilliant idea ofing here! And now taking all the credit! Professor Xie, being shameless doesn''t suit an upright woman like you im to be." "Shameless is you to stalk me all the way here like some pervert. You are not only a thief but also a pervert." At that moment, the same thought came across Jun and Ai''s minds. ''They have such good reading of people and rtionships. How couldn''t they save their own marriage, I wonder...'' Chapter 408 The Fate That Could Have Been Reversed "Did you find anything to tie her and me?" Jun had already exhausted all the ces and scenarios to check what connection Guiying might possibly have with him in thest life and even the present. But they never officially met even once. Definitely not in the past. The more he reached a dead end, the more frustrated he became. They didn''t share any past, so he had no clue why Guiying and Cai Lingyun targeted him. Jin said, "It''s not that. I also haven''t reached an answer to that question." "And asking Cai Guiying is a waste of time. Thest time I confronted her about what happened in Shanghai, she expertly navigated her way out of the me and pinned everything upon Cai Lingyun. I couldn''t say anything at the banquet either because Shui had invited her herself. Though I have warned Shui of not getting close to Cai Guiying anymore." Jin''s gaze flickered. "What did you find?" He shrugged. "I don''t feel it''s important to our current situation or anything rted to you, but it''s more tied to Zhou Ai and their writing careers." Jun narrowed his eyes. "How?" "You remember Miss. Qing from the Summit? One of the three judges who wasn''t corrupted." "Or course. I remember her very well. I had asked her myself to expose the real result of the Summit." "Yeah. I met her by coincidence yesterday after ending an office meeting in a hotel. I recognized her and we exchanged some pleasantries. Then I thought of asking her anything she might know about Cai Guiying. Something which we might not know." "Did she?" "Well not much. Cai Guiying is one of the many writers she knows. She doesn''t know anything particr. But she did mention an odd incident she came across. That pretty much changed the course of her writing career and Zhou Ai''s too. There was a writingpetition held when they were in their high school final year." "I know. Ai won the Best Neer Writer Award. Cai Guiying won the Best Fiction Writer Award and soon, they got into Dream High." Jin tilted his head. "Yeah but that''s not exactly how it went. Miss. Qing said that one of the judges of thatpetition was her friend. She told everything to Miss. Qing when thepetition was over. And do you know? Internally between the judges at that time of thepetition, there was more favor to let Zhou Ai win, not Cai Guiying." Jun widened his eyes. "What? Ai? Really?" That was something he expected the least. "Zhou Ai could have won thepetition," Jin said. Jun''s countenance was turning darker and menacing. "Then why did Cai Guiying win? I am sure she couldn''t have been in any capacity to bribe three adults for the results when she was just a teenager herself. She doesn''t evene from a rich family. Did she use some other trick to win?" "There was no trick. She won fair and square and kind of didn''t at the same time," Jin then sneered. "All thanks to your amazing girlfriend." Jun obviously didn''t fail to miss the sarcasm behind his words. Ugh, why am I getting a bad feeling about this? "...What? What does Ai have to do with this? She wouldn''t have done anything to lose on purpose." "She did but," he clicked his tongue, "well...she epted the consequences of it. You see, the theme of thepetition was to write a love story with a meaningful happy ending." ,m "I like that theme." "I know. You have always liked stories with happy endings. Do you know which story Zhou Ai submitted?" "Yeah. ''My time with you,''" he smiled but not with sincerity, "one of her books which didn''t let me have a high opinion of her as a writer because of her endings." "Yeah there is no need to hold a high opinion of her now either." His brow twitched. But Jun blinked and was struck with realization a secondter. "The ending..." "Exactly. It was an ending where the leads parted their ways after the cruise ship trip came to an end and never met again. It was a kind of a bittersweet ending. But that''s the problem. Her story didn''t exactly fall in the ''happy ending'' category. It could be taken in the sense that the leads found their purpose in life. Their hearts healed when they met each other. But in a romantic sense, they didn''t get together, which could be interpreted as a sad ending too. The judges were conflicted a lot." Jun shut his eyes as something welled in his chest. He remembered Ai talking about this when they revealed their past lives to each other. "Wait...Ai did say that she had this story in her mind and it was sort of a tragedy even though it wasn''t the theme of thepetition...Something about the possibility of her submission not being considered...but she still went ahead with it." Jin smiled. "That''s what happened. She wrote a great story. She could have won the Best Fiction Writer Award. She simply didn''t because her story didn''t adhere to the theme. The judges couldn''t qualify a story to win the main prize which was out of the rules. But as second best, they gave her the Best Neer Writer Award." Jun covered his face with his palms. "You mean technically, Ai is the winner of thatpetition?" "Yes. Cai Guiying only won because of the mismatch in themes that Zhou Ai made. If Zhou Ai had modified the ending to be a happy one, she could have won. The prizes would have been reversed and so do their roles and poprity when they entered Dream High. Where Cai Guiying was always at the limelight in thest life, it could have been Zhou Ai had she not been stubborn about her story." "I knew it! I always thought her story deserved to win the award! Only if..." Suddenly, Jun felt like giving Ai a nice scolding. Jin then said, "I found it interesting how onepetition shaped their careers. How one result reversed everything and I couldn''t help but wonder...does Cai Guiying know this?" Chapter 417 Call Me Dad Ai slightly widened her eyes. She couldn''t help but wonder what must have happened in his life for him to feel the need of having a second chance. From the corridor, Jinhai looked down where Nana apanied Xie Nuying in some taste testing as if in a trance. She seemed to be teaching Xie Nuying something which Jinhai thought must be about cooking. "She holds everything and everyone together in this family. But more than everybody, she holds my heart and mind together. That was one reason I punched Jun. The very reason for my existence had disappeared¡­" his voice was grim, soft but faintlyced with sorrow. "But it''s not only Nana why I punished Jun," he looked back at Ai as if he encouraged her to speak her mind of whatever thoughts she had. Ai took a thoughtful pause and slowly asked, "...Jin? That he died-" "No. Jun¡­I know where he wasing from. His love for Shui was like my love for Nana. We cannot bear anybody snatching it away. So, I understand what effect the news of their wedding would have brought upon him. I even understand the momentary thought he had about killing Jin in a fit of anger. And I also understand that no matter how furious and hurt he was, he would never pull the trigger and take his own brother''s life. It was an ident." The air turned oddly silent. Jinhai smiled. "He loved Shui but he could never hate his brother to the point of killing him in cold blood. Not Jin. I said before. Between the siblings, Jun and Jin were the closest. So, I didn''t punish Jun because his bullet killed Jin." There was onest reason which Ai knew would be true. "His suicide?" She lowered her gaze and pursed her lips, "I know. I did scold Jun for taking away his life. I¡­I am not defending Jun, but his state of mind after Jin and Mrs. Liu''s death-" Jinhai shook his head very slowly. "I am not talking about his suicide after Jin and Nana¡­died. I am talking about the moment when he held the gun to his temple in front of everyone. In front of his parents. In front of Nana. He wanted to kill himself in front of a mother who gave birth to him and raised him with nothing but love. He wanted to give up on his life in front of a father who might not be very vocal in expressing his love for his sons, nevertheless the father holds all his children very dear to him." Ai said nothing. "Jun wanted us to see him die. The moment he would breathe hisst. Ai," his eyes swirled with an emotion which was as angry as it was helpless, "As parents who brought him into this world, thest thing we would want to see¡­is our son die in front of our eyes." His voice was choking and trembling which he was trying hard to hide. It felt like he was talking normally, but Ai could faintly sense the tremors in it as he spoke. Jinhai lowered his gaze and stared at his palms. "The feeling of love slipping from your hands¡­I know that emotion. I have felt it in my past. I had almost lost Nana because of my mistakes. There is nobody in this world who would understand Jun and the pain he went through better than me. Do you know? Nana was initially supposed to marry my cousin, Jianyu." Her lips parted, stunned as he suddenly threw this fact to her. It took some time to process. "Ch-Chen Zixin''s and Yunru''s father¡­?" "The same man," he smiled. "My cousin. My brother. If it was somebody else, I could fight. But how do you fight your own brother and family? Jun went through the same situation. That''s why I understand Jun''s struggles. And I always wondered to myself. If Nana had really married Jianyu, would I have killed myself? If I had lost her for real, would I have ended my existence?" He exhaled a soft breath. "I wouldn''t because I have a family who loves me a lot. My parents, brother, grandma¡­they are all people who wouldn''t bear to see my dead body. For all the love I got from them, they don''t deserve to see their child dead. They didn''t raise me to be a coward and Nana and I¡­also haven''t raised our children to be one either." His palms trembled. "So when he confessed that he wanted to shoot himself, I was¡­just very disappointed in him. I thought, when did Jun be such a coward? When did love be so important for him that Nana and I didn''t matter anymore? Not even a little bit for him to wish to stay alive for our sake." Ai''s vision blurred with tears which she tried to hold onto. "Then¡­Jin died in that scuffle, Nana died in the aftermath. I lost my son and wife. But Jun¡­chose to kill himself instead of facing reality. He ran away. I lost another of my children. And I got furious. Who did he," he clenched his palms, "think he was to take his life lightly? Who did he think he was to take his parents'' feelings lightly? I punished Jun not because I feel he was responsible for Nana or Jin''s deaths. Nana would never me him. I punished him for the decisions he made. I understand his pain of losing his love but that pales inparison to seeing someone losing his life. Jun had no right to give that endless suffering to Nana and me." A long silence befell after which Ai bowed. "Please forgive me for the things I said to you on the banquet night, Mr. Liu. I didn''t know¡­the bigger picture you were looking at," she trembled, feeling ashamed. She might be right in some parts, but she couldn''t deny that Jinhai''s feelings as a father werepletely valid. She felt a pat on his head, and she looked up to see Jinhai slightly smiling at her. "Don''t apologize. You did make me realize that I had been in Jun''s ce before, but I might have been too hard on him. I am d you fought for him, and I am d he found his second chance in you." Ai parted her lips but couldn''t form a response. "Also, don''t call me Mr. Liu. Call me Dad. Same with Nana. Call her Mom. We are your parents as much as Mr. Zhou and Miss. Xie now," he patted her head, "If you ever need me, you are always wee to Liu vi or Liu Corps." Chapter 445 The Next Step To Confirm Her Theory It all started when Ai had returned from Dream High. The day when she had experienced seeing the golden clock andter on met Guiying. The sight of her smoking a cigarette was engraved in her mind so deeply that she couldn''t shake it off. Something was wrong. Guiying would never smoke. She would never call her full name. So, Ai couldn''t dismiss it as simple coincidences. Somewhere or the other, she got reminded of the fortune telling mystical woman and her cards. Guiying and the presence of a shadow. She and Jun could really never understand the meaning of that card. What did a shadow mean? ''There is something else inside her.'' What did the elderly woman mean by that? But after that day, Ai felt like she could connect the dots. Or at least she felt like she might being to understand something more about that mysterious card and the shadow. But what to search? Where to begin? Ai had no idea. To get things started, Jun asked Chyou for a background checkup of Guiying, which they had already done before. But they repeated it just to confirm it once again if they had missed something. They hadn''t. Guiying had no parents. She lived with Cai Lingyun, and he raised her ever since they were young. Life was a struggle because of their financial problems, but the brother-sister pair had prevailed somehow. Still, there was nothing that could point out Guiying''s changed behavior. One day as Ai worked in the library, Mrs. Quan had asked her, noticing her lost gaze. "You seem to be in deep thought, my dear." "I don''t know how to find an answer I am looking for," she sighed. "Hit Baidu then." "Huh?" Sheughed. "Ah, don''t mind me dear. These young kids nowadays. I often hear them saying to search on Baidu if they are stuck with a question. Baidu knows the answer to everything." Aiughed with Mrs. Quan butter on, she thought that it wasn''t a bad idea. The search engine wouldn''t return anything new about Guiying that they already didn''t know after the thorough background check. But if I could exin how I feel¡­ So she hit the keyboard. ''My friend is acting differently. She is doing things that she never did before like smoking cigarettes.'' She felt a little embarrassed by the question she had typed. This is silly¡­ The search results gave her a myriad of results of friendship and tips like what to do when your friend has changed or how to deal with a biased friend and general advice on handling friendships. But she didn''t find any connection with these answers and the mysterious card with the shadow. There is something else I am missing¡­ Which she finally found a hint of in a certain forum link after much searching andbing through various sites. Somebody went a bit further than friendship advice and tried to exin this situation medically. They mentioned split personality disorder. Curious, Ai read through that forum and learned that split personality or dissociative identity disorder was a condition when a person had a presence of two or more distinct personalities within them. Their thoughts, actions, and behaviors of each personality may bepletely different. Ai widened her eyes and felt the eureka moment hitting her. Guiying who didn''t smoke and the Guiying who did indeed felt like twopletely different people. "No, no. That''s impossible. Guiying and split personality disorder? It cannot be¡­Guiying is healthy and perfectly fine." But that was limited to her physical state. Can I really know what goes on in her mind? Can I really be sure of her mental condition? Considering herst confrontation with Guiying in her past life, Ai knew she couldn''t be so sure anymore. We could know if a person was physically fit by just having a look at them. But was this possible on a mental level? There was nobody in this world who could read minds or see others'' true thoughts. So it was impossible to tell if a person was really suffering from depression or other conditions, especially when people tend to hide them and act normal on the outside. Ai tapped her finger on the desk, contemting on what to do. ''There is something else inside her.'' She felt that the split personality theory was fitting more and more with the card and the shadow. If it was true that she still had her doubts, the shadow would mean Guiying''s other personality hiding within her. Ai found this believable andpletely unbelievable at the same time. That same evening, Ai asked Jun, "If I want to know more about something rted to brain and mental condition, who can I talk to?" Jun gave her a suspicious look. He thought about all her weirdness and entric behavior which was frustrating at times and made his fuse short-circuit but which was also lovable. He kissed the back of her hand. "I love you the way you are." "..." Ai smacked Jun''s head with a roll of newspaper. He chuckled and said, "Well if you want to know more in medical terms, then you can ask Uncle Liang or Uncle Jack Si." "Jack Si?" "You know Aunt Caihong, right? He is her sister Si Shuang''s husband, Jack Si. He is a very capable neurosurgeon and knows a lot about the human brain. He is knowledgeable about mental illnesses too, and he knows many great doctors in that field. I heard he had treated Uncle Xiaosi when he had lost his memories and is currently helping Bro Zixin too. If he cannot help with your questions, then he can hit up an expert in that field for you." Ai beamed. "Can I talk to him?" "Sure. I will text him." Coming to the present, it was Jack Si''s response to Ai''s question of a possible split personality disorder. But it needed the patient''s full medical checkup and behavioral analysis to confirm. Which was when Ai realized why this never came in Guiying''s background check. There were no official medical records rted to Guiying that highlighted any serious medical condition. She narrowed her eyes, thinking of a way to confirm her theory. Cai Lingyun. Chapter 446 Conditioned Response The entire next day had passed too, but Jin showed no signs of waking up. His fever remained at the same temperature. He looked paler as more time went by. Shui kept questioning and urging Jun to let Jin be treated in a hospital. He wanted to too. But he also knew somewhere in his heart that it wasn''t a normal fever. It wouldn''t help Jin even if they took him to the hospital. There was something Jin had to do to himself to get out of this bind. "How long should we be doing this, Ai? The more time it takes, the more difficult it will be for Jin and to exin stuff to everyone else." Ai changed the wet cloth from his forehead and reced it with a new one. She, too, felt helpless. Shui''s concern and questions started to grow more aggressive too. "Shui hasn''t stopped crying since. I cannot see her in that state either," she pursed her lips, "I had to force her to get some rest or she would have fallen sick." He shook his head, panic growing in his heart. He spent his whole day searching for the mystical woman to do anything to help Jin. To give any clue to what he could do to save his brother. But he didn''t find any trace. Ai sensed the need to give the brothers some privacy. She patted the cat''s head, who hadn''t moved an inch from beside Jin''s chest and quietly left. "I will check on Shui." Left alone, Jun gently held his hand. His eyes ached feeling the temperature of Jin''s hot skin. "What''s wrong, Jin? I am here. If you have anything in your mind, please tell me. Don''t keep it in your heart and torture yourself like this. What is bothering you that it''s so painful for you? If you can hear me, then pleasee back, Jin," his warm tears plopped on Jin''s hand. Jun rested his head on the back of his chair, closing his eyes. ''Only he can help himself.'' No, he cannot. He is not able to. That''s why he is stuck in a loop. That''s why he cannot wake up. If it was in Jin''s hands to decide, he wouldn''t choose this path of pain and grief. So there is something stopping him from moving forward. But what¡­ He gently opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling. What else is Jin keeping from me? What can he be hiding from me that it gets so painful for him? What is the truth that he would rather choose to suffer like this than admitting it? If I was in Jin''s ce, what would have been the most difficult thing for me to ept? His dark brown eyes, which were staring at the ceiling, gradually widened. He jerked up to sit straight on his chair as if lightning struck him. He fixed his gaze at Jin and whispered. "Jin¡­" ¡ª "Jin¡­" Jin, who sat all by himself in that strange world with all his memories floating by him as he hugged his body to his knees, heard his brother''s voice again. He had been listening to him all this time. His concern, his anxiety, his tears, his urge for Jin toe back as soon as possible¡­ Jin had been quietly listening to everything. But he had no strength to move. Or rather he chose not to react at all. He felt guilty for hurting Jun for so long. But he was terrified to go back to that world where he would have to face his brother with the truth. He would rather die than let that happen. "Jin¡­" He had buried his face between his knees, his ck irises looking empty. "You love Shui¡­right?" Jin froze hard as if he was thrown on top of a cold block of ice. The eyes which looked empty till now, got slowly filled with horror. His thoughts came to a breaking halt and all he felt was deep silence. "You love Shui." This time, it wasn''t a question but a statement. His body trembled with his heart jumping back and forth in his chest. It pounded loudly with extreme fear gripping his nerves. He felt a strangling sensation at the back of his throat as if somebody had snatched his voice. No¡­ He hit his chest, feeling out of breath. I-It''s not like that! "In Shanghai, you said that you never loved Shui. You never saw her as more than a friend. But it was a lie." Tears spilled from Jin''s eyes. "You are wrong, Bro! You arepletely wrong!" Jun continued as he couldn''t hear Jin"s voice from that world of memories. "Or rather I should say that it was a¡­conditioned response." He stiffened. "You were not lying. No, Jin. You never lied to me. You said that you never loved Shui because that was what you believed in. You forced yourself to believe that truth. So you weren''t lying to me. All this time, you were lying to yourself." He trembled. Drops of sweat trickled down his forehead. He panted as if he had been climbing a mountain. "I kept thinking, Jin. What were you hiding so deeply in your heart? If our positions were reversed, what would have been the most painful feeling for me? I am so stupid Jin that I realized it sote." Jin shut his eyes, crying hard. His screams resounded in that world as he covered his face. "If it was always you and Shui together and I had been in your ce, the most difficult thing for me would have been toe to terms with my feelings for Shui. It''s so obvious. My brother loves her so much, yet I hold feelings for that same woman. I am so cruel. I am so disgusting. How could I look at my friend as a woman who would be my sister-inw one day? How could I think of betraying my own brother? This is not true. This is just my misunderstanding. I don''t love Shui. I cannot possibly love her and so¡­I bury everyst of my emotions rted to her." Chapter 447 Freedom Jin gently opened his tear-stained eyes as he felt a deep silence. He panicked upon not hearing anything from Jun anymore. B-Bro... He chuckled, feeling crazy. "Hahaha...I knew it. Bro hates me now...He is disgusted with me. He left me...Just as I thought..." His shoulders dropped lower in defeat, and he felt himself stuck in this never-ending maze of a world. It''s better to stay here, he thought with a vacant gaze. I don''t want to face him anymore. I don''t want to know how he will look at me from now on. "Jin." He stiffened. He imagined Jun to be leaving him forever. But why did he feel his voice choke? "Please forgive me." His eyes widened, hearing Jun''s cries echo in the air. His breaking voice made him unable to speak. His lips parted and shut in bewilderment. W-why is Bro apologizing? "I have made you suffer a lot. From the beginning, you have been only suffering. I have failed as a brother Jin..." Jin shook his head furiously. What is Bro talking about! Bro has never failed. Bro is the best "As your elder brother, it''s supposed to be me protecting you. But it turned out to be y-you protecting me all this time. Whether it''s you hiding your feelings for me or stubbornly urging Shui not to reject me...it was always you protecting me. I...am some, Jin," Jun chuckled that carried immense sorrow in hisughter. "I thought I was so strong. I will marry Shui and make her happy. But everything was just an illusion. The truth is that I am incredibly weak. So weak that you had to step in to protect my heart. From childhood until now, you had to pay the price for all the happiness I got with Shui. So much that you began to lie to yourself. And I am sorry Jin. In fact I don''t deserve your forgiveness at all. So why are you thinking that I will hate you, Jin? It''s supposed to be the other way around...You should hate me. You should loathe me. I hurt you s-so much in the past even though..." It got more and more difficult to talk for Jun as he choked on his sobs, "you sacrificed your love for Shui. You killed your feelings for her and I acted just like you had expected. Which means that I disappointed you, Jin. You didn''t do anything wrong..." Jin stared ahead, his eyes aching with tears. Don''t cry Bro...I cannot see you sad. Please don''t cry... ? "After what you did for me, I had no right to push you away. To hate you so much. I only forced you to keep on tightening that lid on the feelings you have for Shui until it became like a rope strangling your neck. I am the reason you are unable to ept your true emotions. I failed Jin. I failed as a brother. Instead of...instead of seeing you living your life with bliss and freedom, my obsession with Shui only chained you instead. I am the culprit, Jin. That''s why please...I beg you don''t punish yourself like this...Please don''t suffer anymore, Jin. I was wrong. Every single time, it was only me who was walking on the wrong path. Thank you Jin for loving me so much, but I...really don''t deserve your respect anymore because you didn''t deserve my hate and the bullet. It''s all my mistake..." Jin scrambled on his feet, listening to Jun''s heartbreaking cries. His chest tightened and as he lowered his gaze, he found the warmth and moistness of his tears on the back of his hand. He shut his eyes, unable to hold back his tears as well. "Don''t...cry, Bro." "Pleasee back Jin," Jun begged once again. "Punish me for the grief you went through. Jin...please free yourself from the chains that I put on you." Jin bit his lip hard. His hand trembled and so did his brother''s tears. Bro... He didn''t want Jun to me himself or feel responsible. But his assurance that he wouldn''t hate him lifted off an immense mountain from his shoulders. Jin heard a merry giggle and saw a little girl running towards him. Sheughed as she tugged onto Jin''s pants. He stared at the apparition of little Shui, beaming at him with her bright eyes. She made a beckoning signal with her hand as if asking him to bend down. Jin slowly kneeled before her, still peering into her eyes. It was those same eyes that had taken little Jin''s breath away, invariably making a ce in his heart. Little Shui tapped on his nose and pouted. "I told you, right? I don''t want to see you and Jun fighting. I want to see you two happy! So, you should go now. Jun is waiting for you," she chirped. "...Is that so?" She bobbed her head seriously. "You two have been sad for like a reaaaaaaaly long time. Even I don''t cry for that long," she scrunched up her brows. A chuckle escaped his lips. "Hm. I know. You were always pretty quick to stand up on your feet. Nothing bad could faze you for a long time. That''s..." a faint light passed his eyes, "what I always loved about you so much." Little Shui brightened. "You love me, Jin?" He smiled and gently ced his hand on top of her head. His warm voice was as gentle as his gaze. "Yeah. I do. I have always loved you, Shui." Little Shui grinned. "I love you too, Jin!" "I know. But I have hurt you a lot, Shui. My love for my brother made me incapable of loving you. I have made you sad. I don''t deserve to be with you. You should be loved by a person free from any baggage." Little Shui blinked. Jin shook his head. "I am sorry for the difficult words." Little Shui red her nostrils in defiance. "Don''t act so smart! I know a lot of difficult words too!" Jinughed. "My bad. I am sorry." Little Shui smacked on his head. "You don''t decide who I should like and who I should not," she frowned. "You know, I might look silly to you. But I am actually very smart. Do you think I don''t know how much you love Jun? I already do. That''s why you ruined my drawing. That''s why you always tagged along with Jun whenever he came to y with me. I already know that he is the best brother in your heart and the most important too! So duhhh! I already know I will have the second most important ce in your heart. And that''s fine with me." "H-How can it be fine?" She puffed up her cheeks. "Because it''s Jun. I like Jun too! A lot! He is my bestest friend! You know, I will always take Jun''s side if you two ever fight!" "..." His brow twitched. "Aaaaand I am notpeting with a girl to feel sad. It''s Jun. Jun is Jun. I don''t feel sad that you like Jun and that he is in the first ce for you. I already know that. You know what Dada says? That I should find a boy who will be super loyal to me. But then he also says that he will be very mean to the boy..." she looked puzzled. "I don''t understand Dada sometimes." "..." Uncle Zhiyuan... "You are super loyal to Jun. That means you will be super loyal to me too! That''s why I like you so much because you cherish the person I want to cherish so much too haha!" He stared at her unblinkingly. Little Shui facepalmed. "Don''t talk to meeee, silly! You need to go back! Jun is still waiting for you." "I don''t know how to go back." "He will take you back," she grinned. "Who?" *Meow* Jin turned and saw a cat with dark brown irises staring silently at him as he rested his body on his hindlegs. Then he got up and started walking towards an unknown destination. Little Shuiughed as she patted his hands. "Follow him. He will show you the way back to Jun." Chapter 448 Closure "Is the checkup over?" Zixin asked with a slight impatience. Jack Si cocked his brow and curiously observed the way Zixin was shifting his body''s weight from one foot to another in anticipation. His bluish-grey orbs caught the hint of some secret. "You seem to be in a hurry." Zixin said, "No." He chuckled. "Is it a date?" Yunru and Serena, who had apanied him for the checkup, also straightened up at that question. Yunru gasped. "B-Bro, you are secretly dating someone!?" "No." Serena pped her hands. "No, no, you definitely are. Who is it? Who is it?" He pursed his lips. "It''s nothing like that. I just have an appointment with someone, and I don''t want to bete." Yunru grinned. "Is that someone a woman?" Jack Si shook his head. "Let''s not bully him." Serena mumbled. "I am not really bullying my son..." Heughed. "Anyway. Zixin''s physical reports are okay. His brain scan also shows positive signs. As far as his memories are concerned, there is no rush. We can take small steps and keep showing him things little by little to trigger it," he sighed. "I won''t give you false hopes about when his memories might return. We just have to keep doing everything we can and make sure not to overwhelm Zixin." Serena wiped a tear from the corner of her eye and nodded. "Yes." She and Yunru left the office and as Zixin turned, Jack Si stopped him. "One moment, Zixin." "Yes?" He smiled. "How are things going with your family? I am asking this because as a doctor, I need to know how you truly feel. Are youfortable? Do you feel you sometimes face any strange episodes?" He shook his head. "None. As for my family, I feel more at ease now. Though I cannot say I havepletely gelled with them..." "That''s okay. Take your time. If you feel ufortable at any point in time, report it to me as soon as possible." As Zixin was leaving, one nurse knocked on the office door and stepped in. "Dr. Si. Here is tomorrow''s appointment list." "Thanks," Jack Si nced at it and said, "Oh yeah I am meeting Zhou Ai tomorrow, right?" Zixin just stopped at the door and turned. "Jun''s girlfriend?" "Oh yeah. Jun had called me and then Zhou Ai and I chatted a bit. She was concerned about the mental condition of one of her friends and had some questions. So, I asked her to meet me tomorrow." "I see..." For a moment, Zixin wondered which friend it might be. As far as he knew, apart from Jun and his family''s circle, Xing Bi, Guiying and Yating were her friends. Nobody really felt like they were suffering from any condition... Zixin then berated himself. I should not be judging anybody. "Zixin, don''t forget toe back tomorrow too. There are some remaining tests to be done." He nodded. "I will." -- Back at the condo, Jun looked defeated. He stared at Jin, hoping that he would wake up. Perhaps, he might be listening to him and change his mind about his suffering. But he still remained unmoved. But then he noticed his eyshes fluttering. "Jin?" Jin felt as if he wasing out of a long dream. He kept following the cat until he saw a bright tunnel of light shining his way. As he opened his eyes, he saw Jun looking at him with tears slipping down his cheeks. "Jin..." "Bro..." Jin weakly said, a dull pain still flowing in his head. He shifted and tried to get up, but Jun sternly stopped him. "Justy back. No need to get up." Ai hurriedly rushed in, listening to their voices. "Jin? He woke up?" Jun nodded. He couldn''t express the relief he felt seeing Jin out of his precarious state now. "He is back..." Ai beamed. She felt just as relieved as Jun. She went to his side and softly flicked on his forehead. "You made us worry so much. How should I punish you?" It was weak, but his disdain was still visible. "Stay away from me." She pursed her lips. "Did nothing change in your heart for me? You would have surely admitted to yourself now that you actually like me so much." "I will kill you, Zhou Ai." "So stubborn..." Jun couldn''t help butugh. Seeing the catfight between them again felt so pleasant now. Ai cleared her throat. "Oh I forgot! I am still cooking dinner. Let me check on it or I will burn the food." She quickly left, giving the brothers some privacy. Jun smiled and patted his head. "I know you are tired. Rest for sometime until dinner is ready." Jin stared at his brother, feeling a little feverish. "Bro...are you running away this time?" He froze. "You were saying things about...not deserving my forgiveness. Somehow, I feel we go around the same circles...every time. You feel that you disappointed me, and I feel that I disappointed you." "How can you disappoint me, silly?" Jun gave a strained smile. "It was always me-" "No. You loved Shui. I...started to love her too despite knowing this. It was my mistake from the beginning." "We cannot control who we fall for, Jin. Who our heart chooses is out of our control. You loved her, you held it back for my sake, you never schemed or came in between my way, yet I only admonished you. You always acted more mature than me. I feel ashamed. I failed you in everything, and you cannot change my mind about this," Jun clenched his fists. Silence fell. Jin gave a weak smile. "Okay. So let''s bring this matter to a close. I forgive you." He knew his stubborn brother. Nothing would change his mind, and the only thing Jun needed now was forgiveness, which he felt he didn''t deserve. Jun stiffened. "You-" "You cannot change my mind about this, Bro," Jin gave the ultimatum this time. "You are being too soft on me," he lowered his gaze. "You are being too hard on yourself. It''s decided. I forgive you, and that''s the end of it." Chapter 449 Change Of Heart (1) *Knock knock* ''Guiying'', who was doing herst check on her makeup, shut herpact and went to open the door. Zixin greeted her sight, looking handsome as usual with the shirt and ck suit he wore. He held a small bouquet in his hands with all pink flowers. "For you." ''She'' folded her arms. "You didn''t have to take the trouble. It''s just dinner at my house." Zixin sincerely disagreed. "I cannote empty-handed." "I already have the bouquet you gave me at the cafe. Do you want to fill my whole apartment with nothing but flowers?" "That''s not a bad idea." "..." "Where will I sleep then?" Zixin gave her a deep stare. "You can alwayse to my ce," he whispered under his breath. "What?" He cleared his throat. "Nothing. Thank you for inviting me." ''Her'' brow silently twitched. Well, I didn''t have a choice. If you had not helped me against that fucker Cai Lingyun that day, this idiot inside me wouldn''t be so restless of expressing her gratitude. Why are you making me put up with this dinner farce? I already said my thank you to him. Is it not enough!? ''She'' felt a resistance inside her. So what if he is helping with your damn novel too? More than you imposing on him, doesn''t it feel that he is imposing on you? Clearly, he is more interested in brainstorming ideas than you do! ''She'' shrugged and gave up on arguing with Guiying. Somehow, these two are very simr. Too stubborn for their own good! "Come inside." Zixin stepped in with a beaming smile and looked around her house. It was the second time he was here. Cai Lingyun had left a bad taste thest time, but this time was different. His eyes caught a vase at a table with the pink roses he had given to her that day. Even after the days passed, the roses still looked in a good condition though he noticed slight withering around the edges of the petals. His smile widened. "You have still kept them?" ''Guiying'' frowned. "Why not? You might be a stubborn and annoying person to deal with but it''s not the roses'' fault, you know." He blinked innocently. "When was I stubborn and annoying?" "..." ''She'' looked back at him with her jaw slightly dropped. Yeah now I believe there are definitely memory problems with this guy. He conveniently forgets his own doing! For God''s sake you forced me out of Dream High to the cafe with your back-to-back flood of messages! If that''s not stubborn, then what is? ''She'' wanted to set him straight, but ''she'' suddenly felt it would be too exhausting to list it all down. ''She'' first took the bouquet from him and ced the flowers in another vase. ''She'' kept the vase on a table at the other side of the room. So, now the opposite ends of the living room looked evenly refined and decorated in pink with the two vases filled with Zixin''s flowers. ''Her'' mouth twitched in annoyance. This doesn''t look half-bad... "Take a seat on the couch and wait. I will bring dinner." "Let me help you," he offered. ''Guiying'' was about to say ''No thanks'' but she got a better idea of taking her revenge against Zixin. ''She'' sneered. "Sure." As ''she'' stirred the curry in the pot in the kitchen, ''she'' said, "Clean the tes first." Zixin nodded. When he was finished, ''she'' gave another order. "How about you set the tes on the table too?" He nodded. "While you are at it, clean the table too." He nodded. "Oh I remember! The magazines on that shelf are in such a mess. Can you sort that out too?" He nodded. After giving many back and forth orders of doing small tasks like these, Zixin returned to the kitchen,pleting everything. "Cut the veggies and make sd." He nodded. "Sure." "..." ''She'' red at him. Does he not know any other answer other than just nodding his head!? Clearly, I am bullying you! ''She'' suspiciously looked at him. Is he really that dumb or is he secretly nning something against me too? Lost in her thoughts, ''she'' heard a loud and ominous thud. On the cutting boardid the bottom half of a carrot while the upper half of it flew outside, crashed against the window grills and fell down. "....." A silence filled with horror befell. Then somebody screamed from outside, breaking the silence. "Damn it! Who threw this carrot on my head!? Come out!" ''Guiying'' stood rooted as if she was at a gunpoint. Though ''she'' felt more like she was at a knife point. "You coward! Now hiding after ying this prank? I will definitely find you!" His anger filled voice roared in the area. Since many windows of other apartments above him were open, the victim couldn''t really tell from which floor the carrot fell. "Just you wait!" Silence reigned again after the victim left. Zixin heavily knitted his brows, staring at the carrot. He seemed unaffected by the little chaos he caused. He seemed like he didn''t even realize that he was the cause of it. ''Guiying'' cautiously asked as ''she'' looked at him, horrified, "What were you doing?" "Cutting the carrot like you said." "...Is that how you cut a carrot?" ''She'' looked down at his hand, disbelief marrying her face. "Is that how you hold a knife in the first ce?" "I am not so sure about my life before I lost my memories but after I came home from the hospital, I haven''t really cooked these days." Yeah I am pretty sure you haven''t cooked BEFORE you lost your memories either. "Hand me the knife. Nice and slow, okay?" ''She'' took back the knife from him, extremely alert and slow in her movements. Who knows if one of our fingers will fly out of the window next... "Why did you agree to make the sd if you haven''t ever stepped in the kitchen in the first ce? You should have told me." Zixin scratched his chin. "Because you asked me to do it." "So?" "I want to help you." "I don''t think I need this kind of help." "But rather than sitting alone and waiting, I prefer helping you out. That way, I can spend more time with you. I like spending time with you, so I will do whatever you say." "You do realize that I was bullying you into doing all the work, right!?" Zixin sincerely seemed confused. "Really? I don''t know," he then smiled, "But I don''t mind even if you were bullying me. If it''s you, I will dly take whatever there is you have to give me." Chapter 450 Change Of Heart (2) As Jin slowly woke up, he felt a furry body wriggle beside him. He lowered his gaze, and then his eyes popped out of his sockets. "This cat¡­" He stared at the cat, dumbfounded. Jun said, his expression turning sour, "Ai brought him one day and ever since that day¡­she ispletely ignoring me. It feels like our intimacy has taken a bad hit and all because of this cat," he mumbled. *Meow* The cat stretched his body and yawnedzily as if not caring about Jun''sints at all. Jin said, "This cat¡­he came in my dreams." "What?" "Yeah. That ce I was trapped. Where I could see my memories. It was this cat who showed me the way back to consciousness. Howe the same cat is here?" He cautiously poked the cat''s cheek to which the cat responded by rubbing his cheek against his finger. Jun blinked. "Really? This cat?" "Yeah. That''s why I am so surprised. For some reason, I thought that it was you helping me find the way. Just like that day you stayed beside him in the room," his gaze looked warm as he tickled the cat under his chin. "He has the same eyes as you." *Meow* The cat clearly enjoyed this attention. Jun snorted. "He might have the same eyes as me, but he is definitely not me. I am way cooler." "..." Why so petty? They heard a rattling sound and turned to see Ai staring at Jin, carrying a tray in her hand. Her eyes caught the cat letting Jin pet him, which caused immense distraught in her heart. "How is it that the cat lets you touch him and not me?" Jin cocked his brow. "He does that? I must say the cat is really intelligent. He knows who to keep his distance from." "...I found him at first though. Where is justice in this world?" She mumbled to herself. "I cannot believe I would see a day of Zhou Ai getting jealous of me for a cat?" "I am not jealous." "Yeah sure," he scoffed. The cat jumped onto Jin''sp and made his seat as if he found his royal throne. He then shut his eyes and went to sleep. Ai felt her heart tighten. There is really no justice in this world¡­ Jun asked, craning his neck, "Where is Shui?" She pursed her lips. "She left." "Left? So suddenly?" She sighed. "She was here until a few minutes ago. From a distance, she saw you two talking, and then said that she would leave since Jin seems to be okay now. I insisted that she stay, but she didn''t listen to me," she nced at Jin, "I think she didn''t want Jin to see her and feel ufortable." Jin slowly lowered his head, staring at the sleeping cat. "...She was here too?" Ai answered him. "For the whole time. She hardly slept since yesterday and didn''t eat much either." His eyes slightly shone with uncertainty. There was a beat of silence after which Jun smiled and ruffled his head. "It''s okay, Jin. I know there are many things to sort out. You can take your time. We are here with you." Ai nodded in agreement. Jin faintly hugged the cat tighter unconsciously. "When I saw that golden clock¡­I heard Shui''s voices echoing in my head." Jun slowly widened his eyes. Ai scooted closer to the brothers too. "Did you hear what she said?" "...Not so clearly. It was on and off." Just like how Ai and I experienced¡­ "But she was crying a lot. She was talking to somebody. It seemed that she was using that person¡­" he trembled, his gaze growing more uncertain. Jun looked somber. "It was the same for me. I heard many voices in my head. Everything was such chaos. Ai and I feel that all those memories are a part of our past life which we are unaware of. The golden clock, the memories¡­they want to say something to us." "How will that happen?" Jun nced at him. "We don''t know that. It''s a phenomenon not in our control. But Ai did figure something out about Cai Guiying. What we can do is gather these bits and scraps to see the truth. Cai Guiying was always suspicious. But now it feels like we finally got a lead on her." ¡ª The dinner went on in silence, but a certain someone was scrutinizing Zixin as if wanting to probe something about him. ''If it''s you, I will dly take whatever it is you have to give me.'' ''She'' was always cautious about him as he was Jun''s cousin. But the more ''she'' was forced to spend time with him, the more ''she'' felt that all her worries were getting baseless. "Why are you so particr about this?" "This?" Zixin paused his elegant movements and enquired. "About me. My story. Going out ces. I don''t get it." He answered with all sincerity. "I want to be your friend." "Why? You can have as many friends as you want," ''she'' raised her brow. "But you are you. None can rece you." ''She'' said nothing. Zixin then looked to be in a gentle trance. "I want to be your friend also because of our first meeting at the hospital. We met under the cherry blossom tree, and I had a strange feeling that you looked familiar to me. When I saw the cherry blossoms fluttering around you¡­I felt at ease. It was so pleasant¡­I cannot exin it really. When I read your stories, I felt stronger about this connection and familiarity. You are a talented writer, and I wished to know more about you." ''Guiying'' hadn''t left her gaze off him for even a moment as he tried to put his feelings into words. ''She'' silently went back to eating her dinner. ¡ª As they finished and Zixin went to wash his hands, there was no watering from the kitchen sink''s faucet. "As usual with the water cuts¡­" ''she'' muttered in annoyance and said, "Go to my room and use the bathroom over there." Zixin obediently did as ''she'' told. Stepping out of the bathroom, he nced around her room in curiosity, which was quite in a messy state a bit. He blinked. Somehow, I didn''t imagine this¡­ The inner organizer in him was slightly getting restless. He bent on his knee before he knew it and started picking up stuff to quickly arrange it. One of which was a crumpled up a note. It was so heavily creased as if somebody hated the piece of paper from the bottom of his heart. Curious, he opened it and it read - ''I shall forever be your most loyal fan.'' MrPerfect. Chapter 451 The Note What Zixin read was thest line of the note. There was much more written above it, but that part of the paper was torn. He stared at the note which not only mentioned something about this strange man ''MrPerfect'' but also noticed that the note was in pink. Exactly like the color of the cherry blossoms. Which made him feel that whoever MrPerfect was knew Guiying''s favorite color and flower. Which wasn''t really surprising with her pen name being CherryBlossom itself. But his brows knitted feeling a strange sense of intimacy with this letter. ''I shall forever be your loyal fan.'' Zixin read that sentence over and over again. He suddenly felt as if something was bothering him. Something felt odd, but he didn''t know what. Who is MrPerfect? At this point, Zixin wasn''t aware of the Reading Point forum and Jun being a part of it. Thus, he didn''t know anything about MrPerfect either. The note was suddenly snatched from his hand, and he widened his eyes in surprise. He looked beside him to see a nervous and jittery Guiying, smiling awkwardly and crumpling the note in her hand. "S-sorry. It''s just some...trash. You didn''t have to bother picking it up," she looked away. Zixin quickly said, "Don''t apologize. I shouldn''t have touched your stuff without permission. I just thought I could help with cleaning a bit since you treated me with dinner. I am sorry," his ck irises shone with guilt. Guiying froze. She then took a nce around her own room and felt extremely embarrassed at its state. Shit! He saw my room in such a condition... She shook her head. "No, please don''t apologize. I appreciate your concern. I-I am sorry you had to see this..." she bit her tongue inwardly, "Trust me. I don''t keep my room messy like this. It''s just today that it..." He smiled with reassurance. "It''s fine." She sighed in relief. "My younger brother makes a mess at times too. Though there are maids at home, I usually do the cleaning up of his room. I am used to it," he nodded. "..." S-somehow that felt like a jab to me... Zixin parted his lips and strongly felt like asking about MrPerfect to her. He wanted to settle this odd feeling in his heart from spreading any further. "That person, MrPerfect - is he your reader?" Guiying stiffened at that question. She thought he wouldn''t ask about that. She shivered and felt at a loss for words. "I...Th-that..." her smile was a mixture of awkwardness and uncertainty. Her hands trembled and so did the note within her palms. MrPerfect was none other than his cousin Jun. But Zixin didn''t know that. Jun was the one who sent these letters and now dated Ai, but he didn''t know any of it. Neither did she want to let him know when he was already struggling in his life with his memory loss and put strain upon him and his familial rtionships. "...Yeah." "I see." Zixin then noticed her expression going slightly pale and her ck orbs shining with wetness. Taken aback, he quickly asked, "What happened?" Guiying hastily shook her head and got up, hiding her face. "Nothing." "It''s not nothing. You looked like you were about to cry. Did I o-offend you somehow?" Now Zixin looked pale. "No, no! J-Just something went into my eyes haha." Zixin anxiously faced her back and observed her trembling shoulders. She seemed to be holding onto the note even tighter, making him look further downcast. Guiying quickly went over to the trash can and threw the note inside. But he didn''t miss the momentary pause before throwing it away. Which made him feel that MrPerfect wasn''t just a simple reader to her. He was something more and someone who affected her more than just a fan. Guiying took a deep breath to calm down and sneakily wiped her eyes. She stered a smile on her lips and turned. "That was embarrassing haha. Can you wait for me? I will quickly clean my room..." Zixin fixed his sharp gaze at her, making her feel even more anxious. She hurriedly paced back and forth in her room from one corner to the other, picking and sorting things as she went. Zixin only observed her hopping from one ce to the other. At one point, she slipped on a piece of paper passing by him. He swiftly caught her waist, protecting her from crashing on the ground. Though he couldn''t save all the stuff Guiying painstakingly picked up, and it all tumbled down. Guiying shut her eyes in defeat. I have lost all my face...What am I doing? "Sorry...and th-thanks-" She blinked as she felt Zixin gently tracing his finger along her eysh. She lifted her gaze and saw him staring back at her with a strange intensity. Her lips parted and shut, not knowing how to react. His movements were so delicate that she felt her heart stop beating for a moment. "Your eyes look slightly red," he quietly pointed out. Guiying''s entire focus was on how incredibly close they stood in proximity now. She was already safe and fine, but a small gulp passed down her throat with how Zixin''s arm still held her waist. "Was it really dirt or were you crying?" Her ear tickled with his deep, concerned voice ringing closer to it. "Y-Yeah..." she stammered. "It didn''t seem like that to me though." There was a hint of usation in his tone. He then gently pulled her lower eyelid. "I don''t see any dirt." "It''s g-gone now," the ce where he touched felt warm, and she held onto her breath. "Or was it never there in the first ce?" "Of course there was..." When he leaned closer, she could smell his cologne. It was nice and fragrant. She could see his fair neck with its Adams apple and when she identally peeked at his lips, it made her brain heat up. "I-I am fine now!" She gave a soft push and freed herself. "The dinner is done. I will take my l-leave!" She turned on her heels and ran away. Zixin blinked. Why is the host leaving from her own house? He then slightly narrowed his eyes. Something is suspicious about this MrPerfect. Should I...find out who he is? Chapter 452 Not An Easy Feat The next day, Ai reached the hospital right in time for her appointment with Jack Si. His assistant led her, and she promptly nodded her head. "Hello," she greeted as she stepped inside. "Heyyy, Zhou Ai. Wee. Please have a seat." Taking a seat opposite him, Ai could then carefully observe him and to her speechlessness, she found herself staring at Jack Si with awe. By now, everybody knew how much Ai loved Jun''s eyes the most. But it was the first in all this time that she was attracted to someone else''s eyes. Jack Si''s bluish-grey orbs felt otherworldly as if he was a prince of some faraway fantasynd. She felt herself suck into those eyes. "Zhou Ai?" He waved his hand in front of her eyes. Her daze broke and she coughed, her cheeks feeling warm. "Y-Yes." Aunt Shuang is so lucky to have him¡­ On the other side as Jun walked into Sky, he let out a sneeze. He blinked and frowned heavily as he rubbed his nose. Why do I feel so annoyed for some reason? Ai said, "Thank you for giving me this appointment." He waved his hand. "My pleasure. I heard a lot about Jun''s girlfriend, so I wanted to meet you for a long time too~ How are things going with him? Does our Jun take good care of you? I can be your agony Uncle you know~" "It''s going well," Ai truthfully said. "He loves and cherishes me a lot." "I see." "But he doesn''t want to keep the cat I brought. So we are fighting over that." "Ah? You have a cat?" He beamed. "Yes. But he is jealous of him." "Hahaha! Ahhh, this is my first time hearing this," Jack Siughed heartily. "Don''t worry. The men in the Liu family cannot go against their wives for much long, you know~ He will ept his defeat sooner orter," he winked. They joked around andughed for some time like this. "Jun wanted toe with me too, but he had an important meeting at Sky." Jack Si blinked. "Oh. I thought this is about your friend." "It is¡­" Ai slightly hesitated. "But Jun was also concerned." "I see," Jack Si nodded. "No problem. Anyway,ing back to your purpose of visit, can you tell me in detail about this friend of yours? What you saw, heard or felt?" Ai went on to exin everyst doubt and uncertainty that had grown root in her heart after meeting Guiying at Dream High. After patiently listening to her, Jack Si leaned forward, pressing his fists together. "I understand. That''s what you mentioned before too in our text messages." "Yes." "But honestly, this is still very little information to rule in split personality disorder. I did propose that it could be the case. But there are a lot of factors behind a change in someone''s personality. Stress is one of the major factors and yes, it can indeed cause somebody to create a new identity, but it can also force a person to undergo a simple change in their habits. There are many cases where a non-alcoholic person has started to drink because they cannot handle the situation he or she is in. Or a model student trying to cheat in an exam if the situation is dire enough to force him." He continued taking a pause. "You say that it''s very unlikely for your friend to smoke or address you with your full name. But have there been any changes that can cause this shift recently?" Ai gave it a sincere thought and the only thing that came to her mind was the Summit. Guiying had lost and even though she expressed her happiness that Ai won, Guiying very well could have been feeling stressful from inside. Ai also couldn''t be sure of what pressure she might be facing at Dream High after her loss. "There have been but¡­" "But you feel it''s not strong enough to warrant such a drastic change?" Ai slowly nodded in response. "She cannot tolerate smoke. Even on the road, she always kept her distance from people who used to smoke cigarettes. But that day, she looked really adept in smoking as if¡­she was doing it for years which cannot be the case. There has been an event where she suffered loss. But I don''t think one loss could make her change like this." "Then there should be something else that happened which you are unaware of. See, the first thing we should understand is if this change is simply caused by stress or is it really split personality disorder? Because if it''s thetter, then the matter is not so simple. A different personality isn''t born overnight." She blinked. "You mean?" Jack Si exined. "In almost all cases, a different personality is developed during someone''s childhood." She looked at him, bewildered. "Childhood? That back?" "Yes. Split personality disorder usually develops in someone as a method to cope with trauma. The trauma can be anything. It can take the form of long-term emotional, mental, physical or sexual abuse. When that child isn''t able to handle it, they want someone to protect them and at times, they get this protection from within themselves in the form of a second personality. That ''other someone'' is a stronger version who can deal with the things the child himself cannot deal with. It''s like a way to detach themselves from the trauma and reality." Ai felt more and more incredulous. A traumatic childhood for Guiying? She knew that Guiying didn''t have parents and that must have definitely been hard on her. But Cai Lingyun was always by her side, caring for her and supporting her. The brother-sister pair had weathered the harsh life and survived. So with Cai Lingyun by her side, what trauma could Guiying have gone through? And how did he not protect her? "I¡­we have been friends for a long time, but she never told me anything about a trauma." Jack Si sighed. "It''s not easy, Zhou Ai. No matter how close you are, people hesitate to share their deepest concerns because they don''t want to be judged. To open up about your personal situation takes a lot of courage. It''s like baring your heart to the world and that, by no means, is an easy feat." Chapter 453 Instantaneous Response Ai lowered her gaze. She understood his point. There were times when Ai herself had been struggling with her parents''divorce and her life after theirseparation. There were many instances where she felt vulnerable and lonely, but she preferred to keep her feelings inside rather than sharing it with someone. He is right. It''s not so easy to share¡­ Jack Si said, "Toe to a conclusion of a split personality disorder, we need to know her past. There are some examinations to be done to confirm this second personality too. If this condition is true, then your friend needs proper medical help. It would be great if you could gently talk to her about this." Ai stepped out of his office with a grave expression. Talking to Jack Si illuminated the path of what she should do next. The only man who could tell something about Guiying''s trauma is Cai Lingyun. But it''s not wise to approach him alone. I need to talk to Jun about this first. Lost in her thoughts, she bumped into a man, who was about to meet Jack Si himself. Ai looked up and apologized. "I am sorry. I wasn''t paying attention¡­" her eyes slightly widened. "Zixin." Zixin greeted her. "Hello, Ai." "Nice to meet you," she politely smiled. "Are you here for your checkup?" "Sort of. It was already done yesterday. Some other scans are left." "I see. I thought Yunru will be with you." "He seemed to have some work, so I told him to go ahead." Jack Si''s assistant arrived and asked, "Mr. Chen. Can you pleasee inside? Dr. Si is waiting for you." He gave a light nod. Zixin then nced back at Ai. "Are you going to Sky after this?" "Yes." "Then if it''s okay, can you wait for me? I will drop you at Sky. It''s on my way anyway." "I don''t want to give you any trouble." "It''s no trouble." "Okay. I will take up on that ride," Ai smiled and agreed. ¡ª Sky Publishing. "This is all for today, Sir," Hou Lin closed the meeting and gave a brief summary. Sun Bai, too, gave her side of the inputs and wrapped up her presentation. Jun said, "Got it. Focus on developing the plot crafting skills of all authors this time, Miss. Sun. Prepare all the training materials. Hou Lin. I want to introduce some changes in the app to aodate more features and focus more on promoting niche genres to the readers. I want to modify the pricing model too. I want the marketing and app development team ready." "Yes, Sir." "Good. If you want to consult any further, you can ask me or President Yunru." With that, Jun scrunched up his brows. "Is Yunru not in the office?" Sun Bai shook her head. He has been on and off work for quite sometime now, Jun thought. "Anyway, the meeting is done. You can leave." As Sun Bai opened the door and stepped out followed by Hou Lin, Xing Bi straightened up. "Miss. Xing?" Sun Bai was slightly surprised. "Do you have some work with Mr. Liu?" "Oh no, no," she waved her hand. "Your phone was ringing continuously, Miss. Sun. I thought it was something urgent, so I thought to bring your phone." For all important meetings with Jun, Sun Bai usually left her phone in her office to prevent any distraction altogether. "Oh. Thank you, Miss. Xing." Sun Bai nced at the number calling her and faintly clenched the phone in her hand. A tinge of difort shed in her eyes, but she quickly regained herposure. "I will look into it. Miss. Xing. Here are the notes of today''s meetings with Mr. Liu. Can you help with preparing the training materials? Then we will n our sessions with the authors ordingly." Xing Bi gave it a read and nodded. "Sure!" "Thank you," her heels clicked on the floor, and she left with a slight hurry in her steps. "Did you see that too?" Xing Bi asked Hou Lin as soon as Sun Bai was away from their hearing range. Hou Lin didn''t understand. "See what?" "Oof. The caller''s name on her phone." "I didn''t," he took a fraction of a second pause, "I don''t intrude upon anybody''s privacy." "..." Xing Bi felt that jab. "I-I wasn''t intruding either!" She eximed in a hushed voice to defend herself with a flushed face. "It''s just that her phone was lighting up non-stop, and I really thought it could be an emergency call." "I see." She gritted her teeth and jabbed on his knee. "Can I feel some sincerity in your voice?" Hou Lin''s brows ever so faintly creased and felt a stinging pain on his knee. "That hurt." "It wasn''t really that hard of a jab," she dryly said. "Apologies. I might be over-reacting." Xing Bi nodded. "Good, good. Coming back to the topic, I just happened to see who was calling her so incessantly. And that was Lu Bohai." Hou Lin furrowed his brows. "Strange." "Exactly. Why is he so desperate? Even in the cafe, he looked so demanding¡­" "You saw them at a cafe?" "..." Shit! It was supposed to be a secret that I stalked Sun Bai! Ugh, I am talking to Hou Lin, not Nian! Xing Bi grinned. "Just passed by¡­" "Meaning stalked." "..." "You¡­you must understand that I am a very responsible citizen of this country and as such, I don''tmit such acts of stalking and intruding upon someone''s privacy." When she didn''t hear any response from Hou Lin, she warned, "Say that you understand if you don''t want me to jab your knee again." "I understand. Miss. Xing is a very dutiful and pure citizen of this country having no harmful intentions in her mind," his response was instantaneous. Xing Bi nodded, satisfied. "Good, good," she then came back to the topic, "I am really anxious of what is happening between them! The more I see their furtive meetings, the more I cannot help but wonder if something bad is going to happen." "Depends on what you heard Lu Bohai saying." "He was just asking Miss. Sun to handover something. I couldn''t hear anything more." Hou Lin calmly said, "Then let''s see what''s the demand. If it''s something rted to Sky, we can keep an eye on Miss. Sun and observe what she does next." Chapter 454 Far From Close The car drove towards Sky and Ai and Zixin sat in silence. A minuteter, Ai asked, "How was the checkup?" Zixin nodded. "It was fine. I still don''t remember anything, but my physical indicators are improving." That lifted her lips in a hopeful smile. "That''s a relief." Zixin nced at her, tapping his finger on his thigh. Thinking back to his dinner with Guiyingst night, he had a few questions in his mind about the note he had seen. About MrPerfect who seemed to have a strange presence for her more than just a reader. As her friend, he figured that Ai might have some knowledge about this person. Maybe Guiying might have told her about him. When he thought to broach that subject and looked at her again, he noticed an odd expression on her face. He slightly tilted his head. Ai seemed to be in deep thought as she stared at her phone listlessly. Her eyes reflected a hint of mncholy. He surmised there was something bothering her which made that wistful expression show on her face. As he looked down at her phone, he noticed her staring intently at a picture. It was a picture of her and Guiying from their high school days. They were in their high school uniforms, eating steamed buns from their favorite shop. Zixin''s eyes lightened up. He immediately recognized Guiying and felt ted. He had never seen pictures of Guiying''s teenage days. Curious to know more, he asked in a gentle voice, "That is you and Cai Guiying, right?" Ai blinked, her stupor breaking. She gave a light smile and nodded. "This was where we used to eat steam buns almost everyday. The shop owner always gave us discounts because we were regr customers." "That''s nice." Zixin hesitated for a moment before asking, "Can I have a closer look?" "Sure." Ai handed her the phone which he promptly took. Two cheerful girls were smiling in the picture. One girl wore a ponytail with a poised smile on her lips. She was Ai. Another girl had tied her hair into a cute bun with her lips curving into a bright grin and her eyes shining with vitality. She was Guiying. Zixin slowly lowered his eyelids, his gaze softening. With a feeling he didn''t understand, he too, stared at the picture for sometime in silence. He noticed a pink clip, which she had used to tie her hair into a bun. Thinking how much Guiying still liked pink, a silent and soft chuckle escaped his lips. "It''s a silly picture," Ai said. "It''s not. It feels warm," Zixin replied. And it was true. He felt warmth envelop his chest. It was a simple picture, but it grew a strong desire within him to know more about Guiying. "I envy you¡­" he whispered. "Sorry?" Zixin said, "Nothing. I meant¡­" he wasn''t sure of how to put it into words, "you two seem to be so close." Which unknowingly brought a sense of envy towards Ai as she knew more about Guiying than him. But he wasn''t so good at articting it. Ai sped her fingers. Her cold palms felt slightly warm as she brought them together. But it didn''t fade the chilly uneasiness away from her heart. "Close¡­I don''t really think so." Zixin lightly knitted his brows. "What do you mean?" Ai clenched her hands tighter, feeling an urge to cry. "I think Guiying and I are far from close." "That''s not true. You have been together since high school. You started your writing careers together. You must also know what she likes and doesn''t like. Like she loves cherry blossoms, doesn''t she?" "Yes, but I think that''s the only extent of how much I understand Guiying. It feels painful to learn that now. Knowing about someone isn''t only rted to likes and dislikes. For true good friends, they know their past too. They know what they have gone through. But it seems like I have been living a clueless life until now," her voice slightly broke. Zixin frowned. "Can you tell me more?" Suddenly, the thought about Ai''s visit with Jack Si shed in his mind. It was after that that Ai started looking sorrowful. "Is this rted to your meeting with Uncle Jack?" Ai pressed her lips and slowly gave a nod. Which made Zixin remember that he actually did wonder yesterday as to why Ai wanted to meet Jack Si. "If you don''t mind, can I ask what it was about?" Ai paused. She wondered if it was alright to tell Zixin. She had no intention of spreading rumors or spections about Guiying until she met Cai Lingyun and would bepletely sure about her condition. But she also knew that Zixin was a sincere person, and he wouldn''t unnecessarily drag the conversation anywhere or to anybody where it wasn''t needed. Plus, Zixin had met Guiying twice. Once at the hospital and once at the hotel during the get-together. It was, by no means, arge number of meetings that Zixin would learn about Guiying any deeply. But she still wanted to understand if Zixin had felt the same way as her. An odd feeling or something somewhere which didn''t sit right with him when he met her. Ai talked slowly, trying to emphasize her point. "I wanted to ask Uncle Jack his opinion about Guiying, though I didn''t reveal her identity to him." Zixin stared at her, unable to react. Not even in the slightest did he imagine that Ai went to Jack Si to talk about Guiying. And since Guiying was involved, he wanted to learn what happened all the more. "...Cai Guiying? Why?" Ai was about to exin but strangely didn''t know where to start her story. So instead, she asked, "You have met Guiying twice, right?" "Yes." Though I have met her many more times after that, but nobody knows that, he inwardly spoke to himself. "Have you ever felt that¡­Guiying behaves differently sometimes?" He blinked. Seeing his confusion, Ai borated further. "I mean did you feel that Guiying, at times, spoke and acted gently and at times, she looked and acted exactly the opposite - fierce and distant?" Chapter 455 The Traumas Cause Zixin heard her question crystal clear and took a pause to understand her point. He felt like he did but also like he didn''t. Sometimes gentle and sometimes distant¡­ He slowly walked through his memories from the first time he met at the hospital, at the get-together party, at Shui''s banquet and then his subsequent meetings with her. When Ai put that question before him, it was then he felt as if he could finally point out the indiscrepancies that would bug him from time to time. The Guiying who he talked to outside the hospital or at the party or at Shui''s banquet seemed warm and amiable. But after that, he definitely did feel a change in her attitude and mannerisms. Evenst night, he did feel a difference between the woman with whom he had dinner and the woman whoter snatched the note from him. The way she talked before and after dinner was indeed something worth pondering over. Ai went on, emphasizing her point. "For example, Guiying doesn''t smoke. But one day at Dream High, I saw her smoking even though she cannot even stand a cigarette''s smell. She looked like an expert, but she is actually not." Zixin slowly widened his eyes. At the get-together party too, he had seen her smoke but then she suddenly started coughing as if she was extremely ufortable. Even at her housest night, he saw a few cigarettes burned in the ashtray. "She also called me Zhou Ai which she never had before. We call each other by first names." He had heard Guiying calling Ai as Ai but not as Zhou Ai. Ai lowered her gaze. "When I thought back to all these incidents in general, I seriously felt something was wrong. That''s why I met Uncle Jack today." Zixin gave her a deep, questioning look. "But he is a neurosurgeon." "Yes. He is knowledgeable about brain and mental conditions." She gave him a brief summary of how she reached the point of talking to Jack Si. "I discussed this with him and he surmised that sometimes, stress could cause change in habits too. But even if that is so, I cannot really connect simply stress to her change in behavior. That''s when he said about split personality disorder." Zixin froze. Once again, she summarized her conversation with Jack Si to him. Ai said with a hint of worry and uncertainty stabbing her heart, "This disorder is attributed mainly to any trauma or stress usually faced in childhood which makes the person create another alter ego inside them. But¡­I realized I don''t know anything about Guiying," her eyes reddened. "Is it true that she faced something so severe that made her like this today? I don''t know. The only way to confirm this is if we have a proper medical examination of Guiying." Zixin''s eyes were fixed at Ai but at the same time, he wasn''t really looking at her. Past trauma¡­ That day was still fresh in his mind when he had helped Guiying from Cai Lingyun''s rampage. His face was livid with rage and he hadpletely lost his mind, turning violent towards his own sister. At that time, Guiying was extremely hostile towards Cai Lingyun as well. Then he also thought of the times they met to chat about her novel. Now that I think about it¡­she didn''t really seem much interested in talking about ideas and her story when we met. But when he danced with Guiying at Shui''s banquet, there was a certain amount of love for writing and her work that he definitely felt from her gaze. He trembled. Ai might be clueless right now about Guiying''s past. But seeing Cai Lingyun''s rampage with his own eyes that day, he could connect the dots ande to a conclusion that¡­ Suddenly Ai felt the air turning icy, making her shiver. As she nced at Zixin, she was taken aback to notice his expression looking extremely dangerous and cold. "Zixin?" Upon her call, he forced the threat in his eyes to tone down. "Yes." "You seemed angry." "No, it''s nothing," he then asked, "What are you going to do?" "I need to talk to Jun about this, but the only person who could help me is Cai Lingyun. If it''s about Guiying''s past, then he will definitely know something." He said nothing and looked outside the window at the passing scenery. "I see." ¡ª With a grim expression, Jun heard everything Ai had to say after which he had immediately set out to find Cai Lingyun''s current whereabouts. But his brows crinkled slightly and his dark brown squinted as he came across a certain news. Ai asked, "What is it?" "Cai Lingyun was in jail sometime ago." "Jail? For what?" Her lips parted in shock. "Wait a sec." He immediately called his friend and cop Yijun''s number and asked, "Yijun, why was Cai Lingyun put in jail?" "Bro Jun. Cai Lingyun¡­Yes, I remember I heard about him when I came back from my posting in Shanghai. Somebody had given an anonymous call and said that he was being violent and beating up a woman in an apartment. That woman was his sister, Cai Guiying." Ai froze. Even Jun hadn''t really expected to learn this oue. "Wait¡­what? He was beating Cai Guiying? His own sister?" ? "Yes. Though her neighbors were hesitant, some of them came forward and said that he was shouting and making a scene like crazy. Then thankfully, somebody dragged him out, and he was put in jail. But not long ago, he was released because Cai Guiying took back her report." They hung up not long after that, and Ai said in bewilderment, "Cai Lingyun and beating up Guiying? How is this possible, Jun? He is her brother, and I never heard of being violent towards Guiying." "Never heard¡­Yes, you will never hear that unless Cai Guiying herself willingly talks to you." She stiffened. "S-such a thing happened to her and I knew nothing¡­" Jun squished her cheeks and brought her face closer to his. "It''s not your fault. This is something very personal to her, and you cannot know unless she chooses to tell you this herself. Our past life circumstances and her involvement in it too made you distant from her. So stop with that negative trail of thoughts. What we should be focusing now is Cai Lingyun." He smiled with a threatening ring to it. "He needs to give us a lot of answers." Chapter 456 Jinhais Small Revelation "Jini-boy!" Zhou Yichen furiously waved his hand as he saw Jin arriving at the entrance of the Liu Corps. Jin immediately made a face and was determined to ignore him, but a certain someone wasn''t going to let him go so easily. Zhou Yichen hung his arm around his neck and grinned. "Jini-boy is back at the office. Where were you for two days? This Uncle missed you~" Jin threw him a dirty re. "Aish, don''t look so rigid or you will lose the touch of your handsomeness," he shook his head. "Anyway jokes aside." He ced his hand on his forehead and bobbed his head. "Good, good. Jini-boy is perfectly healthy now!" It was quite a task to exin to the family what had happened to Jin. So instead, Jun made his way around some excuse of a light sickness. Of course, it wasn''t mentioned that Jin had actually slipped into a state of temporarya because of his fever. They met Jinhai on the way, and he stopped in his tracks. "Jin, I want to talk to you. Come to my office sometime." Zhou Yichen patted Jin''s shoulder. "Go ahead. I will take care of the work with Shui~" Jin paused. "...Shui is here too?" His eyes twinkled. "Why, you forgot she is working with us on the project? She is such a hardworking girl~ You have to catch up." Though he said that, Zhou Yichen was intently studying Jin, who seemed to behave quite differently today. Previously, he would shrug or snort at Shui''s mention. But today, his gaze held different emotions inside them. Ah, did my n work? Did Jini-boy and Shui get to talk and sort things out that day? It doesn''t look like that as there still is some distance between them... Jin promptly followed his father to his office. After closing the door, he stood before him as Jinhai faced him. "Like you saw, Nana and everybody else were really worried about you. You suddenly fell sick, after all." Jin pursed his lips. "I am sorry for making you all worry." ? "I was a little surprised to know that you stayed at Jun''s condo the whole day. But I wonder why Jun didn''t let us know immediately." Jin''s expression didn''t change. "Bro must have not wanted to make you and Mom unnecessarily take stress. It wasn''t that serious." "Really?" "What do you mean?" Jin''s brows crinkled. Jinhai kept his hawk-like gaze fixed at Jin. "I am pretty sure you are hiding something from me. It must be the same thing which Jun confessed to me a few months back." Jun felt his throat go dry a little. Back at the condo after he woke up, Jun had told him that he had already confessed about his rebirth to Jinhai. Ai as well. Which was quite shocking for Jin, but he quickly understood Jun''s intention too. He wanted Jinhai to punish him and discard him from the family. That''s why he left the vi. Dad must have... "The way you fell sick wasn''t natural, right?" Jinhai raised his brow. "That''s why Jun took so much effort to practically hide you in his condo." Jin still feigned a clueless countenance. "I am not getting what you mean-" "You have been given a second chance at life too." That managed to make a crack in Jin''s stoic expression. It was impossible to hide that split second reaction. "I surmise your sickness was rted to that," Jinhai concluded. "Otherwise, Jun wouldn''t have been so furtive about it." "No, what-" "Jun already confessed about his rebirth to me a long time back. I know about Ai''s as well." Jin held his breath. Jinhai cocked his head slightly to the other side. "I guess then your changed behavior makes sense. I did have an inkling that you were reborn too since that day Jun confronted everybody about his breakup. You went ahead and expressed your interest in Ai, which was very unlikely for you to do that when you adore Jun so much." His eyes slightly widened. "That''s why after that breakup announcement, I was quite firm with my opinion that you were lying." It was when Jinhai came to meet Jin after Nian''s violent visit to set his brother straight. "But you kept on being adamant that you weren''t. I didn''t pursue the matter further if you didn''t wish to be open about it. It was your secret. But now you suddenly fell sick, and I know it wasn''t something trivial. Even Shui remained by your side, right?" "That-" "Though she made an excuse to Zhiyuan that she stayed at her friend''s house, she was actually at Jun''s condo with you. Plus, Mr. Zhou had sent you two together right before it happened so it''s natural she was by your side. She loves you. She wouldn''t be anywhere else." The mask Jin had been wearing disappeared by Jinhai''s conclusions. "...Yes, I am reborn too," Jin admitted to it in a quiet voice. Jinhai ever so slowly nodded his head. "W-Why did you ask me to admit it now when you already had your doubts before?" "Because you hadn''t fallen sick before. I don''t know what happened, but I definitely understand that it was extremely serious. Jun wouldn''t have made the decision to tell us after you recovered otherwise. It was strange that he chose for you to rather rest at his ce than take you to a doctor." Jin breathed out. No matter how Jun tried to act naturally, it was impossible to escape Jinhai''s scrutiny. Jinhai took a step closer to Jin and asked, "What had happened?" He stiffened. Suddenly, he realized how courageous Jun had been to reveal his past to his father. And today, he felt like opening that part of his heart to Jinhai too just like Jun once did. First, Jin said about the golden clock phenomenon which he, Jun and Ai - all three had faced at some point. His own experience was very different, and he proceeded to exin what was happening to him at that time when he was in his temporaryatose condition. The spiral of the memories and him facing the reality - Jin finally broke down into tears as heid his heartpletely bare. Chapter 457 Mr. Lius Interrogation (1) Where Jin confronted his past with Jinhai, there were Jun and Ai on the other side, who embarked on a simr meeting with Cai Lingyun to learn the truth about Guiying''s past. They arrived at a shabby apartment, which after seeing that Ai couldn''t help but question, "Cai Lingyun lives here?" "That''s what the report says." "In this apartment¡­" Ai muttered. Until a few months ago, Cai Lingyun worked in a well-to-do job with a well-to-do sry crediting each month in his ount. But after the events in Shanghai, especially the one where he attacked Jun which got Jin hurt instead, there was no going back for him. Jun and Nian personally ensured that Cai Lingyun''s life would be miserable. He was fired from his job, and there was absolutely no chance of himnding another job or earning even a penny. The turn of events for Cai Lingyun was too tragic but one which he deserved. Jun knocked - no - banged on the door, not caring if he disturbed Cai Lingyun or not. He held Ai''s arm and pulled her behind him. "If he dares to jump at you, I will kill him. Better not let his filthy blood fall upon you." "..." The door opened after a long time when a drunk Cai Lingyun faced them. Ai immediately covered her nose, unable to bear the smell. Her eyes slightly widened watching his state from head to toe. It was pretty much visible how theck of job and money had hit him hard. He could barely stand on his feet. "Fuck off!" He eximed because of Jun''s incessant banging. "I will kill you! Get lost!" Jun smiled. "You will kill me? That''s some nice imagination." His brows strongly knitted together and he looked up. His vision was blurry, but he felt he had heard the voice before. He blinked his eyelids a few more times. After much struggling to fight the intoxication, he finally caught a hint of two people standing in front of him. But his gaze was locked onto the woman behind Jun, and his eyes ever so slowly widened. His lips parted in disbelief upon seeing Ai. "Ai¡­" he whispered in a hushed voice. He trembled, and the liquor bottle fell from his hand. With Ai in front of him, it felt like nothing more than a dream to him. Joy erupted in his heart. "Ai! Y-you¡­you finally came to see me¡­" Ai didn''t respond to that. "I knew you woulde to see me, Ai! I was waiting for you. I am your Bro Lingyun. I knew you would¡­" He tried to reach out his arm which was brutally stopped in its way as Jun gripped and threatened to crush his wrist. "Mind where your hand goes, otherwise it will be a tragic ending for you, Cai Lingyun." Cai Lingyun shook off his arm, throwing a murderous re at Jun as he finally recognized him too. "Liu Jun! How dare you¡­how dare you show your face here!?" His clenched teeth gritted hard in his jaw, remembering how he snatched Ai away from him. His fingers twitched with an urge to strangle him to death. Suddenly, his body craved violence. Ai was right before him, but Jun stood in his way yet again. The bitterness of his current jobless state also rang in his ears, further inciting him for revenge. "Liu Jun! I will fucking kill you!" He roared. At this moment, all the injustice he suffered at his hands welled in his heart and he balled his fist, carrying the weight of all his hatred for the man named Liu Jun. His fist flew to punch Jun on his face, but Jun simply snorted. "Such a simpleton." With such deep hatred in his eyes, Jun could effortlessly gauge Cai Lingyun''s intentions and moves. He caught his iing fist in his palm. The momentum of his punch stopped abruptly. Cai Lingyun''s nostrils red, and he further felt even more agitated. But before he could do anything else, Jun knocked him out with a sharp jab to his chest, forcing him backwards. He choked hard with the impact and fell on the floor. Due to his partially intoxicated state, he couldn''t control his bnce either. Ai pursed her lips. "Don''t hit him too hard. We need answers from him." Jun''s dark brown looked stormy akin to harsh weather. "He was trying to touch you." "You stopped him, didn''t you?" "I want to kill him." "How will we interrogate him then if he is dead?" She calmly questioned him back. "Unless you know of a method to question a ghost. He red at her, muttering curses for Cai Lingyun under his breath. They stepped inside, shutting the door behind them. Jun ruthlessly kicked Cai Lingyun on his knee and coldly shot an order. "Get up before I forcibly make you kneel and trust me, that will be more painful than this." Cai Lingyun somehow got up in a half-kneeling position with the support of a chair. His face turned red and livid with fury. "Liu Jun¡­I won''t forgive you¡­I won''t ever forgive you! You bastard! I-I¡­" He nced at Ai, unable to make his next wordse out of his lips. Jun sneered. "See? You are such a coward that you still cannot admit your feelings for Ai though I would like to burn those filthy feelings into ashes. You are nothing but a coward who cannot face his own feelings but still expect things to go your way. But I am not here to chit chat with you about your life''s philosophy." Jun kneeled to his level, making Cai Lingyun suddenly jolt in fear. What was it? His aura? His expression? Or his eyes that forced him to behave? Cai Lingyun wasn''t sure but right now, Jun seemed to be a different person altogether as if he belonged to a world that ruled darkness. "I have some questions, and you will answer those with all truthfulness. I am saying this for your own sake." Cai Lingyun felt humiliated to be threatened by the man who ruined his life. "Tell me about your sister." He blinked. Guiying? "You are her brother, so you must know. Does Cai Guiying suffers from any mental condition? Something like an alter ego inside her." With that question, Cai Lingyun froze. Chapter 458 Mr. Lius Interrogation (2) "Alter ego? Wh-what nonsense are you spouting, Liu Jun?" Cai Lingyun averted his gaze. Jun grabbed his hair and forced him to look at him. "I don''t have time to waste. Start talking or with every lie, I will start punching your ugly face." "Liu Jun! Isn''t it enough that you fucking ruined my life like this!? Why should I answer your questions?" Jun chuckled sinisterly. "Because I am telling you to. I am not giving you a choice." "Shut up! Of course it''s a lie! I don''t even know how you got to that conclusion!" This time, it was Ai who said, "Does Guiying smoke?" Cai Lingyun''s stance immediately softened upon hearing her talk to him. "What? Guiying and smoking? That''s impossible. She hates smoking." "Yet I saw her smoking one day in Dream High." That startled him. His eyeballs turned left and right, and he turned fidgety. Jun then asked, "Fine. If you don''t know about her condition, then you can definitely answer one question, right? Did you ever physically assault your sister?" He felt a sharp, ominous tingling pass through his spine. Especially in front of Ai, his heart beat even faster in trepidation. "W-what¡­" Jun''s question turned him fully sober. He nervouslyughed. "Just because you want to defame me, you cannot spin lies like this! Guiying is my sister. I will never hurt her-" Jun threw a surprise punch on his cheek, almost crushing his cheekbone. "I warned you I won''t tolerate lies." Tears pooled in his eyes with the intensity of the punch. He quickly looked at Ai and stammered. "D-Did Guiying tell you anything? Ai, I don''t know what''s wrong with her. But she is lying! You know me, right? I love Guiying. I raised her since we lost our parents¡­How can I bear to be violent with her?" Ai narrowed her eyes. "So you mean to say that the police report against you and Guiying''s neighbors seeing all themotion is also a lie?" The panic across his face was evident. "T-that wasn''t amotion at all. I just visited Guiying, and we just had a small argument¡­" he felt his forehead getting covered in sweat. "I was unfairly arrested! I might have just raised my voice a bit, b-but I never hit her!" "Is that so?" Jun smiled. "I guess you won''t understand normalnguage. But I have ways to deal with stubborn trash like you. The Liu family has a special ce to make you open your mouth. We have lots of tools to help you with that." Cai Lingyun didn''t have to be spoon fed the meaning. With how rich and influential Jun was, there were surely lots of goons and men under his orders to torture him. "Liu Jun¡­you are going too f-far¡­You cannot drag an innocent person like me-" "A man having a policeint against him regarding beating his sister is not innocent," Jun cut him off. "In fact, he is a monster. So I am asking you for thest time. Don''t test my patience after that. Did you beat Cai Guiying?" He felt his voice stuck in his throat. In front of Ai and the woman he loved, how could he admit to his true nature? "I¡­" Under Ai''s using scrutiny, Cai Lingyun suffered even more mental damage. "Did you or did you not beat Guiying?" He finally confessed, albeit trying to give a half-hearted truth. "L-look, Ai¡­you can see how I am living. All because of Liu Jun! I was kicked out of my house because I didn''t have rent to pay¡­" his voice stammered, "I am in a miserable state, so I just¡­asked some help from Guiying." Jun sneered. By help, he means financial help. "But she refused!" His gaze and voice became more distraught. "I am in a tough situation, and Guiying is my sister¡­I expected she would help me, b-but she straightaway rejected me. We just had an argument over that¡­a-and in anger, I just pped her." Ai stared at him silently, her gaze more unforgiving than before. "JUST pped her?" He panicked. "I-I regret my actions, Ai! Really! It was all because of my stress¡­" he began tough, "you understand, right? I mean just look at this ce. It''s so filthy and disgusting. It was just in a spur of the moment-" "Spur of the moment or have you done this before?" Ai sharply demanded an answer. He stiffened. "B-before?" "Have you been beating Guiying before too?" When Ai learned of the policeint against Cai Lingyun, it was then she slowly began to believe that the cause behind Guiying''s condition might be none other than her brother herself. If she suffered extreme anguish that she couldn''t share it with anybody else, then it must definitely be rted to Cai Lingyun somehow because he was her only family. And the most difficult situation for anybody to admit was theirplicated family matters. "Tell me," Ai''s stance grew even icier as she peered into his guilty gaze. "Have you been doing this for a long time? Is it because of you that she developed an alter ego?" Cai Lingyun furiously shook his head. His face paled, and he felt difficulty in swallowing. "No, no¡­Ai, we¡­we all three have spent such a long time together¡­I-I am not that kind of a man to hit a woman. What happened with Guiying was just one time¡­" Jun pped him hard. "One time¡­ording to the report, it wasn''t just one p. You pulled her hair too. She hurt her ankle when she tried to fight you." He gnashed his jaw. "SHUT UP! You stay out of this Liu Jun! I am talking to Ai! Don''t you fucking interfere!" That earned him another hard punch in his gut, making him cough blood. Ai clenched her fists because she could watch the guilt in his eyes that became more and more evident. "Cai Lingyun¡­" Thinking about all the years she spent with Guiying, but she never got the wind of the state she lived in¡­Ai felt as if her heart was being squeezed hard without any mercy. "Why¡­why would you do that to Guiying?" Chapter 459 The Birth Of Her Jun''s fists hitting Cai Lingyun didn''t spare him any chance to rx. The more pain he suffered, the more he knew that they would squeeze him out of all the answers at any costs. "Ai¡­" he gazed at her longingly and chuckled. "I will tell you everything¡­But then you have toe to my side. Remember, Ai? We were always together. I don''t want anything else!" Ai expressed her disgust while Jun expressed his fury in the form of his violence. "You really deserve the most torturous death, you fucker, and I wil fulfill that wish of yours-" "SHUT YOUR TRAP!" Cai Lingyun screamed and tried to get back at Jun, but he was no match. "Are you blind to see that I am talking to Ai!? I will kill you if you interfere the next time!" Ai stiffened with the sharp change in his tone and mood. Then as if a flip was switched, Cai Lingyun suddenlyughed. She grimaced. "What''s so funny?" "Ah, Ai you are talking to me¡­" he didn''t seem to be himself anymore, "It feels so nice to hear your voice again. It feels so nice to see you again, Ai. Do you know how much I missed you?" Jun shut his eyes, reining his anger and the urge to bury him then and there. Ai helped Jun calm his nerves, which only irked Cai Lingyun in the wrong direction. The intimacy between them rubbed his ego in the wrong direction. "Ai, you better stop being so close to this bastard. You should know your limits." Fully sober, he stood on his feet and faced her. Ai was taken aback with his warning. It didn''t seem like the Cai Lingyun who never spoke a harsh word against her. She quietly rebuked. "I know my limits very well. What will you do if I don''t listen to you?" Squinting her eyes, she challenged him, "Hit me like you hit Guiying?" Jun knew she was provoking him, but the question still frustrated him out of bounds. If Cai Lingyun lifted even a finger against Ai, then this messy one-room apartment would be even messier with the bloodbath. Cai Lingyun gritted his teeth with his hands unsteady beside his thighs. "Guiying? Why are you so obsessed with her? She is¡­she is my sister! What is wrong even if I did hit her a few times!?" Ai froze. The truth for which they came here finally slipped out of his mouth. But Cai Lingyun didn''t show even a shred of guilt. "Ai you don''t understand. We had lost our parents. As the eldest son, all the responsibilities came upon my shoulders¡­it was natural to get stressed out at times¡­right?" She listened to him in silence. "Everything was so difficult! If-if only Mom and Dad didn''t have to die! Taking care of my education, then Guiying''s, all the expenses¡­It was so tough to manage¡­We kept hopping back and forth with our useless rtives who didn''t give a shit about us¡­" his eyes reddened with anger. "Fuckers only thought about themselves. The fatty and ugly cousins of ours bullied me as if I was some trash. So what did I do wrong if I took my frustration out on Guiying at times?" Jun snarled. "That doesn''t give you any right to treat her like a punching bag, you piece of shit! You were not the only one going through the situation. And how do you know that your cousins might not be targeting Cai Guiying? They might have, but she must have kept the bullying hidden from you to not make you worry more in your already precarious situation." Cai Lingyun shouted. "Fuck off! Don''t act like you know Guiying better than me! Stop showing your sympathies! G-Guiying wasn''t innocent either! She was such a failure in academics. Whenever she scored less in exams, my shitty cousinsughed at me like I am the biggest joke in the world! She isn''t less of a culprit! So I hit her more! And don''t me me. That worked like a charm because then she didn''t ck in her studies." Then a glint of fear passed by his eyes. "But then Guiying changed one day¡­I-I was just beating her like usual, but she suddenly stopped my punches and started beating me instead! Sh-she totally went crazy! She startedughing maniacally and hit me! Ai, can you believe it? How dare she hit her elder brother who raised her up all this time?" He expected Ai would soften her gaze at him but instead, her brown irises grew only colder and icier. Jun realized that it was that moment when Guiying''s alter ego was born to take charge to protect herself. Cai Lingyun stammered. "A-Ai, don''t look at me like that. I-I didn''t want to be like this either, but what could I have done? Guiying suddenly turned so different at that time. S-she threatened to expose me, and I had to stop beating her¡­" his voice clearly expressed his disdain for being forced to stop. The more Jun listened to him, the more he couldn''t believe that he was breathing the same air as this disgusting man. Cai Lingyun''s gaze darkened. "It was so fucking hell when I couldn''t take out my anger on her. I didn''t know what to do with my pent-up frustrations. She would go berserk if I ever tried to raise my hand against her. B-But I persisted somehow. In the end when she was supposed to start high school, we moved to Xuanhua after I saved up some money to move out of my shitty rtives'' home! And there I met you, Ai¡­" his voice immediately turned mellow. "You know w-why I like you so much, Ai?" His cheeks reddened with shyness. "You were so pretty. For your age, you acted so well-behaved and mature. You carried such elegance even though you were just a teenager. A-and ever since Guiying met you and you two became friends, that other d-dangerous side of hers stopped showing itself." Ai stared at him, her eyes slowly widening. "It was such a relief to me. Guiying started acting the way like she always was, and I didn''t have to live in fear anymore¡­It was all because of you and your family, Ai that she went back to her own self." Chapter 460 An Utter Failure "Throughout the three years of highschool, Guiying was pretty much normal. I also f-finally rxed because I thought ''she'' was gone for good. Even my rtionship with her improved!" Cai Lingyun chuckled, but it sounded anything but sweet. Ai was about to say her mind but she paused, collecting her thoughts. She seemed to tie two and two to four and then said, "Isn''t that because my Mom and Dad were actively supporting you?" Jun quickly understood it. "Financially?" She nodded. "Not exactly directly. But since Mom was a reputed professor, she had a wide reach to other schools and colleges of Xuanhua and neighboring cities. She took it upon herself to waive off Guiying''s high school and his university fees, which reduced a lot of Cai Lingyun''s burden. Not only that. My Dad had a widework himself in terms of job opportunities since he had worked at many ces, so he helped out Cai Lingyun get a decent part-time job to manage their expenses." She shot him an angry stare. "Your rtionship with Guiying didn''t improve because you changed yourself. It''s because the people around you were kind enough to help you and Guiying. It unconsciously made you rxed and unguarded. You just didn''t have any reason to hit Guiying anymore." Cai Lingyun averted his gaze. It was an arrow shot right through his true thoughts. Jun grabbed his cor and spoke with an rming chill, further breaking his mask. "I bet you didn''t want to tarnish your good and responsible image in front of Ai. You must have felt afraid if Cai Guiying would babble your secret to Ai if things went out of control, so you kept quiet. Right?" Cai Lingyun felt it more and more difficult to maintain hisposure. "Shut up, Liu Jun!" "That''s all you can curse right now," he pushed him back harshly. Ai took a step forward and as he stumbled back to his feet, happy to see her approach him, she threw a vicious p across his cheek. The sound resounded fiercely in the air, which carried the pain and suffering she felt on Guiying''s behalf. "All because of you¡­" Her eyes ached as tears fell. "You should have been there as her elder brother to support her, not to add to her sorrow! Do you think only you lost your parents? Or do you think only you had it hard?" Ai, who always held her calm, felt a storm raging within her. Her feelings not only included her fury for Cai Lingyun but also helplessness at her own self. The Guiying with which she spent her warm high school days always smiled so brightly. She always shone so radiantly. But she never knew of the darkness behind her smile and the despairced in her radiance. "How did I never understand¡­" She felt an utter failure as a friend. To think that Guiying suffered such a violent past and at the hands of her own brother tore her heart apart. "If not for you, Guiying wouldn''t have suffered so much! There would have been no need to create an alter personality to protect herself! How could you stoop so low, Cai Lingyun?" Jun pulled her arm and wiped her tears. "Don''t waste your breath on him. He is insane." Cai Lingyun suddenly charged at Jun without any warning, threatening to bang his head on the wall. But Jun was already alert and keeping a strict eye on Cai Lingyun''s movements. He dodged just at the right second, grabbed his elbow and twisted it at the back. "Ahhhh!" The screams of agony escaped his mouth as he could feel his bone dislocating. "You don''t learn, do you? I would never lose to the likes of you." Cai Lingyun directed his strong, resentful gaze towards Jun and this time, Ai too. Everytime Jun touched her or hugged - like how he has wiped her tears now, he felt all the emotions in his heart bursting out, craving for violence. He couldn''t even bear Jun''s sight, let alone see him touch the woman he loved. Green nerves started to slowly appear on his forehead and hands. He was furious at everything. The state of how he was jobless, penniless and living like an almost homeless man coupled with Ai choosing some other guy than himself - he felt everything was going against him. The whole world was set to make his life miserable. All the negative feelings and frustration culminated into him growing even more violent and physical. This time Jun, too, felt his strong resistance with the way he was trying to fight back and gain control. His eyes showed madness, making Jun feel sorry for Cai Guiying for the first time in his life. Jun thought he would never hold anything else other than hatred for the woman who seemingly plotted against him and Ai in their past life. He still didn''t know the reason behind it but keeping that part aside, he truly felt she didn''t deserve to be treated by the only family she had. A glimpse of his little sister Nuo shed across his eyes. He and his brothers could never imagine even lifting a finger against her. It wasn''t because of Jinhai''s protectiveness or bias towards her. It was simply that as her brothers, Liu Jian, Liu Nian, Liu Jun and Liu Jin would never allow any harm to befall Nuo. These were their strong feelings towards her and then there was Cai Lingyun, who treated Guiying like a punching bag. Cai Lingyun yelled. "I will kill you! Don''t look at me like I am some criminal. I did nothing wrong!" He looked at Ai and impatiently said, "You too, Ai! Don''t act like you were any good! You¡­you have also disappointed Guiying!" Ai widened her eyes. "What are you talking about?" "The writingpetition during yourst high school year! That was the first time in three years that ''that'' person had appeared again. You know why? Because you participated in thepetition!" Chapter 461 Won But Lost Cai Lingyun burst into a maniacughter, pointing his vicious gaze at Ai. "You broke your promise, Ai. You weren''t supposed to participate in thepetition!" Jun kicked on the back of his knee. "What nonsense are you spouting!? Why wouldn''t she participate?" "Because Ai said so herself! Right, Ai?" Jun nced at Ai, clueless. "What the fuck is he saying?" Ai crinkled her brows. "That''s true. I did say at one point that I won''t participate in thepetition." That took him aback. "Why not?" Her gaze slightly dimmed. "Because coincidentally, the writingpetition fell on my Mom and Dad''s anniversary. They had been divorced for nine years by then but whenever that day would arrive, the atmosphere would¡­get a little heavy. I always noticed that distinct change in them. When I found that the dates coincided, I didn''t feel like participating anymore when I knew that Mom and Dad would be feeling low that day. My story also wasn''t really adhering to the happy ending theme, so all in all, I thought it was for the best if I didn''t participate. I told the same to Guiying." "But you did!" Cai Lingyun shouted. "And because of that, everything fell apart!" Jun felt his blood pressure rising by the obvious fact that Cai Lingyun was overlooking. "Cai Lingyun, if I may remind you. It was Cai Guiying who won thatpetition. I don''t see how anything would have fallen apart when she literally won the highest title that there was to win." Cai Lingyun shot a murderous re back at him. "And what was the use!? That dumbass of my sister relinquished all the prize money she had gotten! I was so happy that she participated in thepetition and I repeatedly urged her to win thepetition anyhow. That prize money would have helped me so much with my finances!" Ai stared at him, stunned. "You¡­were pressurizing her to win thepetition?" "The cash prize was a big deal to me, okay? A person like you who never had to worry about financial problems while growing up wouldn''t understand my concerns!" He raised his voice against Ai. Jun banged his head against the floor and warned him coldly. "Watch your mouth or I will tear your tongue off." Cai Lingyunughed again. "I don''t care. I am already in such a miserable state. How much more pathetic would you make it for me?" Jun returned hisughter with his own impending one. "You have no idea. Even a person like you would crawl to beg for forgiveness if I showed you what I am truly capable of. Now care to exin more about thepetition? Why the fuck are you ming Ai? If Cai Guiying gave up on the cash prize, then that''s her decision. Ai had nothing to do-" "She had everything to do with it! Because apparently, my sister has too much self-respect. Instead of celebrating that she won, she wallowed herself in despair because she lost to Ai." "For the hundredth time now, Cai Guiying won thepetition!" Jun snapped. "But it was originally Ai who had won! The judges were in favor of making her novel win, but they couldn''t because of the theme. And for my idiot sister Guiying, it was Ai who won thepetition in the truest sense. She thought she could only win because of Ai''s misstep." Ai froze. "And then what? She let her useless self-respecte in the way, giving up on the money. She even wanted to withdraw from the winner list. But the judges didn''t allow that." He threw his angry gaze back at Ai. "It''s all because of you, Ai! I was so mad at Guiying that she gave up on the money. I beat her up for it but then¡­t-that person came back," he unconsciously shuddered. "I thought she was gone for good, but she returned!" He didn''t have to explicitly state further how he was assaulted back for all the ps hended on Guiying''s cheeks. Ai trembled, tears pooling in her eyes. "That fucker ''other'' person started kicking me back, but ''she'' was also furious at you! You went back on your words and entered thepetition. If you hadn''t, Guiying wouldn''t have felt like an imposter winning thepetition!" "But¡­i-it was Guiying who first asked me to join with her-" "That was courtesy you fool!" Cai Lingyunpletely lost it. "She felt obligated to ask you as your best friend when you saw her preparing for apetition. She actually didn''t want you to be in it with her. Don''t you understand? Guiying was always so useless. She was academically pathetic. Even though Aunt Nuying did help her with her studies and she improved a bit, the fact remained that she was just average. You had everything. Yes, your parents were separated but they loved you a lot. Guiying didn''t have that. You were raised in a financially stable environment. Guiying wasn''t. You looked charming and pretty. But Guiying fell average beauty wise aspared to you. You were academically smart and always scored high on tests. But Guiying always had to struggle to survive. She had nothing, no quality with her that made her stand on an equal footing as you. And by winning thepetition, she wanted to prove that there was at least something where she excelled at." He mockinglyughed. "But she failed. She won but in a sense she lost. You were the true winner of thepetition, and it only proved to her just how much of a loser she was. She was actually a little relieved when you took back your entry. But you suddenly said again that you would indeed participate. The result was that she gave up on everything. She even threw away her Best Fiction Writer Award in the trash because she felt she didn''t deserve it. She hadn''t earned it. It was your prize. Like I said, she felt like a cheater snatching your award." Ai shook with her warm tears plopping on the floor. Guiying¡­ Chapter 462 Pay The Price Cai Lingyun was left to his own after the big confrontation with Jun and Ai. Heid on the floor, writhing with pain. There wasn''t anything much to say after they confirmed the truth behind Guiying''s split personality disorder. Moreover, Ai was quite shaken up by the incident of the writingpetitioning to light. So, Jun thought it was for the best to take Ai back home and deal with Cai Lingyunter. "Don''t go¡­Ai, don''t leave me¡­" Aftering back to his senses, he started regretting his actions. Hemented his loss temper and felt angry at himself for shouting at Ai and humiliating her. "No. How could I talk to Ai like that¡­? I need to apologize to her. I don''t want her to hate me¡­She must be so hurt," he coughed. "I need to go to her side¡­" He tried to stand, but Jun''s jabs on his knee and abdomen had rendered him motionless. Suddenly, he heard a click of the doorknob twisting. His face shone with hope. "Ai! I knew you would be back¡­W-wait, I aming to you." He painfully dragged his body but as he raised his head, he noticed a looming figure of a man''s instead. From his viewpoint, he saw a pair of boots and long legs before his sight. He slowly craned his neck upwards, and a sharp shudder passed through his spine. "Y-you!" His face turned white as if he saw a ghost and he started shaking with fear. "You are the only w-who punched me that day at Guiying''s house! Why are you here!?" Zixin gave him an apathetic stare. His eyes held no emotions as if he was looking at trash. He simply silently fixed his gaze at him that only unnerved Cai Lingyun further. "I heard everything." Cai Lingyun blinked. "I was there when you were talking to Jun. Or I should say when he was interrogating you." His eyes widened. With the way he addressed him as Jun¡­does he know him? H-How is this possible? He jolted when Zixin bent on his left knee. "So tell me what should I do with you?" First Jun and now Zixin - both times Cai Lingyun felt as if his head rested on a guillotine. "You¡­you have nothing to do with this! W-who the hell are you even in the first ce? You just barged in that day and interfered in my matters¡­You even put me to jail! I won''t forgive you!" Recalling his grievances, Cai Lingyun felt anger surging through his veins. "Every single one of you getting into my private matters! Who the hell are you to Guiying to stick your nose into her life!?" Zixin grabbed his neck, his fingers viciously applying pressure into his nerves. Cai Lingyun''s eyes widened once again but this time due to suffocation. Zixin wasn''t showing any mercy at all as he literally strangled him. "I am Guiying''s friend. Somebody who treasures her. Somebody who wants to cherish her," Zixin spoke slowly but clearly. "Somebody better than you who wouldn''t hit her to release his pent up stress," at the end, his voice turned chilly. Cai Lingyun iled his arms and legs like a fish trying to survive out of the sea. The more constricted his breaths became, the more tears fell and darkness covered his sight. In just few seconds, he already fell unconscious. Zixin calmly released his grip. But he wasn''t done with him. His ck eyes gleamed with lethality and pain too. Pain for Guiying who suffered by his hands. He felt something moist on the back of his hand and saw that it were his own tears that gently rested on his skin. He touched his wet eyshes. Imagining Guiying''s childhood to be filled with nothing but grief made him feel difficult to breathe. Zixin closed his eyes and remained still for a long time. As he opened them, his irises glimmered with determination. You might be forgiving towards your brother, Guiying, but I cannot be like that, he thought with a in, stoic expression as he stared at an unconscious Cai Lingyun. He has to suffer. For all that he has done to you, he HAS to pay its price. And I will do it my way. ¡ª The same evening, Xing Bi was drying her wet hair as she stepped out of the bathroom after a long, rxing warm bath. She felt her stiff muscles loosen up, and she released a sigh of satisfaction. The hot air from the drier blew across her hair. Suddenly, the lights went out and darkness enveloped her room. Not just her room but outside the area as well. "Aish!" She sighed and waited for the electricity toe back. Her phone shone with light with a message from Hou Lin. She quickly opened it which said, ''Miss. Sun seems to have copied some files into her personal pendrive.'' After theirst conversation, Xing Bi and Hou Lin decided to keep an eye on Sun Bai just in case as she was frequently meeting up with Lu Bohai. He belonged to the rivalpany, Shi Publishing and someone who was in a dire state to save his job. Xing Bi frowned. Office files into her personal device? She texted him back. ''How? We are not allowed to ess our personal devices or emails through Sky''sputer systems.'' ''I thought of that too. I am also unsure at the moment.'' She bit her lip and typed. ''Is there any way to know what files she copied?'' Hou Lin''s reply came back a minuteter. ''I will try.'' Xing Bi let out another sigh and kept her phone aside. Ugh, this is getting moreplicated¡­ Suddenly, she heard some untoward soundsing from outside her t. It sounded too close to her house. Xing Bi stiffened. The lights were out and an unknown person was making noise in front of her house. W-who could it be? It''s past dinner time already¡­ She jumped in her ce when her doorbell rang. At this moment, the door felt like a scary thing to open. She was about to go outside when she saw somebody''s silhouette entering her house. Xing Bi let out a silent gasp with her eyes wide open. H-How did hee in? A thief? Serial killer? R-rapist? Am I going to die today!? Chapter 463 The Intruder Xing Bi''s legs trembled at her ce moreso because she couldn''t hear a single sounding from the silhouette who had trespassed into her house. She wanted to scream but couldn''t. What if he is carrying a gun and will shoot me the moment I scream? She quickly hid in her room, holding her mouth shut. The intruder in her house still wasn''t making any sound. But somehow, she felt his presence growing closer and closer to her room. "..." I should have locked my bedroom first! She cried. Eventually, she did notice a tall figure slowly stepping into her room. It was all dark and murky, but she could at least say with surety that the man was well-built. Which made her gulp harder. T-there is no way I can fight this man! Stupid, Bi! How did you forget to lock your room!? Her phone was also on the bed. There was no way to grab it and call for help. Even if she did, the light from the phone would give her ce away. Xing Bi inwardly sobbed. The intruder noticed her phone on the bed lit up with some message. He picked it up and stared at it. She tried to take a peek at his face, but the light from her mobile was too dim to clearly see him. The man clenched her phone and she heard what she thought was a crack from her screen. "..." I-Is he murdering my phone first so that I cannot call for help? I am sorry, Ai. I think tonight is myst day. This is my end...But I won''t die without putting up a fight! She soundlessly took a vase from under the table where she was hiding and hugged it closer to her chest. She froze as she felt the man stop in his tracks. He was just near her location. It was hard holding onto her breath. It would be over if she even exhaled. Xing Bi jolted when she saw a sharp, pointed and metallic object shining in the air. That''s definitely a knife... She wanted to cry. Ah he wants to stab me and dump my body somewhere. Wait or does he want to cut me into pieces and throw my body parts into the sea!? W-will I be really facing such cruel death? Before he could stab me, I would first hit him on his head! Xing Bi got into position, raising the vase in the air. I won''t be a coward! This is all or nothing! Xing Bi sprung on her feet and swung her right arm to direct the vase''s attack on the man''s head. "Begone you intruder!" But the man took a step aside and caught her wrist, making her freeze like an ice statue. He caught me. I am dead now... "Please don''t kill me! Please don''t kill me! Please don''t kill me!" She shut her eyes, preparing herself for the worst. Then she randomly cursed him. "You would rot in hell, you criminal! My ghost will haunt you forever!" Suddenly, a beam of light shed before her shut eyes and feeling the bright radiance out of nowhere, she sniffled. "Noooo. Am I already in the afterlife? Am I dead?" "Does anybody have the guts to kill the woman I love? I would like to have a ''nice'' chat with that person," A deep voice snickered. Recognizing the voice all too well, Xing Bi quickly opened her eyes. Nian''s devilishly handsome face shone in the white shlight. "Liu Nian..." Nian narrowed his eyes, staring at her quietly. "Y-you are also dead?" "..." Xing Bi finally snapped out of her daze and believed that she was really alive. "Liu Nian, it''s you after all!" "..." She finally believed it. "S-so it was you who entered my apartment like a hooligan!?" Her jaw dropped. "And here I was thinking all crazy theories like a serial killer! You scared the hell out of me!" Nian cocked his brow. She red at him, aggrieved. "And what''s with the knife? Who were you out to kill in my apartment?" "The supposed intruder." "Huh?" Clearly, there were a lot of question marks floating on top of her head. Nian pointed at the door. "I was here to meet you, but I realized the lights were out. When I arrived at your apartment, I rang the doorbell, but then I noticed your main entrance door was already open." Ah? Xing Bi scratched her head. How was my apartment''s entrance left open... Then she was struck with realization, and she heavily smacked herself on her forehead. "Ugh...That was my mistake." "Your mistake?" "Well..." her face reddened with embarrassment. "I returned from the office as usual but midway... had to urgently go for a bathroom break..." Ugh, I got my periods at the wrong time! "I rushed into my apartment, but I totally forgot to close the door in a hurry...Then I went for a bath..." and the rest was history. Xing Bi blinked at him and asked, "But what are you doing here? And why the hell were you so silent!?" She touched her chest, trying to calm her erratic heartbeats. "Do you know how terrified I was?" "Were you the one terrified or me?" "..." It was then Xing Bi clearly saw Nian''s expression which was far from his usual goofy demeanor. His ck eyes felt immeasurably cold for some reason, but that iciness was slowly fading away now. "The whole area was dark and when I reached here, what was it that I saw? The door was open. It felt highly unlikely that you would have kept it open like that, so I thought somebody sneaked in somehow. It was dark too. I thought you must be in danger." Xing Bi couldn''t me him for his train of thought to go that way. "But why were you so silent?" "To catch the supposed intruder of course. If he had held you hostage, I didn''t want to alert him," he shrugged. He then smiled. "I know I talk a lot. But I can be extremely silent when I want to." She cleared her throat. "T-then the knife..." "To kill him if he tried to get violent," he nonchntly said. "..." "Kill?" "Depending on his intentions, I would have either shed him with a simple cut or stabbed him to his death," his eyes twinkled. "All depending on his intentions." "..." "But why did you break my phone screen?" Xing Bimented as she saw the cracks. "You didn''t look like a savior from any angle!" Nian shot a cold look at the phone. "I saw a message from that goody two shoes Hou Lin. I felt jealous. Since when did you two have each other''s numbers and got so chummy? I couldn''t control my strength and the phone... Don''t worry. I will get you a new phone and a new number too." "..." She exhaled a deep breath. Hah what a big misunderstanding- She froze on her spot as Nian''s face suddenly came into her close view. "Now that you have gotten all your answers, answer my question now." Nian grabbed her waist and crashed her freshly bathed body against his sturdy stature, breathing in her lemon scent and whispering near her lips, "How should I punish you for being irresponsible?" Chapter 464 Lucky Or Not So Lucky? Jun brought a cup of hot chocte for Ai, who had been resting listlessly on the bed ever since they had returned. He sighed. "How long will you stay like that?" Ai said while sniffling, "I don''t know. How can I remain calm after knowing Guiying''s past?" "That''s fine if you feel shaken up. The same goes for me. I didn''t expect this. But what I am not fine with is the fact you are ming yourself." Her eyes reddened more. "But I failed as a friend...I never understood her feelings. Worse is that I never thought that something like this was bothering her in the first ce. If I hadn''t decided to participate back at thest moment, she wouldn''t have felt so disturbed..." Jun hugged her back to his chest and locked his arms on her waist. He gently kissed her temple. "She didn''t share her feelings with you and you are not a mind reader. Her emotions, herplex - it was difficult to understand it if there was nomunication at all. It''s her family situation. We cannot me her for hiding it. It''s their own choice whether to reveal it or not. But nor is it your fault to take all the responsibility on yourself." "I still cannot forgive myself. I failed..." her voice dimmed. Jun hugged her tighter and squished his cheek against hers. "Well then I am also in the same boat as you. I failed as Jin''s brother too." To that, Ai quickly corrected. "You didn''t-" "You cannot convince me otherwise. I failed and that''s that. So since both of us feel that we weren''t good enough, how about we drown our sorrows with hot chocte." She turned, her wet eyes looking at him with a hint ofint. He chuckled. "What? Hot chocte is delicious." "How can I be in the mood to enjoy hot chocte?" "Because firstly, yours truly have made it. So it''s extra delicious." "..." "Secondly, no matter how much we curse ourselves, the past is not gonna change. That''s what I have learned from Jin and my confrontation. Even if I berate myself, things won''t change. The only thing we can do is focus on improving our rtionships for our present and future." She pressed her lips silently. "Am I not right? We have wasted precious time in our past. Rather than letting go of more of that precious time, we should look towards our future. So right now, what you need is not me but a good conversation with Cai Guiying. The cat also agrees." Ai looked down and was surprised to see the cat cozily sitting beside her on his four legs. "When did he hop in?" "For a long time now." The cat focused his dark brown eyes at her for a long moment and took his gaze away, yawning and showing his small, sharp teeth. Ai felt her heart burst with joy. "Did youe here because you were worried about me?" The cat showed no change in his expression. Feeling overwhelmed, Ai scooped the cat and hugged him closer to her chest. "You are so cute! You are a tsundere after all. I know that you definitely like me," she rubbed her cheeks against his soft fur. *Meo!!!!* The cat hissed at her in disdain. When did I give you the permission to hug me!? Leave me! The cat struggled in her firm, smothering embrace. It was a mistake to show my sympathy to this human! -- Xing Bi found herself in a very precarious situation. She was pinned between a pair of long and muscr arms that gave her no exit to escape. On top of no way out, she realized she had been talking to Nian in a bathrobe the whole time. Ahhhh! What am I doing getting sox in front of him in just a bathrobe!? There was no bra or panties she wore underneath, and she suddenly felt too exposed despite being covered in a bathrobe. But she didn''t want to show him her realization, so she tried hard to control her flushed expression from leaking out. I-I am the elder one here so why am I being pinned like this? Her thoughts broke when she felt a certain someone''s chest being pressed too much in proximity against her breasts. His scent flew through her nostrils, making her gulp. His entire presence overwhelmed her. She would have easily beaten up if it was the goofy Nian. But a serious Nian was what she was always unable to handle. "Keeping your apartment''s door open is an irresponsible thing to do," he quietly whispered with a hint of warning mixed with scolding. "I...admit it was my f-fault..." she hoarsely replied. "What would you have done if it was really an intruder instead of me?" I certainly might have been dead... She had nothing to retort to that. Nian squinted his eyes. "Your answer should be to call me the first moment you feel any dangering." "M-My p-phone was on the b-bed..." she stammered, feeling pressured by his aura. "Which must be by your side at all times," he spoke even quieter than before. Xing Bi nervously but furiously bobbed her head in agreement. "I will s-stick my phone on my palm with a glue from now on h-haha..." The intensity of his aura became even denser. "I-I was trying to lighten the mood..." she spoke like a rabbit cowering in front of a dangerous wolf. Nian lifted her chin and brought it closer to his face. "I cannotugh when I felt afraid the whole time, thinking if something might have happened to you. If there was really someone out to harm you, I would have gone on a very bad rampage." She gulped for the second time. But at the same time, her heart pounded faster, sensing the reliability he emanated. She felt she could depend on him for any bad situation. No matter what it was, Nian would solve it without a hitch. It raced even faster, seeing his eyes filled with concern and fear for her safety. He stood before her as a man who was strong, resilient, quiet but equally lethal. "I am lucky it was y-you who came in..." Xing Bi indeed was relieved that it was Nian rather than some stranger with dubious intentions. "Lucky?" The corner of his lips lifted in a shady smile. He pressed his thumb on her lower lip and said in a husky voice, "I never said you were lucky because it was me. On the contrary...you are quite in danger yourself." Chapter 465 Merciful Xing Bi felt the space constrict around her. There was the wall on her back and Nian in the front with his arms at the sides. It wasn''t helping that his thumb was pressed on her lower lip, making her unable to focus on her escape. "Y-you don''t barge in someone''s house a-and do these kinds of things¡­" His index finger twirled a lock of her damp hair like a coil around it. "What kinds of things?" This man definitely knows what I am talking about! While Xing Bi was busy trying hard not to get sucked in by his pheromones, Nian on the other side, was busy staring at her neckline that continued down to give him a sneak at the slit between her breasts. The moistness from her hair was making her neck shine slightly with dampness as well. A desire to do something more than just holding her lurked in his irises. Xing Bi felt his strong gaze directed at chest, and the tips of her ears turned even redder. She opened her mouth and spoke in a hoarse voice, "Can you¡­please step out¡­for a moment?" That single question drained out all the stamina from her. Nian narrowed his eyes. He released the lock of hair from his finger and instead started teasing her jawline with his feathery touch. "Why?" She jolted back with heat spreading to the right side of her neckline the further Nian traced down. "Xing Bi¡­" In the dark, his gruff voice sounded extra sexy and inviting. "Isn''t it such a perfect atmosphere to do something more rather than driving me away?" His right hand reached out to tug the belt of her bathrobe, making her stiffen. "D-don''t!" "Why?" "I-I¡­I¡­" "I know you are naked under the bathrobe." "..." "You thought I wouldn''t notice that? That''s the first thing I saw." She gritted her teeth. "P-Pervert!" "What is perverted in this? I am a man, not some God of celibacy not to get attracted by yourpromising state." She could feel steam escape from the top of her head. Why is he acting so different today? Ah how I wish he gives that goofy grin so that I can beat him up! "So I can safely say¡­" he leaned ahead till he brushed past her cheek and bent his head such that the tip of his nose tingled her skin, "that you are seducing me." Her knees trembled, making her difficult to stand on her own. His hair tickled her earlobes. She kept thinking that he would kiss her neck the next moment, but what she got was only lots and lots of teasing. She felt the bathrobe loosening around her waist with his fingers tapping and dancing yfully. "Y-y-you-you are not innocent at all!" She babbled helplessly, unable to push him away. The sound of his chuckle rang in her ears deeply. "I never said that you were safe with me. The woman I love is in front of me in just a bathrobe with wet hair upon her shoulders and inciting all sorts of reactions within me, so what do you suppose I should do?" Her mouth twitched. "B-Be a gentleman and-" "The Liu family men are not saints." ? "..." "In fact, no man will be a saint in this situation." Fair point¡­ Xing Bi dared to ask in the darknessced with silence, "So w-what will you do?" "Hmm~" Nian took a long, purposeful and agonizing pause. "I feel like doing lots of things with you, especially after seeing you chatting with Hou Lin so chummily." Her smile cracked. "That''s just work." A sudden gasp escaped her lips as his teeth seemed to bite her ear but not at the same time. "And now you are defending your rtionship with him too. This doesn''t sit well with me." The warning hint in his tone made goosebumps appear on her skin. "This demands a severe punishment, my dear." Nian was at his limit. Feeling Xing Bi in a bathrobe was a torturous ordeal for him, who only wished to ''unrobe'' her as soon as possible. Their dark surroundings added to the atmosphere, making his breathing slightlyborious. Xing Bi took advantage of that small moment''s opening and bent down to slip from under his arms. But fate wasn''t on her side and she crashed her knee against the table. She was about to fall when Nian grabbed her arm. In all that movement, the belt of her bathrobe became undone, making her choke. She quickly tried to cover up but just then, her whole apartment was lit up. The electricity was back. There was a beat of long silence as Nian stared at her partially naked body, his eyes refusing to blink. His chest felt stuffy and his fingers itched to caress her smooth body and leave his marks on it with his teeth. "Pervert!!!" She eximed and pushed him away with all her might, blushing furiously. She could read his thoughts very well and her heart pounded faster, sensing his desire. She covered herself, tied her bathrobe and turned, covering her face with her hands. "I-I want to change! G-get out!" Ahhhh! I want to merge with the cosmos now!!! He saw me¡­n-naked¡­ Instead of his footsteps obediently walking away, she felt her back growing warmer instead. "Escape is pointless, my dear." She shivered with her right cheek and earlobe tingling as his breath fanned it. "I still haven''t punished you about your secret chatting." "D-don''t talk like I am having an affair with Hou Lin. We are just keeping an eye on Miss. Sun¡­" Nian pouted. "I will help you with whatever you need. Other men are not good. They bring out the beast from inside me." "..." "What will it take for you to l-let me change peacefully?" "A good punishment." "..." "What that punishment might be?" She asked, her throat going dry. Nian smiled with an evil glint. He gently brushed her hair away from her neck and bent to press his lips under her earlobe. She jolted, feeling extremely ticklish but warm by his kiss. The first kiss on her forehead was just a light peck that she didn''t realize when it even happened. But right now, it was totally different. She could feel her neckline''s temperature increasing to feverishly hot. "Under your ear seems to be your sensitive spot, is it not?" Her brain was too short-circuited to respond. Nian teased as he withdrew and whispered. "This is me still being merciful, my dear. Next time, it won''t end with just your neck." Chapter 466 Sun Bais Not So Pure Intentions Xing Bi peeked her head out of her room and found Nian casually seated on the couch with his fingers tapping on his phone. She cleared her throat and stepped out fully dressed, albeit her face still red with embarrassment from Nian''s kiss. She kept her distance from Nian as she walked towards him. Which made Nian lift his gaze and cock his brow with interest. "Why are you walking so farther away from me?" "So that you don''t get to do w-what you did inside!" "What did I do?" She red at him. "Don''t feign ignorance!" "No, I am seriously asking about my crime, my dear because clearly, what I did in your dictionary and my dictionary is different." She gasped at his shamelessness. "Y-you k-kissed me, you pervert!" He chuckled. "How can you call your future husband a pervert? Am I not simply romancing my wife?" "..." "And¡­" he leaned yfully. "I could have done lots of things with you and if I had, you wouldn''t have been able to even bring yourself to show your face out of the duvet~" She hugged herself and shuddered. What has this pervert nned!? Her mind couldn''t help but wander off to all sorts of unspeakable things Nian might have done to her body with him pinning her on the top of the bed. His muscr body, his naked chest, his beastly expression to eat her up and his gaze filled with passion¡­ No, no! I am definitely not drooling! She shook her head furiously and widened the distance between them. I won''t let myself be swayed away by this brat! "Were you thinking of something naughty, my dear?" Nian exposed her inner intentions. "Absolutely not!" "I don''t mind stripping naked in front of you~" "..." She smiled with a hint of anger. "I hope you had your fill of food beforeing here because you are not getting any dinner here!" Nian smiled. "Right now, I am feeling a different type of appetite inside me," he winked. The redness from her cheeks traveled all the way to her neck at his shameless deration. He patted the space beside him on the couch with his palm and said, "Come sit here." "As if I will after knowing your true intentions!" "They were always my true intentions, but you were safe till now right?" He smirked. "S-shut up!" "Come on, sit already~ I want to show you something interesting." Xing Bi cast him a suspicious stare. In the end, she did sit on the couch but kept her distance from him yet again. Nian chuckled. "How can I show you if you are so far away?" "Say whatever you want like this only!" She folded her arms and harrumphed. I won''t get fooled by your tricks again. Nian sighed. "I thought I could show you some info on Sun Bai but¡­" "Wait, Miss. Sun?" That instantly caught her attention. "What is it about her?" "Something about her and Lu Bohai but such a bummer you are so far away to show you." "...You can just tell me like this." "It will be inconvenient." Taking advantage of the information you hold! Shameless man! Xing Bi grudgingly lessened the distance between them. Nian pouted. "There is still an arms-length of distance between us. Super inconvenient." She threw him another deadly re but scooted closer to him once again helplessly. "This is fine." "Nope. Still inconvenient to read." "Liu Nian y-you-" "Either agree to properly sit beside me or I will make you sit on myp. Your choice." "..." "You are th-threatening me?" "Pretty much," he shrugged. Xing Bi jolted with the seriousness of him really carrying out his threat, so she promptly sat beside him without arguing any further. "Tch. You should have resisted more so I could have brought you on myp," hemented. "J-Just show me what you got!" It seemed as though she had eximed loudly but in reality, her voice was too hoarse to hear. Nian chuckled with satisfaction and showed her the picture of a man she never saw before. She frowned. "Who is this? Though he seems simr to¡­" "Lu Bohai. He is his elder brother Lu Yin who died in an ident before." "His elder brother as in the one with whom Miss. Sun was in a rtionship, right?" "Yup." "I see. What about him?" "It wasn''t an ident." She widened her eyes, stunned. "Not an ident? But here it says¡­that he died when he identally fell on a railway track in a subway when the train wasing." "Somebody actually pushed him. So it wasn''t an ident." "Th-that''s horrible! Who would kill him like that?" "His own brother." "Lu Bohai!?" He nodded. "Lu Bohai and Lu Yin never had a good rtionship and more so after Lu Yin started dating Sun Bai. Lu Yinter died by falling on the railway tracks. But he was actually pushed off. The subway was crowded so it was easy to feign a push in the wrong direction. I am pretty sure Lu Bohai liked Sun Bai too and killed him out of jealousy." Xing Bi''s heart was filled with rage. "Miss. Sun¡­she lost someone so precious to him because of this murderer!" She nced at him and asked, "But she should have broken all contact with Lu Bohai after Lu Yin passed away. Not like they had any good rtionship either so why would she keep meeting him?" "Because somewhere she also believes that his death wasn''t an ident so she isn''t cutting off all contact. There might be some other reason too. But right now, she isn''t seemingly holding any pure intentions towards Sky." She straightened up. "Is this about¡­" "I read your chat with Hou Lin. Something about Sun Bai downloading some files to her personal device. I called Jun but he seemed to be busy so then I called Yunru and asked him to check. Sun Bai wasn''t downloading just any files. She stored some story drafts into her device particrly belonging to Ai." Chapter 467 Chen Zixins Gratitude Impossible¡­ "W-why would she take Ai''s drafts with her?" Her mind immediately thought of a scenario where Sun Bai might leak the drafts to Lu Bohai, but she refused to believe it. But thinking back on their conversation in the restaurant where he was furiously demanding something from her, it could be very well rted to story drafts as well. "No, no! Miss. Sun would never do this!" But what if she struck some kind of a deal with Lu Bohai? Her frequent meetings with him always looked suspicious to me¡­ "Noooo! Miss. Sun always behaved so mature and independent. I don''t want her to be a bad person! What would be her motive in taking Ai''s drafts to him anyway? They cannot seriously be thinking of some author in Shi Publishing giarizing Ai''s story, right?" Nian touched his chin. "We will only know that when we catch her handing the drafts over to Lu Bohai. Of course, we will have our evidence at that time." Her shoulders slumped. Ever since she came to Sky, Xing Bi held deep respect for Sun Bai. From the bottom of her heart, she didn''t wish for her to be involved in any wrongdoing. She wanted to believe that Lu Bohai was the viin and Sun Bai was helpless before him. But she couldn''t be sure anymore. Also, Xing Bi was very protective of Ai and her work so if it involved her, Xing Bi wouldn''t be so forgiving. "Fine. The only way we can learn the truth is if we see for ourselves what she ns to do with Ai''s drafts¡­" She took her phone and letting out a sigh, she opened her chat with Hou Lin. Nian''s expression twisted, and he snatched her phone away. "Hey! Give me my phone back!" "Why are you texting that man again?" "To give him the update." He snorted. "No need. Why do you want to keep him in the loop when I am here with you?" So childish! "Because he has been helping me. How can I suddenly abandon him?" He pouted. "You abandon me all the time though." She gave a dry expression. "Because you do nothing but fool around! He is my colleague anyway. I work with him everyday. What''s the problem?" "Hmph. I don''t like him." "Why not?" "Because he is definitely eyeing you." "He literally said he is not interested in me." "A man''s heart holds many secrets." "..." Nian gave an ultimatum. "If you text him back, I will kiss you and this time on the lips." !!! "You are shameless!" Her face reddened, remembering his kiss on her neck. "All the men in the Liu family are shameless. I am following the tradition." She relented. "Fine! I won''t message him anything. Now give me my phone and leave my house!" Before my heart cannot take it anymore¡­ Nian handed her phone back and got up. Adjusting his coat, he smiled back. "If you miss me, I am just a call away~" Xing Bi politely declined. "No, thanks. This time, I will make sure to keep all the doors tightly shut and locked." He clicked his tongue. He then noticed something on the floor. "What''s that?" "What''s what?" Xing Bi turned her head to look when Nian bent and sneaked a kiss on her lips. He kept it pressed fiercely for one long moment and pulled back. "You said not I am not allowed to eat dinner here but you didn''t say anything about my dessert." She nkly stared at him, unable to process what just happened. Nian rubbed the corner of his lower lip where a light stain of her lipstick got smudged on to his thumb. "I always thought that nothing could be as sweet as cakes, but you proved me wrong. Your lips are the sweetest delicacy in the whole world. Good night, my dear." The door shut and silence reigned as Nian left. Xing Bi was left in a stupor for a long, long time. She touched her lips where Nian''s lips were just had touched hers a few moments ago. She fell on the couch sideways,pletely turning crimson. What, what, what? He kissed me? He kissed me? The questions yed in her mind like a broken recorder. Ahhhhhh!!! That brat kissed me!!!! That sneaky brat! He stole my first kiss! Shameless! After that, Xing Bi lost count of how many times she called Nian shameless in her mind with her blushespletely betraying her heart. ¡ª Zixin stared at the cherry blossom in his palm which had withered up from the time Guiying first gave him in the hospital. He caressed it between his fingers, his eyshes faintly trembling. Alone in his room, numerous thoughts swirled in his mind. With an unreadable expression, he picked his phone but seemed hesitant. Eventually, he dialed the number and brought the phone near his ear. "Hello?" A voice responded. He silently breathed in upon hearing it. "Hi." ''She'' asked from the other side, "Chen Zixin. Why thete call?" He quietly listened to her question. He knew he was talking to the ''other'' person inside Guiying. Now that he was aware about her split personality, it felt even clearer to see the difference. The tone, the impression of how the two Guiyings behaved had a stark contrast. He tried to smile, his eyes gradually turning moist. "H-How¡­how are you?" ''She'' asked back after a short pause, "...What''s with this strange question?" Zixin had many things to say. Many things to ask. Many things to express to her. I know about your childhood now. I know about your rtionship with Cai Lingyun now. I know why you were born. I know how much you have suffered. Where should I begin¡­ "Chen Zixin?" ''She'' called out, feeling the strange stretch of silence between them. "Thank you." "For what? I don''t remember doing any goodwill for you." "Not for me. It''s for¡­" he held back a choke as his tears fell, "protecting somebody very important to me. I cannot express my gratitude in words. Guiying¡­You did your very best. I am so, so proud of you. I called to say that from now on, you don''t have to suffer anymore. You won''t have to fight your battles all alone any longer. I, Chen Zixin, will always be there to protect you." Chapter 468 Letting Loose In The Crescent Swing (1) * Jun was working hard the next morning to prepare the perfect breakfast for Ai. She was hardly in any mood to eat a decent mealst night, so he decided a sumptuous breakfast it would be today. From the corner of his eye, he saw the cat trotting back and forth and ncing his way frequently towards the kitchen. "You are not so honest, aren''t you?" Jun took out a bowl and pouring some of his special cat food on it, he ced the bowl at a distance. The cat hurried towards his goal and dug his face into it, chomping into his food. At this rate, it feels as if we will really adopt him, Jun released a sigh. Ai stepped out freshened but carrying her tired body out of the room as if she hadn''t freshened up at all. "There you are." Jun walked behind her and holding her shoulders, he dragged her to the dining table and made her sit. "Time to serve your breakfast piping hot." She pressed her lips. "I am not feeling hungry-" "Say another word about not eating and you will face my wrath." "..." He served her a bowl of light chicken soup, three slices of toast bread and egg fries, small shrimp dumplings and some veggies for a light sd. "I already feel my stomach full just by looking at your breakfast." "You actually have to get your stomach full by eating it, not just admiring it," Jun shot her a re. "Look at your cat. His face is in the bowl. Learn how to eat heartily like him." "But-" "You didn''t eat wellst night. If you skip your food again, you will be sick." "I won''t." Jun folded his arms. Then he got from his own chair, picked Ai and made him sit on hisp on her chair. "J-Jun¡­" He pinched her cheek hard. "Skipping food is not an option, girlfriend. Now open your mouth." He took a spoonful of chicken soup and brought it near her lips. Ai pouted but afraid that he will pinch her cheeks again, she quickly gulped it. "That''s better," Jun nodded in satisfaction. "You are a tyrant," sheined, rubbing her cheek. "It''s not my fault if you only understand thenguage of tyranny," he pecked on her lips. "I know you are worrying about a lot of things rted to Cai Guiying, but skipping your meals will only make your brain work slower." He promptly fed her the entire breakfast until there wasn''t even a scrap of it left. "I think you should rest at home today and take a day off from work. There are a lot of things to process, and it''s better if you meet Cai Guiying after knowing exactly what is it that you want to say to her." Ai gave it a thought and nodded. She herself didn''t feel in the mood to write anything. Her creative juices felt at a break. She asked, "Will you be going to Sky?" Jun tilted his head, thinking of his schedule for today. "I have some meetings to attend. Sky''s third anniversary ising up in a few days too, so there are some preparations I have to do with Yunru." Her face shone. "It will be three years since Sky came into existence?" "Yes. Three years since I first started Sky Publishing." "Then you should definitely go." Jun raised his brow. "What is it? Something is on your mind." "Nothing-" "Ai," he warned. She hesitantly whispered. "I thought it would be nice if you could stay at home with me today¡­" she drew circles on his shoulder. "I feel like hugging you for the entire day." Jun stared at her, speechless. Is this the first time I am seeing her acting coquettish? "You feel like a big teddy bear." "..." "I see," Jun smiled with a mischievous glint. He snaked his arms behind her waist and tightened his grip on her body as he teased her. "Hugging means like this?" Ai blushed. "A-A little looser is fine too¡­" "Oh." Jun further pressed their bodies and asked, "You mean like this?" "T-this is not what loose means¡­" "Then please teach me what loose means exactly," his husky breaths fanned her neck with an inviting gesture. She tried to push him away when he said, "That is a tight hug, not a loose one." "..." "You are switching their meanings to your convenience," she harrumphed under her breath. "If that''s how it is, you should hug me tightly." Jun beamed. "As you say." Instead of lessening the distance, he instead picked her up and put her into the crescent swing deep inside with his body blocking the way out. "..." "This is not what you said how a tight hug is," Ai sincerely let out her grievances. He lifted her chin and capturing her lips with a fiery kiss, he said, "Let''s not get into the details, my girlfriend. Since you wish to hug me, I should properly fulfill your wish." Trailing his kisses down her neckline, he tugged her light blue night dress to reveal her beautiful chest that always enamored him. Inside the crescent swing and trapped within his arms, he felt his girlfriend to look even more alluring than ever. Ai hugged him back after epting her sweet defeat by his hands. Her face reddened with his dark brown irises staring at every inch of her skin and his lips peppering teasing kisses on her shoulder. She courageously raised her head and initiated a kiss this time which caught him off-guard. But he came out of that delirious trance, snapping that night dress from her body. He let her soft breasts bounce and press against his chest as he imed her lips over and over again. His hot, bulging member was already at her entrance and sliding his way inside her. As he fully prated, Ai let out a gasp, unable to hold back the pleasure that brought goosebumps on her skin. Chapter 469 Letting Loose In The Crescent Swing (2) * A sigh of satisfaction escaped Jun''s lips basking into the joy of bing one with her. He had made love to the most precious woman in his life countless times, but every experience would always ignite the familiar passion within him. Once the fire was lit, it refused to die down. He loved entangling his fingers in her hair and inhaling her scent that intoxicated him. As he pushed himself deeper into her, he could feel his temperature rising higher. His palm caressed her back as he brought it closer to his chest. "You wanted to hug me, right?" His hoarse voice sweetly whispered in her ear. Trembling with the fiery onught of his pration between her thighs, she was in no position to have any coherent thoughts. "Y-Yes..." "Do you want me to hug you even more?" She nodded, failing to get herposure. Jun smiled craftily at her and lifted her waist to make his movements even more vigorous. "Ahhnnn...!" Her cries of pleasure got stuck at her throat as he kissed her senselessly. He bit his teeth into her breasts next to enjoy his feast. "Remember how we had made out that night in this very swing?" He asked, showering kisses on her ear. Ai was too shy to answer, but her memory was as clear as day. "It''s a shame we didn''t try making love here before," Jun sighed withment. "I feel doing it in this cresent space is more appealing, don''t you think? You feel a lot closer to me~" She could clearly sense the teasing in his voice, which only further reddened her naked body. Chuckling, he buried his face in the valley between her breasts, caressing and indulging himself with them. As he quickened his pace and climaxed, he turned her on her abdomen to hug her from the back. "Let''s say...I should hug you from all angles, right?" Ai regretted acting coquettish before. But now there was no way out. She jolted when his chest glided across her smooth back, making her bite her lip. His fingers danced across her waist, tickling her. He left the marks of their lovemaking in the form of his hickeys for which he left no ce. Licking and slurping the back of her neck, he entered her at that angle which felt deeper than ever. His thrusts were gentle and agonizing as if wanting to tease her to the fullest. He took his own sweet time and pace to hit her sweet spot which made her tremble with grievances. "You..." "Hm?" "W-Why are...you..." "Why am I?" Jun rested his chin on her nape. Going slower was what she wanted toin about. "I am being mindful of your strength, you know~ I don''t want to make you tired." This isn''t being mindful, this is torture... It only added to her frustration when he squeezed her breast in his palm whileying on her back but refusing to thrust harder. She felt breathless with his touches such that it was hard to escape the clutches of ecstasy. Jun thoroughly enjoyed Ai''s plight. He admitted it was challenging to be patient and go slow when his hot member was protesting to ravish herpletely instead. But seeing her troubled expression that told him how she wanted for him to go faster felt like an addicting drug on its own. "It feels like you have something to say," he huskily asked. Sweating from her forehead, Ai felt a sharp and tight squeeze on her sweet pink nub when Jun pinched it. A warm gush of her release flowed across her inner walls, making her eyes tear up. "You are bullying me..." she whispered. Jun kissed her temple. "How can your boyfriend bully you? I care about you a lot." "Lies." He smiled. "Then what do you want me to do to prove my sincerity to you?" She hid her face in the swing''s pillow. "Go..." "Go?" "You know what I have to say!" "Unfortunately, I am not a mind reader." "..." She turned her head, brown eyes scowling at him withint. "Go faster!" Jun''s dark brown irises brightened with her deration and he kissed her cheek. "You should have told me sooner. As you say." Ai was so bright red that she had no ce left to hide anymore. Jun took this chance and pounded inside her, this time showing no mercy. Her melodious moans echoed in his ears that only fuelled his desire to eat herpletely. A dessert at breakfast time is not a bad idea~ His relentless thrusts made the swing slightly rock in its ce, but their passion continued to burn. After Ai let out a second cry of orgasm, Jun finally decided to be merciful and pull out. He turned her to her side and firmly grasped her within his embrace. "There. Your teddy bear is hugging you." Ai inhaled a few times to catch her breath. "Were you taking revenge from me for something?" He chuckled, kissing her forehead. "Why do you always say that I have a revenge agenda whenever I make love to you?" "Because you always act mean to me." "It''s just a little teasing~" She looked away, her cheeks pouting. Jun kissed her balloon cheeks anyway and rested his chin on her head. "Please forgive me." "You always ask for my forgiveness but never change," Ai refused to fall for it again. "You are just so cute when we do it. I cannot help it," heughed. "I can also act mean in any ways." "Like how?" "Hmph. Making you jealous-" "Is not a very wise solution to think of, Zhou Ai," Jun smiled as he warned. "Otherwise we can always go for a third round right now and sort out your priorities." "..." There is just too much injustice in this world, Ai thought. His gaze then looked gentle. "This is the Ai that I am dating. You are someone to take action, not dwell in the past. And that''s what I want you to do with Cai Guiying as well. Face her with sincerity that you always carry in your heart." Chapter 470 I Know Who You Are Chen Vi. After dealing with Cai Lingyun and learning the truth of Guiying''s mental condition, his next aim was to help her in any way possible to heal the trauma she suffered. But how? This was the question bugging Zixin since he learned the truth. The best path was to take Guiying to Jack Si, who could provide his guidance on what to do next. That''s what Ai wished to do as well. But once again, how? After a deep thought, he texted Guiying to meet him at some ce. When he stepped out, he bumped his way into Yunru. "Bro!" He grinned with his usual beaming face. Zixin blinked and asked, "You seem to be in a happy mood today. Extra happy if I may say." Yunru scratched his head. "I-It''s nothing! I am just¡­" "Going to meet his girlfriend~" his twin sister Yubi teased. Yunru smacked her on the head with a furious blushing expression. "I told you so many times that she is n-not my girlfriend!" Yubi snorted. "Don''t lie to me! Ever since you came back from Shanghai, you have been frequently meeting up with her. And don''t you deny it because my reliable sources say that you have been skipping work at Sky!" Zixin raised his brow. "Is that so?" Yunru pointed his trembling finger at her. "Y-you¡­you are speaking nonsense! Bro, believe me!" He grabbed his hand and widened his watery eyes, "Your little brother is very responsible. I-I have not been cking at all." Yubi folded her arms as if a cop was interrogating a suspect. "So tell us the reasons for your frequent meetings. This judge will determine whether you are guilty or not!" "I¡­have been just trying to help her." "Help?" He cleared his throat. "Huan wants to write a new story, and I was just giving her some suggestions. To be honest, her family and also the Shi Publishing''s situation is going quite downhill. Once the news of her new story will be out, it will help give that boost and she won''t be so troubled¡­" he pursed his lips. Yubi giggled. "That''s just means you are treating her in a special way~" His face reddened. "I-I-I am not doing anything like that¡­" Zixin patted his head. "It''s good that you are helping her." "See!" He gave a victorious look to Yubi. "Bro understands me the best! Yubi rolled her eyes. "But you should be careful. Shi Huan is your friend, but she also works for apany who is a rival to Sky. You are the President of Sky so professionally, if you involve yourself too much, it might cause conflict between the twopanies in the future. Your important position at Sky makes your rtionship with Shi Huan a little delicate." Zixin was aware that he had been helping Guiying as well, who belonged to Dream High, another rival of Sky. But he was conscious to limit his support, considering that Jun was Sky''s CEO. He wasn''t directly rted to Sky or Dream High in any way, so he had some ce to help Guiying. But Yunru''s position and situation was different. Yunru quickly said to wash away his worries. "Y-Yes, Bro! I understand my position at Sky. I promise there won''t be any trouble." Zixin nodded. "Good. I will take my leave then." ¡ª ''Guiying'' was casually eating her ice cream in the park as made herselffortable on the bench. Wonder why Chen Zixin called me? ''She'' thought as she popped a spoonful of ice cream in her mouth. If this is about her story again, then I will need to bring this idiot out. "Big brother! Pass the ball here!" A little girl giggled as she waved her hand to an older boy she was ying with. Her brother kicked the ball and passed it to her, but she missed passing it back to him. "Aish! Kick the ball like I told you before," he taught her the game, putting his hands on his waist. He patiently showed the way to y with the ball to his little sister, giggling andughing. As they yed again, the girl''s slipper slipped from her foot as she ran, making her stumble. The boy facepalmed and sighed. He fetched her slipper and walked back to his sister, slipping it back in her foot. "Be careful silly or you will hurt yourself. If you lose your slipper, then I won''t help you with Mom''s scolding hehe." She pouted. "I will just say that big brother yed a prank on me and lost my slipper!" "..." He pinched her chubby cheeks. "How could you see your big brother in trouble? She will punish me with washing the dishes for the whole week!" "Hehe¡­" He ruffled her hair andughed along with her. ''Guiying'' stared at the sibling pair and listened to their interaction in silence. Her unreadable gaze couldn''t be deciphered. "Your ice-cream is melting." ''Guiying''s'' stupor broke, and she lifted her gaze to see Zixin standing beside her. ''She'' looked back in her ice-cream cup and found that the chocte scoop had turned into a milkshake. "Oh yeah¡­" Zixin quietly sat beside her. From afar, he had already noticed her staring intently at the kids. He softly said, "They are cute, aren''t they?" ''She'' threw him a sideway nce. "They are cute because they are blessed with luck. When you are brought up in a good family, everything feels cute and fluffy." Zixin looked somber. "I¡­" ''She'' raised her brow questioningly and asked a question instead which she wanted to for sometime. "What did you mean when you said that you will protect me? That evening you called me. You expressed your gratitude. You felt proud of me. Where did thise from?" He felt his heart race. "I met Cai Lingyun that day." ''She'' blinked once. "I got to know about your childhood." ''Her'' expression instantly narrowed, hinting of danger. "And the fact that the one talking to me right now is not the Guiying who met me at the hospital outside." Chapter 471 The Same Question Once Again It was the first time that evening that ''Guiying'', the alter personality in Guiying who had been protecting her for a long time now, had shed tears. ''You did your very best.'' ''I am so, so proud of you.'' His voice felt like a warm, gentle tide of the ocean, but it rang a loud resonance inside ''her'' heart that shook her from within. There was no reason to believe that Zixin was talking to ''her.'' He was in the dark about ''her'' existence. It should have been Guiying. The Cai Guiying everybody knew as CherryBlossom. But for the first time, ''she'' felt that he was talking directly to ''her.'' ''She'' suddenly felt exposed but more than that, ''she'' couldn''t exin why a tear slipped past her cheek. It was a short call. Zixin said a simple thank you. But it reached the deepest part of ''her'' heart because it was the first time that ''she'' felt recognized. ''She'' felt that her existence was recognized. ''She'' felt praised for who ''she'' was and what ''she'' did. ''She'' had been silently protecting Guiying for all these years as a shadow who only bared her fangs whenever Guiying was in danger. But ''her'' existence was never known to the world. It wasn''t normal for somebody to have two personalities living within them. ''She'' never talked to people like Guiying did. ''She'' never enjoyed her life like other people did because ''she'' was aware of what her existence was. It was temporary. ''She'' was born to protect her until the time someone else more capable, more loving and more caring will step into Guiying''s life and fill in ''her'' shoes. When that day woulde, ''she'' knew she would fade away. ''She'' would cease to exist. That''s why when Zixin appreciated ''her'', ''she'' let herself live in that moment as just the identity of who ''she'' was. ''She'' basked in that moment of recognition and joy that somebody acknowledged how hard it was to live a life like Guiying and ''she'' did. ''She'' wasn''t sure why her train of thoughts led her in that direction. Did Zixin know about ''her''? His words sounded cryptic, and the meaning behind his gratitude was a mystery. But ''Guiying'' felt like a person of her own for the very first time. And as ''she'' peered into Zixin''s eyes at this moment, it dawned upon her that her suspicions were right. Zixin knew. It was why something felt odd when he spoke. ''She'' wasn''t sure how she felt about this. "Why would you meet him again?" ''She'' asked with a tinge of iciness in her voice. He paused, wondering if he should mention his conversation with Ai where she revealed about Guiying''s split personality. But he felt that it was something that Ai should speak to Guiying herself. "I came to know that Cai Lingyun was nning to cause some trouble for you. I was keeping an eye on him after he was violent to you and then was released from jail." A long silence ensued. "And?" ''Guiying'' chuckled. "What did he say? He must have praised me so much. A crazy woman. A mentally retarted woman turning violent all of a sudden. An abnormal woman with somebody else living inside her," ''she''ughed. "What did Cai Lingyun have to say?" "I don''t know," Zixin replied. "It never got that far because by then, I made it sure he wasn''t in the position to spout nonsense." ''She'' stiffened. "...What did you do with him?" "Rest assured. He is at a ce from where he wouldn''t be able to appear in front of your sight ever again," a chill echoed in his voice at the end of his sentence. Hearing that, ''Guiying'' felt uneasy but those emotions didn''t belong to hers. Instead, it was the real Guiying who couldn''t help but feel concerned for her brother. That added to ''her'' frustration which ''she'' vented out on Zixin. "That''s great. I don''t care what happens to that fucker. But the question is what do you want from me? Fine. You know about me. So what?" ''She'' sneered. "Go ahead if you want to make fun of me or that idiot inside me. I must be looking like a clown to you, don''t I?" Zixin shook his head. "Of course not." "Then why did you call me here!?" ''Guiying'' breathed out a little restlessly. ''She'' couldn''t understand what she was afraid and anxious of and for the first time, ''she'' felt like running away from him rather than having a confrontation. "I have some things to say to you." ''She'' narrowed her eyes. "First was what I already said on the phone that evening. I have thanked you, but it was important to express my gratitude in person. So..." He bowed his head and said, "Thank you for protecting Guiying all this time. I never imagined that you would have such a difficult childhood. But you fought with all the strength you had. I sincerely appreciate you from the bottom of my heart." ''Guiying'' was once again frustrated but not because she was furious at Zixin. ''She'' felt she was unable to hide the overwhelming sense of emotions gushing within her heart. Feeling acknowledged meant the world to ''her.'' Even more so when a man like Chen Zixin was bowing his head in front of ''her.'' "You don''t have to do this." "I do," Zixin firmly said. "''You'' deserve all the respect in this world which Cai Lingyun failed to give you. Whether it''s Guiying or you, the only thing you deserve the most is love and nothing else." ''She'' clenched the hem of her dress, ''her'' vision getting blurry. Zixin met her gaze once again. "That was the first and utmost important feeling I wanted to express. The second thing. When I heard about ''you,'' I realized a grave error I made in my behavior." ''Guiying'' frowned. What mistake is he talking about? Zixin solemnly said, "That day at your home, I asked if I could be your friend." "So?" "At that time, I wasn''t aware of ''you.'' I asked that question to Guiying. But now that I know, it''s only natural that I ask ''you'' too. Can I be ''your'' friend?" Chapter 472 The Right To Choose "..." The wind blew, fluttering ''Guiying''s'' hair and rustling the leaves of the trees. The sunlight was mild and tepid. Though the weather was pleasant, ''she'' sensed a storm brewing in her heart, carrying a lot of questions spinning in it. What is this man talking about? He wants to be my friend? But he is already friends with that idiot. "I don''t understand where this is going," ''she'' honestly expressed her confusion. Zixin said, "I want to be your friend. Can I?" "You are friends with Guiying." "But not ''you.''" ''She'' blinked. "Me? Am I not Guiying?" He shook his head. "You two share the same body and consciousness. But as personalities, you two are different. ''You'' are not Guiying, and Guiying is not ''you.'' She has a different mind and beliefs of her own, and ''you'' hold different values to be important. It''s unfair to treat ''you'' the same as her." "Who cares? People will think you are crazy." Zixin stared straight into ''her'' eyes. "I am not here to please the society. Guiying likes writing stories, but ''you'' don''t. ''You'' like smoking cigarettes, but she doesn''t. She is a little shy, but ''you'' are bold. She holds a soft spot in her heart for Cai Lingyun despite all his atrocities against her while ''you'' desire nothing other than seeing him getting punished. ''Your'' likes, choices, hopes and fears might not necessarily align with Guiying''s because ''your'' existence is not the same as hers. Naturally, I don''t want to treat ''you'' like I would treat Guiying or vice versa. You two are separate beings, and that''s how you two should be treated." ''Guiying'' watched his gaze intently while trying to part her lips to speak. But ''she'' couldn''t make a sound. ''She'' was trying to process the information that Zixin bombarded her with. It was just like that phone call of that evening. Acknowledgement. Recognition. Somebody was seeing ''her'' as a separate entity for the first time. Zixin was here to mock ''her'' but to extend his hand of friendship towards ''her.'' "...Why¡­" ''her'' hands trembled with cold despite the sunny atmosphere. "Why are you going so far? You have no reason to get involved in this mess." Zixin''s confusion looked real. "What mess?" "The mess of two existences in one body! It doesn''t make any sense! You are not supposed to be asking to be friends with me!" "Then?" ''She'' was left stunned. "Are you an idiot!? A normal person would want to take me to a therapist. You know, do all sorts of things to drive me away? To help Guiying heal? It''s supposed to be scary!" Zixin pursed his lips. "Please forgive my ipetence, but I am not getting your point." This man''s brain seems to have been hit too hard with that ident! "Why is it scary? Guiying is a nice woman and so are ''you.'' ''Your'' and her tastes are different, but you two have the same pure heart. Doesn''t everybody want to be friends with such people?" "..." ''She'' wanted to vehemently protest against his logic, but ''she'' couldn''t find the right words to do so. "You¡­" "Yes?" "Are an idiot." "..." Zixin''s expression fell. "Apologies that you have to see such an embarrassing side of mine." "..." ''Guiying'' held her head to stop herself from fainting from dizziness. "How can you not want Guiying to see a therapist¡­?" "Because it should be Guiying and ''your'' choice. I understand that in societal terms, this may not seem normal. But ''you'' appeared at a time to rescue Guiying when she needed it the most. ''You'' lended her the strength to fight against her violent brother and make her stand on her own feet. It was because of ''you'' that she led her life ahead with dignity and not some punching bag. After doing so much for her, the least ''you'' deserve is the freedom to choose whether ''you'' want to stay or leave. That choice shouldn''t be dictated by a therapist." ''Her'' tears fell. ''She'' had been trying her hardest to stop from giving in to her emotions, but now ''she'' couldn''t. ''She'' couldn''t help it. This was the fear that ''she'' dealt with ever since ''she'' was born within Guiying. ''She'' wasn''t that naive not to understand how the real world worked and in this world, there was space for only one person to exist at a time. A person with more than one presence would be treated as abnormal, outcast and with disdain. As such, ''she'' knew there woulde a day when Guiying might choose to get rid of ''her'' to live a normal life. ''She'' felt afraid that ''she'' would cease to exist. That''s also why ''she'' was afraid to talk to Zixin when he told he knew about ''her.'' ''She'' thought he was here to advise Guiying to get treatment and be a normal person again. Or he would tell ''her'' to disappear. And to listen to those words terrified ''her.'' ''She'' wished to see more of the world. ''She'' felt like meeting new people too. Though their childhood was traumatic, ''she'' was in search of a hope to see any goodness remaining in this world. In essence, ''she'' wished ''she'' could freely live a life like Guiying did. But ''she'' also knew that it was a wish which would nevere true. Once Guiying would meet somebody more capable and loving to take care of her, once somebody truly worthy of Guiying would walk into her life, ''she'' would have no reason to exist anymore. As ''she'' peered into Zixin''s bright, clear and sincere eyes¡­ I think that day is not far away¡­ Zixin panicked seeing ''her'' tears fall. He quickly took out his handkerchief and offered it to her. "I am sorry if I upset you. I might be unknowingly insensitive to certain things regarding ''you'' and Guiying, so please do tell me if I hurt you." ''Guiying'' hesitated but epted his handkerchief. ''She'' wiped her tears and now, embarrassment set in. "Thanks¡­I am not used to this¡­" He nodded. "Once we be friends, ''you'' will get used to a lot of things." "..." Chapter 475 Jins Fortune (2) Jin tried to look away but somehow, his gaze was fixed at the woman in white. He felt an oddly familiar feeling, and his hand reached out to touch the card. His fingers hovered over the figure. ''Jin!'' He heard a melodiousughter ring in his ears who called out his name. It belonged to the woman whom he had given his heart to years back. He envisioned Shui looking at him with her lips curved into a beautiful smile. "She is your path," the elderly woman spoke in a quiet voice. "If you want to know your answers, you must bridge that cliff between you and her." "...I don''t know who she is," he held his breath. She smiled. "I think you do. The answers you seek lie in her. If you stretch your hand towards her, you might be able to see what you cannot right now. The present between you and the woman in white is strenuous. The cliff appeared because you held your ground for too long. The distance just kept on widening." He stiffened. He averted his gaze and remembered the past where he had looked up his feelings for Shui. This grandma is really strange. How does she seem to know so much about my life? "But..." her eyes kindly looked at him, "if you take the first step this time and try to heal this crack between you two, then you wouldn''t be far from the truth." He trembled and remained quiet for a long time. My answers... The woman urged Jin to pick the third card. He did so which turned out to be a man standing at a crossroads. There were two paths in front of him, and he stood at the center. One path opened to the light while the other ended into a dark tunnel. "This is the future you hold. You will need to make a choice. That choice will define your path and your life." "But one path ends in the dark. Why would I choose that way?" Her beautiful eyes held a tinge of sadness in them. "Because one''s heart isplicated. You might choose to head into that tunnel despite knowing what your fate has in store for you. You will embrace grief despite knowing that it will hurt you a lot." He pressed his lips hard. His phone buzzed with a call with Jinhai''s number shing on it. "Excuse me." He quickly went over to the other side and received it. "Jin. Where are you?" "I...am in the church." That made Jinhai''s tone change. "Why?" Jin could feel the faint sense of worry from his tone. It was definitely due to how Jin had gotten so sick after hisst visit to the church. "Don''t worry, Dad. I am fine. I just thought..." "That you will find your answers?" He said nothing. "That''s fine, but you cannot be reckless," he sternly scolded him. "I cannot let what happened to you in the past because of..." he left it unsaid. "You should have taken Jun with you too." "I am really fine, Dad." "Come back to the office and then we''ll talk about it." "En. I am almost done here." They hung up and as he turned, he couldn''t see the elderly woman anywhere. His eyes widened and he hastily walked towards their seat, but it was empty. "Huh? Where is she?" He muttered to himself. He stared at the cat he held in his arms and was even more dumbfounded. "Why did she leave you?" Jin searched around the church, but there was no sign of the fortune-telling elderly woman. "What am I supposed to do with you?" He looked at the cat for an answer, but she simply meowed. "..." The cat didn''t seem to be particrly disturbed. She only made herself morefortable. "No, really? What am I supposed to do with you?" -- So, Jin brought the cat back with him to the Liu Corps because he really didn''t know what else to do with her. Which sent a shockwave among the employees as they saw him entering. "A...cat?" "Sir Liu Jin brought a cat?" For one employee, even his coffee mug slipped from his hands as he witnessed this strange phenomenon. When did our Bosses ever bring a cat to the office!? Jin ignored everybody''s scrutiny and hushed whispers that were urgently spreading around like wildfire. He seemed calm on the outside, but his expression had been flushing inwardly the whole time. This is so embarrassing! He shut his eyes in defeat. He adjusted the cor of his shirt, feeling hot. Even after that vision of him burning in fire was long gone, he still felt as if the heat on his skin remained. "I cannot believe she cruelly abandoned you...She looked so kind," he dryly said to the cat, lowering his head. "Turned out that she was heartless! Hah. She was definitely a scammer," he muttered. "I am sure I shouldn''t take her ''fortune'' seriously anymore-" The cat suddenly jumped out from his arms and ran away from him. "What? Hey, wait! Where are you going?" Jin rushed behind the cat to catch her. "Hey, stop. You will hurt yourself." Chasing after the cat, he didn''t realize when he arrived at the balcony of the corridor. He abruptly froze in his steps, his eyes widening upon seeing a certain woman in white. The woman in white was none other than Shui who wore a white knee-length dress gently fluttering in the wind''s direction at her knees. She was bent on them, surprised to see a cat running towards her. As she scooped the cat in her arms and stood back, she stiffened seeing Jin in front of her. Jin stared at her hard, his heart pounding loudly in his chest. Not just because it was Shui but also because she looked really simr to the woman in his fortune card. The card of his present seemed to imitate what was happening now. Jin and Shui were facing each other, though there wasn''t any real cliff between them. He clenched his fist, unable to speak. It was his first time properly seeing Shui ever since he woke up from hisa, which made his heart thump faster, knowing how he had acknowledged his feelings for her. Chapter 504 Skys Anniversary Arc (9) The reporters hushed among themselves that it was the end of Sun Bai. Selling an author''s drafts to the rivalpany was unforgivable. But Ai didn''t hold any anger or resentment towards her, nor did she throw any usation on her. She simply asked, "Miss. Sun. Did you sell my story to Shi Publishing? I just want to hear from you." Sun Bai nced at Jun who had the same expression as Ai which was what really shocked her. Not only was he Sky CEO but Ai''s boyfriend too. She had already prepared to face the worst from Jun''s side. But at this moment, she looked into Ai''s gaze which only seemed to want her answer. "I a-admit I nned to do that under Lu Bohai''s pressure, but I didn''t! I disregarded his demands and decided for myself that I won''t be guilty of doing this. I-I really am telling the truth, Miss. Zhou¡­" her eyes ached. "I don''t know how Lu Bohai got those drafts. It''s definitely not from me! P-please believe me, Mrs. Zhou." At the end, her chest heaved with breathlessness because she knew this was thest chance to exin her innocence. Ai nodded at her and said, "I believe you, Miss. Sun." Sun Bai froze. Her lips parted with disbelief even though she asked it herself for Ai to believe her. Xing Bi helplessly sighed. She knew Ai would respond like this. All this time, she wanted to believe Sun Bai as well but if it was anything rted to Ai, then she wouldn''tpromise at all. And knowing now that Lu Bohai was fired, Sun Bai was a definite culprit for her. Ai said, "Others might call me stupid, but I know what I am doing. I have closely worked with you, Miss. Sun. The hard work that you have given to Sky all this time is not a facade. Those were your genuine feelings that cannot be a lie. If you say that you backed off from giving into Lu Bohai''s demands, then I believe you." Sun Bai could hardly believe what she heard. Out of all the people, she never imagined for Ai to be so understanding who was the same person she wanted to hurt. Xing Bi asked, "If you are really innocent, then how did Lu Bohai get those drafts? You said that you had deleted them from your phone." "I did! I really deleted all the files from my device¡­Wait, I can show you!" Sun Bai hastily unlocked her phone and showed all the folders to everyone but her world turned upside down soon after. The files which were supposed to be permanently deleted from her phone were back in those folders. She nkly stared at those files in a daze unsure of what had happened. This is not¡­ Xing Bi widened her eyes and her aura became even more zing furious. She hadn''t deleted them after all! The others figured out as well and snickered. "I think you forgot to delete the evidence, Miss. Sun." "N-No¡­This is not possible," Sun Bai turned white with fear and trembled hard. I remember I deleted them! H-How are they back in my phone¡­? ¡ª The shareholders and investors'' meeting at Shi Publishing''s conference room wasn''t heading in a direction that Shi Zhn was wishing for. The atmosphere was stark and grim with thepany involved in two major scandals one after the other. One of the scandals included her daughter, Shi Huan, herself. "Madam Shi. Please answer us. Do you know how much of Shi Publishing''s reputation has been tarnished in just a matter of a few hours?" Shi Shuren tried to calm them. "I understand your concerns, but please calm down. Huan is innocent. She would never think of doing this giarism business! Once we prove that, Shi Publishing will be back-" "And how will you do that, Mr. Shi? Miss. Huan is being used of seducing Chen Yunru for her benefit. And did you forget Lu Bohai''s bribery case?" He gritted his teeth. "We have already fired him!" "And will it wash away the allegation against him?" One of them sharply questioned. "It''s so obvious that you will terminate him after this but what about his guilt in the first ce?" "Two people from Shi Publishing targeted Sky and its authors." "I cannot even imagine what action Liu Jun will take¡­" "If Liu Jun decides to strike back, which I am sure he definitely will, do you think that Shi Publishing will be able to survive?" Shi Shuren stood up and quickly said, "But it''s not just us! President Yunru is equally responsible for misusing his position and so is their Chief Editor, Sun Bai. Sky Publishing is in the fire just like us." One other shareholderughed. "So what? You forget who Liu Jun is. You forget which family he belongs to." He stiffened. The Liu family¡­ "That alone is enough. And the me falls on us first. Miss. Shi Huan seduced President Chen. Lu Bohai trapped Sun Bai to do bribery and since Miss. Zhou Ai is involved now, do you think the Sky CEO will remain calm? Don''t forget that he is her boyfriend." Shi Shuren was visibly sweating now. Sky''s reputation was at stake too but no matter how anybody looked at it, it was Shi Publishing which would take the worst hit. One investor looked at Shi Zhn and sneered. "A pity, Madam Shi. You built a wholepany for your daughter''s sake, but how did she return your favor? By throwing mud at all the efforts you put in?" Shi Zhn burst into fury. "Don''t say a word against my daughter!" Her face was livid with anger and her body shook with all the events unfolding against Huan. She was desperately trying to call Huan, but she was just not reachable. Shi Zhn''s behavior only made the shareholders even more displeased. "I guess I can see why Miss. Shi Huan would walk the wrong path." "You¡­" He indirectly med her for wrong parenting. "At this rate, we cannot believe in Shi Publishing''s future anymore." "I don''t think you or Mr. Shi will be able to handle this crisis. If you did, it will only aggravate the matter because you will be med for showing bias towards your child as her parents." "You fired Lu Bohai but what about any action against Miss. Shi? None. People are alreadymenting unfavorably on that." Shi Zhn clenched her jaw. How can I take any action against Huan when I know she is innocent!? "If somebody more capable steps in, we can think about not withdrawing our investments¡­" One of the shareholders said, "There is somebody among us who is indeed capable. If we give her the authority, I am sure she would find a way out of this." Shi Zhn frowned in confusion. Who are they talking about- The door opened at that moment and a woman walked in, the sound of her heels clicking against the floor. She smiled at everyone present in the conference room and introduced herself. "Nice to meet you. I am an editor working in Dream High. My name is Zhan Yahui." Chapter 505 Skys Anniversary Arc (10) At Sky''s anniversary celebration which had turned into a grim and gruesome event for everybody, especially Yunru and Sun Bai, Sun Bai found herself in the most precarious situation ever. The mobile in her hand kept trembling, seeing the presence of the files she had already deleted before. "I¡­I am telling the truth¡­" her voice shook as tears formed in her eyes. "I-I have no idea about this. M-Miss. Zhou, Sir, I really don''t know how¡­" For the rest of the crowd, Sun Bai was now nothing but a liar trying to gain sympathy by using her tears. "Don''t vouch for innocence when you have been caught red-handed," one of the reporters prickly pointed out. She stiffened. "Yeah, that''s right. You should feel ashamed." "What kind of people work in Sky-" Suddenly, the reporter gulped his words back in his throat as he felt a sharp and icy look from Jun who looked ready to strangle him. "I decide what kind of people work in Sky," he quietly imposed. "If you are judging Sun Bai, it means you are judging me." And judging Liu Jun and the Sky CEO was a mistake nobody here wanted to make. ring his nostrils, Yunru bashed them. "That''s right! Don''t you dare me Sun Bai! She is really awesome! I believe her if she is saying that she doesn''t have any knowledge about this!" Zixin nodded after his brother''s deration, leaving everybody stunned. Nobody understood how Sky bosses could trust their employee who had been literally caught red-handed with guilt. They looked disdainfully at Yunru because they felt he was supporting Sun Bai who faced simr allegations as her. But for even the CEO to take her side was a whole different matter altogether. Once again, Jun asked Chyou to check Sun Bai''s phone like she did for the newbie author Cui Fen but with more detailed analysis. Chyou said, "I will be back." Yating thought for a second and said, "I wille with you too." Jun stood before Sun Bai and said with his reassuring and firm tone, "The truth will be out, Miss. Sun. Rest assured." Ai beamed and nodded. Sun Bai still couldn''t believe that of all people, Jun would trust her so much. Xing Bi, who still felt ufortable about this, voiced out her opinion, "Ju-, Sir, I, too, want to believe in Miss. Sun. But she is making it difficult herself! I asked her so many times why a person like her would yield to Lu Bohai, but she refused to tell me." She gave a troubled look at Nian which expressed if what she was doing was right or wrong. Nian''s lips curved into a smile, neither goofy or mischievous, but a smile which consoled her anxious heart. "You aren''t wrong with your doubts. After all, you care about Ai so much. I am sure my little brother would have his reason." Ai softly said, "Yes, Xing Bi. You are not wrong either. I know you have questions for my sake." The guilt from Xing Bi''s heart eased tremendously. The reporters then asked, "Miss. Sun, what is your rtionship with Mr. Lu Bohai?" "Why did he approach you to bribe you?" With all the cross questioning, Sun Bai found it difficult to breathe because this was a track of questions she didn''t wish to answer. The reporters were even more convinced that Sun Bai had more shady things to hide. They could smell the juicy headlines and were ready to pounce on her like wolves when Jun crashed their hopes. Jun narrowed his eyes. "When did you all be the CEO of Sky to question my employee like that?" They froze. "Whatever questions there are, only I have the right to ask Sun Bai. There is no need for your useless interference so back off. Whether it''s Yunru, Cui Fen or Sun Bai, only I have the authority to handle these matters." Zixin coldly nced at the reporters and calmly said, "It won''t be for long when Yunru and Shi Huan will be proved innocent. At that time, I want all of you to be ready with your personal apology. Yunru is my little brother and Shi Huan could be my possible sister-inw in the future. I won''t take this matter lightly," he threatened but with poise and tranquility. ''Guiying'' choked. The reporters - "..." "Bro¡­" Yunru burst into tears and hopped in to give Zixin a big hug. Zixin nodded and patted his head. "You don''t have to be afraid at all." Huan felt extremely grateful to him as well. She thought about all the chaos that would be happening at Shi Publishing because of her and steeling her heart, she said, "I will be heading back to thepany. I will exin my side to everyone myself that I am innocent." With Yunru, Zixin and everybody''s support, Huan found her own confidence and resolve. Yunru quickly said, "I wille with you too!" "No," Huan denied. She looked at the reporters and staunchly said, "It will only make people misunderstand us more. I don''t want anybody to think that you came because I seduced you." Some of the reporters coughed. "That''s why, I will go alone," she clenched her fist with determination. "This is my story which I have worked hard for. I will fight for it myself." ¡ª Shi Publishing. Shi Zhn watched Zhan Yahui walking into the conference room with an air of confidence and elegance around her. "What are you doing here¡­?" Zhan Yahui stopped and faced her with a smile on her lips. "Mrs. Shi. Why wouldn''t I be here? I am one of the shareholders of thispany as well. I have every right to be concerned about its future." Shi Zhn stared at her nkly. "Shareholder¡­?" How can she have any shares of Shi Publishing!? She has got nothing to do with mypany! Suddenly, a chill ran in the back of her spine as a thought came across her mind. She ever so slowly turned her head and moved her gaze towards her husband. Shi Shuren, who felt her gaze, stiffened. The sweat on his forehead became further pronounced as he knew what Shi Zhn would have understood. With the way he guiltily averted his eyes, Shi Zhn already got her answer. Ah¡­so it was him¡­ Shi Shuren had secretly transferred a portion of his shares on Zhan Yahui''s name because of which she was standing as a shareholder at this moment. Shi Zhn looked back at Zhan Yahui where thetter sneakily winked at her and mouthed something silently. ''Happy realization, Mrs. Shi~'' Chapter 508 Skys Anniversary Arc (13) The reporters were forced to leave from Sky with them naturally feeling resentful over this hostile exit. But before Jun, nobody could utter a word ofint. Jun stared ahead at the empty space, his fingers clenching into a fist. Today was supposed to be a celebration day. Three years of Sky was supposed to be a happy moment, but everything was ruined. The special day turned into chaos. The family on the other side was consoling Yunru and Sun Bai. But inside Jun''s heart, there was anything but constion. I will never forgive this... It was as clear as day that targeting Yunru and Sun Bai meant targeting Sky. It was simr to what had happened in the past after Shui''s 25th birthday with the difference being that Sky''s reputation was attacked through them and not Jun himself this time. And to get all his answers, there was only one person to confront. With a raging fire burning in his heart, he walked towards ''Guiying'', his dark brown irises filled with hatred. But suddenly Zixin stepped in between, gauging Jun''s fury and said, "I don''t know why you are looking like that towards Guiying, but be respectful towards her," he narrowed his eyes. "There are some misunderstandings between us but she has nothing to do with this." "I respect you a lot, Bro Zixin. But I will be the one to decide that. Cai Guiying might not be behind this but somebody in her circle is. Somebody who has been ying with our MrPerfect identities and now attacking Sky. This is beyond my tolerance now," Jun shot back in an equally cold tone. The past life magnified his resentment even more. "I won''t let them seed in destroying Sky and me. Not again." Ai quickly excused herself from Xing Bi''s side and hurried towards Jun. She held his hand and calmly said, "Jun, I understand your anger. For Yunru, Miss. Sun and Sky, I am equally furious as well. But Guiying..." "I know, Ai," he took a deep breath and said, "Cai Guiying has given us a chance to talk. I won''t do anything to jeopardize her cooperation, but I also need answers." Ai nodded. Jun walked past him and stood before ''Guiying.'' "Let''s talk." ''Guiying'' cocked her brow. "Oh the time has finallye for you to exin yourself. But why do I feel it''s about something else, specifically about what transpired today?" Jun gave a cold smile. "You will be amazed to know how interconnected everything is." ''Guiying'' narrowed her eyes. "Don''t forget my warning, Liu Jun. Try to fool me and I will be out." From afar, Jin saw the group leave and followed them. Since Cai Guiying was connected so deeply to Shui in the past life to use her against Jun, he knew he would learn something about the past. Shui furrowed her brows in doubt. Where is everybody heading to? -- ''Guiying'' folded her arms as she stood inside Jun''s office and said, "Talk." It was an eerie silence filled with trepidation for the uing confrontation. The tension in the air could be felt from far away. Jun started with a question instead. "Who else knows about MrPerfect?" "Excuse me?" "Who have you told about MrPerfect?" Jun sharply asked. "Who knows that you used to talk to MrPerfect? Who knows about MrPerfect''s existence?" ''Guiying'' stared at him with this confusing question. "Nobody-" Then a certain name and face popped into her mind. "Your abrupt pause gave me my answer. So there is somebody who knows about MrPerfect other than you, Bro Zixin and me." "Your point?" "That same person has been ying with us for a long time now. I want the name right now." ''Guiying'' stared at him as if he was an idiot. "Of all the things I expected to hear, this is what I actually hear? You are putting the me on somebody else?" "Obviously," Jun coldly said, "I am innocent. You are innocent. Bro Zixin is innocent. Then the culprit has to be a fourth person. It cannot be any other way." ''She'' asked incredulously, "So you are admitting that you are MrPerfect but you are still innocent in regards to what you did to me?" "Yes. Because you..." Jun squinted his eyes. "I should say the real Cai Guiying wasn''t talking to me this whole time in the first ce." ''She'' stiffened. "You know..." ''She'' shot a deadly re at Zixin thinking if he told Jun about ''her'' existence. Zixin quickly rified. "I didn''t tell him. He already knew." "What?" Ai sped her hands together and slowly nodded. "We learned from Cai Lingyun. You...are not Guiying, right?" ''She'' narrowed her eyes. "What business did you have in prying that idiot''s personal life!?" Ai jolted with the sharp roar and shut her eyes for a moment. She then calmly opened them and faced ''her.'' "I apologize if you take this as interference but it was important to know because you..." she trembled, "you are my friend." ''She'' suddenly burst intoughter. "Friend? I thought we forgot about that word ages ago. What do you mean by bringing your and hers so-called friendship in between!?" Jun stepped between them to shield Ai. "Jun, I am okay." "Even if she is important to you, she cannot talk to you like this," he looked at ''Guiying'' and said, "If you want to me someone for prying into Guiying''s life, then direct all your anger at me. I did everything. But don''t say a word to Ai." ''Guiying'' chuckled with disdain. "Look at you getting all protective towards your girlfriend. Where were these feelings of justice when you were ying with Guiying''s heart?" Jun stepped closer to her and said, "I never yed with Guiying''s heart because as I said just now, she wasn''t talking to me in the first ce." "Then do you suppose she was talking to a ghost?" "No. She was talking to MrPerfect indeed. But that MrPerfect wasn''t me," he raised his hand and pointed his finger at Zixin. "Guiying was talking to Bro Zixin." Chapter 510 Skys Anniversary Arc (15) It was Jin who said, "Just because Cai Guiying doesn''t have any enemies doesn''t mean that she cannot be used. Bro never said that anything happened because anybody hated her." "Then why?" That was aplicated question to answer. To say that Jun was targeted in the past life and in this life as well to destroy him through somebody who Jun didn''t even know personally was a far-fetched thing to exin and believe in. Ai anxiously said as her brows strained, "To target Jun." "Say what?" ''Guiying'' grimaced. "Target Liu Jun through me? And somehow Zixin got involved in this whole mess? Zhou Ai, try to make sense here." "No matter how nonsensical it seems, this is the truth," Jun narrowed his eyes. "Otherwise there was no reason for Bro''s ident to happen and letting you misunderstand me as the MrPerfect talking to you the whole time." Ai nodded. ''Guiying'' was exasperated. Out of all the possible reasons Jun could have given, ''she'' never imagined he would bring this to the table. Zixin pursed his lips watching ''her'' troubled expression. Even to him, it still felt like everything was incredulous to believe. So he could understand Guiying''s situation. "I..." Zixin intervened albeit with hesitation, "It''s true that I don''t remember anything, but I want to believe in Jun. Everything is confusing to me as well, but I trust that Jun wouldn''t lie about this. Plus, he sincerely loves Ai a lot...He wouldn''t y with Guiying''s feelings like that." ''Guiying'' angrilyughed. "Do you know why it''s difficult to trust your cousin? Because this whole situation solely depended on the fact that Guiying left Reading Point. She was harassed by an online stalker, so she left. She didn''t want to bring trouble to her writing career or to Dream High. If she hadn''t left Reading Point, this whole situation would have never happened! You are basing everything that started because of a coincidence." Jun tilted his head. "Coincidence? I don''t think so. Tell me. You are Warlord, right?" ''She'' squinted her eyes. "After CherryBlossom exited Reading Point, you created a male ount by the name of Warlord." Did Han Shui tell him...? "Yeah so what?" "So why did Guiying not try to contact MrPerfect then?" ''She'' blinked twice. "There wasn''t a problem anymore, right? Guiying used a different ID and she could have just told Bro that she is CherryBlossom in reality. Then Bro wouldn''t have had to leave Reading Point. So why did she not tell him?" That took ''her'' a few moments to answer. ''She'' then cautiously said, thinking back to the time when Guiying created Warlord ount. "...Because she then realized that MrPerfect wouldn''t believe her. I mean contacting him with a male ount and all...she thought MrPerfect would hate her for trying to deceive him which I thought was very stupid to be honest. She could easily prove that Warlord was CherryBlossom if she just reiterated all the conversation she had with him. Obviously, only MrPerfect would really know that she was telling the truth. But she was afraid that MrPerfect would think somebody would have probably hacked CherryBlossom''s ount to deceive him and all. That had really panicked her..." Jin dryly said, "And why would anybody try to do that? Of all the million people on social media, would somebody bother deceiving two specific people? That too who belonged to Reading Point which is just a smallmunity of some readers and writers. It''s not even Weibo." Jun shook his head. "You are not getting the point. Why did Guiying create another ount if she wasn''t there as CherryBlossom? She couldn''t tell anybody online that she was CherryBlossom otherwise that defeated the whole purpose of leaving the forum in the first ce. She joined despite the harassment because she still wanted to keep in touch with MrPerfect - Bro Zixin, right? Reading Point was the only way because other than an ID, she knew nothing about him." ''Guiying'' said nothing but ''her'' silence was the answer. "But she still didn''t tell him which makes me simply wonder why? Unless somebody fed that fear into her. With what you just said, I don''t think that Guiying didn''t want to tell MrPerfect that Warlord was CherryBlossom. It was that she was made NOT to tell the truth in the first ce." ''Guiying'' snorted. "You have got to be kidding me if you think that somebody would be able to manipte her-" ''She'' suddenly went quiet mid-sentence. Ai closely observed her and read ''her'' gaze. "Your abrupt pause means that you realized something right?" ''Guiying'' stared at Ai in silence but in the back of her mind, ''she'' was remembering a certain event and conversation. It was only after then that all of Guiying''s excitement of sharing her identity as CherryBlossom to MrPerfect had deted like a burst out balloon. This doesn''t make sense... Jun smiled, "It''s alright. You can tell if something doesn''t make sense to you at all. I am used to it at this point because somebody has been ying a really big game. It''s all spread out in so many ways that it''s impossible to decipher that everything was actually connected from the beginning." Silence. "Your expression says that I might be right. Cai Guiying was somehow manipted to stay silent and she didn''t realize it. So do you realize what this means? If her not telling MrPerfect was a part of the n means that the online harassment she had faced was also a farce." ''Her'' eyes widened. "What!?" "That was just to force her to leave Reading Point. You are right. It all started when she left Reading Point. But that happened because she faced harassment which means even that was a lie. Such an borate n cannot rely on a mere coincidence, so it wasn''t a coincidence at all." ''She'' stiffened. Jun took a step forward and quietly asked, "That''s why I want to know the name. Directly or indirectly, Cai Guiying must have told somebody of what was going on in her life regarding her and MrPerfect. That''s why she could be manipted. Who is that person?" Chapter 511 Skys Anniversary Arc (16) "Zhan Yahui." Zhan Yahui turned as she was just about to leave the conference room after the shareholders had left. She smiled, watching Shi Zhn''s fury and helplessness. The decision of granting temporary CEO rights to Zhan Yahui couldn''t be anymore devastating to her. "Don''t you dare think that you have won with this...No matter what others say I know that you are behind everything! Your temporary authority won''t stay for long..." she dug her nails into her palm. "Mrs. Shi, like I said before, it''s all your misunderstanding. I stepped in because I wanted the best for Shi Huan and thispany." "You hate us!" She angrilyughed. "Don''t waste your breath in trying to convince us that you care about us." "But your daughter loves you, right? This situation wouldn''t have turned out like it did if she had been a little careful." Huan jolted for a moment, but she quickly stood firm. "I...have always been careful." Zhan Yahui raised her brow. "Just because I used to meet Yunru doesn''t mean that I had any agenda. Not all rivals need to be enemies," she quietly but sharply said, feeling hurt remembering how Yunru looked aggrieved. It made her wistful but determined at the same time. "Yunru and I are innocent, and I will definitely prove this..." she clenched the hem of her dress. Zhan Yahui smiled. "Be my guest." And she walked away, takingrge steps with pride. As she reached a little bit of distance, she took out her phone and typed a message. ''What''s going on over there?'' She got a reply instantly. ''Doesn''t seem to be good news for us.'' Zhan Yahui didn''t show much change in her expression. ''I see. I will think about what to do about it. As much as possible, I don''t want to lose Cai Guiying.'' She kept her phone back, taking a deep breath. Her body was, in reality, trembling with frustration itself. Her eyes, which looked friendly until now, didn''t emit much warmth anymore. Liu Jun...a formidable enemy indeed. The one thing which she couldn''t understand at all was how he was able to figure out the connection between Zixin''s ident and Guiying''s betrayal for MrPerfect. It was a perfect n that should have worked without ws but at thest moment, Guiying dropped such a bomb of Jun probably knowing everything. She pressed her brows, gritting her teeth. It all started when she started meeting Chen Zixin! How...How did I not get to know such a critical fact? Where did I gox in my n...? -- Sky Publishing. ''Guiying'' held her chin as ''she'' processed her thoughts over and over again. Jun''s words made sense to her but not at the same time. But to think that Zhan Yahui would try to manipte Guiying felt like a stretch to her. At present, Jin, Ai and Zixin were impatiently waiting for ''her'' answer. They knew she had someone in mind and once they learned it, they would finally be able to untangle this wholeplicated web of truths and deceits that had affected them so deeply. This was especially true for Jun, Ai and Jin who had suffered and died in their past lives and got another chance to change their fates. ''Guiying'' slowly parted her lips to speak. "I think...that person might be..." "Zhan Yahui...?" ''Her'' eyes slightly widened as ''she'' heard Jun revealing the name ''she'' was about to bring out. "Huh?" How did he know? But Jun''s attention wasn''t on ''Guiying.'' Instead, his gaze was fixed on the big TV screen mounted on the wall in his office. The TV was already on in mute mode when everybody came in to talk. The current channel disyed was a news channel at which Jun was focussing on at this moment. The news that was being highlighted on that channel was regarding the recent dispute and giarism issue between Sky and Shi Publishing. But what he found interesting was one other piece of news scrolling by at the same time. One part said how Zhan Yahui was revealed to be Shi Shuren''s illegitimate daughter today which also pointed out the ugly truth of him having an affair in the past. But what was more odd was that the same illegitimate daughter was suddenly granted temporary CEO rights to Shi Publishing. Jun stared hard at the TV screen as he read the news again and again. Tilting his head slightly, he took out his phone and dialed Huan''s number. "Hello? Bro Jun?" Huan''s soft but strained voice came from the other end. "Shi Huan. Tell me again. Didn''t you say before that your mother hated Zhan Yahui?" He heard a sigh escape her lips. "Guess you saw the news then...Yes, Mom doesn''t hold Zhan Yahui in high regard and you know why." "Then how in the world did she be the CEO?" "Mom didn''t wish for it. In fact...that''s the reason why Mom and Dad are arguing. But the investors and shareholders didn''t leave her any choice." She gave a quick summary of the meeting to Jun after which the decision came into ce. "I see..." he then smiled and said, "You don''t worry, okay? This whole mess wouldn''t stay for long." "Th-Thanks Bro Jun..." she wholeheartedly expressed her gratitude. Jun hung up after which Jin said, "Heh...isn''t she one of Dream High''s editors?" "Yes," Ai nodded and replied. "I still cannot believe the news I am seeing." Huh wait...she suddenly paused. Zixin furrowed his brows as well, silently thinking of something. Jun turned his head and squinted his eyes at ''Guiying.'' "The name I asked you to give...is that Zhan Yahui?" Ai''s eyes widened, expressing her disbelief. "Zhan Yahui?" ''Guiying'' stayed silent for a few moments but then ''she'' grudgingly nodded. "I still don''t understand a lot of your jibber jabber, but that''s the only name in my mind. How...did you know?" "Because in this whole fiasco, the one person who has remotely gained anything from this mess is her," Jun pointed out at the TV screen where Zhan Yahui''s name was shing. Wait a minute... Jun blinked his eyes several times. He faintly remembered some events from his past life where some news of a new person bing Shi Publishing''s came into his ears. But by that time, his life had turned upside down with Shui''s rejection so he hardly focused on it. He nced at Jin and Ai to check if they remembered anything. Jin shook his head. He wasn''t much involved in their line of work in the past and didn''t keep tabs of news of the publishing industry. But Ai''s eyes slowly shone as the memory came to her. She tiptoed and whispered into Jun''s ear. "I do remember Zhan Yahui stepping in as Shi Publishing''s CEO in the past but that was five yearster, not now." Chapter 512 Skys Anniversary Arc (17) *shback* It was around the time when Guiying was starting to face harassment on Reading Point. She would get abusive, sometimes perverted messages from a particr user of Reading Point. Naturally, she blocked his ount but that same user would pop back in with a different username and begin the harassment all over again. Things reached a point where Guiying was really troubled. Ai, who couldn''t bear seeing her friend so disturbed anymore, said with a harsh countenance, "Guiying, we should definitely go to the police with this. They will track the culprit and only then this matter would get over. He deserves to get punished." Guiying broke into a sweat hearing that. "No, no, Ai. I-I don''t want to go to such extremes." She pursed her lips. "This is not extreme. This is protecting yourself and punishing the one responsible for the situation. He cannot be let go like this or tomorrow, he will target somebody else." Guiying sighed, biting her lower lip. "If it was happening to me, you would have fought for me like I am doing but when ites to yourself, you back off," Ai shook her head. "Think about it again. You don''t have to be afraid. Naturally, I will apany you to the police station." "Thanks Ai," Guiying nodded. But the situation of going to the police station never arrived because before that, Guiying faced an extreme threat from the harasser the next day that he would leak some of her secrets to her loved ones. That panicked the hell out of her because the first thing that came to her mind was of her alter ego. She knew that the presence of another personality within her would be definitely treated as abnormal. Her face paled as she thought about MrPerfect. She felt nauseous with the mere thought of him finding this out. He-he will definitely get creeped out by me, right? Guiying really didn''t understand just how that harasser learned any of her secrets. She knew he could be lying too but was she ready to take that risk? The answer was no. She tried to talk that culprit out of it, but he would only mock her by saying how much he hated her. ''I cannot stand the sight of beautiful and sessful women like you. You think you are great just because you have some few puny fans?'' ''By being here on Reading Point, do you wanna start a cult or something? You should probably fuck off before you piss me off! I hate your guts!'' Guiying''s eyes teared up but she thought that if she left Reading Point then she could probably save everything, especially her rtionship with MrPerfect. At the same time, she got a message from MrPerfect, striking up a casual conversation. ''Hello.'' She saw him uploading a picture of a cherry blossom tree and below it, he wrote, ''Hope this cheers you up.'' She blinked her misty eyes. Cheer me up? ''I cannot see your face through our chats but recently, it feels from your messages that you are troubled about something. i could be wrong though.'''' Guiying lowered her gaze sadly. It''s because of that harasser¡­ ''I saw this beautiful tree on my way back home so thought of sending the picture here.'' A soft smile curved her lips. ''I hope this brings a smile to your face. You like cherry blossoms, right?'' She quickly replied. ''Yes, I like them a lot. And I am smiling too. Thank you.'' MrPerfect aka Zixin replied with a pleased emoji, making her chuckle. But a sense of helplessness and loneliness enveloped her too. Yes I cannot really take any risk¡­ ''If you arefortable in sharing your troubles with me, I will always be here. I will definitely help you. Of course, I am not pressurizing you into telling me without your will¡­I just mean I want to help you in any way I can.'' Her eyshes trembled reading his warm message, but her heart felt uneasy. ''No, of course not. I am really fine. It''s just work making me tired.'' ''I see. I am relieved. But you should take care of your health and not overwork.'' This time he replied with a displeased emoji. Guiyingughed but felt guilty at the same time about lying to him. I wish I could tell you¡­But I really don''t want to lose this small rtionship between us¡­ She sniffled as tears escaped her eyes. She made her decision of leaving Reading Point, but how could she tell him? She spent a whole sleepless night thinking about that. She couldn''t just leave without letting MrPerfect have any clue. Then an idea struck her. "Wait, I can join the forum with a new ID and tell MrPerfect that I am actually CherryBlossom!" Her eyes beamed as she seemed to find a way out of her crisis. "That harasser would not even know. If he can create multiple ounts then so can I." "As for what happened to my original ount¡­I will just tell him that there were some problems with it¡­" With that being said, she quickly created a new ount. "It would be even better if I created it with a male username. I won''t be targeted again," she pursed her lips. And so from CherryBlossom, she became Warlord. For some reason, she felt extremely nervous about dropping MrPerfect a message. Her ID was right in front of her, but she hesitated to text him. "What are you doing?" She gasped and jolted. Turning back, she saw Zhan Yahui watching her with interest. "Where are you lost in your phone?" She smiled. "I have been calling you for a while now." "S-sorry!" Guiying fumbled. "I was just¡­" she averted her eyes. "Hm? Is there something on your mind? It would be better to let it out so that you can focus on your novel with a clear mind." "Well¡­" Guiying thought that it wasn''t a bad idea. "I¡­" she quickly cleared her throat. "I mean I have a friend who..." When she was done exining her predicament in the guise of an imaginary friend, Zhan Yahui watched her carefully and said, "Hm, I don''t think that''s a good idea." Chapter 513 Skys Anniversary Arc (18) "Wouldn''t MrPerfect think that somebody else is trying to take advantage of your friend''s rtionship with him? Or if she poses as some other ount and tells her friend that she is actually the original ount holder, then he might lose his trust in her." Guiying stiffened. "I mean if the harasser could threaten your friend that she knows her secrets, then he can do anything. It''s obvious to assume that he might know her chat history too. Something simr had happened to my ssmate back in college," Zhan Yahui rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "That other friend was really mad at her for lying to him with another online identity. She had actually yed a prank upon him, but it backfired. He never talked to her again. It was scary for him. You cannot really say much about these online chat applications, you know. It''s already hard to trust people here." Guiying looked further ufortable. She created Warlord ount to stay in touch with MrPerfect, but if he ended up hating her then what would she do? He wasn''t somebody like Ai who would believe her without any doubts. Telling him that CherryBlossom''s ount was no more and instead to believe in some random user''s words would be difficult for MrPerfect. He was just another user behind the screen. She never met him or talked to him. Why would he believe her? He might feel suspicious even if she had the conversations between them to prove her im. What if he thought that it wasn''t CherryBlossom but some other user trying to fool him? Or worse if he thought that CherryBlossom wasn''t as innocent as he thought? There were many what-ifs in this case as she couldn''t figure out how MrPerfect would react, think and feel. It was a gamble. Guiying left Reading Point because she didn''t want MrPerfect to know her secrets and start hating her. But if talking as Warlord was risky as well, then there was no point. I...I need to find another way... She rubbed her sweaty palms together and awkwardly smiled at Zhan Yahui. "Y-you are right...I will tell my friend about this..." "Are you okay? Why does it seem that you are trembling?" "H-Huh? Oh no no! I am fine," Guiying quickly stood up in nervousness. "I will take my leave. I have a lot of work." Zhan Yahui smiled. "Yup. I will be waiting for your drafts." *shback ends* ''Guiying'' bit the tip of ''her'' thumb as ''she'' now told that piece of conversation to everyone. To ''her,'' that conversation was practically meaningless at that time. ''She'' didn''t think much of it, but... Was that Zhan Yahui manipting Guiying? ''She'' looked at Zixin and now that ''she'' had spent quite some time with him, ''she'' could firmly tell with her eyes closed that Zixin would have never doubted CherryBlossom. A man like him would have not thought of Guiying as suspicious. He might have evene forward to help Guiying resolve the mess of online harassment she faced, ''she'' thought. ''I will always be here. I will definitely help you.'' Not ''might'', Zixin would have definitely helped her... But with the threat of exposing Guiying''s alter ego loomed above her, she was already anxious about taking any wrong step. If thought from Zhan Yahui''s perspective, it was actually easy to make Guiying unsure of her decision. Then just before the Shanghai Festival was about to start, Zhan Yahui questioned what was wrong with ''her'' at Dream High. This was when Zixin had sent a letter to CherryBlossom requesting her to meet him after the festival and ''Guiying'' had torn the card and thrown it in the dustbin in a fit of anger. I never told Zhan Yahui about MrPerfect wanting to meet Guiying in Shanghai so... ''Her'' eyes shed with suspicion. Did she pick up the torn bits of the card from the dustbin and learn about that meeting? ''She'' remembered Zhan Yahui was strangely staring fixedly at ''her'' before she had left the room. But I thought that was because I wasn''t acting like Guiying usually did. ''She'' shuddered. Was it because she guessed that something was up in regards to MrPerfect? No, but she did ask me why I was behaving differently all of a sudden... ''Guiying'' gritted her teeth. What is it!? Did Zhan Yahui look at me that way because of Guiying acting weirdly or because she had doubts regarding MrPerfect!? But then ''she'' remembered another conversation with Zhan Yahui at Shanghai when MrPerfect never arrived to meet Guiying. She had walked up to ''her'' near theke and said, ''So I guess he didn''te.'' ''I didn''t expect that certainly but then again I know how cruel MrPerfect aka Liu Jun is. If he didn''t want to meet the fool inside me, then why bother sending any letter? But it''s okay. It only strengthens my resolve even more topletely destroy Liu Jun one day. That day...wille soon.'' ''Guiying'' slowly widened her eyes. How...How did she ask that question when she wasn''t supposed to know about the meeting? And I was so angry at MrPerfect then that it didn''t ur to me to question it either... Then there was the part of how it was actually Zhan Yahui who had helped secure the footage for ''her'' when Jun and Shui were stuck inside the elevator at the fest. ''She'' had asked a favor from Zhan Yahui but... Now that I think about it, Zhan Yahui readily helped me without asking many questions. Shouldn''t she have tried to stop me? Shouldn''t she have thought that it was weird of Guiying to harm someone? She even told me to hide her involvement in that matter... When Jun had interrogated ''Guiying'' about the Shanghai''s incident, ''she'' naturally refused to take any me. But when ''she'' met Zhan Yahuiter and expressed ''her" doubts of Jun not really recognizing Guiying in any way at Shanghai, she had said, ''That''s why heed my suggestion. If you want to go anywhere with your revenge, don''t utter even a word about MrPerfect to anybody. Just like Liu Jun did everything in silence, you stay in the shadows too. Ruin him, but don''t let him know who was behind it. Revenge is best served cold.'' ''Guiying'' stumbled at the ce where ''she'' stood and felt ''her'' brain would short-circuit at any moment. What the heck...? She didn''t only manipte Guiying but me too. Was I...Was I being yed like a freaking puppet this whole time...? ''She'' almost copsed on her knees but a certain someone pulled ''her'' into his arms and prevented her from falling. "I am here with you Guiying. Always," a soft and warm voice echoed in ''her'' ear. Chapter 514 Ai And Guiying (1) Jun was seated on the couch with a bleak expression as a deep silence ensued. His mind had a million trains of thoughts but at the same time, there was nothing.He could visualize that scene again when he had seen the fortune cards the mystical woman showed them at the carnival. Guiying and the shadow or the other ''Guiying'' within her were tied to a string like a puppet. And like a puppet Guiying was yed. His hands were trembling thinking of all the tragedies he and Ai had to suffer. Zixin lost his memories and had to live a lonely life where he never met Guiying again. Yunru was devastated. Sky had fallen from its glory. The whole Liu family had broken apart and Jin had to die and so did Nana¡­ Jun bit his lower lip until it bled slightly. He thought about Ai''s past life''s death and wondered¡­ Zhan Yahui did it, didn''t she? From the beginning to the end, whether it''s Ai or me, Zhan Yahui was behind everything and everyone''s tragedy. She murdered Ai¡­She must have killed Xing Bi too¡­ He couldn''t even begin to describe the rage bubbling in his heart. The same animosity was burning violently in ''Guiying''s'' heart as well. Not just ''her,'' but Guiying within her felt an incredible pang of sadness welling within her. She had trusted Zhan Yahui as her mentor and well-wisher but that same woman had violently and cruelly betrayed her trust. She cried and tears escaped ''her'' eyes. ''Her'' heart and mind was filled with chaos as the emotions of both Guiying''s overflowed inside them. Guilt, anger, grief, helplessness - everything has reached to its maximum level of their tolerance until ''she'' felt the world spinning in front of ''her'' eyes. "Guiying!" "Guiying!" Zixin and Ai eximed at once. Zixin carried her in his arms and quicklyid ''her'' on the couch. He had noticed instantly that something was wrong with ''her.'' "Guiying¡­A-are you alright? I will take you to the hospital!" Zixin worriedly rubbed her palms as ''she'' looked in a delirious state. Ai brought a ss of water, but ''she'' refused to drink. "Leave¡­" ''she'' gasped breathlessly and tiredly mumbled. "Leave me alone¡­" Zixin and Ai violently shook their heads. ''She'' gritted her teeth. "Oh shut it¡­It already¡­already feels such a mess inside my head. I don''t want to see your crying faces and feel more miserable!" Ai sniffled. "But you are crying too." "That is that idiot inside me! Do you think I¡­" pain shot between her brows and ''she'' furrowed them, "...I will cry like some weak and helpless woman¡­?" Ai stared at ''her'', her eyes reddening with tears. "No. ''You'' are not any weak and helpless woman." Zixin nodded hard. "In fact, after Mom¡­''you'' are the strongest woman that I have known. And I¡­" Ai sped her trembling hands together, "I feel miserable that I didn''t get to know ''you'' sooner." ''Guiying'' narrowed her eyes but that only brought more pain to her temples, so ''she'' gave up. "I am sorry¡­" With her head lowered, Ai''s tears flowed endlessly, staining her dress wet. Jin gave a sideways nce to Jun and whispered, "You don''t want her to stop crying?" "It''s fine," Jun stared dead straight in front of him, expressionless but deadly. "There is an entire lifetime of grief in those tears. It was bound to escape one day. She needs to let everything out today." Jun nced at Zixin and silentlymunicated that they should leave them alone for a while. Which Zixin really didn''t want to, seeing Guiying and ''her'' in such a state. He wanted to be there beside them until they were fine and healthy. He pursed his lips for a moment and with a heavy heart agreed in the end. Zixin whispered his question as they were leaving, "When can Ie back?" Jin''s brow twitched. "When Zhou Ai wants to. Then you are free to stick to Cai Guiying like glue all you want." Like glue¡­ Zixin nodded at that proposition. "Don''t you nod to that! What the heck were you imagining?" Jin gritted his teeth. Zixin frequently kept ncing back towards ''Guiying'' in hopes that ''she'' might stop him from leaving. Jin grimaced. "Look ahead or you will hit your head. It''s already enough that it''s been hit once." Twice if we consider the past life, he silently added. "I might get my memories back." "Yeah let''s stay a little away from that dangerous experiment," he said with a twitching smile. Jun, Jin and Zixin quietly left the office, shutting the door behind them. Ai wished to hold ''Guiying''s'' hand, but she couldn''t muster the courage. Instead, she kept her distance. ''Guiying'' broke the silence. "You are free to leave too. Wait, I am the guest here¡­I should leave¡­" ''She'' tried to get up but Ai pushed her back. "Don''t do that or you will feel sick again," she anxiously expressed her concern. ''Guiying'' who was pushed back with force widened her eyes. "The hell! When did you get so strong?" Or maybe this body is too physically weak? Ai slightly jolted and apologized. "I-I am sorry¡­" ''Guiying'' waved her hand but then was speechless to see Ai crying with full force. ''Her'' mouth violently twitched. "You just pushed me a little bit. Don''t cry like I am dead. You are so annoying." Ai wanted tough because ''her'' expression was just too funny but she couldn''t when she thought of all the grievances they had faced for this whole time. Ai trembled and cried harder. "I am sorry¡­" "You are making my headache even worse. Say something other than a sorry. Is that the only word in your dictionary?" "But I don''t know¡­" she sniffled, "what to say besides that. I was all ignorant¡­ignorant about your childhood and your past. I never realized how much pain you were in or how much Cai Lingyun hurt you. Guiying was always¡­smiling like a bright sun¡­But I failed to see the darkness behind it. I have been a terrible friend, Guiying¡­" her shoulders quivered. "I have been a terrible friend who knew nothing about you. That''s why please let me apologize. That''s the only way I can atone for my ignorance." Chapter 515 Ai And Guiying (2) ''Guiying'' tiredly shrugged Ai off. "You knew nothing because the idiot didn''t tell you anything. How are you supposed to know then?" "J-Jun said the same." "Then why are you still crying?" She rubbed her misty eyes, choking slightly in her throat. "Because I am your friend. We-we were best friends. I always thought we were so close to each other. Our bond as two friends was so strong. That''s what I always¡­believed in. But I was proved wrong. Every time¡­" Whether it was the past life where Guiying ''betrayed'' Ai and said those harsh things to her before she fell to her death or in this lifetime where she learned about another personality of hers - Time and again Ai came to a bitter realization that she knew nothing about Guiying. "And I couldn''t help but wonder¡­if I could do nothing to help you then what s-sort of a friend was I to you?" ''Guiying'' narrowed her eyes. "That''s why I never liked you." Ai blinked. She was well aware of ''her'' dislike for her, but it still stabbed her heart. "You wanted to be Guiying''s best friend and all, but you never came forward with your share of pain either. I hate you because even if you had a broken family yourself, your parents still acted like humans. They raised you well, and I despised you for it. I was so frustrated that Guiying could never feel the same love from her family as you did. You two were in simr positions but why did only Guiying have to suffer? She cannot even kill an ant, but why was she beaten up everyday like trash but you had all the warmth of your parents?" "I¡­I-I¡­" Ai didn''t know how to answer. ''She'' weakly waved her hand, staring at the ceiling above. "I know it''s senseless. You have your own fate. Guiying was born with her own. I cannot me you for the family she was born into but it still¡­" ''she'' bit her lip, "was so damn frustrating. It wasn''t just me. Guiying felt jealous of you too. I remember that day very well when she met your parents for the first time, Uncle Zhou and Aunt Xie. And I still remember how she wished she never left your home. It was so warm and fluffy with them and back at her home, it was as if she was dropped to hell all over again. It was Uncle and Aunt who made her aware for the first time how family love actually felt like¡­" Tears plopped down Ai''s eyes as her body trembled. ''Guiying'' continued. "But when we saw that your parents'' distance bothered you and it pained you to see them living divorced and apart, I only felt more and more anger bubbling inside me for you." ''She'' red at Ai, and she straightened up. "Compared to Guiying who was rotting in hell every single day, you lived a life of luxury. Yes, I am calling your life a luxury despite your parents'' divorce because at least they weren''t punching you until you became a ragged doll. Even if they were divorced, they respected each other a lot. Even a blind man can see that. They never became vicious - neither towards each other nor towards you. So what did you still have toin about?" "Stand at Guiying''s ce. She lost her parents. The one person who was supposed to support her through thick and thin abused her too. What was she left with? Nothing. In our eyes you had everything she wanted since she was little¡­" ''she'' gnashed her jaw, "even her brother''s love." Ai stiffened. ''Guiying''ughed. "Can you believe it? Cai Lingyun treated her like garbage because of his own insecurities but when he met you, he acted like apletely different person. That man freaking adored you! He would talk about you as if you were some Goddess. He doted on you so much that it made me puke. Can you imagine how Guiying felt? Here she was struggling to have her brother treat her as a human in the first ce and you¡­you easily gained that affection in no time. You got every single thing which she desperately wanted the most. She felt like a loser, otherwise why would her parents leave her? Why would her own brother never love her but her friend who he just met for the first time!?" ''Guiying'' paused to take a breath. The years of animosity piled up in ''her'' heart had escaped in full swing. "That bastard Cai Lingyun¡­he always praised you so much. How smart you are, how beautiful you are. Guiying waspared with you in every aspect and in his eyes, she failed all of them. But then¡­then she got hope when she started writing. She got praise from her teachers. For the first time¡­" ''her'' eyes teared up, "she thought that she had some talent. That she wasn''t a failure. Maybe now her brother would look at her. Feel proud of her¡­ Guiying was genuinely happy when she encouraged you to pursue writing. But even there, you stole the limelight. He brought thatparison yet again and this time in your stories. Then he had another thing to praise you for. How smart you are, how beautiful you are and how lovely stories you wrote." Ai clenched her fists. "Then that time for writingpetition came in high school," ''Guiying'' inly said, "And honestly, Guiying was terrified of you participating in it. When you said you won''t participate because that day fell on your parent''s anniversary, she was honestly¡­relieved. Yet amidst those conflicting feelings, she encouraged you to participate. And then what happened? Guiying won. But she secretly heard that the winner was supposed to be you. That..." ''Guiying'' trembled. "That devastated her. She had stood motionless there for a long time. That victory had felt like a pitiful one. She had lost that one thing she had pinned her hopes upon because in Cai Lingyun''s eyes, Guiying had failed yet again." Chapter 516 Ai And Guiying (3) "Heh Cai Lingyun had felt so pitiful for Guiying. You should have seen the sympathy in his eyes," ''she'' sneered. "And do you know how she got an offer from Dream High? It was Zhan Yahui who had paved the way for her." Ai''s eyes widened. "Paved the way¡­? But didn''t Yating-" "Yating and his boss, the chief editor at that time, had their eyes set on you." She stiffened. "Heh. They knew that you were the real winner of thepetition so he came to you with an offer. I still remember the day. Gu Yating hade to the campus to find you. Guiying wasn''t in his sight at all." All this time, Ai thought that she had gotten the offer after Guiying had. But she was unaware that Guiying had never received an offer from Yating in the first ce. "It was Zhan Yahui who brought her to Dream High and since then¡­everyday has just been a battle against you. But you know¡­even amidst all this, Guiying still had one hope left. MrPerfect." ''She'' smiled. "They idiot fell in love with him and in this dark and grim life of sorrow and constantparison, he was the only source of light for her. Because he was someone who poured all his undivided attention to Guiying. The only word on his lips was CherryBlossom. Not Ai. Not MissImperfectlyFine. She felt as if she was his sole world and she wanted nothing more than that. But then after the Summit ended, she saw you and Liu Jun together and she heard him saying he was MrPerfect." Ai clearly remembered that. It was when they were about to leave. It was the first time that Ai, too, learned about his identity. ''Guiying'' chuckled. "Now imagine her world turning upside down. No parents'' love, no brother''s love and now see the man she gave her heart to to that one woman who had everything. Zhou Ai had won once again." Ai trembled. "That''s why I took over. Enough was enough. Until when was Guiying supposed to be humiliated? When was this whole ordeal supposed to get over? The time ended where Guiying begged for everyone''s love. Instead, it was time for me to get revenge. Just like I protected her from Cai Lingyun all this time, I swore to protect her from Liu Jun too. Or at least that was how it was supposed to go¡­But now I wonder just against who I had been protecting her all this time¡­?" Ai lifted her gaze and for the first time heard ''her'' voice shaking. "I thought I was the smart one between us. Guiying wouldn''t be able to do anything on her own. But now I look like a fool who Zhan Yahui used the whole time. I thought I was achieving my goal but I was just a stepping stone for her. What¡­Just what I have been doing all this time¡­?" ''Guiying'' cried hard for the first time. ''She'' never showed herself so much vulnerable, not even in front of Zixin. ''Her'' strong front was like an imprable wall. But today was different. ''She'' felt like disappearing forever. ''She'' was supposed to watch over Guiying and protect her. But instead, the guilt of falling into Zhan Yahui''s trap crushed ''her'' heart beyond repair. "If I cannot do the only thing right for which I was born then why am I here in the first ce? I only¡­let Guiying exposed to more sadness. I¡­really should just disappear¡­" ''she'' mumbled with nk gaze. "No!" Ai said. "Why should you think like that? You did nothing wrong! In fact ever since I came to know about you, I have wanted to thank you for a long time¡­" her eyes ached, "If not for you then Guiying would have fallen a long time ago. It was you who held her spirit together. You were that friend that I could never be for her. You¡­" she tightly held ''her'' hand and gasped, "you have no idea how much you have my gratitude¡­So don''t say that you want to disappear." Ai rested her forehead against the back of ''her'' palm, her tears dropping on her skin. She cried in silence for a long time, letting out the sorrows of not only the past but also the present lifetime. It was then when a slow but soft voice spoke, "Ai¡­" Ai blinked. She immediately felt the change in Guiying''s tone. She lifted her head and saw Guiying staring at her with an indescribable sense of loneliness in her ck eyes. "I am sorry Ai. I am so pathetic. All these things¡­I wanted to say to you myself. But I just didn''t have the courage. Until the end¡­I relied on ''her'' to do the part. Please don''t me yourself for anything Ai. ''She'' said some harsh things to you, but that''s only because ''she'' is very protective of me. Please d-don''t be mad at ''her.''" Her headache was beginning to ease up, and Guiying felt like she could finally breathe. "Guiying¡­" Ai tremblingly uttered her name. Guiying weakly smiled. "There are so many things I still want to say¡­But I want to start with an apology. I had no ce to feel jealous of you. I always felt so childish¡­You got everything with your own merit. But still I acted so hopelessly. No matter what Ai¡­I am really happy that we came to Dream High together. I am happy you won the Summit. Your story was amazing. You deserved it. And I am happy that you found Liu Jun too." Ai broke down as she buried her face in her palms. Guiying quickly said, "I am not saying this now because the misunderstanding is cleared now. I felt like this ever since Shanghai...when I saw how much he cherished and treasured you. I lost, and I felt that I could neverpete to you. Liu Jun would never love me the way he loves you even if ''she'' took revenge from him. I am sorry Ai that I never told you about myself. I¡­just couldn''t. But you were never at fault, Ai. It was always me whocked-" "You didn''tck at anything!" Ai furiously shook her head. "You are an amazing person! Until the end you remained a kind sister to Cai Lingyun even though he abused you so much. You are an amazing writer who inspired me to be one in the first ce. And you are an amazing fighter too! You stood tall against all odds. There is nothing wrong in feeling jealous because t-there have been times when I was so envious of you too. I know¡­" she shook, "I know that feeling. So please don''t me yourself, Guiying." She gasped breathlessly and sniffled. "It was so lonely without you Guiying¡­I always wished we could go back to those times when weughed without any care¡­" Guiying felt her tears blur her vision and she slowly sat upright on the couch. "Me too¡­I was tired by this revenge. I wish we didn''t have these ugly feelings between us. But Zhan Yahui only fanned the mes harder. I¡­trusted her so much." At times, Guiying even felt as if Zhan Yahui was an elder sister to her. She spoke bitter words sometimes, but it had always only helped her improve as a writer. That''s why Zhan Yahui''s betrayal hit her harder. Ai wiped her eyes and said with a fierce determination shining in her brown eyes, "That''s why it''s time to make her pay for ying with everyone''s lives and feelings. This time, Zhan Yahui will have to suffer." Chapter 517 Wont Spare Anybody ? Until Ai and Guiying talked in Jun''s office, he along with Jin and Zixin went back to Chyou''s side where she was working with Yating to find the perpetrator. "Jun. Sun Bai''s phone was indeed tampered. She had deleted those drafts from what I can see but somebody nted them back." Jin frowned. "Maybe Sun Bai had her phone left unattended for sometime and somebody took advantage and transferred the files again without her knowledge?" Chyou shook her head. "It''s a bug and it''s something I have never seen before. So it means that the person is quite a skilled hacker like myself. He created his own untraceable bug to remotely nt it in Sun Bai''s phone." "Then what about that newbie author Cui Fen''s phone?" "Same. At that time, I did a cursory check but now that I have my tools, I can drill into anything I want. The files were modified to look like they were created before Shi Huan got to start her novel." Yunru found hope and his eyes gleamed. "Doesn''t that prove that Huan is innocent!?" "Not quite. We will have to prove the presence of the bug in those phones. The bug was like an application that was installed just for a few minutes to do the task. Then that culpritpletely removed its traces. Even I had to do a lot of digging," she sneered. "That bastard thinks he is so smart?" Chyou cracked her knuckles and evilly chuckled. "I feel personally challenged. I won''t sit still until I drag him out his hole. This is a battle that I cannot lose." Yating loosened his cor and gulped. "Thank God I am not your enemy." "Aishhh, you will never be my enemy, Yating. I am very good to my friends!" She chirped. Yating felt relieved. But then a thought came across his mind. "If Cui Fen''s phone was tampered too, then why did she say that it''s her story? Both things cannot be true at the same time." Just then, Cui Fen was forcibly brought in and she looked at everyone, confused and panicked. "W-What is happening?" But all her further questions went down her throat as Jun''s tall body oozing with a menacing aura loomed over her. Cui Fen wasn''t sure what was happening but Jun''s dark brown eyes looked anything but forgiving now. "Why did you lie?" "S-sorry¡­?" Her voice quivered. The air turned colder, and her body stiffened. Jun changed his question. "Let''s forget about the why. Tell me who told you to lie?" "I-I¡­I don''t understand¡­" she felt her throat going dry. "Cui Fen." Her face paled when Jun uttered her full name with a taste of bloodthirst in it. "I advise you not to test my patience¡­" he quietly said. "Either you are speaking the truth or Shi Huan. And I believe in my brother. The story must belong to her. Then in that case, it doesn''t belong to you. So start talking. Who told you to lie?" Cui Fen was now visibly shaken. It was only Chyou who felt a little sympathy. "Hey, hey, Jun it''s alright. She will tell us." "I don''t have that patience anymore," Jun''s countenance grew darker and darker. "Once I get the name from her, I will end this shit going on to defame Sky. And¡­I have a lot of scores to settle." Chyou slightly gulped. She leaned towards Yating and whispered, "Is it only me or Jun feels a little different? I mean he was angry before too but now he outrightly looks like having murderous intent." "That''s true¡­I saw Guiying heading over to his office with them. I don''t know what happened over there for him to change like this." Cui Fen trembled under Jun''s pressure. "I-I d-didn''t lie S-Sir¡­" her moistened eyes let out the tears she was holding back. "It-It is indeed my story-" "Is that so?" Jun''s gaze turned grimmer. "Then tell me what happens from chapter 21 to chapter 30 of your novel?" She froze and fell silent. "You are the author. I know that even writers cannot remember what happens in any exact chapter number, but you should be able to tell what happens in that range of ten chapters, right? Plus your novel is only in the beginning stages so you should clearly remember the content of your earlier chapters at the very least." Cui Fen felt her voice stuck. "T-that¡­of course I know¡­" "So don''t waste my time and go ahead." Yunru red his nostrils. "Yes, tell us! I have worked with Huan so I know what goes in those chapters. I can validate if you are telling the truth or not!" Cui Fen parted her lips to speak but her shaking wasn''t stopping even for a moment. She could feel her neck at the guillotine. "You can remain silent only when I give you permission. Otherwise, you talk. I can be a generous CEO but a cruel one too if needed." She said breathlessly, "I-I am sorry¡­My mind is nk be-because of today''s incident. I c-cannot remember¡­" "Hah! Isn''t that a convenient excuse?" Yunru red at her. "Fine then! If you cannot remember what happens in chapter 21 to 30, then at least tell what happens in the first chapter. No matter what, a writer doesn''t tend to forget their very first chapter of their novel because it''s the hardest to write!" Yating nodded. "I agree to this." But Cui Fen had no response to Yunru''s demand either. "I d-don''t¡­I feel dizzy¡­" Jun tilted his head and narrowed his sharp eyes at her. "Already? I can be more vicious than just a simple interrogation. This is your chance toe clean or I can go to much farther limits. I hated what happened today, and I won''t spare anybody who was a part of this mess." Frightened, she took several steps back. Her cries grew fiercer but Jun was relentless. "Now open your damn mouth before I nip out your whole career from its root," he then took an rming step ahead and questioned in a bleak voice, "Tell me the name. Was it Zhan Yahui?" Chapter 518 Make New Memories Cui Fen looked at him, bewildered and Jun could tell that she was really hearing this name for the first time. More than her, it was Yating who expressed her shock. "Say what? Why are you asking her about Zhan Yahui?" Jin gave a bitter smile. "Seems like you haven''t seen the news yet. Check out who is the new CEO of Shi Publishing." Confused, Yating checked his phone for thetest news and was stunned to see Zhan Yahui having CEO authority over Shi Publishing. "Huh? Did I miss something? How did Zhan Yahui be CEO of Shi Publishing?" Yunru pursed his lips. "Well, Zhan Yahui and Huan are actually half-sisters." Which he confirmed when he read another news bulletin of Shi Shuren''s affair secret getting revealed. "What the hell¡­" He frowned heavily and then was struck with realization. "Wait, you think she is behind this whole mess because she benefited by bing the CEO? That''s definitely some crazy theory." "This is not the least bit crazy part. She has done much more¡­even plotted against Bro Zixin." Yunru widened his eyes. "What! Why would she possibly hurt my brother! He doesn''t even know her!" Jun smiled rmingly. "I didn''t know her either but here she is, involved in every aspect of whatever has gone wrong until now. That''s why Chyou¡­" he nced at her and said, "I want to know everything about her. She has targeted a lot of people to ruin me. I want to know just who the hell she is." "I am on it." Yating still had difficulty in believing all this. "Come on¡­this cannot be true. I have worked with Zhan Yahui for years. She cannot be evil¡­" Cui Fen jolted when she caught Jun''s attention once again. "Are you ready to open your mouth or shall I force it?" She dropped down to her knees and begged him. "S-Sir please spare me! I really¡­I am really innocent. A-and it''s not like I don''t remember the story. It''s just e-everything is happening too fast," she cried. "I am new here and suddenly this happened to me¡­This doesn''t mean that I am the culprit! P-please¡­I beg you not to ruin my career. Writing is my dream¡­I even fought with my parents to join Sky¡­I cannot afford to g-go down before I have even started anything," she trembled. Jun raised his brow in silence. His keen eyes stared at her for a long time before he said, "Get out." Cui Fen couldn''t believe her ears that he was letting her go. But she quickly stood on her knees and rushed outside as she still cried. Yunru asked, "Bro why did you let her go? She will definitely take advantage of this time and read Huan''s novel. Next time when we ask her, she will bepletely ready to answer anything rted to the story." Jun narrowed his eyes. "I have a faint idea of what could happen next. I want to see if it does go that way or not¡­" From the other side, he saw Ai and Guiying slowly stepping out of his office. Jun watched Ai carefully and finally amidst this rollercoaster of day, he felt a burden lift off his heart. Ai''s expression and her eyes clearly said how they had resolved the misunderstanding between them. It was Zixin who ran past him like the wind and already appeared before Guiying. "Are ''you'' alright? Does it hurt? Can ''you'' stand properly? I should definitely take ''you'' to the hospital." He said everything in one breath that Guiying didn''t find any chance to answer. Ai answered. "Guiying is much better now." Zixin checked her from head to toe very carefully. "Are you sure? ''She'' still looks weak." "N-No, I am alright! I-I don''t need to go to the hospital¡­" Hearing that, Zixin immediately recognized that she was the real Guiying. "I see. Then I am relieved." Ai nced between the two and promptly left to give them some time alone. Guiying lifted her gaze and properly looked at Zixin for the first time, not just as Chen Zixin but also MrPerfect. The MrPerfect she was talking to the whole time. The MrPerfect who made her feel cherished and loved. The MrPerfect who was her loyal fan. How¡­long has it been? MrPerfect was right in front of her in the flesh. Tears wetted her eyshes once again, thinking about all those sweet memories she shared with him but the bitter misunderstandings that separated them too. Guilt washed over her heart for thinking that MrPerfect could ever think of betraying her. Even now at this moment, it was only her image that reflected in his ck irises. But it also made her realize how much Zixin suffered because of her. "Why are you crying?" Zixin anxiously asked, "You said you were fine. I knew it. I should definitely take you to the hospital." "No. It''s not that!" She lowered her gaze. "I just¡­If it wasn''t for me, you wouldn''t have had to go through that terrible ident¡­" Her body seemed to look even thinner and fragile than before. "You lost your memories, your family is also hurt because you don''t remember them. Somehow I feel responsible for all this. This wouldn''t have happened if you weren''t entangled with me-" Zixin put his finger on her lips and immediately closed the distance between them, making her conscious of this closeness between them. "You have suffered much greater than me. You were closer to her and she betrayed your trust. My tragedy is far lessparable than yours. You are a victim of her plotting. How can you me yourself?" Zixin withdrew his finger and gently held her hand. "My life is bing normal even without my memories. My family also thinks the same. We just have to make new memories. A lot more memories than the past and a lot more happy memories which our past couldn''t have even thought of." He peered into her eyes and smiled. "I don''t know what sort of MrPerfect I was to you all this time. But I would like to be that version of MrPerfect who would never make feel you anxious again. I want to be someone you can wholeheartedly trust. I want to make those memories with you, Guiying." Chapter 519 Small Steps The day filled with chaos eventually came to a grim end. The fate of Sky still hung on a light thread as the usations against Yunru and Sun Bai still made headlines. Sun Bai was extremely worried about what course the whole predicament might take but Jun and Hou Lin assured her. The rest of the family showed their full support to Jun too. The twins stood at either side of Jun and ruffled his head harder. "We know you will solve this mess in a mess without a hitch little brother! After all, you have the Liu blood flowing inside you~ I am just waiting for hell to break loose~" Liu Hai waved his hand. "Of course. Nobody can challenge the Liu family and stay alive after that~" The twins and Liu Hai''s quirkiness brought the atmosphere back to normal. Nana pouted and held his face. "Yes, so don''t worry Jun. And don''t even think about skipping meals. Everything will be fine." Jun smiled. "I know, Mom. I promise I won''t skip my meals." "En. If you skipped, Ai is there to inform me." His brow twitched. "When did she be your spy?" "I don''t have a choice when you boys don''t take care of yourself!" She harrumphed. Nuo nodded. "I will scold you a lot if you ignore your health because of this." "I think I am the older brother here." She snorted. "The twins are my older brothers too but when do you see me not scolding them?" Jian wiped his teary eyes. "We have a lot of grievances regarding that, little sister." "How can you treat your awesome brothers so cruelly?" Nian added. Nuo patted Jun''s head and smiled. "That''s why you need to be strong." "Little sister, you are tantly ignoring us!" The twins eximed in protest. Liu Hai looked at them with disdain and dragged them out. "Oh shut it. You two are so petty!" "You are thest person to say that old man!" Nian remembered an important thing and escaped from his grandfather''s grasp. "Xing Biiiiii!" Xing Bi, who was talking to Ai and Shui, turned to see Nian furiously waving his hand at her. "Let''s go! Let''s go! It''s time for our date! We promised to go on our lovely date after the celebration!" "..." Xing Bi suddenly came into everybody''s scrutiny and her brows twitched heavily. This man! For God''s sake your family is right here! Does this man have no shame!? Her face flushed hard, especially that his parents and family were in front of her. "Hehe...hehehe¡­" Xing Bi burst into an awkwardughter and grabbing his hand tightly, she pulled him away. Nian blushed. "Aish, Xing Bi. You are holding my hand so tightly. I didn''t know you were this excited for our date." Xing Bi slowly turned her head and gave him a deadly stare. "Let''s talk, Mr. Liu." "Why is your expression not matching with my imagination, dear?" "My violence won''t be matching with your imagination either," she said as she dragged him away from everyone. She then red at him. "How can you think of our date when so much happened today? Jun is so troubled. Can we really enjoy when there is a crisis going on at Sky?" Nian cocked his brow with interest. "Don''t underestimate my little brother. There is no need to worry about him. He will deal with it with finesse, I assure you. There have been many such pests in the past trying to take us down but have always failed miserably. It will be the same oue this time too~ So we can enjoy our date with ease!" Xing Bi watched Jun and Ai and pursed her lips. Will it really be okay? Well Nian knows his brother better than me. I hope it''s just as he says¡­ Seeing her expression falter, Nian swiftly took advantage of the situation and dragged her out of Sky before she could protest. "Date time! Date time!" Ai pursed her lips. "Nian stole her away from me." Shui shook her head. "What else can you expect from the twins?" Her gaze fell on Jin for a moment, but she quickly looked away. She faced Ai and said, "I will take my leave too." Ai blinked. "You are not going with Siying?" "Ah Bro said he will bete. Hehe it''s definitely a date with Nuo just like Nian and Xing Bi''s. I just pray Uncle Jinhai doesn''t show his ws to him haha." Which Jinhai already was as he threw deathly res at Siying with his eyes who stood with Nuo and was ready to take her out. The helpless victim, Siying, could feel his gaze brutally burning and drilling a hole in his back. When Jin saw Shui leave alone, he fell into a predicament. He wanted to follow her but his feet didn''t move. Jinhai was about to speak when Liu Hai''s booming voice echoed in the room. "Aish my dear Shui, why are you going all alone? Let somebody apany you!" "Ah? I will be fine, Grandpa," Shui smiled. "Bah! How can you be fine? It''s sote in the evening now! What if you meet some pervert on your way?" He gasped. "..." "No I mean, the driver is there to-" "Jini-boy, you seem to be jobless at the moment. Go and drop her home!" He chirped. Shui stiffened while Jin scowled at him. "Don''t call me Jini-boy." "Zhou Yichen gave such a cute nickname to you. How can I not use it?" He made an innocent expression. "Anyway, go with Shui." Shui quickly said, "Grandpa, it''s really alright." Nana joined in too. "It''s no trouble dear." Jin walked past her and cleared his throat. "It''s not a big deal. Let''s go." "Wait I¡­" Ai nudged her elbow and nodded. "Don''t hesitate." She wanted to hope that with Jin taking little steps to improve his rtionship with Shui, something could soon change between them. It was imperative for them to be in each other''spany as much as possible for that to happen. Shui agreed in the end. "Sure." Jin paused and nodded and then followed after her. Chapter 520 The Voices Of The Past As they returned to their condo, Jun and Ai could hear some familiar bickering soundsing from inside the house. "Mom? Dad?" Ai asked, surprised as the duo was arguing in the kitchen. "Jun-cute! Ai-chan!" Zhou Yichen dashed towards them and pulled them in a big hug. "I am so d you are back. You two were sote that I got worried!" Xie Nuying calmly stood at a distance from him and hugged them too. "We were supposed to have dinner after the anniversary but after knowing what happened, I thought it was better toe here and prepare the dinner. You two must be tired." Jun let out a genuine smile. "Thanks, Mom. I really appreciate it." She patted his head but felt her heart squeeze seeing them stressed out. Today was supposed to be filled with celebration andughter but instead¡­ Zhou Yichen snorted. "Thank you for your good intentions Miss. Xie but it''s of no use when you seem to not know your way around the kitchen." Her brow twitched. "You think you are any better? Just look at your side of the kitchen. It''s aplete mess. I cannot imagine what mess the food will be." He sneered. "You know that don''t you? Between the two of us, whose food is more edible?" Lightning crackled between their eyes as they stared at each other with hostility. Ai pursed her lips. "This is not the time to fight." *Meow* Jun lowered his head and saw Ai-chan nudging his leg. "Hey," he picked her up in his arms and curved his lips into a peaceful smile. "Did you have fun having the whole condo to you?" *Meow* She stared at him intently for some reason. Ai looked for Jun-cute who waszing around in the crescent swing as usual but who was also sneaking nces at them. When he noticed Ai looking at him, he immediately retracted his gaze as if he didn''t have anything to do with her. "..." How mean¡­ Xie Nuying said, "He seems to dislike us but actually cares about us a lot. You know? I had almost slipped and was about to fall but thankfully, I held my bnce. But Jun-cute immediately ran to my side and circled around me with concern," she looked pleased. "When I first entered the house, he was keeping his distance from me and wouldn''t even look at me." "That''s what everybody should do¡­" Zhou Yichen whispered under his breath. "Mind your words Mr. Zhou or you might just find your food unptable," she narrowed his eyes. "When was it ptable in the first ce? This whole evening is saved because of the food made by yours truly hah!" Lightning crackled between them once again. Jun and Ai coughed and quickly pushed them towards the dining table. Washing their hands, they took their own seats before the duo started arguing again. Jun noticed all the dishes on the table and smiled. "Everything looks delicious." "The mapo tofu too?" Xie Nuying expectantly asked. Jun nced at the said mapo tofu and inwardly twitched seeing the curry slightly burnt. "It looks delectable, Mom." Xie Nuying beamed. "Good, good." Zhou Yichen snorted at Jun''s obvious lie but kept to himself. He then bent and furiously patted on his shoulder as he said, "Eat all up, Jun-cute! You must be famished. And don''t you worry about the situation at all! I believe Sky will definitelye out of this predicament," he nodded. A glint of coldness shed across his eyes for a moment. "Yes, Dad. I won''t let this mess stay for long and the one who is responsible for this¡­will soon have a heavy price to pay," he clenched the chopsticks in his hand. Xie Nuying asked, "Could you were able to find who made all those messages to the reporters?" He narrowed his eyes. "I do have a name." "Who is it?" Ai slowly said, "We don''t have clear evidence yet but we know it''s¡­Zhan Yahui." Xie Nuying and Zhou Yichen blinked their eyes. "I feel I have heard the name before¡­" Zhou Yichen touched his chin. "Isn''t she Guiying''s editor?" Xie Nuying said. "Yes." "Ah yes! That''s right," Zhou Yichen nodded. "Ah but wait. Why would she do all this? She ispletely unrted to Jun-cute." "Indeed. That''s why Chyou is digging into her past." "I see, I see. No worries! Jun-cute, if you ever need my help, juste to me straight away hoho," He proudly added, "With the variety of careers I have worked on, I have umted some good contacts myself." "Thanks Dad," Jun appreciated his gesture. Xie Nuying poked. "Since they are your contacts, I doubt their reliability." "..." Zhou Yichen gritted his teeth. "Well at least I HAVE contacts unlike a certain professor here from whom people choose to always run away." "Only guilty people run away," she said with poise. "Hah! Well at least I will be of some help if things went south. Do you remember when Ai-chan almost got lost when she was seven? It was my friend who noticed her on the street and quickly informed us." Jun nced at her. "You really got lost?" Ai cleared her throat. "I was attracted to a bookstore on the other side of the street." "..." She says it like she got attracted by somebody handing out candies¡­ Zhou Yichen said, "Point being my friend saved us from running around in circles. You, on the other hand, had almost fainted with worry." "Of course I did," Xie Nuying pressed her lips, "My Ai was so cute. She is cute even now but as a child, her cuteness level was unmatchable." Jun choked. "My cute daughter suddenly disappeared¡­How could I be calm? What if some bad people found her first and tried to harm her?" Her voice trembled even now when it had been years since the incident happened. Zhou Yichen red his nostrils. "As if I would have ever allowed that to happen. If Ai-chan is in trouble, I will bend the whole world if I need to, but I will definitely save her no matter the cost. I won''t spare anybody who dares eyes my daughter!" All of a sudden, the cats, Jun-cute and Ai-chan, stood upright and alert. Their eyes were locked onto Ai''s whose body shook slightly, and the chopsticks in her hand trembled but it was actually her hand that was shaking. She felt her heart pounding faster in her chest as Zhou Yichen''s words echoed but this time, in her mind. "I won''t spare them, Nuying...They say my daughter killed herself? It''s impossible! No way our Ai-chan can kill herself! My daughter was not weak!" "She would never...she would never think of ending her life and giving us this pain to live with for the rest of our life!" "I will find them, Nuying...I will bend the whole world if I need to but I will find whoever killed my daughter and I will punish them with my own hands!" Chapter 521 A Killer, A Murderer Ai couldn''t see the memories but her mother and father''s pained and grieving voices rang in her ears. But those voices faded away as suddenly as they had started whispering to her. "Ai?" She jolted, her body feeling cold but soon felt a warm hand on top of hers and a pair of dark brown eyes looking at her anxiously. Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying hadn''t noticed yet, but Jun had caught her hand trembling and going into a stupor. "What happened?" Ai looked ahead and saw her parents bickering as usual. But in her mind, those cheery voices werementing. Zhou Yichen was so firm in proving the conspiracy behind her death that it broke her heart. She bent and whispered to Jun. "I am not sure but I heard Mom and Dad''s voices¡­from the past. It happened suddenly." Jun slightly widened his eyes. He felt it was strange for the past voices to appear without any clue. "What were they talking about?" "It was after my-" "Hey, hey what are you two whispering to each other?" Zhou Yichen leaned with interest. "Tell me, tell me too! Hehe, is it something naughty? Don''t worry, your Dad here is quite forward~" Jun quickly smiled it off. "Nothing. Just some things from today''s celebration." Xie Nuying said, "They are a couple and have their own private conversations. Don''t bother them." He threw a re at her but snorted in the end. Jun then received a call from Chyou but hesitated to leave Ai away. "Who is it?" Ai asked. "Chyou." "Pick it up then. She must have got something on Zhan Yahui." "But you¡­" "I am fine. It was out of the blue, but now I am okay," Ai patted on top of his hand. Jun thought for a moment and let out a sigh. "Fine." He excused himself for a moment and Ai looked back at her parents who somehow got another reason to argue over. She then felt a nudge at her feet and turning her head saw the cat Jun-cute staring back at her. He who always ignored Ai at every chance he got strangely stayed beside her with an unreadable expression. Ai softly smiled and rubbed his furry head with the tip of her finger. "I am fine. Hehe, I knew you liked me." Jun-cute looked away but remained seated beside her feet, quietly staring at Ai-cat who followed Jun. ¡ª Inside his bedroom, Jun slid across the green button and said, "Hey." His warm and smiling countenance from a minute before immediately turned into an icy and vicious one, akin to a lion who wanted to strike his ws at his enemy. "Jun! I dug into Zhan Yahui''s past. From the looks of it, she doesn''t seem to have any connection to you. Like you already knew before, she is Shi Shuren''s illegitimate daughter. She hopped from one orphanage to another after her parents died,pleted her schooling with some schrships and joined Dream High early on. I guess she was around eighteen when she went back to Shi Shuren, demanding her rights because it was then that he secretly put some shares on her name and made her a shareholder." "I never had anything to do with Shi Shuren." Chyou released her breath. "I know. At a cursory nce, there doesn''t seem to be any link between you two. So I went farther to check her records right from her birth. And I found something strange." Jun stayed silent. "Somehow, I didn''t get much information on her parents." Jun frowned. "I searched the family name Zhan in all records, but I didn''t get any data regarding Zhan Yahui''s family. For some reason, her parents'' information isn''t registered anywhere." "That cannot be possible." Chyou sneered. "I know. When Ibed through all the records and found nothing, it strangely reminded me of our dear hacker who nted the drafts in Cui Fen and Sun Bai''s phones. Somebody has tampered with those records to be never found." "Can you not find it either?" Chyou snorted. "Please show me some respect, young man. Do you think I would have called you if I had nothing on my hands? I admit that that hacker is capable but he cannot be more capable than me~ I am far too talented. I won''t rest until I find what I need!" Jun rolled his eyes at the drama queen. "Who are they?" *Meow* Jun looked down and was surprised to see Ai-chan circling around him. He smiled and picked her up and kissed the top of her head. "Both of her parents have passed away. Her mother''s name was Zhan Kai-Ming, and her father''s name was Ouyang Haitao. The surname Zhan actuallyes from her mother." Jun froze. "Ouyang Haitao isn''t actually registered as her father, but I came to know that they had submitted an application to get married at the Civil Affairs. But one day, Ouyang Haitao was shot to his head in some skirmish with some goons, and Zhan Kai-Mingmitted suicide a few days after that. It''s really tragic honestly." Jun stared at the empty space ahead with a nk stare. "But I still don''t understand why Zhan Yahui would want to hide this." Jun didn''t respond. "Neither the reason why Zhan Yahui wants to target you. Seriously, why does she hate you so much?" No answer. "Jun?" No answer. "Jun? Hey Juuuuuun, are you there? Wait, the call is still connected, right? Hey it is! Why aren''t you answering me!" She pouted. "...Chyou." "Finally, you spoke!" She harrumphed. "Can you show me Zhan Yahui''s childhood picture?" "Her childhood one? Wait a second." He heard Chyou''s keyboard tapping sounds. "Hah! What do you know? There doesn''t seem to be proper pictures in the database either. That hacker seemed to have left no stone unturned. But no fear when Zhu Chyou is here~" It took some time for her to insert a code in the database and get what she wanted after which she immediately forwarded the picture to Jun. "Sent. Check it." His fingers moved before Chyou hadpleted her sentence, and he opened the picture. As soon as the image of Zhan Yahui''s little version appeared on his screen, a shiver ran across his spine. His heart thudded faster simr to what Ai felt just a few minutes ago as the voices came flowing into his mind. But it didn''t belong to the part of the past which he hadn''t seen before. The memories that knocked on his door were something that he was well familiar with. A little girl cried as her dress was soaked in blood and her unforgiving and vicious gaze fell upon a little boy wearing sses with a cold and unfeeling expression. ''You are¡­you are a killer! You killed my father! You are a murderer I will never forgive!'' Chapter 522 The Date Amidst The Skyline View "Mademoiselle, please have a seat here," Nian elegantly bowed as he pulled a chair for Xing Bi to sit. After taking off from Sky, he brought her to a beautiful outdoor location to have their first date amidst witnessing an enchanting city skyline view at night. The lights that clustered and sparkled together mesmerized Xing Bi. A table for two was arranged with the setup of a temporary kitchen just a little distance from it. This was the first time Xing Bi was experiencing a dinner under the starlit sky with the prospect of live cooking being done in front of her. The ingredients and kitchen were all set along with Nian''s chef outfit. "You are going to cook right now?" Nian''s nostrils proudly red as if he had done extensive research. "From my research and experience, men look more handsome and appealing when they cook food. The brownie points increase when the food is delicious too! Didn''t I impress you when I made the chocte dessert for you in Shanghai? I know you definitely felt some teensy-tiny romantic emotion in your heart for me!" The corner of her mouth twitched. "Then again, why do we need to have dinner at a five-star hotel when yours truly is the greatest chef of the world!" He waved his hand as if it was so obvious. Look at his confidence¡­and narcissism. "So while you wait, please thoroughly observe my handsome profile as I cook. You are free to have any perverted and naughty thoughts about us as well~" Nian merrily hopped away and stood at his ce in front of the kitchen counter. He lit the stove, put a pan on top of it and soon, the sound of sizzling oil reverberated in the air. Xing Bi really gave it her all not to get swayed by his posture but¡­ Damn it, how can anybody look so hot? He is just cooking! Nian stood with such ease with his hands making delicate but exact movements filled with finesse that she only found herself admiring the process of him cooking. The way he effortlessly chopped the veggies, the way he elegantly dropped them into the pan, the manner in which he fluidly stirred the food, the beauty with which he handled the many bottles of spices and the professional and sincere expression on his face as he was giving it all to present her with the most delicious meal - Xing Bi found it impossible not to feel affected by it. It didn''t help that a very delectable aroma was rapidly floating through the air. She almost drooled in front of him but quickly wiped it before Nian could notice it and feel victorious. "Hmm hmm hm~ L L L~" Nian hummed as he cooked. She slightly coughed, listening to Nian singing some melody. Why did he suddenly start humming¡­? Xing Bi then propped her chin on her palm and the elbow on the table as she continued to observe Nian and listened to his singing while parallely thinking about her past. Her gambling father had left his family without even bothering to leave at least a sorry note while her mother drowned herself into alcohol. She remembered how she would always cook breakfast for her mother before she left for school and dinner after she returned. Xing Bi at that age could hardly chop the ingredients into proper sizes and the taste of her food was barely passable. Yet her mother would alwaysugh and eat everything from the bowl without a singleint, all drunk and always humming some random tune. Xing Bi would scrunch up her brows, feeling disturbed by the humming more often than not. But she lived with it along with her frustration of her mother''sck of responsibility and envy of all the other children in her school bringing their lunches prepared by their mothers. She was empathetic towards her pain but as a child, she equally craved for a normal family as everybody else had. When was thest time somebody cooked for me? She genuinely thought about the answer to the question. No matter how far she went back, it was always and only her doing all the chores. She used to prepare meals for herself every time because she couldn''t afford to spendvishly and frequently on outside food. She had to save every penny she could while also dealing with the loansharking thugs. After her mother ended her life, the days simply passed by with Xing Bi sitting all by herself and having her meals all alone in the empty room. It was one day when the spoon suddenly slipped from her hands, and she realized just how much she actually missed her mother''s voice singing that random tune. The silence left by her death had ripped her heart apart. It was the first time in months when Xing Bi had cried hard and grieved over her mother''s death. Breaking from the stupor of her past, Xing Bi felt her eyes turning misty, and she quickly wiped her eyshes. But a certain devil grabbed her wrist and bent closer towards her. "Why are you crying?" Her brow twitched. "You are seeing things. I am not crying." "Your eyes won''t turn reddish for no reason," Nian sternly replied. Xing Bi awkwardlyughed it off. "Oh this¡­? It''s¡­actually the¡­yeah it''s the spices!" She lied. "It''s that fragrance in the air. One of them feels particrly spicy and aromatic." Nian narrowed his eyes, and Xing Bi only prayed that he wouldn''t dwell on the matter further. Then his stance gradually softened, even looking guilty. He mumbled. "...Was my singing so bad?" "Huh?" Nian bit his lower lip and looked away. "My humming¡­was it not like your mother''s?" She rapidly blinked her eyelids. "Your mother used to sing this tune for you, right? I tried humming the same. I¡­I thought you would like it¡­" he was barely audible now, "I thought it would make you happy¡­Clearly I suck¡­I am sorry..." Chapter 523 The Kiss Amidst The Skyline View "How did you know about my mother''s singing?" Xing Bi was genuinely bewildered. Nian coughed. "Ai told me. I mean I asked her of course. She told me some things from your past which you shared with her." He twirled the tip of his finger on the table, feeling abashed. "So I thought of singing that tune for you too! I mean¡­I thought it would make you happy¡­" It was the first time that Xing Bi was witnessing an awkward, shy and mixed with guilt expression. Usually, it was either his goofy side or his serious side. The look of embarrassment for failing to sing properly was crystal clear. It was amusing but extremely heartfelt at the same time. It was a sweet gesture thatpletely took her by shock but also tugged her heartstrings like a sweet melody. Xing Bi let out a chuckle after much trying to suppress it. "So you were trying to imitate her. I was wondering why you were suddenly humming a tune." Nian scratched the top of his head, feeling doubly embarrassed. "I know it can nowhere be near your mother''s singing, but I only want to make you happy! I also know that you might have some grievances against your mother but you still love her. She is still there in your heart. So¡­well¡­in any way possible, I wanted to bring her good memories¡­" Xing Bi thought of all those awkward moments with her mother. She was a little troublesome, nevertheless the presence of her mother always left warmth in her heart. There were problems around them all the time but within the walls of the small apartment where they lived together, it felt like that dark time outside amounted to nothing. "Y-Yeah¡­" her voice slightly choked. "She was a little silly and sort of an airhead. Maybe that''s why she got entangled with my father who was clearly never upto any good. It was a¡­bittersweet time with her. I used to feel annoyed and helpless with her around because she only kept adding to my work. But when she left¡­" She took a pause to gather herplicated emotions. "I strangely started to miss the troublesome part of her too. She was drunk most of the time andughed and talked about random things. So the house was never quiet. But then it suddenly became silent," she awkwardlyughed to herself, "And I didn''t know what to do with that silence anymore." She shook her head, thinking of that time of her life. "To cope with that, I buried myself in work even more just to not feel that silence and¡­loneliness. Sometimes, I avoided going back to my apartment from work. It was so silly¡­" "It''s not silly," Nian said with an absolute earnest expression. "Silence is terrifying." She couldn''t help but tremble. "Especially left by a person who you hold dear to your heart. Do you know why Grandpa is such a chatterbox? He told this story once to Jian and me. That one day, Grandma had a nightmare of losing him forever. It was a silly bad dream, but she cried a lot after that. Later, she used to panic if Grandpa would give even a tinyte response to her. That''s why he turned out to be even more talkative and loud," he chuckled, "Just so that Grandma gets to hear his voice and feel assured." Her eyes slightly widened. She thought back to all those times she met Liu Hai, and she came to realize one thing. Almost all the time, Liu Hai stayed within his wife''s hearing or sight range. The first time she met Liu Hai was at Jinhai and Nana''s anniversary banquet. When she had been talking to him and Jian, she had noticed that Liu Chunhua was standing at a distance as well, talking to other guests. "He only runs off at times when food is concerned or to hide from her to secretly eat some sweets," he snorted, "but he also makes it a point to return as quickly as he can." Xing Bi''s jaw dropped. "Damn, he is indeed always there wherever Grandma is!" Nianughed. "I know right? Even Grandma doesn''t know yet. She thinks he grew talkative with age." Xing Bi sniffled. "Damn¡­Grandpa is so cute." Nian brightened. "Does that mean I am cute too? After all, I got the same genes as him~" She sneered. "I remember you denying your grandfather''s genes on many asions." He coughed. "Let''s not dwell in the past, my dear." Xing Bi rolled her eyes. Nian stared at her pleasant expression and curving his lips in a sincere smile, he gently held her hand. "What I mean to say is that you will never feel lonely again like in the past. If you are afraid of silence, then worry not! Your handsome boyfriend here would never let a single day of yours pass by with quiet. The space around you will always be filled withughter and this time, it''s your turn to get pampered and enjoy super delicious meals everyday! You have worked hard enough in the past. Now I will cook for you every single day and all you have to do is eat, eat and eat!" He chirped. Xing Bi could feel her heart almost pop out of her chest upon seeing his resilient and dazzling face. His smile shone so brightly that she felt the remnants of darkness and despair still lurking somewhere in her heart dulling away with his light. His voice sounded so melodious that sheughed and cried at the same time. "You¡­when did I agree that you are my boyfriend?" Nian blushed. "I know you were definitely drooling over my handsome figure while I was cooking." Her brow twitched. Damn it, he caught me? "And let''s just say¡­" he leaned over, making her heart pound faster and her cheeks growing redder, "that your beautiful face tells me the truth." "W-what truth?" Nian slid his fingers across the back of her neck and smiled. "That your heart cannot hold back from falling in love with me anymore." And bridging thest space of distance, he touched her lips with his for a fiery kiss. Chapter 524 The Confession Amidst The Skyline View It wasn''t that Xing Bi wasn''t prepared for this moment toe. Ever since Nian proposed this date, she knew in her heart that there would be no ce left for her to run away from him or her feelings. Which she didn''t realize when he made such a deep mark in her heart. In her quiet and peaceful life, he arrived like a storm who swept her away like a wind helpless before the wind. But whether it was his humor, goofiness, chatter, fury, pastries, protectiveness or simply the sheepish grin on his face - everything about him started to make her life more and more colorful. Life wasn''t so bad for Xing Bi once she epted her mother''s death and moved on. But neither could it change the sense of dullness that all the bitter things left behind in her life. She felt grey and stagnant until Nian broke through like a sparkling rainbow in the sky. She realized she had fallen for him when Nian slyly stole a forehead kiss from her outside her apartment. It toppled everything within her upside down without any warning. Ah¡­I am done for¡­ The same emotions vehemently flowed within her cells at present as Nian kissed her as if he would die if he didn''t. It was a fervent kiss filled with the heat of his embrace as he pressed her body against his, yet in that seemingly confident stance, she felt him slightly trembling. Is he¡­nervous too? Which she found it unbelievable to process because in her eyes, Nian had endless enthusiasm and unshakeable confidence that made him chase after her despite her violent warnings. Xing Bi didn''t know whether tough or cry. He is¡­so cute¡­ Nian paused and pulled back, allowing Xing Bi to take a breath. "Y-You areughing!" Nianined. Xing Bi couldn''t hold back anymore and burst intoughter atst. "Sorry¡­" Nian felt his face burn with shame and embarrassment. "T-This is not aughing matter!" Xing Bi nodded as she stillughed. "I know. D-Don''t mind me¡­" "You¡­" he pointed his finger at her, aggrieved. "J-Just you wait! I will definitely be a pro in kissing! Then I would totally leave you awestruck and wanting for more!" He harrumphed. "..." "Say what? You think I amughing because of your kissing skills?" She asked, speechless. "What else would it be?" Nian cried and shot back as if none other reason could exist. He twirled his two index fingers around each other. "From my approach and stalking, it might have made you feel that I have experience." Her brow twitched again. So you do admit that it was stalking at some point¡­ Nian looked away, defeated. "But actually, I am not like that. People assume that I definitely had been in rtionships before, but I had been single all this time." Her jaw dropped in genuine shock. "Seriously? Not even in high school or college? Not even a crush?" Nian shrugged as if it wasn''t a big deal. "Nope." "...I don''t need to explicitly state that you and Jian must be super popr, right?" Nian''s face gleamed with pride. "Naturally. Nobody could match up to us. Same with Jun, Nuo and Jin. Our genes are super powerful~" "So you definitely got tons of confessions." "Naturally. Our high school and college lockers were always filled with cards, flowers and choctes," he chirped, making Xing Bi feel like strangling him for some reason. Ah, a handsome man''s life is so ''difficult and treacherous''... "Jian had Leina and Jun¡­well he was devoted to Shui from long back. Nuo, too, was starting to have feelings for Siying. Jin honestly didn''t bother with these things. But looking at the other three, I strongly felt that I wanted to have that one person in my life too. But I wasn''t interested in trial and error dating. I wanted it to be like Dad, Grandpa and Uncle''s! They knew at the first nce itself who they wanted to be their partner. I wanted to meet such a woman too." Suddenly, she felt her cheeks heat up at such an indirect confession. "Do-Don''t tell me that you really felt that woman was me at your parents'' wedding banquet! I was totally dirty from head to toe with mud and leaves all over my dress and for God''s sake, I was illegally trying to enter your house like a thief¡­!" Nian cocked his brow. "First of all, you trying to break in was super interesting and entertaining." "..." "Then you dragged me away from my cousins like a knight in shining armor!" His ck irises shone golden. "You were so cool and valiant and when I stared at your back, I realized how Dad must have felt when he met Mom. I just knew in my heart that it had to be you. Period." Xing Bi could feel steam escaping the top of her head. "A-A normal person would have handed such a suspicious woman to the security¡­" she mumbled. "When have the Liu''s ever been normal?" He grinned. "..." He coughed. "So the point being that even at twenty-six, I don''t have any experience with dating and kissing¡­So¡­so¡­" he burst into tears as he smothered his face against her chest, "please don''t think less of me! I will definitely improve and then we will have a super hot and romantic night one day!" "..." Xing Bi kicked him with her feet. "You pervert! Do you have any shame? We have just barely started and you are already thinking of so far ahead? Sh-shameless!" She scolded while her own face was blushing a furious crimson shade. He wiped his imaginary tears. "But I have already thought of our super adorable children''s names." She smiled threateningly. "Should I hit your head to make you forget those names? I will be d to." Nian brightened. "But this means that you admit I am your boyfriend now?" "..." Wait, was that his agenda all along!? "I¡­" Nian was shining brightly as he waited for her answer. She coughed, feeling shy. "Well, it''s¡­" Nian was now sparkling even more as if he would blind her. "That¡­" her eyelids twitched. Now he radiated his glow to such an extent as if he would blind the entire earth. "Damn it, yes I love you, and you are my boyfriend now! But can you please tone down that brightness setting!?" Chapter 525 The Jin Wall On one side where Nian celebrated the joy of finally officiating his rtionship with Xing Bi, the silence and awkwardness on Jin''s side between him and Shui hit an all-time record high. Jin drove while ncing at Shui''s side from time to time but not knowing what to speak. The awkwardness in the air was suffocating enough to drive him crazy. Since he was alone with her, there were many things in his mind he wished to talk to her about. He peeked at Shui once again who was idly ying around with her phone, looking calm andposed. But only she knew in her heart how this atmosphere was equally killing her. Jin clutched the steering wheel, remembering his father''s words. ''I thought you stopped running away from the things that matter.'' For how long will I remain a coward¡­ He parted his lips but found it difficult to find his voice. He could feel his heart pounding loudly back and forth in his chest. Was apologizing always this tough? Jin took a deep breath and focussing his attention on the road, he quietly said, "I know an apology is not enough, but I sincerely ask you to forgive me." Shui, who wasn''t expecting him to speak, slightly jerked her head sideways and looked at him. It was a little dark inside, but she could faintly see his tense expression and the creases on his forehead. "Apology for what?" She blinked. "...For my behavior in Shanghai." Shui stared at him, her body unconsciously freezing up with the mention of Shanghai. His cold gaze and even harsher words when they met at the fest and near theke sprung up fresh in her mind. ''What will it take for you to get the hell out of my life?'' ''Will it be enough for you if we slept together?'' Shui felt at a loss for words. She was yet to heal from his deep knife-life piercing wound to her heart that his words gave her that night. "I am ashamed of the mistakes I have made and the disrespect I showed you. I won''t give any excuses for that. You are free to hate me for the rest of your life." Back at Sky some time before the chaos ensued, Jin felt stupid as to doubt why Shui was so quick to diffuse his concern of Jinhai or Zhou Yichen misunderstanding their rtionship since they had seen them in a not so innocent position at Liu Corps'' balcony. It was when Jin had a sh of the past when he identally touched Shui''s forehead. It pricked and saddened him to feel that Shui seemingly easily zed over the incident which he couldn''t take off from his mind. But when he remembered his own cruel behavior in Shanghai, it made sense to him why Shui would act like that. He wryly smiled, feeling disdainful and disgusted towards himself. Nobody would want to hear that shit again. Not from the person you like¡­ "I acted like aplete piece of garbage there, and I admit I went way beyond my boundary. Please don''t me my parents or my family. They didn''t raise me to be someone to speak such insolent words to a respectable and dignified woman. It was my choice at that moment, and I bear theplete responsibility." Shui felt breathless, silently sping her shaking palms together. "I am well-aware that even an apology isn''t enough. That''s like taking a selfish shortcut. You didn''t deserve to go through such humiliation," his voice trembled. "Feel free to punish me however you want. If you want, I can drive us to one of Dad''s underworld bases." "U-underworld base? Why?" Jin replied without batting his eyelid, "To skin me alive if you want." "..." "Or choose whatever other punishment you have in your mind. We have all sorts of tools lying in there." Shui stared at him aghast. "How can you carelessly suggest such a horrific punishment for yourself?" He took his eyes off the road for a moment and nkly stared at her as if he didn''t get her point at all. "I didn''t think twice before carelessly hurling insults at you so why should I be cautious towards my own punishment?" Shui in turn nkly stared at him herself, unable to give a reply. "Besides, Dad would have given me the same punishment if I confessed my crimes to him. Actually, even worse. Torture is his forte. He doesn''t hold back on that and wouldn''t towards his own son either," he shrugged. He then furrowed his brows as if weighing andparing the depth of affliction in his mind. "Or maybe an eternal silence from Mom and her refusal to acknowledge her son anymore would be fitting. I admit that would be more effective than being skinned alive. It hurts the most when women in our house are angry and disappointed." Shui had this urge to twitch her mouth. Wait¡­is he seriously suggesting options to give him the worst punishment? Jin looked at her and asked, "Why are you making that weird face?" "Why are you talking about weird things?" "How is talking about my punishment weird? It will be more strange if we don''t after what I did," he frowned and thenmented. "You are weird." Her jaw dropped, feeling incredulous. "Are YOU in any position to call me weird!?" "It''s normal to get punished for the mistakes we make." "It''s not normal to be skinned alive!" "It''s normal in the underworld," he replied in a matter-of-fact tone as if it was an everyday urrence. "It''s not normal to suggest OPTIONS of crueler punishments yourself either!" "Dad would have done the same if he had made a blunder towards Mom. That''s how my brothers and I are raised. That''s normal too." Shui felt like she was banging her head on the wall. She angrilyughed, not knowing what to say, "I feel like I will die of blood loss, but the wall won''t budge an inch." Jin looked nk. "Which wall?" "..." At this point, she feltpletely drained of her energy. "Oh my God, have you been fooling people with your fake intelligence all this time!?" Chapter 526 Answers For Atonement Within that conversation, both didn''t realize when the stiff awkwardness they had been struggling with was gradually dissipating without their notice. Shui felt as though she spent her lifetime of her stored energy into this single conversation. She fanned herself, feeling breathless. Jin still wasn''t sure of the destination so he asked, "So should I head to the base or-" "My house! My house please!" She speechlessly eximed. Jin wasn''t quite satisfied with that decision. He gave a simple nod and looked back at the road. After a few moments of silence, Shui steeled her own courage and said, "It is true that I was really hurt by your words that night." Jin''s eyshes faintly trembled. "I couldn''t forget them to this date, and I decided it was for the best to keep my distance from you now on. It was difficult seeing you anymore when the man I¡­loved hated my sight to this extent." He had a sudden urge to confess his true feelings and clearly say all those emotions he had been holding back for these years. Do I have the right¡­ He felt his heart overflow with a myriad of thoughts he wanted to let her know and which were just at the tip of his tongue, but he couldn''t. He weakly smiled to himself and kept it all to himself. "I thought you would have to say something about this." His stupor broke, and he asked, "W-what?" Shui pressed her lower lip. "I wondered if you might want to correct me about what I just said." Jin stiffened. When the man I¡­loved hated my sight to this extent. "I¡­don''t hate you," he spoke with a stifling sensation suffocating his chest. He thought it would make him feel lighter but for some reason, he felt all the more pressure and burden. Shui stared at him. "Then why did you say those hurtful things?" That was an even moreplicated question to answer which entailed his and Jun''s past lives. But it wasn''t something he could exin to her. "Is it purely because Jun and I broke up? I know how much you adore and respect Jun. But your hate towards me¡­" her voice shook, "was it only because you med me for our rtionship not working out? Because somehow, I cannot see how that alone could have made you despise me so much." Jin felt his throat go dry. His hatred had many more reasons than just their rtionship not working out. But how am I supposed to tell her¡­ "You know something more, right?" Shui asked. He froze. "Right now, you are like an open book, Jin. I can see it from your eyes that there are a lot more things going on in your mind, but you don''t want to tell me anything. We spent all these years together as close friends, and I strongly feel that you wouldn''t act this way just because of one reason. You said you want to apologize to me. So yes, I will forgive you but only if you tell me the truth behind your hatred." "...I cannot tell you that." Shui frowned. She had a feeling that Jin wouldn''t easily confess. "Is it¡­rted to how you had felt sick those two times?" It was just for a fraction of a second, but Shui clearly saw his reaction which he immediately hid behind an undecipherable expression. "No," he answered. "I just fell sick because I was weak." Shui looked away for a second and paused to think. "Jun and¡­Uncle Jinhai also seem to know, right?" It was getting harder for Jin to not crack his indifferent expression. How is she figuring out so much? "They both acted strangely when you had fallen sick. And for some reason, they both didn''t feel that it was necessary to take you to a doctor. Jun literally did nothing to curb your high fever in his condo which was¡­very much out of his character, especially towards you. The Jun I know wouldn''t have acted that way at all. He was the same brother who kept youpany in that dark room during your punishment until the end just to make you feel better." At this point, he wasn''t even sure of what to answer. How far is the Han vi now? Jin sincerely wanted to run away from this predicament. Shui narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "I feel I am right. Something more is going on, and Jun and Uncle know it too. But others don''t, including me." Jin tried to smile. "That''s a misunderstanding." "Don''t you think I deserve to know after how much your words have hurt me?" He stiffened. "So rather than skinning you alive, I would prefer if you tell me everything as your atonement." Which was a fair deal only if Jin could execute it. Why is this distance to her house suddenly feeling so damn long!? "Jin." Jin gritted his teeth. "I cannot tell you! It''splicated." "Howplicated can it be?" She was dumbfounded. "You are saying as if it''s some imaginary unsolvable physics equation." He grimaced. "It''s very close to that." She gave him a dry look. "Try me. It won''t be something unbelievable that I might not be able to process." "Yeah it''s very well the case." Her brow twitched in annoyance. "Why are you being so stubborn!?" "You are the same!" "And I think I have the right to be stubborn," she sharply said. He couldn''t retort to that. Shui slowly stretched her hand to touch his shoulder and as soon as she did, Jin shuddered hard and lost control of the car. "J-Jin!? What''s happening? D-Drive slowly!" She eximed in horror. The car was starting to turn zig-zag along the empty road, making Shui feel her heart pounding rapidly in her chest. "Jin! Please stop! W-What''s wrong!?" But her fear and cries went to deaf ears because the moment Jin had felt Shui''s touch, the dark road before his eyes was suddenly blinded with a golden light. And in that moment, two more situations triggered simultaneously at two different locations. Chapter 527 Overlap Ai and Jun experienced a simr blinding golden light back at the condo. Ai, who was washing dishes with her mother, suddenly dropped the te with a massive ache grinding her head. The sharp sound of the golden clock reverberated in her ears so loudly that she felt she would go berserk. But soon, broken images flowed in her mind that came together as if forming a piece of a puzzle. "Ai? Are you alright?" Xie Nuying worriedly asked. Ai suddenly seemed to look in a daze but her expression showed as if she was in a lot of pain. She was clutching her head and silently gasping for air. "A-Ai dear you are scaring me...Are you feeling sick?" She quickly asked. Ai failed to hear any of her mother''s concern and by the point she started sweating, Xie Nuying rushed in the living room to where Zhou Yichen was. She furiously shook his shoulder, making him almost stumble from the couch. "Hey, hey! Calm down! Why are you suddenly pushing me so violently? Did my ex-wife finally go-" But Zhou Yichen''s countenance turned grim the moment he noticed Xie Nuying''s pale expression. "What happened?" "A-Ai is not feeling well...I-I don''t know what happened suddenly, but she looks in a lot of pain. Sh-She is not answering my questions either..." She spoke as tears threatened to fall. His eyes widened and he ran towards Ai, who was now kneeling on the floor, trembling and shaking. ? "Ai? Ai?" Zhou Yichen gently patted her head. "Hey it''s me, your goofy and handsome father~ Won''t my darling daughter tell me what''s wrong?" The situation was rapidly bing serious because no matter what methods Zhou Yichen used, Ai wasn''t responding to any of them. Both could feel their hearts in their throats, failing to see their daughter''s condition improve at all. "Where is Jun? Call him right away. We need to take Ai to the hospital." Xie Nuying quickly hurried towards Jun''s room and knocked on the door. "Jun? Pleasee out. Ai is not feeling well. Sh-she suddenly fell sick. We need to take her to the h-hospital..." But the door never opened and Jun never stepped out. "Jun?" her knocks became more urgent. When he failed to open the door no matter how much she tried, she turned the doorknob and stepped inside. "Excuse me..." But she was stunned to see Jun copsed near the bed in a simr condition as Ai was. "Jun!" She rushed towards and kneeled on the floor, softly patting his cheeks. "Jun? Y-you..." Why is he looking the same as Ai? How did they both fell sick at the same time? "Yi...Yichen! Jun is...Jun is also..." -- A few minutes before, when Jin lost control over his car, Nian and Xing Bi on their side were happily taking a stroll along the road. Nian tightly held her hand with a goofy grin on his face as if he was walking in heaven already. After a delicious and fulfilling dinner and dessert, Xing Bi''s stomach was so full that she could hardly move. So they decided to shed that fullness by taking a romantic walk. "Girlfriend, girlfriend, Xing Bi is now my girlfriend~" Nian repeatedly sang the song to himself. Xing Bi coughed, her face slightly reddening. "S-stop with the song. It''s embarrassing..." "I will sing this song for the whole night! I will dere it to the whole world that Xing Bi is mine now!" He sobbed. "My dream finally came true after all..." "Y-You are exaggerating..." she said so but butterflies were furiously fluttering in her stomach at the thought of Nian as her boyfriend now. Damn it, does my face look weird? What kind of expression I am making right now... "You are making a very beautiful expression, my dear~ In my eyes, my Xing Bi is always the prettiest," Nian smiled and pecked on her cheek. Her heart thumped loudly as if it woulde out of her chest. Is he a mind reader? She felt her cheek heating up where he kissed just now. Xing Bi then noticed a small ice-cream truck along the side of the road and beamed. "Ice-cream!" Nian turned his head. "You want ice-cream? Let me bring some for you!" "Won''t you ask why I want an ice-cream when I am supposed to be full?" He waved his hand. "There is always extra space in our stomachs for sweets. God has very meticulously designed the human stomach, my dear." She choked and then burst intoughter. This man...I thought he would tease me, but he is spoiling me instead. Is this the Liu family''s famous doting that I have heard of? "Wait here for me. I will be back in a sh!" Xing Bi chuckled and stood at her ce. A few secondster, she noticed a car''s headlight shining behind her, and she promptly stepped aside further to make space for the car. But soon, she heard a loud screech and as she looked back, she gasped with terror seeing the car being driven recklessly in a zig-zag manner as if the driver was drunk. Wait, that car...looks familiar... Suddenly, the car''s direction pointed at her and it dangerously sped towards her. Xing Bi wanted to jump out of the way, but she felt her body freeze for some reason. A-ah? I cannot move... When the car came nearer, she gasped in shock once again, recognizing Jin and Shui inside it. Jin? Shui!? But she couldn''t think of anything else because right now, she was in the direct line of getting hit by Jin''s car in a few seconds. Come on! Move! My feet...why are they not budging!? Xing Bi stared ahead unblinkingly, bracing herself for the impact when at that moment and out of nowhere, she saw a sh of an image in her mind. She had no idea what it meant or why she was suddenly seeing such a thing but in that image, she could see herself lying in a car. It was a simr night as tonight, and the road was exactly the same as well where she was walking with Nian. The car in that strange image was broken down as it had crashed into a tree and in it, she saw her head copsed on the steering wheel, blood dripping down from her temple onto the car''s floor. Huh...? What is this...? Chapter 553 Little Juns Past (3) Ouyang Haitao made the wrong choice. Three days were nowhere near enough to pay his more than a year long debts, and he was getting anxious as much as desperate. It was on the third day that Ouyang Haitao and Jun crossed paths once again. It was when Jun was waiting outside his school with the twins as usual for Nana to pick them up. Ten year old Jianzilyid back on the soft grass and had a faraway look in his eyes as if he was thinking deeply about something. But what came out of his mouth was, "I am craving ice cream." Nian joined his twin. "I am craving hotpot." Jun said with disdain, "I am craving to be away from you two." "..." The twins smothered their little brother into a hug from both sides andughed. "You are so cute when you are salty, Jun." Jun escaped from their vicious clutches with great difficulty. "Stay away from me! I still haven''t forgiven you for stealing my octopus from my lunch! I will tell this to Mom," he snorted. "Why do you always rattle us to Mom!?" They cried with protest. "Why do you always steal my food then? You are the elder brothers. Does it really suit you?" They pouted. "Because our cute siblings are too well-behaved. So we sacrificed ourselves to be the mischievous troublemakers!" They put up a serious expression as if they were suffering so much. He grimaced. "I will be standing on the other side alone till the cares." "Why?" "To have some mental peace." "..." Little Jun stepped out of the gate and breathed out. He stretched his arms and felt rxed. Always so noisy¡­ He casually leaned in and looked over some pretty flowers on a flower bed nearby to pass time. I should get a lock for my lunchbox, Jun seriously thought. Wait, I better lock myself in the washroom to finish my lunch. Jun wondered if the twins would go as far as climbing up the door and barge inside the stall. They can do anything for food¡­ On the opposite side of the road, Jun caught a familiar figure rushing somewhere. He blinked and quickly recognized him as Ouyang Haitao, who he had passed by just three days back. Jun felt an odd and impending difort, especially when Ouyang Haitao was carrying a little girl in his arms. Her face was turned towards the other side, but from her position, he guessed that she might be sleeping. Or unconscious¡­? Jun remembered the conversation with his father and the choice Ouyang Haitao would soon make. From his expression, it was clear that he was up to no good. He felt his chest fill up with anxiety upon seeing the helpless girl, and he wanted to save her. His feet took a little step forward, but he stopped. Calm down, Jun, he breathed in. This is not the same time as when I had saved Siying from getting kidnapped five years ago. I had guards with me that time. But now I am alone. The car is yet toe¡­ Jun quickly opened his bag and took out a small phone. The twins and he were given a small handset to contact the Liu familyin case they smelled trouble when the guards weren''t around. I will inform Dad and he will- Jun suddenly felt a shadow loom upon him, and he froze. He slowly raised his head and met Ouyang Haitao''s gaze. "You¡­" Ouyang Haitao was shaken up. "You are his son. I saw you that day in the base." Jun said nothing. "Who were you going to call?" Jun said nothing. Ouyang Haitao unconsciously brought his arms closer, making Jun say, "She will suffocate," he narrowed his eyes. "Stop holding her so hard." He stiffened. But he was focused on getting an answer to something else. "Who were you going to call?" Jun maintained his calm despite having an urge to give him a disdainful retort. "Mom. I am waiting for her to pick me up." Ouyang Haitao stared at him. His movements were slightly fidgety. "You were going to call because you saw me, right?" "Where?" "Across the street. You saw me and that''s why you took out your phone," he said impatiently. "I just saw you right now. Did you see me seeing you?" He didn''t know. He had simply recognized Jun from across the street who was taking out a phone from his bag. Panicked, he hurried towards him. "I just want to call Mom. She iste and I am hungry. Is there really anything questionable in calling my mother?" But Ouyang Haitao had be paranoid by that point. "Come with me." "Where?" "Just somewhere we can talk." "We are already talking here." "Juste with me," he gave a harmless smile. Since he was holding a little girl in his arms with her hands wrapped around his neck, they looked like any other father-daughter pair. Jun stared at him and said, "You do realize who I am, right?" His smile faltered slightly. "More importantly, you do realize who my father is, right?" He trembled. "What you are doing right now is taking me hostage and don''t even bother sugarcoating it. What I want to ask is do you understand the consequences of taking me with you?" Ouyang Haitao gritted his teeth. "Juste with me." "There will be no going back after this for you," he said, expressionless. He couldn''t waste more time so he yed hisst card. "I have a small de in my palm. If you don''t listen to me, don''t me me for stabbing this girl with it." Jun didn''t respond, but he remembered Jinhai''s words. ''I have dealt with far worse and shittier people in this world.'' I understand you now, Dad. I already saw that during Siying''s attempted kidnap, but this world keeps showing me more and more such people. Jun hung his bag around his shoulders and looked up. "Let''s go. Just don''t regret itter." Chapter 569 A Father-In-Laws Hug Ai stared at him and thought of all the past days where she could hardly see him at all. "Did you two fight?" Ai couldn''t hold her curiosity at bay. Jinhai was different from Zhou Yichen in the sense that he wouldn''t ever argue with Nana because he preferred doting on her more. Jinhai looked away. "More like she passed her judgment on me and that is to reflect on my actions by staying away from her." "What actions?" "Throwing Jun out of the house when he confessed to me the truth about his rebirth." Ai''s unblinking stare at Jinhai was filled with a sense of trepidation. "Rebirth?" "Nana knows now about the whole truth." A shocked gasp escaped her lips. "Ev-Everything?" Jinhai nodded. "W-when? Since how long?" "Since the hospital when you and Jun copsed. She had kind of figured it out that something more was happening in the background regarding Jun and Jin that she wasn''t aware of. She also had the inkling that I might know what''s going on. So, I didn''t tell her, but I was interrogated more to spill it out." It then made sense to Ai as to why Nana''s behavior seemed a little different these days. Sometimes she had noticed her watching Jun and Jin with a mncholic yet warm gaze filled with emotions that she couldn''t decipher. She assumed though that it might be due to their ident that she was worried so much. Ai quickly asked, "What did she say¡­?" Jinhai smiled. "She had a lot to say. She actually does want to talk to you three, but she doesn''t know how to broach that subject. She is just trying to find a good chance for it. As for me, she had a lot to punish me instead of talking to me¡­" His eyes flickered withment once again. "She was naturally too furious to know that I threw our son out instead of being an understanding father. Which I really do regret now¡­Buting to know that Jun gave up on his life was hard to bear too¡­" his voice lowered down by a notch. Ai pursed her lips in understanding. As a mother what Nana felt was valid and as a father how Jinhai thought was equally correct in that regard too. "That''s why¡­" Jinhai quickly grabbed her wrist and pleaded. "Please help me soothe her anger." "..." "...Mom has already warned me not to listen to any request of yours." His brow twitched. "You are myst hope, Ai. Only you can help me. She will definitely listen to you. Please, please talk to Nana and tell her that I have really reflected upon my mistakes and so please allow me toe back to our room. I am dying here." Jinhai''s image of when she had first met him in the wedding anniversary banquet and that of now when he was sincerely pleading for her help was in stark contrast. Ai felt a pang of sympathy for her father-inw and said. "I will do my best." That brought a bright ray of hope in his otherwise dead eyes. "Thank you! I am forever in your debt." Ai stiffened as that sentence triggered the memory of her past life which she saw when she had copsed. The scene of the hospital after Jun and her death when Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying met with Jinhai and Nana was still fresh in her mind. ''I, Liu Jinhai, am forever in Zhou Ai''s debt.'' Tears plopped down her brown eyes even before she knew it, and the sorrow and griefced in that memory shook her body. Jinhai''s eyes widened in shock, and he jumped on his feet, taking a step closer to her. "Why are you suddenly crying? Did I say something wrong?" Chapter 578 Somebody Is Enough Than Everybody Shi Publishing. Zhan Yahui noticed the sharp descent in ''Guiying''s'' mood and was sure that she hit a jackpot. The truth about Guiying''s split personality was always a sensitive issue for her and watching her expression turn from victory to that of fury immensely satisfied her. She sneered. "Won''t you introduce us to the wonderful ''other friend'' you have inside you? Oh I forgot. That ''other friend'' is talking to us at this moment, is ''she'' not?" ''Guiying'' trembled but not because ''she'' was afraid of Zhan Yahui''s taunts or the fact that ''her'' existence was revealed. It was Guiying inside her who was terrified of the consequences. Now everybody knew her truth and the abuse done by her brother. It won''t be long before it will be leaked to everybody in this industry and she will be the center of attention. ''Guiying'' could clearly feel her horror and the rapid pounding of her heartbeat. The fear of criticism, judgment and ridicule had rendered her paralyzed. Calm down, will you! You are seriously afraid of this now? No matter how much ''she'' tried to talk to her, ''she'' couldn''t control her other self from going into a frenzy. It was at this moment when Zixin pulled her into his embrace without a word and silently began to pat her back. e¦Áglesn?¦Íel ''Guiying'' widened her eyes. His broad chest had suddenly blocked her vision, but his sweet scent that invaded her nostrils was oddly reassuring. Guiying within her, too, felt as if she could breathe. His hug put a brake on her neverending race of trepidation and worry of her future. "You don''t have to be afraid." His simple but kind words echoed in her ears. The pacifying voice with which he spoke to her in a slow and gentle tone was easing down the hyperactivity that was spiraling out of control. "Neither you nor ''you.'' Both of you are amazing," his beautiful eyes shone with pride. "So even if the world will know now, there is no reason for you to stumble back." A few drops of tears soaked into Zixin''s coat as ''Guiying'' shed them. "You don''t understand¡­" It was Guiying''s words that came through ''her'' lips. "People will think that I am ill. Crazy. They will shun me." "Nobody will," Zixin tilted his head. "You led a difficult life and suffered your brother''s abuse yet you pushed yourself to walk in the right path and be such a talented writer. You made a name for yourself. It''s an achievement to be proud of. Your words have strung the chords of thousands of hearts. Do you think those people who love your beautiful stories, who lined up just to meet you and get their books personally signed by their favorite author, will think less of you?" Guiying strongly wished to believe in his words, but her heart resisted. "...I don''t want anybody''s sympathy," her quiet voice choked. "Pity is thest thing I want to see in their eyes." "You will never find pity in their eyes. Only understanding and admiration just like me," he softly smiled. "Not everybody is like you, Zixin¡­" "But you don''t need everybody either." She shook. "It''s enough if even some of those everybody stand by your side with respect which I know will happen. We are not here to please the whole world. The ones who show disdain to you are the ones to be pitied in actuality. It''s not just you - they are the type to be toxic to anybody who doesn''t fall into their narrowed and skewed version of reality. Just like your brother. Isn''t that just a sad life filled with only judgment and criticism? Do you want people like Cai Lingyun to surround your world?" Even his mention sent tremors down her spine. The traumatic time of his verbal and physical abuse felt fresh in her heart. "Or do you want somebody like Ai to be in your life forever? Even if she might be just one person to love you for who you are against ten people to ridicule you, would you want to be with those ten people or Ai?" Her eyes brimmed with tears and her thoughts went back to the peaceful high school days she spent with Ai. At times, she regretted that she never revealed her alter ego to her. If she would have received Ai''s warmth and friendship after knowing everything about her, she wouldn''t have felt so threatened about Ai''s existence as a writer. Zixin smiled. "Life will feel so colorful and warm if there are friends like Ai beside you, right? There might be a minority of such people to show you love, but it''s better to live life with them rather than the toxic majority, don''t you think?" She buried her face further in his chest. "When did y-you learn to speak such honey-like sweet words?" "Whenever I am with you." "..." "I don''t know what to say¡­" she sniffled. "It''s easy. Be good and say that you won''t falter. You will face everyone with your head held high because there is nothing to be ashamed of. Look straight into everybody''s eyes and say that I am proud to have ''her'' in my life. It''s ''her'' existence that helped me to be who I am today." It wasn''t clear if the tears rolling down belonged to Guiying or ''Guiying.'' They knew that the only feeling left in their hearts was of immense warmth and relief. Zhan Yahuiughed in mockery, breaking the moment they shared. "Oh God, such pathetic constion. Guiying really is an idiot to fall for such nonsense." ''Guiying''s'' gaze turned icy. "Yeah for you it will be nonsense, Zhan Yahui, because your chestcks a heart in the first ce." Zixin gave a hard stare at Zhan Yahui once and looked at the guards. "Take her away already." "You fucking Chen Zixin! Who are you to throw me out!?" Shi Zhn gritted her teeth, finally losing her patience. "Get her out of my sight already!" But Zhan Yahui still kept screaming despite the guards pushing her out. "Don''t think you have healed Guiying''s heart by your buttery words! It''s all because of you that Guiying is standing here and daring to face me! It''s all because of your damn interference! I will never forgive you! You¡­you should have just died that day of the ident!" Chapter 585 Every Revelation (5) It was after some time when Nian finally calmed down and prevented his anger from getting the best of him. Xing Bi was in danger, but it was the time to be cool headed and not take any step in haste. Chyou had also arrived at the base, her fingers already rapidly pressing herptop''s keyboard buttons to track Hou Lin as soon as possible. "Did you find anything?" Nian asked, trying to control his urge from punching something. "I am trying. Both of their phones lost signal from some ice cream shop. I am trying to track the possible ces where they could have gone after that." "Do you see his car in any CCTV?" "That''s what I am doing. But he is driving weirdly. It''s as if he has but also doesn''t have any particr destination in his mind. But after a certain point I don''t see his car anymore." Jian sneered. "He is smart because he knows we will track him that way." Nian gritted his teeth. "Haven''t the guards we dispatched found anything! What is taking them so much time!?" It was at that time when Jun''s phone buzzed and he saw an iing call from an unknown number. "I think this is Hou Lin." Chyou hurriedly said, "Quick! Connect your phone to myptop. I will switch on the tracking software." He did so and switched on the call. "Hello." "Sir." Ai was quite puzzled to hear that the tone of Hou Lin''s voice still exuded a sense of respect as if he was still an employee under Jun. Before Jun could answer, Nian spoke first, his voice frigid cold and quiet. "You do know that touching Xing Bi is my bottom line, right?" "...I do." "Then you also don''t expect to continue living for long if I am correct." Jian nced at Chyou to check if she was sessful in tracking him. But as expected by her, Hou Lin was using a burner phone number to talk. But she didn''t lose hope and kept digging into finding his location. Hou Lin replied to Nian''s provocation on the other side, "My life is irrelevant." Jun slightly widened his eyes. "It should be after how you even dared to think to take Xing Bi away," Nian gripped the phone in his palm with such strength that brought it close to breaking the screen. "If I see so much as a tiny scratch on her body, I swear your death will be a nightmare." Hou Lin still sounded unfazed. "As I said, my life or death is irrelevant. What is important is that you have something that I want and I have something that you want." The temperature sharply dropped. "You want us to trade Zhan Yahui with Xing Bi." "Yes," he calmly replied. "You bring Yahui to a location that I will tell you. Then you will leave. Naturally, you won''t bring any guards with you, nor let any guard hang around the ce after you have left. After two hours, I will set Miss. Xing Bi free and let you know the location where you can find her." "Bullshit!" Nian eximed, banging his fist on the table, "You think I will believe your nonsense!?" "I only want Yahui back. I have no reason to hurt Miss. Xing Bi unnecessarily." Ai slightly furrowed her brows. "Wait a minute," Hou Lin said and after a few moments, a voice came, "Nian¡­?" Nian froze and grabbed Jun''s phone in a heartbeat. "Xi-Xing Bi! You are okay, right? He didn''t hurt you, right? I know it''s terrifying but trust me that I will find you at any cost!" "Xing Bi!" Ai rushed beside Nian too and leaned towards the phone. "Xing Bi¡­" her voice choked as tears fell from her eyes, "Xing Bi, tell me that you are alright please¡­" She anxiously said, "Stop, stop you two! I know that you are worried about me, but trust me. I am fine. Hou Lin hasn''t hurt me at all. In fact¡­I am not even tied up by any rope or cuffs. The only reason I cannot leave is I don''t know where the hell I am and what kind of creepy men might be loitering outside." That took them back in shock. Ai seriously questioned Hou Lin''s intentions at this point. Is he really a kidnapper? Considering how badly Zhan Yahui yed with their lives in the past, Hou Lin''s actions felt calm and poised on the opposite end. Nian was far from convinced. "Don''t put your guard down, Xing Bi. He is just a wolf in sheep''s clothing who fooled us all the time¡­Xing Bi, I will definitely get you back, okay? Will you be strong until then?" He urged her. "Hey hey I am older than you! Don''t underestimate me, Liu Nian!" Nian could hear her ring her nostrils, making him weakly chuckle. From the side, he heard Hou Lin''s voice mumble, "Can I have the phone back please?" What is with his¡­respectful voice? Hou Lin''s behavior bewildered Ai once again. She thought that he would rudely snatch the phone from her. Instead, he is politely asking it back¡­ Nian''s countenance turned cold once again as Hou Lin was back on the line. "As you have heard now, Miss. Xing Bi is perfectly okay. If you do as I say, I will get Yahui back and you will get Miss. Xing Bi back. There is no need to hurt anybody here." "It was Zhan Yahui who came barging into our lives first, trying to destroy everything," Nian snarled. "Don''t fucking act defensive." "But didn''t the Liu family give her the reason first?" "Oh?" Jian sneered. "And what reason did she tell you? That the Liu family killed her father?" "And indirectly her mother and unborn sibling too." Jun froze. The words hammered in his mind like a vicious poison flowing into his veins. Mother and unborn sibling¡­? An eerie silence descended, making the twins exchange nces. The burden of Ouyang Haitao''s death already weighed heavily upon Jun for years and now to know that Zhan Yahui''s mother and unborn sibling had indirectly died because of him shook him to his core. As his expression was rapidly losing color, a deep voice came apanied by the sound of boots clicking on the floor. "That''s far from the truth." Chapter 586 Every Revelation (6) Zhan Yahui raised her head, breathless as she heard the sound of footsteps entering the room. And as she did so, a presence very different and more imposing than Jun and the twins induced a feeling within her as if she was crushed by a boulder. She observed the handsome but expressionless face of a man where it was obvious from whom his children inherited their features. She sneered. "Oh, did the spoiled little son call his rich Daddy to solve the problem for him?" Jian had an urge to wring her neck, but he stopped his violence from breaking out. On his side, Jun couldn''t bring the courage to face her but as Ai squeezed his hand in hers, he found his fearful, erratic heartbeats calming down. She knew that only the truth would now set his heart free from any guilt. Jin, carrying the cats in his arms, was troubled too, seeing his brother falling into despair. But he had faith in his father that he wouldn''t let this misunderstanding fester for long. Ai-cat jumped on Jun''s shoulder and softly purred, rubbing her cheek against his. *Meow* Jinhai met Zhan Yahui''s ridicule filled eyes, unfazed. Instead of feeling offended, he said in a monotonous voice, "It was your Daddy who was always the main problem." That onement was enough to dissipate the disdain in her eyes and freeze them with hatred. "Don''t you fucking dare utter his name¡­" Jinhai, who held Jun''s phone, kept it on a table and quietly said, "Your friend here has made a mistake." Zhan Yahui narrowed her eyes. As she peeked into the phone, she saw Hou Lin''s number shing on it and it also disyed that the call was in progress, making her eyes widen. "He took my daughter-inw with him and is demanding that we free you in exchange for her safety." Hou Lin was listening in silence from the other end. Zhan Yahui burst into a manicughter, praising Hou Lin. "Ahhh you did such a great job, Lin! I knew that it was my right decision to choose you," she continuedughing, feeling victorious. "There is no way that you would lift even a finger against me now. Lin is right. If you want to see Xing Bi alive, then do as he says. Or she will meet the same fate of that corrupt Summit judge who was gonna expose me," she sneered, "Death." Nian almost rushed a step forward to end her life once and for all but Jinhai raised his palm. "Stop. Step back." With green veins appearing on his fury reddened face, he spoke through his clenched jaw, "If anybody fucking messes with Xing Bi-" "Nobody can mess with her. Not this woman here. Not Hou Lin either," Jinhai calmly said. Ai felt a strong wave of assurance gushing in her heart by his staunch stand, which made Jun feel at ease too. Xing Bi, who was also listening to the conversation, quickly tried to cate his anger. "Nian, I will be fine. Please calm down." Nian grudgingly stepped back, throwing cold, piercing and murderous res at Zhan Yahui. Jinhai sat on the chair where previously Jian was seated and faced her. "I see you have been wrecking a whole lot of damage to my son''s life and over something where he isn''t even at fault." Zhan Yahui couldn''t believe his audacity. "I knew it''s useless to talk with you disgusting people! Your son killed my father and-" "It was the twins who ordered your father to be killed," Jinhai mercilessly cut her sentence off. The truth dropped upon everybody was so sudden and different than what they had expected that they jolted sharply in their ces, especially Jun. He threw a nk stare at his elder brothers, expressing his pure disbelief. You¡­? But the twins promptly remained silent. Zhan Yahui stared at him. "Sorry, who?" "The twins. But the incident of his death is still far ahead in time. Before that, it is imperative that you know who your dear to-be father Ouyang Haitao was." She gritted her teeth. "I don''t need to know anything from you!" "You do because it''s exactly that you were blind all this time why my children suffered so much," he narrowed his eyes ever so slightly that made the aura exuding from him even more denser and dangerous. It forced her to back out and simply shut up and listen to what Jinhai had to say. "You as well as your friend here." Hou Lin said nothing, but it was clear that the call was in progress. "You¡­" "You were around eleven at the time this happened, am I correct? Were you aware that your father was in debt?" Jinhai asked. Zhan Yahuished out. "Yes, I did! He borrowed money from you filthy people only to make my mom and my life better! So that we could live a good life financially! So that we don''t need to struggle. But what would a filthy and rich capitalist like you possibly understand our plight!? You have all been swimming in money since the beginning, haven''t you!?" Jinhai stared at her. "Is that the reason that man gave you? For your betterment?" "Are you an idiot? Why else would he have to borrow money!?" Xing Bi quietly chimed in through the call. "Zhan Yahui, you do know that some people have the habit of gambling too, right? I can say because my father was like that." "Dad wasn''t a gambler!" She screamed and if not for the fact that she was restrained, she would have violently hurt somebody in front of her. Jinhai said, "Xing Bi is partially right. Your father was indeed addicted to gambling." She froze. "But it was also true that he borrowed money to set up his own business. But unfortunately, he had no business sense and his bad decisions only turned worse as he dipped into losses. Which only prompted him to gamble more out of habit andnd himself into more debt. The graver problem was that he wasn''t telling any of this to your mother, Zhan Kai-Ming. He had even sold whatever little jewelry she had for his business on pretext of something else." "What nonsense are you bbering!?" "The nonsense that you should have learned ages ago to spare yourself and us from the shit that you havended us in," the sharper edge to his voice dropped the temperature by several degrees. "So just shut up and listen to the truth once and for all." Chapter 587 Every Revelation (7) A bad foreboding arose in her heart, sensing the iciness in his voice as if Jinhai stood on a higher moral ground. "Continuing from where I left, Ouyang Haitao wasn''t painted in white. He wanted to earn quick cash and that desire usually leads to people making hasty and wrong decisions. He wasn''t really trying to set up an honest business in the first ce. Lots of shady things were a part of it. But it didn''t hold water like any bad business wouldn''t. The debt started piling on him." "There is no way Dad would do anything wrong!" She tremblingly defended him with all the anger bubbling inside her. "Acting blind to reality won''t help you here." She angrilyughed. "Don''t act as if you are innocent either! Dad was already going through a tough time and he was doing his best to return the debt. But what did you do!? I know everything! You cut short his time to only three days to make him return his sixty million debt! You are the one who took sadistic pleasure in torturing my father!" Jinhai cocked his brow up. He ordered a guard. "Call Xuan Hui here." Xuan Hui was also a guard working for the Liu family. Jun remembered how he often met him during his childhood whenever he came to visit the underworld base. He always allowed his Uncle Xuan to carry him in his arms. Even now yearster, Jun often chatted with him, and he was the guard under whom Jun had his martial arts training. Xuan Hui, who was in his middle age now with locks of slightly greyish hair near his ears, entered the room and stood in attention. "Boss!" He brightened upon seeing the members of the Liu family, especially Jun but his expression soured as he nced at Zhan Yahui. Zhan Yahui had no clue why a guard was suddenly called for. "What the hell? Are you trying to waste time here and escape?" "Liu Jinhai doesn''t need to escape from anything. It''s always the other way around, especially for people like your father," It was a calm, quiet but imposing tone. Ai coughed. "You fucking-" But Jinhai cut her off. "I called him here not to waste anybody''s time but to make you understand that you actually don''t understand a thing about Ouyang Haitao." Xuan Hui widened his eyes. He tilted his head. "Ouyang Haitao met your mother around a year before the incident happened. They eventually moved in together. You must be ten at that time." "So what?" She gritted her teeth. "The problem here is that you think that Ouyang Haitao started to work for his own business AFTER meeting your mother and you to provide you two a better life." "So you think I was unfair to him?" Jinhai nced at Xuan Hui and asked, "Since how long were you chasing after Ouyang Haitao for his debt settlement?" He seemed a little hesitant as he threw nces at Jun. After Jun''s kidnapping incident, it was forbidden to talk about Ouyang Haitao anywhere because everybody was well aware of the trauma his death had put upon Jun''s mind. Jinhai already understood his concern and said, "It''s time to reveal the truth today. There is no need to be cautious. You can speak freely." Xuan Hui was still worried. He adored and cherished Jun the most, and they had bonded even more during their training. But since the ultimate Boss didn''t have an issue, he decided it was okay. He straightened up and respectfully answered Jinhai''s question, "Boss, it was a total of three years since Ouyang Haitao had taken a debt from the underworld but was unable to pay back." Zhan stared at him. "Huh?" Jian sneered. "If that''s too difficult for your brain to understand, let me make the math clear for you. Three years. Two years plus the year during which he met you and your mother. Ouyang Haitao took a debt from us two years BEFORE he met you." Nian continued. "Which means he was already into these shady practices and bad businesses even before he met you. I can even tell your mother and his meeting wasn''t all filled with roses. He nned to have a rtionship with her on purpose. Do you know why?" She felt her heart skip beat in fear. "For the amount of sixty million debt that Ouyang Haitao fell under, the rules of the underworld stipted him to repay his debt within two years." Nian remained silent to let the implication sink in Zhan Yahui. Jinhai stared at Zhan Yahui''s confused expression and said, "Let me put it down for you word by word. Ouyang Haitao took a debt from the underworld three years before his death. Two yearster, he was unable to pay back. Naturally, the underworld demanded the money back. Now, whether or not I grant more time for repayment depends on how the borrower behaves. If I see a genuine effort being put into paying that money, I will extend the deadline. But if I see the person was upto no good, then I don''t show any mercy. Instead of rectifying his mistakes, Ouyang Haitao only gambled more and only made more wrong decisions. Yet I granted him one more year despite my own rule of not showing him mercy. Do you know why?" Zhan Yahui was in no condition to think straight. "Because he got into a rtionship with your mother." She froze. "It was at that time that I felt he was finally making a genuine effort to change himself. Maybe being in a rtionship with her and being a father to you would make him more responsible. From what the guards reported, Zhan Kai-Ming looked happy to be with him too. I did feel suspicious about him suddenly finding a woman, but I gave him the benefit of doubt because I didn''t want to be an asshole. Falling in love is never nned. Since it was a new rtionship, I felt it was prudent to give him more time and I did." He smiled. "So it wasn''t that I reduced my time limit from a week to three days. I extended his deadline by a full year instead." Chapter 588 Every Revelation (8) Xuan Hui nodded in agreement. Jun was left stunned. He alternated his gaze between Xuan Hui and his father. This was a fact that he was unaware of. At that time when he first met Ouyang Haitao, he viewed his father as someone very ruthless and calctive. To pay back sixty million in just three days for a feat impossible for anybody. But despite being the leader of the Underworld, he showed mercy to Ouyang Haitao. "You never told me that Ouyang Haitao already had two years and upon which, you had granted him another year." Jinhai''s brows slightly crinkled. He just nced at Jun and didn''t respond. Jian smiled. "Dad really doesn''t like to show his good side, you know." "Yeah it''s like he should always maintain his cold and tyrannical persona," Nian rolled his eyes. Ai asked, "Is it because of Mom?" "You are right, sister-inw! Dad has be quite a softie, especially since he married Mom." Jin inwardly tried to imagine his father as kind and forgiving but for some reason, he just couldn''t match that picture. The twins heard an impedaning crack of knuckles. "After Zhan Yahui, it will be your turn. Be prepared." The twins - "..." Xing Bi slightly coughed from the other side, but there was no response from Hou Lin upto this point at all. Jinhai turned his attention back to Zhan Yahui and said, "Any dissatisfaction until here? If you refuse to believe me, we have all the records maintained. When he took the debt, when his repayment installments started and how many of those he failed to do - right from the first day until he breathed hisst, I have everything. I am not running a blind business here. Your so-called father had more than enough time and chances to mend his ways, but he didn''t." Zhan Yahui shouted, triggered. "What the hell do you mean by so-called father!? Don''t fucking insult him or I will kill you! He always¡­always treasured Mom and me¡­" she trembled. "He was sincere in his love-" Jian coldly interrupted her. "I guess you have problems reading in between the lines. Do I have to spill out even clearer than Dad did? Then open your fucking clogged ears and listen to me. Ouyang Haitao never loved you or your mother." She stiffened. "It should be obvious by the timing. The two years were up, and he was desperate. So he fooled your mother into a rtionship just so that he could make her financially help him repay his debts. He even used her money in bad investments leading to losses and this time, it was her earned money, not his." "Don''t kid with me! Don''t talk as if you lived with my family and know everything about them?" She breathed hard, her face turning red in anger. "Do you think Mom would hide something like this from me? Don''t concoct stories just to paint yourself in the good light! We were a happy family! Mom, Dad and me¡­everything was going to be perfect¡­" Jinhai said, "She hid from you exactly because of this. She wasn''t just Ouyang Haitao''s lover but also your mother. She saw how much you loved him, how much you wanted this family toe to be, so she simply couldn''t gather her courage to break that illusion of yours¡­because it would mean that you would lose your father a second time." She froze. "And perhaps she herself too, didn''t want to go through a heartbreak a second time either. Shi Shuren selfishly had an affair and abandoned her after all. That''s why even if she had started to feel that something was going wrong with their rtionship, she continued to live with him for your sake and to protect her heart. She continued giving money to Ouyang Haitao but her earnings were still meager inparison to his debt. So he went a step ahead after which he had no turning back." Jinhai leaned towards her, his ck orbs drilling his grim gaze into her. "He wanted to sell you." Zhan Yahui felt her mind suddenly going silent. It was all chaos and anger and violence held inside it until this point but now, it has turned deadly silent. "It was that day I reduced his time limit to three days when I got a report of him visiting child traffickers. Sometimes, some or the other small organizations keep popping up now and then to sell drugs, children and sex workers. The underworld keeps a very strict eye on such ugly infestations. He visited such people, but I got to know there were more such men behind the scenes running the whole operation. I wanted to catch him red-handed with all those goons he was in contact with. That''s why I put pressure on him, giving him only three days." Jun widened his eyes. "To illegally sell people to another country and especially doing so while hiding from my underworld is next to impossible. It requires time and nning and only three days meant that they were bound to make mistakes. I wanted to burn their disgusting organization right until their roots. Ouyang Haitao, who was in contact with them regarding selling you, became my perfect bait. So, Miss. Zhan Yahui. I didn''t express my sadistic pleasure to torture him into getting my sixty million back. I didn''t care about the sixty million at that point. What I only cared for was to eradicate those bastards." Jinhai kept hammering the bitter truth upon her. "Ouyang Haitao only kept breaking the underworld rules again and again. He failed to repay his debt, he used his lover''s money to get out of it which is a serious vition of anotherw. Only the borrower is responsible for paying his money back, not his family. But he selfishly used her. When that wasn''t enough, heid his eyes on you. An eleven year old girl would sell at a high price at an auction filled with bald and fat men drooling to have sex with you." He narrowed his eyes, his voice ringing with a deadly menace. "Zhan Yahui, if the underworld hadn''t killed Ouyang Haitao, you wouldn''t be standing before me right now because you would have already died by warming somebody''s bed over and over again." Chapter 589 Every Revelation (9) "But that''s not the reason why Ouyang Haitao ended up dead," Jinhai said, his voice turning quieter, "The biggest mistake he made was threatening my son''s life. He kidnapped you to sell you off and when Jun caught him, he took him away too." Zhan Yahui paled. "That''s not true! He didn''t kidnap anybody!" "But you don''t have much memory of that day, right? How did you find yourself in a situation like that? When you opened your eyes, why did you see a little boy in front of you and the dead body of your father? In the first ce, how did you end up getting unconscious?" Zhan Yahui stiffened. It was true that she didn''t remember much of that day except for some bits and pieces of broken memories. But she remembered the time before she felt the world going ck before her. ''Yahui, dear. I made your favorite chocte cake. Tell me if you like it,'' Ouyang Haitao said as she opened her room. ''Chocte cake!'' Zhan Yahui''s eyes sparkled. ''I love chocte! Thank you dad! You are the best!'' It was the time when Zhan Kai-Ming was out for work and Ouyang Haitao and she were alone at home. An eager Zhan Yahui hopped out of her room to dig into her favorite chocte cake. But that was thest thing she remembered, finishing three fourths of the cake. ''Dad¡­I feel dizzy¡­'' she said as she clutched her temple, feeling everything going blur. ''Oh dear, is that so? Don''t worry. If you feel sick, you should go to sleep.'' She felt afraid with the sudden dizziness gripping her but listening to his soothing voice made her further drowsy, eventually falling unconscious. Jinhai didn''t miss even a tiny change in her expression as Zhan Yahui seemed to be trying to remember about that day. And as it turned out, Jinhai was sure that she did figure out something. "Ouyang Haitao had fed you something after which you fell unconscious, right?" Zhan Yahui wanted tosh out, but she couldn''t find her voice to express her protest. Her body trembled as the reality and the misunderstanding she held all this time violently shed against each other. Jinhai leaned back, narrowing his eyes. "He not only kidnapped Jun but when he saw things bing worse for him, he chose to kill him." Ai detected the faint shiver in Jinhai''s fingers with green veins appearing on the back of his hand. It was evident that even now, the incident of Jun''s kidnapping affected him enough to make his blood boil in anger. His jet ck eyes oozed viciousness and hostility. "Since he chose to kill our little brother, we chose to kill him," It was Jian who broke the short silence with a voice that held no remorse. As soon as Jun heard that, his head jerked towards them in disbelief. "What?" The twins oddly remained silent, choosing not to face him. "What are you talking about? You didn''t kill Ouyang Haitao. I killed him by ident," his voice trembled. A small smile formed on Jian''s lips, but his gaze held a trace of sadness as he said, "He wasn''t dead at that time, Jun. He was simply unconscious." Zhan Yahui raised her head to look at him,pletely appalled. What the hell¡­it was Liu Jun who killed Dad. Then what are these twins bbering about!? Jian''s revtion made Jun even more confused. "How is it possible? If he wasn''t dead by that ident, then how did he die?" There was a long period of silence to the point that the very air felt absolutely still. Ai shook her head, understanding the turmoil within the twins. "You don''t have to worry about Jun hating you. There is no way he will. So please tell him everything that happened." Nian pursed his lips. "It''s hard, sister-inw." "I know. But it''s time now." Silence. Nian nced at Jian, who had his head turned to the other side. Clearly, he didn''t want to be the one doing the talking. He sighed and turned to face Jun, whose dark brown eyes were filled with questions. "You know, little brother. You surely were a part of the Underworld just like Jian and I were. We were trained to handle this dark world without any pluses or minuses in our education of this business. But a difference remained between us nevertheless. Jian and I could truly be cold and ruthless. Even at a young age, we never shuddered in fear or hesitated to decide what was to be done even if it was merciless." Jun blinked. "But you were different. You used to hesitate because a tiny semnce of mercy always remained within you. That''s the gentleness you inherited from Mom. You never used to visit the underworld bases as frequently as Jian and I did. You always unconsciously chose to steer clear from it." Jun parted and closed his lips. "I don''t hate the underworld." "But you don''t like it either." He paused and wasn''t sure if he could refute that statement. "You remember that time in school when you got hurt by a bunch of jealous bullies? It was the day you came to know that Aunt Xinyi was pregnant with Shui and you coincidentally met her at the hospital after your treatment was done. That incident¡­you never wanted to report it to Dad because you knew that he would take the strictest against those boys. Might even throw them out of school. He actually did that and you got very upset with him. You didn''t talk to him for days." "The bullying never really bothered me that much. I just thought Dad was being excessive¡­" "Even if you got hurt?" "It was just some minor scratches." "They weren''t minor if you had to be taken to the hospital." He said nothing. Nian shook his head. "You are very much like Mom in that sense. You don''t like the underworld that much but Jian and I do. It is a basic but very huge difference between us. But that difference also made us afraid, Jun. That if we resort to violence that you don''t like, then you will eventually drift away from us. And since Jin began to grow more attached to you, he exhibited those simr mannerisms like you. Nuo was neutral, but you and Jin weren''t." He gazed into the mncholy in his irises that squeezed his heart with pain. "...But what does all this have to do with Ouyang Haitao?" "Because it was upon Jian and my orders that Uncle Xuan shot Ouyang Haitao to his death." Chapter 590 Every Revelation (10) *shback* "Hasn''t it been a while since Jun went away?" Jian asked, feeling extremely bored as heid back on the grass. "It''s no fun if Jun isn''t around to tease~" "Isn''t it because of us that he went away in the first ce?" "Not us. You. You stole his octopus and made him mad." Nian gasped. "You sneaked to steal his egg roll! Don''t act so innocent!" "That egg roll was really small. It hardly counted," he snorted. "Don''t try to defend yourself." They then heard the sound of a car honk and saw the Liu family''s guard, Xuan Hui, ready to pick them up. "Uncle Xuan!" The twins grinned and hopped towards him. "Young master Jian. Young master Nian," Xuan Hui smiled and patted their heads. They asked, "Where is Mom?" He regretfully said, "Madam Nana is at home. Young mistress Nuo got sick, so she stayed back. She asked me to apologize for noting personally to pick you up." The twins gasped in shock. "What! Our little sister is sick!? Why is Mom apologizing? Of course she has to be with her! Let''s go quickly to her side!" Nian then said, "Wait Jun still isn''t back." "Oof! Why hasn''t he returned yet? Let''s go and drag him back." The twins walked towards the direction where Jun had headed before, but they didn''t find him anywhere. They searched for him back and forth but never found a trace of him. Nian scratched the top of his head. "Jun was supposed to be here. Where could he go?" "Damn where has he run off to now?" An elderly woman sitting on a nearby bench noticed themotion on their side and gently asked, "Are you looking for the boy with sses who was ying with the flowerbed just a while ago?" Jian brightened and ran towards her. "Yes, yes, Grandma! He is our little brother! Did you see him where he went? We are not able to find him anywhere." "Oh my then I suppose he left you two alone and went with his father I guess." "Huh?" The twins blinked. "Dad?" Isn''t Dad out for a day''s business trip? "Yes. When the boy was ying with the flowers, I saw a man approach him carrying a little girl in his arms. They didn''t stay long and left after a minute. I suppose he was his father and the little girl his sister?" The twins stared at her. Xuan Hui came rushing towards them, slightly breathless. "Young master. I didn''t see young master Jun on the other side either." The twins thanked the elderly woman and took Xuan Hui to the side. "Uncle Xuan. Was Dad supposed toe and pick us up?" "No. Boss is on a day''s business trip as you know. He should be heading towards the airport for his return flight now though. It was Madam Nana who was supposed toe but the young mistress got sick. Why?" It was at that moment that Jian immediately took out his emergency phone from his bag and dialed Jun''s number. But the number was out of reach. Neither did it ring or it said any message that it was switched off. The number was simply unable to connect. "...Uncle Xuan. I think Jun has been kidnapped," Jian said extremely slowly, trying to sink in the implication himself. Xuan Hui froze. "H-Huh? How is it possible¡­Who would kidnap¡­" Nian coldly said, "Inform Dad right away. We have wasted enough time already." Jian clenched his little fists, trembling in anger. More than towards the kidnapper, he cursed himself for being irresponsible and letting Jun go off alone. "I should have kept an eye on him¡­" Nian pped his head. "This is not the time to me. Do thatter. First we have to find Jun!" Xuan Hui snapped out of his stupor and from the pale fear for Jun''s life, he immediately switched into his work mode and with a hardened countenance didn''t waste a second before dialing Jinhai''s number. When Jinhai heard the news on the other side, he felt as if he was thrown into the Artic. His expression turned extremely frigid and the temperature in the car shot down by several degrees. "I don''t care who had the galls to touch my son, but find him at any cost. Overturn the entire underworld if you have to but find Jun anyhow. I will catch an earlier flight and touch down Beijing as soon as possible. Until then, don''t let Nana know anything." "Yes, Boss!" The extensive search for Jun began and soon they came to know that it was Ouyang Haitao who had most probably taken him away. The elderly woman testified to this as she recognized Ouyang Haitao from the pictures shown to her by Xuan Hui. "Oh yes. It was this man." Xuan Hui gritted his teeth. "Does he think that he can threaten Boss into forgiving his debt if he took young master!? He doesn''t know what he has done! He is so dead!" The twins saw his hand shaking and despite the fact that they looked calm on the outside, their hearts were trembling just like his hand. They wanted to see Jun safe at any cost and when Xuan Hui managed to track the location of the apartment where Jun was kept, the twins insisted oning with him. Xuan Hui widened his eyes. "No, no! Boss has ordered me to take you back home-" "We areing with you," neither Jian nor Nian agreed to change their mind about their decision. "But it could be dangerous!" "You are here with us and so do the other guards. We will be fine. But we''ll being with you. That''s it." Xuan Hui shuddered with the finality in their voices and more so with the menace glinting in their ck orbs. Helpless and defeated, he had no choice but to let them apany him. Naturally, he put extra guards to protect them especially when they reached nearer the apartment''s location. But as they reached, the twins felt as if their souls left their bodies as they saw Ouyang Haitao already on his escape from the apartment, carrying Jun and Zhan Yahui in his arms. At the same time, Ouyang Haitao noticed themotion behind him as well and froze upon seeing the Liu family guards on his chase. Before their cars could evene to a stop, Ouyang Haitao reacted instinctively and pulled Jun in front of him as his protection and pointed his gun at him. "Stop right there!" From afar, the twins stared at an unconscious Jun and seeing the scratches and bruises on his skin, especially the slight purple marks around his neck, their already hardened gazes turned into something more frightening and sinister. "Ah¡­" Jian muttered expressionlessly, "He shouldn''t have done that. He¡­shouldn''t have hurt my little brother like that." Chapter 591 Every Revelation (11) Ouyang Haitao cursed his luck. If Jun hadn''t wrestled with him when he wanted to take Zhan Yahui away, he wouldn''t have fallen, hit his head and fell unconscious. Because he was knocked out, he lost his precious time where he could have escaped faraway instead. When he opened his eyes, he saw that Jun and Zhan Yahui were still unconscious so he quickly scooped them up to dash out. Now that some time had already passed since Jun''s disappearance, it was only a matter of time before the Liu guards would be on his trail. And that''s exactly what had happened. Just like he feared, themanding and ominous ck cars appeared behind him. He paled with fright, but he had no intentions to back out either. "Stop right where you are!" As ast resort he pointed his gun at Jun''s temple, trying to ward them off. Xuan Hui clenched his fists and seeing Jun''s messy and pitiful state, his face ckened with fury. "Ouyang Haitao¡­it''s in your best interests if you pull that gun away." His merciless voice made Ouyang Haitao shudder as if it was Jinhai standing right in front of him. But there was even a greater sinister premonitioning from a side he least expected - the twins who were seated beside Xuan Hui and protected by a bunch of guards. But in no way did he feel that really even needed that protection. The twins stepped out of the car with the guards surrounding them and sobbing internally. Young masters, can you two please go back inside? It''s dangerous! Xuan Hui anxiously said, "Young master, I apologize for the disrespect. But I allowed you toe with me. I cannot let you outside the car. Ouyang Haitao has a gun-" "Which he can either use it on Jun or us but not at the same time," Jian said without a speck of emotion in his voice. Ouyang Haitao blinked. "And pointing the gun at either of us is a blunder. So Mr. Ouyang Haitao," Nian asked, his countenance matching that of his twin, "We give you two options. Either you shoot our brother and then Uncle Xuan will immediately shoot you in the head the very next second. Or you let go of my brother and the girl and surrender." "I believe you would like staying alive instead of death," Jian tilted his head. The guards swallowed their gulp. At this moment, the twins didn''t look any lessmanding and threatening than their father. Somehow we feel that the Boss is here¡­ Ouyang Haitao stared at the twins as if he saw a ghost. "You are just damn brats! You think you can order your dogs to kill me as if it''s not a big deal!?" "You kidnapped my brother, hurt him and nned to sell you own daughter as if it wasn''t a big deal so are you really in a position to talk back to us?" Jian stated calmly. Ouyang Haitao clenched his jaw, gripping Jun firmly in his grasp. "It''s your father who didn''t leave me with any choice! He reduced my time to just three days!" Nian narrowed his eyes. "And that is AFTER you failed to repay your debt after three years. Don''t forget that you got one year EXTRA." "Don''t omit the important details and paint yourself as the victim. You hurt my brother¡­" Jian''s voice became dangerous by several notches, "over something that you could have solved had you changed your notorious ways. But you didn''t, so why is my brother suffering for that?" He stiffened and almost stumbled back with the rm oozing out of the twins'' aura. "Q-quit it with your damn nonsense! Like hell I will surrender!" Heughed nervously. "You are trying to fool me. You will kill meter even if I let go of the kids! Liu Jinhai will kill me for touching his son!" Nian replied. "You cannot escape punishment, that''s for sure. This is not just about kidnapping our brother. You broke a bunch of rules, including using your girlfriend''s money for repayment and then colluding with gangs to sell this girl for cash. Red gs all over the ce. You cannot run away but we assure you that you won''t die either. We will talk to Dad." "Stop with your bullshit! I am not stupid!" He shouted with impatience and fury, making him feel unstable. "A-All of you¡­all of you¡­came to kill me here!" He pressed the gun''s nozzle harder into Jun''s temple. Jian stared at Jun, who was suffering in his tight grip and clenched his jaw. The twins exchanged nces and nodded. "Fine then. Let go of Jun and that girl and you are free to go." Ouyang Haitao jolted with the sudden offer in his favor. "On Dad''s behalf we, Liu Jian and Liu Nian, give this order. As of this moment, we clear you of all your debt. You don''t have to pay a single cent back to the underworld, nor will the underworld chase after you if you stop all your bad ways right now. We give you another chance and a clean te to begin once again." Xuan Hui slightly widened his eyes. His heart was overwhelmed with emotions and pride at the same time. Ouyang Haitao was searching for a trace of any trickery in their eyes but their gazes were so dead serious that he couldn''t believe what he was hearing. And he refused to. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! This is all just a way to trap me! The moment I let go of them, you would put the bullet through my head! I am not falling for any of your offers!" Nian narrowed his eyes. "Don''t test anymore of our patience, Mr. Ouyang. We are giving you exactly what you want. We just want our brother back safe and sound. If we have to forgive all your mistakes in exchange for that, then so be it. Hand them over and I give you my word that none of the guards will chase after you or hurt you. We simply and only want our little brother back." Chapter 592 Every Revelation (12) Ouyang Haitao started pressing on the trigger, dangerously close to shooting the bullet through Jun''s head. The twins froze, feeling unable to breathe. "You will be dead, Ouyang Haitao," Little Jian snarled, his voice as cold as ice. "You do that and you will be dead." "Let our brother go!" Nian eximed. He felt his heart in his throat. Xuan Hui, too, who was already alert, tightened his grip on his gun. A faint shiver passed through him, seeing Jun in a miserable condition. ''You will be a good father, Uncle Xuan.'' He could never forget those kind words that had shook him from within. He could never forget the warmth he felt as he had held little Jun in his arms. And watching that same little boy today forcibly held in another''s arms to be killed at any moment made him freeze with fear and animosity. Xuan Hui and his wife already wished to have a child of their own. But it was Jun who reinforced this emotion in him. Even though Jun wasn''t his son, at that time he held Jun in his arms, enveloped his heart with a tiny sense of belonging as if he was indeed his father. That was why even if Jinhai wasn''t physically here, he had the courage to take the decision and shoot the bullet to protect Jun if necessary. But with the twins beside him, a trace of hesitation shed in his eyes. It was true that the twins were bing cold and ruthless just like Jinhai, but to witness an actual death and bloodshed in front of them at this age¡­wouldn''t it be too much for them to handle? Xuan Hui didn''t have time to think and decided to order the other guards to take the twins away. But before thatmand coulde out, Jian said with an unwavering voice, "Kill him." His eyes widened and his head jolted downwards to look at the twins. The twins were trembling in their ce, staring hard at Jun who was about to die at any moment. It was a momentter that little Nian came to the same decision. "Kill Ouyang Haitao before he kills our brother." He whispered to Jian with a nauseous feeling gripping his chest. "...Is this okay, Jian?" "Our little brother is on that side, Nian. We have to bring him to our side, safe and sound. What is not okay in this? I lost sight of him once. I won''t repeat that mistake," his ck eyes were determined as if nothing would waver him from his stand. "Jun doesn''t like violence-" "We don''t have the liberty to like or not to like in choosing violence at this moment. This is not our choice. It''s Ouyang Haitao''s." Nian trembled. "You remember how Jun didn''t talk to Dad for days when he punished the bullies. I don''t want him to hate us-" he suddenly shivered, feeling Jian''s intense gaze at him. "He won''t hate us because he won''t know anything. We won''t tell him anything," he quietly but firmly said. "We are the eldest brothers, Nian. If we won''t protect our siblings when they need us, then who would? I want us five siblings to always live together happily. Nobody¡­" his hands trembled, "can take any of us to a ce so far that we won''t ever be able to see them. I want Jun back¡­I just want my little brother back¡­" Nian lowered his gaze and taking a deep breath, he looked up at Xuan Hui and said, "Kill him." From the other side, Ouyang Haitao screamed. "You will kill me whether I let go of this brat or not! So if I have to die either way then I will die only after snatching Liu Jinhai''s happiness! He ruined my life so I will ruin his!" Heughed and was about to press the trigger when a bullet pierced through the air with a loud bang and entered his head through and through. Xuan Hui''s hand never trembled even for a moment as he shot the bullet. He got his orders from the twins and executed them without even a twitch in his eyebrows. Ouyang Haitao died before he knew it. His hold from Jun and Zhan Yahui loosened and his lifeless body slowly copsed on the ground. "Young master!" Xuan Hui quickly secured Jun, his eyes turning misty. Now that he looked closely, he could see how painful it would have been for Jun. There were bruises on his skin and neck had turned slightly bluish. He gritted his teeth in anger, feeling that one bullet wasn''t enough for Ouyang Haitao. If the twins weren''t present, he would have emptied all his bullets and punctured several holes in his body before he would have shot the fatal bullet through his head. Jun, who was unconscious, slowly started to bob his head sideways. "Ummm¡­" The twins and the guards froze. It would be a problem if Jun woke up now and saw this messy and bloody state of affairs. So, Jian quickly ordered. "Nian. Take Jun away right now." "Yes, yes!" In that hasty scuffle, Jun''s sses slipped from his face to the ground. Nian was about to pick them up but Jian quickly grabbed them. "Leave the sses. Just take Jun away right now. We cannot let him see this mess!" He urgently whispered. Nian carried Jun on his back. The other guards offered to hold Jun but Nian declined. "No, thank you," his eyshes trembled, "I want to hold him." He left with the guards apanying them while Xuan Hui stayed behind. "Young master, about this girl¡­" Jian, who dusted the dirt off Jun''s sses and wore them to check if it was clean, said, "Take her to the hospital and contact her mother. Once Dad is back, he will properly exin the whole thing to her." "Sir Xuan! Boss is calling!" Xuan Hui turned towards Jian. "I will quickly let Boss know about what has happened. Please head back to the car with young master Nian." "Yes." Xuan Hui left to take Jinhai''s call and as Jian was about to leave to call a guard to take Zhan Yahui away too, he heard a faint mumbling from her. "What¡­" Zhan Yahui was also beginning to open her eyes and before Jian could react, she had already partially woken up, seeing her father lying on the ground first thing before her eyes. Chapter 593 Every Revelation (13) "Dad¡­?" Ouyang Haitao''s lifeless body was lying before her. She was yet topletely sink into her consciousness but in that blurry state of mind, she still recognized her father clearly. She saw a stream of something reddish flowing out of his head. As she tremblingly touched it, a nauseous feeling churned the insides of her stomach. It was wet and sticky which stained her fingers in crimson too. She let out a gasp and almost slipped into unconsciousness again. She couldn''t figure out the heads or tails of this situation before her. What happened¡­? Why is Dad lying on the ground like this¡­ W-weren''t we eating cake in the morning? Then¡­then I don''t remember¡­ "Dad?" She gently nudged his shoulder, but there was no response. "Dad? Dad?" She breathed hard in fear, as if a sinking feeling of doomsday was here. "Dad? What happened to you? Please wake up! Dad¡­Dad¡­!" She exerted more strength to shake him and wake him up, but the eerie silence continued to remain. "Dad!!" Tears streamed down her cheeks. She didn''t know what and why was happening before her. At a distance amidst the dizziness in her head, she saw a boy standing before her. He wore sses and she could feel him staring at her quietly. "P-please help me! My Dad¡­My Dad¡­I don''t know what happened to him," she blinked her eyes in order to get a clear view, but she couldn''t. She didn''t know why but instead of responding to her or helping her, the boy with sses turned to leave. "N-No! Wait! Don''t leave!" She tried to get up, but her knees gave out. She couldn''t gather the strength in her legs to stand let alone chase after him. "Please don''t go! My Dad is sick¡­! Please help him!" Zhan Yahui continued to wake Ouyang Haitao but at a point, she realized that he wasn''t breathing. She froze and moved her palm in front of his nostrils. She didn''t feel any movements or the fact that he was breathing. It was then that she noticed a hole on his forehead. The world spun around her with the effects of the chloroform making her further delirious. She had watched enough movies to understand what that hole meant. It was a bullet wound that would always strike the viin at the climax by the good cop. To Zhan Yahui, she was happily eating cake with her father and the next moment she opened her eyes, he was dead? Dad is not dead¡­how can he die¡­ I am still feeling sick. T-that''s why I am seeing things¡­ Dad won''t leave me¡­Mom¡­what about Mom? They are going to marry and then¡­t-then I will officially have a father. He will be my father¡­ Yes, yes. Then I won''t feel jealous about my ssmates. I will bring Dad to all my parents'' meetings. He will talk to Mrs. Chu and proudly say how awesome I am. He will praise me in front of the ss and then¡­then nobody will look at me with pity. I will show everyone that I have a Dad too¡­That he will bring lots of gifts for me and take me hiking and trips to awesome ces¡­That he will alwayse to protect me whenever anybody bullies me. Everybody will see how awesome my Dad is¡­I will show off my cool Dad to everyone! But why¡­isn''t Dad waking up? "Why¡­why is my Dad not waking up?" Her voice shivered as she demanded an answer from the boy before her. Jian, who was walking a few steps ahead, stopped and turned to look at her. Naturally with Jun''s sses on his eyes, her figure was cloudy before her. He had no vision problems so the sses were starting to give him a mild headache. But he continued to wear them as if he didn''t have the heart to face her. It was better to not be able to see her clearly rather than distinctly watching her tears fall. Jian felt no remorse for Ouyang Haitao''s death. He gave orders that were necessary to protect Jun''s life. But he also understood Zhan Yahui''s grief. She lost her father, and he knew that he would be as heartbroken as her if he ever lost Jinhai. "Tell me! Why is Dad not waking up? Why is my Dad not breathing!? Why¡­" she gritted her teeth, "why are you running away!? Did you¡­did you hurt my Dad!?" Jian was silent for several long seconds before he quietly replied. "Yes." Zhan Yahui froze. "As for why I hurt him, you will get to know that soon." She shuddered listening to his unfeeling voice that held no guilt within it. She stared at the boy before her and even though it was hazy, she felt his prickly and icy gaze behind those sses. He remained standing there as if Ouyang Haitao''s death had nothing to do with him. "You¡­you killed my father?" No response. "Y-you really¡­That means Dad will never¡­?" The realization of the implication turned her face white. She felt paralyzed. Neither she found any strength in her arms and legs, nor the will to think any further because if she thought any further, she would have to ept the grim reality. Ouyang Haitao was no more and the dream of her happy family with him was already shattered into a million pieces. She, who was hoping toplete her family with a father''s presence, was helpless as a child once again. Her mother, who found love in a man and who would keep her happy for the rest of her life, was lost forever. The pain and loneliness that came from theck of a father figure - she would have to experience it all over again. She didn''t know who her biological father was, but his absence from her life had haunted her ever since she could understand the world around her. Now that same absence would settle in her life yet again. "You killed my father¡­" Her teary and piercing gaze shot daggers at the boy with sses before her. She raised her trembling hand, pointing her finger at him. "You are¡­you are a killer! You killed my father! You are a murderer I will never forgive!" Chapter 594 Every Revelation (14) Jinhai rushed to the hospital as soon as his ne touched down in Beijing. Half of his anxiety had dissipated as he came to know that Jun was free from Ouyang Haitao''s clutches. The other half of his worries included Jun being admitted to a hospital because of the injuries he sustained. He immediately recognized Xuan Hui who was standing in attention. "Hui! Jun¡­where is Jun?" Xuan Hui replied. "Boss! Young master Jun, young master Jian and young master Nian are all inside with Sir Liang." Jinhai shakily nodded his head. He was afraid to go inside, imagining the worst scenarios in his head. Xuan Hui could sense his restlessness and he immediately assured him. "Boss. Young master Jun is fine now!" He brightened. "He is already awake. Sir Liang is treating some minor injuries, that''s all." Jinhai went still and then narrowed his eyes on him. "Awake? You mean there was a point where he was unconscious?" "Th-That¡­I¡­" "We will talk about thister," he said with a rough edge to his voice. Jinhai was about to step inside when Xuan Hui hastily said, "Boss! Don''t¡­Please don''t get angry at the twins¡­" He blinked. "I know the general gist of what happened and I won''t me the twins for anything." Xuan Hui sighed in relief. "But they insisted on apanying you to such a dangerous ce. Instead of only one, I could have heard the news of three of my sons hurt and in danger. They are going to get an earful for that." Well that is true¡­ Jinhai opened the door to his brother-inw, Liang Shin''s office, who was treating Jun''s injuries. The twins were present beside Jun, firmly holding onto his hand. His breath almost stopped in his throat, seeing Jun lying on the bed as a patient. "Jun¡­" Liang Shin, Nana''s elder brother who was an acimed doctor, smiled at Jinhai. "Brother-inw. As I see, you are stressed out too much and I can already see some of your hair turning grey. You are too young to grow old at this age. You need not worry because my little nephew is all fine." It was in that confidence that Jinhai finally released his breath. He slowly walked towards Jun and seeing the scratches on his skin, twisted his heart. But it pained even more when he saw slightly bluish marks on his neck. His gaze went cold and so did his voice. "What happened to his neck? Had Ouyang Haitao¡­tried to strangle my son?" Liang Shin saw his fingers crackling with the thirst of violence and he very well understood his emotions too. He would be the same if somebody harmed his children. "Indeed, but it''s not serious. There is no damage to any veins in his neck. He won''t even have a sore throat. Right, Jun?" Jun slowly nodded. "It doesn''t hurt Dad¡­" Liang Shin said, "I will leave you all alone for sometime. I know you have many things to talk to them about." "Thank you, brother-inw. The twins are-" "Also fit and fine," he smiled and patted his shoulder. As Liang Shin left, he sat beside Jun and gently held his hand. "Tell me the truth. Are you really okay?" Jun wanted to nod a yes but soon, tears pooled in his eyes as he was unable to hide his fear. "Dad, did I¡­did I kill that Uncle?" Jinhai rapidly blinked his eyelids. "Of course not. Who said that to you?" "Oof Jun!" Jian red his nostrils. "Didn''t Nian already say that it has nothing to do with you?" Nian nodded hard. "Little brother, I see you keep defying your elder brothers." Jun sniffled and gasped uneasily. "B-But I heard the girl say¡­that I am a killer. I killed her father¡­" Shit! Jun heard that? I thought he was still unconscious. The twins hadn''t expected that Jun would have listened to Zhan Yahui. Jian eyed Nian. Didn''t you take Jun away? How did he hear her then? I don''t know! Nian began to sweat. Well it''s true that I also had heard that girl screaming at Jian and using him. It was quite loud¡­Maybe Jun heard it then¡­Shit! Jinhai saw his twins fumbling and confused. He ced his palm on Jun''s head and smiled. "It isn''t like what you are thinking, Jun. Ouyang Haitao is okay." The twins widened their eyes. Huh? Jun was equally shocked, but a sense of relief washed over his heart too. "R-Really? He¡­he is alive?" He smiled. "Yes. It was a simple concussion. Also, what you did was to only protect yourself. So I won''t tolerate seeing you me yourself, okay? It was Ouyang Haitao in the wrong who kidnapped you and his daughter. Uncle Shin gave you some medicine, right? You should go ahead and sleep." He bent and kissed his forehead. "You need a lot of rest." Jun slowly dozed off to sleep, holding onto Jinhai''s hand. His lips curved into a warm smile, seeing his son safe and unharmed. He gently freed his hand from Jun''s and looked at the twins. "Let''s talk in another room." The twins gulped and followed him obediently. Are we gonna get punished¡­? Jinhai took a seat on a chair and pulled them forward. "From next time on, you are directly heading home if something like this ever happens. You are only ten. Don''t act like you are twenty." The twins swallowed their saliva. "Yes¡­" "I don''t want to see you two just nodding your heads," he icily said. "I am sorry." "I am sorry." They apologized simultaneously. "We won''t do it again." "Good. But you will still get an earful from Nana. I cannot do anything about that." They bobbed their heads. Jinhai smiled in satisfaction. "Hm. Let''s go back." The twins were dumbfounded. "Ah? The scolding part is over?" "Is there anything else I need to scold you two for?" Jian said, "I guess Uncle Xuan forgot to tell you the main thing." "He didn''t forget to tell me. I know everything." Nian asked, "So why are you so calm?" "Because I would have made the same decision as you two did. He was going to kill Jun. Naturally, he had to die," Jinhai said, unfazed. "I am proud of you two that you could take that step. I know it must feel terrifying to order someone''s death. You did a fine job as responsible elder brothers. I have nothing to scold you for it." Chapter 595 Every Revelation (15) "Yahui!" Zhan Kai-Ming broke down as she saw her daughter being treated in a ward. After the short confrontation with Jian, the stress caused Zhan Yahui to copse once again. She gasped with shaky breaths, weakly holding onto the door as she looked through the small round window. "Yahui¡­" She felt footsteps stopping behind her, and she slowly turned, freezing as soon as she saw Xuan Hui. The guard dressed in ck before her intimidated her already afraid self. "Miss. Zhan. Boss wants to talk to you." Zhan Kai-Ming turned pale. It didn''t take rocket science to tell that the guard standing before belonged to the underworld. "M-My¡­daughter¡­" "Pleasee with me. Boss wants to talk to you. Your daughter is under treatment for now. Until then, Boss wants to talk to you." Zhan Kai-Ming had no choice but to quietly follow him. In a separate, private area of the hospital, she entered a dimly lit room with the leader of the Underworld waiting for her. She felt ack of oxygen in the air as she struggled to breathe. For some reason, she lowered her head. "Do you know why your daughter and my son are in the condition they are right now?" A chilly and unforgiving voice reverberated in the room. "Your lover is dead and I think you are made aware as to why that is so." She trembled and pressed her lips. "I don''t want to believe that it''s your fault but if you had left him already instead of letting him exploit you, then my son wouldn''t have had to suffer so much. I believe you perhaps knew from some months ago that he was misusing your money to pay his debt." Tears fell from her eyes and her lips quivered. "...It wasn''t easy," she spoke feebly. Jinhai''s ck eyes narrowed. "It is never easy. But ultimately, we have to decide and if you had, neither of our children would have been in this state. Your daughter was almost sold by the man you were supposed to marry." She said nothing. He understood it well that Zhan Kai-Ming was a victim of Ouyang Haitao''s betrayal herself, but he couldn''t hold back the bitterness in his voice. Jun was traumatized and had almost lost his life, and it wouldn''t have happened if Zhan Kai-Ming had severed her rtionship with Ouyang Haitao when she had the time. Zhan Kai-Ming breathlessly inhaled. "I-I will t-try my best and¡­pay all his loans¡­" "There is no need. I don''t want the money." That genuinely took her aback. She thought that she was summoned only to be the next in line to start coughing out money for Ouyang Haitao''s debt. "But it is hard to let you go free either," Jinhai said, "especially since your daughter thinks that my son is her father''s murderer." She froze. "You won''t be forced to pay the money, but letting you and daughter live is not a viable option for me either." "W-what¡­?" she could feel her heart jump in her throat. "You want to¡­kill us too?" His expression hardened. "Too? I don''t want to, but your dead lover didn''t leave me with many options. Do you know what is the most frustrating thing whenever such incidents happen?" It was a rhetorical question, but Zhan Kai-Ming could guess where this was going. "The family that is left behind bes a pain in the ass. Your daughter is way too invested and emotionally attached to get herplete family, which I also understand since you don''t live with her biological father whoever he might be. It''s normal to want a good family. But it also bes a problem when somebody important for that family toe to be, is dead. I know one thing for sure. Zhan Yahui, in her own world of misunderstandings, will never forgive Jun. And if she never forgives him, she will forever chase after him for revenge." Jinhai tilted his head. "So before a cycle of revenge is born, I will kill it with my own hands." Zhan Kai-Ming copsed on her knees. "No¡­please don''t! I beg you¡­I beg you, Mr. Liu. Please, please let us go. I will talk to Yahui and we will move out of Beijing!" She hastily clutched onto any straws that would help her change Jinhai''s mind. "We-we will never set our foot here again! I will a-also exin everything to her. The truth¡­" "It''s no use convincing me. I have worked for long enough to know that the thirst for revenge never dies. This happened when she is at such an impressionable age. She won''t let this go." "She will! I will talk to her. I-I will tell her that your son is not at fault. Instead he was the victim too! She will definitely understand¡­So please¡­I will take Yahui and l-leave this city forever," she cried hard, "What you fear will never happen." "She loves Ouyang Haitao too much to be able to understand what exactly happened. I cannot let you two live," Jinhai dered like an ultimatum. "Please¡­" Zhan Kai-Ming shook hard with her tears wetting the floor, "It''s¡­it''s not o-only because of Yahui that I am asking you for m-mercy¡­" "So?" "I am pregnant." Jinhai said nothing. "That''s also why¡­it was hard to leave Haitao. Once again¡­I couldn''t snatch my unborn child''s father once again," she bit her lip. "If I had left him, then not one but¡­two of my children would have be fatherless." Zhan Kai-Ming raised her head, her eyes looking tired and defeated. She touched her belly and said with a broken voice, "I don''t w-want my child to die¡­He isn''t even born. He hasn''t even seen this world¡­I want to give birth to him. I want to raise him just like I love Yahui. I¡­want to be a good mother to both of my children," she gasped. "Please¡­don''t kill us. I promise that I or any of my children will ever cross paths with the Liu family. I promise that we won''t ever be your enemies." Chapter 596 Every Revelation (16) *Present* "You broke the promise just like I had expected you to," Jinhai balled his fingers into his palm. His eyshes trembled, thinking back to the time when Jun hade to visit him to tell him the truth about his rebirth. "But I showed mercy to that unborn child. I broke my own underworldw and let a family go, trusting Zhan Kai-Ming''s promise and giving her a chance to live her life anew. But what you did only reinforced my beliefs. Thank you for proving to me that I should have killed you and Zhan Kai-Ming back then. My mercy¡­only brought ruin to my son''s life." "Dad, it''s not your fault!" Jun hurriedly bent on his knees and held his trembling palm in his. Tears brimmed in her eyes, feeling the shiver in his voice. "What the hell, Dad? You are crazy! Are you seriously ming yourself?" It was harder to speak for Jinhai as an overwhelming feeling of guilt erupted like a dormant volcano in his heart. "I know what you want to say and I am already saying that it''s bullshit. I know you are not the sort of a person to bend to give any chances, but you did which only makes me happier. You showed kindness to them and I am proud of you for that." "That kindness¡­turned out to be a big mistake," he quietly said. Jun gritted his teeth. Jinhai was his father but for the first time, he felt like scolding him like a little child. Xing Bi gasped. "That''s not true at all, Uncle!" The twins spread their arms as if they had already tasted this defeat. "That''s what we have been trying to say to him ever since we got to know about Zhan Yahui''s involvement, that he is not at fault, but he is being a stubborn mule." Chyou frowned. "Being stubborn is not nice." Xing Bi red her nostrils from the other side. "Uncle, you should learn from your son, Nian. He doesn''t ept his mistake even when he is at fault, especially all those times he fooled me, used my precious Ai and stalked me like crazy." Nian - "..." "And here, you didn''t make any mistake in the first ce, so you should definitely take inspiration from Nian''s traits." Nian clutched his chest. "Xing Bi, I-I am definitely not crying, okay? I am fine. I am totally fine." "Hmph." Jin took out his phone amidst the two cats jumping on his head and shoulders, treating him like a trampoline, "Should I call Mom? She always smacks sense into Dad." Jinhai gave him a cold look. "Don''t bother my wife." "So you want to bother yourself instead?" Ai slightly bent and narrowed her eyes. "Dad, look at me." Jinhai pursed his lips but didn''t raise his head. Jun was in utter disbelief to see his father act like that. "Are you seriously my Dad or has somebody taken over you?" "Dad," Ai called him a bit more sternly this time, "will you look at me or should I call Mom?" He immediately met her gaze, making her feel satisfied. But that only made Jin seething in anger. The hell!? He didn''t even flinch when I used the Mom card but to Ai, he does? What is this bias!? "Good," Ai nodded. "Now repeat after me. I made no mistake." Jun and the twins'' brow twitched hard. Ai is really treating Dad like a child¡­The great Liu Jinhai¡­ Jinhai couldn''t say it no matter how hard he tried. "I cannot fool myself into thinking that, Ai." "You are not fooling yourself because this is the truth. Showing mercy to a mother and her unborn child wasn''t a mistake. Despite the fact that Jun was hurt, you let them go. You had no obligation to show any sympathy or grant them a new chance, yet you did and that was your kindness you should be proud of. Your conscience is clear." "That kindness only ended your lives and I should say¡­quite literally," Jinhaimented. Ai shook her head. "No. It wasn''t your kindness but Zhan Kai-Ming''s selfishness. It was her responsibility to tell the truth to Zhan Yahui. If Zhan Yahui had known that Ouyang Haitao wanted to sell her, do you think she would have had any feelings left towards him as a daughter?" Jinhai blinked. "Of course she told her the truth. I was standing at a distance when she told Zhan Yahui everything in her ward where she was admitted." Xuan Hui nodded. "Yes, Miss. Zhou. Boss wanted to see for himself how Zhan Yahui would react to the news and if she would continue to pose a danger for young master Jun. Initially, she did cause a fuss and scene but after Zhan Kai-Ming''s continuous hugging and reassurance, she had calmed down and epted that Ouyang Haitao was at fault. We heard Zhan Kai-Ming telling everything and saw Zhan Yahui epting the truth too." Ai asked, "Then why does Zhan Yahui still want revenge? Why does she still think that Ouyang Haitao was a good man?" Why did you have to reiterate the past to her when she should have already known that from her mother?" Neither Jinhai nor Xuan Hui could quite answer her. Jinhai stared at Ai in a stupor but was actually thinking back to the time in the hospital. A momentter, his expression hardened as something dawned upon him. He slowly turned to face Zhan Yahui, who was shivering after the bombardment of the truth. "What did Zhan Kai-Ming say to you when she was hugging you?" Zhan Yahui stared back at him. "She hugged you when you were crying and acting out of control, which was the only time she could have whispered something to you that I wouldn''t have been able to listen to." She said nothing. Her silence only made Jinhai sure of his conjecture. "You were making a fuss but then slowly, you stopped crying. Is it because Zhan Kai-Ming whispered something to the effect like, ''Please pretend to ept it or Liu Jinhai will kill us.''" Chapter 597 Every Revelation (17) "What did Zhan Kai-Ming exactly tell you?" "She told me the truth and the truth was that your family killed Dad! But I made a mistake¡­I made a mistake in recognizing my enemy¡­" Her body trembled in anger, her murderous gaze falling on the twins. "You were the ones who actually gave the order to kill Dad! You two snatched my family from me!" She screamed. "Instead of targeting Liu Jun, I should have¡­I should have made your lives miserable." "Miserable?" Jian sneered. "We just told you everything about your so-called father upon whom you had ced your trust, but you are still using us?" "Because you are painting lies in front of me! Mom told me herself!'' *shback* Zhan Yahui threw the fruit basket on the hospital ward''s floor as Zhan Kai-Ming revealed the truth about the incident. "Enough, Mom! Is it because you fought with Dad that you are talking such nonsense!? He loved you. He loved me. He-he would never think of hurting us! Don''t you dare badmouth him!" "Yahui please believe me¡­" Zhan Kai-Ming tremblingly approached her, her eyes wet with tears. "Haitao used us. He really did want to¡­sell you. He kidnapped Liu family''s son too who got hurt because of him. There was no choice but to¡­Please Yahui. Come with me. We will leave Beijing and start a new life. Together with you¡­and your little brother or sister." "Shut up! Shut up!" Her face was livid, "You want me to continue living my life without a Dad? That won''t ever happen! I¡­" she clenched her fists, "I want a family just like all the kids in my school! I had enough of getting sympathy looks! I want Dad¡­I want my Dad¡­" tears plopped down. The more time passed and the more Zhan Kai-Ming continued to exin, the more violent Zhan Yahui became. She started to throw all the things left and right and scream at the top of her lungs. At one point when Zhan Yahui had almost hurt herself, Zhan Kai-Ming panicked and threw herself into her hug, speaking with quivering lips. "Yahui, we cannot live here anymore¡­We will-" "Shut up!" She roared and tried to push her away, but Zhan Kai-Ming didn''t budge. With eyes reddened in fury, Zhan Yahui was about to throw another te when she whispered in her ear, "Please at least pretend to agree, Yahui¡­I beg you. Don''t make anymore ruckus or w-we will be killed." Zhan Yahui stopped, feeling confused but her body was still shaking in anger. "We are at the mercy of the Liu family. If t-they see you resisting like this, they won''t¡­they will kill us," she continued speaking in a soft voice. "I want to live with you Yahui. I want to give birth to your sibling. B-But it won''t happen if Liu Jinhai feels that you," her voice broke, "you will be a threat to his son and family¡­Please listen to me, Yahui. We are fighting for our survival here." Zhan Kai-Mingpletely broke down after herst resort in trying to convince Zhan Yahui. The Liu family is¡­threatening Mom¡­? They killed my Dad and now they want to kill us too? Zhan Kai-Ming clutched her tighter, shivering. "P-please don''t say anything. H-He is listening to us¡­Over the next few days¡­just please show them that you have epted the truth and we will quietly leave. Please Yahui¡­" *Present* Jun, Ai, the twins and Jinhai went extremely quiet. Jinhai closed his eyes, a sinking feeling settling in his chest that he had missed to spot a bigndmine that would explode in the future one day. From everything that he knew about her, she was a sincere, honest and hardworking woman, struggling to keep her family together even if she had to tolerate living with Ouyang Haitao. But that sincere and honest woman had lied. I failed¡­I failed in my judgment of Zhan Kai-Ming¡­ "The hell!?" Chyou and Jin burst out at once, feeling baffled and incredulous. "Your mother¡­" Chyou said with her jaw dropped, pletely spun the story to make it look as if Uncle Jinhai was being unfair." "That''s far from the truth!" Jin felt like going back in time and wringing Zhan Kai-Ming''s neck. "Do you think we are some sadists who enjoy threatening innocent people for fun? The ones who break the rules must suffer punishment. That''s a simple equation which Ouyang Haitao didn''t bother following. So he got the end that he deserved! I cannot believe your mother dared to lie about us!" "I will kill you if you speak a word against Mom!" Zhan Yahui eximed. *Meow!* *Meow!* Jun-cute and Ai-chan who were jumping on his shoulder fiercely hissed at Zhan Yahui as if they would scratch her with their mighty ws. "Why!? Why should I keep quiet? Why should I not speak the truth!? The Liu family¡­not only killed my father but my mother too!" She violently resisted against the cuffs tied to her wrist. "If not¡­if not for Dad''s death, she would have notmitted suicide four monthster!" Jun slightly furrowed his brows. "We moved to a new city but Mom¡­couldn''t handle the stress¡­" Zhan Yahui turned paler and paler, "A new city, a new job, a new home¡­everything had changed. We were alone once again without Dad. She had to work hard to earn a lot of money and not just for me but a-also for my unborn sibling''s sake¡­But what happened in the end? She¡­" she nkly said, "sh-she couldn''t bear the pressure and she¡­miscarried." Ai widened her eyes. "Her body became too weak and she miscarried. I lost my sibling and then¡­I lost Mom too¡­she killed herself. First Dad left¡­then her child¡­" sheughed, her heart feeling empty and her gaze devoid of any emotions, "W-why would she choose to continue living such a painful life after losing two precious people in her life? So the Liu family is not just responsible for my Dad''s murder but also¡­" she gnashed her jaw, "the murder of my Mom and my sibling." "That''s not the truth, Yahui." A voice echoed from the back as a certain pair of footsteps stopped. Everybody turned and were puzzled to find Shi Shuren in the base. Shi Shuren looked at Zhan Yahui as he sped his hands together. "Kai-Ming didn''t die because of the Liu family. I¡­I killed her." Chapter 598 Every Revelation (18) Jun narrowed his eyes. He nced at Ai for a moment, wondering the same as her. How was he connected to everything? "I apologize Mr. Liu for my sudden appearance like this but after I saw Yahui being taken away outside Shi Publishing¡­I knew I had toe here." Zhan Yahui felt like tearing the whole world apart. She already had to tolerate the Liu family''s presence who was her biggest enemy and now came Shi Shuren as well, whom she hated just like she hated the Lius''. "Yes, pleasee," she sneered. "You were the only one left to join this party. Now all my enemies are in one ce. If you¡­If you hadn''t betrayed Mom, if you hadn''t left her then we would never have suffered in the first ce. It was you who made our life nothing but a tragedy!! Everything started because of you!" Shi Shuren felt as if he was standing on thin ice. Her screams of agony rang harshly in his ears that struck deep into his heart. "You are right. Everything started because of me. Because even though I was married, I fell in love with another woman and had rtions with her. It was an arranged marriage with Zhn. I didn''t love her, but I was forced to abide by my family''s wishes anyway. This is not an excuse for my cheating Zhn. I understand that now but back then, I was disappointed and angry at everything. Furious at thepromises I was making. I tried to give our marriage a chance, but I just couldn''t. The fact that I was forced to marry her bothered me like crazy and everyday became a struggle for me." Everybody silently listened to him except for Zhan Yahui who didn''t care about his story. She only wished to kill him. Shi Shuren exhaled shakily. "A yearter, I met Kai-Ming in a bar. She was working many odd jobs and being a barmaid was one of them. We kind of hit it off and even I didn''t understand why I began to visit the bar frequently. But yes¡­we fell in love with her and we¡­I was too afraid to reveal my marriage to her because I knew she wouldn''t agree for our rtionship." He felt a burning tingling in his eyes as he remembered the past. "I kept it a secret and continued my rtionship with her. To me, they were the best days of my life. The time when I felt like I wasn''tpromising anymore. That everyday wasn''t a struggle anymore. But the inevitable happened and she became pregnant with you. Things had gotten too far to continue keeping my marriage hidden anymore so I told her everything. Naturally, Kai-Ming was hurt and furious and wanted to leave me. But I promised her I will sort everything out and separate from Zhn." A wry and defeated smile came to his lips. "But Zhn refused to divorce me." Jin frowned. "She wasn''t affected by your cheating?" "She was. She was just as furious as the rest of my family was. But no matter how much I tried to convince them, neither my family nor Zhn agreed for our separation. And I¡­became a coward. After one point, I just couldn''t get through them. I couldn''t oppose their iron-willed decision. Many times¡­many times I felt like I would just run away and start my new life with Kai-Ming and my child. But I was afraid. Will I be able to pull it off? Can I give a good life to them? What if I failed? What if I became a terrible husband and father? What if I became a joke in front of everyone? In the end¡­the pressure and my fear got to me and I stepped back from my responsibilities. I couldn''t fulfill my promise to Kai-Ming anymore. Kai-Ming left me and I went back to living my cowardly life," he mockingly smiled at himself. "But even so I never forgot her or you, Yahui. Every single day, I thought of you two. What is Kai-Ming doing? How is my child growing up? Every single day¡­" He pressed his lips, forcing himself to continue. "Then one day Huan was born. It had been almost eight to nine years to Zhn and my marriage that there wasn''t a child in the family. She was a child born out of nothing but for the sake of appearances. I love Huan but there was no love behind her birth." Ai and Xing Bi, who was listening on the other end, felt an urge to cry. Huan¡­ Jian narrowed his eyes. "If you and Zhan Kai-Ming had already gone your separate ways, then how are you connected to anything?" He trembled. "Because one day I met Kai-Ming once again. Around three years after Huan''s birth. I was in another city for a business trip and I crossed paths with her there¡­" Jun slightly widened his eyes. Zhan Kai-Ming had left Beijing after the kidnapping incident¡­ Zhan Yahui stared at him, bewildered. "Are you fucking lying to me!? You never met Mom! She never told me that she met you!" "She kept it from you and I can understand why. I had no right to be back in your life anymore, someone who had lied to her and then ran away from his promise. But I-I didn''t care any of that. I was just so happy to meet her again¡­" his tears fell as his body shook. "The love and all those emotions gushed back to me. I was so tired of everything, of my life with Zhn that when I saw Kai-Ming again, I felt like I was being pulled back to her. All my frustrations just melted away and this time¡­I really, really wanted her." He clenched his fists. "This time I had made up my mind. I won''t be a coward anymore. Whether Zhn or my family disagreed, I will get back together with Kai-Ming at any cost and make her my wife. I will bring her and you to my family. I will do anything to escape my hellish life and be the woman I always loved. But¡­I was toote because I got to know that she was pregnant with someone else''s child and..." Jun and Ai exchanged nces and felt a bad foreboding. I feel I know where this is going. Shi Shuren bit his lip. "And I got angry. I know, I know! I had no right to feel that way. I acted cowardly and left her in the past. I betrayed her. She moved on with her life and found a new love. But I couldn''t bear it. It was frustrating! It was agonizing because I couldn''t move on from her at all! It was just so damn irritating! I tried like anything to convince her for us to get back together. I would ept her child too, but she stubbornly kept refusing. A-and in a fit of fury one day...I...I...f-forced myself on her." Chapter 599 Every Revelation (19) The room was filled with such an eerie silence that it was enough to send chills across everybody''s spine. Shi Shuren cried with remorse and Zhan Yahui felt as if she lost the ability to feel any emotion. The poisonous words hovered in her ears, but she couldn''t make any sense of them. "It was my fault¡­it was my fault¡­" Shi Shuren copsed on the floor, his palms covering his face and bing moist with his tears. "I was horrible to her. I became too selfish and hurt her¡­It''s all my fault that she lost her child¡­" Ai shut her eyes, helpless. It was just as she and Jun suspected. Zhan Kai-Ming lost her child not because of the stress of her new life but the stress of an assault¡­And not just by anyone but the man she once loved, tears brimmed her eyes. "A f-few dayster, I learned that she¡­" he shook, "she was no more. Sh-She had killed herself¡­" "What the hell was wrong with you!?" Jun grabbed the cor of his shirt, green veins appearing on the back of his fair hand but his cheeks pinkish with indignation. "What were you thinking!? You were right that you had no right to treat Zhan Kai-Ming that way! You acted cowardly your whole life but got furious at a woman who showed the strength to move forward? Do you have any idea what she must have felt!" Jun trembled as he felt choked in his throat. "Whether it was Ouyang Haitao or you towards Zhan Kai-Ming or Lu Long towards Sun Bai, every one of you three only acted like an ass towards the woman they should have treated with care and respect. And after everything that happened because of you, you still had the nerve to continue living as if it had nothing to do with you!" "N-No! That''s not the truth!" His eyes ached as he met Jun''s ferocious gaze. "Imitted a sin. I-I lost Kai-Ming forever. I made her go through such hell t-that¡­she felt that ending her life was the only option. My entire world had shattered. I felt like killing myself too¡­H-How could I have forgiven myself for that¡­? I was a mess! But¡­but there was Yahui. She was the lst¡­" he gasped, "person in this world left for me who reminded me of Kai-Ming¡­My daughter who I¡­" he clenched his jaw, "who got left all alone because of a blunder that I made¡­I¡­wanted her back." Zhan Yahui didn''t react to any of that and simply stared at the ground, motionless. "I had already abandoned them once. I d-didn''t want to abandon her once again¡­" he shut his eyes, his warm tears sliding down his cheeks, "b-but I didn''t find Yahui anywhere¡­When I came to know about Kai-Ming''s suicide, I immediately went back because I wanted to take Yahui with me. But I didn''t find her anywhere. I searched for her like crazy, but she had just¡­disappeared. The only person remaining who I wanted to hold on to had vanished too¡­" he broke down. "It was nine yearster that Yahui suddenly appeared before the Shi family. I was so, so happy¡­" his gaze looked faraway as if remembering the distant past, "I hadn''t stopped looking for Yahui''s whereabouts the whole time, but I couldn''t find her at all. I thought that I had lost her f-forever too just like Kai-Ming¡­Nothing was left¡­ But Yahui came back one day and I-I couldn''t be happier¡­But she had no interest in me," he sadly smiled. "Of course I don''t me her. I was the most horrendous person to her mother and her. It was fine to me even if she treated me like garbage¡­I only cared that at least my daughter was still alive¡­and I would do anything to keep her by my side this time." Nian said, "That''s why despite Mrs. Shi was furious at this prospect so much, you let Zhan Yahuie to the Shi family. That''s why you didn''t hesitate in giving her all your shares even though you knew it would make Mrs. Shi only more antagonized." Shi Shuren gave a lifeless smile. "Shares are nothingpared to how much I¡­desperately wanted topensate for Yahui. I know that it''s a stupid thought. My betrayal and Kai-Ming''s death cannot bepensated in any way but when¡­Yahui wanted those shares from me, I didn''t want to reject her. Even if¡­even if by an infinitesimal point, I had a chance to redeem myself, I wanted to grab it at any cost¡­" He exhaled slowly, feeling powerless. "I even knew that she was back to take revenge from me. I didn''t know about any of her ns against the Liu family. The bitterness that Yahui showed¡­I only thought that she returned to take revenge from me. To destroy the man who ruined Kai-Ming and her happy life. And I was ready for it because I deserved it¡­" Ai coldly shot back. "And did Huan deserve it too? Your daughter who had nothing to do with the cruelty and cowardice you showed in the past¡­was it fair of you to treat her like an invisible person and let her get dragged into this fire by Zhan Yahui? A revenge against you meant a revenge against the Shi family. Against Shi Zhn and Shi Huan too. You felt guilty towards Zhan Yahui but not towards Huan? You wanted topensate for your sins but by sacrificing your wife and daughter''s lives?" Her voice turned icier as she continued. "Huan''s dreams, her life meant nothing to you? At the Authors'' Summit when she fell sick and was dismissed from thepetition, did you feel nothing towards her loss? Everybody else was in the dark, but you must have known that Zhan Yahui did something topromise her health and throw her out of thepetition. Even so, did it not matter to you at all?" The color slowly drained from Shi Shuren''s face. "Not true¡­That''s not true. I love Huan too¡­" Jun tightened his grip. "You do not because for the sake of redeeming yourself for one family, you were ready to drown the other one. That is not love but selfishness. You were nothing but a selfish ma n from the beginning till the end." Chapter 600 Conscience Jun harshly let go of Shi Shuren, and his knees stumbled on the ground crying hard. Chyou''sptop shed with a signal, and she smiled victoriously. She pulled Nian''s coat and whispered into his ear. "Found Hou Lin. It was a hard catch but I tracked the route he used to take Xing Bi with him." His gaze flickered with concern for Xing Bi. "You are the best, Chyou," he whispered back, making her grin. Nian took Jun''s phone where Hou Lin and Xing Bi were on the line the entire time. "There is nothing left to reveal anymore. Whether why Ouyang Haitao had to die or why Zhan Kai-Mingmitted suicide - the truth is right before you. The entire motivation for Zhan Yahui to have revenge on the Liu family never held any water, that''s why there is no meaning in keeping Xing Bi in harm''s way either. So it''s in the best interest for you to let go of her right this instant." There was silence on the other end. Hou Lin didn''t speak, which only irritated Nian more and more. Ai nced at Zhan Yahui''s side as well but she found her reactions to be confusing. She was trembling and muttering to herself. Her gaze was unfocused and shaky, making Ai unsure if she had really epted the truth or not. Nian violently kicked a chair aside. "Don''t test my patience, Hou Lin! Don''t tell me that even after knowing all this-" "Nian," Jinhai raised his palm, signaling him to calm down. "But he-" Jun quietly asked, "Can I talk to him?" Nian cursed Hou Lin and eventually handed Jun his phone back. Jun stared at the number. He knew Hou Lin was listening to them from the other end. "Hou Lin." It was very faint, but he heard a shaky exhale of a breath. "You have supported Zhan Yahui with her ns all this time. I don''t know if she will ever ept reality or not. But you have a choice. You know everything now. Do you think that Ouyang Haitao had a clear conscience?" Nian scoffed and murmured under his breath. "Why does a traitor''s opinion matter?" "Nian," Jian blinked at him once to reassure him. "Jun has worked with Hou Lin for all this time, not us. He would know the best way to talk to him. Let us believe in him." He whispered. "Chyou has already tracked him." "Which could prove to be dangerous if we barge at the location with our guards. He might flip and hurt her. It would be safer if Jun could talk him out to switch sides instead of going the violent way and potentially hurting Xing Bi." Nian exhaled a deep breath and nodded. Jian is right. I have to be calm and rational. I have to be calm and rational, he repeated like a mantra. Jun patiently waited for his answer, which seemed to take an eternity but he didn''t mind. In the end, Hou Lin said, "...I don''t know if he was right or not, Sir." Nian''s expression twisted. Jun said, "I am not asking if he was right or wrong. I am asking if you think his conscience was clear or not." "Is there a difference, Sir?" "Yes. Going the right way or the wrong way in life depends on our circumstances but more importantly, our conscience. Even a good person can make wrong decisions and even a bad person can make the right choices. Being good or bad or right or wrong are justbels. What matters behind thosemitments are our intentions. Do you think Ouyang Haitao''s intentions towards his daughter were clear?" On the other side where Xing Bi was trapped, she clearly figured out how Hou Lin was struggling with Jun''s question. It might be an easy question for others to answer but apparently, not for him and she wondered why. Xing Bi gave it some thought and added to Jun''s question. "Let me ask you this. If you be a father to your child tomorrow, what would you like to do with him or her?" "I don''t know. I haven''t thought about it." She shrugged. "So think about it now. Anything random thates to your mind." Hou Lin''s hesitation settled down and he blinked his eyes as if in a deep thought. "I think¡­it would be nice if¡­we could go fishing together someday. Hiking on mountains sounds good too. Shopping together on weekends is a good idea too. Then...reading books is a good habit. It would be nice if we could build our own small library at home. Working on school projects together sounds fun too¡­" Jun slowly asked, "Do you think Ouyang Haitao wanted to do any of this with Zhan Yahui?" Hou Lin parted his lips to answer, but he immediately closed them. Then he spoke as he was simultaneously thinking his answer in his mind, "I don''t think so¡­" "Does that give him a clear conscience? The one that says to treat their child well?" "No, Sir," this time, his answer was fairly immediate. "If you think that, then do you think you should let Xing Bi free?" Jun stared at the seconds passing by on the phone with no answer. After what it seemed like forever to Nian, Hou Lin finally said, "I will release Miss. Xing." Jun softly exhaled in silence, closing his eyes for a moment. Ai cried in joy too with the good news. She knew it might look stupid to trust a kidnapper but with the way the conversation was going and with how Hou Lin was answering, she felt it deep inside her heart that he was speaking genuinely. "I will release, Miss. Xing," Hou Lin continued, "but I would like to meet Yahui too. I want to see her. I want to talk to her if I can." Jun nced at the twins and his father, taking a moment to think about this request. Jinhai gave a nod, and Jun replied. "Okay. I will bring Zhan Yahui with me to where you are." Chapter 606 What Is Right And What Is Wrong (5) "I like you! Please go out with me!" Hou Lin unblinkingly stared at the girl standing before him. It was a typical confession with a typical anonymous letter put in his locker box and asking him to privately meet a certain someone near the sports grounds. The certain someone was Da Shang, Hou Lin''s ssmate in their senior and final year of high school. At eighteen, they were ready to graduate, which would be in a couple of weeks after which they would enter professional universities of their choice. Wanting to take this chance as the graduation ceremony was rapidly approaching, Da Shang decided to confess to Hou Lin before they would leave high school and probably never meet again. Hou Lin stood still, trying to process her confession because this was the first confession he had ever received. "Umm¡­" He wasn''t sure how to answer her confession so he could only ask questions, "Why?" "Because you are smart, handsome and we suit each other very much! You are like the prince of our high school and I am the campus belle. Aren''t we a perfect match?" She proudly grinned. "I am not a prince. I am just Hou Lin." "Not for the rest of the school, duh. You are super popr." "I am really not¡­This is the first confession I got." Her jaw dropped. "You cannot be serious! Girls totally swoon over you! Ohhh I get it," she facepalmed. "Well they must think that they are not worthy of you which I totally understand. Not everybody is a campus belle like me. So, so! When can we go on our first date?" She eagerly asked. "But I haven''t said yes yet." Her eyes widened. "Are you telling me that you need time to think? What is there to think?" His heart mildly started to panic and he looked around, searching for that one person who always helped him decide. But she was nowhere. In the end, he managed to convince Da Shang to give him some time to think. After she left with pouted cheeks, Hou Lin released a sigh of relief. "Tch. And here I thought you would be able to reject her." Hou Lin looked up and saw Zhan Yahui leaning outside the window from an empty ssroom on the second floor. "Yahui." "You should be able to handle things without me. Remember I kept my end of the bargain and left your house, right? After graduation, I won''t be there to hand hold you anymore." Which was true. As soon as Zhan Yahui turned eighteen, she packed her bags and left Hou Lin''s house, doing exactly as she had promised seven years ago. She now lived in a rented apartment that was easy on her budget which she had earned and stashed from doing all the part time jobs. Hou Lin said, "This is my first confession. I don''t know what to do." She raised her brow. "What do you want to do? She confessed because she likes you. Now, you have to think if you like her or not." "I have never thought of her that way." "You haven''t thought of any female ssmates that way." "So what should I do?" She shrugged. "Upto you. Think about the conversation you just had with her and decide." He pursed his lips. "You don''t want to help me?" "I think the right term here is making you independent. It''s only a few weeks before our graduation after which we willpletely part ways. You need to learn to live without me." "I see." She winked and left, leaving Hou Lin to his own thoughts. After much consideration, he thought it was better to ept Da Shang''s confession. "I don''t know if I like you and I also don''t know if I dislike you romantically. So I think we should give ourselves a chance. That way, we will know for sure." "Perfect! I knew I would hear a yes haha! Oh Gosh Lin, I am so excited!" The news of their rtionship spread like wildfire. It came as a huge shock to everybody. The prince and campus belle of high school were officially dating. Hou Lin thought that things would gradually start to change but they didn''t. On the contrary, as he got included in Da Shang''s friend circle, he felt it was harder tomunicate with any of them. "Damn you two look so good with each other." "No kidding!" "Everybody is totally jealous of you Shang hahaha!" He began to understand that Da Shang and him were different in most aspects and there wasn''t really anymon ground between them, which only started to exhaust him even though he tried hard to adapt. At one such karaoke event after school, Hou Lin couldn''t bear the crowd and loud music and theughter but despite him urging to leave, Da Shang convinced him to stay with her pouty and pitiful look. "You have to stay, pretty please! How will it look if you suddenly leave? People will unnecessarily spread rumors and gossip behind my back." "But I am¡­" "Please, please?" She threw another pitiful look, giving Hou Lin no choice. But he convinced her to let him go outside for a breath of fresh air for at least a few minutes. He panted breathlessly in the corridor with dizziness making his head spin around. "You should speak up when you are feeling ufortable." Hou Lin heard a voice and turned. "Are you talking to me?" "We are the only ones here." The figure stood near a vending machine across a pir with his back to him. Hou Lin figured it was a boy around his age or so but he couldn''t clearly see his face. Hou Lin said, "She likes this stuff." "Do you?" He asked while inserting a coin in the vending machine''s coin slot. "...Not really." "So you should tell her." "She doesn''t like it." "So you should leave her." His eyes widened. "You mean breakup?" "Is there a point to a rtionship if things are only going as per one side''s wishes? Sometimes you listen to her. Sometimes she listens to you. You both try to adjust. That''s how it should work. My mom says so." Hou Lin thought about it. "I saw your group as I was passing by. She is a kind of show off girl. The fakeughter, the need for attention, the desire to show off that she is dating a handsome boy. She is your ssmate, right? Did you not notice it before? She isn''t exactly hiding it." The soda can rattled against the vending machine and the boy bent to pick it. Suddenly, something struck Hou Lin, making him realize a point he had missed before. He bowed before the boy. "Thank you so much." He paused and nodded. Hou Lin turned and ran outside as he took out his phone to make a call. The boy opened the soda can but as he was about to take his first sip, he heard a voice filled withint call him out. "Broooo! Mom is done with her work. We have to head back to Beijing and we are gettingte! Where are you?" Jun stared at his soda can and sighed. "Coming Nuo." Chapter 634 The Golden Clock Shows The Past (18) An excruciating death was what awaited Zhan Yahui. But before that, an excruciating torture was what she was made to go through. First, it was through watching Hou Lin suffer. That alone immensely pained her because even if she didn''t admit, Hou Lin was the only person in her life she remotely had any human connection with. He was being tortured and punished because he loyally supported Zhan Yahui through her revenge. And Jinhai made sure to make him pay every cent of that loyalty that betrayed Jun in Sky Publishing. "Lin¡­" To see Hou Lin suffer and die in front of her was a punishment far more painful than all the bruises she had on her body. She thought that Jinhai would immediately kill her, but that was far from the case. Jinhai made her life a living hell. If she thought that his anger of losing his wife and children would make him end her life as soon as possible, then she was very wrong. Five years of grief and suffering that led three precious people in Jinhai''s life to their deaths and forever bringing a gloomy silence within the walls of the Liu vi. It was for five years that Jinhai let Zhan Yahui live and die at the same time. He kept both her and Hou Lin alive but such that they wished for death to greet them and end this miserable life instead. Everyday Zhan Yahui watched Hou Lin in pain. Everyday Hou Lin watched Zhan Yahui in agony. For both of them, death was what they wanted the most, but it was death that Jinhai never gave them. "You will suffer. Like my children did. Like my wife did. For all those happy memories that you snatched away from us, for all that lost time that you can never give us back¡­you will keep suffering and you will watch your dear friend suffering too." It was after five excruciating years that Zhan Yahui took herst breath. Throughout the five years in the dark, underworld base, screaming out with the torture of every single pain she caused to the innocent, her end came on Jun''s fifth death anniversary. Jinhai first ended Hou Lin''s life in front of her eyes after which he said, "It was just one man and you were already so miserable? Quite weak of you I must say." His cold and callous words fell on Zhan Yahui''s ears but she had no strength. The truth of Ouyang Haitao had killed her from within and seeing the man she cherished the most in her own way to be tortured and killed before her eyes had made her soul beyond broken so much so that even tears had left her side long back. "Lin¡­" she weakly mumbled under her breath. "You¡­didn''t deserve this end¡­You didn''t deserve¡­to be punished¡­for my sins¡­I am sorry¡­" At the end, she kept whispering to herself rather than talking to Jinhai. She was zoned out, wishing for an imaginary happy ending for her and Hou Lin in her own world. "I am sorry¡­If I could get¡­another chance¡­I would not¡­make you suffer¡­like this¡­Lin¡­you deserve to be so¡­so happy¡­" Those were thest words as her eyes closed themselves. Jinhai kept standing there, staring at her bruised and tortured dead body for hours. He didn''t know what he was trying to find in her, but he didn''t leave the base for a long time. When he did, he visited the cemetery where he silently stood before Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying''s graves. Five years ago when he had learned of their deaths by Zhan Yahui''s hands, he made it sure to give them a proper resting ce beside their daughter''s grave. "You can be...at peace now. And... thank you for everything, Zhou Ai..." He thanked the Zhou family from the bottom of his heart. He then stood before the graves of his wife and his two sons, lonely and silent. He parted his lips but nothing came out of it for a long time. "Nana, Jun, Jin¡­" His cheekbones hurt as he tried to rein in the tears but failed miserably. "She is dead," he dered with a choking voice, "She is¡­finally dead. I am sorry that I made you w-wait for so long¡­I am sorry. You must be angry at me that I kept her alive for five years. It was hard for me too¡­But I wanted to give her the same pain that she inflicted on us and now finally¡­Finally you get your peace¡­" Jinhai trembled with his warm tears plopping on the ground. "I could finally give you justice¡­So¡­so can I j-join you three too? Please¡­? Nana, I¡­I cannot live without you. I cannot live without myplete family. It hurts so much¡­that I don''t want to feel this way¡­So can I please die too?" His knees grew weak and he softly copsed, crying his heart out for the first time. "But you won''t allow me, won''t you?" A wry chuckle escaped his lips, "How can I be cruel to the twins and Nuo? They need me, right¡­? Especially now that you three aren''t there¡­They need me more than anything. But it''s just so¡­painful, Nana¡­" After a beat of silence, he continued with a tremulous smile. "But you know what? I am so proud of the children we have raised. Jian is handling Natsukashi just like you used to. Nian''s Natsukashi bakery has grown so far that you would have cried tears of joy. Nuo has taken over Liu Corps. It''s a surprise, isn''t it? She wasn''t much interested in thepany before, but she was so stubborn in taking over. You all would have loved seeing her work as a CEO¡­" He gazed at Jun and Jin''s stones, his gaze dimming. "So don''t worry, Jin. Your sister is doing a fine job and so is¡­" he whispered as he stared at Jun, "Shui. Jun. Shui¡­Shui has been working with Yunru to revive Sky Publishing. Shocking, right? I hadn''t expected this. But she came to me one day and said that she wanted to revive Sky¡­She had eyes just like you at the time you wanted to start your ownpany. I couldn''t reject her wishes. It''s hard, but she is doing very well." His eyshes fluttered with the gentle wind blowing across his face. "Everybody is slowly moving on. Everybody is learning to move on. But it feels like only I cannot¡­Will I be able to, Nana? Will I be able to be as brave as our children? I don''t know¡­" He left the uncertainty in the silence. Soon, he felt the presence of three figures kneeling beside him and softly hugging him. "You don''t know but we do," Nuo smiled. "You are our mighty Dad and we are right here with you." "For all these years, you helped us stand on our feet whenever we stumbled," Nian said. "This time it''s our turn to help you stand up," Jian said, gazing at the tombstones. "I know you wish to join Mom, Jun and Jin but sorry Dad. You have a long life to live." He slowly turned his head to face him and smiled for the first time. "You have a lot to teach your grandchild." Jinhai froze. "It was hard giving our rtionship a second chance. I didn''t wish to. Not when¡­Mom, Jun and Jin have left us. Not when there was so much bitterness between Leina and me. But I thought and thought a lot, Dad. And I decided that I want to watch my father see the rest of his children living a happy life. I want to see him smiling andughing," he smiled as he gazed at Jinhai, "You are gonna be a grandfather, Dad. There is no way you can leave us." Nuo held his hand and softly enclosed it with her palm. "That''s why Dad, you cannot think of dying or who will walk me down the aisle at my wedding? Please don''t kill Siying, okay? Shui worked hard a lot in¡­" her eyes ached, "getting us back together¡­" Nian chimed in. "Yes, yes so you can forget about me because I have decided to live a happy, single life and raise my nieces and nephews~" Jinhai shook hard. "You-you¡­when did you¡­" "We wanted to give you, Mom, Jun and Jin a surprise," Jian chuckled. Nuo wiped his eyes and pouted. "So no more tears, Dad. We have to show Mom, Bro Jun and Jin that we are super happy!" The three of them together supported Jinhai and helped him stand up. Jian held his shoulder and said, "Let''s go, Dad. Mom, Jun and Jin aren''t here in the cemetery. They will always be in the Liu vi living with us and watching us with smiles on their faces. That''s their home. Always was and always will. Let''s go back to them, Dad." Jinhai lowered his head, tears quietly slipping past his eyes and silently nodding to them as they left the cemetery. *shback ends* Chapter 637 Wish Chapter 637 Wish Four dayster. "Is it done?" "Yes, Sir." "Hm. I wille byter." Jun hung up the call and rested his head on the back of the couch. As he closed his eyes, thest image with which Zhan Yahui ended her life shed in his mind. He felt satisfied to see that the perpetrator behind all the wrongdoings was gone. But something about the beaten expression of hers didn''t feel so appealing to him either. Jun felt the gentle pressure of two soft palms on his forehead and he smiled. "Ai." "What are you thinking?" He made an expression as if he wasn''t sure how to exin it. "I should be rejoicing that Zhan Yahui is out of our lives. I should feel happy that she is dead." "Yes." "But I am not. Which is strange. I cannot and will not ever forgive her for sure but it is like¡­Three ought to be responsible adults who should have taken care of her, betrayed her. Whether it was Ouyang Haitao, Zhan Kai-Ming or Shi Shuren, I feel that she was just tossed around like a sack until she was thrown away for good. Shi Shuren abandoned her, Ouyang Haitao wanted to sell her and Zhan Kai-Ming killed herself. I don''t know whether to feel angry at her or sorry for her." "You can feel both," she pressed his forehead with her fingertips and softly smiled. "We have the right to not forgive her for her cruelty, but we can also be human enough to empathize with her. We cannot say for sure that if we were put in her situation then we would have been noble enough to let go of the pain and injustice we would have felt. It''s fine Jun. It''s fine not to celebrate her death." Jun released a soft sigh. "You always know to say the right things." Ai proudly smiled. "Because I am a naturally lovable and warm person." His brow twitched. "It''s been a while since I have heard that." "It''s been a while since I have said that." Jun chuckled and pulled her on hisp. He kissed her forehead. "I love you, Ai." "I love you too, Jun. Though I still see a question mark on your face." He sighed again. "I am wracking my brains over what happened to Zhan Yahui at thest moment to suddenly change like that. But it happened so fast that I don''t know what to think about it. Or did something even happen to her? I strongly feel that she must have seen the golden clock but¡­I don''t know." "Even if she did see the golden clock, what are you curious about?" "Why would she have witnessed that if she wasn''t reborn?" "We don''tpletely understand the golden clock phenomenon. We are assuming that it only showed us who are reborn but didn''t it happen with Xing Bi too? She isn''t reborn either. Nature works in mysterious ways." "That¡­is true. I was also curious what she would have seen? The past life?" "I guess so. Maybe that''s what changed her." He tilted his head. "So in herst moments¡­did she know that we are reborn?" "I think so. Otherwise there wouldn''t have been a past life in the first ce. There is a past life because we got a second chance." He kissed her lips. "I couldn''t be more thankful for that. I don''t know how fate decided to give us a second chance, but I cannot express my gratitude enough." She pinched his cheeks. "Me too." A serious question struck her as she asked, "How is Hou Lin? What have you decided to do with him?" Jun paused for a moment. "To your first question, as you can expect, he is not doing well. He hasn''t left his old house since the incident. He is still at the ce where she died¡­To your second question, I don''t really know..." He pulled her closer and said, "He betrayed Sky. I do feel hurt because I treated him as my family. I cannot forgive him either. But he also came to his senses and tried to talk Zhan Yahui out of it by standing on our side after he learned the truth. Also¡­It was Zhan Yahui''sst request to spare her only friend. I cannot really exin it but for some reason, I want to respect that wish. Bro Zixin said the same thing to me. But he was involved with the judge''s murder from the Summit. Bro Zixin and I won''t press any charges, but we cannot help him with the punishment he ought to face. I asked Yijun to spare him some days and then make an arrest." She nodded. "I see." Ai then asked, "How long will Hou Lin be at his old home? I know he is devastated over her loss but¡­" "It will take time for him to heal. But I have a way to make him step out of that ce. ¡ª Hou Lin stared at a certain grave as he stood inside the cemetery. Before, it was as if he had taken an oath to nevere out of his shell. But the moment he heard the news, his feet automatically moved out of his house for the first time in four days. The news of Zhan Yahui''s funeral. When her body was taken away, a question arose of what to do with it. She had no family to take care of herst rites. She only had Hou Lin, but he wasn''t in the state to arrange anything. Jun gave some thought and decided to prepare a funeral for Zhan Yahui. To the Liu family, it didn''te as a shock to know that Jun took responsibility for his enemy''sst rites. They already knew that after everything that happened, Jun was just that kind of a person to do that. At present, Hou Lin was the only man who stood before her grave and that was enough for Jun because he was the only person Zhan Yahui needed. Jun and Ai stood afar, simply watching Hou Lin in silence. Hou Lin gently bent on his knees and gazed at the name engraved on the stone. It was a harsh reality to feel again that Zhan Yahui would only be present in the form of a name engraved on a stone from now on. He wasn''t sure what he was thinking butpared to his old home, he strangely felt at peace here. As Ai stared at Hou Lin''s lonely back, she asked, "Do you know, Jun? I know you will think that I am crazy." Jun couldn''t help but raise a soft smile. "I already know you are crazy. But I love all that craziness. Tell me what you feel." She slowly said, "I feel that Zhan Yahui deserved a second chance more than anybody else." There was a beat of silence. "Even if she hadn''t meddled in our lives in the past, we would have been happy nevertheless. We would have found our way to it. Even though you couldn''t ept Shui''s rejection, I know you would have moved on eventually. I wouldn''t have given up on my writing. We don''t know what the future held for us beyond those five years. You have a good family. I have a good family. I think we could have held it together. We had so many people to lean on. But Zhan Yahui had none. Her loneliness and her grief wouldn''t have changed no matter how many years would have passed." Jun remembered Zhan Yahui''sst words. ''I envy you two so much. You are so lucky to be born to the parents you did. I wish¡­I could have gotten a family like yours¡­'' "Yes. You are right, Ai." "That''s why Jun, I hope she doesn''t go to hell for her sins. I sincerely wish that in her next life, she gets the family she always wanted to have." Jun''s dark brown irises reflected the same emotions as hers. He gently intertwined his hand with hers as he wished from the bottom of his heart. "I wish so too." Chapter 656 A Long Night (2) * ? It was two roundster that Ai''s whole body from top to bottom waspletely flushed in red and sweat. But the night was far from over. The bedsheets by now were all crumpled and messed up, the creases proof of the rounds that just transpired. Jun kissed the top of her nose. "You look beautiful." "I am not beautiful, I am messy right now," she breathlessly corrected him. "A beautiful mess, I must say," he pecked her jaw and as he said that, his palm traveled across the length of her back, caressing every inch of it. He dipped his head to suck her breast, making her release a moan and clutch his head tighter. His kisses trailed upwards towards her neck and vicle, biting the hickeys he already dropped before. Without pulling out of her, he slightly lifted her and turned her to lie on her belly, dipping his head once again to im her back. His lips moved across her soft skin and his tongue glided to lick her while his hand was busy in the front cupping and kneading her breast. The pleasurable gasps and ecstatic breaths which Ai couldn''t control from letting them out urged Jun to slowly start moving inside her. Eventually his pace quickened and his hits turned harder as he pounded inside her from the back. Lifting her waist, his thrusts reached deeper and deeper until Aipletely surrendered to the gratification coursing through her veins. She looked at the ring perfectly fit in her finger which shone so brilliantly not because of the diamond resting in it, but because it was the reflection of Jun''s sincere love and promise. "Ahhhnn!" She felt a sudden blissful jolt break her stupor, sensing Jun grow bigger and harder inside her. It was as if her walls were trying its hardest to contain his passion from overflowing. She saw Jun ce his hands beside her head on either side of the pillow and felt him leaning towards her. His chest grazed against her back, and he gently tucked a lock of her hair away from her ear, whispering in her ear, "You don''t understand what you do to me when you gaze at the ring like that." A shudder tingled on the back of her neck as she dared to ask, "What does it do?" "The jolt that you felt just now." She exhaled a trembling breath as a tear slipped down the corner of her eye. "Are you going to stop at that?" Jun bent, wiping away the culprit from her eyes that he never liked to see and kissing her eyshes. "Not in a million years." He pulled out and his hard and hungry member pushed back inside her once again with a thrust that rang madness till the deepest part of her soul. She cried with pleasure tingling all over but as his thrusts kept greeting her endlessly, Ai''s moans grew more muffled with the heightened sensitivity. Every touch and every thrust sparked a fire within her. The third round of passion continued for a few intensely pleasurable minutes, raising the temperature of the air higher and higher. As Jun climaxed inside her with hisst thrust, he wrapped his arm around her waist and hugged her from the back, resting his head by her side. He held the back of her head and turned her to make her face him. Staring into the depths of each other''s brown irises, Ai inclined to kiss him on the lips, her body quivering with the warmth of Jun''s climax gushing inside her. After all this time of protected sex, this was the first night that they trulyid bare before each other. It was a decision none other than Ai''s who wanted him to enter naked inside her without any barrier. Jun had asked after a pause, "Do you not want to wait till the wedding night?" "I don''t. The wedding night symbolizes a happy forever in all true senses. But you gave me the precious happy forever tonight which I was always waiting for," she said as her vision got slightly blurry, "There is nothing for me to wait for anymore. The promise that your ring holds is enough for me." At present, Jun reiterated his feelings which he already did before they started their first round. "You¡­you will really be the death of me one day¡­" Though Jun seemed toin, in reality, Ai''s words couldn''t have made him happier. She kissed his cheek and pouted. "Didn''t you want to?" His gaze darkened. "You better not question the patience I have been holding. I wanted toe inside you all this time." She squinted her eyes. "How is it that I am hearing this for the first time?" He choked and realized that he spoke far more than he intended. "Ignore." "You!" Ai squeezed his ear hard as if punishing him. "You hid this from me." "Because I didn''t want you running away from me seeing my greediness." Her nostrils red. "It''s not about greediness, it''s about your desires just like I have mine! You should have shared this with me!" Jun arched his brow, amused. "Would you have allowed me?" "We certainly could have mutually decided the frequencies of protected and unprotected sex," she said with all seriousness, making Jun choke again with her boldness. "Yeah I was right. You will really kill me one day." A naughty thought struck Ai, and she slowly climbed on top of Jun. After a moment of silence, he asked, "...What are you doing?" She ced her palms on his toned chest and curved towards him, kissing him on his jawline. "There are many ways to kill you, you know." She traced her fingertip against his neck while simultaneously also squeezing her breasts against his chest. "It''s my turn to punish you." He exhaled a gasp and pulled her head to kiss her hard. The thought of Ai riding on him was as intoxicating as being dead drunk with alcohol. "Please continue with your punishment, Miss. Zhou. If this is your way to kill me, then I am willing to die for you everyday." Chapter 657 The Order Of The Weddings ? The news of their engagement naturally became the talk of the family the next day. Seeing the mesmerizing ring glow on Ai''s finger made the women squeal to their hearts'' content. "This is so pretty!" Nuo couldn''t take her gaze off it. "Bro Jun certainly has chosen the perfect ring for you, sister-inw. And the book. Gosh! I didn''t know that he could be so romantic." She teasingly nudged Jun''s elbow with a sheepish grin. Liu Chunhua excitedly pped her hands. "Does that mean we get to n the wedding now? Oh my God, I am so excited!" "Not so fast!" The twins protested. "We are the elder brothers here. What about us?" They whined. Nana rolled her eyes. "There is no question of the elder siblings getting married first necessarily. Besides, have you even proposed to your partners?" Jian raised his hand like a child in the ssroom. "I have already made ns! Leina and I have been dating for a while now so¡­" he blushed like a teenager, "I have been thinking that I should take our rtionship to the next step~" The women squealed once more, this time including Ai too. "Jian you sneaky brat!" Liu Chunhua smacked his head. Nian raised both his hands as if trying to be the center of attention. "Me too! Me too! It won''t be so far when Xing Bi and I will get engaged too!" He cried. "You cannot leave me aloneeeee!!" Jun dryly said, "This is not apetition, Bro. Besides, you and Xing Bi have just gotten into a rtionship. Isn''t a little more time needed?" He red at him. "I know my heart and my heart only wants Xing Bi!" He red his nostrils in confidence. "Yeah I am talking about her heart, not yours." "..." "If it''s you, her heart can change any time." Nuo burst intoughter. Nian grabbed his head and squeezed it in animosity. "Don''t you get it, little brother? If my dearest and cutest sister-inw said yes, that means Xing Bi would say yes too," his ck eyes sparkled with hope, "They are like sisters so I am sure their sisterhood will definitely reflect in their decision-making too!" Ai''s mouth twitched with the bizarre logic. He grimaced. "Yeah we are brothers too, but I don''t think our brotherhood reflects any of ourmon decisions or traits." "Shut up! Sisters are different from brothers!" Nana shook her head. "You three are arguing over the silliest of things." The twins jumped to hug their mother with genuine grievances in their hearts. "Mom! As the responsible and respectable elder brothers of the Liu family, shouldn''t we get married first?" Jin, who waszing around on the couch with the cats, sneakilyughed to himself. Responsible and respectable¡­ As if their imaginary antenna caught his reaction, the twins dangerously narrowed their eyes at him. "Jini-boy, are we sensing some sarcasm there?" "I didn''t even say a word. And don''t call me Jini-boy!" He threw a pillow at them. "Hmph, we will see youter!" They turned their attention towards Nana again and cried. "Mom, as responsible and respectable elder brothers, it''s also our responsibility to guide our cute little siblings the way to lead a happy marriage~" Jun snorted. "Seriously? We need you two as the guidance for understanding a happy marriage?" They nodded their heads. "You do understand that you are not going to ''lead'' any marriage but only follow your girlfriends then wives orders, right?" "We will show you the correct way to do it! It''s a long and treacherous path¡­" they dramatically emphasized their point. "I don''t need to learn that from you!" "When someone is in a rtionship for a second time, yes they do!" They argued. "..." Nuo, Jin and Ai coughed hard and tried very hard to hold theirughter. Liu Chunhua smacked their heads hard. "I cannot believe that we are arguing over the order of getting married here." Jian sheepishly grinned. "It makes sense. First we, the super adorable twins, then Jun, Nuo and finally Jin!" "You two like to be the eldest in everything, even if it''s marriage," Nuo shook her head, not understanding for the hundredth time as to who is really the eldest here. Jun waved his hand, apparently too tired to carry on this little spat with him. "You two can do whatever you want. Anyway, Ai and I are engaged but it''s not like we are going to marry tomorrow." Ai chuckled. "Yes. We mutually decided that we will think of a wedding after I publish my book I have been working on since I joined Sky. Until then¡­" she showed the ring, "we will be lovey-dovey fiances~" The twins brightened like the morning sun. "We love you, sister-inw!" "Show some of that love to me too," Jun sneered. Aiughed thinking aboutst night when they were having this conversation. Jun had told her he was pretty sure that the twins would cause a fuss over them marrying first. It was childish but that''s how the twins always were. It was then that he suggested they wait until Ai''s book was out. "I want you to be the best writer out there in the world before you be my wife. Also, I am selfish. I want people to say that Liu Jun is marrying the best writer of China. How could he possibly marry a dreamy woman like that?" Her heart melted with his words. "And the women are going to be the same. How dare Zhou Ai snatch the most handsome and eligible bachelor from us?" In the present, she shook her head, thinking about theirst night''s banter. But eventually they decided that it was indeed for the best if shepleted her book. Jun wanted the world to recognize Ai as a writer first before it recognized her as Liu Jun''s wife. Nana beamed. "I think that''s a great decision!" Jin gave the twins a thumbs up. "Good. You two have more time to reflect on yourself and be good boyfriends." The twins'' faces ckened. "We are very good boyfriends!" He sneered. "I think Leina and Xing Bi will have something different to say~" "Y-You¡­" Liu Chunhua twisted Jin''s ear and scolded him. "Talk about themter when you get yourself a girlfriend first, Jin. What about you? Do you have anybody you like?" Chapter 658 To Forgive Yourself ? "I don''t have anyone like that, Grandma. Besides, I am just focusing on learning business from Dad right now. I don''t have the time," Jin was quick to answer. He seemed calmed and unaffected by the question and neither could anybody read his rattled emotions if he had any towards Shui. Liu Chunhua squeezed his ear. "Work is important but so is finding your life partner. Don''t bezy about that." He grinned. "I can take my time, Grandma. My four other brothers and sister have found their soulmate. I don''t really have to hurry, do I?" "Well you don''t have to hurry but you can be on the lookout too," she scolded. "Haha, cool Grandma." Hisughter might have fooled Liu Chunhua but not the others. They knew that something was off about the way Jin ignored Shui. "Anyway, I gotta be ready for the office." He hopped up on his feet and went back to his room with slightly hurried steps. ¡ª "Jin." He turned and saw Jun walking towards him. The two cats were jumping and ying with each other as they followed him. "Bro. What''s up?" He casually asked though he could read the question in Jun''s eyes. "I just wanted to talk about what Grandma was asking you." He shrugged. "What is there to talk about?" "You know what is there to talk about, Jin," he sternly observed him. "Tell me the truth. Is there something you are hiding from me?" The look of confusion marred his face. "Hide? What will I hide from you?" "About how you still keep ignoring Shui. If everything, if our present has been sorted out now, if there is no threat to our future, then why are you¡­why aren''t you considering getting together with Shui?" Jin held his gaze, not saying anything. "Is it the guilt of your past life? You behaved recklessly with her to avenge the hurt she caused me. Is that what is stopping you, Jin? Are you not able to forgive yourself?" Jin remembered the past life''s memories as if it was just yesterday. Everything that Shui did was to only protect Jun and his legacy. Whether it was marrying Jin to protect his life despite knowing that she would garner hate from everybody for the rest of her life or being the one to undertake the task of reviving Sky after his death - Shui had only and only ever thought about Jun. Her past rejection had hurt Jun but her future actions went up and beyond to pay for the pain she gave him. And Jin had thought of and done every method possible to wound her and break her from within only to know that she didn''t deserve any of it. Jin smiled. "You are right, Bro. It''s not so easy to forget. Shui might not know anything. It''s my choice too if I want to confess the past to her. She mighte to hate me if I do. If I don''t, then she doesn''t have to know anything and we can be happy, right?" Jun''s deep brown irises were filled with trouble. "Jin, look¡­" he held his shoulders and the urge in his voice was desperate to make him understand, "This is your second chance too. I was the one to snatch your life away from you and end your future with that. I don''t want you to keep getting wound up in the past and unable to move on. That''s not why we got this chance. We got it so that we find the happiness that we couldn''t in our past life. I understand you, Jin. Trust me, I do. I was the same as you. I thought I don''t deserve to be happy even with this second life. But Ai proved me wrong. She made me forgive myself." His palms slightly squeezed his shoulders. "And I want you to forgive yourself too, Jin. Please. I know your happiness is in Shui. Shui''s happiness is in you. You let go of her once because of me. I don''t want you to let go of her again because of the past this time. After all this time of grief and loneliness, I don''t want you to put yourself through it again. It''s fine if you want to take some time to heal and forgive. But don''t hide behind the past and lose Shui again." Jin smiled through his misty eyes. "Thanks Bro. I couldn''t be a good brother in the past but this-" "No, idiot," he tapped on his head. "It was me. I couldn''t be a good brother to you and a good son of this family." "I just¡­want to see you happy. I don''t want anything to take away that happiness from you once again." "I am happy, Jin. A lot. But it will only beplete when I see my brother find his happiness too." Jun patted his head. "Don''t be harsh on yourself, Jin. Please think about Shui and you." ¡ª ''Please think about Shui and you.'' Jun''sst request and the strain in his voice echoed in his mind as he silently sat in the church. There were some people around and some at the aisle but overall, there was peace and quiet. Jin was seated somewhere on one of the middle benches and was staring into the empty space without a twitch in his expression. A whileter, the small crowd had also left the church, leaving Jin all alone. A minuteter, he felt someone''s presence beside him. "Can you please sit somewhere else? I want to be alone here." "Oh, I think it would be interesting to talk to you." "There is nothing interesting to talk to me about." "I beg to differ." Jin frowned and was slightly annoyed with the stubbornness. He took a nce at his side and noticed an elderly woman with a calm and mysterious smile on her lips. He stared at her unblinkingly for a long while, eventually recognizing her. "You are that Grandma from before. The one who had Ai-chan¡­the cat and left her with me." Chapter 659 The Wheels Of Time Turning Back (1) ? The woman smiled. "Am I?" "Of course you are. I didn''t forget you. You just selfishly left Ai-chan with me that day! What if I had abandoned her too?" "I knew you wouldn''t." Jin''s gaze darkened by the arrogant confidence in her voice. It was then that thinking about her voice, he seemed to pause. Where have I heard it before? She sounds familiar¡­ "Why did youe to the church?" He frowned. "Why should I tell you?" "Maybe I will be able to help you." Jin still wasn''t able to figure out where he had heard her voice apart from the time they had met in the church. "I don''t need your help." She chuckled. "You are really stubborn, you know. Whether the time you refused to admit your feelings for that girl and had to be locked up in the time-space or now when I am generously offering my help." A razor-sharp silence descended after that, and he slowly turned to look at her, this time with extreme scrutiny. "You were the one who talked to me both times. When I had the fever and¡­after the ident. Both the times when I saw that clock." The woman simply smiled. "I think we have talked a third time too. Much further back." He suddenly felt a sense of nervousness creep in and his back straightened up, alert. It was evident that her presence wasn''t so thrilling to him. He looked at her up and down, gauging her from head to toe. He was well aware that whatever he, Jun and Ai had faced regarding the golden clock was an otherworldly experience. Anybody associated with that phenomenon couldn''t be¡­ "You¡­cannot be a hu-human." Even though he was Liu Jin, the son of the prestigious and influential Liu family, he couldn''t help but slightly stammer because his status didn''t matter before someone whose existence was beyond power and money. "Oh, I can be anything I wish," her eyes twinkled. "What are you doing here? Are you keeping an eye on me?" He slightly gritted his teeth, feeling irked with her response. For some reason, she reminded him of his grandfather or his uncle or the twins. The glint of mischief in her eyes was very simr. "Oh my. Why would I do that? "Because you don''t want me getting closer to Shui!" He barked. "I heard your warning crystal clear at that time itself! You don''t have to keep reminding me again and again¡­" He then threw using res at her. "You are the one who had suddenly made the clock appear before me, right? So that I would lose control over my car and then that ident¡­" The woman held a solemn look. "It was time I reminded you of the condition." He clenched his trembling fist. "Yeah I remember that very well now¡­So you can leave! I won''t do anything to jeopardize my brother''s future." "But I came to offer my generous help here." "I don''t need your generous help. I don''t trust you! Especially after how you nned that ident! You unnecessarily dragged Shui and Xing Bi in danger." "I wouldn''t have let anything happen to them," she mysteriously smiled. "Leave!" The woman tilted her head. "You are really stubborn, you know. One of the many stubborn souls that keep me busy. But you were different because you extended that stubbornness even after your death. It was the first time that I witnessed a soul gaining consciousness of its own through its sheer willpower. You refused to let your soul move on to your next birth only for one wish to be fulfilled." *shback* It was in those veryst moments that Jin, who was just shot in his chest by his brother''s bullet, could see and sense something unnatural happening to him. It was as if his time as Liu Jin was over. It was a feeling as if he was getting sucked into something which resembled a mysterious pathway. His head ached by the blinding white light before his eyes, and his instinct told him that this was his end¡­or was it his new beginning? Whatever it was, Jin felt a strange but strong repulsion and resistance. His human body was already dead, yet he felt an immense sense of pain as if he was getting burned into ashes. It was extremely agonizing and painful. On one side, his resistance was pulling him back and on the other side, some mystical force was pulling him into the opposite direction. He couldn''t speak. He couldn''t articte himself as if he had be mute. But the sheer force of his protest resounded the thoughts circting within his soul. ''Bro is still back there¡­'' ''Where are you taking me?'' ''I don''t want to go anywhere.'' The few painful moments felt like forever and after a while, he felt liberated from the other side as if some link had just shattered. And as it did, the world suddenly spun around Jin, and he began to hear voices and see the people before him. He looked down and stared at his human body, which was lying bleeding on the floor. He stared at it hard for a long time before it registered in him that he was looking at his own dead body. The voices he was hearing belonged to his family, mourning over his death. He saw Jun kneeling before Jin''s body with his gun slipped long ago from his hands. "Jin¡­" Shui was in a simr state, kneeling beside Jin with her white wedding gown marred with the drops of his blood stter. The shock, the disbelief washing over Jun''s and everybody''s faces gradually was growing deeper and deeper. What is happening¡­ Jin looked at himself from top to bottom. His whole body seemed to shine and look transparent. He could see his family, but as he moved his hand to touch them, his hand simply passed through them and neither could his family see him anymore. That''s when the reality actually sunk in him. I am dead¡­ Chapter 660 The Wheels Of Time Turning Back (2) ? Jin witnessed the events that followed what happened in the church. The dark atmosphere at the hospital, the looming, impending news of Jin''s death, Nana falling seriously ill and Jun¡­Jun who stood outside the hospital with a gaze that said that he had lost everything. His hand which held the gun was shivering, and his eyes were transfixed straight ahead. "Bro¡­Bro I am here¡­! Why¡­can''t you see me¡­?" Jin knew the answer to it, but he desperately wished for his presence to be felt. He could do nothing to stop his crumbling heart. At the very beginning, he indeed carried some animosity towards Jun who was able to shoot him for the sake of the woman he loved. Kill his own brother and their brotherhood. But he couldn''t hold onto his bitterness and malice for long seeing that same brother realize the gravity of his sin. Jun''s eyes didn''t reflect the rejoice of the victory over killing him but the regret of bing a monster being able to do so. "Don''t¡­Don''t look like that Bro¡­I forgive you, Bro! It wasn''t your fault! I-It''s all Shui''s fault, Bro! She forced me to marry her¡­She forced me to agree to this wedding! Everything happened because of her. I-I don''t me you, Bro¡­" But there was nothing he could do besides staying with Jun who awaited the news of his mother''s health. "I am sorry. Mrs. Liu has passed away," Zhan Yahui in the disguise of a nurse had said. The news was thest straw that hadpletely broken any hint of semnce that Jun had been holding to. Thest light of hope had also flickered. "No¡­N-Not Mom¡­Mom cannot¡­She won''t leave us¡­This cannot be true!" Even his soul shuddered upon hearing it. But somewhere in his heart, Jin knew that he was probably just creating an illusion for himself and Jun. Nana''s health had already weakened, and Jin''s death might have been thest trigger for it to decline even further and unable to hold on. He saw Jun take a step back and slowly withdraw with a lifeless gaze. "Bro, it''s not like that¡­I know you are ming yourself, but it''s not like that! Please listen to me!" His cry echoed from the bottom of his heart. An imminent and dark fear twisted his heart as if he knew something terrible was going to happen. That fear turned out to be true as he saw Jun in his car and started the engine with an empty look ahead. Though his gaze was vacant, it also held a strange and dangerous determination. The resolve to repent for his sins through his own life. There was nothing he could do to pay for the crime he hadmitted other than giving up on his life. Jin was there. He was right beside him when Jun reached that unshakeable decision. "Bro, y-you cannot be serious, right?" He smiled tremblingly with fearced in it. "You cannot do this, Bro. T-This is not the solution! Listen to me¡­You have to listen to me!" The more the speed increased, the tighter of a knot he felt squeezing in his stomach. Jun had only one purpose and that was to crash his car. Jin''s soul could watch him throwing himself into fatal danger but other than begging and pleading with him, he was rendered helpless. "Bro stop!" He cried. "Please don''t do this¡­Please think about Dad, Sis, the twins¡­our family¡­they will be miserable if you kill yourself! They don''t want you to die, Bro¡­Nobody wants you to die¡­! I know that they won''t me you! Nobody will, so please¡­stop the car!" Through his transparent state, he tried to grab the steering wheel and take control, but the effort was meaningless. He could touch nothing. He could hold onto nothing. He could only watch his brother driving himself towards death. The heart wrenching moment arrived as a tear slipped out of Jun''s eyes and he shut them, bracing for the impact. From the car crashing into Dream High building''s entrance to the impact hitting Jun fatally - Jin witnessed everything. He saw his head copse on the steering wheel with blood streaming down his temples. Pandemonium ensued around the ce as people screamed and asked for help. "Oh my God! The car just crashed!" "S-somebody please call for an ambnce¡­The man is bleeding! "Was he drinking and driving?" "He must be! Seriously, these drunk people¡­Didn''t you see a cat getting under his car¡­?" "Is that true? That''s horrible!" "Bro¡­?" He stared at him hard, not wanting to believe that Jun would die. He raised his shaking hand towards him, but he stopped midway as another loud impact resounded from the top of Jun''s car. It froze Jin in his ce, and he slowly lifted his gaze. A woman fell from above and had just crashed on the car''s roof. A secondary bouncy tremor led her to fall on the car''s hood. He inhaled a sharp gasp. He didn''t understand what was happening. Who was this woman? Why did she fall? What happened to her? He looked up and only saw Dream High''s building standing tall. The terrace was way up, hidden in the dark. Did shemit suicide¡­? When he looked back at Jun, the moment that he witnessedpletely shook him. Jun was staring at the woman and so was she. They held each other''s gazes as if there was something that only they could understand. To Jin''s shock, Jun actually took the initiative of lifting his hand in an attempt to hold hers. This was something he never imagined would happen. Jun never thought about anybody else but Shui and now he wished to reach out towards this strange woman he had never met before. The woman simrly raised her hand, weakly and painfully but managed to hold Jun''s hand. "Bro¡­" Tears slipped from Jin''s eyes, and he stood still and quiet, simply watching theirst moments unfold. But what made him tremble was Jun''s smile. The veryst and the very faint smile that lifted the curve of his lips. Jun was smiling. For the first time in five years, Jin had seen his brother smile and all because of a woman who was sharing her death with him. You¡­smiled¡­You smiled Bro¡­ Ah you finally¡­smiled¡­ Something which I...couldn''t make you do for a long time... Chapter 661 The Wheels Of Time Turning Back (3) ? With thest and peaceful smile on Jun''s lips came the first tragic end to his life which Jin couldn''t do anything to stop. The air was heavy with grief as the night sky was filled with the epiphany of his loss. His gaze remained transfixed at Jun, who had ceased to breathe. This dark night reminded Jin of the time he was locked up in the dark room. He had sat huddled, his shoulders trembling and tears rolling down his cheeks and guilt and fear screaming inside him. But it was Jun''sfort that poked a hole in that fear, letting him breathe. It was that little toy''s light he had brought with him that flickered within the dark, not making it so scary anymore. It was that simr darkness that had nketed the sky but this time, it was Jun locked up in the car, ridden with guilt and fear. His eyes were stained with tears that couldn''t even begin to express his regret. Jin was right beside him. But he couldn''t help his brother the same way that he had helped him. He couldn''t erase that repentance that exhausted thest thread of any redemption within him. The night lights shone across Jin''s tear-streaked lines of his face, reflecting the raw emotions that consumed him. It was all pandemonium and chaos but in that moment he felt isted, as if a piece of his heart had been wrenched away, leaving an unfible void. He still felt the echoes of Jun''sughter filled with memories of happier times. The weight of the past and their childhood pressed upon him, the memories crashing like waves against the fragile walls he had built to protect his heart. *Meo..w¡­* Amidst the screams and rush of people trying to make sense of the two deaths that they had witnessed, Jin heard a soft and weak whimper. He tore his gaze away from Jun for some unknown reason and noticed a cat lying weak and fragile at the entrance of an alley. Jin floated to her side as if a force pulled him towards the cat. When he reached closer, he found that the cat was severely malnourished. She had bruises on her body which told him that she was bullied a lot. The cat looked up, staring right at him as if she had already felt his presence. "You can¡­see me¡­?" He asked with a voice devoid of any emotion. But he then noticed her eyes which were a beautiful shade of a light brown. Jin peered into her shiny irises, and he trembled. "My brother had¡­simr eyes as you. Just that the shade was darker¡­" *Meow¡­* It was a mournful whimper from the cat as she was staring towards Jun''s car with great concentration. She weakly iled and waved her paw in that direction as if she was desperately calling out to somebody. Jin didn''t understand what she wanted to show him, but what he did understand was that the cat before him didn''t have long to live. Her breathing wasbored, and she was very hungry and thirsty. It was simply a matter of time when she would give up on her struggle. She was shivering with the cold, and Jin moved closer to her in an attempt to provide some warmth even though he knew it was physically impossible. Yet the cat''s tremors calmed down as if she could really feel his soul''s warmth. Sheid still in that warmfort and tenderness for sometime until her eyes eventually but gently closed themselves with herst breath. In the quiet darkness, Jin stared at the lifeless cat. He bent and moved his hand to pet her, but it passed through her body just like the time he tried to touch Jun. She looked peaceful in a way as if she was finally liberated from all her grief. As if the wretched life filled with destion had finally ended. Staring at the cat, he wondered if Jun was feeling the same after his death? Just like this cat, was he finally experiencing relief? Was he happy now? Was he smiling now? Was he feeling liberated now? As if he was bound to get his answer, Jin saw a flicker of something white and shapeless escape Jun''s body as he turned. It was the same with Ai, whoy dead on the hood of Jun''s car. He stared at the form disintegrating¡­or disappearing into nothingness. It was at that very moment that he paled and in an instant, he ruthlessly discarded his previous thoughts. What happiness after his death? What smile? What liberation? "This all means nothing to me!" Jin screamed. "This wasn''t how it was supposed to end! This wasn''t how he was supposed to die! He is the kindest and the gentlest person I have ever known! A kind man like him doesn''t deserve this fate! This cannot end here. He only ever loved one woman in his entire life¡­" He raced towards the car and drove his apparition straight through the shapeless forms of Jun and Ai who seemed to be still connected even through their souls. He fearfully wondered if the same was happening with Jun. The feeling of getting pulled into some pathway. But whaty at the other end? Jin didn''t know, but what he did know was that if he allowed Jun''s soul to disperse, then he would never get him back. He would lose him forever and that would truly be the end of Jun''s life. Tears spilled out of his eyes as he seemed to hug Jun''s soul. Was Jun feeling the same affection that he had showered Jin in their childhood? "Look Bro¡­This time I am there for you. I don''t resent you. I don''t hate you. I don''t care if your bullet hit me. It was all my fault that I forced you to be that monster which made you loathe yourself. So please don''t die, Bro¡­You deserve to be happy. You deserve to marry the woman of your dreams. You deserve to have a wonderful family¡­That''s why you¡­" his voice choked, "cannot leave, Bro¡­" Jin had no idea if what he was doing was even working but the transcendence of Jun and the woman''s souls seemed to halt. Jin looked above at the sky, gritting his teeth and demanding answers. "Bro only ever loved one woman in his entire life¡­This shouldn''t be the cost for my brother to bear just because he loved a woman with all his heart! This wasn''t how he was supposed to live. A life filled with loneliness, hatred, despair, pain, loss¡­My brother didn''t deserve any of this! So, I don''t care how but you have to give him a second chance! He cannot die here because I won''t let this end here!" With thest of his scream resounding sharply in the air, a streak of a blinding golden light tore through the crevices of the dark and night sky. Before Jin could fathom what was happening, a loud shrill ripped through his ears. *GONG* Chapter 662 The Wheels Of Time Turning Back (4) ? The clicking sounds of the hands of the clock moving hung silently in the air that seemed to be still. Amidst the clouds that looked to have taken the form of a spun cotton candy hung a magnificent golden clock. It shimmered like a guiding star amidst the dark skies, illuminating the world below with its seraphic glow. For Jin who took a glimpse at the clock, it didn''t seem any less than a celestial jewel adorning the heavens. Even though he was dead, he could still feel his heart in his throat as he witnessed the magical phenomenon right before his eyes. The clock''s intricate design was a marvel to behold. He immediately knew that no jeweler - absolutely no jeweler in this whole wide world would be able to even think, much less produce that level of creativity and uracy. The frame was crafted from pure gold which gleamed with a lustrous radiance and with the delicate engravings of the ethereal and celestial constetions. He felt as if he was getting sucked into the infinite cosmos just by staring at the wonder. The numbers on the clock face appeared like stardust, twinkling softly with an otherworldly glow. They were not the familiar digits of mortal earth but rather looked like indecipherable celestial symbols that held secrets which the heavens could only know. As the clouds shifted and danced around it akin to a fog clearing a blurred pathway, the clock remained steadfast, seemingly untethered from the earthly world. The clock''s delicate hands glided gracefully, signifying the passage of time in the realm where seconds and minutes held no sway. The clock''s presence in the sky was both captivating and surreal as though time itself had been transformed into an artful masterpiece. Jin felt as if he could lose himself in the clock''s beauty forever, but a deep voice seemingly echoing from the clouds broke his trance. "You are a very troublesome soul." He blinked his eyes and immediately felt a shudder by the bright and blinding golden light, threatening to close his eyelids. "Wh-who¡­who are you¡­?" His voice could only escape as a whisper. He didn''t know why but a sense of fear engulfed him as he instinctively knew that whatever was happening was beyond his control. It was a space where he couldn''t possibly even begin to imagine intervening. Even so, he kept his tight hold on Jun as if he wanted to protect him from this goosebumps-inducing event. Suddenly, the scenery before him changed. There were no people around, shouting and screaming or the rush of vehicles and emergency. There wasn''t the building of Dream High visible any longer where the tragedy had unfolded. Instead, it was a strange ce where Jin wasn''t sure how he was supposed to describe it. It was simply beyond his imagination. But far ahead of him, he thought what he saw were three apparitions floating in front of him. The light which the golden clock casted upon them made it difficult to decipher their figures, forms or faces any further. "Where is this ce!?" He eximed a little agitated because he had absolutely no clue of what was happening. The golden clock, the weird space in the sky and now the three unknown figures. "Don''t you think we should be the ones more agitated here?" The voice from the left shapeless form echoed with a hint of annoyance. "You already broke your own chain and the fate that would have guided you to your next birth. Instead, your soul gained consciousness by your sheer attachment you hold towards your mortal brother. I am really not so sure whether to be fascinated by it or punish you for your ignorance?" Jin frowned. Chain? Next birth? What the hell is he talking about? "What the hell am I talking about?" His eyes widened by the apparent mind-reading but at this point, he thought that he shouldn''t be surprised by any more inexplicable events. "You do realize that you are dead, right?" This time, it was the right figure talking to him. Jin stiffened. "...Yes." "Correct. As such, all your mortal connections that you held with your family ceased to exist the moment you breathed yourst. After your death, the cycle of your next birth was supposed to begin. But even if it was an excruciating experience for you, you managed to shatter the link and remain on earth as a soul. We don''t allow for souls to wander after their deaths or it hinders the fates and births of not just their own but for the other living beings too who might share fate with them ahead. What might remain would only be an aura of their strong earthly feelings hovering around but that too dissipates soon enough." The left figure said, "But now you are here,pletely aware of your identity and memories. You are an anomaly for us and now you are extending that anomaly to the souls that you are not letting go of. You are hindering their cycle of birth as well. You really shouldn''t have been able to intervene with another''s soul fate and birth, but your feelings towards him are so strong that your brother''s soul is being able to feel a fraction of that love, attachment and desperation. That soul, unconsciously though, is allowing you to hold onto him. Is it his regret of killing you?" Jin stared at the shapeless form of his brother''s soul and the woman''s soul too with whom he had shared his death. "I am not doing anything to her." He heard the middle figure''s enigmatic and calming voice. "Their deaths are linked in a way that they would start their journey to their next destination together. But because you are not letting go of your brother, the woman''s soul is also being suspended in time-space along with him." Jin didn''t really know who these figures were, but he knew that they were the only ones who could turn this impossible situation to what he wished for. A tear rolled down his cheek as he clenched his jaw. "Yes. I am not letting go of my brother. I won''t let him go because I don''t ept his death! I don''t ept the miserable ending he had to face. I don''t care about the next birth or the next fate. The only thing I know is that his destiny as Liu Jun cannot end here. I know you can do what I wish for. That''s why¡­That''s why I want you to turn time back and let my brother live once again!" Chapter 663 The Wheels Of Time Turning Back (5) ? "Hoooo¡­" the middle figure found amusement in the soul''s deration. "Turn time back?" The right figure also spoke as if it held a smile. "That''s some gutsy wish indeed." Only the left figure was audibly agitated. "Yeah this is not a fun theme park ride that you two are enjoying this. You do realize the gravity and stupidity of the wish, right? I won''t even call it a wish. It''s pure foolishness." "You are always so uptight," the right figure let out a troubled sigh as if dealing with a petnt child. "Learn to have some fun. That''s why humans are so interesting." The left figure clearly wasn''t thrilled by the remark. "You want me to loosen up? Then how about you carry the burden of EVERYONE''s fates? I am sure you will like my job, God of Death." "It''s much better than my gloomy job of greeting everyone for the first time which also happens to be thest," it seemed to fan its face as if feeling a deep sense of mncholy and regret. "I just wish to give a friendly greeting to the humans, but they tend to run away from me. Do you realize how lonely that is, God of Fate?" "As if you need any humanpanionship," it scoffed. "It proves to be quite entertaining in the underworld." The middle figure intervened, scolding them with a stern voice. "You shouldn''t be arguing in front of a troubled soul." "You have it the easiest, don''t you God of Time!" The left figure expressed its heartfelt grievances, unable to bear this injustice. "Time always flows the way it always has. It''s constant in a sense that you have the least work to do! You just have to oversee the passage of time, thatzy Death God only has to appear when the human''s time on the earth is over whereas there is me! I have to painstakingly write everybody''s destinies taking into ount all of their previous actions. I am the most overworked here!" So even Gods argue, Jin thought. "Shut up, you insolent brat!" A heavy, gusty wind violently stormed in the time space, manifesting in the form of the God of Fate''s frustration. Jin could literally feel the strong currents tearing through his soul. But the winds halted abruptly as the God of Time raised its hand. The deafening noise from the storm and its deadly force took the form of pleasant silence. Everything seemed to freeze in its ce, right down to the concept of motion itself. The God of Time took charge of the conversation because God of Fate was too riled up to hold any meaningful dialogue whereas God of Death was simply bored. "You wish for time to be turned back?" Jin steadied himself after being almost blown away by the storm. He remained equally firm in his wish. "Yes!" "Why do you think we should entertain your wishes?" It asked with a voice that was neither cynical nor friendly. "Bro-" "Your brother is not the only human living on the earth. We are responsible for everybody, not just a particr human. He might be ''The'' Liu Jun in the mortal world but here, he is beyond that title. To us, his existence is one of the many billion people living on the. He doesn''t be more special than anybody else to give him a special treatment." Jin felt irked. It was true that before the Gods, they were simply humans. To them, they might even be simr to ants crawling on the ground. Nevertheless, he couldn''t bear for Jun''s existence to turn into something verymon. "Do you realize how much of a pandemonium will arise if every soul could ask for time to be turned back or if everyone wished for a do-over? Time and fate don''t work like that, dear. There is only one chance and one has to make the most of it in that life blessed to him or her." The deep-seated anguish made Jin tremble. "Bro didn''t get the chance to make the most of his life! He devoted himself entirely to a woman who he had dreamed his future with. That long dream, that long wait since childhood amounted into nothing when Bro was rejected! How was he supposed to live his life when the person who made him breathe walked away just like that¡­?" The God of Fate fluttered its fan near its face and sneered. "Your brother is not the first nor will be thest human to get rejected in love. Among the billions, how many people''s first love do you think gets realized? Hardly. It''s because I know what destiny should lie ahead of them. I am the bearer of fate. When something isn''t fulfilled, when something doesn''t be fruitful, it simply means that the event was never supposed to happen. It''s because your fate takes you where you are supposed to be." Jin clenched his fist. "And Bro''s fate took him to his death? To a life of misery and loneliness? Was that the horrendous fate you wrote for him?" "I didn''t write that fate for him as much as he chose that for himself. Losing love is devastating but when the night is the darkest, it is a sign that dawn is very near¡­" The God of Fate took a nce at Jun''s soul and then at Ai''s. Its gaze paused at her as it said, "If he had decided to emerge victorious through that darkest despair, he might have been embraced by the light he was always searching for." Jin failed to understand God of Fate''s cryptic words. The God of Time stared deeply at Jin''s soul. "It''s not just a matter of chaos. Your brother chose to end his life, which is a great sin. Hardships are a part of life. That''s how the whole system is designed. If you give up on your life, there can be nothing more insulting than that to nature. Life is precious. You are not allowed to treat it as something expendable. The reasons don''t matter. Guilt, regret, shame, failure - nothing must urge a human to take their own life. Even if we could, we cannot grant a second chance to such a human." He froze. "The other thing you don''t understand about your wish is fate. Turning time back inevitably grants the human to change their destiny. And it''s a power humans are not allowed to possess. It''s like a cheat code with one having their past life''s memories and changing the past oues of the decisions that they chose in the first ce. How could it be fair to the other mortals who simply pass on to their next birth? Turning time back and changing fates with it is a wish that has greater repercussions. It simply cannot be granted to you." Chapter 664 The Wheels Of Time Turning Back (6) ? A tightening feeling seemed to squeeze Jin as he sensed the futility of his request. The resolution in the God of Time''s voice held such finality that he could feel it deep within him not to challenge their decision. It would be impossible for him his wish to get fulfilled. But then Bro¡­will I have to let him go just like this? I-Is this how everything will end? A flicker of mixed emotions shed in his sorrowful gaze. He tightly held onto Jun''s soul, not wanting him to pass on when he didn''t even get the chance to he happy. All because he snatched it away from his brother. If I get just one chance then, I won''t ever let the dreadful past repeat! I won''t ever let Bro and Shui drift away from each other. Just one chance¡­ The God of Fate leaned towards the God of Time and whispered. "Hey, do you think that brat has given up?" The God of Time heared the question but was keenly fixated at Jin''s soul. "It seems that is far from the truth." It was then that Jin''s unwavering voice resonated in the time-space realm. "There has to be a way for fulfilling my wish," he met those Godly figures with an equally unyielding gaze, "If I could break through the cycle of my next birth''s chain and be a soul that gained my consciousness strong enough to remain on earth and hold Bro''s soul back from passing on - all of which were impossible events to begin with ording to you, then I know that there must be a way to turn time back. And¡­" his lips quivered, "I want you to give a second chance to my brother and¡­this woman too." Silence descended in the realm. The God of Death amusingly whistled. "He did use some head over there. Looks like he is adamant to defy death by all possible means." The God of Fate was clearly not impressed. "He will increase my workload if we ever happen to fulfill his wish. Just look at how many fates will go through a drastic change! Does he want me to die? The audacity of a measly human soul to torture a God!" The God of Death yawned. "Can you think something other than your workload for once?" "Then how about you take over!" The God of Time left them be and instead zeroed in her concentration on Jin. "Why do you wish for the woman too?" He lowered his gaze with a perplexing emotion that swirled in his eyes. It was difficult to articte how he felt. "Honestly¡­I don''t like her." "You have never met her before." "That''s why it stings even more. A woman who Bro never met in his life managed to bring a smile on his lips for the first time¡­" a lump formed in his throat as his voice shook, "f-for the first time in five years. Something that I couldn''t do despite being the closest to him. I really, really¡­wanted to see Bro happy. I thought that by letting go of Shui, I was doing just that. Even so, I failed. I wanted to see him smile again. Laugh again. And strangely¡­this woman was able to do it." He exhaled a shaky breath. "That''s why I don''t like her because I feel she snatched something away from me that I was supposed to do but¡­at the same time¡­I am grateful to her for bringing peace into my brother''s life even if it was just for a few moments¡­ I don''t know who she is or why she died. But I had seen her bereaved eyes too. I think someone who could make an expression like that¡­cannot be a bad person. So if she could get another chance too, I think she won''t have to die so miserably by falling off a terrace." The three Gods exchanged mysterious nces and after a moment, The God of Time spoke again, "Do you realize what you are asking? I told you before. Trying to change fate is going against nature''sws. It is not something allowed to happen and¡­if you are so desperate, then are you willing to sacrifice something equal in exchange? There will be a price. You need to understand that you aren''t just changing your brother and the woman''s fates but whatever other fates are interlinked to them will also get changed. You are not taking the responsibility of just their destinies but of many others too. It''s like a domino effect." "I will pay any price I have to in exchange!" Jin didn''t take even a second''s pause to think over or hesitated for even a moment. "I¡­I don''t care what price I have to pay. I don''t give a damn about the sacrifice. I just want Bro to get the happiness that he always wanted!" "Even if the sacrifice is to give up on your happy future instead? If you want to give a blissful future to your brother and that woman, then you must give up on your future in exchange. A lifeckingpanionship and an eternal forever with the one you love." "The one I love¡­" a wry chuckle escaped his lips, "that future was already bleak the moment I let go of Shui. I don''t have any happy future. I never expected one either." "Because you had spent only a few years when you decided to sacrifice your feelings. I govern time, my dear. There is a big difference between remaining alone for some years and being alone for your lifetime until the day you breathe yourst," it''s voice quietened with a heavy ring of sadnessced in it, "Loneliness is crippling." As it gazed at Jin, it thought of his other elder brother, Liu Nian - he who chose to remain single for the rest of his life. And he who secretly and desperately yearned for a happy future just like Jian and Nuo had. He never showed it from the outside, but the utter pain of being alone had made him hollow from the inside. Jin was choosing the same path for him now. "That''s why, I urge. Think very carefully." "I don''t have to think," once again, Jin didn''t take any moment to contemte, "This is what I wish. If you have to take my future away, then do so. But give my brother and the woman their future back." Chapter 665 The Wheels Of Time Turning Back (7) ? I see..." The God of Time exhaled a soft breath. "Your certainty is admirable." The God of Death had no qualms and the God of Fate grudgingly agreed if the soul in question was willing to pay the price of turning back time. The God of Time then asked, "What about yourself? Do you wish to be reborn?" "Me¡­" Jin hadn''t given it a thought. Ever since he witnessed his brother dying before his eyes, he was desperate for only one burning wish to be fulfilled. That wish would be granted to him now. But what about himself who turned the tide to Jun''s favor in the first ce? He didn''t think his rebirth was necessary. At first. As long as Jun would realize that he was given a second chance with the memories of his past life back, he would resolve his heart to not follow the same path as the past. This time, he would drive the fate in such a way that Shui would never choose to leave him. But an impending fear loomed in a tiny corner of his heart. What if somehow things still didn''t turn the way it had to be? Especially regarding Shui''s feelings. Shui¡­Shui liked me. She rejected Bro because of me. What if that still bes a problem? Her feelings were a dynamic that was out of Jin''s control. A deep, unsettling apprehension tugged his heart strings. If there would be even a slight chance that Shui''s heart would begin to sway his way, then it would be only up to him to stop any such sprout from taking root. He bit his lip, a determination enveloping his gaze. I won''t let anything mess up this time. I will handle any problem thates in Bro''s way of happiness! I need to be there¡­I need to be there to make things right for Bro and Shui. "Y-Yes!" Jin faced the most powerful three entities before him and gave his answer. "I¡­I want to be reborn too!" The God of Time seemed to slightly tilt its head, her gaze prating deep into his soul. "I see. I would like to tell you that as the bearer of this wish, you would be bound to get your memory back anyway. You have agreed to the condition behind fulfilling your wish and that is to sacrifice your future. As such, you must be aware of not acting in any way that would make you walk towards that path. You will get a warning if you do." Jin''s stance never wavered. "I don''t care about-" "You might not care now," The God of Fate harshly interjected. "But you will have a long life ahead of you. What you are saying now with such confidence might not reflect the same certainty a few yearster. You underestimate the heart too much," it clicked his tongue. "Also, there is another thing that you must keep tightly noted in your brain." Jin stumbled back when the God of Fate suddenly appeared before him akin to a deadly storm that hounded the dark, ck clouds of the sky. Jin''s breath stopped in his throat as those mesmerizing eyes squinted at him, threatening to draw out that hint of fear within him. "Time might turn back. But fate¡­" The God of Fate put its finger on its lips as if imitating a ''Sshh'' signal, "might not necessarily change to be in your favor. The red thread of destiny connects two souls who are meant to be with each other. The circumstances, the adversities together form the bridge towards their union. A mere human like you cannot bring any crack in those souls'' interwoven destinies no matter how much you try to take control of the situation." The God of Fate then tapped its finger on Jin''s chest. "Fate leads the way and the souls'' decisions carve the path ahead for them. You think your brother''s happiness lies in the woman who didn''t return his love. But that might be destiny''s message to him that another futurey ahead of him. Rebirth is not just about getting second chances. It must make the soul wiser and not because it has its past memories but to understand to shed that desire of chasing towards a destiny that led them to their doom." Jin couldn''t fathom why but tears brimmed his eyes. "You are¡­talking as if Bro and Shui are not meant to be together. But not this time. This time, they will definitely find their happiness." The bewitching pair of eyes seemed to hold a cunning smile. "Happiness is not when you mold the situation to give you the oue of your favor. It is about what you must change within yourself that will make bliss itself chase after you. If you hold the courage to walk on a different path than the past, then who knows if you might find your destiny standing right in front of your eyes and perhaps¡­" The God of Fate''s irises twinkled with mischief, "wishing for a book to fall, sensing a certain someone''s deep concentration." "..." The corner of Jin''s mouth twitched. Thest cryptic part went all above his head and he was too embarrassed to admit it. The God of Fate was very pleased to see Jin like that. "As always, you are more of a bully than me," The God of Death chuckled. "Shut up or I will kill you right here!" The God of Fateshed a hurricane towards its direction and the God of Death hopped lightly on its feet to dodge. The God of Time conveyed. "It will be as you wish. You, your brother and the woman will be reborn. But you will forget this conversation that transpired between us in this realm. When you wake up, you will have no memories of what happened or what you witnessed in your soul form, neither will you know that your brother or the woman are reborn too. You would only know two things. One, that you have your past life''s memories and second, that you must not act towards your happy future." Jin tremblingly nodded. He deeply bowed before them, tears falling from his cheeks. "I am really grateful to you!" The God of Time ever so slightly nodded. It raised a finger and out of thin air, two cats appeared in the space that had their eyes closed and seemed unconscious. Jin blinked and widened his eyes upon recognition. "I¡­I know this cat¡­Sh-she died before my eyes¡­" "Yes. She is the same one. The other is the one who died bying under your brother''s car as he was returning to bring food for this little one." Jin froze. His heart twisted with a deep sense of regret and loss as he could understand how painful his death must have been. Jin bowed before the cat. "On my brother''s behalf, I am really sorry¡­Bro would have never forgiven himself for this¡­" He then looked towards the God of Time and asked, "Wh-why are they here though¡­?" "Your brother and the woman''s souls were bing unstable because they weren''t allowed to move on in the next cycle. I suspended them in the time-space realm, but I needed some vessels to contain that instability. That''s why, I let their souls dwell in these cats until a decision was made." "O-Oh¡­" He bowed once again before the cats with gratitude. "Thank you for your help." The God of Time smiled. "It''s time to fulfill your wish. Good luck, my dear." With that, the golden clock shone with its golden brilliance and the intricate engravings adorning its frame sparkled as if sprinkled with stardust. The clock''s hands began to move back with precision and grace, their faint ticking resonating like a gentle whisper in the stillness of the realm. With every tick that wheeled backwards in a circr motion, it seemed to transcend the boundaries between the past and the present until they merged into one. With a loud gong, the clock''s hands halted at a point and with it, the golden clock and the mysterious time-space realm seemed to fade away. Jin felt himself floating in a void until his surroundings started to take the shape of a familiar ce. "Haaaaa!!!" Jin suddenly woke up with a gasp, his forehead and temples filled with small beads of sweat. He ever so slowly looked around his room, the past life''s memories flowing into him like a gentle tide of the river. He took a look at the calendar and his hands shook as he grabbed it. "I am back¡­" he whispered as soft, warm tears fell with a realization dawning upon him. "I am back ten years in time¡­" *shback ends* Chapter 666 Crafty Plans ? The serene quietness of the church reflected in the elderly woman''s eyes who held a soft smile on her lips. Though Jun didn''t remember the conversation in the time-space realm, she did very clearly. She looked at him with stars twinkling in her irises. "So. Did you get what you wished for?" Jin threw a scowl at her. "What do you mean?" "Didn''t you want your brother and your love to be together?" He was quick to rify. "I don''t love her." "Ah but your heart doesn''t say so." Her yful smile was frustrating the hell out of Jin. "Okay you might be God or something but you are annoying! Why are you here? What do you want from me? I already told you that I am keeping my distance from Shui!" She sincerely nodded. "And I came here to offer my generous help." "I don''t want your help." "Aish, did my intervention with your ident cause such a trauma?" She innocently blinked. "Don''t worry, this time it''s very safe." He red at her. "I don''t care about your assurance of safety! You¡­you not only orchestrated the ident but that time, you locked me up in that strange, cloudy ce¡­showing me all those memories of my childhood and forcing me to¡­" "But you were denying reality, dear. Running away from your emotions to achieve your wish or turning your head away from something or someone that matters to you is not the path you must take. eptance eases the heart." Jin stood on his feet, carrying the weight of his anguish and annoyance for this ''Godly'' woman before her. "I don''t remember much, but I do remember the condition that made you grant my wish. Rest assured, I will never waver from my stance. I will never¡­" his eyshes faintly fluttered, "allow myself to give into my feelings for Shui." He didn''t spare her single nce and left in a huff. The woman could clearly see an imaginary steam of fury escaping from his ears. A chuckle escaped her lips. "Very stubborn indeed. And here I wanted to help him with good will." "Your good will always sounds suspicious," a voice sneered at the woman, seemingly echoing from within the walls of the church. She smiled. "What do you mean, God of Fate?" "Hah! Don''t you try to act innocent. You cannot me the soul for being so vignt about you. You were always the crafty one among us." "I don''t understand what you are talking about." "Save your ignorance for someone who doesn''t know you." The woman aka the God of Time could imagine the God of Fate rolling its eyes. "You never really wanted him to sacrifice his future in the first ce, didn''t you?" "Oh my but the deal between him and us does exist." There was a scornful pause after which God of Fate asserted. "You are the entity to govern time. As such, you know that turning time back will have repercussions because fate has changed for many souls in a ripple effect. Souls who were dead in the past are alive in this second life which brings a different set of problems. You put the condition before the soul not to test his loyalty for his brother or make him pay a price for his wish but because you have seen the future. An event will happen which will prove to be devastating to his family." "So?" "Heh. You made the condition because you knew that it''s possible to dissolve it by making another soul prove its worth." The God of Time was amused. "Oh my, you really do know how to read me so well." It scoffed. "The one who suffers by rewriting the fates is me. ME! As such, I am fully aware of all your shady conspiracies!" "What can I do?" The God of Time waved its hands sideways as if it was beyond its control too. "I have always found humans fascinating, especially when their limits are pushed. It shows us the true face lying beneath that mask. And I want to see the true face of one such soul. What decision that soul takes. To prevent the dreadful future from happening," an indecipherable light swirled in its enchanting irises, "or to bring doom." ¡ª Jin aimlessly drove around, not being able to decide at any particr ce to go to. The meeting with that strange elderly woman had rattled him, and he couldn''t concentrate on anything. Eventually, he felt tired and turned the car towards the Liu Corps. I will just bury myself in work and not step out of my office for the whole day¡­ The employees greeted him with a smile as he entered and he nodded at them. He asked his assistant, "Bring me all the files I have to work on. And bring as many as you can. I am not in any hurry to go home today¡­" he mumbled. His assistant instead put a flight ticket before him, making Jin raise his brows. "What is this?" "Your ticket to Guangzhou, Sir." "Huh? I don''t understand." "Sir Jinhai said that you know about this trip. You and Miss. Han were supposed to go together for the project you are working on and give a presentation together." His jaw dropped. "I-I don''t know anything about this!" "Sir Jinhai said that he had already informed you." "That was ages ago!" It was true that Jinhai had mentioned about a business trip with Shui but due to unexpected situations arising at Sky and with Jun, the trip went into the back burner for sometime. Jin rushed towards his father''s office and demanded an answer. "What is this trip! I am justing to know about it!" Jinhai didn''t even raise his head to face him and continued working on hisptop. "You were well-informed about it before. Things just got postponed and you know why." "But I am not ready!" "I don''t think the son of Liu Jinhai has to mentally prepare himself for a simple presentation." "Not the presentation but¡­!" He pressed his lips, hesitant to express the true source of his problem. "Then keep your personal and professional matters aside." His gaze darkened. He knew that Jinhai was being unreasonable on purpose. "I-" "The flight is in two hours. Your bags are already packed. Leave for the airport already. Shui is waiting for you." Chapter 667 Clashing Emotions ? Jin reached the boarding gate, wheeling his overhead cabin luggage with him with his head lowered down. His heart raced with jitters crackling like fireworks in the sky. He hadpletely immersed himself to achieve and maintain only one status quo with Shui, and that was to behave professionally with her at all times. There won''te a time where he would let the distance breach between them and whether alone or with people, there would only be professionalism radiating from his demeanor. He took several deep breaths and nodded to himself as if practicing his behavior for the next few days. Just act cool and calm. It will be all fine. It''s only for a few days. They will be over in a jiffy. Jin moved his shoulders in a swag and straightened them with his aura exuding an air of confidence. But that balloon of confidence deted soon enough the moment he caught the outline of a familiar figure he vowed to keep his distance with. He immediately ducked his head down and pulled the corner of his coat over his mouth as if wanting to camouge himself in the dispersed crowd. He quickly zoomed past her, his heart pounding in his chest. He was so upied in avoiding her space that he almost crashed into an iing man walking in the opposite direction. "Hey man, watch where you are going," he grumbled withint and annoyance. "My bad," Jin apologized and quickly walked away. He stood at some corner, trying to cate his heart which felt like jumping up and down on a trampoline. It was all of a sudden that she came before my sight¡­! It''s not my fault if it rmed me¡­ He exhaled another deep breath and decided to board the flight at the veryst. As he turned, he jumped like a scaredy cat and stumbled several steps backwards. Shui watched him with her arms folded on her chest. "You realize that you are looking like a terrorist by pulling that coat over your mouth, right?" His brow twitched hard. His heart palpitated in his chest like a violent seesaw. He immediately pulled down the cor and cleared his throat. "I was feeling a little cold on my nose." "Cold only when you saw me?" He threw a pointed re at her. "Everything is not about you." "No, it isn''t. But you MAKE it all about me," she replied with an equally pointed tone. "What next? Were you going to swap your seat with somebody else so that you won''t be tortured to sit beside me?" Jin almost scoffed at the ridiculousness of her suspicion but stopped midway in deep thought. It is not a bad idea actually¡­ Shui could clearly decipher his expression like an open book. His brain was definitely churning in that direction as if he identally discovered a great idea. Shui smiled. "Fine. If that is what you want. Also don''t bother swapping the seats. I will move out of your way myself. Rest assured, Liu Jin. I only intend to seed in our professional endeavor for this trip, nothing else. I will make sure to protect your innocent purity and keep a safe distance from you." "..." Her long, untied hair fluttered in the wind as she turned in a huff. Jin awkwardly remained standing at his ce, his expression slightly perturbed by Shui''s nonchnce. This makes things easier then¡­ ¡ª The other passengers waiting to board their flight felt a strong tension circting in the air with Shui''s presence. She was tapping her finger on her arm, her countenance wrenched with indignation. That idiot! Now I am so intolerable to him that we cannot even sit beside each for a few damn hours!? The more she thought about it, the more she rapidly clicked her heels on the floor in frustration, which only made the other passengers make some distance from her, afraid of her exploding at any moment. Her phone chimed with a ding and as she saw Ai''s name as the sender, her eyes watered. She immediately typed back, unleashing all her grievances. ''Jin is being very stubborn, isn''t he?'' Ai replied. She furiously typed. ''''He is being the epitome of stubbornness! He should be crowned as the Stubborn Prince! Ai, you said that Jin really likes me too. He is shying away from it because of his emotional burdens. But how will I be able to release those burdens if he wants to keep a distance as wide as a football stadium! You should have seen him now. He was acting like a terrorist covering his face! He doesn''t even want to be my neighbor on the flight!'' Ai consoled her. ''This is just the start, Shui. There are many more days ahead to bridge the gap between you two. I am sure you will be able to definitely break his defenses. Just be sure to follow my tips. There is no way Jin would be able to resist for long.'' ''Master Aiiii!!!'' Shui cried her heart out. ''I will follow whatever you have to say!'' The other passengers made some more space between them and her. First, she was furious, now she was crying. Her unpredictability was scary. The boarding finally started and Shui was ahead in the queue. She slightly coughed and requested a passenger two rows ahead to swap seats with her. He hade alone, so he really didn''t mind switching the seats. Jin arrived, cursing the whole way and questioning Jinhai''s decision. Why did Dad book economy seats? It felt way crowded and obviously there was no privacy like in the business ss. He narrowed his eyes with suspicion. Did Dad do it purposely so that Shui and I¡­ He gritted his teeth and texted Jinhai, demanding an answer. ''Business ss was full.'' Was Jinhai''s short reply. Somehow Jin sensed the stern rigidity from the full stop at the end of his message as if he would entertain no further questions about this trip. As if the great Liu Jinhai would be helpless to arrange two business ss seats! Who are you fooling, Dad!? He noticed that Shui wasn''t in her booked seat. She really did swap. Good for me, he nodded. He searched for her and found her two rows ahead. But his gaze immediately darkened, seeing her already getfortable andughing with her male passenger neighbor. He was fairly good-looking and seemed to be around Jun''s age. Their interaction irked Jin even further when the man held Shui''s hand in his and was seemingly tracing the lines of her palm with a thoughtful gaze. What the hell¡­!? Shui, who was excited for her neighbor to do his job, felt a sinister shadow creep over her head. She looked up and was dumbfounded to read the outrage on Jin''s handsome face. Jin smiled through the seething indignation burning within his heart. "I changed my mind. Let''s sit together." Chapter 668 Fortune Check ? The change in Jin''s mood swings was even faster than a woman on her periods who looked like he was dealing with a giant leap of bouncing back and forth hormones in him. His fiery gaze tracking every moment of that man touching Shui''s hand felt as if he was dumped into a cyclone of fire. "What are you doing?" He asked with a rough edge to his voice. "What do you mean what I am doing? I switched seats just like you wanted. Then why are you showing that grumpy face to me?" Shui couldn''t believe his audacity. "I didn''t ask you, I am asking this man," Jin spit a vicious re at him. The other passengersing in and cing their bags in the overhead luggage cabin could feel the crackle in the atmosphere. It felt as if electricity was coursing through the air that would strike in the form of his wrath at any moment. They gulped in fear and quickly went back to do their own work. One courageous man tried to film the drama for fun, hoping for it to go viral, but Jin''s doom-filled voice reverberated the chill within the closed space of the flight. "Turn your phone off before I turn it off forever." A knife-like shudder steeply beckoned him to drop his phone. He fumblingly picked it up and rushed back to his seat''s sce. Jin then directed his pressurizingmand towards the man beside Shui, who seemed to hold him with interest instead of rm. "Hey, you don''t have to be jumpy~ Why are you getting so riled up? Are you her boyfriend?" His mouth twitched hard. Before the possibility of an explosion happening, Shui quickly replied. "We are friends. We have known each other since childhood." "Ah such a beautiful friendship," he smiled. "Is that why he is so protective towards you?" Her expression soured. He is protective for a different reason, but why would this stubborn prince admit it? "Or maybe it''s jealousy?" "Or maybe you are shamelessly hitting on a beautiful girl who happened to sit beside you. Did you think you got lucky?" The man''s eyes gleamed like gold. "Luck is an interesting topic. It works mysteriously just like fate, don''t you think?" "I don''t care. You just stop hitting on her before I hit your face," the ck clouds looming on top of his head turned to be darker and darker. Shui urgently whispered to diffuse the situation. "Jin! Go back to your seat. Anymore and the air hostesses mighte to rebuke us!" "Tell him not me!" "Oh for God''s sake he is just doing palm-reading! He is into this fortune stuff, which I found interesting!" And maybe I held a small hope too to know if I would get lucky on this trip¡­ Nevertheless, the anger fuming out of his ears made her feel pleased. A few minutes ago, he was adamant to be away from her and he was the one himself urging her toe back. The age-old jealousy trick surely worked for her good even though it wasn''t intentional on her part. Reminds me of the time when Jun used to be the same¡­Oh wait. He is still the same. Ai is the witness. And Jin was being exactly like Jun right now. Sometimes, I get amazed with the simrities between them even though I am aware that they are brothers¡­ The man gave Jin a business-like smile. "Oh yes. I wasn''t having any not so innocent intentions towards this youngdy. I sensed deep trouble in her heart, and I wished to help. Now it is as clear as the sun that you are the source of her trouble.* Jin''s face twisted in God knew how many furious creases. "Excuse me?" Shui choked hard with the man''s bravery. It was a monumental task to stand up to the Liu family men and here he was rxed, seemingly unaffected by the fear of any consequences. "I read a treacherous path ahead for thisdy. I was just giving her some tips~" "Get lost! Shui,e with me." "How about I read your palm too?" He offered. Shui pped with delight. "Yeah that will be fun." Jin''s gaze darkened. "That will be hell, not fun. "Ohe on now don''t be a spoilsport," with twinkling eyes, he grabbed Jin''s hand and pulled him to sit on the aisle seat. He was in the middle while Shui upied the window seat. The passengers silently gasped with his valor. Jin''s face contorted with all possible shades of red. I wanted to pull out so why the hell I got pulled in instead!? He tried to shake his hand away, but the man strangely seemed to have more strength than Jin. He blinked rapidly, feeling the pressure oozing onto his wrist through his fingers. The Liu family brothers had trained themselves to their core to be the physically strongest. The underworld training was far from being a flowery garden and that time in the same dark dungeon had hardened their minds and bodies. They were amidst thugs and goons their entire life and as such, they had forged a physical strength that was almost impossible to beat. Who is this man? Jin questioned himself, rm bells ringing in his mind. Shui eagerly asked, "Tell me what his lines say?" "With pleasure!" He forcibly opened his fingers and stared at his palm. He traced the different points and lines of his dominant hand''s palm and said with intrigue. "The Mount of Venus on the base of your thumb suggests some passionate days ahead~." Shui curiously asked, "What is Mount of Venus?" "It links to love, attraction and romance. I can sense the energy from this point which feels to be throbbing at the moment. I guess something interesting is going to happen which will take him to an adventurous ride on a rollercoaster of fatal and fiery attraction~" Jin - "..." Jin peered into his eyes and the craftiness in those irises felt simr to¡­ No, no! Fuck, that''s impossible! Chapter 669 The key to freedom Chapter 669 The key to freedom "You cannot be that woman¡­You are a man now!" Jin angrily whispered. An enigmatic smile encased his lips, not really bothered with Jin''s guess. But Shui''s mouth did twitch. "You are a man now¡­What are you even talking about, Jin? Of course, he is a man. Do you have any doubt about his gender?" She coughed. "Ah don''t worry, dear. He is just confused," the man''s eyes mischievously twinkled. "I might feel familiar to him though I would very much like to say that I am indeed a man. The woman you met previously might be somebody else~" Jin recalled the elderly woman and now fixed his gaze at the man. He means that they belong to that same weird cloudy space but are different entities? "I must stress that I am very much a man," he smiled. His countenance soured. For some reason, I don''t want to believe him. Whatever, I don''t care! Jin grabbed Shui''s wrist and said with a chilly voice directed at the mysterious man. "We will get back to our seats." Shui pointed a displeased re at him. "First, you say that it''s good to swap seats and now you suddenly changed your mind? I am not going to follow your unpredictable whims and wishes!" At that point, the speakers hummed with a mild crackling noise and the captain''s voice vibrated through them to give his passenger announcement, greeting the passengers, informing them about their destination and weather ahead andstly to buckle their seats as the flight would take off in a few minutes. Jin remained persistent. "Come with me!" "No!" She shook off her hand, sending another re his way. The man waved his hand carefreely. "Just sit here with us. I don''t mind. The aisle seat is free anyway." "No, thanks," he managed to say through his gritted teeth, tension tightly clenching his facial muscles. "Shui¡­" "No." "..." "I might as well enjoy my time with an expert''s palm reading than sitting beside a grumpy face who clearly doesn''t appreciate mypany." "..." There was no more time to change seats as the flight was about to take off. "Fine then! Then you!" He scowled at the man. "You take the aisle seat." Clearly, Jin wouldn''t allow for them to sit together. "Nope~" "No way!" Shui eximed her rejection too. "You didn''t want us to be neighbors before so what''s the point of sitting beside each other now whether that row or this row?" "You¡­" Amidst Jin''s various protests and resistances, the flight finally took off with Jin unsessfully still stuck at the aisle seat, unable to change anybody''s mind. This man¡­he seethed with anger, He is definitely that same woman! Or maybe another one like hers! Nobody dares to give me that attitude! Did hee here to keep an eye on me? To keep me in check? The more he thought about the possibility, the uglier and nastier he felt. It worsened upon seeing Shui already cozying up to him and continuing her palm reading adventure. "Your heart line," the man smiled, tapping his finger at the said line on Shui''s palm. "It shows a bright future ahead of you although a little patience is required for that moment to realize." "Patience?" She softly gasped. Is he hinting at Jin epting his feelings for me? "Yes. That soul wille to you. He will confess his feelings to you. But it requires time. The burden on that man''s shoulders needs to be lifted. The guilt in his heart needs to be set free. Only then will his heart wee you." Jin''s expression darkened, watching the man lean closer and closer to Shui and seemed to be whispering to her. The proximity didn''t affect Shui but for Jin, it felt as if he was dropped into a pool of bubbling volcano. He couldn''t hear hisplete reading, but Jin managed to catch the initial words. That soul wille to you. He will confess his feelings to you. Who is he talking about¡­? Jin couldn''t help but wonder. The deal set with the Gods disallowed him to dream of his happy future. A future where Shui belonged to him. That''s why he couldn''t be the man to confess to her. If he wasn''t a part of Shui''s bright who would sweep her off her feet and make her forget Jin. future, then it meant it would be somebody else. Another man to walk in her life and capture her heart. Another man who would sweep her off her feet and make her forget Jin. Jin''s furyced dark gaze turned somber upon this realization. What was the point of getting all salty with this man''spany beside Shui or even if they grew closer? There woulde a time where he would have to watch Shui embraced in somebody else''s arms. He would have to give his blessings to her and the man who would vow to live their life till deaths do them part. Was there any meaning left to his petty jealousy then? He wondered. The flight had well reached its altitude and the seatbelt sign was then switched off. Passengers could now move. Jin unbuckled his seatbelt and got up from his seat. Shui noticed him stepping out and asked, speechless, "Where are you going now?" "Back to my seat. It was right to swap seats. You sit here. I will head back." He silently left and returned to his original row, upying his original seat. Shui caught the abrupt change in the light of his ck irises. Something happened to make him change his mind and discard their petty banter. Whatever it was, the hint of mncholy his demeanor gave off made her eyes slightly well with tears. It was that feeling again. The feeling that Jin was bearing a heavy burden all alone, all by himself. The invisible wall somewhere that always stopped him from taking a step forward and putting a brake to his emotions. "That burden¡­Can I help to release that burden chaining his heart?" She asked in a hushed voice, not wishing for man to realize her slightly breaking voice. The man slightly squinted his eyes, offering her a veiled smile which seemed to hold a myriad of secrets. "You are an important key for him to attain his freedom for sure. But it''s a freedom that he must achieve by his own efforts too. It will take time. As much as he needs your forgiveness, so does he needs his own." Chapter 670 Sure shot tricks Chapter 670 Sure shot tricks The rest of the flight was uneventful and it touched down Guangzhou three hourster. Jin grimaced, not wanting to see Shui''s neighbor again. But there he wasughing with her as if they had known each other for years. Shui feltment upon bidding him goodbye. "It was really fun talking to you. Is Guangzhou your home city?" "Hm not really~ My home is very far away. I just came here to have some fun with a certain someone." Jin sent a deadly and hostile re his way, who was definitely enjoying his misery. All these people are sadists! Spying on me as if I am some criminal! Jin had enough and he grabbed Shui''s hand. "Let''s go already." "Wait, let us at least invite him for lunch, you know." "As if! We are going to the hotel!" The man chuckled at Jin''s full hostility on full disy as he stormed his way out with Shui. "What do you think is going to happen on this trip?" He didn''t have to nce at his side to know that an elderly woman was standing beside him. She held a simr calm countenance as him. "Whatever it will be, it will challenge his limits for sure~ Whether it''s the proximity with that girl, his promise to keep himself away from her or¡­something else that will threaten topletely break him apart, he will have to find a way to pull himself out of that marsh. He needs to achieve his freedom and that girl is an important key to unlock it. I just wanted to let her know what ising," his eyes twinkled. ¡ª Stuffing his suitcase near the entrance, Jin took off his shoes and copsed on the warm, fluffy bed. He let the fluffiness of the mattress seep into his shoulders and dissipate the burdensome feeling out of them. It was just a three hour flight and this was just the beginning of the trip, but he already felt drained as if somebody had just sapped out his vitality. He put his arm over his eyes and released a tired sigh. I want to go home¡­ A few long minutester, he jumped on his feet to take a quick hot shower. As he stepped out of the steamy bathroom, he saw the time on his watch. It was past three-thirty in the afternoon and past the time for lunch. But he was starving and so he thought of grabbing a quick lunch from a nearby restaurant. He put on a fresh set of clothes and went out to knock on the door of Shui''s room. But he stopped himself just before the knock. I thought of inviting her out to lunch but¡­it''s better if I just bring takeaways with me. She will eat in her room, I will eat in mine. I will be able to avoid her that way. He took a step away but the door opened just then and Shui stepped out as well, all showered and freshened up. She was surprised to see Jin in front of her room. "Were you here to call me for lunch?" Jin clearer his throat. "No. My legs felt stiff so I am just out for a walk-" His stomach grumbled with hunger at the same time, making him curse the timing. "Hah! Just what I thought. You are going out for lunch, but you must have suddenly thought that it wouldn''t be so wise to call me anymore," she sneered. "Aren''t you such a gentleman?" His gaze darkened. "For your kind information, I was going to bring a takeaway for you too. I am not so heartless." "Oh let''s not talk about your heartlessness which wanted me to stay far away from you in the flight as if I was some deadly virus. Oh how pleasant I felt." His brow twitched. "So topensate for the pleasantness you showered on me, we will be having lunch together. No takeaways." He shot a re at her. "We just have to work on the presentation together. That doesn''t mean we have to hang around next to each other for the rest of the trip too." Shui raised her brow. "I see. I might as well then invite the handsome man from the flight." "..." "What?" "The handsome palm-reading guy." He stared at her dumbfounded. "You already forgot? My handsome neighbor who-" "You don''t have to keep emphasizing on his handsomeness," eyes are failing you. He wasn''t that of a pretty face," he scorned. She snickered. "At least he was that much of a gentleman than you gnashing his jaw, Jin expressed his deep resentment for that otherworldly entity whose only motivation was to harass him. "Your eyes are failing you. He wasn''t that of a pretty face," he scorned. She snickered. "At least he was that much of a gentleman than you who thought of going for lunch all by himself." "I wasn''t going to keep you hungry." "You were going to keep me lonely. Doesn''t matter. We exchanged numbers on the flight~ I don''t have to rely on you forpany." His countenance twisted in the darkest shade of ck. He grabbed her phone, stopping her from dropping any such message to that annoying creature who frustrated the living hell out of him. "Fine! Let''s have lunch together. It won''t be that long anyway." He shoved the phone back into her hands and with a furious stream of steam escaping his ears, he stomped hard on the floor, expressing the resentment of his failed ns. Shui locked her room''s door and followed him, silently chuckling to herself and simultaneously typing out a message. ''It actually worked, Master Ai! He agreed for the lunch~'' A notification popped up a minuteter which turned out to be Ai''s reply. ''Ho ho ho~ I knew it. Jin would be too weak to challenge this threat. Even if he wants to stay away from you, he wouldn''t be able to bear the presence of a next man beside you." ''Hehe~ You should have seen him on the flight. He was so cute giving him death stares.'' ''*Nods* Jun exhibits simr cuteness. That''s why these are sure shot methods to work on Jin too.'' Ai''s lips held a scheming grin when a deep, low voice rang in her ear from the back. "What sure shot methods are you talking about, my dear fiance? Please let me in too." She froze and very slowly turned her head to find Jun smiling a not so friendly smile. "What are you up to, Ai?" Chapter 671 Gullible Targets ? Ai cleared her throat and took a step aside. "It''s nothing. I am just talking to Shui." Jun took a step towards her, making the distance she created pointless. "And exactly what were you talking about? Or should I ask, what you were teaching her?" "What would I teach?" Ai shook her head withment, "I am just a simple writer. Sadly, I don''t have anything to teach her." He smiled. "Writers are the ones with a lot of imagination, shouldn''t I say?" She pursed her lips. "Why are you looking at me with those doubtful and suspicious eyes? I am your fiance. It hurts you know?" He grimaced with her dramatic acting. He pinched her chin and softly bit the tip of her nose. "..." "Stay away from the twins. They are infecting you." "How rude. They are not some viruses." "No. They are even worse than them. Now¡­" he narrowed his eyes, "Tell me more about these teachings, Teacher Zhou. I think there''s some interesting stuff going on." She coughed. "There is nothing interesting. Shui and Jin are on a trip as you know and she was just sharing her grievances to me as to how Jin is being grumpy." His mouth twitched. "As somebody who has faced simr hardships, I feel it is my duty to help Shui," she nodded with all sincerity. His gaze darkened. "Excuse me? Simr hardships?" "Of course. I have dealt with a fair share of your grumpiness. Jin, being your younger brother and also as somebody who really adores you, disys the simr traits." "..." She beamed. "The lesson of jealousy worked pretty well. He is taking Shui for lunch now. I knew it will work because I have had first hand experience. Whether you saw me closer to Jin or Yating, you always refused to leave my side. Remember how you taught me to dance and then that night too where you stayed at my apartment for the night because you saw Yating leaving? Or Valentine''s night when you saw us talking and confessed to me? You were even jealous of Xing Bi too when she offered me her house to stay in. Same with Guiying." "..." She bobbed her head. "Jealousy works really well with the Liu family men." Jun suddenly felt an urge tosh out and scream out for his defense, but he couldn''t upon contemting. "Y-you¡­are you saying that we are easy to deceive!?" Ai thoughtfully looked at her side once and then back at him with her answer. "Yes." Gritting his teeth wasn''t enough to express the grievances he felt at this point. "Jin being a carbon copy of you, this method was bound to work," Ai taught him the ropes as if he was a student of hers too. "I have already thought of the next move in case Jin refuses to budge," she brightened. She kissed his cheeks and merrily hopped away. "I should ask Mom and Grandma too. They are the veterans. They surely must have tricks of their own for Dad and Grandpa." He watched her leave with his jaw dropped wide. She was nning in broad daylight to deceive his younger brother like a hooligan and yet for some reason¡­ Why do I find her so cute? He pped himself and woke up. I have gotten totally blind in her love, his brow twitched. Should I warn Jin? But he didn''t wish to face Ai''s wrath and her puffy cheeks and her ignoring him. So he decided to keep his lips zipped. He shrugged. Sorry Jin but you are on your own. ¡ª Jin felt really all alone as he and Shui were seated in the restaurant and for him to have no ce to escape. He wished for the lunch to arrive faster so that he could eat faster and leave equally faster. Shui noticed the restless tapping of his foot on the floor and smirked. "Why are you so anxious, Jin?" He scowled. "Why will I be anxious? I am just waiting for lunch." "By burying your head in the phone for the whole time?" She cocked her brow. "Are you afraid of looking at me?" He shot her a defensive re. "Why would I be afraid of looking at you? I have looked at you since my whole childhood." "As a friend first, then as a sister-inw and now that Jun and I have broken up a looong while ago, I wonder how you look at me NOW?" She rested her palm on her chin and gave him azy look. Shui wasn''t holding back with her punches. She knew that subtle, soft balls were not going to work against him so she went for the fast and hard ones. That hard ball hit straight to his heart with a bang because it was as unexpected as it was a fast move. But he maintained the poise in his gaze and faced her with a smile. "Wouldn''t it mean that you would simply go back to being my childhood and annoying and frustrating friend?" She chuckled. "Is that why you tolerated your annoying and frustrating childhood friend by not failing toe to her house to y with her even once?" "I was there only for Bro." "You really know how to always hide behind Jun''s excuse, don''t you~?" "I don''t need to hide!" By then the lunch arrived, and Jin swiftly grabbed his te before the waiter could even ce it on the table. The waiter quickly left after serving Shui, feeling the tension in the atmosphere. Jin hastily gulped downrge bites, forcing Shui to scold him. "I am not going to eat your food so rx. And I am not allowing you to leave until I am done anyway." Shit! I thought I could make up an excuse and leave! He swallowed anotherrge, angry bite which immediately made him choke and cough hard. "*Cough, cough! Cough cough!*" Shui''s eyes widened and she quickly sprung up to help him. She patted his chest and rebuked him. "Now look what happened! That''s why I was telling you to slow down. But no. Liu Jin doesn''t know how to listen at all! Now drink some water first!" She held the ss of water near his lips and helped him drink it with slow, easy gulps while she simultaneously gave a few hard pats on his back to ease his coughing. Jin began to feel much better after a few sips, and he inhaled a deep breath, feeling finally rxed. "Thanks¡­" He expressed his gratitude but froze as he lifted his gaze, feeling the proximity against her chest. Chapter 672 Notorious Intentions ? Jin immediately turned his head away, staring at the outside world with a trembling gaze. He clenched his fist to distance his mind from the image he just saw with a deep breath. Shui barked. "Why did you turn your head away?" "Nothing." "Then look my way," she grabbed his jaw and forced him to face her, which brought Jin''s attention back to her chest. A sharp, gasp remained stuck in his throat, sensing as though her two lovely breasts were inviting him to touch them. He could feel the heat rush inside him such that it sent shockwaves across his chest, making his heart pound back and forth with vigor. Shit! Shit! Shit! "Why is your face so red?" Shui frowned. "Did the choking raise your temperature somehow? That''s strange¡­" With that concern in mind, she edged closer and inclined near him. She ced her palm on his forehead to check the temperature, which seemed normal to her. But Jin wasn''t. At this point, her chest was way up close and almost brushing the space between his chin and neck. He didn''t realize that he had stopped breathing upon feeling Shui''s touch. Her soft fingers on his temples felt rxing andforting but not the area below her chest that nudged dangerously closer to him. It seemed to embark Jin on his own journey of patience and control. "Shui¡­" his hoarse voice managed to speak up, "I don''t h-have any fever. I am fine¡­really¡­" Her eyes narrowed. "Is that the truth or a way to put distance between us again?" Oh God how it is for thetter but not in the way you are thinking¡­ His trembling breaths urged a gush within him that was threatening to knock down his senses the more their intimate position remained in a lock. His gaze identally fell on the source of his tension again. Her sweet scent invading his nostrils along with the delicious sight causing his fingers to twitch was increasingly making it unbearable to sit still without giving away his notorious intentions. Jin grabbed her shoulders and gently pushed her back to make space for him to stand. "I am done!" He marathoned outside as if he would die if had to be near Shui even for a second more. The st of cold wind against face seemed to calm down the heated zeal tingling his body. His numb senses were beginning to normalize "Yuze, please listen to me!" A shrill instantly diffused the push and pull of Jin''s situation, breaking away the one-sided fervor reverberating in his heart. He abruptly stopped in his tracks, following the woman''s voice. He slightly turned towards a corridor and stared at the direction of a woman chasing after a man who clearly looked like he wanted to have nothing to do with her. Shui, who breathlessly ran after Jin, was also taken aback by a woman''s loud exmation and naturally turned to give her a look. Jin stiffened. "Why are you following me?" That earned him a vicious re. "That was really nice of you to run away from your friend who was concerned and trying to help you and your audacity on top of that to leave her alone for lunch. You are so grateful, aren''t you?" Her voice dripping with sarcasm ruthlessly attacked him. Jin was itching to give a retort, but he held back. Who do you think was the source of my problem! He focused back on the man and woman and tilted his head, squinting his eyes at them. "I saw them back at the restaurant too," Shui slightly craned her neck. "I had noticed them on the other side. But he didn''t seem to be angry at that time. Quite the opposite actually." Jin looked closely and blinked at the man, recognizing him. Kang Yuze, isn''t he¡­? For tomorrow''s meeting with the delegates, he was also going to be a part of it, representing Kang Industries. But he didn''t recognize the woman, desperately following him. His girlfriend? She held his arm, stopping him in his way and trying to talk to him. Jin and Shui couldn''t hear their conversation as they were far away but after sometime, it was evident that Kang Yuze wasn''t so interested in talking to her as if there was nothing left to talk anymore. The woman''s countenance looked extremely guilty and regretful, making Jin sure that she definitely made some mistake which got on his nerves. However he still maintained a respectful distance and tone as he seemed to voice out his displeasure. At one point, the woman stubbornly kept refusing to let go of him, making Shui feel sorry for Kang Yuze. She was trying to cling onto him despite the fact that it made him genuinely ufortable. Shui seriously wondered how they were talking then so civilly back at the restaurant. What had something went so seriously wrong in just a matter of a few minutes? Jin suddenly realized that he had been peeping at a private conversation and long crossed his line of initial curiosity. He cleared his throat and began walking away. "What do you think happened between them? They looked cool in the restaurant," Shui voiced out, trying to figure out what might have gone wrong. "Kang Yuze?" He shrugged. "Might be a date went wrong." She blinked at him. "You know him?" "He is going to be a part of tomorrow''s meeting. Kang Industries." She gasped after a second. "No wonder he seemed familiar. I remember him now. Kang Yuze," she facepalmed at her silliness. "Was that woman his girlfriend then?" "Who knows and who cares?" She scowled. "How insensitive. He looked clearly troubled back there." He shrugged. "Doesn''t matter to me. Kang Industries is considered wealthy and influential in its own right. I have seen women like her. I am sure you have too for Bro Siying. The ones to cling onto a man''s status and money. Her stubbornness reminded me of exactly those women." "I know she seemed to be the problem but I feel it''s too soon to judge. We might be wrong about her." He gave her a sideways nce and cocked his brow. "Stay away from her if you see her tomorrow. She is definitely a trouble attracting ma." Jin looked ahead as he walked but his thoughts floated to another question that kept popping up. Kang¡­Where have I heard thatst name before? Chapter 673 The Ultimate Trump Card ? The same evening, Jin stayed back in Shui''s room to discuss the next day''s presentation. Shui scooted closer to him to have a better look at the screen, and Jin would shift a step further away whenever she did so. This cat and mouse game went on for a little while until Shui banged her palms on the table, making him slightly jump. He knew it. Shui''s patience had thinned out. Just then Shui received a message from her father, Zhiyuan, asking for the twelfth time in the entire day of her wellbeing. ''That Liu boy isn''t troubling you, right? Tell me if he is! I will set him straight! Hell, I will talk to Liu Jinhai and get you out of Guangzhou! Just give me the green signal.'' Her brow twitched, and she shook her head with her father''s over protectiveness. She narrowed her eyes though, feeling an itch to reallyin about him to Zhiyuan and starting a war. Jin would suffer like anything if Zhiyuan went onto rampage mode. She smirked, thinking of her n that wouldn''t need Zhiyuan''s intervention. She would have her own sweet revenge, an evil n concocted by none other than Master Zhou Ai by taking into ount all the time she spent with Jun. The jealousy ingredient to force Jin to go on lunch with her worked great. The only spice needed to get them closer was to make Jin actually spend time with her. But looking at how Jin would always find a chance to steer clear from her, the distance between them seemed to not have any mood to shrink. But that was soon going to change. Shui first replied to Zhiyuan''s message that she was doing all fine. Then she carried her furyced gaze and aimed it straight at Jin,shing out at him. "You do realize that you are acting like a child, right? Do you want me to call Uncle Jinhai so that he could set your priorities?" He immediately toned down as Jinhai''s name came into the picture. Who knew what he would do to punish him? Maybe he would even extend the stay just to set him straight. But after the super close encounter with Shui back in the restaurant, the caution within him to put up his guard was raised to the max. He didn''t want any other such incident to ur in the rest of the evening that would change any equation between them. Jin coughed a bit and avoided her gaze. "I was just feeling a little hot, so I was just making some breathing space." Her expression twisted hard. If only I didn''t love this man, I would have dumped him in the ocean for good! She stomped heavily on her feet, standing with a jerk to rebuke. "You are- Ah!!" She stumbled back as a gasp escaped her lips. Jin was avoiding to meet her eyes but the moment he heard her painful cry, he wasted no time in jumping to her rescue and grabbing her waist to prevent her from falling. "What happened!" The pitch of his voice rose by several notches as he saw Shui opening and shutting her eyelids and holding her temple with difort. "W-what happened?" Jin anxiously checked her temperature which felt to be fine. He had no idea she exhibited such a sudden, strong reaction. He noticed her biting her lower lip and clutching her abdomen as if that was the source of her pain. "Is your stomach hurting?" He asked in a concerned, quiet voice. "Did the lunch not suit you?" It worked! Shui inwardly rejoiced as this was the exact reaction that she had been expecting. However, she did feel remorseful of ying the pity card, but it was a trump card sureshot to work. Not just Ai but even Nana had given her green signal to adopt this method. Liu family men were weak to the women they loved, especially when they were sick. Sorry Jin but even Aunt is on my side here¡­ Shui weakly shook her head and looked down, seemingly embarrassed. "The food was alright." "Then why are you hurting?" He asked with a pensive edge to his voice. "Should I take you to the hospital? This definitely seems like something serious!" "No, no!" She vigorously shook her head. "I know what it is. You don''t need to worry. You can go back to your room. I will work some more and then rest-" His ck eyes sent a deadly re her way. "Don''t be stupid! No work, only rest. Just tell me what is wrong!" "Y-You really don''t need to know¡­" "I can hold you like this for the entire night until you say it." "You! It''s¡­it''s my period!" She shut her eyes, her face turning red. Even though she wasn''t on her periods, the mention of it to Jin did make her abashed. ''Master Ai¡­don''t you have some other way to y the pity card¡­? P-periods are¡­'' ''It''s nothing embarrassing. It''s a part of a woman''s life. Embrace it with pride and use it thoroughly to your advantage.'' "..." Shui could imagine Ai nodding her head seriously. Behind her innocent face, she had never imagined that she would get to hear these words from her. ''Jun was my servant for four full days. He was so cute when he took care of me. He would even pat my belly to soothe my period cramps.'' Shui coughed and her ears reddened with a flush. Ai might or might not have been blushing, but she surely was. But learning about Jun petting her stomach was so adorable that Shui squealed. Will Jin do the same for me? There was only one way to check out. Jin blinked and formed an O with his lips, not really embarrassed with the turn of events. "Then you should definitely rest." He didn''t hesitate to pick her in his arms and walk the short steps towards the bed toy her down. The entire time, Shui stared at him wide-eyed, unable to process the information overload. Am I really¡­in his arms right now? It was a short-lived happiness as he gently put her to bed. "Wait, wait, this was too soon!" "What was?" Jin didn''t understand. "Lying me on the bed! You carried me in your arms, but it was so shocking that I didn''t even get the time to grasp the situation and feel myself in your arms! So carry me again." "..." "And this time, walk a little slower," she frowned. "..." Chapter 674 The Grumpy Cats Care And Concern ? Jin squinted his eyes at her expectant gaze who was impatiently waiting for him to pick her up again. He sneered, giving her a disdainful look, "Why does it seem like you are enjoying this, Han Shui? You were just on the verge of copsing." Oh oh. I got a little too excited¡­ Shui expressionlessly figured out the problem, but she was more than capable enough to handle Jin''s suspicions. Her brows knitted together tensely as if she was being harassed by another kind of pain. "Do you realize Jin that ever since the beginning of this trip, you have been avoiding me as if I am some virus?" He stiffened. "I just want our work to go smoothly and I am fully dedicated towards it, but you keep leaving me alone¡­It hurts because it feels that you are not even allowing me to be your friend¡­" That rattled him and his lips struggled to form a response. "After so long for the first time, you looked genuinely worried about me. You, who always found a chance to escape from me, actually carried me in your arms. Do you realize how happy it made me feel? It''s like I got validation that Jin still cares about me even if it''s a little bit. And it came so fast and unexpected that I wasn''t simply able to process it. I even forgot about my pain and dizziness. Can you really me me for my reaction?" "N-No¡­I mean¡­" Jin fumbled in his words, not expecting that carrying her led to such a significant impact. Shui pressed her lips and lowered her gaze. "It''s okay. I was being childish anyway. You can leave. It''s just periods anyway. I can take care of myself-" "No," A determined look shed across his face. "I won''t leave you alone when you are suffering. If it will make you happy that I carry you again, then I will." Flowers blossomed inside Shui''s heart, and she almost cried with happiness seeing the change in Jin. Did my acting actually win? Shui was left shocked by her own unexpected talent. She didn''t realize that the arrow will pierce exactly where she wanted to. She was being dramatic for sure and half part of it was definitely to tug Jin''s sympathetic heartstrings, but the remaining half part of the conversation was a reality anyway that Jin wouldn''t be able to protest. It was hard to tell whether Shui was acting or genuinely disappointed because her words reflected both spectrums of her emotions. Jin gently lifted her again in his arms and walked away from the bed to where they previously stood. He cleared his throat. "Now I will walk slowly¡­" Shui inwardly coughed at his innocence and an urge arose within her to record this on her phone. But instead, she focused on basking herself in the warmth of Jin''s embrace. Her heart squealed and tickled with the sensation of his fingers softly pressing into her waist, the sight of his handsome jawline melting her heart and his beautiful ck irises that were filled with concern for her. The light away against his chest made a blush greet her cheeks. She wished for this moment to never end and dreamily thought of never parting away from Jin. He ced her on the bed for the second time and asked, "Is this¡­okay now?" The dreamy daze came to an end, and she inwardly sighed. But she wasn''t going to let this atmosphere to go to waste thay she so painstakingly built all by herself. She weakly smiled, letting him clearly see her ''struggle.'' "Thanks Jin¡­" her lips then parted irregrly as if bouts of pain greeted her like a see-saw. Alert and rmed, Jin quickly said, "Wait here for me. I will be back in a minute!" He rushed outside, causing Shui to give him a dumbfounded look. Where did he suddenly rush off to? But now that he was gone for sometime, Shui stepped out of her bed and hopped and jumped in excitement. She covered her face with her palms, recalling the short but sweet time in his arms. Giggling, she immediately grabbed her phone and sent a status message to her master. ''Master Aiiii!! Your n actually worked! Jin got so worried about me that he is refusing to leave my side now~ He just rushed off now but I don''t know where.'' A ding came a few secondster. ''I told you so.'' Shui chuckled, imagining Ai''s nose to have grown longer with pride. She had nailed down Jin''s reaction to perfection. ''It is absolute heaven when the Liu family men serve- care for us,'' she added another message. Sheughed. "Shui!" The phone almost slipped off her hands, and she choked hard. He came back so soon? Shui quickly locked her phone and jumped back to bed, covering herself with a duvet. She brought back the troubled expression as she saw Jun return. "Jin¡­" He was holding a ss of warm drink and walked up to her anxiously. He noticed the beads of sweat on her forehead and widened his eyes. "You are sweating." Her mouth ever so slightly twitched. Is that because of my hyper jumping around in joy a minute ago? She coughed. "It''s nothing really. I am just a little ufortable." Jin quickly took a seat beside her and said, "I made this warm drink for you. It has some good herbs that will help ease your difort. This is Mom''s recipe. It''s magic. You should drink it." "You made it¡­?" She asked, suprised. "Yes." "But how? This is a hotel, not Liu vi''s kitchen. You cannot just enter in the kitchen and¡­" He blinked. "I can go wherever I want. Perks of being from the Liu family." "..." At least show a little shame of abusing your power¡­ Nevertheless, her heart was so overwhelmed by this gesture of his that she sincerely felt like kissing him on his lips. He ran all the way to the kitchen, possibly threatened the kitchen staff to let him do whatever he wanted and personally made this drink for her. Can I really not kiss him¡­? Shemented. Oh wait. Maybe I can. I just have to strike at the right time¡­ With this newfound hope, she took the ss and gulped the drink. Even though she wasn''t in actual pain, the warmth and sweet taste brought an unknown relief as if she was floating in the clouds. This is really magic¡­ Jin carefully observed her expression and nodded in satisfaction to see that the drink''s effects seemed to be working. Shui peeked at him as she swallowed thest gulp of the drink. She had to act again and act fast. If he felt that she was alright now, he might leave for his room. And she wanted him to stay beside her as long as possible. She kept the ss on the table and shifted a little ufortably on the bed. "What is it?" Jin didn''t waste any moment to ask. "It''s just the cramps¡­" she awkwardly smiled. "Aunt''s recipe indeed is working like magic. I already feel so much refreshed. But there are still some light cramps haha¡­" Her tired and fatigued smile clenched Jin''s heart further with distress. "Can I help with anything? Anything you say!" Well¡­ She had an urge to say to pat her belly, but she wasn''t sure how it would turn out. She didn''t want this progress between them to go to waste. But before she could even decide, Jin gave a look as if a great idea struck him. "I am an idiot. Why didn''t I think of this earlier? I will pat your belly. We do this for sis Nuo at home. It really works. I will do it for you. You will feel better in no time!" "..." Am I dreaming? Chapter 675 Seductive Threat ? Jin smoothly tapped his fingers on Shui''s belly while also circling them around in gentle, fluid motion in an attempt to provide her somefort. Even though a thin line of her dress separated the contact, the euphoric sensation of a thousand butterflies tickling still grabbed the inside of her belly. His ck eyes looked calm and patient, something very opposite to how evasive they seemed until an hour ago. The minutes ticked by and Jin''s stay in her room kept getting equally longer too, a notion which Shui highly appreciated. "Are you feeling better now?" Shui, who was still in the daze of enjoying Jin''s concern, didn''t clearly hear his question. "Shui?" Her stupor popped like a balloon, making her cough. "Y-Yes, it''s so much better now¡­" Which wasn''t a lie. Though Shui wasn''t really having periods, she still did feel the relief out of those gentle pats washing over her which seemed to extract her lethargy of today''s trip, including dealing with Jin''s strange behavior. Can thisst forever? She sobbed. Suddenly, from outside the hotel and through their window, they heard the sparkling boom of firecrackers lighting up the night sky into beautiful shades of red, yellow, green, purple and orange. Another cracker simultaneously bursted in the sky, making Shui''s eyes gleam. "So beautiful!" Jin, too, felt mesmerized by those bright colors that seemed to bring life to the dark, ck clouds. "Yeah." "I wonder if there is some celebration going somewhere." A third firecracker also blossomed in the sky, filling the crevices in between the clouds with the breathtaking spectrum of the rainbow. "Could be." Enjoying the beauty of those fireworks, Shui couldn''t help but chuckle as she looked back at Jin. "Seeing fireworks makes me remember your failed attempt to light one back in the day. Were you what nine or ten? You were always so afraid of firecrackers that you stayed far away from them." Because their unpredictability reminded me of the twins which I absolutely detested, his expression grimaced to that of displeasure. "You always kept your distance. It was so funny when you tried to light up your first firecracker," sheughed. "What was it, the cone? You kept pulling back even when Aunt was right behind you and when it burst, you immediately ran to Jun''s side and cried your heart out to him. The way you clung onto him so fiercely was so cute." Jin''s gaze darkened. It wasn''t a very prideful memory to recall as he was the subject of everybody making fun of him for a long time toe, especially by the twins, Grandpa Liu and his Uncle Jing. The quadruple gang of hyperactivity and an ever happy go lucky attitude. "I wasn''t that scared!" "..." Shui''s lips twitched while sheughed to her heart''s content at the same time. "Of course you weren''t. That''s why you didn''t let go of Jun for the rest of the evening. Oh and by the way, Grandpa still has the video of you escaping like a scaredy cat." "..." "Should I ask for it to refresh our memories~? There are many other enjoyable videos too, capturing little Jin''s best moments. L-Like the time¡­" by this point, tears slipped out of her eyes as she couldn''t hold back herughter, "the twins fooled you into dering to marry Aunt Nana. That too in front of Uncle Jinhai. And that too¡­" she bit her lip, "on their wedding anniversary with you stating that Uncle was a bad husband. You even said that he kidnapped her. Ahahahaha¡­" Jin gnashed his jaw with the extremely embarrassing and frightening memories that Shui sprung up on him out of nowhere. He still recalled that horror as if it was yesterday. Calling Jinhai a bad husband wasn''t nearly as bad and dangerous as Jin dering to marry Nana. That effectively meant kicking him out of her life, which was a notion Jinhai hated to feel even if it was somebody''s tomfoolery. Facing his father''s cold wrath and punishment made it traumatic for him to be anywhere near the twins from that day. He sneered. "Don''tugh so hard that your cramps will return. Don''t me me if I stop caring for you then." Shui simply waved her hand, still busyughing off on Jin''s tragedies. "You were s-so cute¡­Th-that trying to act strong and holding back your tears but clearly frightened like anything¡­" "Han Shui! I order you to stop right now!" She innocently blinked. "Aren''t you my servant though right now?" His angry smile dipped into his heavy sarcasm. "Oh yeah, your servant who is supposed to tend to a woman in her period who is supposed to be in a lot of pain right now." Shui coughed. "How is it my fault? I feel my stomach aching but at this point, I am not sure if it is because of the periods or because your tragedies are way funnier to make it ache byughter." ring at her, he jumped on his feet and eximed. "Well since you look all fit and fine, you don''t need me anymore, right? Great. So I will head back to my room and prepare for tomorrow while you keep wasting time on some stupid childhood memories!" Shui hastily grabbed his wrist. "No, no! You don''t need to leave. I am sorry. I promise I won''tugh anymore¡­" Nevertheless, Jin could still hear her mild, sneaky chuckles and his expression further twisted. "No way!" "Don''t be like this pleaseeeee," she cutely widened her eyes. "Can we not even reminisce about our childhood anymore? There were so many fun things!" "Not for me," he coldly barked. Shui kept tugging his hand, refusing to let him go. "Okay I promise-" "No way! I am leaving! I don''t want your promises. You are just like the twins," he red at her. She red her nostrils upon his stubbornness and gave his wrist one hard pull until he stumbled off bnce and fell on top of her. Which wasn''t what she had intentionally nned or expected to happen. She was quick on the uptake and before Jin understood his position to react, she reached out and whispered into his ear. "Move even an inch and I will kiss you. So don''t test my patience." "..." Chapter 676 A Responsibility And A Burden ? In the dimly lit room, a gentle breeze rustled the curtains, casting the delicate and soft glow of the brightly lit fireworks from outside. The vibrant shadow of colors kissed the contours of their faces as Jin held his breath. His eyes locked for a brief moment, surprise evident in his expression and so was a hint of uncertainty. Hia heart raced, a mix of emotions flooding his senses. On one side, the time back in the restaurant invaded his thoughts and now his acute senses were too sensitive to feel the brush of Shui''s chest against his. He held in his breath, trying to think of random thoughts but failing to do so. On the other side, an equally strong sense of responsibility trapped his heart into a prison-like state where he knew for certain that he should be getting off Shui and immediately leave the fleeting embrace he was in. Shui gazed into those troubled ck pupils that seemed to hold an endless maze of secrets known to only Jin. Under the faint light of those fireworks, she could see his lips trembling that suggested the restraint he was trying to exert on himself. But the question still bugged Shui. "Why?" Jin widened his eyes ever so slightly as he steeled himself to meet the question in Shui''s eyes. "...What?" He could feel the warmth of Shui''s body beneath him, the softness of the cushioning underneath, and a maic pull that only made his struggle harder with the dangerous attraction. The atmosphere between them felt like a lethal marsh which would swallow Jinpletely if he sumbed to take a step into it. He would get pulled down by the weight of the love that he had been holding back for a long time now. "Why are you struggling so much, Jin?" She asked. At first, she wanted nothing more than to tease Jin and just to get under his skin, making him grumpy and annoyed. But the pain that brought a very small tear to settle in his eysh made her act otherwise. "What burden is it that you are carrying on your shoulders that is making¡­you so miserable like this?" "Nothing," Jin instinctively replied. He could feel the rise and fall of her chest, and he swallowed hard, willing himself to regain hisposure. "There is no burden. You are mistaken." "Then tell me why it is so that you are seemingly battling your own self? You look like you are defending yourself against someone and that someone is none other than you," she firmly asserted. Every passing moment that drove their proximity to stretch thin between them made him feel as if he was running out of time. He could hear Shui''s questions crystal-clear but he had no answers to give to her. He couldn''t help stop his gaze from tracing her neckline, her vicle and her chin that led him to greet her pink, flushed lips. And Shui traced his eyes tracing her figure. It was faint because she knew that he was reeling his desire to bridge the gap between them as if making his own heart a prisoner. She ever so gently raised her hand and ced her palm on his cheek. The tips of her delicate fingers hovered near his temple, brushing away the small tear from his eysh, making him stiffen. "If you want to kiss me, then say so." That bold assertion froze his heart ice-cold. The rhythm of his breaths fell apart, feeling exposed and vulnerable. In that fleeting instant, Jin''s struggle seemed to crumble the walls he was painstakingly building to imprison his heart. He could sense the desire building within him, an unmistakable pull toward her. But his restraint was equally powerful, driven by his desire to protect everybody''s future. Everybody but his. The woman he loved acknowledged the emotions he was striving to hide from her and with a bold deration, asked him to confess it as well. He felt as if his admittance was just on the tip of his tongue. If he said yes, then would she agree to let him kiss her? If she agreed to let him kiss her, then that would change the dynamics between them forever, was it not? There was no way to kiss her and undo it. Her question was simple but the answer to it was anything but that. So close¡­Shui is so close¡­ If I say yes then¡­would she lean and kiss me? Or would I lean and kiss her? He felt his heart race and with every ticking moment, their lips seemed to inch closer as if driven by an invisible force. Neither were initiating the kiss, yet it felt like the distance was dissipating somehow. With a controlled exhale, Jin shifted his weight, carefully pulling himself off Shui and settling on the bed beside her. Their proximity remained, but the air had shifted from a passionate and unpredictable tension to a shared moment of vulnerability. He felt cold as soon as he lost the warmth of Shui''s hand from over his cheek. He simply remained still on the bed with his feet touching the floor. Shui, too, slowly rose and quietly sat beside him, her feet touching the floor too. "It feels like you gave me a yes but also a no at the same time. You are mean, Jin." Jin softly closed his eyes, trying to stabilize his erratic breaths. She bit the corner of her lip, releasing a painful sigh. "I cannot see you suffering like this, Jin." "I know," he whispered back. "I want you to share your burden with me, Jin." "I know." She then very slowly asked, "So you admit there IS a burden?" "...It is a responsibility that I chose for myself. I won''t back off because it holds the happiness of a very important person very dear to me. But it also is a burden in a way that I cannot exin to you. There is a responsibility I am willing to take and a burden I am willing to bear." He then turned to face her as he said in a hushed and trembling voice, "Both of which don''t allow me to be with you." Chapter 677 To Drill The Crack Deeper ? Arriving at the meeting destination the next day, Jin and Shui were all prepared for the presentation. Afterst night''s short but grim conversation, she tried to break the ice today en route to the meeting ce. But Jin was adamant on ignoring her and instead only buried his face in hisptop. Shui sighed, shaking her head. "Does it hurt now?" Surprisingly, Jin took a check on her wellbeing after almost getting a scarest night. It took a moment for Shui to remember, but then her eyes sparkled with hope. Oh, he is asking about my periods! Thank God. At least he has notpletely blocked all hismunication towers. She cleared her throat and softly nodded. "The cramps have gotten better¡­" Jin heard this and nodded. Before Shui could embark on to the journey of continuing the conversation, he had already looked away and stared wide-eyed at theptop screen as if his life depended on it. He clearly doesn''t want me to pry any further, her brow twitched. Seeing Jin''s bodynguage made it sure to her that he wouldn''t entertain anymore talk, especially aboutst night. She released another sigh and looking out through the window, she wondered about Jin''s responsibility and burden. I don''t get it. What could being in his way of confessing his feelings for me? What could be the responsibility, what could be the burden stopping him¡­? In a way, Shui was happier to get at least some insight into Jin''s problem which at first, he was hell bent on not admitting that there was a problem in the first ce. If nothing else, this trip managed to change at least some part of the stunted information that she had. Jin confirming the existence of a problem was a big feat in itself. Now the next step was to slowly but surely drill the crack in Jin''s shell deeper and deeper until she reached the source of it. But when¡­? For some reason, she recalled the words of that handsome palm-reading man she met during the flight. ''It will take time. As much as he needs your forgiveness, so does he needs his own.'' Time¡­patience¡­ This ride went on in silence until they stepped out and walked towards the meeting room. Jin excused himself for a few minutes, and Shui was left alone. She thought of waiting inside the conference room and as she opened the door, her eyes slightly widened in surprise upon immediately seeing a man already on his seat. Oh he is Kang Yuze¡­ The man heard someone''s entrance and raised his head. "Miss. Han Shui?" "Yes. Kang Yuze, right?" He smiled. "Yes. Nice to meet you." "Same here." She slightly cleared her throat and took a seat at the corner of the table, cing herptop on the desk. I thought Jin and I would have gotten here earlier¡­ She looked up and curiously studied his figure, especially after remembering his confrontation with the woman at the restaurantst night. Tall andmanding, his presence filled the room, yet it wasn''t just his stature that drew attention. His posture was impable, projecting an air of assurance and confidence. Dressed in a tailored suit, he exuded a sense of refined style. The smile on his lips was neither too wide nor too slim that made Shui think of chivalrous men. It was that aura he emanated that made her quickly feel at ease. A sense of poise in his irises was strong enough to tone down anybody''s restlessness. "Miss. Han?" Shui blinked and let out a cough. "Yes." Kang Yuze thoughtfully touched his chin and asked, "Were you at the restaurant yesterday?" "..." Did he catch Jin and me spying on him? "I think I did see you, but I am not sure¡­" "Well¡­" she awkwardly smiled, "I was there with Jin. We hade for lunch." "Oh you mean Liu Jin?" "Yes." "Makes sense," he slightly gave a nod. "I think I did see him too but my table was farther away. I couldn''t really be so sure. I would have met you two yesterday itself but I didn''t want to disturb your date." She choked. "That wasn''t a date. We were just out on lunch." Kang Yuze stared at her intently. "My apologies. When I was leaving the restaurant, I noticed Liu Jin¡­" Was blushing furiously with how close you stood against him so¡­I think I made a wrong guess. He waved his hand. "Nothing. I guess I jumped to the conclusion too soon." Shui paused and asked, "Did it look like we were on a date?" Kang Yuze tilted his head. He wasn''t really sure of the dynamics between Jin and Shui. He had only observed Jin for a few seconds and from his perspective, it did feel something more from Jin''s side. He had assumed Shui, who had her back to him, might have felt the same. But now¡­That was an answer he couldn''t guess. If she wasn''t interested in Jin, then would his answer make everything unnecessarilyplicated? Instead, he asked, "Did you want it to look like a date?" Her brow twitched. "Not really." "So you mean yes." "What?" "Not really is not aplete No. So maybe, you did wish it to look like a date." Well¡­ Kang Yuze chuckled and let it go. "I understand. It''splicated." "...Complicated is an understatement," she muttered under her breath. "I wish you all the best," heughed. It was evident that he had clearly heard her muttering too. "You have sharp ears," she said, slightly dissatisfied. "And so do I have sharp eyes for noticing you and Liu Jin peeping into the corridor yesterday." "..." Shui pressed her lips, holding her breath. "I think you are mistaken." "I''m pretty sure I am not," he smiled. She tapped her finger on the desk and eventually gave up. "Okay fine. But mind you, Jin and I aren''t so shameless. We heard the woman who you were with suddenly exim in the corridor and our attention fell to your side. Also, it felt strange because I had seen you at the restaurant too. You two seemed to be enjoying yourselves, so I just wondered wh at had suddenly gone wrong¡­" "I see." "If you don''t mind me asking, who was that woman?" "Ren Alix. My ex-girlfriend." Chapter 678 Haunting Memories ? A mild tone of chilliness set within Kang Yuze''s eyes as he mentioned her name. That reflected in his demeanor too which Shui caught. But she wondered whether to pry or not. Curiosity was bugging her, but she hardly knew the man. "I never heard of the Ren family though¡­" she mumbled. Kang Yuze read the questions in her mind and smiled. "They have a medium scale business, which is growing quite well. Since we felt potential in them, we reached out to them for one of our projects. That''s how I met her father, Ren Yong. Through him, I met his daughters. Ren Alix and her sister. After then¡­" The strain and distaste in his countenance was evident enough to highlight that whatever happened next had been bothersome for him, which he wasn''tfortable sharing. Shui said, "It''s alright. You don''t have to say anything further if you are notfortable. I was only curious because the atmosphere at the table was quite nice but then outside¡­" "Ah well that''s sort of a long story," his calm gaze cracked with a hint of displeasure. "Or to make it short, Alix used my sister to follow me here in Guangzhou. My sister, Xue, insisted oning here with me and then I saw Alix yesterday. I thought it was a coincidence but it wasn''t. It irked me because I felt my sister''s kindness was being used, which doesn''t sit well with me," his expression hardened. Her eyes widened. "Then howe you spoke so decently with her yesterday?" "We were already inside and had ordered food. When I talked to Alix, I felt that something was wrong and then she spilled it out when I egged her on. I didn''t react back then because I didn''t want to create a scene. And let''s say that¡­Alix can get quite stubborn and impulsive. She would have made a fool out of herself in front of everybody. We are exes now, but I still don''t want her to be the target of public''s mockery. You know how a crowd can get when they smell drama." "You are very thoughtful¡­" It genuinely slipped out of her tongue. I don''t know if I would have been that patient with someone like that¡­ The door opened and Jin then stepped in, narrowing his eyes at Kang Yuze. "Nice to meet you, Liu Jin," Kang Yuze offered him a pleasant, weing smile. "...Hm. Same here." He nced at Shui who seemed to have been talking to Kang Yuze before he hade in. He took a seat beside her, staring at her intently. "What?" Shui frowned, confused. "Nothing." "There is definitely something." He threw a re at her and then tore his gaze away a momentter. Kang Yuze blinked once and lifted his lips into a very light smile. "We were just casually chatting." "I didn''t ask." "Not every question is asked out aloud." He squinted his eyes, making Shui hold in a silent chuckle. Jin was being like an open book where he didn''t even had to articte his thoughts. His bitter gaze and sour expression was more than enough to let his unsaid questions seep into the air. Jin immediately jerked his head towards Shui, but she had brought back her unaffected, in expression back. He couldn''t really use her ofughing behind his back. The rest of involved parties for this formal get-together arrived within time as well and soon the meeting started. The conference in itself wasn''t going to be lengthy or extensive and after three hours, it came to an end. Jin heaved a big sigh of relief. The source reason foring to this trip hade to an end and he could finally return to Beijing where he could keep his distance from Shui. Kang Yuze offered Shui a handshake. "You did well," he sincerely praised her. "Really?" Shui asked with uncertainty, "I was slightly nervous though." "Then you did double well because if you were nervous then that didn''t show in your voice and posture at all. Well done," he smiled. She beamed with thepliment. "Thank you!" She then turned to her side, throwing her pointed tone at a certain someone. "And this is how you appreciate someone." "..." Jin looked up, twitching his brow. "What do you mean?" "Appreciation. Which I doubt if the word exists in your library." His gaze darkened. "I was confident that we will do a good job. We had done our part of preparation very well." "It is still a different feeling at show time. A nicepliment goes a long way." Jin forced a smile on his lips. "My apologies, Miss. Han for being so slow, insensitive and narrow-minded." The annoyance began to twist his expression. It wasn''t that he hadn''t thought of saying some nice, appreciative words to Shui, but Kang Yuze beat him to it by a second earlier. The feeling of being a secondte frustrated the hell out of him. For some reason, he felt he lost to Kang Yuze. Shui could kind of read what was going through his mind, and she shook her head, helpless, "So petty," she whispered under her breath. Jin sprung up on his feet, ring at her for the hundredth time probably. "Well nobody is asking you to like this petty man, now is anyone?" "..." Kang Yuze let out a soft cough. "Jin, wait! Where are you going?" She rushed behind him, who was about to leave the conference room. He smiled at her. "You are free to bask in hispliments as much as you like and what more? Even go out for lunch with him because clearly, I will be eating alone!" Shui helplesslyughed, and she felt like pinching his cheeks. "Don''t worry. My day won''t beplete without dragging you for lunch and bothering you the whole time~" "No need!" He opened the door with the weight of his frustration and blindly collided into a person who wasing inside. "Ouch!" Kang Yuze craned his neck and slightly widened his eyes. "Xue! Are you alright?" "Yeah I am fine Bro¡­" She sent out a displeased stare in Jin''s way. "Be a little careful, you know¡­" But instead of an apology, her words were only met with silence. Shui observed Jin, who had suddenly gone pale and frigid. "Jin?" But he didn''t respond and instead felt difficulty finding his breaths as more time passed. Kang Yuze stepped out as well and patted his sister''s head with concern. "Good that you are unhurt." He looked at Jin and Shui and smiled. "She is my sister, Kang Xue." But the name only proved to be haunting to Jin as memories of the past life came flooding in his mind. Xue...Kang Xue... Chapter 679 Jins Burden (1) ? "Jin?" She lightly tapped on his shoulder, worry increasingly settling in Shui. Something was wrong with the way drops of sweat perched on his forehead and his chest stopped moving as if he had forgotten to breathe. "Are you okay, Jin?" She whispered. Jin took a trembling step back, gasping silently for breath but finding it unable to suck in the air. Kang Xue frowned upon observing Jin''s odd behavior. "Hey. You still didn''t apologize for crashing into me." He stiffened, swallowing a hard gulp. Shui quickly gave an apologetic smile. "I am really sorry on his behalf. He is not feeling well. d you are not hurt." Kang Yuze blinked once, bewildered. He stared at Jin, who seemed to look fit and fine just a few minutes ago. The suffocation in the air reached beyond Jin''s tolerance limit, and he pushed himself away from the crowd. "E-Excuse me¡­" "J-Jin¡­" Shui looked at him, stupefied but quickly brought her attention to the siblings. "I am really sorry. I will go check on Jin. I think he is¡­" "It''s okay, Miss. Han," Kang Yuze smilingly assured her. "The conference is anyway done here. We are all free to leave. Mr. Liu doesn''t look so well. He should definitely take care of himself." "Thanks." Shui urgently followed Jin, leaving the Kang siblings behind. "That man was strange¡­" Kang Xue muttered. Kang Yuze narrowed his eyes. "What''s more strange is you insisting on apanying me here and then Alixing out of nowhere. Care to exin this coincidence?" She cleared her throat but soon enough red at him. "You should be ashamed of yourself, Bro. She genuinely wanted to see you, and you ruthlessly pushed her away." "Wanted to see me by using you? So you joined hands with her? Thanks, sis." "I was just trying to help her! She sincerely wants to make things right so I thought¡­By the way," she sneakily asked, "Are you interested in that woman?" "Who?" "The one who just left." Kang Yuze widened his eyes. "Han Shui? No. Why are you even asking?" "Oh. Nothing," she shrugged. Kang Yuze squinted his gaze. "What is the problem?" "Nothing-" "Xue¡­" his stern voice gave her a final warning. Kang Xue mumbled. "Alix¡­said she saw you two chatting together through the ss window of the conference room. She got anxious seeing you two together. You two looked quitefortable so-" "So tell her that it''s none of her business." "You are being too harsh, Bro," she coldly emphasized. "Because I want her to move on. I have no business with the people she meets, and it shouldn''t bother her who I meet either. I cannot tolerate this spying anymore, Xue. She has caused enough troubles in our family already and now we have broken up. I don''t want to do anything with her anymore. You might like the Ren sisters, but it doesn''t mean that I have to always go along with you. Tell Alix not to follow me anymore." He announced his cold decision and left takingrge strides. ¡ª Jin couldn''t feel any strength in his legs as stood by the elevator side, desperately pressing the up button to return to his room. He clutched and touched his neck, rubbing it to feel somefort while breathing, but he found none. Tears pooled in his eyes, and he wanted nothing more than to copse on his bed and never wake up from inside his duvet. "Jin!" His mind numbed upon hearing her voice, and his desperation shook him even harder. The elevator arrived with a ding and he quickly stepped inside, shutting the doors on Shui''s face. "Jin!" Shui stomped her foot in frustration. How dare he close the doors on me! To her luck, the second elevator just arrived as well, and she quickly got inside. Reaching the floor where their rooms were, she stepped out and found Jin fumbling with his keycard. He somehow managed to unlock the door and staggeringly went in, closing the door behind him. But Shui zoomed past the space between the elevator and the corridor and grabbed the door before it closed on her. "Jin, what is wrong? Please talk to me." Jin jerked his head, shocked and aghast. He applied pressure to close the door, but Shui refused to budge. "Leave¡­Leave!" "I am not leaving you in this state! Either you allow me toe in or I will force my way inside!" She remained firm while pushing the door to make space for her to enter. "I don''t want to talk to anybody," he said, a sense of nauseousness gripping him. "And this ends now." She gave another hard push to the door and finally squeezed her way in. She immediately locked the door so that Jin wouldn''t have any path left to escape. "Leave¡­leave¡­I¡­I-I don''t¡­" Jin ran inside, covering his ears with his hands and shutting his eyes that pressed the tears to slip out. His trembling body shuddered as if he was locked up in a dark and freezing room. Losing all his strength, he copsed on his knees, bursting into tears. Shui gasped in shock and fell on her knees to support his body, which was helplessly leaning against the bed. "Jin, calm down¡­W-whatever the problem is, we will solve it together." His pale and colorless face that shone with the traces of his wet tears didn''t agree with her. "You¡­Y-You cannot solve it. N-Nobody can solve it. Please¡­leave me alone, Shui. I just¡­" he brought his knees closer to his chest akin to a child afraid of the dark. "Leave a¡­pathetic man like me alone¡­" he struggled to find his voice amidst his pressing sobs. Tears welled up in Shui''s irises as her heart twisted to see Jin in pain and so helpless. He clutched his head as if he was trying to escape from something, as if he didn''t want those voices and thoughts striking him back. Shui took a few breaths to calm herself first. She knew she had to be strong herself if she wanted Jin to find his strength too. After stabilizing her heartbeats, she slowly reached out to hold his head between her palms. Naturally, Jin resisted and tried to shake her off as if even her touch pained her. But Shui didn''t yield to his protests. "Jin. I will always stand beside you no matter what it is you are going through. No matter how much of a problem you think you are in, I will not, I will absolutely not let go of your hand. Please¡­please trust me, Jin," a tear slipped out of her eye. "I will ept every fear and every ugliness that is forcing you to shut yourself. I won''t abandon you, Jin. Please talk to me¡­" Jin chuckled with tremors in his hushed voice. "D-Don''t make promises that you won''t be able to uphold, Shui. You will never be able to forgive me. Y-you will never be able to ept me. You will be disgusted by me. You will loathe me a-and I know I deserve every bit of it," he breathed hard. "There is no way I will loathe you, Jin. There is no way I can hate the man I love so much. Not you. Never," she frigidly iterated. Jin gave a wry, knowing smile. "You won''t¡­I have hurt you. A lot. I know I don''t deserve your forgiveness." "Let me decide that, Jin," she narrowed her eyes. "You are talking about some mistake that has possibly hurt me, right? So let me be the judge of whether it is forgivable or not. Tell me, Jin. Please¡­" she whispered, gently resting her forehead against his. Jin stared at her nkly for a long, long time. His empty gaze mirrored how defeated his heart felt. Their warm and quivering breaths hung in the air between the narrow gap of their faces. "...Burden." "Burden?" "I told you yesterday¡­" His monotonous voicecked luster. "There is a responsibility I am willing to take and a burden I am willing to bear." "Yes¡­" "Kang Xue¡­is that burden," he felt his heart stop beating as he confessed his sin, "I had slept with her in the past." Chapter 680 Jins Burden (2) ? Jin was well aware that Shui would not understand where he wasing from without context. They never met Kang Xue in this life so how was it possible for him to have any rtionship with her? It was just as Jin expected. The look of utter confusion reflected across her face. "...Slept with Kang Xue? Kang Yuze''s sister we just met outside?" More than feeling hurt and crushed, the oddity of the entire conversation puzzled her. The mental exhaustion seeped into every crevice of Jin''s heart, and a strong fear gripped him. "Just¡­leave¡­" his voice had no strength left as his eyes turned redder and redder. "No," she stared at him fixedly, gaining determination in her stance. "I will stay here with you." Trembling, he turned his head for the first time ever since he had abruptly left. Meeting her gaze, he asked, stupefied, "You¡­want to hear me talking about my intimate past with a woman when you like me?" "I want to hear everything you have to say, Jin." "You are only going to get hurt." "Not more than the hurt you have been going through." He inwardly bit his tongue, his jaw tightening. "You won''t believe me. You will think I am talking nonsense." Tapping her finger on her thigh, she thoughtfully asked after a pause, "Is this¡­rted to the incidents at the church and Liu Corps where you suddenly copsed with a high fever?" He froze. "Is this also rted to our car ident?" The turbulence in his gaze was his silent admittance. "This is something Jun, Ai and I think¡­Uncle Jinhai knows about too. I was always suspicious of your sudden sickness but on the contrary, they weren''t. As if they knew what was going on with you." Jin looked away, feeling breathlessness settle in his throat. "So yes, I already have an inkling that something strange is going on between you, Jun and Ai. Don''t worry about it being nonsense. I will believe everything you have to say. So please tell me about your past with Kang Xue. Where did you meet her? I don''t think I recall you ever mentioning her." There was no answer for a long time, and Shui didn''t push for one either. Eventually, Jin seemed to gather his words as he hoarsely said, "I met her for the first time today." Which only made Shui more confused. How could there be a past if this was the first meeting? "But when I say the past¡­I don''t mean this life." She blinked. He took a deep, silent breath. "Shui, this is the se-second life that I am living. I had¡­died once before and then I was reborn. Time turned ten years back for me to live my life again," his voice faltered. "Not just for me but for¡­B-Bro Jun and Zhou Ai too¡­" Jin spent the next several minutes gradually revealing every truth of the past life and everything that had transpired until now. Beginning from all the tragedies that took root in their past lives till the moment of their deaths that ended everything. Shui listened to Jin inplete silence as her heart violently shook upon learning this grim truth. Concepts like rebirth and second chances were supposed to be fantasy, not reality. But if Jin was talking about this with pain, guilt and shame filled in every corner of his heart, with a grief that had been eating Jin from within for such a long time now, then there was no way that the events were a lie. Jin would never lie or joke around about something like this. No matter how hard it was to believe, the miracle of rebirth had indeed happened. He lowered his head, covering his face within his palms that grew wetter with his tears. "I co-copsed in the church because I saw the golden clock. It had trapped me in a space until I epted that I¡­I held feelings for you. I fell again in thepany because I saw a blink of the past memories of you meeting Cai Guiying when I touched your forehead. Then the ident¡­happened because the light from the golden clock suddenly blinded me. You couldn''t see it, but I did¡­That light was a reminder to me to not get astray from my promise¡­" Staring nkly at the floor, he didn''t know how to continue anymore. "Buting to Kang Xue. She was somebody I met in those five years when Bro lived away from us. You rejected Bro. You hurt him. He kept suffering because of you, and he started hating me because of you too. I co-couldn''t see Bro like that. He misunderstood that I cheated behind his back. It was miserable living for him and I only med you for his despair. He lost everything¡­you, his ties with the family, hispany that he built himself with all his devotion¡­Everything was gone¡­" Jin sped his trembling hands together as he reached the part that was the source of his guilt. "I wanted to punish you for hurting Bro to this extent. He loved you with all his heart, but you crushed it. So¡­I thought to crush your heart that loved me. What better way was there to break you apart other than sleeping around with a woman? Seeing the man you love touching another woman would be the ultimate weapon against you, right? I did just that. I met Kang Xue in the bar once and since then we¡­" The light in his ck irises soon began to converge in the shadows of self-loathe and hatred. Regret and shame imprisoned him at first, but now only disgust for himself upied his heart. "I made it a point to make you aware of my flings. I know it was hurting you deeply to see me with another woman, but I didn''t care because you hurt the person most important to me. I wanted to give that grief to you a hundred folds. The hatred grew even more when you threatened me to marry you because it would havepletely broken Bro apart. It did too in the form of his bullet piercing my chest." He broke down in tears as he painfully continued. "But I was wrong about you. Y-you weren''t wrong in rejecting Bro when you clearly knew you didn''t love him. Lying about your feelings to him would have crushed him even more. You were...right Shui. But I couldn''t ept it. You wanted to marry me because you wanted to protect him against Cai Guiying, even if it meant to bear my and everybody''s hatred for the rest of your life. I realized then... Nobody cherished Bro more than you. Not even me. You always..." His voice broke and he closed his eyes, "always protected him...And towards a woman like this who treated my brother so preciously, I...hurt her in the worst way possible. I made you go through utter bullshit that you never deserved. That''s why Kang Xue is a burden I cannot forgive myself for and neither do I want you to forgive me either. Ever." Chapter 681 Broken hopes and dreams 681 Broken hopes and dreams A nauseous feeling arose in his throat and a silence as deep as the eerie depths of the sea floated in the air. It felt thin and unbreathable as if he was strenuously climbing a tall, majestic mountain but with no summit in sight. He didn''t dare to meet her gaze, in which he knew that loathe, hatred and disgust for him would be manifested by now. Shui stared down at her knees, but her attention was distant and far away as she processed the truth. It felt like a vicious web of deceit, betrayal and revenge that had swallowed down the Liu family in its. In this life, the fates were different. Jun and Ai who were equally devastated in the past had found a new path for themselves. But it was only Jin whose freedom was still entangled in those strings, where every twist of that web seemed to bleed him from within. And Shui could witness that bleeding very well. Jin''s every tear, every tremble and every streak of immense pain in his tired ck eyes was a testament of his burden. He was struggling because of a responsibility that propelled the miracle of rebirth, but the wounds left behind by his past life''s actions weighed far greater than the responsibility itself. Even if the condition of sacrificing his future were to be taken off by some chance, Shui could tell that Jin would have still chosen not to have any rtionship with her ever. The sin of misunderstanding Shui, ming her for all the chaos and hurting her through Kang Xue was so beyond salvageable for him that he willingly chose to punish himself in this life and pay for the mistakes made. Even though the past had already transpired and he could tread on a new path to find his own happiness, he wasn''t able to let go of its shadows and embrace a new future. ''As much as he needs your forgiveness, so does he needs his own.'' Shui stiffened, remembering the words of the palm-reading man. This was what he meant¡­ Tears rolled down her cheeks, unable to hold them back anymore. Her trembling fingers tried to hold his hand, but he immediately shook her off, retreating himself further to the bedside. "Don''t touch me." It was a cold and frigid rejection. But now she finally understood that it wasn''t because of her but himself. "Because you think you are dirty?" She asked very slowly. Jin didn''t give an answer but the action of tensely rubbing his neck as if he was trying to find air to breathe proved that her suspicion was true. Shui tried reaching out to touch the tip of his finger again, but he shut himself just like before. "Do you think I hated you in the past life because of your rtionship with Kang Xue?" "Isn''t it obvious!?" He eximed, feeling agitated. He didn''t want to think of those memories but exactly opposite he was forced to go through right now. "I don''t think so. I don''t think my past self would have hated you as much as you are imagining it to be." "Because you are the embodiment of Mother Teresa?" Jin couldn''t stop himself from spewing bitter words to her. He immediately regretted his tone, and he knew he had no right to be so disrespectful when he had wronged her so much. "Please just¡­leave¡­" he broke down, begging her to leave him to his misery. Before I hurt you even more¡­ She stared at his shut eyes, tears seeping from between his eyshes. "You won''t ever recover if I leave. I know, Jin. You would truly lose yourself after today if I walked out of that door right now." She contemted holding his hand but this time, she leaned forward to gently touch his cheek - a gesture which naturally met with a fierce protest from his side but from which she didn''t back down. "I cannot say much about the past life. You know it better than me. But I know myself better than you think you do, at least in this case. I must have not hated you in the past because I don''t hate you at this moment either when I know everything." "It''s a lie." "I am not lying. Neither I am showing you any sympathy. "I don''t¡­want to talk about this. You were adamant to know the truth and now that you do, you can stop your tricks for getting us close. There can n-never be anything between us." Shui took a deep breath and pulled his head with a slightly harder force in order to make him face her. "You are running away once again, Jin. Will you please just listen to me?" The brush of her soft fingers against his cheek rattled him hard as if a deep hidden emotion inside his heart was struggling against the chains to escape. Shui inches closer till they both felt each other''s warm breaths greeting their cheeks. She first gently wiped his tears, holding back her own. Her voice that shook with tremors hushedly reached his ears. "I had indeed wronged Jun. I don''t know what I was thinking in the past life, but I kept waiting and waiting. Every day, every month, every year that passed¡­I kept piling up Jun''s hopes and dreams. I might be understanding from way before that our rtionship was going nowhere, but I couldn''t convey it to him. I was¡­" her sight blurred, "very cruel to Jun. I broke his heart when came to me with a ring. Years of his expectations had juste to an end in a single night¡­a-and all because of me. I started everything Jin. If I had been more vocal earlier, maybe¡­I c-could have saved his heart. But I destroyed it in the worst way possible¡­" She faced him, her hands trembling. "When you told me about Kang Xue, I did feel hurt. I won''t lie, Jin. I must have felt pained in the past too. But¡­I could also understand where you wereing from. I still do. You didn''t have to tell me you did all this for Jun. When you said that I rejected him in such a way, I already felt iting. You love and respect Jun a lot. You absolutely cannot watch him getting hurt and the woman who was supposed to make him happy did just that. I broke the person the most important to you¡­" Chapter 682 Succumbed 682 Sumbed "No¡­no, no, no!" Jin breathed hard. "All excuses. I don''t deserve this. I don''t deserve your understanding and forgiveness so don''t act like that!" "I am not saying that I am not hurt Jin!" Her eyes reddened, and she tightened her hold on him. "Yes, I feel the pain. Even imagining you with another woman is crushing my heart. But what I am saying is that I don''t want to shrug off my irresponsibility. I made a grave mistake by fooling Jun with my feelings. Even this time¡­ I knew that something was off about Jun and my rtionship, but I-I just couldn''t confront him about this. If not for the argument that happened between Jun and I on Christmas, maybe I would have still acted the same way as in the past!" "So are you saying that it was fine for me to act that way!?" He demanded an answer, ring at her. "No! Taking out your hatred for me by sl-sleeping with another woman is a terrible thing to do! But somewhere, it was me who¡­pushed you this far. I had been a pathetic girlfriend to Jun who couldn''t even be honest with her feelings and inadvertently, I brought hatred in his heart towards you. The mistakes lie with me too. That''s why¡­even if it feels painful to think about you with Kang Xue, I cannot be fully mad at you. And even if it had beenpletely your fault, my stance would have been the same. I might avoid you for sometime but I cannot give up on you, Jin¡­" Jin trembled, his heart feeling uneasy. He felt leaning in her forgiveness and easing the burden off his shoulders, but he couldn''t. It was tempting to believe in Shui''s words, but the chains shackling him were almost impossible to let go of. "If you think that Kang Xue is your burden, then it''s not a burden for you to bear all alone, Jin. I am equally responsible." "No¡­you are wrong¡­" he lowered his head, his eyes red and tired from shedding tears. "You wanted to protect Bro. You took Sky''s responsibility to revive it after his death. You did so much for him, and I¡­ Like a bastard, I kept hurting you Shui. I don''t deserve¡­a future with you¡­" "You didn''t know that! It was all Zhan Yahui''s crafty ns who fooled Cai Guiying into going against the Liu family. She slyly manipted all of us. You, Jun, Guiying, the Liu family¡­her devious ns ruined us all. We all were her targets, so there is no use in pinpointing the me at a specific person." He shook off her hand and said breathlessly. "I don''t want you defending me. I don''t want anybody defending me! I was harsh. I was cruel and I¡­I am dirty-" "For God''s sake you are not dirty!" Shui clenched her jaw, her patience thinning out. "Which era are you living in? Fine, you slept with her and I understand your guilt. I understand my pain too, knowing what happened. But that was the past. It has no bearing on us now. Since when does having sex equate to the person bing dirty!? I don''t understand your logic!" "Because I love you!" He eximed. "I loved you even when I slept with her! Yes, I was furious at you for hurting Bro, but somewhere¡­somewhere deep in my heart I knew that you were right in rejecting him instead of giving him a false, happy life. I¡­" his jaw tightened, recalling those shameful nights, "betrayed you despite loving you¡­I cannot forgive myself-" His words were cut off as a fierce, passionate sensation settled on his lips. His eyes nkly stared at the culprit, trying to process the meaning behind the warmth making his heart race and his body tingle. It was when Shui bit on his lips that realization zapped him about the reality. He was being kissed, all his negative emotions drowning away by the sound left by the tantalizing force that made his heart drum the loudest. It was his very first kiss with Shui which he never dared to imagine, neither in the past nor now. But at this moment with her hands wrapped around the back of his neck and their lips shut in a frenzy lock, all his shackles chaining him seemed to disappear as if they never existed. His mind protested to step away, but he found his hands making their way to hold her head back and return the kiss, bridging any crevices left between their lips. It was for those few precious moments that he submerged his worries and strain as the feel of her soft lips against his melted his heart like butter. His trembling fingers ever so slightly tightened on her jaw, as if knowing deep somewhere that he might not be able to gather his courage again. He found every possible way to mark and press her lips and fill them with his presence that would disregard the past life and simply allow them to be in this moment. Since the past life till now, Jin had irrefutably held himself back and his feelings towards Shui, but their touch, their erratic breaths, their proximity was crumbling the force that had forced them to be apart as if it was set in stone. His tongue gently glided across her upper lip, his heart deeply thumping with satisfaction. The force of Shui''s pull to kiss her harder stopped his breath in his throat, urging him to bite her lower lip, an action that was met with a muffled moan. He slid down to trace his fingers against her neck and shoulder line as he slightly invaded her mouth with his tongue, findingfort in her warmth. Shui weed him, her heart dancing ecstatically. Even though she knew she might be temporary with a fervor of agitated emotions making Jin act this way, she grasped this little chance she could get to break the walls built between them. She gasped and moaned, her stomach twisting with a fluttering of a thousand butterflies as their lips and tongues kept crashing against each other. Their face and cheeks heated up as a trail of moistness settled on their lips. It was a long time before they parted, breathless and gasping for air. Their bodies shook, not just with the kiss but also thesting realization it left in their hearts, especially for Jin, who was well aware that he shouldn''t have sumbed himself in that vulnerable moment. He quivered. "Thank you Shui. Thank you for wanting to forgive me, for wanting to share my burden. But I cannot forgive myself. You might, but I cannot. I don''t want you to get tied down by the path that I have chosen for myself - whether it''s the condition that I have to fulfill or the brunt of shame that I have to carry. I love you, Shui. I love you a lot," his lips lifted into a warm and tranquil smile, "that''s why I set you free." Chapter 683 Not simple but not complicated either 683 Not simple but notplicated either Jin waited outside the hotel for Shui the next day as it was time to return to Beijing. A strange sinking emotion unsettled him. Light bags had formed under his eyes, evident of the sleepless night that had filled his mind with the kiss and his own wavering emotions. He looked up at the blue, cloudless sky, afraid of the consequences. Kissing Shui was crossing a line in regards to the deal he made with the Gods. The fear of something untoward happening ate the peace of his mind. What ifst night''s kiss counted as him stepping out of his line and Jun would be punished for it? All that happiness that have embraced him would be snatched away from him? But after talking to Jun this morning, he was assured that nothing sort of impending danger he had imagined took ce. He and Ai were doing just fine. Jun was naturally curious of how things were going between him and Shui and he indirectly asked him about it, but Jin diverted from that topic and hung up. Jin released a tired sigh. "I am ready." He stiffened with Shui''s voice whispering behind him. A small choke formed in his throat, not knowing how to face her. With his heart racing, he turned and gazed at the light smile on her lips. Her eyes looked just as fatigued as him, indicating that it had been a sleepless night for her as well. An ache spread in his heart, feeling remorseful behind her condition. He never wanted to see Shui like this but once again, he felt he was the cause behind her sorrow. A thin stretch of silence hung between them for a few seconds. Nobody spoke aboutst night. "Let''s go¡­" Shui stared at him and quietly nodded. Despite Jin''s predicament which she was finally able to understand, she had not given up on him yet. She refused to believe that all ways and paths had been shut for Jin and that therey no hopes for his happiness. Jin patted his pockets and realized he left his wallet back in his room. Clicking his tongue, he softly said, "...Just wait for me for a minute please. I forgot my wallet." "No problem." Jin quickly headed back while Shui waited for him. "Hey!" Shui turned and was taken aback to meet the palm-reading neighbor of her flight. "You¡­" With his hands in his pockets, his glistening gaze held an enigmatic smile. "We meet again," Shui expressed her sincere joy. "I really didn''t expect, haha." "Fate is always mysterious~ I recognized you and wondered why not I ask you about how your trip went?" He leaned and asked in a whisper, "did my fortune turn out to be true?" Her cheeks slightly blushed. He had indeed guessed during the flight that something passionate could happen with her and if she thought about thest night''s kiss, then it was definitely a good start. But it was a kiss filled with pain as much as love. The passion didn''t hold simply a romantic meaning but also which contained a sense of loss and goodbyes, as if that would be the first andst time they would ever be so close. "It did¡­" "I sense questions in your eyes." Shui gave it a thought and asked, "Can I ask you something?" "Sure." She wasn''t going to reveal the facts about rebirth and time turning back to practically an acquaintance she might never meet again. But his mystical aura urged her to share some of the burden to him as if his fortune might find some way out. "I know a person who¡­who has given up everything for someone who he cherishes more than anything in this world. He made it possible for everybody to find their happiness except his own because it''s a price he has to pay for making something impossible possible. So I wonder¡­" she looked into his eyes, searching for any hint of answer, "what would the Gods think of such a person?" He peered into her questioning eyes, slightly tilting his head. "To make something impossible possible, he must be a very stubborn soul. Honestly, a pain in the ass for the Gods~" Her mouth twitched. "Naturally to make something impossible possible, there would be strings and conditions attached," he smiled. "It wouldn''te without a cost associated with it." She bit her lip, sping her hands together. "But does he really deserve that? He has carried that responsibility all on his own. He has borne too much to change everybody''s lives then why would fate show no mercy to him? Why¡­would only he have to be left all alone?" He chuckled and ever so slightly leaned towards her. "Fate is not so simple that it will readily show mercy to somebody irrespective of good intentions. If you have asked for something, then you should be ready to shoulder the consequences thate with it." She stiffened, her shoulders drooping withment and a loss of hope. "But," he raised his index finger, wanting to highlight the importance of his next words, "it''s not soplicated either to find your way around your seemingly impossible destiny." She blinked twice. The man with his secretive smile watched her confusion with amusement. "The Gods are watching everything," he said in a hushed voice and¡­" the light in his eyes flickered for a moment, "their ns are far beyond what you can imagine. The only thing you should do is ce your faith in fate because it is never set in stone." A series of harsh and furious steps clicked behind Shui and out of nowhere, a bucket full of cold water was sshed on top of Shui''s head. She froze, the wind blowing past the water droplets trickling down her skin making her shudder. What the¡­ Still in shock with the sudden turn in events, she slowly turned to confront the culprit. Her gaze fell on a woman, anxious and furious and fidgeting in the ce she stood. But she wasn''t any stranger to her. Shui stared at her hard, her gaze turning icy, "Ren Alix?" Chapter 684 Jins icy threat Chapter 684 Jin''s icy threat Shivering and with trepidation reigning her heart, Ren Alix faced Shui. Her heart was consumed with bitterness as she bit the corner of her lower lip, not backing down from glowering at Shui. The hotel staff working in the lobby witnessed the confrontational scene unfolding through the ss doors and rushed outside. "Miss. Han, are you alright?," the receptionist hurriedly asked. She turned towards a steward and quickly whispered. "Bring a fresh towel!" "Yes, Mam!" Shui kept a cid smile and assured her. "I am fine. It''s just water. But I would like to know the reason behind her rudeness towards me," her sharp, cold voice bellowed across the air, making the culprit further rattle. But her slightly reddened and exhausted irises depicted the sour emotions she felt. "Y-you know pretty well why I did this." "I have no idea why you would throw a bucket of water down my head when I haven''t even met you before. So it puzzles me that aplete stranger would act like a hooligan." Ren Alix clenched her fist, ring at her. "Am I the hooligan or you!" She raised her voice in tension, "You were se-seducing Yuze yesterday. Blushing at him,ughing with him¡­h-how dare you!? I-I am Yuze''s girlfriend and you don''t have any right to act so close with amitted man¡­!" Shui gave her an aghast stare. Fury made her grit her teeth. "So you made me go through this shitty ordeal because you thought I was seducing Kang Yuze? Are you drunk? Or are you on drugs?" She stiffened, her chest slightly gasping for air. "Sh-shut up! Don''t you dare try to run away now! Yuze¡­Yuze is my b-boyfriend¡­Don''t you feel ashamed of targeting somebody else''s man!" The more Shui heard, the more dumbstruck she became by her nonsense allegations. "You are seriously out of your mind! First of all, we all were here for a business meeting. So contrary to what you are alleging, my conduct was all and only professional. Secondly, I have no romantic interest in Kang Yuze and thirdly, I think you are the one escaping from reality here when you are Kang Yuze''s ex-girlfriend." She froze. "He himself said that you two have broken up. So before you barge in at a person with a bucket of water to attack her, get yourself on the same page as the man in question first." "N-Not true!" Ren Alix burst out, agitated. "There is just a misunderstanding between Yuze and me. He s-said that in spite. There is no way Yuze and I are separated!" Tears welled in her eyes as she trembled hard. Shui wasn''t sure if she wanted to remain furious at her or pity her. She is seriously delusional¡­ "You need that conversation with Kang Yuze, not a random woman who happened to be in the same room as him for a few hours," Shui icily made her point clear. "Will you attack every other woman like this who Kang Yuze woulde in contact with? Out of your jealousy and insecurity? You are only going to drive him farther away from you like this." Ren Alix paled and she stumbled back, unable to answer for a few long seconds. Tears streamed down her eyes and she kept biting into her lip until it bled. A secondter, she straightened up and out of nowhere charged at Shui. "You are wrong! Yuze and I are still together! You are the oneing in between and ruining everything!" The steward tried to hold her back. "Mam, please step back-" But she violently pushed him away and tried to grab Shui''s shoulder when a hand caught her wrist, bringing her to a stop. The tension in Jin''s brows and facial muscles coupled with his iceberg cold ck gaze dropped the temperature of the air by several degrees. He slightly twisted her wrist until she gasped in pain. "Step back before I fucking end your existence right here." It felt as though the wind becamepletely still that forgot to blow under Jin''s intense pressure. Ren Alix sped her wrist tearfully, pain jolting down her nerves. "Apologize to Shui for all your nonsense act right now before I make the situation very, very worse for you, Ren Alix. Trust me," his eyes glinted with a murderous intent. "You don''t want a Liu doing that to you." Shui lightly coughed. At this moment, Jin looked exactly like Zhiyuan and Jinhai whenever they would enter their rage mode. "It''s okay, Jin." He shot her a re. "It''s not okay at all." He grabbed the towel that the other steward hurriedly brought and ced it atop her head. His movements were gentle and slow as he rubbed her hair and face, wiping away the water. His concerned gaze studied her for any injuries but found none to his relief. "I am sorry for beingte. I don''t know where that idiot wallet got lost¡­" he muttered under his breath in frustration. I was sure the wallet was on the bed so how did it change its ce!? He was genuinely puzzled with the mystery. "Alix!" A series of anxious footsteps sounded against the ground as Kang Xue hurried her way in. Jin froze the moment his sight fell on her. Shui caught his reaction and noticed how stress had made his brows crease and made his face lose color. She pulled his hand and tightened her palm against his, wishing to share her warmth and assurance - the assurance that she didn''t want him feeling ashamed. She didn''t know if it had that desired effect on Jin as he left her gaze and faced Kang Xue, taking a deep breath. "Where is Kang Yuze?" He coldly asked but with his lips slightly trembling, "He is the right person to be here and knock some sense into this woman. I don''t need his sister here." Kang Xue, who was trying to pacify an agitated Ren Alix, shared a look of distress at Jin. "I came here alone." "Does your brother have a problem controlling a woman throwing water and attacking an innocent woman who has nothing to do with the drama going on between him and his ex-girlfriend?" He sneered. Her jaw tightened. She looked at Shui and pressed her lips. A momentter, she bowed. "On Alix''s behalf, I sincerely apologize to you, Miss. Han. I know it will sound ridiculous to you, but Alix really didn''t hurt you on purpose or had any bad intentions." Jin''s face ckened. His past guilt and shame mixed with his present fury and resistance as heshed out. "I think you are equally out of your mind if you want us to seriously believe that. I don''t give a damn to what you say. I want Ren Alix to apologize to Shui. If she knows how to violently charge at somebody then surely it wouldn''t take much to say a sorry right? She doesn''t need you to do her part. Make her say sorry or I will crush the Ren family into smithereens." Chapter 685 Apology Chapter 685 Apology Jin awaited Ren Alix toe forward and apologize even though there didn''t seem to be any sign of her doing so. The situation seemed to arrive at a stalemate. "I-I didn''t do anything wrong¡­! She was indeed seducing Yuze!" Ren Alix stubbornly kept pushing the me, much to ignite Jin''s fury. Kang Xue quickly pulled Alix back and said, "Alix has not been in a good condition for a few days so-" "You want to give me an excuse that she is sick? That''s why she attacked Shui?" He smiled. "Sorry but I don''t buy this. She was agitated just like this yesterday when she was chasing after Kang Yuze, then it seems that she stalked him all the way to the meeting location and targeted Shui just because they talked for some time. I don''t think she was really sick." Kang Xue''s gaze filled with a chill, biting her lip inward. "Like I said, I apologize on her behalf." Her stubbornness to defend Ren Alix irked him further. "I. Don''t. Care. She could have done much more dangerous to Shui and then what? Would you have been still standing here as herwyer? Well if she refuses to apologize, then I will drag her all the way to jail. There won''t be a problem pressing charges for physical harm and harassment and defamation against her." Kang Xue''s eyes widened. She gritted her teeth, feeling the situation going out of control. "You¡­! You really have no heart, do you!? I am telling you that she is sick and you still refuse to take my apology!" "How about I throw some water on you and charge at you to strangle you?" He sneered. "And then im that I am just sick and didn''t mean it. I cannot believe you could be so shameless to outrightly lie to protect this woman. Ren Alix was harassing your brother yesterday and now she is doing the same to Shui. The most irritating thing is that she is not showing any remorse, and I don''t want an apology from someone wanting to cover it up." Thin lines creased on her forehead. She definitely didn''t want to take this matter to the police. On top of that, more people kept adding to check the drama happening. She pulled Ren Alix and whispered in her ear. "Alix for my sake. Please apologize to Han Shui." "Xu-Xue, no! She was really-" Kang Xue squeezed her hand and assured. "Please just listen to me. I know something is wrong within your family. We cannot let this situation escte and make the Liu''s and the Han''s against us. Please, please just apologize. With Bro''s help, I will expose the person ying games in your family! I just need your help. That''s why for now, please just listen to me¡­" Ren Alix bit her lip hard. Eventually, she conceded seeing the desperation in her gaze. She nervously looked at Shui, shifting her weight from one foot to another. "I¡­I am sorry. I am sorry f-for throwing water at you a-and using you¡­" she balled her fist, breathing hard. Jin narrowed his eyes. Shui released a sigh and nodded. "It''s okay. I will drop this matter here." She tugged Jin''s hand and urged. "Ren Alix has apologized now. Let''s leave. I don''t want to stay here any longer." He noticed her slightly going pale and fearful of possibly catching a cold, he said, "Hm. Let''s go." He threw a squinted and cold gaze at Kang Xue and without saying anything further, he grabbed Shui''s hand and left. The hotel staff breathed a sigh of relief with the tense situation finallying to an end. Everybody quickly went back inside the hotel to carry on with their regr tasks. As they were finally left alone, Kang Xue left a string of curses for Jin, who strangely acted too hostile to her more than necessary. "Ugh! Liu Jin! I feel like beating him up!" At the same time, she received a call from her brother, and the steam of her fury changed into anxiousness. Shit, did Bro learn what happened? "Xue, where are you? We have to leave and you are gone for a long time now. Is everything okay?" "Everything is fine Bro. I¡­just came out to talk to Alix for a while¡­" Ren Alix stiffened. Listening to Kang Yuze on the other side made her feel ecstatic, but there was no way that he wanted to talk to her. "Xue," Kang Yuze said with a hint of coldness, "I told you I want you to keep contact with her." "She is not a bad woman, Bro," she defended. "When will you understand that she is using you?" There was silence for a moment as she didn''t answer, and she heard a sigh from the other end. "Let''s talk about thister. Come back for now." Kang Xue knew she would be pushing him with this, nevertheless she asked, "Can Alix apany us as we return?" "Xue! You are being impossible now! Sometimes I don''t understand if you are my sister or hers¡­" "We have to return to the same ce so what does it matter? I promise Alix won''t bother you," she eyed Ren Alix, and she tremblingly nodded. Now, the sigh sounded even more frustrated. "Fine. But I really don''t want to talk to her, and I hope she respects that because she wasn''t being so mindful yesterday." "Yes, Bro." Finally they hung up, and she signaled. "He agreed. Let''s go. Bro is waiting for us. We will decide what to do when we return." ¡ª Beijing. As Jin returned to the Liu vi, Nana greeted him with a warm smile and a kiss on his cheek. "How was the trip?" "It was good," he smiled back. Ai hopped to his side and asked with a sparkling gaze, "How was the trip apart from the business stuff?" He red at her. "Why would it be different? Everything was normal." She pursed her lips. "I mean you would have enjoyed a lot with Shui so tell us all the fun things that happened." His gaze flickered thinking of the kiss and he looked away. "I am tired. I will go and freshen up." Nana sighed seeing Jin escape their questioning. "Did nothing change between them?" Ai thoughtfully said, "I think something did but¡­Jin doesn''t want to recognize it." A hint of sadness traced Nana''s eyes. "I want to see my Jin happy. But...when will that daye?" Chapter 686 The only flicker of hope Chapter 686 The only flicker of hope Shui stepped out of the hot shower, feeling her muscles rxed and energized. Rubbing her head against the towel, she sat in front of the mirror. She pressed her lips, thinking of today. Her heart raced when Jin had caught Ren Alix''s hand just in time. The anger, the possessiveness for her sake made her feel as if it was so natural. But that momentary joy ended as they made their way back to the airport. There was no conversation between them and with a suffocating, pin drop silence, they returned to their homes. And now, Shui had no idea what she was supposed to do. She could somehow help Jin with his guilt by being firm about her stance. It would take time, but she figured if Jin continuously watched her determined resolve, then one day mighte that he would be kind enough to forgive himself. That scar would take time to heal even if Jin knew that Shui didn''t hold any resentment against him for his rtionship with Kang Xue. But what about the sacrifice that bound him? There wasn''t any way to interfere with that. She was in dark about the deal that Jin forged with the Gods or what would be the consequences if he broke it. Will the Gods get angry and time would turn back again? Will everything turn back to how it was in the past? Will all the happiness that they have achieved be lost forever? She pursed her lips, pressing her palms against the thighs. Such questions puzzled Shui. Her daze broke when she saw an iing call from Ai. She faintly smiled, knowing what it was about. After thest night''s kiss, Shui hadn''t sent any message to Ai or provided any update of what was happening between them. Shui picked the call and smiled. "Ai." There was a pause at the other end. Then Ai''s voice came. "I am sorry for calling you. I know you must be tired. Silly me. We will talkter-" "No, no! Master Ai can call me anytime haha!" She beamed. "I am fit and fine~" "That''s good. So¡­" Ai took a moment and asked, "How were things with Jin? He returned but when we asked him about the trip, he wasn''t very responsive and went straight to his room. Is everything alright?" She bit her lip and her gaze lowered. ''Don''t tell any of this to anybody. You have to promise me. You won''t tell them about the deal or¡­or my past with Kang Xue to Bro or Zhou Ai.'' That was the only thing said when their flight had touched down to Beijing. "Yes, Ai. Everything is alright. Jin and I¡­did have a serious conversation and he seriously conveyed it to me that he doesn''t want a rtionship between us." "B-But why? There must be a reason. Jin must have definitely told you the reason!" Her anxious and troubled voice held desperation. Shui weighed her options and after thinking for a moment, she revealed. "Jin¡­told me about the past life." Ai stiffened on the other side. She parted her lips, not knowing what to say. "About time turning back and Jun and you getting second chances¡­" Ai held in her breath. She never imagined that the conversation would have taken this turn between them but if she thought about it, it made sense too. Shui was an important part of Jin''s life. If Jin was hesitating because of something that happened in the past, then Shui had every right to know. It was a question of her future too, after all, who loved Jin and wanted to spend her life with him. "I see. Jin finally told you." "...Yes," Shui answered, releasing a breath. "I believe him. I believe everything that Jin has to say. But it still¡­feels so surreal. A past life where we all lived but ended up in tragedy. This second life where you changed your fate." Ai felt her eyes turning misty. "Yes, Shui. It was unbelievable for us too. I remember the moment I died very clearly and the moment when I woke up and found myself alive ten years back in time. I couldn''t believe it for a long time. But I had decided then and there that I won''t let the sad past repeat. Jun made the same decision. Even if we thank fate endlessly, it''s still not enough. So many things changed and so many¡­tragedies were prevented from happening." Shui felt a lump forming in her throat. Nobody knew that granting this second chance was only possible because of Jin. But the very same person now was forced to hold himself back and sacrifice his happiness. She covered her mouth, not wanting Ai to hear her chokes. "Shui?" She wiped her tears and forced herself to calm down. "I am very happy for you and Jun. Because of you two, everybody else''s future was saved too." "But if Jin told you about the past and rebirth, then did he tell you what it had to do with his refusal to ept his feelings?" She trembled. It was a truth that would crush Jun and Ai. They would never ept such a future where they happily lived together but at the cost of Jin''s sacrifice. "...There was nothing in particr, Ai. It''s just that everything that has happened in the past has left a deep scar in his heart. There are many things he c-cannot forgive himself for. Even my reassurance didn''t help him. It¡­wouldn''t be so simple for Jin, Ai. He needs time." A long silence stretched between them. But Shui didn''t want to end this on a negative note, and she quickly said, "But worry not, Ai! No matter how stubborn Jin is or how deep his wounds are, I would never give up on him. If he needs time, then I will give him that. I will patiently wait for him no matter how long it takes," she stared at her reflection in the mirror and said, "I believe that the Gods who made this miracle happen would never be cruel towards Jin. They would definitely¡­find a way." ''The Gods are watching everything. Their ns are far beyond what you can imagine. The only thing you should do is ce your faith in fate because it is never set in stone.'' Those words were the only flicker of hope lighting Shui''s heart, and she wanted to believe in them with all her heart. Shui and Ai talked some more and eventually hung up. As she was about to keep her phone back, a news sh disyed on the screen. ''En-route from Beijing''s airport, a dangerous car ident fatally injures the members of the Kang and Ren family - Kang Yuze, Kang Xue and Ren Alix. Condition critical.'' Chapter 687 To give time Chapter 687 To give time The same night, Jun grimly listened to Ai as he learned the gist of what happened on Jin and Shui''s trip. "Should I talk to Jin?" He asked, brushing his fingers through his hair with frustration and helplessness. Why did only Jin seem to be so stuck in the past? "I know Jin has his own regrets just like how I had. But something is wrong¡­" His dark brown irises carried a hint of suspicion. "Jin cannot be so unreasonable. What would have gone so wrong in the past that is pulling him back so hard? Why is he being so stubborn about this?" Ai had no answer to this either. She looked at the cats Jun-cute and Ai-chan ying on the other side of the room. "Shui sounded so defeated, Jun¡­" her shoulders copsed sorrowfully. "She is doing every possible thing to break Jin''s walls, but nothing is working. She was trying to hide it from me, but she was crying. I just knew it." "That''s it. I need to talk to Jin and figure out what is bothering him. I have been having the feeling that he knows something more than us. And now I want to know what he is keeping us in the dark about. It''s not just about Jin''s happiness but Shui''s happiness too. They are both suffering!" Ai held his wrist and softly shook her head. "Not now, Jun." "Then when Ai?" He pinched the space between his brows, his body mildly trembling. "This cannot go on. I cannot see them like this. I-Is it because of me? Is Jin still feeling guilty that he doesn''t deserve this because Shui and I were together in the past?" "No, Jun," she ced a soft kiss on his forehead and smiled. "I don''t think that''s the reason. We have all moved on from that darkness. The me and shame, the bitterness between two brothers - we are definitely past that." "Then why Ai¡­?" Ai lowered her head, twiddling with her thumbs. "Sometimes, we don''t know the bigger picture. Sometimes, we don''t know everything about our loved ones. I never knew that Yating always had the best interests in his heart when we were in a rtionship. I don''t know what he suffered in those five years when I was back in my hometown. I just assumed he was happy with Guiying. But the truth was far from different." She looked back at Jun. "In the same way, you might not know everything that happened to Jin in those five years you lived separately from the family. Where his emotions and hatred for Shui took him, we don''t know. There might be wounds he could be hiding from all of us." "Then all the more I need to convince him-" "What if he feels the truth will disappoint you?" "That''s absurd! I will never be disappointed with Jin," he firmly said. "But that is not what he is feeling. Shui told me this story one day. You were all kids and you and Jin were at the Han vi. She was drawing pictures to show you, and Jin purposely dropped paint on them and ruined them. Jin got so panicked when you were about toe back that Shui didn''tin you about it because she knew you would have scolded him." "Something like this happened?" He cleared his throat. "Yes." "I wouldn''t have really scolded him though¡­" "But you would have definitely felt a little disappointed for sure. Don''t lie." Jun mumbled something inaudible. With a poignant smile, she said, "Jin respects you a lot. Out of all the siblings, he is the closest to you. He is not ready to share the full extent of his pain and we cannot force him either. We shouldn''t. He might be carrying his own regrets that we don''t know. That''s why I agree with Shui. I feel we need to give Jin some time. We cannot weigh Jin''s problems on the same scale as us. We moved on. It was indeed difficult, but we cannot put his struggles on the same page as ours." She shook her head again. "It''s not a sound argument for him to move on just because we were able to. Of course, I want him to let go of the past. But some things need time. We should give Jin that. Let''s not hurry him. Time will slowly heal everything. I think Shui has understood that somewhere too and has steeled her heart to wait for him." His eyshes slightly fluttered. "Will the wait end?" This time, Ai''s lips curled into a confident smile. "Definitely yes! The miracle that gave us a second chance at happiness would not leave Jin alone. It might take time, but fate will lead Jin to Shui one day for sure. I just know it in my heart." Her bright and optimistic smile made Jun''s heart feel lighter. He bumped his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. "I hope so too." *Meow* The cats jumped on the bed, staring at the couple with their beautiful, watery irises. Ai grinned and ced the cats in herp. "Tell me Jun-cute, Ai-chan. Do you feel the same as me? Your favorite Jin would definitely be happy, right?" *Meow* Ai-chan softly meowed as if giving her nod of agreement. Jun-cute was struggling to jump out of herp and kept throwing deadly res at her. "Hahaha! Look, the cats feel the same, Jun. The cats are the ultimate bosses so now it''s confirmed~" Jun chuckled and ruffled the top of their furry heads. "I feel even more assured now." The cats jumped away, making Ai pout. Jun pinched the tip of her nose and said, "Let''s do as you say. Let''s wait for Jin to defeat his own monsters. I know he will do it." "Yes! And we will always be there for him." He ced his arm around her neck and pulled her against his chest. "I will definitely look after Jin but what about you looking after your novel?" She sheepishly grinned. "I have been procrastinating for a bit but I promise I will get back tomorrow!" "You better because¡­" he kissed her lips, "I cannot wait for MissImperfectlyFine''s brand new book to hit the shelves~" Chapter 688 The big day Chapter 688 The big day Six monthster. Ai looked at her reflection in her mirror, which dripped of jitters and restlessness. She took several deep breaths to pacify the pounding of her heart, but the thought of the uing event only added to the drum beats in her chest. Dressed in a breath-taking light-cream gown, she paced the vanity room back and forth, trying to ease her nervousness. Intricate embroidery adorned the gown while delicate tendrils of silver thread weaved in the shape of vines running down across the side of her waist. As it cascaded downward, the silk red like a regal cape. But this incredibly light-weight dress also felt burdensome on her. Shecked tears to shed, and she quickly grabbed her phone, rapidly typing. ''Can I run away? I am shivering.'' A reply arrived an agonizing minuteter. ''All the doors are closed. There is no way to escape.'' Ai felt heavily wronged at her fiance''s threat. She expected his understanding and support, not evilness. She plopped back on the couch, rushing into the furry embrace of the cats. "Jun-cute. Ai-chan. Look, how Jun bullies me. Shouldn''t he be on my side?" Ai-chan simply yawned and went back to her nap while Jun-cute hit her head with his lethal paws, hissing a fierce meow. Don''t alwayse crying to us, you pesky human! His dark brown irises red at her. Despite the hostility, Ai snuggled in their warmth. Amidst this cuddling, a booming voice resounded from outside. "Ai-chaaaaan!! Your father is here!!" He made a suave entry with the brightest and the most proud grin embracing his charming face. "My dear, you look beautiful!" He gasped, clutching his chest, unable to bear his daughter''s cuteness. His string ofpliments abruptly got cut off as he was pushed aside by his long-time enemy. He threw a re at the interference that disturbed his sweet time with his daughter. "Xie Nuying!" She ignored his existence and instead focused on Ai for whom it was a very big day. Tears welled in her eyes seeing her beautiful daughter all ready to set the stage on fire. "My Ai is so pretty¡­" she hugged her into a warm, loving embrace. "I am so proud of you. You reached this far with your own efforts and determination. I can hardly contain the happiness in my heart¡­" she sniffled. "Mom¡­" her voice turned hoarse. "Hey, hey! Today is not the day for my lovely daughter to be crying~" he grinned, pulling her cheek. "You will ruin your makeup and nobody will be able to recognize MissImperfectlyFine on the stage. You are the star, so you should be all sparkling and shining~" A chuckle escaped her lips as gently wiped off the tear off her eysh. She held their hands and confessed. "I am nervous, Mom, Dad." Xie Nuying and Zhou Yichen ced their hands on top of hers. "There is no need to be nervous, dear. Everybody out there is present to cheer you on. Everybody has been waiting for this day ever since you won the Summit." "So hold your head high and walk on the stage with a straight back," his eyes gleamed. "It''s theunch event of your first book with Sky. Your readers are waiting for you. I know you will do great and so will your book. It''s the day you have rightfully earned it so enjoy it to the fullest~" She hugged them again, bursting into tears. "Sorry, I couldn''t hold them back." Theyughed and hugged her back but harrumphed meeting each other''s gazes. Xie Nuying kissed her forehead. "I will do the touch up for you." ¡ª Fifteen minutester, the time came for Ai to head to the back stage. "Can I really not run away?" Ai clutched her belly, feeling a weird sensation pitting in her throat. But Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying pulled her arm and dragged her out of the vanity room. She gave them a hurtful and betrayed look as she climbed the steps to go past the curtain. The backstage was dimly lit and the roars and cheers of people outside reverberated inside the space. It signified that the time was very near. Ai gulped with the pressure mounting on her, and she started inching backwards. But a pair of hands firmly held her shoulders. "You are really naughty, aren''t you?" A helpless sigh tickled her ear. Jun wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her exposed shoulder. "It''s a time to celebrate, not be afraid." "There are too many people outside," Ai seriously voiced her concern. "So did the Summit. But you did just fine. Just consider it as the same stage, the only difference is that it''s solely meant for you." "Th-that only difference is making me anxious." Jun kissed her cheek. "Why fear when I am here? Even if you stumble or stutter, nobody will dareugh at you. Just treat the stage as your yground~ You know what? Dad and Grandpa sitting in the audience are already on the lookout for any ''potential threats'' who would dare make fun of you. If they do, that will be thest time they willugh." "..." He softly flicked her temple. "It''s your very own bookunch so be proud and confident. It''s a time you wish you had in the past. That''s why you should relish this moment to its fullest." His gentle but firm squeeze coupled with his encouraging words provided her with the much needed optimism. Ai kissed his cheek back. "Why are you so cute?" He frowned. "I will be generous and forgive you since it''s a big day for you." She rolled her eyes. The emcee on the stage started with her announcement which was a cue for Ai to soon enter after the introductory part will be over. Jun pulled her face and ced a kiss on his lips, pouring every bit of his pride and love he felt towards Ai. His gaze met hers and he whispered, "Let''s go, Ai. The world is yours." Ai exhaled a shaky breath and nodded. She turned and parted the curtain, and as she stepped out, roars of ps thundered at her entrance. Chapter 689 The book reveal Chapter 689 The book reveal The click of Ai''s heels tapped on the stage that gradually slowed down the cheers, but the excitement in everybody''s eyes never died down. People waved the banners of MissImperfectlyFine, expressing their support. The trajectory of Ai''s poprity grew higher ever since she won the Summit and now the whole world couldn''t wait to read the creation that embarked on the journey of the lovers she told in the Summit. Sitting in the audience was Guiying too, who pped for her best friend from the bottom of her heart. If it was before, then her insecurities would have interfered but today, she was truly happy for Ai to get the stage she always wanted. Theunch event at Sky marked the beginning of Ai''s sess. From reporters, Sky employees to fans, everybody gathered to meet the author behind the book that was garnering the headlines for a long time. The expectations were finally going to be fulfilled today. Ai reached the center of the podium, her heart pounding faster in her chest. Seeing the huge crowd who came for her support filled her heart with gratitude. She held the mic and greeted everybody. "He-Hello. I am Zhou Ai. You also know me as MissImperfectlyFine. I humbly thank you foring to my bookunch event today." "MissImperfectlyFine!!!" "We love you!" With all the cheers and praises, Zhou Yichen''s nose grew longer with pride. Same with Jinhai who held a poised but a proud expression as if saying, ''Isn''t she so amazing? That''s my daughter-inw for you.'' Nana chuckled, remembering all those times he acted simrly for Nuo''s achievements. Ai said, "After months of effort and tears, I finally present to you all today the story which is very special to me. It is a story that hits close to my heart and no matter how many stories I write in the future, this journey¡­will always be something very precious to me. This is not only because it is my first book with Sky but also because this story helped me conquer my past. There was a time that I felt lost. I felt insecure. I¡­almost thought of dropping my career and going back. I felt I met the end of my road." Ai referred to the past life where she had eventually given up on writing and went back to Xuanhua to live an aimless life. Though it didn''t happen in the present, she could feel that time and it''s grief as if it was just yesterday. "But one day," her eyes flickered with inexplicable emotions, "as if a miracle happened, I found my strength to go on. I didn''t want to live a life where I would have to give up on my love for writing. That would be just too¡­painful. That''s why this time, I chose to walk down no matter what. It is meeting a special someone that brought me back. It is this story that saved me. It saved me that''s why I penned down the words in hopes for others going through a simr darkness that I had to gain strength." Her words that struck the chords of numerous hearts reverberated in the air. Silence filled every nook and corner of the auditorium. "The short story at the Summit was a simple beginning. The characters faced many trials and tribtions that hurt them, broke them but which also taught them a lot. It is with those lessons that they swore to live a meaningful life where they would leave no regrets. It is a story of not just two people finding love in each other but also of a second chance that they desperately needed to change themselves and right all the wrongs. Writing this story personally shaped my beliefs and confidence. Through this book, I want to let you all know that even if life feels bleak and hopeless at some point, fate¡­fate has always good ns in store for you. It''s hard to discard your weak and vulnerable self but if you reel the courage to take that one step forward, you will find that glimmer of hope to pull you out of that ck hole. And through this book, I hope to give at least a little courage to you to make that small start." Xing Bi looked at Ai with tears welling in her eyes, and she covered her mouth to hold back her sniffles. Nian pouted and took out his handkerchief, wiping her tears off. "I don''t like seeing you cry." "These are happy tears, silly." "Happy or sad, no tears!" "My cute Ai has grown so much¡­" saying that, she burst into sobs, pride and joy overflowing her heart. "Can I go on the stage and kiss her?" "..." "You can kiss your boyfriend all you want~" She red at him. "You are not Ai!" His heart broke into pieces. On the other side of the hall, Yating smiled at her, feeling joyous and happy for Ai. At his side, Chyou whistled, giving an ear-to-ear wife grin. Liu Hai emotionally waved a g in which it was written, ''My granddaughter-inw is the best! I found her! I found her first! Praise me!!!'' Liu Chunhua only hid her face in embarrassment, reading his childish ims. Jun then stepped up on the stage with a female attendant following him, carrying a tray covered with a purple velvet cloth. Squeals echoed throughout the room with the CEO''s entry and seeing the couple together gushed their hearts with bliss. Jun gazed into Ai''s beautiful eyes with warmth and love. He took the mic and faced the audience. "It is with great pleasure that I announce MissImperfectlyFine''s very first and very special book published under Sky Publishing. Will you please do the honors?" A brilliant smile shone on her lips as she nodded. The attendant offered her the tray and gently lifting the cover, Ai took the book out. "Yeahhhhhh!!!" Cheers resounded once again. They couldn''t wait to see the book cover. A myriad of emotions swirled in her heart as she held the book between her trembling palms. Warm tears filled her eyes. She faced the audience and with a deep breath, turned and revealed the front cover of the book. Everybody in the audience gasped upon witnessing the breath-taking cover. Even through that simple image, they could feel their hearts quiver. The book cover was painted nk. At the center, it showed two hands meeting each other - A man''s hand holding onto the woman''s, squeezing it with unsaid emotions. Just behind the point where the hands met, golden rays of light shimmered across them and on top of the book in the ck background was a single word book title embossed in gold. Ai said with a shaking voice, "I present my story to everybody in which I have poured all my heart and soul - Reborn." Chapter 690 Guessing game Chapter 690 Guessing game The chorus of everybody''s ps resounded far and wide. The cheers and excitement reverberated through the air and many fans popped the party poppers in celebration. The reporters clicked multiple pictures and captured this extraordinary moment of the bookunch. A radiant smile illuminated on Ai''s face as she looked at the crowd. It in turn brought a pleasing smile on Jun''s lips as well. Watching her bask in this moment of glory and achievement was all that he wanted. "You look beautiful," he whispered. Ai turned, her light brown pupils swirling with joy. "You look handsome." He chuckled. Jun took the mic again and announced that the sale of the book Reborn would soonmence. He requested everybody to move to another hall where copies would be sold. That naturally erupted a frenzy between the fans and everybody rushed towards the hall. It was so chaotic that Jun had to intervene and assure that there were enough copies for everybody, and there would be no problem of running out. The only remaining personnel were the media reporters who got busy asking Jun and Ai some questions. After that interview was done, Ai''s part in the bookunch event finally came to a close. As soon as she stepped down, Guiying Leina, Shui, Xing Bi, Nuo, Chyou - everybody jumped to hug her. "You were amazing, Ai!" Chyou praised her bright grin. "You looked like a star! Hehe, by any chance, are you interested in joining the film industry? You would go A-listed in no time~" A hand silently grabbed the back of her dress and pulled her back. "Don''t you poach her to your side," Yating snorted. "Hey, I have the purest of intentions!" Yating shook his head and heartily congratted Ai. "Congrattions, Ai. You might not be working in Dream High anymore but everybody there still feels proud of you." "Thank you, Yating." "You rocked babe!" Leina squished her cheeks against her too. Guiying nodded with tears in her eyes. "I am really proud of you, Ai." Ai squeezed her hand, her heart feeling overwhelmed. It meant a lot to her to hear these wordse from Guiying who had strayed far away from her because of their passion for writing. But now those same distances melted away, leaving only pure friendship and respect for each other behind. Zixin, Yunru and Huan gave their heartiest congrattions as well as Sun Bai who hugged her with joy. "Of course because she is my talented granddaughter-inw!" Liu Hai harrumphed with pride. Liu Chunhua smacked his head. "Your banner was embarrassing!" "Hey! Don''t just me me. The twins helped me too!" She red at the twins, who were trying to escape. "Is this true? Hey! Where are you running off to! Come back!" Jin sneered, watching the grandmother chase after them with her sandal and not forgetting to record this moment on video. He took a full turn with his phone to capture the running twins until the lens caught Shui in it too. Her bright eyes held a smile that shook his heart. He lowered his camera and looked away. The parents and inws hadpletely surrounded Ai in a circle, squealing and gushing at her. Jun could only helplessly wait for the excitement to die down so that he could get some quality time with Ai. Jun pulled Ai back and raised his palm. "Yes, yes now if you all may, I have to discuss some formalities with her regarding this event. So please go ahead and I will join you with Aiter." Nana pouted. "Are you already stealing her away from us? We didn''t even spend two minutes with her." Jinhai nodded, agreeing to this injustice. "Hehe~ Does Jun-cute want to do some naughty things with Ai-chan~?" He received a vicious heel stomp on his foot by none other than Xie Nuying, who threw him a displeased re. "Can you not act like a hooligan just once?" He scowled. "Well someone has to when one of the parents is so stiff and rigid! Where is the fun in life if you don''t act hoolignanish at times?" Jinhai''s brow twitched. Isn''t his constant mode of operation hoolignanish? Jun got what he wanted and everybody left from the auditorium, leaving the two love-birds alone. Ai asked, "What other formalities are there?" He grinned an evil grin and wrapped his arm around her waist. "No formalities. Just an excuse to release you from their clutches~" "You are bing more and more naughty," Ai tapped his nose. He released a troubled sigh. "Well what should I do? Everybody hogs you so much that nowadays, I feel as if I am standing in a queue and have to take an appointment to talk to you. Aren''t you bing so popr?" Ai sheepishly grinned. "I am a naturally lovable and warm person, so I am famous." His mouth twitched. "And¡­" Ai folded her arms around his neck and with a mischievous glint in her light brown irises, she said, "the number of people in the queue to talk to me is going to increase~ But they will be special so no queue for them~" Jun''s gaze darkened. "Who else is left? Aren''t all these people enough already?" "No, not enough. I am sure you would love the new addition too~" she innocently blinked. Jun threw her a confused look. "Is this real or are you pulling my leg?" "It''s very real and I am very serious," she nodded. "Okay, who are they?" "You take a guess." Jun frowned. He couldn''t understand where Ai was getting at. He thought of everybody within and outside the Liu family but nobody new came to his mind. "We have everybody covered." "Nope. Not everybody. There is somebody who hasn''t given his debut yet~" "Give me a hint please." Ai yfully chuckled. "Well, only one hint. The person will soon be a part of the Liu family." "Will soon be?" He blinked. "Now you guess~" Jun nced aside, thinking of the possibilities. Who can be such a person to be a family member but hasn''t debuted yet? Okay so exclude Mom, Dad, the idiot twins, Nuo, Jin, Grandpa, Grandma, Great-grandma, Uncle Jing, Uncle Yukito, Uncle Yukira. Leina, Xing Bi, Shui and Bro Siying aren''t officially a part of the family yet but they have already been here. He tilted his head questioningly. Then who? Okay let''s count again. So, Mom, Dad, the idiot twins- He froze all of a sudden and turned to face her very slowly. Ai recognized the realization in his expression and beamed. Jun couldn''t find his voice as it broke and stammered, guessing the member. "A-are you ta-talking about o-our¡­child?" member. "A-are you ta-talking about o-our¡­child?" Ai pped her hands in delight. "Ding Ding! Correct answer! The new naturally lovable, warm and cute member is none other than our child," she held his hands as her own hands slightly shook and said, "I am pregnant, Jun." Chapter 691 Hooligan family 691 Hooligan family Jun''s mouth dropped in an O as his gaze held on to Ai''s. He felt as if he could hear the electric crackle of a short-circuit as if the connection just broke. It was the perfect description of his state, who was still trying to absorb the news. Ai waved her hand in front of his face, who had long escaped into a daze of the unknown. She sighed and mumbled. "Well, I might as well give this good news to everybody else since it would take some time for the father to process it." "W-wait!" His stupor snapped into two and he held her wrist despite she hadn''t moved an inch from her ce. "You are¡­really pregnant?" She made a dramatic gasp. "You think I will lie about something like this?" She stared straight into his dark brown eyes, cutely ring her nostrils. They yed that staring contest for sometime until tears welled in Jun''s eyes. "..." "I-I wasn''t that harsh¡­Why are you crying!" She hastily wiped his tears that slid down his cheeks as he sniffled, leaving her more dumbfounded. "Okay I was being just dramatic really¡­" she anxiously urged. Jun stiffened and seemed to want to say something urgently, but his tears coupled with his choked voice only made it harder. "D-Don''t be so sad," the worry in her voice only further increased, making Jun want to kill himself. He pulled her into his embrace and sniffled hard. "I am very happy s-silly¡­" he managed to let out a few words amidst the whirlwind of emotions storming his heart upside down. "I want to say¡­don''t take any w-worry, it''s not good for y-your health¡­" "..." That''s what he was trying to say¡­ Ai facepalmed and pinched his cheeks, lifting her face from his hug. Pouting her lips and puffing her cheeks, she scolded him. "You will be rapidly dehydrated at this rate¡­" He continued to inhale trembling breaths as he wiped his eyes this time. "What can I do? Y-you dropped the happiest news possible on me¡­I thought that I would be ready for the day whenever this would happen b-but seems like I wasn''t." "Definitely." "And now I am thinking all sorts of things¡­Will I be a good father? Will I be able to give proper education to our child?" He took a breathless gasp as he continued, "Will he or she enjoy school and college? What if they don''t? What are we supposed to do then?" "..." What kind of a worry is that¡­? "Will he or she want to go abroad in the future for studies? Isn''t it terrible because I am going to miss him or her a lot so I might be a viin and ruin their admission process¡­" "..." "A-and what if theynd into a terriblepany of friends and lose their way? Or worse, find a good partner and w-want to get married? It''s not a problem with a boy but I don''t want to lose my baby girl to any boyfriend or girlfriend, oh my god¡­" he covered his hands with his palm, finding enlightenment, "I finally get why Dad is so possessive of Nuo. Now, I feel like killing Siying too." "..." Somewhere, Siying felt a chill run down his back, and he shuddered. Nuo blinked at him and asked, "Are you feeling cold?" Siying cautiously looked left and right. "...I do but this is a very familiar type of a chill, the one which Uncle Jinhai gives off. Is he watching me from somewhere?" Nuo chuckled. "You are just imagining things. Even if Dad gives you the cold stares, we have Mom and my bros to control him hehe~ Especially Mom and Bro Jun. They are the sweetest!" A very bitter feeling, though, enveloped Jun''s heart, thinking of walking down the aisle with his lovely daughter. "Wake up!" Ai shook him hard, and the tears finally stopped flowing. "You are going very faaaaaaaaaaar ahead. Our child hasn''t even been born yet! And here you are already thinking of their education and marriage¡­" she helplessly shook her head. "How about we take this step by step and wait for the day when we will be able to listen to their heartbeat for the first time?" Her eyes sparkled. "Hea¡­Heartbeat¡­" He looked down at her belly and thinking of his child''s heartbeat broke the dam of his tears once again. "I think our roles have been reversed," Ai gravely nodded. "The father is crying more than the mother." "I am just so happy¡­" he whispered. Her heart melted, and she pulled his head down to her neck, patting it with love. "I understand. I cried straight for two hours when I realized it." "A-Aha! So you cried too¡­" "But it seems like you will cross my record." Jun hugged her tighter but was careful not to squeeze it to make her breathless. "Thank you Ai. You¡­ you have no idea how happy you have made me today. First your bookunch and now our child," I cannot be happier¡­" "Hehe~ Me too. I finally had my revenge from you for sweeping me off my feet by your proposal," she proudly said. "..." "You were thinking of that?" "Of course! I had ns to propose to you too but slyly snatched it away from me and even made me the happiest woman on the earth. So I wanted to make you the happiest man too." "You make me the happiest every single day." "But I wanted to give you something grand just like you did and when I learned I was pregnant, I just knew I got my ticket~" His brow twitched hard. "Ai, you sound like a hooligan now." She pressed her lips against his into a fiery and melting kiss. "I have learned it from my fiance~" "I am not a hooligan." "No. You are a cute hooligan and soon, our cute baby hooligan will arrive too who will inherit your cuteness and my naturally lovable and warm personality," she seriously nodded. "We will be a hooligan family." Jun thought about it and kissing her lips, he grinned. "Our child will be one hell of a child, won''t he or she not?" Her nose grew longer in pride. "There''s gonna be Liu and Zhou genes in him or her, after all hahaha~!" Chapter 692 Wedding bells (1) Chapter 692 Wedding bells (1) After a long and restless wait which had everybody on toes, the special day when the wedding bells would chime in celebration, arrived. It was a hustle and bustle at the Liu vi where the wedding preparations were in full swing and keeping everybody busy. Laughter and bliss traveled in the atmosphere but inside a certain room, the aura of a dark and brooding father was ready to kill the groom at any moment. "So Liu Jian¡­" Jian slightly wiped his forehead and tried to smile. "Un-uncle Liang. How are you-" "How will I be on the day of my precious daughter''s wedding!" Leina''s younger brother, Xu Yuhan, gave him a thumbs up and only left his fate to God. He even made a prayer gesture to acknowledge this. Jian inwardly gritted his teeth. Aren''t you bing my brother-inw today! Shouldn''t you be helping me out!? Jian cleared his throat. "O-Of course you will be really sad-" "Sad? Only sad!? I am devastated! How dare you make my precious Leina have the thought of wearing a wedding gown!?" His reddened eyes were tearing up. "I have to walk down the aisle with her today¡­" Jian nodded. "But if I shoot you, then I won''t have to anymore, right?" "..." Jian quickly checked for any bulge of gun across his body. He sheepishly grinned, trying to touch his father-inw. "Stay far away from me, you daughter stealer! What hypnosis did you do to my daughter that she agreed to marry you!?" He sheepishly grinned again. "The hypnosis of love~" "Shut up!" Jian pulled back and shut his mouth. Xu Liang looked back at his son, wiping his tears. "How is it going with Leina? Did she agree to run away?" "..." Jian felt his heart burst in his chest. "Uncle Liang! I will die if Leina runs away!" He cried. Liang threw him a re. "Do you think I care about your life!?" "What is going on here?" Liang''s wife, Xu Ah Cy, stepped in at the right moment as if a messiah had appeared. "Aunt!!!" Jian found his salvation and dove straight to hug her. "Aunt, only you can stop Uncle from destroying my wedding with Leina! Save meeeee!" "Liu Jian! You dare poison my wife''s ears against me!?" He would have beaten him into a pulp had Yuhan not stopped him. Ah Cy pouted and pinched Jian''s cheeks. "Didn''t I tell you to start calling me Mom?" Jian burst into tears. "Mom¡­" Liang''s gaze darkened. "No need!" Ah Cy smacked her husband on his head. "I knew you would be up to no good! Today is Leina''s wedding! You should be giving blessings to her, not talking about shooting the groom and nning a runaway n for her! Shameless!" She harrumphed and patted Jian''s head. "Don''t worry. Liang will definitely walk Leina down the aisle. So you can be rest assured because I have Liang and my divorce papers ready in case he tries funny to break your wedding," she warmly smiled. Liang felt a ruthless arrow drive straight through his chest. "A-Ah Cy¡­this betrayal¡­y-you will divorce me?" Yuhan consoled his father pitifully. "If you don''t stop being the bone in your own daughter''s wedding, then yes," she narrowed her eyes. "You also know that Jian is the perfect man to keep our daughter happiest. She will be very happy in his family too, who already treasure her like their own daughter. As her parents, what more do we want?" Liang mumbled something inaudibly to which Jian cautiously stepped closer to him and smiled. "Mom is right. I will never let Leina cry." "That''s a given!" "I will be a good husband and always protect her smile and happiness," he sincerely said. "That''s also a given!" "She would be showered with so much love that it will be hard for her to contain it~" "That''s also a given given!" "So since Leina will be just as loved, happy and protected with me as she was with you, can I call you Dad?" Liang shed a razor sharp vicious re at him. But Jian''s genuine gaze and reassuring smile made him take a step ever so slightly back. Then he suddenly burst into tears. "My daughter¡­" Ah Cy and Yuhan sighed and hugged him with understanding. "Dad, sis is living right here in Beijing and still will after the wedding. So shed no more tears." "Why can''t this brat live in the Xu vi!" Jian beamed. "I don''t mind! As long as I get to spend my life with Leina, I will live with her wherever she wants~" Feeling his genuine answer, it irked Liang even more. He mumbled inaudibly again. "...I just wanted to test you. I know Leina wants to live with you all¡­" Thinking of Leina going to the Liu vi from today, a fresh wave of tears broke through his eyes. Ah Cy sighed and whispered, "This is going to take a long time so how about you check on your brother while we calm him down?" Jian''s heart was overwhelmed with emotions. You are the best, Mom! ¡ª Leaving from his own vanity room, Jian violently bumped into his twin. "Hey! I just got ready!" Nian looked at him up and down and grinned. "Not more handsome than me~" "The one who isn''t a groom is not allowed to speak." "Hey! Just because you and Jun share the same wedding day, you have no right to treat me as an alien!" His nostrils red. "Mind you, Xing Bi and my wedding in the future will be even grander than yours~" It was a mutually agreed n where since Jian had proposed to Leina two months ago, Jun-Ai and Jian-Leina''s wedding would be held on the same day as a form of a double celebration. It would have been a triple celebration with Nian and Xing Bi''s wedding too, but they mutually decided that they wanted to date for some more time as a couple first before taking the vows. Nian grabbed his twin''s arm. "Come on, you were about to meet Jun, right? Let''s go and have some fun with the second groom hahaha!" Chapter 693 Wedding bells (2)

Chapter 693 Wedding bells (2)

In Jun''s vanity room, a very different scene was in ce as the twins stepped in. Instead of the bride''s father raining down with fatal threats upon him, he found the son-inw and father-inw duo ying cards. "What is happening here¡­?" Zhou Yichen looked back and his face brightened. "Ah the twins! Come,e! We are just ying some card games." On the other side, Jin was ying the cats, who held no interest in joining their card game. Feeling extremely aggrieved, Jian stomped his way ahead and smacked Jun on his head. "Hey!" Jun red at him. Liu Jun, the groom, looked every bit the dashing prince from a fairytale. He sat tall and confident in his tailored ck tuxedo. The jacket was perfectly fitted, entuating his broad shoulders, and a sleek ck bowtie adorned his crisp white dress shirt. His jet-ck hair was impably styled, and a single white rose graced hispel, adding a touch of elegance. His brother, Jian, looked no less than a charming prince himself. "How is it that you are all chummy here with Uncle Zhou while Uncle Liang threatens to shoot bullets at me!?" He sobbed. "What is this injustice!" "It''s your reputation that you have built over the years that people feel like beating you," he sneered. "Y-You¡­! What bad reputation! I have the most clean image in the entire Liu family!" Jin choked and burst intoughter, rolling down on the couch. "The twins¡­with a clean image¡­? Ahahahaha!" Nian jumped at him as the cats fled and ruffled his hair. "You dareugh at your elder brothers! Punishment time~" "Don''t ruin my hair style!" Jin barked. Zhou Yichen joined in theirughter. "Don''t worry, kid~ If you are talking about thest minute ''father-talk'' with the groom, then I have done that too. If he makes my Ai-chan cry, then he will be my perfect bait to scam people for my odd jobs~ It only makes sense because he would have broken his promise of keeping my daughter happy. I would bestow the tag of a scammer and liar upon Liu Jun and drag him to all my jobs! Hahaha!" "..." What kind of punishment is that? "Come, sit down! Join us in our game!" He sparkled. Jian slowly sat down while Zhou Yichen dealt with the cards. Nian, who was basking in the flurry warmth of the cats, asked, "Yo, we thought you are still getting ready. First it will be Jian and Leina''s turn and then yours." Jun started to sweat. "I don''t know. For some reason, I couldn''t sit still." "Is it the wedding jitters? Hahaha! You look so cute!" "Shut up! You will also feel that on your wedding day with Xing Bi!" Zhou Yichen chuckled. "To calm his nerves, I thought why not y some games? I asked Mr. Liu too, but he wanted to take care of other wedding preparations." Jian started to wipe his forehead too. "Now that you say that, I feel the heat too, especially double than you because I can imagine Uncle Liang ready to shoot bullets at me when he brings Leina¡­" Just then, Nuo hopped in the room and squished her face against Jian with a sheepish grin. "Sister-inw Leina is all ready, Bro~ Aish, she looks so beautiful. I am afraid you will faint on the spot." "Did you click a picture of her?" Jian asked with a hyperactive edge to his voice. "Show me! Show me!" "No picture! You will only see her when she walks down the aisle. Till then, no spoiling surprises," she whistled. "You are mean, little sister!" "And Ai! Ai! How is she?" Jun asked with a hint of tension. "She is not too tired, right?" Nuoughed. "She is the one hopping around more than anybody else." Jun''s gaze darkened. What is she doing jumping around when she is pregnant? "Let me talk to her." "Hey, hey! No scolding my sister-inw!" Nuo stood straight, ring at him. "She is doing perfectly alright. We are all there to take care of her, especially Mom and Aunt Nuying. So, chill." Zhou Yichen waved his hand. "She is fine, Jun-cute. And trust me, if you go there looking to scold Ai-chan, you will be burnt to a crisp by everybody''s wrath." Jun thought about it and could very well imagine the consequences. He released a sigh. "Ai has been working non-stop for this day. I don''t want her to exhaust herself." "My Ai-chan is very strong and so is my grandchild~" Nuo said, "Anyway, I came to say that it''s wedding time for you, Bro Jian!" Jian stood up as if he was electrocuted and looked with a robotic expression. "I-I am r-ready too!" "A, are you feeling the jitters? So cute!" "Shut up." Nuo looked back at the door and called out. "Daaaaad¡­" "No, no!" Jian quickly pulled her back and covered her mouth. Letting out a nervous chuckle, he patted her head. "I was just kidding, little sister. How in the world would I even think of saying shut up to you? So you see, Uncle Liang is already pointing a gun at my back. Please d-don''t add Dad in the list too," he mercifully pleaded. "Hmph. Fine, I forgive you." Zhou Yichen packed the cards. "Let''s go. It''s time. After Jian, Jun-cute''s time will soone too~" Jun felt his throat go dry and quickly gulped a ss of water. Jian started to robotically take his steps out when Jin called out. "Wait." They stopped and turned. Zhou Yichen looked back and forth and figured he wanted a moment of privacy. "I will go ahead~" "What''s up, Jin?" Nian cheerfully asked. Jin cleared his throat and walked towards them. He first readjusted the rose on Jian''s jacket and then on Jun''s. He stared at Jian and remembered the past life where he and Leina had finally gotten together. It was a wedding he didn''t get to witness, neither Jun''s or Nuo''s. But now here he was, his heart overwhelmed with mixed feelings. "No-Nothing¡­the rose was just tilted. Now you are ready. Let''s go." The four siblings stared back at him and figured the emotions behind his gaze. A secondter, tears welled in their eyes and they pulled Jin into a big hug. Jian cried. "I knew it! Jin loves me the most!" "Yes he only feigns that he hates us but he actually loves us a lot!" Nian sniffled. Nuo poked his cheek as she cried. "Why is my younger brother so cute?" Jun patted his head, not bothering to hide his tears. "We have missed out on a lot of things, Jin and a lot of happy memories that should have been there. But not this time." Jin quickly said, a lump forming in his throat. "I-I wasn''t thinking of the past¡­" "You sure did!" They chimed at once. Jian grinned and pinched his cheeks. "We will witness everybody''s happiness, Jin. Mine, Nian''s, Jun''s, Nuo''s and yours. Nobody would be spared fromughter and joy! So let''s embrace the future we wanted all this time." Chapter 694 Wedding Bells (3) ? The atmosphere at the church was charged with vigor and excitement as the happiness of two weddings drove in the air. All the families had gathered to witness the couples take the beautiful wedding vows and be each other''s forever. From the right most corner, Jun saw Jian standing at the altar, inhaling and exhaling rapid and shallow breaths. He frequently adjusted his tie; that was just a sign of how nervous he felt. Eventually the ticking waiting time ended and from the far end of the church, a beautiful woman in a white wedding gown stepped into the church, her arms locked with Xu Liang''s. Gasps echoed at the sight of Leina who walked with delicate steps with a white transparent veil covering her face and walking down the aisle as if a Goddess had descended. Caihongughed, observing Liang''s twisted expression which he was trying to hide for the best part of the walk. "Smile a little, Liang. It''s your daughter''s wedding." He pinched his lips harder. "That''s why I cannot smile. It''s her wedding, not her birthday!" Everybody burst intoughter. On the way, he didn''t forget to throw deadly beams of his frustration at the Liu family who apparently were the culprits behind stealing his precious daughter. Liu Hai and Jing smirked and only did the job of adding oil into the already burning rage. Nana gave them a narrowed stare to warn them of stopping their bullying to which they heavily pouted. It was only Jinhai who gave a nod of understanding being the father of a daughter himself. Leina pouted and inched closer to him. "How can I be happy if you are not happy, Dad?" He pursed his lips. "I-I am very happy¡­for you¡­" Shuang chuckled from the other side. "Try saying that without clenching your jaw." "Impossible!" They reached the altar and when it was time for the father to hand his daughter''s hand to the groom, he resisted a lot. Xinyi shook her head, helpless. But she was more dumbstruck seeing Zhiyuan sniffling and crying tears. "Why are you crying?" "Because I understand him¡­How will I ever be able to hand my precious Shui''s hand to someone!?" Shui and Siying, who were seated beside their parents, cleared their throats. Shui pinched Zhiyuan''s cheeks and wrapped her arms around him. "You are thinking too far, Dad. I am not gonna marry so soon and leave you!" "Really?" She pecked his cheek and grinned. "Yes!" She nced at Jin among the crowd who apanied Jun on the other side of the church. Her heart skipped a beat with how handsome he looked in his attire and quickly darted her gaze away. Jian offered his hand and cleared his throat. "May I?" "No!" "..." Liang immediately felt pointed and stabbing res from his wife, and his tone softened by only a small fraction. "I mean...¡­..yes." The yes came after a long, long pause. He squinted his eyes at Jian and coldly reiterated. "Keep Leina always happy or I will kill you." "It will nevere to that point, Dad," he grinned. "Don''t call me Dad!" "..." Leina tried to hold in herughter with all her might. From the right end of the chapel where Ai was watching Jian and Leina''s wedding unfold, she could only thank her stars that Zhou Yichen wouldn''t torture Jun like that. "Poor Jian," Xie Nuying sighed. "I feel for him." "Indeed." Ai coughed and sneakily tried to find Jun in the crowd. But Guiying pulled her back. "Sit straight. You won''t see Jun until it''s your time." "Just a little peak." "No," Xing Bi rejected her wish this time. "Don''t you two love me?" She slightly widened her eyes in a puppy manner. "Don''t use that gaze on us! It will be useless," she harrumphed. Guiying touched her chin. "Is Ai bing more dramatic ever since she became pregnant?" She got a ping from Zixin and her mouth twitched as she read the message. "You two really match, don''t you? Jun is also secretly trying to find you. Two peas in a pod." "Thank you," Ai sheepishly grinned with thepliment. "It wasn''t apliment." "..." The priest started with his sermons on the altar as Jian and Leina faced each other. The ceremony began and the couple soon exchanged vows and then rings. Leina felt her eyes redden as Jian''s beautiful and firm vow of togetherness and protection shook her heart. The priest then pronounced them husband and wife and asked the groom to kiss the bride. Jian spared no second in lifting her veil and capturing her lips in a deep kiss of promise that would forever bind their hearts. With the kiss, thunderps resounded in the church and roars of congrattory wishes reverberated in the air. Nian jumped on the altar to press the couple in a tight hug. "I am so happy for you two." Jian grinned and bumped his forehead against his. "Thanks, bro." Liang watched his daughter twirl in Jian''s embrace with the brightest smile he had ever seen stretch across her lips. He lowered his gaze, wiping the corner of his eyes. He then felt a soft hand holding his trembling one. "Our Leina will be super duper happy in the Liu family," Ah Cy smiled a gentle smile as she squeezed his hand, whispering softly to him. She understood the mixed emotions a father was going through who had raised his daughter with all the love and affection of this world. "I know¡­" he hoarsely replied. "She will be very happy. Jian¡­is a good man. Don''t tell him that I said this though or he will be more cocky." "Haha. My husband is the sweetest!" She rested her head on his shoulder, watching the bliss in Leina''s eyes with a misty gaze. As the ceremony of the newly wedded couple Jian and Leina came to a close, it was now the time for the second couple to make their way to the altar. Jin nced at Jun. "Ready Bro?" Jun took a few silent breaths closing his eyes and remembering every moment between him and Ai that finally led to this day. "Yes. I am ready." Chapter 723 To celebrate for herself Chapter 723 To celebrate for herself Zixin anxiously waited outside the bureau, unable to stand still and frequently throwing nces at the exit. The evening setting sun cast a dark orangish glow to the sky bringing the night in. "Guiying¡­" A few minutester, his jittery patience came to an end as he finally saw Guiying''s figure exiting through the door. She had her head slightly lowered as she slowly walked. From that distance, Zixin couldn''t clearly see her expression. He walked slowly at first, then increased his pace and withrger strides, he reached her before she could. Immediately, he quickly but gently touched the back of her head with his palm and buried her face in his chest. Guiying was taken aback but the familiar scent and warmth of a certain someone''s embrace soon pacified her chaotic thoughts. Exiting the visiting room, she came all the way consoling herself, bringing her tears to a stop. But now listening to his heartbeats, she could breathe the breaths she had forgotten to. "I am proud of you," he whispered to her. He let that hang for a moment, welling tears in her irises. She wondered if she did the right thing by meeting Cai Lingyun. She pondered if she could face her brother the way she had envisioned. But she couldn''t find an answer to it. Zixin''s pride in her vanquished the ambiguities making a rush in her mind. "I had to do this¡­" A tear rolled down her cheek, her lips quivering and voice breaking. "If I didn''t, then I would have never¡­truly been able to give a new beginning to myself. I wanted to meet him for a long time, but I couldn''t gather my courage¡­" she softly clenched his jacket with her trembling fingers, "But everytime it was either ''her'', Ai or you protecting me from him whereas it should have been me to confront him all along. I a-always hid behind you all. When you sent him to jail, I was so relieved¡­that I didn''t have to make that decision. I was relieved whenever ''she'' came to my aid and said things to him that I couldn''t." She closed her eyes, letting her tears freely fall. She then gently withdrew and looked into Zixin''s beautiful, shining eyes. "I always kept running and running away. I felt pathetic of myself as if I am a coward. But today I had to decide. I could guess why Bro called for me and it was up to me to decide to set him free or not. I know you could have done that for me or¡­''her.'' But I wanted toe here on my own, talk to him and tell him looking into his eyes what my decision was. If I didn''t do this today, then I would have forever remained my weak self¡­" Zixin softly smiled. There was a shine of victory in her gaze, signifying the long battle that she finally brought to a close. But he also felt the pain behind that decision. Cai Lingyun was cruel and selfish. But he was her only brother, her only real family and to take the decision of letting that person be in jail for the sake of everybody''s happiness wasn''t an easy decision at all. He cupped her face and smiled. "You are not weak at all, Guiying. Neither before nor now. I know Ai and ''her'' would say the same." She lowered her head, slightly trembling. "I hoped that I might see Bro change. I wish he could have looked at me at least once today. But even today, it was only about Ai. He wanted me to set him free for Ai''s sake¡­Did he ever consider me as his sister even once?" The question pained her to ask, but it was a question brooding her for a long, long time. "It''s his loss, isn''t it?" Zixin smiled. "In business, we would call such a person foolish. To not know how to recognize a precious gem would be deemed as stupidity. He had such a wonderful sister beside him all this time. He could have had a good family and cherished you. But he failed in treating you well. It''s his loss that he pushed you away and that''s the punishment he is suffering inside. You made the right decision, Guiying." It was the first time that Guiying took the initiative to fly into his embrace as she broke down for thest time for that man''s sake. She cried and wailed, letting this moment hurt her as deeply as it could. "I won''t cry for him again¡­" she whispered, hugging him. Zixin nodded. "You are right. Whatever it was with Cai Lingyun, it ends today." He wrapped his arms around her arm, assuredly squeezing her in his chest. Feeling her shaking body and hearing her sorrowful cries urged Zixin to go inside and punch Cai Lingyun just onest time. Always, always Guiying. But no more. Guiying wouldn''t shed a single tear for you from now on. With a determined gaze, he made that promise to himself. She would get all that familial love - hundred, a thousand times fold which her brother snatched away from her. Zixin lifted her face gently and dried away those tears from her cheeks. He leaned and ever so softly ced a warm kiss on her forehead. Feeling the feathery sensation of his lips touching her forehead brought a blush on her cheeks that inadvertently brought a smile on her lips too. "Let''s eat ice-cream, shall we?" Guiying blinked twice. "Huh?" He let out an awkward cough. "It''s been a long day for you. You deserve a treat for the courageous step you took today. I know you might not feel it''s anything to celebrate, but it is. You havee this far. It''s a celebration solely for yourself. Shed away your guilty feelings for him because you should cherish yourself too. Today is your moment, Guiying." She trembled. Can I really¡­? Longing for her brother''s affection for all this time, Guiying had lost the meaning of how to be happy just for herself and for the little achievements she made. But today, she would break that barrier too and be the Guiying she always wanted to be. She smiled brightly through her misty eyes. "Yes! Let''s have some ice-cream." Chapter 729 First day at work Chapter 729 First day at work "Good morning, Assistant Ling!" Guiying stood with her back straight and greeted him with a robotic voice. "Good morning, Miss. Cai. How are you feeling?" "I am f-fine!" Heughed. "It''s fine to feel nervous, Miss. Cai. First days are supposed to be like that. The atmosphere in thispany is also very friendly and everybody is helpful. So you can ease your tensed up shoulders." She appreciated his encouragement and felt the pressure drifting away bit by bit. "So yesterday, I gave you the general gist of an assistant''s responsibilities, right?" "Yes. As an assistant, we are mainly responsible to manage the CEO''s calendar, correspond on his behalf, keep him informed of thetest developments, help him manage time and prioritize tasks, prepare documents and presentations, maintain confidentiality of sensitive information, organize meetings, events and conferences, n his travel arrangements and itineraries, screen all the iing requests to meet the CEO, handle administrative challenges, assist him with monitoring budget and expense reports, act as a liaison between different departments and provide support for any special CEO-led projects." Assistant Ling beamed. "That''s wonderful! You remembered every one of them. I see you have a great memory and understanding." He took a tissue and wiped the tears forming in the corner of his eyes. "A-Are you okay, Assistant Ling?" She asked, concerned. "I am fine. I am just feeling emotional. Finally, I will have somebody to share my seemingly never-ending workload." Zixin stepped in just at that moment, making their heads turn. Guiying held a somber expression and signaled Zixin to apologize to Mr. Ling right now. Look, he is crying because of you! Zixin walked towards them and Assistant Ling greeted him. "Good morning, Sir. Please don''t mind my tears." "I am sorry, Ling. Please forgive me," he lowered his head." "..." What was this response for my good morning greeting? "I have been a terrible boss, overloading you with my selfish requests all the time. I realize that this is unfair to you. I won''t do it again." Assistant Ling stepped back, covering his mouth in utter shock. Did he just understand all the troubles of my life? He followed Zixin''s gaze that looked at Guiying for confirmation to know if he did it the right way to which she nodded. Aha! It''s all Miss. Cai''s magic! Otherwise how would this hopeless Romeo have ever understood my pain and suffering! Mr. Ling gazed at Guiying as if she was a fairy from a distantnd who only came to bless him. I swear you will have my undying loyalty from now on, Miss. Cai! He shed invisible tears. Zixin said, "Let her know all that she has to do. I will be at my desk if you need my help." As he passed by Mr. Ling, he whispered in his ear, "Give her the kind of work that will have her close to me at all times." "..." "Also, don''t bully her with too much work," he cautioned him. He marveled at his hypocrisy and audacity. Are you in any position here to warn me of bullying anybody!? He focused back on his conversation and cleared his throat. "So as you exined all the responsibilities very well, I will let you start with three of the easier ones. Manage Sir''s calendar, correspond on his behalf and screen the people wanting to meet him. This will help you get the hang of how his schedule looks and what kinds of people are in constantmunication with him." Her face lit up with a radiant smile. This sounds manageable! Guess the charm of Uncle Guiren''s chocte really worked. "Yes, I got it!" Assistant Ling nodded with appreciation at her passion. "Good, good. Come with me. Yourptop and ess are all ready. I will initially guide you with his calendar management and the responses you need to draft ording to the requests." "Thank you!" At a desk that was a little farther away from Zixin''s, Guiying took her seat, taking a deep breath. She looked at her new, shinyptop and her wee kit all ready and set up. A nervous and giddy sensation spun her mind. Does this how a corporate job''s experience feel like? From a distance, Zixin read the excitement in her eyes and his heart jumped up and down with fuzziness. But a matter of grievance remained, which he asked Assistant Ling. "Didn''t I tell you to give her work that will let us be together?" He smiled. "Sir, you have ced your trust in me to guide, Miss. Cai, right? As her senior, I feel I have given her the right type of work to start with, considering that she knows nothing about corporate life. She can follow and assist you in meetings when she has gained enough experience. She needs to get used to your work life and style first." "You don''t have to make such good points," Zixin sulked. After all, his family had given him his own mission to aplish. How would he achieve that if there would be little to no chances to meet her? Guiying logged in herptop and as soon as she opened her mail, she saw a flurry of unread messages that made her head spin. At first, she couldn''t understand the context of those emails at all, but Assistant Ling had provided her with the files and resources to understand what every mail chain''smunication meant. I will first have to read these. After a good four hours of constant reading, Guiying closed thest file and yawned. Her stomach grumbled with hunger which was when Assistant Ling just arrived. "Miss. Cai, ready for lunch?" "Yes." "I see you have been reading non-stop. You don''t have to consume everything on the first day." "Oh that''s fine. I am done reading all the files anyway." "..." He stared at her, dumbfounded. "All of them? There are more than twenty files here." "Yes." He gasped. "H-How? That too in just four hours?" She blinked. "Oh it took four hours because I was new to understanding all this stuff and terminologies. But then I got the hang of it." "..." So it means it would have taken her even less time if she hadn''t been new to it? "No, seriously how? There is just so much data to read." Guiying didn''t understand the source of his shock and scratched her head, embarrassed. "This much is actually nothing. I have read far bigger and fatter books than these files and all in a single day. I have been reading since middle school, I guess? Plus, I am a writer. I am used to constantly reading a lot of stories because that''s what makes me learn and improve. So I became a fast reader over time." "..." How much time a regr newbie would have taken? Hell, how much time I took to read through everything! "You¡­" Guiying nervously straightened up. D-Did I do something wrong? Assistant Ling burst into tears. "You are a Goddess!" "..." Chapter 730 Introductions Chapter 730 Introductions Zixin was all piped up for lunch because that was the time when he would finally get his chance to spend some time with Guiying. He spent the entire morning gazing at the hardworking Guiying who was immersed in reading through all the files. But Assistant Ling had some different ns as he dragged her to meet with the other important staff members. He inadvertently broke Zixin''s happy dreams. "She is the head of the IT department, Zheng Jiao. She is HR Head Jia Lin. He is Administrative Affair''s Head, Wan Yong and he is Marketing team''s Head, Xun Da. Everybody, she is Cai Guiying. She will be working as Sir''s assistant." Guiying bowed. "It''s a pleasure to meet everybody." Jia Lin, a woman in her forties, pped hard. "Oh my wee to the team! You have been selected for one of the most demanding jobs ever." "Don''t scare the newbie, Lin," Xun Da rolled his eyes. He was of simr age as Jia Lin. "Hey! I am just appreciating the new talent!" She red her nostrils. Wan Yong, who was younger in histe thirties shed a weing smile. "Nice to meet you, Miss. Cai. I have read your books. Indeed, it''s an amazing feeling to meet the writer in person." Guiying was dumbfounded. So there was my reader here? Her face turned crimson with this unexpected twist and she stammered her thank you. "Huh? Huh? What is going on? What books? What writer?" Jia Ling had a big question mark over her head. "This is what happens when you are too disconnected with the world of books. Cai Guiying is a writer," he sneered. "Ever heard of the Authors'' Summit? She won second ce. Her pen name is CherryBlossom." The duo gasped in shock, covering their mouths. "So Cai Guiying is a celebrity!?" "No, no!" Guiying hastily corrected them. "I-I am not any celebrity. I just write books¡­that''s all¡­" "That''s amazing!" Xun Da''s gaze sparkled with delight. "I have never met a celebrity before!" "N-no, like I said, I am not a celebrity-" He grabbed a notepad and eagerly asked her, "Can you please give me an autograph? My fifteen year old daughter will be so proud of me," he sniffled. "I got a celebrity''s autograph!" "..." These people are quite passionate¡­ Initially, Guiying held the impression that the senior leadership team would be quite rigid and stern, and she would face problems in gelling with them. "I-I am not a cele-" "Autograph please!" Assistant Ling shook his head. Guiying coughed and feeling helpless, she signed and gave his notebook back. "Thank you! I will show this to my daughter! I will also tell her to read your books!" Wan Yong''s brow twitched. "What is this reverse order going on? Howe you got the autograph before reading any of her books?" "Don''t be jealous just because I got her autograph before you!" "You old people are really snarky," he grimaced. "Who are you calling old you brat!? I am still quite the handsome hunk." Jia Lin grinned. "Zheng Jiao, won''t you greet our newbie?" Zheng Jiao, the only quieter person in the group till now, was only standing aside and observing the discussion without participating much. In her mid-thirties, she was the youngest person in the group. "Of course I will greet her. I was just wondering where I had seen her before and now that Wan Yong said she is a writer, it clicked me. I had seen her in the news before. And then I started wondering what is the connection between writing and working as the CEO''s assistant? Are you not a writer anymore?" Guiying slightly panicked. "I s-still am a writer." Zheng Jiao tilted her head. "Then how are you working in apany here?" "T-That I just needed a change in pace so I thought I should c-change my work environment a little." Guiying''s heart drummed in her chest. For some reason, she couldn''t directly look at her. Something about her acute gaze unnerved her. Jia Lin touched her chin. "Oh dear, I understand. Creative work can get really taxing. I had tried drawing in my younger days because I wanted to be an artist," she sighed, looking faraway, "But reality is harsh, isn''t it? No matter what you dream, you just end up doing a corporate job, don''t you?" She cried. Zheng Jiao smiled. "Wanting a change in pace is fine and all, but it''s puzzling to see Cai Guiying directly get a position as Sir Chen''s assistant. Assistant Ling can testify how hard it is to score the position of Sir Chen''s aid, yet you got it quite easily." Guiying stiffened. A diforting tension hung in the air as silence followed for a few moments. Her head spun with the responsibility to answer. W-What should I say? If they know that Zixin and I know each other, th-then it would look really bad, right? Using his connection¡­ "She got it easily because I vouched for her, Miss. Zheng," Assistant Ling smiled. "Cai Guiying and I are friends from before. I was badly overworked, and she wished for a change in environment too. So I suggested she work with me. That''s all. Sir agreed. Also to answer your unsaid concern, Cai Guiying isn''t really directly speaking to Sir yet or handling any important responsibilities. I have assigned her the basic tasks to start with and learn her way to go up." Xun Da quicklyughed to ease the tension. "Haha so that''s how it is. That''s good, that''s good. We got to meet a lovely youngdy. Thanks a bunch, Ling." Jia Lin sneered. "How about I tell this to your wife? Happy to meet a lovely youngdy, aren''t you?" "..." "Of course, I didn''t mean it that way! Don''t you bully me!" Zheng Jiao took her coffee cup and raised her brow. "Didn''t expect Assistant Ling to use his influence like that when he could have just easily hired somebody relevant from the market. Many people need jobs, you know~" She left that question hanging in the air and giving onest look at Guiying, she turned her way and walked away. Guiying''s shoulders tensed up once again. She clearly felt the hostility emanating from Zheng Jiao''s demeanor. Sh-She hates me, doesn''t she? Chapter 736 Blunder Chapter 736 Blunder Xian Shun arrived the next day waiting outside the CEO''s office near the reception area. She was tapping on herptop''s keyboard with nervousness gripping her fingertips. Ahe on! I don''t want to ruin my makeup by sweating! "I won''t show any weakness in front of Chen Zixin," her nostrils red in defiance. Thinking of thest exchange of aggression between themst year, her face reddened with embarrassment. "This time, I won''t give him any chance toin and point fingers. I know he only agreed to this meeting because he wouldn''t want to offend Dad." She narrowed her eyes. "But I will prove to him that I am more than just my Dad''s political influence." Even though she said that, the drumming of her heart was a different matter altogether. She checked time in her watch and exactly fifteen minutes were remaining for the meeting to start. The secretary offered her tea and snacks to which she declined. She was then led into a board room where she was asked to keep her presentation and materials ready on the projector till Zixin arrived. Another five minutes passed as she arranged all the stuff. Xian Shun then heard the tapping of footsteps. The door opened and she recognized Assistant Ling easily enough who she had already metst year. But she didn''t know who the woman beside him was. "Hello, Miss. Xian," Assistant Ling greeted her with a smile. "Long time." "Hello, Mr. Ling," she smiled back. "Indeed it is." "She is Miss. Cai Guiying. We have hired her as another set of helping hands for Sir Zixin," he said, introducing Guiying. "Oh." She remembered she had received the meeting invitest week from an email address that had her name in it. Guiying bowed. "Nice to meet you, Miss. Xian." "Same here." Assistant Ling said, "Sir will be here in some time. Please wait here. Till then, Miss. Cai and I will get some stuff done. Please ring a call on the reception''s desk if you need any help." "Sure." The door closed behind her, and she sat back on her chair. She clutched the pendant on her neck and took a deep breath. A few more minutester, she heard some voices from outside and thinking that Zixin finally arrived, she stood on her feet, ready to greet him. I will prove you wrong today, Chen Zixin! But she was met with disappointment and surprise together as a bunch of men and women, clearly senior and presumably important people, walked in the boardroom. The others were equally puzzled for a moment but thought that she might be a staff member. They took their seats talking to each other. Xian Shun blinked in confusion and her heart sped faster. Who are all these people? Are they supposed to be part of the conference too? But this wasn''t mentioned in the meeting invite, she frowned. Ugh what is this anxiety I am getting¡­ A minuteter, Assistant Ling and Guiying stepped in once again and were surprised to see the crowd assemble. "Mr. Lang. Mrs. Huang and everybody¡­" he blinked. "Good to see you Assistant Ling," Mr. Lang smiled. "We are just waiting for Chen Zixin for the meeting to start." "Sorry? I don''t understand. Which meeting?" "Of course with the important strategy meeting we were supposed to have. You already forgot?" He chuckled. Guiying was bewildered. She anxiously eyed Assistant Ling. But wasn''t this meeting supposed to be next week? Assistant Ling calmly said, "I think there is some misunderstanding. There is no meeting of the board of directors scheduled with Sir today. It''s next week." Mrs. Huang shook her head. "That''s impossible. We clearly said that this meeting is important and so the conference was set for today. We all got the emails." Xian Shun widened her eyes. "But Mr. Chen is having a meeting with me right now for my investment proposal." The look on everybody''s faces grew even more befuddled. "Impossible once again." Just then Zixin stepped in and he immediately noticed the confusion and strain in the atmosphere. "What is happening?" Mr. Lang pursed his lips. "What is this, Chen Zixin? Aren''t we supposed to have our strategy meeting today?" "No. I came here for my meeting with Miss. Xian." "That''s ridiculous! Then why were we called in the first ce?" "But we didn''t," he furrowed his brows. Mrs. Huang opened her mail inbox and showed it on her tab. "Look here. You can clearly see the meeting invite with the agenda all sent out to all of us, right? It''s sent by your assistant, Cai Guiying." Guiying felt her heart stop. She took a quick look and her expression paled seeing that it was indeed her email address. The meeting email was sent out to all board of directors. "No¡­" she slightly gasped for air as she tried toprehend this blunder before her. "That''s not possible. I-I sent the meeting invite to Miss. Xian only. I didn''t send any such mail." "Are you implying that we are lying?" Mr. Lang red at her. "Do you think we have so much spare time in our hands toe for a meeting that doesn''t even exist? Rather than denying the error, you better admit that you overbooked Chen Zixin''s calendar. How could you cause two meetings to be in conflict on the same day and the same time?" "Exactly," A third member, Mr. Tang spoke bitterly too, "And I cannot believe that despite our specifying that this meeting is very important, you went ahead and booked time with Miss. Xian? Her investment proposal nning can be heard anytime. Is that more important than this?" Xian Shun''s gaze darkened. "With due respect, my proposal is super important to me too." He frowned. "Ah. I remember now. You are that politician''s daughter. Is that how it is? Chen Zixin chose you over us because he was afraid of your father''s wrath over ignoring you?" Her fury zed ten times worse. "Stop bringing my father into everything!" She red at Zixin, tears rimming her eyes. "Mr. Chen Zixin. I know it would seem like I am the beggar here because I need Chen Corps'' investment, but don''t go so far in humiliating me!" Cai Guiying hurriedly said, "That''s not it, Miss. Xian. There is seriously some misunderstanding here-" "Which happened because of you, right?" She trembled. "Is that why I was called here? So that I could be publicly insulted as somebody useless? Because clearly, everything and every time, it''s only about my father! I was chasing after this meeting for so long so this is how you chose to get rid of me once and for all." Chapter 739 Determined Chapter 739 Determined The discussion with Zixin and Assistant Ling brought Guiying back to the IT department the next day. The same guy who handed her theptop was present at his desk. He was relieved to not see Zixin following her this time. "Yes, Miss. Cai. How can I help you? Is theptop working all fine now?" She smiled. "Theptop is fine, but something happened that I cannot put my finger on it." He blinked in confusion. "There was an email sent from my mail app which I have no idea of. It caused a conflict with another meeting which was really embarrassing for me. But I am sure that I never sent the second mail invite. So, I want to know if you have any idea of what could have possibly happened." His eyes widened. "That sucks. How is it possible? Do you think it was a bug or technical glitch with theptop?" "That is one of the possible conclusions I came to." He shook his head. "I had fixed yourptop myself. I did a pretty good job. There is no way that it could be any sort of a malfunction, certainly of not identally sending wrong emails. That just doesn''t happen. That has never happened before." With his confidence, Guiying felt like she was going somewhere. "Then¡­the only possibility remaining would be if somebody tampered with myptop, right? Or somebody essed it without my permission?" The IT guy furrowed his brows. "That seems to be like the only thing that could have happened?" She asked with a sense of urgency, "Was there anybody around myptop while it was submitted here at the IT?" His eyes stretched wide again. "No way! We don''t expose employees''ptops like that. All theptops are kept secured in the storage room until they are fixed. The room is locked obviously and only Miss. Zheng and I have ess to it. There is another colleague with ess, but she is on a long leave. So it''s just me and Miss. Zheng. So you can see how it''s impossible for anybody to sneak around." Guiying left the IT department with her shoulders sulking and dropping. She had hoped that somebody would have seen something, any suspicious person unnecessarily near herptop, but that wasn''t the case at all. But in the back of her mind, a thought still persisted. "Hey." She stiffened with the familiar voice. From the corner of her eye, Zheng Jiao approached her and looked at her with lips curved into a smile. "Did you find anything?" She didn''t respond. "I heard you were searching for some clues in my department. That honestly makes me sad. Did you really think there is a bent person in my department who would be looking to frame you?" Guiying squinted her eyes. "Why do you look at me that way?" She raised her brow. "It almost feels like you doubt me too. But that cannot be so, right? What would I get by doing this?" "Don''t you want me to stop being Sir Zixin''s assistant and join your department? Only you and that guy have ess toptops. It wouldn''t be difficult for a person knowing aboutputers to send a simple email right? Can you me me for acting cautious?" For a moment, Guiying was startled by her own demeanor. She wasn''t the kind of person to confront anybody like this or talk back. It was more of ''Guiying''s'' way to deal with such unpleasant stuff. "Oh my," Zheng Jiao narrowed her eyes. "This reminds me of our coffee time that day but not quite in the same way. Anyway, you do make valid points though. Come to my office. I will show you something interesting." Guiying''s suspicions immediately deepened. "I don''t bite," she smiled. Guiying thought for a moment and wondered if it was wise to follow a person she had suspicions on. But it was Chen Corps and she couldn''t be in danger. Zheng Jiao wouldn''t be so stupid either. The lights automatically switched on as they stepped in the office and Zheng Jiao fired herptop on. She clicked on some folders that had video recordings in it. "Security footage of my department. This is from the time you submitted yourptop till the time you took it back. See for yourself if I was being sneaky." Guiying carefully watched the videos and to her dismay, nobody ever essed herptop. She waspletely absorbed in finding any tiny hint of evidence she could but there was nothing incriminating. "See? I am innocent." Guiying was startled as the voice came from behind her with Zheng Jiao standing too close and too intimidating to her taste. Calming the sudden burst of a shock, she said, "This proves nothing. You could easily delete or alter the footage to suit your convenience. Or you might not even physically need myptop. I think you might be capable enough to remotely ess my emails and y with them." Zheng Jiao folded her arms andughed. "I like your thinking. Those are valid points too. But then it makes your job very difficult, you see. How will you prove that I am the culprit?" Guiying had no answer to that. "I am ttered that you think I am so capable but I am not the only one you know," she smiled which faintly felt like a sneer too. Guiying left the IT department a second time, clueless of what to do next. She met everybody at lunch time where Jia Lin, Xun Da and Wan Yong expressed their sighs. "We heard about the conflict with the board. Such a shame," Xun Da said. Jia Lin red her nostrils. "I know, right? It was just an ident yet the oldies bullied the newbie like this." "It wasn''t an ident," Guiying said, "I wasn''t wrong. I didn''t send any wrong invites. I was very focused when I was doing my job. There wasn''t any glitch either as the IT guy exined it to me. He did a thorough job of fixing myptop. That''s why I feel that somebody purposely did this to frame me." The three held shock in their faces. "But you just joined. Who would have anything against you in such a short time already?" Wan Yong frowned. Guiying looked determined. "That''s what I have to find and I will. I have thought of a way for that too." Chapter 741 Ploy exposed Chapter 741 Ploy exposed Jia Lin arrived at her cabin the next day with vigor and enthusiasm. She sat back on her chair andzily stretched her arms. She checked her mobile and seeing the continuous onught of messages, her brow twitched in annoyance. People just don''t have patience. It will be any day now. Her assistant stepped in and said, "Mam, Sir Zixin has asked for you." "Oh. Okay. I will be heading there in a second." The door closed behind her, and she smiled. It seems the day is today. Quite fast. Jia Lin entered the CEO''s office and bowed. "Good morning, Sir. You called for me?" "Yes." Zixin''s voice hinted at iciness and gaze unfriendliness. "Is this about the Luster project''s assigned resources? I am almost done with it. I will be ready with the presentation tomorrow." "I wonder if there is a tomorrow for you." "Sorry?" She blinked. Assistant Ling arrived by then along with Guiying, who stood at a distance from Zixin''s table. "Good morning, Cai Guiying," Jia Lin merrily chirped. Guiying said nothing. Assistant Ling said, "Sir has something to show you." She curiously craned her neck slightly to see him starting a video recording. Her gaze stiffened at what was being shown to her. "Doesn''t this¡­seem to be CCTV footage ofst week?" Zixin said, "Keep watching." The point in time came in the clip where it dawned upon her why she was called in the office. The clip ended and Assistant Ling closed hisptop. "Do you have anything to say?" Jia Lin calmly but immediately responded. "Somebody has framed me. I never sneaked into your office and essed Cai Guiying''sptop. Is this about the wrong email being sent?" "You would know it better than anybody." "With due respect, Sir, I don''t." "This clip was deleted. Somebody did. Guiying had to restore it to reach the truth." She looked at Cai Guiying with poise and confidence. "I am innocent. I don''t know who put me in there, but I have nothing to do with your predicament. I didn''t do anything to yourptop. Didn''t the IT guy himself say that your system was clean? Which means nobody essed it right?" "No. It means that they didn''t need to put any remote bug in my system. I thought about it. How did you just sneak in and logged into myptop? I didn''t see you inserting anything in the USB drive or anything to break my password." "Exactly." "But then it urred to me that you approached to talk to me. You were standing behind me as weughed. Myptop was locked at that time. Then you asked me if I could show you a sneak peek of my story draft. Just because you were curious." "Yes? What was wrong with that?" "Naturally, I had to login back into my system. My work is stored in my cloud ount. So you saw me inputting my system password. You stood right behind me. You read my fingertips pressing the keyboard buttons and you remembered it." "That''s absolutely ridiculous." "It isn''t," Guiying shot back. "If we rewind the clip again, we can zoom in to check that you were keenly looking at me typing. You stored my system password in your brain so that you wouldn''t need to maliciously ess myptop and pose the risk of getting caught." Jia Lin showed a hurt expression. "How could you believe all this? I weed you with open arms. We joked andughed. Why will I make this ploy? I don''t have anything against you." Zixin intervened at that point. "Not personally. Professionally, yes. Just yesterday, I received a job application. The position was cited as my assistant. This application came from none other than your nephew. It''s strange. The applications for my assistant position don''t just pop up whenever. This came at the time when it was possible that an action might be taken against Cai Guiying, especially since the board was involved." She stiffened. Guiying said, "I remember. You said once that your cousin''s son was looking for a job but he always failed. I believe if I would be kicked out of thepany because of my error, then you could get your nephew in for the job. You are the HR head. You would have easily made arrangements for the opening and convinced Assistant Ling." "That''s horrible!" She trembled. "I am being used left and right. Sir this is all false. Let''s say for argument sake that I remembered your password, but how would I alter the CCTV video clip? I am not an IT person to hack. If anyone then me Zheng Jiao. She must have some secret agenda against me." Zixin stared at her. "You forget, Mrs. Jin. You are not an IT person now. But you were before. Your work experience entails working in the IT industry for ten years before you switched to the HR side in Chen Corps." "...That was a long time ago, Sir. I hardly remember anything about that world now. I have lost my touch. Certainly, I am not capable of hacking into systems. And why isn''t Zheng Jiao being questioned? She is the most suspicious person of all. Guiying''sptop was in her department for two whole days. Isn''t it so easy for her to just walk in and do anything she wants?" "She can but she hasn''t. The video clips of the IT department are clean. No alteration. I cross checked it with my own hacker I know. She is the best. She is the one who found the altered clip that we just showed you. And not only that." He slid a file towards her. "You were smart to try to hide your presence behind fake IP addresses and countries and what not but not before the Queen. Shebed through and dug out your identity. You altered the footage." Jia Lin read trace log output files of Chyou''s software that had neatly unmasked Jia Lin''s real home IP address from where she had deleted the video part of her sneaking into Zixin''s office. One look through all those parameters was enough to tell her that the hacker wasn''t any bogus. In fact far from that. Just from the trace file alone, she could sense howplicated but ingenious Chyou''s software might be to catch her identity despite all the top protections she had used. Zixin narrowed his eyes. "Confess now?" Chapter 742 The lightning speed kiss 742 The lightning speed kiss In the end, Jia Lin was left with no option but toe out with the truth. It was exactly as they had guessed. To somehow kick Guiying out of her job and rece the position with her nephew. "Please forgive me," Jia Lin bowed, clenching her fists. "I¡­couldn''t help before my cousin''s request." Guiying lowered her gaze in silence. She thought she made good friends and would lead a good office life with her colleagues. She especially didn''t want Jia Lin to be the perpetrator who had weed her so warmly. But it turned out that the warmth was simply a facade behind her cold calctions. Even though much time hadn''t passed since they met, the disappointment still crushed her heart. "You are not sorry," Zixin said, "You wouldn''t have framed Guiying in the first ce. Or if you really felt guilty, you would havee forward and confessed yourself. But you didn''t because you were confident that Guiying wouldn''t pursue the matter. That she would definitely ept it as her mistake and apologize. Who would bother investigating a simple wrongly sent email by a newbie is what you must have thought." Jia Lin said nothing. "I would have considered giving you another chance had you owned up to your ploy but you either repeatedly kept denying or gaslighting Guiying or throwing the me on Zheng Jiao. Trust once lost like this cannot be gained back. Not for me." "S-Sir, please don''t do this! I-I am really sorry!" Jia Lin paled, the gravity of the situation hitting her. But none of the three budged. "Guiying, please! Just once. I promise something like this will never happen again!" Guiying felt her heart waver which was a struggle for her to not get swept in those waves and in Jia Lin''s tears. "It was very embarrassing for me as the board looked at me with their judgemental stares. Just one misunderstanding was enough to destroy my credibility in front of them. Had I not remained stubborn to prove myself right, they would have always deemed me as irresponsible and unreliable. I trusted you but you didn''t hesitate even once before dragging me into this. You are only sorry because you got caught." "It''s not like that! Just¡­" Eventually, she was led out by Assistant Ling with her continuing to plead Zixin and Guiying. As the two were left alone, Zixin walked up to her and read the loneliness in her gaze. "You did great." "Should I have forgiven her?" "No. You did the right thing. She was selfish. She had no intentions to ever rify the misunderstanding. She never cared about the impact it will cause on your reputation. People like her don''t deserve any sympathy." Guiying released a sigh after a long time. He smiled and held her shoulders. "You have be strong, Guiying. You stood up for yourself despite it being easy for everybody to me you and end the matter. You confronted Jia Lin and punished her. I know how difficult it would have been for you but I am d you stood your ground. And this time, ''she'' didn''t help you. You did it all on your own." A tremble moved her eyshes. A tiny sense of pride enveloped her heart. She couldn''t imagine herself before being the center of such a scuffle and even winning it. But today, Guiying felt an aplishment that she had never before. The aplishment of taking a stand on her own. It was either Ai or ''her'' or Zhan Yahui supporting her and protecting her. But today, she proved herself all by herself. It made her feel like a renewed person. A strength gained that made her feel more confident. She wasn''t sure what changed. Was it her repaired rtionship with Ai or her rtionship with Zixin and his family or Zhan Yahui''s death or seeing her brother in jail? But unbeknownst to her, the experiences she went through up until this point was slowly but surely changing her from within. A better person than before. A more confident person than before. Zixin''s eyes shone with a smile. "Since this was such a big aplishment for you, we should have a small celebration." Guiying scratched her head. "It''s not necessary. It''s all Chyou who put the hard work-" "Don''t negate your actions by something else," he frowned. "She found Jia Lin, yes, but you stood up for yourself from the beginning to the end. You decided to take Chyou''s help. These are all your decisions." He nodded gravely. "It''s very necessary. Every little step towards a good change must be acknowledged and celebrated." "You¡­" Seriously, what good deeds have I done in the past to have someone like Zixin by my side? "Okay. Let''s celebrate." He gleamed. "Also," she said with a sincere smile, "Thank you so much for believing in me. For standing against the board for me. I never wished for this altercation to happen." "I will stand for you even if I have to go against the whole world. Board of directors are pep squeaks in front of that." "..." She choked. She cleared her throat. "I will head out for some coffee." He nodded. Guiying turned and took two steps. She stopped and looked back, twisting her body halfway between walking ahead and turning back as if she was contemting something. "What''s wrong?" He blinked. "Nothing." It was nothing but she came back at Zixin''s side, tiptoed, dropped a feathery peck on his cheek and zoomed past the office exit with a bullet train''s speed. Zixin remained standing frozen at his spot. Huh? When did shee back? When did she kiss me? Did she really leave a peck on my cheek? I definitely felt her lips. Or did I? He hovered his palm over his cheek, still trying to figure it out. It happened at such Godly lightning speed that he couldn''t distinguish if it was reality or his wishful dream. Slowly, a broad grin stretched his lips wide as he trembled with bliss and disbelief. The super shy Guiying kissed me on her own! Chapter 743 The shameful dark past 743 The shameful dark past Four months passed by in the blink of an eye and by then Guiying sessfully joined Assistant Ling''s side in actually aiding Zixin with his work and traveling to meetings with him. The shift in corporate life gave her a new perspective, especially working with Xian Shun. The person she chose over the board of directors. A politician''s daughter who was trying hard to get out of her father''s shadows. She had apologized to Guiying after the meeting sh misunderstanding was eventually resolved. During the course of working with her, they even became good friends. "That''s amazing, you are a writer!" Xian Shun eximed. "Doesn''t that mean you are a celebrity!" Guiying looked at her sparkling gaze and found her enthusiasm to be quite simr to Xun Da. She coughed. "I am not a celebrity. Celebrity is Zhu Chyou." "The A-listed actress!" "The Queen of the entertainment industry." "I am her fan!" "Me too! She is simply so charming and capable." Then she tucked her hair away, feeling embarrassed. "It''s actually because of her that I ventured into my startup. You know she is a famous actress but her father is the CEO of Zhu Corps. Yet she made her name, such a brilliantly shining name and persona outside her family business. U want to be like her." Guiying beamed. "That''s wonderful. She is the same too. My best friend and I watch her every movie. Since we saw her the first time, she became an inspiration for us both," she nodded. "You cannot help but be drawn to her." "You stole the words right out of my mouth," she chuckled. "Hello," Zixin approached behind them, making Xian Shun jolt up. She said a little annoyed. "Sir, it would be helpful if you greet us from the front and not scare me." "Oh. My apologies," he blinked. "I saw Guiying but didn''t notice you. Your view was blocked for me." "..." Guiying cleared her throat, seeing her gaze darkening. It had been like this ever since Zixin and her joined hands. Though Xian Shun was very professional at other times, outside of business hours, it seemed that she didn''t gel with Zixin at a personal level. Zixin asked Guiying, radiating a vibrant glow, "Shall we have lunch?" Xian Shun pulled Guiying back and smiled. "Sorry, Sir, but Guiying and I have nned to eat outside." "Oh. Then shall I apany you?" "No. It''s women only." "..." The look of disappointment clearly imprinted its marks on his face as his shoulders dropped. Guiying quickly apologized. "I am sorry. We had nned this yesterday only¡­" Zixin further sulked. Lunch without Guiying today¡­ 16:25 He nodded in understanding but with grave difficulty and burden enveloping his chest. "Have fun." He turned and walked extremely slowly as if he still expected an invite to lunch. That never came. Eventually, his lonely figure disappeared into his office. Guiyingcked tears to shed. She hated seeing Zixin''s sad puppy face. "Hmph," Xian Shun rolled her eyes. "Why should the assistant tag behind him for lunch too? I don''t see him asking Assistant Ling with such vigor." Guiying coughed. Our rtionship is different¡­ It urred to Guiying and she curiously asked, "Can I ask something?" "Sure." "It feels to me that you don''t really like Zi- Sir Zixin." Xian Shun grumbled. "It''s not like it''s his fault¡­" "What?" "Well you know how I visited himst year for my startup proposal, right? It hadn''t gone well. I wasn''t really prepared in regards to my research. I thought I was, but Chen Zixin pointed out all the ws one by one during my presentation. He did so with a very in expression as if he was the least bothered. It felt really humiliating to me. Actually, he wasn''t really so emotionless. On the contrary, he was quite decent and patient. But I was immature and naive then. Being my dad''s daughter, I wasn''t ever criticized. So it was embarrassing to stand there in front of him and see that my efforts were a failure." Ah¡­ Guiying now got a fair idea. Positive criticism is never easy to take in the right attitude. Somewhere in the corner of the heart, any criticism nevertheless hurts, making people defensive. "I made a huge scene because I felt he was insulting me on purpose and stormed away. I felt down. Butter, I revisited my work. I remembered all his points. I realized that I was indeedcking. He was right. And very polite about it too. Any other CEO might have crushed me without mercy. So I started reworking to prove to Chen Zixin that I can do it right!" "That''s amazing," she pped with a grin. "You proved yourself. Sir Zixin was really impressed." "Of course he should," she flipped her hair back. "So then why don''t you still like him?" Shouldn''t the story have a happy ending? "We-well because it''s difficult to forget that embarrassing day!" Her cheeks flushed red. Guiying stared at her. "I had no face to show him anymore," she cried, wiping her emotional tears. "Whenever I see him, I always remember that day when I stormed out feeling ashamed andcking." "But didn''t you make up for it the second time you met him? You impressed him with your rework." "But it''s hard to forget the shame I had to go through. That day will be forever marked as my dark past!" "..." Even if something so positive had happened the second time, Xian Shun''s mind still delved into the past. "So I know that Zixin was just doing his job. He wasn''t wrong, but¡­well, you can call me petty. But that day still irks me and I cannot help but not like him." Guiying burst into a softughter, helplessly shaking her head. "Hmm, might be petty but it''s cute too." "D-don''tugh at me!" Her nostrils red. "I am sorry," she said with her shoulders still trembling withughter. "I don''t feel your sincerity!" "What is happening?" A second person approached behind them and this time with Guiying stiffening and jolting up. Behind them stood Zheng Jiao, who had her brow raised at them. "Zheng Jiao!" Xian Shun chirped. "We were just waiting for you. Let''s go!" Guiying''s eyes widened. "Go where?" "Lunch? Did you forget?" Wait, was she invited too!? Chapter 744 Lunch gossip Chapter 744 Lunch gossip The atmosphere at the lunch table was all merry and chirping only because Xian Shun was doing the talking. She was in the dark about the odd dynamics between Guiying and Zheng Jiao. Guiying took a third sip of water from her ss, still trying to remember the part when Xian Shun said about adding Zheng Jiao to the lunch group too. She peeked at Zheng Jiao, who was calmly and silently listening to Xian Shun chattering and chirping with her arms folded at her chest. Till this date, she was as mysterious of a figure to Guiying as ever. After the entire fiasco with Jia Lin ended in her getting fired from her job, Guiying had immediately approached and apologized to Zheng Jiao for her misunderstanding. She had simply smiled and let the matter go. "A shame that you cannot work in my department," she shrugged. Guiying wasn''t sure how to answer that, so she kept quiet. Yet the mystery of her previous resigned assistants remained. Guiying assumed that she plotted to kick her out of the CEO''s office to pull her into her department, which wasn''t the case at all. Then why did the previous assistants leave their job? It was a question Guiying was really curious about but sadly, nobody had the answer. "Are you thinking about me?" The sudden question dropped by Zheng Jiao made Guiying choke in her throat. "No." "But you were definitely lost in your thoughts while looking at me," she arched her brow upwards. "I sense an intense question in your gaze." "N-Not really." Xian Shun sheepishly grinned. "Well, Zheng Jiao is pretty. I was asking her beauty secrets myself." "An IT head sitting in front of herptop the whole day has no beauty secrets, I am afraid," she smiled. "Lies," she snorted. "I don''t see any dark circles around your eyes. And your skin is always so glowing." "Different reasons. Anyway, why did you invite me to lunch? I believe we haven''t talked much before. Aren''t you working more closely with Cai Guiying?" Wait, so Zheng Jiao is also confused about this? Guiying thought. Xian Shun said, "Of course I would invite you when I see you all lonely hanging around the coffee machine while the rest of the employees are enjoying themselves in their own groups." "..." Zheng Jiao stared at her. "You picked me up as if I am some pitiful puppy?" Guiying choked for the second time in horror. Was Zheng Jiao offended? Would there be an altercation with Xian Shun by any chance? "I invited you because you WERE looking like a pitiful puppy. Rather than eating a cold lunch all alone being cooped up in your office, it''s better to enjoy a hot served meal with your friends! Plus, you are beautiful and look smart and I like talking to beautiful and smart people like Guiying," Xian Shun proudly said. Guiying felt shy with the suddenpliment. "Thanks¡­" "I didn''t beg to be included, not by my words or gaze," Zheng narrowed her eyes. Guiying began to sweat. She is definitely angry. Xian Shun grimaced and gave a confused look at the same time. "Don''t you know that your face is like an open book?" Really? Guiying had her jaw dropped in her mind. Howe I am not able to read her then? Do you have some special powers? Just then, lunch arrived and Xian Shun pped her hands with delight. "The food is finally here! Let''s dig in and start talking about our love interests~ Let''s start with Guiying." Guiying coughed. "I¡­" "And don''t you lie! Everybody will tell the truth here," she dered. Eventually, she helplessly said, "...Well¡­I do have someone I like." "O.M.G! Tell us more!" Her eyes sparkled with an endless hunger of curiosity. Zheng Jiao tilted her head too. Guiying gave a brief recap of her writing career and told the part where she received letters from one of her fans. Those sweet letters grew closer to her heart and in no time, the person behind those letters too. The thought of Zixin warmed her gaze and a soft, beautiful smile stretched her lips. Xian Shun gasped. "This feels like a lovely fantasy story but isn''t this dangerous? I mean sure he is your fan and all, but you cannot say these days. People hide their real identity all the time! What if it''s some creepy old man in his seventies eyeing you?" Guiying choked for the third time who automatically thought of Zixin as a seventy odd man. "I do know that this happens a lot but¡­I don''t know how to exin. I think I just felt it intuitively that he wasn''t anything like that. It''s just his words, his feelings that I havee across in every single letter of his made me trust him. I know you might still think that I am an idiot¡­Also, I have met him already. He is not an old man in his seventies. Young, in histe twenties. So I definitely wasn''t scammed." "You have met him? Is he handsome?" She suddenly looked somber. "..." Her brow twitched. "That''s what matters to you more?" "Duh. Everybody likes aesthetically pleasing people to the eyes~" She shook her head. "Yes, he is definitely handsome," she cleared her throat with her slightly blushing cheeks. "A score! That''s half the battle won~ What does he do for work?" Guiying couldn''t exactly tell that he was the CEO himself. "Well¡­he works in apany. Corporate world." Which isn''t technically wrong, she thought. Before she could dig deeper about Zixin, Guiying attempted to divert the attention from herself. "My story is over. What about you? Do you have anybody you like? Or¡­" She looked a little hesitant at Zheng Jiao and dropped the same question to her as it would be rude to not include her. "You?" Xian Shun went first. "I am currently in the process of searching! I did think of Assistant Ling as a candidate but he works too hard! I don''t like workaholic people." "..." Poor Assistant Ling. I am sorry. Assistant Ling sneezed somewhere. "Achoo!" For some reason, he felt irked. "Why do I feel that somebody was pitying me just now? Damn it, who dares!?" Back at the table, Zheng Jiao simply shrugged when it was her turn. "I don''t know. Maybe I am interested in someone? But it seems it will be impossible to catch hold of them." Chapter 745 The happy dream 745 The happy dream Guiying copsed back on the bed, letting the softness of the mattress suck away the drain from her stiff shoulders. Zheng Jiao was still the only person with whom she couldn''t openly gel so well. There was always this sense of scrutiny she felt in her presence. As if Zheng Jiao was peering at her with great concentration. As if she was searching for something in her. But she didn''t know why. The air of mystery around her never subsided and Guiying eventually gave up. Suddenly, it urred to her that she hadn''t talked to the other ''her'' inside her for quite some time. "Hey, are ''you'' there? What do ''you'' think about Zheng Jiao? Maybe you get something about her that I don''t," she sighed. Guiying waited for an answer which she never got. She pouted. "Why aren''t ''you'' talking to me? Are ''you'' mad at me for something?" Well even if ''she'' is mad at me, ''she'' won''t keep this silence. ''She'' would toast me until I would be burned, Guiying chuckled. "Nowadays, you don''t really appear so often, don''t you? You are totally bored of the Chen Corps, aren''t you? Maybe you don''t like the taste of corporate life haha." Still no answer. It was as if ''she'' was in a long sleep, refusing to be woken up by Guiying''s annoying questions. Guiying pursed her lips and harrumphed. "Fine, if you want to act like a child, then I won''t disturb you anymore. You are really being very mean these days¡­" Guiying mumbled out a string of a few moreints until she felt sleep greeting her eyes. Drowsiness made her yawn and she fell asleep. Somewhere in her dream, Guiying felt like she was floating. It felt light and pleasant. She didn''t know where this ce was. There seemed to be no end to the sight. The horizon stretched endlessly. "Hey." Guiying looked back and was surprised to see her twin standing before her. Her lips parted in shock. Wait, I don''t have a twin. "You really are an idiot, aren''t you?" The alter ego sneered at her. Guiying shone. "''You!''" "Obviously, it''s me, duh. Will anybody else look like you? Why are you always so slow?" "..." Guiying ran towards her with a beaming expression. Thrill filled her gaze as she hugged ''her.'' "It feels like I am meeting you for the first time like this. Wait, I definitely am. I have always talked to you but not physically like this." "Was there a need to?" ''She'' rolled her eyes. "We were one and the same anyway." Guiying grinned. "Shall we walk? This ce is so beautiful, right? It''s a first time we are having a dream like this, right?" "Hm." They walked along the endless path with no particr destination in their minds. Guiying eagerly recounted everything that happened in the Chen Corps and about her new friend Xian Shun and about the mystery surrounding Cheng Jiao. ''Guiying'' was definitely impressed. "You did well. I didn''t even have to lift a finger. Look at you finally breaking your shell." Guiying''s chest overflowed with happiness with the pride glinting in ''her'' eyes. "Thank you. It''s all because of you." "Not only because of me. You have many people by your side now," ''she'' shrugged. "Thank God for that. I was bored of babysitting you." Her nostrils adorably red in grievance. "How rude! Why do you always speak so snarkily?" "Because you don''t, so somebody has topensate," ''she'' sneered. "How would this work if both are meek? Anyway, how are things going with Zixin. Poor guy is patiently waiting for your yes. Do you aim to be old and bedridden before you decide on your answer?" Guiying choked. "Th-That''s not it!" "And shyness should have a limit too." Her mouth twitched. "I know it''s your first love and all but even teenagers are more wild and confident than you," ''Guiying'' threw her a disdainful look. "Have I taught you nothing? What are you waiting for exactly?" She smiled. "I wasn''t really waiting. It''s just¡­everything felt surreal to me when I met Zixin. His loving family. I was afraid it would end up being only a dream and I would lose it if I woke up. Maybe I just wanted reality to sink in. To feel confident that we deserve this happiness." ''Guiying'' chuckled. "It''s you silly. You deserve this happiness. Zixin is there for you." She tapped a flick on her forehead. "You talk silly things sometimes too, you know? How is it only me?" "Because he loves you?" Guiying frowned with confusion. "Aren''t we the same? So how would his love be different?" "We are the same but at the same time, we aren''t. He cannot love both of us at the same time. Not romantically. That''s impossible. He likes me as a friend and he loves you as a woman. Simple. That''s beside the point though. What I want to say is hurry and get together with him already. Don''t make your ultimate happiness wait anymore~" ''she'' winked. Guiying couldn''t help but blush. As she looked back at ''her'', she realized that ''Guiying'' looked a little distorted. Akin to a movie on the TV screen breaking apart. Not just ''her'' but the dreamy beautiful world too. "Ah, guess the dream is over. It''s time for me to leave," ''Guiying'' said. "So soon! I wanted us to keep talking," Guiying''s shoulders slumped. "But this was really nice! Hehe I want to have this dream again to keep meeting you like this." ''Guiying'' smiled which Guiying couldn''t make out if it was happy or sad. "Don''t count on it, dear. You don''t need this dream any longer because you have already met your sweet reality. You should always look at what''s ahead of you, not the past." "D-Don''t go please¡­" Guiying tried to catch hold of ''her'' but the world kept getting distorted further. It just waved in the empty air. "I want to talk some more to you." The world vanished with a flick and Guiying suddenly woke up with a start. Tears fell from her eyes and her body trembled hard as if some unknown sinking feel took root in her heart. It was such a happy dream to meet ''her.'' So why do I feel like crying? Chapter 746 Unexpected singing talent 746 Unexpected singing talent *Knock knock* "Guiying?" Guiying heard Zixin''s soft voice from outside her room as she calmed down her erratic breaths. "Yes?" "Are you okay, Guiying? I was passing by when I heard a sharp gasp. Can you please open the door?" There was urgency in his voice. Guiying opened the door and looked into his concerned gaze. Zixin widened his eyes, surprised. "Were you crying? Your eyes look red." "Ugh no¡­" "Don''t lie," his eyes then narrowed. "Let me check on you. Are you hurt anywhere?" She shook her head. She let him inside and gently closed the door behind him. "I just happened to take a nap." He tipped his head sideways, still not understanding the reason behind her tear-stained eyshes. "I had a strange dream. It was actually a happy one. You know, I met myself. I mean ''her.'' It was the first time I talked to ''her'' like a separate person. It was a nice ce. We walked and I talked. ''She'' mostly just listened to me and scolded me as usual." "But?" Her shoulders dropped at a downward angle. "I am not sure. At the end, it felt strange when the dream was breaking apart and ''she'' was disappearing. I don''t know if it was my imagination but I couldn''t make out if ''her'' smile was a happy or a sad one. It made me feel anxious. Plus, these days ''she'' doesn''t talk to me so often. ''She'' hardlyes out¡­" Zixin nodded in understanding. "You miss her." "Indeed," Guiying''s gaze flickered with an unknown emotion. "These days, ''she'' feels distant to me. I don''t know if I did something wrong." "You did nothing wrong," he immediately said. Her eyes welled and her voice broke, "...I don''t know. I feel heavy and ufortable in my chest. ''She'' is there, yet I feel ''she'' isn''t." A sudden gush of loneliness tore her heart thinking of ''her'' mixed smile in the dream. Zixin anxiously wiped her eyes. "Please don''t cry. It was just a dream. Everything is fine." She sniffled. "I am sorry for crying for such a silly thing." "Nothing is silly if it makes you feel hurt and in pain," he then asked as he thought of something, "You should eat. You must be hungry." "I am not really feeling hungry-" Zixin seriously cut her off. "I won''t let you sleep in hunger." He dragged her out of her room and made her sit on the chair at the dining table. "Did everybody else already have dinner?" "Yes. We figure you must be tired so we didn''t wake you up." She felt embarrassed. "I am really sorry for not being here." "You don''t have to be sorry. It''s nothing unusual. The twins sometimes eat separately in their room too." Zixin made sure that she had a filling dinner. To get some fresh air, they took a walk outside in the garden. They headed back inside after thirty minutes and Zixin suggested she go to sleep early tonight. "I don''t think I feel sleepy." He thought for a moment and said, "I will help you." She blinked. "How?" "I will pay your head till you feel sleepy. If you want, I will sing for you too." "..." She looked away for a moment, imagining Zixin singing a song. She suddenly had an urge to listen to his singing voice. "Will you really sing a song for me?" She asked expectantly. Zixin nodded hard. "I will do anything for you. If you want, I will dance for you too." She coughed. "I am fine with singing for now." Guiying sat on the bed, waiting for him but he simply frowned. "You should lie on the bed. I am here to make you fall asleep." She took off her slippers and was made to lie back on the bed. Zixin took his seat on a chair beside her. He cleared his throat and began to sing. Surprisingly, Guiying found his voice to be very melodious. The soft hum in his tone was gentle and pleasing to hear akin to the beautiful melody of a waterfall. Usually, the notes as he would speak would always feel deep and husky. The contrast was so refreshing that Guiying felt she could hear his voice forever and never get tired. The song ended and Guiying pped hard. "That was really unexpected. I really didn''t think you would have such a good voice." Zixin tilted his head. "Really?" "Yes! I loved it. I mean, you could have definitely made a career in singing if you had gotten professional training." Seeing her small face light up with stars and smile made his face shine too. His gaze softened. "I am d you like it. Do you feel sleepy?" "Not yet. It will take a few more songs to feel drowsy. But you don''t have to take the trouble." Mischief set in Zixin''s gaze as a thought came across his mind. "I will sing as many songs as you want. But I have an idea to make them more effective." "What?" "How about I lie beside you and then sing? You will fall asleep faster if you hear my voice closer to your ears." "..." "You¡­" Shameless! I know the trick you are trying to pull! "I only have the best and the purest intentions," he looked at her solemnly. Guiying controlled the urge to roll her eyes. Before she could protest, Zixin sneaked onto the bed beside her, almost causing her heart to stop beating. His chest was suddenly up front. Her once calm breaths turned ragged in the matter of seconds. "I think this is the optimal distance." Her brow twitched hard seeing the negligible gap between them. Their chests almost bumped into each other. Is this even considered to be distance? She seriously questioned. His warm breath that kissed her forehead made her stiffen. She felt his face leaning closer and closer until he dropped his husky voice next to her ear. "Shall I start with the next song?" Chapter 747 Me or my voice? 747 Me or my voice? Zixin started singing another song after which Guiying forgot all her grievances. Mesmerized by his beauty and his voice, she hummed along with him in her mind. The soft notes of his voice hit her ears as if they were telling her some mischievous secret of their own. The second song ended and Guiying felt herself floating in the clouds. Ah, I can listen to him forever¡­ "I love it," she whispered with a gentle glow in her gaze. Zixin tipped her chin up towards him and said, "I should be praised when you look me in the eye." She cleared her throat. "I love it." "Love what?" He innocently asked, "Me or my voice?" "..." That was a sly and a trick question. "Your¡­your voice¡­" she looked away. Zixin squinted his eyes and tilted her chin to make her face him again. "Don''t avert your gaze. So do you love me or my voice?" Guiying felt her chest expanding and contracting more because of his deep, questioning voice whispering in her ear as if he caught a culprit rather than his question itself. "L-Like I said¡­y-you sing well¡­" A sensation akin to an electrified current coursed through her veins as he pressed upon her chin with dissatisfaction. "So you only love my voice?" Guiying was at a loss of words andcked tears to shed. "But when you had missed me on the cheek that day, you had never heard my voice. So you didn''t know that you loved my voice or not then. So why did you kiss me?" "..." Do you have to sound so logical for a peck on the cheek? "That would only suggest that you kissed me because of another reason," Zixin bobbed his head on the pillow as he arrived at this important conclusion. Guiying quickly said, "I-I should get back to sleep¡­" "But you are not asleep yet," he blinked. And whose fault is that? "I will sing you more songs till you fall asleep," he smiled. "But before that, you should answer my question. You know, that question has been bugging my peace." He made his shoulders slouch as if the pain and injustice of not getting an answer was killing him to no end. Coupled with his dimming gaze, Zixin could easily win the most pitiful person of the world award, if such an award existed. ''Poor guy is patiently waiting for your yes.'' ''Guiying''s'' words floated in her mind, making a tiny blush appear on her fair cheeks. She peered into Zixin''s eyes, whose beaming, expectant gaze was difficult to ignore. She parted her lips to speak, but anything beyond her throat was unable to reach the tip of her tongue. What is so difficult about this? I-It''s just saying yes! Yes, Zixin. It''s not just your voice but you¡­y-you¡­too¡­ Such was Guiying''s condition who stuttered even inwardly in her mind imagining to give her answer to him. Guiying made an attempt to turn to the other side but already expected this reaction, Zixin pressed his palm on her back and restricted her escape route. He gently gave a tug to stop her from turning to the other side. But the tug was hard enough to bridge the gap between them even further. Guiying faintly sensed the outline of his lips hovering over her forehead. Her face was pressed further into his chest. They looked like any other married couple sleeping on the same bed. "No running away," he warned, his voice growing more sultry. From her back, Zixin moved his hand to tip her chin once again towards him by which point, her small face waspletely reddened. The tinge of flush on her cheeks was so inviting that it made his heart skip several beats. As if intoxicated by an unknown force, his fingers gently grazed past her face. Staring into her beautiful, sparkling orbs, he felt his whole world suck into them without any resistance. Guiying softly but on her lip inwardly, jolting wherever his touch passed by. She could feel his intense focus on her where there was no chance to escape those sweet clutches. She heard his heartbeats loud and clear and so did the raspiness of his breaths that exined his restlessness to her in the form of his trembling fingertips. She crumpled a small part of his shirt into her fist as his thumb made its way towards the corner of her lips. She felt her senses flicker in and out as she was being zapped by nothing less than electric currents. Zixin let another soft tug to her waist bring them in such proximity that what was about to happen next was inevitable. Too close to ignore the force pushing them together, Zixin cautiously, gradually but surely made the first contact of his lips with her forehead. He felt Guiying''s light jolt as a reaction but no protest. He continued further down to peck her nose and cheek. Every feathery kiss was enough to burst their hearts with an endless surge of joy never felt before. The trip to her lips felt like a long and arduous journey but as that anticipation built up, their bodies trembled and shivered. It was warm amidst that embrace that made them feel like they were in a drunken stupor. Their hearts drummed crazily. Bridging thest gap of the distance, Zixin slowly touched her lips first with his. It was just a soft, simple graze as if he was testing the waters. As he felt Guiying slowly sumbing to the inevitable attraction and free herself from the burdens chaining her heart, Zixin took a fraction of a step more, meeting his lips further with hers. It sent them both into such a frenzy that their souls rattled. He closed his eyes, simply wanting to let this happiness enter every crevice of his heart. It felt like a wait of an infinite long time had finallye to a closure. He pressed her face slightly to deepen the kiss after which the rest of everything was a mystical fantasy. Chapter 748 Needless concerns Chapter 748 Needless concerns When the morning sun''s rays illuminated the room with its soft and pleasant shine, a slit broke through Guiying''s sleep and shefortably yawned. Immediately, she felt a sense as if she was wrapped around something and opening her eyes, it dawned upon her as to what it was. In front was Zixin''s chest and at the back was his arm covering her akin to a prized treasure. She looked like a sweet chocte carefully wrapped in a colorful paper with carefully tied ribbon around it. It felt warm andfortable. Zixin''s eyes were still shut in deep sleep with what looked like an infinitesimal smile on his lips as if he was having a pleasant dream. Guiying stared at him hard and a few secondster, steam was seen escaping the top of her head. She covered her face with her palms. Not only had they made out with passionate embraces and kisses, they slept through the night entangled within each other''s arms. They slept on the same bed and shared the same nket above them. W-what should I do now¡­!? If anybody sees Zixin in my room, they will definitely get the wrong understanding! At that point, shemented that she was seduced by Zixin''s melodic singing voice. She looked at him aggrieved and couldn''t help but reach out to pinch his nose in protest. "That is not a nice way to wake someone up." Her brow twitched and as she looked back, she found Zixin''s sleepy gaze and ck eyes staring at her with a soft smile. Her heart skipped several beats. This was the first time she was witnessing his morning look just out of sleep. The meter of adorableness was filling up fast, gushing her heart with a melted happiness. "I would prefer a kiss." "..." His shameless request broke her reverie that was squealing at his cute morning look that was quickly sidelined. "I will go back to sleep and you can kiss me to wake up the sleeping prince," Zixin nodded. The edge of her lips twitched. "You are the sleeping prince?" "Yes. And you are the princess who lifts the prince''s curse." "You just switched the genders of the original story." "Ignore the minor technicalities." "..." "Aren''t stories rewritten and retold so many times? Take this as our modern version." Guiying pushed her palm on his chest and moved to wake up when his arm around her waist was already restricting her ability to slip past him. "I am still waiting for my kiss." "You should leave now!" She urgently whispered. "What if they notice that you aren''t in your room?" "Then they will know that I am in your room," he blinked. "Simple deduction." Her jaw dropped in shock. "Which is exactly what they shouldn''t know! W-We in the same room and lst¡­" Her throat went dry remembering the kisses and that hadn''t just traced her lips but also on her neck and various other inexplicable ces. Suddenly the settled down heat seemed to fire up on the kisses locations. "T-They will misunderstand us!" He raised his brow. "What will they misunderstand?" "That that actually happened when it didn''t!" "What what happened?" She threw him a re. "You exactly know what." "I am sorry. I don''t know what you are talking about. I am the sleeping prince. I am still sleeping. My senses will remain numb until a kiss from the princess lifts my curse." The shock in her gaze changed to speechlessness. "Are you the right Chen Zixin that I know?" "I am the only Chen Zixin you will ever know," he smiled. A furious blush spread on her cheeks and the sound of his amusing chuckle only added to the redness. "Sis Guiying! Sis Guiying!" Loud and hard knocks were heard on the bedroom''s door as the twins banged on it with a sense of urgency. Guiying''s face froze with horror while Zixin''s face showed several frowns settling on his forehead. "That''s a rude wakeup call. I will scold them." Guiying pulled his arm back, aghast at his proposition. "They are at the door! MY bedroom door!" "Indeed," he nodded. "So this is just what I was telling you about. They will see us together and mi-misunderstand the situationpletely!" She spoke in a hushed voice, urging the sense of doom. "They won''t misunderstand the situation. They will understand the situation. The "mis" at the start is unnecessary." "What is there to understand in this situation!?" "That their big brother and future sister-inw need some private time with each other." "..." "Rest assured. I have the bosss'' approval." "Bosss''?" "Grandma and Mom." "..." "Sis! Sis! Are you still asleep? Rise and shine! It''s a super pleasant morning outside!" The twins chirped. Zixin''s frowned deepened. "They really need a scolding." Guiying pushed him out of the bed and said, "First you need to hide!" He stared at her nkly. "Why?" "Don''t make me punch your face," her gaze darkened. Zixin beamed. "Is it ''you'' who is talking? Nice to meet you again. Long time no see," he then hesitated and guilt lowered his gaze. "Please forgive me for what happenedst night¡­I realize it was rude of me to not ask your consent. I am really sorry. I won''t repeat this again." Guiying was about to reply when ''she'' came around and flicked on his forehead. "First of all, it was Guiying who said to punch your face, not me. I am impressed. You are bringing out her hidden side. One that perhaps she herself didn''t know she might have. She thinks she can be uselessly kind but she can get zesty too~ Second of all, you don''t need to keep apologizing to me again and again. I am just a small part inside Guiying. You don''t need my consent." "I do-" "You don''t so I won''t bear this nonsense anymore. I want Guiying to be happy. You want Guiying to be happy. It has been a long journey to reach this point. Don''t mess this up with needless concerns," ''she'' narrowed her eyes. "Now I will take my leave and let Guiying punch your face. Adieus." Chapter 749 Surprise surprise 749 Surprise surprise Guiying slowly opened the door, seeing the twins, Yunru and Yubi peering through the slit at her with vigor and excitement. "Sis! Sis!" Guiying smiled and extended the opening to just one-fourth of the whole space. "Good morning, you two. I see you two are bursting with energy today." "Of course we will be!" They shone. Yubi sped her hands together and squealed as if keeping it in her heart was no longer a viable option. "It''s a secret so let use inside and we will exin everything to you~" Yunru made a Sshh gesture with his finger. Guiying slightly coughed. "Oh inside my r-room? Um¡­" The twins tilted their heads at the side simultaneously. "Is there something wrong?" Aishh, they are so cute. They tip their heads just like Zixin does¡­ Ugh, this is not the time! "My room is a little messed up," she awkwardly grinned. "It will be embarrassing for me to let you in-" Yunru waved his hand off. "You are worried about that? Don''t be. My room is the messiest in this whole family. Nothing can bepared to mine, so you don''t have to feel embarrassed." Yubi sneered. "As always saying as if it is such a prideful thing. I should tell this to Huan and see her reaction~" "..." "Yubi, you idiot!" Yunru red at her. "Why do you always have to poke me where it hurts? I might be messy now but I won''t be in the future!" "That future seems bleak. That part of you will never change," sheughed. "I can see Huan running away from you at first sight of your room ahahaha." "She won''t because she will see a very organized and neat room!" His nostrils red. She gasped. "Don''t tell me you are nning to disguise my room as yours? That''s cheating and dumb!" "Dumb is your brain idiot!" Guiying quickly intervened. "Now, now this is just the start of such a pleasant morning. Not at all suitable for bickering." "Tell that to her!" "Tell that to him!" They pointed their fingers at each other, throwing zing res as well. "Weren''t you going to tell me something important?" She tried to divert the topic. The twins remembered and the light bulb lit up on top of their heads. "Yes! It''s super important! Let use inside." "Yes, yes. We don''t have time. We don''t want Bro Zixin to see us!" Yunru made another Sshh gesture. "...* Unfortunately, he will definitely be able to hear you. He is hiding in the bathroom¡­ Guiying had no option but to let them inside lest they became more suspicious and inadvertently, she might put the ax on her own foot. The twins eagerly hopped in their room and as soon as they did, they felt something odd in the atmosphere. Guiying looked at them staring around the room and particrly at the bed thoughtfully. A gulp passed down her throat and she tried to maintain a neutral, innocent smile. Yubi narrowed her eyes. "The bed¡­" Guiying stiffened. "W-what''s with the bed?" "The bed looks different." She couldn''t help but rub her throat. "Different how?" Yubi beamed. "The new mattress is so fluffy!" She went ahead and jumped on it,ughing and giggling as she rolled on it. Yunru snorted. "Kiddo." "Hey! Who are you calling kiddo!?" Guiying felt her life and breathing back to her as she released a sigh of relief. She was talking about the mattress¡­ She peeked towards the bathroom and that area looked silent. Good. Just stay quiet like that until they are gone. Guiying smiled at him. "So what was it you wanted to tell me?" The twins became super aware and alert. Even though the door was shut, he still gave a look around as if the wall would be able to hear their secret. "It''s time, sis!" Yunru whispered closer to her. "Why are you still whispering?" Yubi gravely said, "We cannot afford our n to be busted. So we will whisper and speak even amidst closed doors." "Okay¡­so what time are you talking about?" The twins'' faces radiated with infinite brilliance. "It''s bro''s birthday tomorrow!" Guiying''s eyes widened. "Zixin''s birthday¡­?" They nodded hard. Guiying had wanted to score this information for a long time but one way or the other, she never got the chance. The same radiance now gleamed upon her face as well. She immediately remembered that Zixin was still hiding in the bathroom and thankfully, they chose to whisper or he would have heard them talking about his birthday. "You came here to talk about his birthday nning, I assume?" "Yes!" They urgently but joyfully whispered. Yubi scratched her head awkwardly. "Bro doesn''t remember his previous birthdays anymore. Though it seems that he has gelled as part of us despite his memory loss, we are not sure if he will befortable with a birthday party." "Yeah¡­" Yunru rubbed his palms together. "We don''t want to make Bro ufortable. But we also wish to celebrate his birthday. More so this year after how he just escaped Death''s clutches. So we came to ask for your opinion. Should we n something for him?" "But we don''t want him to force himself and enjoy it for our sake. I know he doesn''t remember anything but we still want him to cherish the day he was born." The twins, with their genuine worries and concerns, looked so defeated and small that her chest tugged with immense pain. She came forward and gently pulled their heads against hers, mistiness welling in her eyes. "I believe Zixin will be super thrilled to celebrate his birthday with you all," she whispered in their ears. "He would be the happiest man in the universe." "Really?" Theri voices choked a bit. "Definitely. He doesn''t remember anything, but he considers each and every one of you as his family already." ''That was a rude wakeup call. I should really scold them.'' A tranquil smile lifted her lips. "Yeah¡­he definitely loves you a lot. Just as his naughty, mischievous and little siblings. Just like how any elder brother would dote upon them. He cherishes you two more than anything in this world." Chapter 750 What Zixin would want Chapter 750 What Zixin would want Their eyes teared up and they sniffled hugging her hard. "Yubi, you idiot. Why did you poke me in the eye?" "Didn''t you poke me first?" She shot back. Theyughed some during which they heard a rattling sound from somewhere. Yubi scrunched up her brow. "What was that?" Guiying tensely nced at the bathroom because it was that ce from where the sound originated. She quickly said, "Nothing. I guess it was just some bird outside." The twins talked some more in hushed voices and whispers and charged with excitement, they eventually left to do their jobs. With them gone, Guiying swiftly locked the door in front of her and released a long sigh of relief. She turned and crashed straight into Zixin''s chest, the tip of her nose hitting one of the buttons. She rubbed her nose and looked up. "What were you talking about? I couldn''t hear anything," Zixin said with dissatisfactionced in his voice. Guiying coughed. I cannot tell you of your birthday surprise, can I? "Um¡­they just came by to ask me if I would want to join shopping with them," she smiled, not wanting to show herself suspicious. Sorry for lying, Zixin. He frowned. "They came early in the morning and were banging the door just for that?" "They were very excited. You know how the twins are. I don''t mind. We were awake anyway." "But why were you all whispering to each other like it''s some secret?" Her brow twitched. "We weren''t really whispering to each other. You were hiding in the bathroom. Possibly, you couldn''t hear because you were far away. Is that why you made the rattling sound?" "I wanted to join in too," he pursed his lips. "What if they would have caught you?" "Like I said, they would have understood the situation." "You mean misunderstood." "Understood," he remained firm. She walked behind him and started pushing him out. "Time for you to leave." His eyes widened, surprised. "I am leaving?" "...This is my room." "Since we shared the same bedst night, shouldn''t it be ''our'' room now?" He sincerely questioned. "..." She increased the strength in her palm and pushed him further and further out. "You are leaving right now." ¡ª "So I am confused about what to n for Zixin," Guiying said with her shoulders slumped as she sipped on the juice. She was currently at the Liu vi who came to ask for her suggestions for her predicament. Beside Ai, Jun was seated, who was tapping his fingers on hisptop buried in his work. Ai''s bookunch event was very near and a lot of work had to be done. Ai pped her hands in delight. "It''s his first birthday celebration with you. It should definitely be something special. One that he will never forget." Guiying nodded. "I am exactly thinking like that. Just like his family, I want to make his birthday super special and memorable for him too. But he is Chen Zixin. He already has everything. What can I possibly give him?" "Kisses and more kisses and a lot more kisses," Jun chimed from beside Ai. "..." Ai looked back a little judgmentally and also questioningly. "Hooligan." "A hooligan herself cannot call out other hooligans. Do you know the spelling of hypocrisy?" He sneered. "I don''t because that word has nothing to do with me," she conscientiously said. Guiying cleared her throat. "Kisses cannot really be a gift, can they?" Jun kept hisptop aside and leaned a little closer. "I am Bro''s cousin." "Okay." "And a man." "Okay." "Which makes me instinctively understand what he wants. Believe me, he would be the happiest man on the earth if you rained kisses down on him because that''s all he is thinking about. I know that because that''s what I keep thinking about for an entire day. Then the cycle repeats for the next day." She choked. Ai stared at him and said with a hint ofint. "Why do you keep thinking about it when I always carry out my due diligence?" "It''s never enough for me." She gasped. "What is your definition of ''enough'' then?" "Better you don''t tread into that world," he smiled and pecked the tip of her nose. "You will run away from me." "I won''t." "As my fiance, I sincerely wouldn''t want to see you lose that challenge," he chuckled. He ced his palm over her lips to stop her further questioning line and looked at Guiying. "So you see, he doesn''t want anything fancy. He wants intimacy from the woman he loves. He will be on the seventh cloud, I assure you." Guiying blushed hard. "Or even better," Jun raised his brow, weighing the options in his mind whether to go ahead and suggest it or not. He didn''t want to put her on a spot. Guiying curiously asked, "What is it?" "You love Bro Zixin." She sped her hands together, abashed. "...Ye-Yes¡­" "Howfortable are you now telling that to him?" She blinked. "I mean confessing to him. Or maybe it is answering his confession." Her eyes widened. "The yes to his confession would make him fly beyond the seventh heaven. It''s even more tempting than the kisses. It''s the most exhrating gift you can give him. That is only if you want to take that step." Ai nodded hard amidst Jun''s hand covering her mouth that was restraining her from speaking. "You both love each other. You have also lived with his family. By now, they would bepletely head over heels for you, not just Bro. Is there anything stopping you?" Guiying thought long and hard about it. Jun was right. There was no roadblock between them anymore. At first, the insecurity had crept in if she was good enough for Zixin. But now thefort level with Zixin had grown to an extent that the insecurity, the feeling of being something lesser and weaker doesn''t cross her mind at all. She was bing stronger and independent, which was making her more confident day by day. She was beginning to think that she was slowly reaching the ce where she could stand beside Chen Zixin with pride. Her weak old self was making her hesitate all this time, but the new confident self that was taking shape was urging her to walk forward. It was a long journey to reach here but without a doubt, she was paving the way for herself. She slowly shook her head at his question as she herself came to the same conclusion. Jun smiled. "Well then you got your answer, didn''t you?" Her heart pounded hard and fast. Saying yes and crossing thatst bridge¡­ "Also, a rain of kisses after saying yes will be the cherry on the cake for him. Just saying." "..." Chapter 751 Enjoy the present Chapter 751 Enjoy the present Crackers popped as soon as Zixin came out of his room the next day and he greeted his family in surprise. The ribbons and sparkles rained upon his head as everybody simultaneously said, "Happy Birthday!!!" "Birthday?" He tilted his head. The twins surrounded him and hugged his arm on each side. "Yes! It''s your birthday today Bro!" Chen Lilingined. "He just woke up and stepped out. Did you have to pop the crackers?" Yunru pouted. "It''s the tradition, Grandma! We have done this every year." "And every year, Bro never fails to get surprised," Yubiughed. "Just like now." Every year? Zixin thought to himself. He tried to look for any memory of those times, but he failed. His mind was still a nk te as he was when he woke up conscious from his ident. Chen Liling and Chen Guiren came forward and hugged him. "Happy Birthday dear. As always, I wish you the very best. May you be blessed with all the joy of this world." Tears brimmed her eyes as she lovingly stared at her grandson. This could have been the day where no birthday, no celebration would have made their ce in the Chen vi today had he been killed in that ident. The thought alone sent shivers down everybody''s spine. Chen Guiren patted his shoulder. He didn''t say much nor did he show much on his face but Zixin felt his trembling fingertips. Zixin''s birthday today was the most special and cherished one of all birthdays till now. Serena and Jianyu simrly wished him, their hearts overflowing with happiness. Jianyu smiled. "May all your wishese true." Serena held his face with a smile that reached till her misty eyes. "Aish, my son is handsome. As expected of his mother''s genes." "As expected of his father''s genes too," Jianyu added. "You just cannot let me take credit of anything, can you?" He shrugged. "My DNA is equally responsible for our children. How rude of you to hog the credit." "Shut up!" Zixin''s eyes lit up with a warm glow akin to fireflies shimmering in the night sky. "Thank you all." He held his mother''s hand and gently squeezed it reflecting the hint of restlessness echoing in his heart. "I don''t remember anything. My previous birthdays¡­I try to but-" Serena shook her head hard. "You don''t have to try anything. It''s fine if you don''t remember the past. We told you before. You don''t need to take the burden of remembering the memories. Any memory. We just¡­we just want you to be safe and happy." Jianyu nodded and as he held her trembling shoulder, he looked his son in the eye. "We just want you to enjoy the today that you wake up to. The present that you see and feel. Trust me, son. We don''t want anything other than that. We have watched you slipping away from us forever. Compared to you not breathing at all, memories don''t matter much to us. I know they do to you because it''s not a fair bargain that we remember everything but you don''t. Which makes you feel like a stranger. Perhaps now too. Perhaps that feeling would never fade away. But¡­we only want to look ahead at our son who is alive, not think about him when heid on the hospital bed fighting for his life." Their voices held a mixture of fear of the past and relief of the present and future. Zixin felt his eyes well and he hesitated just for a moment. But he took a tiny step ahead and embraced his parents. Serena had her lips slightly part in surprise. It wasmon for Zixin before his memory loss to hug them now and then. But ever since the ident, there hadn''t been much physical contact. There was a thin gap of difort to cross that step. And today it felt like any other day when Zixin would hug his mother and smile at her. Serena broke into soft sobs and rested her forehead on his chest. "I shouldn''t be crying on your birthday." Yunru, who was wiping his eyes,ined as well. "Yes, Mom! Your tears are ruining my handsome look!" Yubi sniffled. "There is no handsomeness to ruin anyway, dummy." "Mom, tell her to be quiet or don''t me me if I beat her up!" "You want to try?" She red. "You won''tst a second before me!" Chen Liling came in between and separated them. "Enough, enough. You two really don''t let go of any chance to start a war, do you?" "Yubi started it!" "It''s because you have a potato face!" "Who are you calling a potato face, you pumpkin head!" Zixin patted their heads. "No fighting." The twins beamed and immediately forgot all about their catfight and jumped to hug him. "Okay!" Jianyu scoffed. "No respect for elders I see." "Bro is our elder brother. Of course we respect elders!" They defended themselves with all their might. He facepalmed. It''s useless to argue with them. ¡ª Guiying peeked from behind a wall and silently watched the family giving Zixin their wishes. A soft, gentle smile lifted her lips. The family together looked so perfect. Though she wanted to wish Zixin too, she didn''t feel it was prudent to interfere in the family time. I wille byter, she nodded to herself. "We found you!" The twins hopped behind her and squished her face between their cheeks. "Sis, sis! We have been looking for you all this time!" Yubi said. "Yes, yes where have you been hiding?" Yunru narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "I¡­I j-just came out." "Thene with us to wish him happy birthday!" They chirped. Guiying nced at Zixin with his parents and grandparents and shook her head. "I don''t want to disturb them. I wille byter-" The twins grew more and more dissatisfied. "How can you say this? You are a part of our family too! There is no way you would give all lonely wishes to Bro!" So they happily dragged her all the way and said, "Bro, bro, look who we have brought! Your future wife wants to wish you too!" They tugged her a little and she stumbled straight into Zixin''s arms. While Guiying was processing the situation, silence befell. Chen Liling pped her hands in delight. "Oh my such a passionate disy of love! I believe they need some private time together. We should take our leave hoho~" Chapter 752 Unexpected truth Chapter 752 Unexpected truth In a sh of lightning, Guiying and Zixin were left alone with her still being stuck on his chest. His breathy, husky voice reached the tip of her ear. "See? I told you they understand." Her face flushed crimson and she quickly moved back. She almost took a flight to escape but remembered that she still had an important thing to do. She cleared her throat and met his deep ck eyes, her cheeks and neck blushing with warmth. "Happy Birthday, Zixin. I wish you the happiest person on the earth." He beamed. "Thank you so much." Suddenly, the tone changed and ''Guiying'' appeared with her sharp gaze and straight posture. "Birthdays, huh? I never liked them. But if it''s you, I will make an exception. Happy Birthday." The beaming intensity on his face grew twice brighter. "''You.'' Thank you so much." How are ''you'' doing? I believe we talk less often now." "What is there to talk to me?" "Lots of things that I talk to Guiying too," he blinked. "I want to get to know ''you'' better too." "No need." He frowned. "Yes need." ''She'' gave him a thoughtful stare. "Not really. Anyway, I just came out to wish you. Enjoy your day." "Wait-" But ''she'' was gone just as fast as ''she'' had appeared. Guiying blinked her eyes and shook her head. "''She'' is really acting strangely these days. ''She'' justes and goes¡­" He patted her head. "It''s okay. I don''t mind. I am just happy to get her wishes." He then ced his palm forward expectantly. Guiying didn''t understand the signal. "What?" "My gift," he shone, making her go blind. Guiying immediately looked away, thinking of the real surprise she had in her mind. "N-Not now! Later after your celebration ends." He pressed his lips inwards. "That''s a long wait." "And patience is always rewarded." He curiously asked, "What would I be rewarded with?" "Nothing notorious that you are thinking of!" She hastily said, "A-anyway, I am heading for office! B-Bye!" And she scurried away before he could catch her. ¡ª "Oh. My. God," Xian Shun covered her lips with shock, "You have decided to finally confess to the mystery love letter guy? T-That''s¡­so cool!" Guiying could hear her heartbeats drum all the way to her ears. "Yes. It''s a special day for him. So¡­" she trembled with the anxiety and fervor kicking as the minutes were kicking by closer and closer towards the inevitable moment. "So I thought to make it even more special. But I don''t know where and how¡­I am an idiot. I couldn''t n for it." "A special day today huh?" Zheng Jiao cocked her head to the side. "Which reminds me that it''s Sir Chen''s birthday today too." Guiying coughed. "Oh really!?" Xian Shun looked surprised. "What a coincidence. Is heing to work? I will drop by to give him my wishes." Guiying nodded. "Yes. He will being but a littlete though," she then quickly added, "That''s what Assistant Ling said to me." She couldn''t say that she ran away from Chen vi and reached office early to escape his probing regarding her surprise gift for him. Zheng Jiao said, "nning a special confession, huh? Isn''t it easy? Just choose a ce that is special for both of you. That will automatically make everything adorable." Guiying was slightly surprised with her support. "That''s true." She leaned back on her chair and asked with a raised brow. "Are you sure about this guy?" "Very." "You wouldn''t have a change of heart?" "Never." "You really cannot say about the future with so much certainty." "For the rest of the things, yes. But if it''s him, then it gives me nothing but assurance and certainty. It will always be him in my heart. Nobody else." "That''s romantic hehe," Xian Shun smiled. Zheng Jiao stared at her for a few long moments and then shrugged. "Good for you." Guiying excused herself to the restroom while thinking about Zheng Jiao''s suggestion. She remembered how Jun too, simrly nned Ai''s birthday surprise at the library. A special ce just for them. A special ce for Zixin and I¡­ She stared at herself in the mirror washing her hands. She exited a minuteter and walked back to the table. She reached closer and heard Xian Shun''s slightly agitated but defeated voice. "You are giving up way too soon, Jiao Jiao!" The stress in her voice took Guiying aback. Why is she so tense? Guiying inched closer and heard Zheng Jiao''s reply. "Give up what?" At the table, Xian Shun was throwing daggers at her. "Don''t try to fool me. Guiying didn''t feel it, but nothing escapes my sharp senses!" "Oh dear, I am so scared," she chuckled. "Be serious!" She said, exasperated. "You don''t have tough and act normal as if it isn''t hurting you. Don''t even try to deny it because I know that you secretly like Guiying." "I like all my colleagues-" "Romantically. I mean ROMANTICALLY!" Zheng Jiao stared at her unblinkingly. Guiying, who was listening, almost lost her footing in shock. She touched the wall for support as her mind still grappled with what Xian Shun said. Xian Shun''s figure became smaller. "That''s why I invited you to lunch that day without telling Guiying. I kind of wanted to ignite the spark between you two. I wanted to be cupid." "I guessed your intentions." "But then she said that she already had someone she liked¡­I am sorry. I shouldn''t have poked unnecessarily." "More than that, I am curious. Why did you surmise that I have any feelings for her?" Xian Shun gave a stare as if she was looked down at. "Don''t underestimate me. You are very easy to read." "I am plenty sure that others wouldn''t have the same opinion." She shrugged. "Not my fault if they have dull senses. But when I realized your feelings for Guiying, I kind of figured it out when I heard the gossip of your previous assistants resigning from thepany without any good reason apparently. They were all female assistants, right?" She didn''t respond. "I don''t know the inside news. Maybe you approached them or maybe they somehow learned your sexuality. Whatever it was, they were clearly not thrilled. I guess they began to be paranoid that whatever you did or said was to entice them. Or get close to them. They were straight so it didn''t sit well with them. It was difficult to make the head of a department leave thepany because you weren''t wrong in the first ce. Same sex love is not a crime. So they left themselves." aa7b5e4a913f698f2f85f05ec8699ff27ff166e6180b5f8174783372ff0549017f28825b1d26d66071a5d4fbe7c3f8bf7cea648c956336618505ac03fc2d9bc7 Chapter 753 Wrong understanding

Chapter 753 Wrong understanding

"You are very straightforward," Zheng Jiaomented. "What is there to sugarcoat in this? I do think the assistants were dumb. There was nothing to be so afraid of. Must be homophobic. I understand that sexuality is one''s personal choice but it''s not a gue that everybody got running," she scoffed. Xian Shun then sighed. "I am sorry though. Regarding Guiying¡­" "You overthink. I was just a little curious about her, that''s all. It meant nothing more." "Curiosity is always the first step towards crushing someone. And I have seen how your eyes have always followed Guiying. Even if it might not be full blown love yet, you are definitely interested in her." "Doesn''t really matter now." Xian Shun pursed her lips. "By the way, Guiying is taking a long time in the washroom." A minuteter, they heard the sound of footsteps and saw Guiying return to her seat. Guiying cleared her throat and sipped some water as she sat slightly stiffened. "You are finally back!" "Y-Yeah. Sorry for taking a long time." "No problem." Xian Shun thought that it wasn''t a good idea to continue the discussion of Guiying''s confession and make Zheng Jiao more ufortable in the process, so she dropped it and started another random topic. By then Zixin had already arrived in the office so there was chaos amidst the employees to give him their wishes. "Happy Birthday Sir Zixin!" "Happy Birthday!" The premises were decorated just for his wee. Zixin widened his eyes in surprise. "You didn''t have to do so much." One of the senior employees spoke, "How can we not? You have always been the best Boss for us and took care of us just like your family. Just like your father and grandfather. This is the least we can do." Warmth filled his heart with their heartfelt wishes and gratitude. "Thank you." Women squealed and gushed at his handsome sight. There was a celebration held at the office premises too. Zixin, who was searching for Guiying''s figure, asked Assistant Ling, "Have you seen Guiying?" "I think she is with Miss. Xian and Miss. Zheng. Ah there they are." Just then from afar, he noticed the trioe together and join in the celebration. Zixin noticed Guiying''s expression looking odd and tense but before he could reach out, the cake already arrived. "Cake cutting time!" Everybody cheered. Assistant Ling said, "Isn''t cake cutting done in the evening?" "Booooo. Don''t spoil in the fun, Assistant Ling." "Yes, he wouldn''t get any slice of cake now!" "..." He grimaced. "Are we having this ceremony because you wanted to celebrate Sir''s birthday or because you just wanted to eat cake?" Everybody, especially the women, coughed. "You talk too much, Assistant Ling. That''s why you are still single." "..." How rude! Xun Da and Wan Yongughed from their side at the capable Assistant Ling, thetter throwing res at them. Xian Shun could see the cake quickly disappearing from sight. "Hey, I want some cake too! Wait for me!" She zapped her way ahead to grab a piece of cake leaving Guiying and Zheng Jiao alone. Guiying froze as it happened too soon and unexpectedly. "Wouldn''t you wish him?" "Huh?" She gave a nk look. "Sir Zixin. Won''t you wish him? He is right there." "I already did-" She inwardly bit her tongue. Zheng Jiao raised her brow. "When? You came early to the office, right? He just arrived some time ago." She opened and closed her mouth. Lying wasn''t her forte. "I¡­I had already called him before to wish him," she sweated. "I thought he wouldn''te to the office today." "I see." Zheng Jiao nced at Zixin for a long moment and then smiled at her. "Well then, see youter." "Y-you won''t join in?" she hesitantly asked. "I am not really interested in the cake." She turned on her heels and walked away. Guiying remained standing at her ce with a dazed look. A sense of difort flowed in her chest. She noticed Zixin''s gaze following her with a beaming smile on his lips. She took one step forward to join in the celebration. But the diforting feeling didn''t ease up as if something remained unsorted and unresolved. Trembling, she lowered her head, clenching her fist. ¡ª Zheng Jiao returned to her office of her empty department where everybody was out busy with stuffing cake in their stomachs. She sat back on her chair and opened herptop to go back to work. A few secondster, she heard somebody''s restless and breathless steps rushing over. She looked up and was surprised to see Guiying again. "What''s wrong?" She smiled. "Something wrong with yourptop again?" Guiying''s heart raced in her chest and her mind spun with fuzziness. "I-I want to talk about something." "Yes?" She pressed her palms together, feeling her breaths struggling in her throat. "I am sorry but I¡­I heard the conversation between you and Xian Shun w-when I returned." She stared at her. "Ah. That''s why you werete. Eavesdropping." She quickly replied, embarrassed. "I really didn''t mean to! I just heard your voices and automatically-" She shrugged. "Alright. You heard. And? Why did youe here? Are you feeling sorry for me perhaps?" "No, that''s n-not it¡­" Guiying wasn''t sure how to exin herself. "I just¡­came to apologize." She smiled. "Because you cannot return my interest?" "Before that. I misunderstood you because of the resigning assistants. E-especially when the whole fiasco of the wrong meeting invites happened. I linked the two things together and thought that you had something to do with it because you wanted me in your department." "Yes. You already apologized for the misunderstanding." "I did¡­but at that time I was unaware of the truth behind your assistants leaving. That''s why I feel terrible and guilty now. I hurt you because of my suspicion. It must hurt when everybody constantly doubts you, right? First your assistants who didn''tpletely understand you and then me¡­" She lowered her head, tears brimming her eyes. "Withoutprehending the whole situation, I doubted you and med you too which made me just like them. I am extremely sorry for that." Chapter 760 ’Guiying’s’ confession (3)

Chapter 760 ''Guiying''s'' confession (3)

''Guiying'' folded her arms and brought them closer to her chest, feeling slightly chilly. From the corner of her eye, ''she'' noticed Zixin fumble as if he wanted to cover her with his coat, but he stood hesitant and confused. "Don''t bother. I won''t stay for much time." Zixin stiffened. ''She'' then said, "She chose to trust and love you. I didn''t. I started to do so only when I met you. Only when we started talking to each other and when you understood and epted my existence. Just like Guiying, you treated me as a separate person who had her own heart and feelings. I have to admit, it did make me happy and special. You were cognizant to ask my opinion everywhere we went. And I started to treat you as a very good friend of mine. A very important person to me too." Zixin slowly balled his fist. He understood it now. ''She'' only treated him as a good friend and nothing else. "I swore to myself that I will always cherish you just like I cherish Guiying. I will fully support you two with all my heart. But then¡­I betrayed that determination myself." "Betray¡­?" ''She'' nced at Zixin and smiled. "Zheng Jiao rightly said. It''s very easy to fall for you. You are kind, well-mannered, polite and to you, Guiying and I were the whole world. You always look at us as if you cannot see anything else besides us. What kind of woman wouldn''t fall for it?" Zixin widened his eyes. Didn''t that mean¡­ "I know what you are thinking or the conclusion which you arrived at. But that''s exactly the problem here. I don''t, I never want to be the third person between you two." "Third person?" He spoke, aghast. "How could you think that way? You are not a third person-" "No. You are contradicting yourself, Zixin. You say that I am a separate person with my own individuality. Then doesn''t that make me a third person in the love story? You cannot see it that way because physically, Guiying and I share the same body. Sometimes, it''s hard to make the distinction and sometimes it isn''t. And I¡­" ''her'' eyshes softly fluttered. "I cannot live this way, Zixin." He trembled, feeling a lump in his throat. "Despite us having a split personality, you treated us very well, Zixin. At every step, you did your very best to love and take care of both of us. You chose to ept us unconditionally which I believe must be very challenging for a partner to do. Yet you did it so naturally. But the reality doesn''t change with that, Zixin. Unfortunately, it doesn''t." ''She'' let out a wry smile. "You love Guiying, which is what made you send those letters to her. You fell for her stories, her words and her as a person who was behind those words on the page. Guiying loves you and your letters made her forget all the pain her brother ever inflicted on her. Between an invisible screen between you two, you both understood each other very well and fell for each other despite never meeting each other. I was simply never in the equation. This love is something that exists only between you and Guiying. But when you learned about me, you were obliged to ept me too because Guiying and I were inseparable." Zixin shook his head desperately. Oblige,pulsion - he didn''t want ''Guiying'' to say that he was forced to ept her because that wasn''t the truth. "Again, you will say that it''s not the truth. That the feeling of being forced never even urred to you. But I won''t be able to see it that way, Zixin. Not now. Not ever. Because I wasn''t supposed to exist anyway. I was born only out of Guiying''s desperation to protect herself and to be her shield. That was my only role. And that role ends today, Zixin. Guiying doesn''t need me anymore." Zixin stared at her, dumbfounded. A very eerie and unsettling feeling arose in his chest as if something extremely terrible was about to happen. "What are you saying?" ''She'' smiled. "Exactly what I said. Guiying doesn''t need me anymore because now she has a whole world of her own to look after her. She mended her rtionship with Ai. She stood strong and determined to not waver and free Cai Lingyun out of any blood rtion responsibility. She couldn''t have ever done that before. She came out of her shell and made good friends like Zheng Jiao and Xian Shun. She was able to stand up for herself when the usations fell on her without my help. Her world steadily expanded for the better which only aided her to be a better and stronger version of Guiying. And most importantly¡­" ''She'' gently held his cheek and whispered. "She has you by her side now. A man who would unreservedly love and protect her. A man who would never let the smile from her lips fade away. Until your hair turns old and grey, you would always, always firmly hold onto her hand. Now, she has your family who will treat her with so much love that her own family could never do that. She achieved all these milestones by herself, Zixin. I couldn''t be more proud of her. As someone who came to this world to protect her, I don''t see any need to remain here or within her any longer. My role ends here." "No¡­No¡­" he shook hard and grabbed ''her'' hand. "You are wrong! She still cherishes and loves you and it doesn''t have anything to do with your role. Your rtionship with her is much more than a protector! ''You'' are a very important and special person to her. Nobody can rece ''you.'' ''Yo-you'' cannot disappear and leave her alone like that!" "But I am not leaving her alone. I am leaving her with the people whom she and I trust would never hurt her. She is finally in safe hands. She finally became the person I always wanted her to be. I want her to live her life to the fullest and without any inhibitions. A happy and peaceful life. I don''t have any ce in that life, Zixin. My existence is abnormal. My love for you or your love for me is unnatural, and I never want any one of us three to find ourselves in a crossroads someday which would ruin everything for us." ''She'' helplessly chuckled. "I am sorry for acting moody and cranky these past few months. I couldn''t help it. I knew my time to disappear wasing sooner, and it hurt harsher because I was beginning to fall for you too. I don''t want to put you in a spot of loving two women at once. You might ept it. Guiying might ept it. But my pride won''t allow that, Zixin. I am sorry to leave on your birthday. But this is the day Guiying chose to finally confess her answer. I knew I had to meet you onest time as well. Please apologize to Guiying for me, will you? I...I wanted to talk to her onest time too. But I just don''t have the courage to face her. I cannot. Such a coward I am. Plus, she is very angry at me for hurting you, right?" "Don''t... Don''t do this please-" ''Her'' hands trembled as ''she'' held his, pearls of tears sliding down her cheeks. ''Her'' consciousness began to lift into somece unknown, and ''she'' felt her existence floating into the abyss. "I cannot return your love, Zixin, but please always remember that you would always be my very first and the most special and irreceable friend. Thank you for everything," ''She'' spoke herst words as ''she'' drifted away forever. Chapter 761 Thank you for everything

Chapter 761 Thank you for everything

During the time ''Guiying'' talked with Zixin, Guiying felt herself floating in a never-ending void. She dazedly looked left and right only to find nothing. Strange ck swirls and whorls confused her and she held her temple in a disarray. She heard some mumbling and talking, but she couldn''t pinpoint the source of it. She thought what she felt like Zixin and ''her'' talking, but she couldn''t make out the words they spoke. It all felt gibberish to her. What is happening¡­ Why am I not able to hear them? She recognized the dark abyss where she was in. It was the same endless void where she would stay until ''Guiying'' was out in her body acting as Cai Guiying. Simrly, ''Guiying'' would stay here when it was the other way around. But today, the ce emanated a strange presence. Guiying ced her palm on her chest, feeling breathless. What was thest thing that happened? Guiying sorted her memory and it struck her. She had confessed her answer to Zixin, so it was possible that ''Guiying'' took over to confess ''her'' side as well. Apprehension set inside Guiying as she clutched her dress. She wanted ''Guiying'' to say her real feelings to Zixin and not hide away and hurt him again. Will everything be alright? The worry only heightened as she couldn''t make out what was going on outside either. She only hoped that ''Guiying'' would clear the misunderstanding between them and free Zixin of the guilt he was burdened with. She kept waiting patiently in hopes to hear the good news. But as more time passed, a more disconcerting emotion caused a violent shaking of her body. She looked down and hugged herself to cate her pounding heart. As she lifted her gaze once again, she stepped back in surprise, seeing a blurry white apparition in front of her. It was in the shape of a woman, its image distorting like a broken TV set. Guiying blinked. "Who are you¡­?" Guiying questioned her which the figure didn''t answer. The more she looked at her, the more she felt a strong familiarity with herself. Her eyes slightly widened and a soft gasp escaped her lips. "''You'' are ''her'' right?" The apparition said nothing. But Guiying knew in her heart that it was ''her'' only. She beamed and ran towards her. She moved her hand to hold ''hers'' but it simply passed through. There wasn''t any substance in ''Guiying'' for her to be able to hug ''her'' or hold ''her'' hand. She felt disappointed a bit but she let it go. "''You'' came out to talk to Zixin, right? How did it go?" She anxiously asked with a nervous edge to her voice. "Strangely enough, I couldn''t see or hear anything here. But everything is sorted now, right?" ''Guiying''s'' apparition didn''t speak for a long time. But eventually, ''she'' gave a small nod. ''Her'' answer brightened the light in Guiying''s eyes and everyst strand of tension seeped out from her shoulders. Zixin must be so happy now¡­ She saw ''Guiying'' lift her hand up towards her face. ''Her'' was devoid of any facial features like eyes, nose and lips, yet Guiying strongly felt ''her'' gaze staring at her. "Everything¡­is sorted out. That''s why¡­it''s my time to leave." "Hm? What are you talking about?" "I didn''t wish to face you before disappearing. I told Zixin the same thing. I wanted to be a coward. But¡­I couldn''t." Guiying frowned. "Why are you talking so cryptically today? And don''t talk ominous things about disappearing and all. You will scare me, you know?" "You don''t have to be afraid anymore. Zixin will be beside you forever. You don''t need me anymore. My responsibilities towards youe to an end here, Guiying. You are now free." At first, Guiying thought ''she'' was joking, but ''her'' eerie words brought a sense of dread in her heart. "What are you-" "I don''t have much time. I am disappearing from within you forever. You will now be solely Cai Guiying and you will love Zixin the way you are. I enjoyed being with you, Guiying. There were some dark days and there were some happy days. I am d to see this world and experience all sorts of feelings and emotions. I am just another personality, something unseen. But I got to live my own life through your body however for a short time it was. You grew into an amazing woman, Guiying." Guiying stared at her, the realization dawning upon her like poison. "You cannot be serious¡­Where¡­Where are you leaving? Why?" The apparition distorted further and the dark abyss seemed to gradually copse. "I am leaving to just let you be Cai Guiying. How everything was originally supposed to be. I am an outlier that isn''t supposed to exist in this world in this first ce. So I will gracefully ept the end that awaits me." "No!!" Guiying urgently tried once again to hold her hand or make any kind of physical contact with her, but ''her'' figure only kept dissipating. "Wh-why are you doing this to me!?" She burst into tears as the realization of the final goodbye evoked nausea within her. "I-I don''t want you to leave! I-Is it because I got mad at you today? Please, please forgive me for it. ''You'' know me, don''t you? I didn''t mean anything bad by it!" ''She'' said nothing and ''her'' silence only reinforced ''her'' decision. The once sparkling eyes lost their radiance only to look like two soulless orbs. "''You''...why do ''you'' want to leave my side as well? Like my parents at first, then Bro and then Zhan Yahui¡­Haven''t I lost enough dear ones already¡­? Why would ''you'' do this to me?" ''She'' stayed silent and hurt. Guiying''s tears were the reason why ''she'' didn''t wish to face her. "Because I cannot live a life like this, Guiying. If you ever respected me as a person then please¡­I urge you to also respect my feelings that I cannot ept living a life as a second woman. You and Zixin are meant for each other. I don''t have a ce in that rtionship nor do I want it even if I might love him. Tell me Guiying. Who is Zixin supposed to love? You or me? Who is he supposed to marry? Both of us? Who is he supposed to make love with? Both of us? Who would be the mother of his child? Both of us?" Guiying felt stumped. "These are very difficult questions. I am sorry Guiying. I cannot ept living a twisted life as such. I cannot see Zixin dividing his love between us and not because I am possessive but I understand that it was always supposed to be you and you only. I don''t want you to share any of your rights with me either because that would be unfair. Andstly, I don''t wish to burden you two into epting me. There can never be a ce for a third person in a rtionship. Zixin and I can only be good friends, but I cannot be his friend at the same time as you would be his wife. We cannot have two different rtionships with Zixin with the same body." Guiying trembled hard. "That''s why I am leaving. Not because you don''t need me to protect you anymore but to let you two live in peace and happiness. You might miss me for sometime. You will cry. You will feel lonely, but eventually you will move on. Time will make sure of that. Time heals all the wounds." ''Guiying''s'' figure began to dissipate in the dark space as it crumbled further. Small star-like glitters rose up in the air as ''her'' body disintegrated. "Don''t¡­Don''t go¡­Please don''t go¡­" Guiying broke down, trying to cling on to her. ''Guiying'' smiled though it wasn''t visible. "Always be happy, Guiying. I love you a lot. Thank you for everything." Chapter 790 The scary conversation (1)

Chapter 790 The scary conversation (1)

?A few dayster, it was Chyou and Yin''s first appointment with the doctor and psychologist who would be helping Yinbat his addiction. Since Yin was a big A-listed star, the matters were kept extremely private. Rumors could spread if it would be out that Yin was seen frequenting the hospital. Dr. Zhong smiled. "Rest assured, Mr. Cheng, Miss. Zhu. Fighting addiction is difficult and it requires a lot of encouragement and mental strength. But as your doctor, I will guide you every step of the way." Yin gratefully thanked him. "I really appreciate it, Dr. Zhong." They left his office with Chyou immediately hopping to hug him. She whispered, her chest overwhelmed with pride. "I am so proud of you, Yin. You were so great." She squished his cheeks and pecked it. "I love you." Yin grinned and kissed her forehead. "It''s all because of you, Chyou. I wouldn''t havee this far if not for you." Instead of hurriedly leaving the hospital, they decided to take a stroll outside. It was a small but pleasant garden with not many people to disturb them. "Chyou, can I ask something?" He asked with a trace of doubt. "Sure." "Is it alright if I meet your parents after I manage to curb my addiction?" Her eyes slightly widened but she kept listening. "I know your family wants to meet me. I also wish to meet them and properly introduce myself. But...it would be pathetic if I go there while still being an addict. Which family would like to give their daughter''s hand to such a man? So I thought a lot and felt that it would be only proper to greet them once I am clean." "Yin..." her eyes ached with his thoughtfulness. "I feel sorry that they would have to wait some time for it but..." She shook her head and squeezed his hand. "You don''t have to be sorry, Yin. It really makes me happy to know that you care so much about me. If that''s how you feel, then I support you. Don''t worry about my family. I will talk to them and make them understand." Yin brightened. "You are the best, Chyou." She chuckled with a small tear wetting her eysh. "It''s because you are the best." -- Yating exhaled a deep breath as he stood at some distance from the restaurant where Ma Dong worked. His hands were trembling inside his pockets and his shaky breaths couldn''t stabilize no matter how much he tried. He remembered Chyou''s words and tried to bring courage and confidence in himself. I can do this. She is right. I need to talk to him. He lifted his gaze and saw Ma Dong stepping out of the restaurant. He was busy managing the board sign at the door, presumably writing the special menu for the day. Okay, this is it. Yating made up his mind and crossed the road towards the restaurant. Ma Dong, who was hanging the board, felt footsteps from behind him. Thinking it to be some customer, he turned with a pleasant smile. "Good morning. Wee to-" He froze at Yating''s sight. His lips remained parted at the same position in shock. "...Hey," Yating said after muchborious effort. He had an urge to just turn on his feet and walk away, never to see Ma Dong again. But I promised Chyou, he reminded himself. Ma Dong pressed his lips hard. He tried to lift his lips into a smile. "Hey¡­Are you here to eat?" "No. Actually¡­" he cleared his throat, "I-I came to¡­I was wondering if we could talk." Ma Dong''s expression tensed up further. He looked aside and nced at the manager who was busy at the cash counter. "I don''t think we can¡­I am on my shift right now so¡­" he said with a hoarse voice. That was enough of a signal for Yating to understand that perhaps Ma Dong didn''t wish to talk to him. Maybe the shift was just a convenient excuse. He closed his eyes for a moment and opened them again. "I understand, Dong. This is difficult and awkward for both of us. But I really¡­need to talk to you." He stiffened. "I just cannot ignore the fact that we met again after so many years only to be avoiding each other all over again. There are things which need to be sorted out between us and I am able to bring this courage in me after a long, long time. I know I could have called you in the past years, but I didn''t. I couldn''t. But now that we have met, I don''t wish to¡­run away from this anymore. Please." Ma Dong bit his lip hard. Eventually, he gave up and said, "Okay. If you can wait till my break time then¡­" "That''s not a problem," he was quick to assure him. "I will wait." ¡ª They were seated on a table at the far side of the restaurant after Ma Dong got his break. He brought some refreshments and smiled. "Please have some. It''s on me." "That wasn''t really necessary, Dong," Yating hesitated. "Don''t be so uptight." "Thanks¡­" Yating sat straight, his heart pounding in his chest. He had rehearsed in his mind all the things he wanted to say and ask Ma Dong. But now it was as if all his rehearsal was escaping him with nkness taking its ce. After a long moment of awkwardness hanging in the air, Yating finally asked, "How have you been Dong?" Ma Dong looked away. He couldn''t immediately answer. "It''s good." It was obvious that it was far from good or else why would he be working at a restaurant as a server? But Ma Dong didn''t emphasize more on that and kept his silence. Yating wished he could ask but thought this wasn''t the right time for his career conversation. Ma Dong smiled. "You are doing well, huh? You are the Chief Editor at Dream High, right? I am happy for you. You were always passionate about books and reading even back in the day." "Yeah." Silence hung again. Yating steeled his heart and said, "Dong, I wanted to¡­talk about that night." Chapter 801 Firm stance Chapter 801 Firm stance A storm hit the next day. Not a tsunami along the sea shore or a violent cyclone in the sea but a hurricane-like deadly force that was wildly tearing through its way in the social media. A woman in herte thirties walked with her high heels clicking against the floor as she made her way towards the office. Whispers, murmurs and gossip reached her ears but she looked unfazed to all of them. Opening the door, she came face to face with the President of the Ster Entertainment Agency. He wasn''t the only one in the office. A man of a simr age as her had taken a seat opposite him. Sun Jiang took the other seat. "Yes, President Ye," she calmly said. "I am here." President Ye''s mouth twitched. "You are looking as if the storm has hit somewhere else and has nothing to do with the actor you are managing." "It doesn''t." The other man, Qiao Kang, looked stunned. "Have you seen the photos circling around?" "Yes, I have." "And?" "And what?" "Ohe on, Sun Jiang. You cannot act so ignorant!" Frustrated, he opened all the pictures on his tab that were going viral more and more every passing second. Sun Jiang didn''t look at it because she already knew what was in them. "Zhu Chyou has been seen on a date with the heir of the Gu Corps, Gu Yating," he pointed at the pictures. "First, they were in the club. Then they went to an ice cream parlor and from there, they enjoyed the scenic beauty of the fireworks on akeside. Just look at thisst picture when they are facing each other." President Ye sighed. "Any thoughts, Sun Jiang? Because you know what direction this is going, don''t you?" Sun Jiang narrowed her eyes and leaned back on the chair folding her arms. "What is the direction, President? Chyou and Yating are good friends. Their families know each other. That hasn''t been hidden from anybody, right?" "These pictures don''t suggest anything to you?" "They were only sitting in the club beside each other. Nothing happened. They didn''t kiss or hold hands or even dance. So what waspromising in that exactly?" N?v(el)B\\jnn Qiao Kang was about to intervene when she raised her palm. "I will finish my part first. You have asked questions, so now you listen to the answers." His gaze darkened. "Nothing happened in the ice cream parlor either. They just had ice cream. Is that a sin? Or is it a sin to enjoy fireworks with your friend?" Qiao Kang angrilyughed. "It is when you have a boyfriend already, hello? Zhu Chyou and my artist, Cheng Yin, are in a rtionship if you have forgotten. So thesete excursions with another man are highly suggestive. Especially if Gu Yating has saved Chyou from the fire like a hero. Just read the news circling around. Everybody is now thinking if Zhu Chyou and Yin are on the verge of a breakup. Everybody is gossiping about the problems between them. They are the ideal couple for their fans. They won''t tolerate this rtionship getting apart." "Excuse me?" Sun Jiang threw an icy look at him. "The fans are giving them the tag of an ideal couple on their own. Neither of them is obligated to stay in a rtionship just to keep their fans happy." "You are not understanding it, Sun Jiang! Do you know how bad it looks on Zhu Chyou and Yin? Some people are outright ming her as the cheating partner. She has a boyfriend but is hanging around with another man-" "Has Cheng Yin never hung out with another woman even when he is dating Chyou? Doesn''t he have female friends besides her? Doesn''t he party with them and have fun with them? I don''t see anybody questioning his fidelity," she snapped. "Those are all fellow artists and they have known each other for years." "So? Can feelings not develop for someone you have known for years? Does that person only qualify if he has saved somebody from fire?" She sneered. "The difference is that Yin never came into the negative light despite his friendships with other artists and women. But Zhu Chyou is." "So does that tell you about the character of my artist or the attitude of people who would grab any chance to drag a woman down?" She smiled. "And I won''t me some of Cheng Yin''s particrly obsessive female fans who cannot see Chyou''s stardom. It''s true that Cheng Yin is extremely talented and an A-listed actor. But unlike Chyou, who earned the title of a Queen, he hasn''t earned himself the title of the King. Yet. So¡­" "Are you seriously judging my actor''s capabilities?" "I am just pointing out the mindset. Chyou never had any problems with Cheng Yin''s friendships nor was he ever used of anything by any side of fans. So people shouldn''t be too quick to judge Chyou either." Qiao Kang looked helplessly at President Ye. "Only you can bring some sense into this woman, President. She isn''t understanding the gravity of this situation." President Ye said, "Sun Jiang. Your points make valid sense but unfortunately, that''s not how the world is looking at things." "Then we need to change that. My artist, Zhu Chyou, won''t be giving any press conference." Qiao Kang was beyond outraged. "This concerns Ster and Yin''s reputation! Of course, Zhu Chyou will have toe forward and rify the misunderstandings. Deny all the twisted meanings that everybody is thinking." Sun Jiang kept her stance firm. "Chyou isn''t guilty of anything so there won''t be any press conference. If we are forced to do that then Chyou and I will quit the agency. And no way Sterpany can afford to let go of the Queen," she jeered. "You¡­-" "In fact, it would be so heartwarming if Cheng Yines forward and denies all the allegations. It''s his fans that are causing chaos and ruckus so it only makes sense if he shuts them up." "You cannot be serious." "I dead am." "Why should Yin scramble over the mess that Zhu Chyou has created?" His expression twisted. Her eyes narrowed and she let out a cold smile. She unlocked her phone and disyed a picture to them, keeping her phone at the center. "If Chyou can be such a wonderful girlfriend to ept her drug addict boyfriend and to be even helping him in every possible way for getting him out of his addiction then certainly, Cheng Yin can be equally a wonderful boyfriend who shows a ster trust in his girlfriend, right? Or is it that the responsibility of their rtionship lies only with Chyou?" Chapter 807: Fake smiles The social media storm lost its burning me and it died out a few dayster. Though tiny sparks flew here and there that still tried to drag her down, the overall sentiment was dissipating away as Chyou''s fans strongly pushed the haters away. ''Hmph! Every time something like this happens, a female actress has to suffer! Why?'' ''We all cheer for Cheng Yin and his friendships too, right? So why does the world get salty with the Queen!'' ''And it wasn''t just any friend but Gu Yating. Queen''s savior! She wouldn''t have been here with us if he hadn''t been there with her! Even so the nerve of people to shade on them!'' ''Is it possible that the Prince''s fans are jealous of Gu Yating? Maybe that''s why they jumped at the chance!'' It was as if Chyou''s fans triggered at that mention and the fury ofments increased by ten folds. ''You know what? It makes sense! Maybe they didn''t like that Gu Yating saved our Queen!'' ''Hah! They must have regretted why it wasn''t the Prince who saved her like a prince charming?'' ''Petty people taking out their frustrations on Gu Yating and Queen! Hmph Gu Yating rightly said. All these judgmental haters should end their friendships!'' Chyou arrived on the set as she simultaneously scrolled through thements. It seemed that the picture leak incident had brought a division between Cheng Yin''s and her fans. The wall wasn''t subsiding. "Ohe on! This curtain should go here. Is this your first time working on a set?" Director Murong''s frustrated voice bellowed throughout the set. Chyou walked over and poked his shoulder. "Why the angry veins early in the morning, Director?" Director Murong looked back. "Oh Chyou. You came?" "Why wouldn''t I?" "After all the fiasco, I thought you need time to recover." She smiled. "I am fine, Director." Though she could feel gossipping whispers, she ignored them. "But you don''t look fine, Director." He pursed his lips. "Why will I be in a good mood? I got a call from Gu Yating. He expressed that unfortunately, he wouldn''t be able to be the advisor anymore." Chyou stared at him, eventually looking away. "...Oh." Director Murong narrowed his eyes. "Did something happen between you two?" "No," she quickly said. "Even after the me game?" She couldn''t honestly answer that and Director Murong wasn''t dumb to not get the drift. The entertainment industry was a harsh ce. "Gu Yating was really helpful till the time he was here. We will just get on from there¡­" He then tried to gauge the look in her eyes and asked cautiously, "How are things between you and Yin?" Things weren''t good on that front either and her pause was more than enough to answer his question. "Look, I-" "Things are fine, Director." Yin walked over and as he arrived on the set, the tense atmosphere seemed to invisibly heighten further. Everybody felt as if some bomb would explode at any moment. Yin smiled. "What are you worried about?" "As a director, I am worried about the film and the effect of what happened on both of your acting skills and chemistry." "You don''t have to worry about that. I was pretty clear in what I said in my video. I don''t think anybody should have any more problems with it." Chyou threw a silent nce at him, remembering yesterday''s conversation. The smile on his lips might be to assure the director and the people around them but only she knew the truth of how it all had ended. The conversation had ended on a sour note as Chyou realized the reality of his intentions behind posting the video. It struck her hard and she simply and quietly left. Somewhere in her heart, she desperately wished that Yin woulde to stop her. But he didn''t either. He simply shut the door as soon as she left, revealing a crack that was forming between them. They didn''t talk or chat after that and they silently understood that things would take time to normalize between them. They might show happy faces in public but the reality between them was downhill. Yin shrugged. "This is all toomon in our industry, Director Murong. An actor''s life is full of hardships. We cannot just copse by one incident, right?" "Hmm that''s the spirit," Director Murong hummed. Though he greatlymented Yating''s departure, he felt it was prudent not to express that in front of him. "Sir, it''s ready!" The set assistant, Qiu, who was also the part of the team dinner before, came hopping by. "We are ready for the take." She felt the strain in the atmosphere and swallowed. "Is everything alright?" Chyou smiled it off. "Nothing is alright when Director Murong is angry," she pouted. He scoffed. "Well that''s great then. Let''s go, Prince Cheng." Yin rolled his eyes. "Will you all stop calling me prince?" "You will always be a prince for all your fans~" Yinughed out loud. His heartyugh only made it stuffier for Chyou to breathe. He talked normally to everybody else but even in that normalcy, there was a subtle avoidance towards her. Keeping the lid on her feelings, she chirped. "I will get ready. I don''t want Director Murong to chew my ears off if I amte." He red at her. "You all chew my head off and then you me me! Hypocrites! Out of my sight!" She burst intoughter. "Fine, fine, I am leaving." ¡ª The seemingly endless day finally came to an end and Chyou copsed back in her vanity, exhausted. In contrast to what everybody thought, Chyou and Yin gave a wless performance. It felt as if the storm on social media was just an illusion. They were the same lovey-dovey couple as before as if nothing could bring a crack in their rtionship. Chyou gave it a long thought and decided to head to meet Yin. She didn''t like things the way they were now. She wanted to tell him that she and Yating ended their friendship and that they wouldn''t meet each other from now on. She hoped that it would reassure him and make him happy. She also wanted to ask about his rehabilitation appointments. Things were stressful but she wanted to be there for him. She quickly headed out and caught Yin exiting the set. "Yin!" From afar, she saw him stop just for a second but he didn''t turn. Instead, he continued to walk at a much faster pace now. "Yin, wait!" But refusing to acknowledge her calls, he walked away, disappearing from her sight. She remained standing at her ce, stunned and in pain. Alone and silent. Chapter 808: No guilty, no hiding At Dream High. "That''s it then. We need to focus more on the niche genres," Yating said as he led the meeting. "Dream High and our writers will surely soar if we strategically handle its marketing. We need to make the niche as our USP." "Yes, Sir," the heads of the department nodded. The meeting ended and everybody left except for Yating. He shut hisptop and simply rested on the chair. He looked at the time and in normal circumstances, he would have gone to the other set for shooting the admercial. But now he had nothing to do. Not after how things ended with Chyou. A call shed on his phone and he clicked his tongue. Who is it now¡­ It was Gu Rong, who had been continuously trying to reach him since he was in his meeting. Ah shit I forgot. "Yes, Dad-" "I have been trying to call you since ages and you don''t even bother to pick my calls!" "I was in a meeting, Dad." "Then I would like to remind you that I never ignored my son in the past despite my back to back meetings. But you tantly do." Yating exhaled a sigh. "I am sorry, Dad. Next time, I won''t." "Don''t you use sarcasm on me!" He was dumbfounded. I am being genuine! "I am sincere, Dad. I won''t ignore your calls next time." "...Th-That''s good." Yating slightly felt some oddity in his voice and he asked, "Is everything fine, Dad? You sound a little low." "Yes! I mean everything is fine, yes¡­" he cleared his throat. "Anyway, I didn''t call you so that you could take an update on my health." His brow twitched. If I don''t ask, you would still get angry. Damn it you do, damn if you don''t. "I got to know that you stepped back from themercial. What happened? I think Mr. Zhu and I were pretty clear about how important this project is for us. Then why?" Yating stiffened. He has nothing to answer. Or precisely, he didn''t know how to answer. "...I am sorry Dad, but I won''t be able to continue with it." "Why not?" Yating felt a dull headacheing. "...I have manymitments in my work, Dad. There are lots of things going on in Dream High. I really cannot make the time-" "Don''t give me that nonsense! As if Dream High would copse without its Chief Editor for some time. It''s not like you havepletely given up on your work either. And how long would somemercials take anyway? You are not filming for a movie." Dad¡­ He couldn''t say about the distance between him and Chyou, else he knew that Gu Rong would personally throw him off a cliff. "Everybody is waiting for you at the set. Does it feel right to make Chyou wait like that?" "What?" Yating sat straight in his seat. "Chyou is there?" "..." "Have you eaten something weird? Of course she will be there! Aren''t you two doing this together?" He scolded. Yating was at a loss. How¡­? Wait, what? Howe Chyou is stilling on the set? Didn''t she back off? Tons of questions battled against each other in his mind but nothing came out as the answer. "Are you perhaps thinking that things woulde to a halt because of the scandal?" "It does make things awkward and difficult¡­" Gu Rong asked after a pause with a pointed tone, "Why? I think you were pretty clear about your stance so why does it look like you are wavering? You would only give the haters a chance to jump at you again if you withdrew. You won''t be hiding from anybody. There would be no awkwardness if there is no truth to it." Yating pressed his lips. "Or is there¡­" "No," he immediately answered. "There is no truth to anything, Dad." There wasn''t a response for a second and then he said, "So then get moving and don''t be anymorete. Only Chyou and you will be the brand faces of our cooperation project. Bye." He hung up, leaving Yating in a state of even more questions. What is going on? ¡ª Yating rushed as soon as he could and he found everybody working towards the arrangements just like usual. The only difference was the slightly furtive but also inquisitive gazes of people. After the leak of pictures and the scandal of the ''date,'' everybody was curious if this project would be abandoned. Would Chyou and Yating still show their faces for this project and continue as if nothing happened? The director came forward in relief. "Ah there you are, Gu Yating. Quickly head inside and get ready. Your makeup artists are all in ce." The director was unfazed by the odd atmosphere. Yating walked closer to his side and asked, "Chyou is here too?" "Yes," he narrowed his eyes. "You had any doubt?" He coughed. "No. Not at all. I will go and get ready." "Cool." Still perplexed, Yating made his way towards his vanity. At the far end of the same corridor, there was Chyou''s room too. He paused and contemted and then turned his way towards her room. Yating felt his heart racing with every step that he reached closer. His hand slightly trembled but eventually, he gave a light knock on the door. He waited, holding his breath. A momentter, the door opened and Chyou peeked outside. Her eyes slightly widened and she came outside. "Hey." "Hey¡­" Then the conversation already died and neither of them knew what to speak next. Yating went ahead and said, "I thought themercial¡­" Chyou nodded. "I had thought the same. I spoke to Dad about it. But he was firm about us not withdrawing from this project. If we do then¡­it would only fan the mes higher. If we abruptly end the project, people would assume that there was truth in the pictures. We would look guilty. The stand you took and¡­Y-Yin did, everything would be for nothing." It was simr to the conversation he had with Gu Rong. "Dad is of the same opinion," Yating said. Chyou weakly smiled. Yating stared at her expression and asked before he knew it, "Is everything going fine with Cheng Yin?" Chapter 809: Frightened A myriad of emotions shed through her eyes but none of them could bring an answer to her lips. But they did bring a fake smile. "Yes. Everything is fine." "Is he still-" "No way! We have already sorted out everything." Yating peered at her smile which seemed to have the intent of washing his worries away. But they were doing the opposite thing. Chyou wouldn''t look like that¡­If everything was truly fine then she wouldn''t smile like that. It painfully tugged his heart further. His wry smile held a hint of grievance. "I¡­I think you are lying, Chyou." She stiffened. "I know the Chyou I have talked to. I know how you express yourself. This is not looking fine at all. You¡­" he awkwardly pushed his hands in his pockets, "don''t have to lie to me to keep me out of your life." Chyou was staring into the empty space in front of her but not quite into his eyes. She couldn''t find the courage to see the hurt her lie had caused. She saw his figure retreating very slowly until hepletely vanished from her sight. Chyou stood rooted at her ce, her body trembling and tears beginning to brim her eyes. That was pathetic of me¡­I am the worst. ¡ª The director saw them in their positions and asked, "Are you ready?" Yating and Chyou nodded. Outwardly, their smiles radiated normalcy as if nothing was wrong. But the wide distance between their hearts had another story to tell. "Good. Let''s start." With the signal of the director, the lights on the set dimmed. Yating held her cheek just like the script, stepping closer until their chests almost bumped into each other. With his gaze transfixed at her, his low, deep voice whispered. "I will do anything to protect you." Her lips quivered and Chyou couldn''t tell if it was because it was quite chilly at the set or that Yating''s words felt all too real. What if I want that woman to be you? She shook and felt her breath stuck in her throat. Concentrate Chyou! This is just the shooting. Don''t think of anything else! Sheforted her heart but it jumped back in her chest frenziedly when the warmth from his palm and the soft touch of his fingertips became more pronounced. "You¡­" with a hint of breathless voice, he said, "don''t have to feel frightened. I won''t let any hurt, any terror touch you." Chyou unconsciously swallowed a gulp. Suddenly, she wasn''t so sure anymore. Did this intimacy mean something more to Yating? He was holding her cheek so tenderly that Chyou couldn''t tell if he was just acting or that his real feelings were taking over him. Which was it? His gaze confused her. Was he only following the script or did it hold something else too? The very notion frightened her. She didn''t know why. Even if Yating did love her, the only way toe to a closure for his sake was for her to reject him. It would hurt him. After a one-sided love with Ai, a second rejection might even cripple him. Still, the truth would need to be told. So why was it that the thought of rejecting Yating''s possible feelings for her was not sitting so well for her? Why was it leaving a crushing emotion in her chest as if something heavy was dropping on it? "Cut!" She jolted with the director''s booming voice. "Chyou, you didn''t speak your lines." Her eyelids blinked rapidly and she seemed toe to her senses. She looked around, dazed and confused. "Yating gave such a perfect take. Didn''t miss a single line. But you remained still. Is anything the problem?" "O-oh¡­I-I was actually lost in something else¡­" The people at the set gasped. Chyou was that actress who never made mistakes with her takes. She never forgot her lines or lost her focus. Of course, she was a human and she could still make mistakes no matter the Queen she was. But still it was difficult to digest. People were so used to winding up with just one take when it came to her that they couldn''t fathom doing retakes because she fumbled herself. One of the assistants RanRan whispered. "You know¡­It''s definitely because of Gu Yating." The other assistant, Qiu, asked, "You are referring to the scandal?" "I cannot help it. Didn''t you see that picture taken at the fireworks festival? The way they gazed at each other? Queen''s expression is just like that." "You overthink. Didn''t Prince Cheng rify everything? She would never betray our prince," she grinned. RanRan eyed away. "Well¡­he is not ''ours'' exactly¡­" "Huh?" "Well¡­!" She gushed blushingly. "Ever since we went on that team dinner that night and got to talk to Sir Gu, I have found him more and more appealing. You know the things he talked about not finding your love like anybody else? Finding somebody with whom you can be your silliest self? That was so adorable! And he was soooo charming! I am sorry but I have changed my ship! He was so dashing and hot!" Qiu''s eyes darkened. "You!" "Um¡­" They looked over and froze seeing Yating standing before them. Apparently, the director had given Chyou some break to prepare. He smiled. "Can I get through?" RanRan lost her voice. "Did you¡­hear us?" "...Well, yes," he cleared his throat. "I appreciate your sentiments. Thank you for thepliments." She felt like she lost all her face. He listened to me calling him adorable, charming, dashing and hot! Well since I have lost my face anyway, I will go all the way! She took out her handkerchief and asked, "Please give me your autograph!" The director had his jaw dropped. Even Chyou stared at her, shocked. Yating - "..." "Me? I am not an actor." "Who cares? I am your fan as a person!" "..." Yating coughed. "Please!" He scratched his head helplessly and took out his pen. He signed on her handkerchief and smiled. "Here." She cried emotionally. "Thank you¡­This will be my family''s heirloom..." Seriously, my signature? Yating took out his small diary notebook and asked, "Will you sign for me?" RanRan blinked. "Huh? I-I am not an actor." "Who cares? As a hardworking assistant doing all sorts of odd jobs on the set, I sincerely respect your work. Every dedicated person on this set is a star." RanRan felt dizzy. As if her heart exploded in her chest, she fainted. The director exhaled a long sigh. "Call the medic and take her away. And Gu Yating. Try not to make every woman fall for you here. You will impede the shooting." "..." Everybody burst into aughter including Chyou. But amidst thatughter, her eyes glistened with tears. An expression somebody on the set didn''t fail to notice... Chapter 810: So stupid in love On the second and third take too, Chyou fumbled in her lines. At this point, even the director was bbergasted to see her failed takes. "Are you not in your form today?" He curiously asked. More than annoyed, he was simply interested to know what was going on. "It''s surprising to see Gu Yating performing wlessly against you." Yating''s mouth twitched. But it was true that Chyou''s focus didn''t feel to be in the zone. He stared at her, who was awkwardly scratching her head. "Hehe¡­I¡­" Yating whispered, "Should we cancel today''s shoot? You don''t look alright." "No, no, we don''t need to-" She didn''t want to but her gaze identally met his. It shook her to see his eyes solemnly watching her with a hint of concern. ''You don''t have to lie to me to keep me out of your life.'' Her lips formed a tense smile. "Maybe yes¡­" He held her gaze for a moment and nodded. He let the director know about it and thetter agreed as well. "No probs. Everyone has their bad days. Take rest, Zhu Chyou." "Thank you." The shooting wrapped up with that and Yating, too, packed up. He headed outside towards his car when a hand suddenly grabbed his arm. His eyes widened with the sudden force and he looked back, confused. It was Chyou holding his arm, albeit breathlessly as if she had run a marathon. "Actually I want to¡­" "First take a deep breath, Chyou. Why are you huffing so much?" She awkwardly cleared her throat and eventually calmed down. "Yes, tell me now." "I just came to thank you for telling the Director¡­" He blinked, taken aback. "There is nothing to thank me for, Chyou. You shouldn''t force yourself to work if something is bothering you. Just go home and take a rest." "...Thanks." He smiled and said, "See youter." He turned and had just taken a step forward when he felt the familiar force pulling him back. This time, he almost lost his bnce. Chyou inwardly bit her tongue. "Sorry¡­I had something else to say too." "No problem," he steadied himself. "What is it?" Her lips parted, but words didn''te out. "Um so¡­" His gaze encouraged her to speak, but she kept fumbling. "I am really sorry for what happened before." His brows slightly drew in closer in puzzlement. "Before?" "For¡­lying to you. I am sorry. I shouldn''t have. It was hurtful and insensitive of me." Yating said with a light smile. "It''s alright, Chyou. Iter realized I shouldn''t have intruded now that¡­" "No, please. It wasn''t your fault. I was just¡­" She couldn''t exactly exin the situation between her and Yin to him. She failed to grasp the words she was supposed to speak. "Chyou." She looked up. "I sincerely hope that things are fine between you and Cheng Yin. I simply want to see you happy. So it''s okay if you lie to me as long as you don''t lie to yourself." She shook. "Also," he stared at her acutely as if peering right through her soul. "No matter what decision we have taken, if you ever feel you need my help, please never hesitate toe to me." His gaze held a mixture of distance yet determination at the same time. "Even if you hesitate, I will just barge in anyways," he then shrugged. "..." "I won''t turn a blind eye to your troubles just because we have ended our friendship. My care and concern is much more than that." She froze, feeling as if something just dropped in her chest. Was he confessing? She stared into his eyes to find the answer but she didn''t. It didn''t look like he was yet it felt to her that way. "See youter." She watched him leave as she remained standing till his car disappeared from her sight. ¡ª A few days passed by and the ice between Chyou and Yin broke through one day when he initiated the conversation with her for the first time. It was after the movie shooting that he asked her for some private time. They headed to the beachte in the evening. They walked barefoot on the sand as the beach air made them feel a chill. "How are you doing, Chyou¡­?" She paused and spoke with a light smile. "Fine." There was a bit of silence after which Yin said, "I am sorry for ignoring you for all these days, Chyou." Her eyes slightly widened. "I¡­" he pursed his lips. "I am sorry. Seeing you and Gu Yating together just flipped my mind. I didn''t want to. Really. I know you are also keeping your distance with him but I couldn''t help but still feel insecure. I shouldn''t haveshed out at you like that. I am sorry for saying all those rude things." She stared at him, surprised. It had been almost a month since the scandal and honestly, she had thought that Yin would keep ignoring her for some more time. The way she had witnessed his rage, she didn''t think it was possible to end this invisible ice between them so easily. He gently took her hand and asked, "I would really like us to get back together, Chyou. If you don''t mind¡­can we?" Chyou stiffened. Technically, it should have been a joyous moment for Chyou. She had been desperate for Yin''s attention but whenever she reached out, she only got his furious back. Now he wanted their rtionship to go back to how it was. But why was it that Chyou didn''t feel so sure anymore? She felt uneasy. She felt burdened. This wasn''t how she was supposed to feel. Not getting an immediate response from Chyou panicked Yin. "Chyou¡­I-I promise I won''t ever hurt you like this ever again! I will never question your love for me. I was too agitated that day. But it won''t happen again!" Her breaths trembled. For the first time in her life, she didn''t know what to do. She really wanted somebody to give an answer to her. What should be her answer? "If you are that bothered to agree, doesn''t it already mean that you disagree?" They jolted with the sudden voice and looking back, they saw a woman casually sitting on the sand with a can of beer in her hand. Her face wasn''t really visible in thete night''s darkness but they could sense an amusing smile on her lips. "It''s rude to listen in to conversations," Yin grimaced. Sheughed. "Oh my how cute when you don''t even know just how much ruder I can get." His gaze darkened. She didn''t stay much longer and chuckling, she dusted her dress to shake off the sand and left the beach. "Cheers~" Yin frowned. "Strange." He looked back at Chyou. "Yes so¡­what is your answer?" Chyou watched the mysterious woman leave. She looked at Yin and said, "I¡­need some time, Yin." ¡ª Zhan Yahui finished thest sip of her beer and threw it in the trash. She turned and looked back at Chyou at the beach and arched her brow. "People can get so stupid in love." Chapter 811: Closer and closer "Cut!" Director Murong frowned. "Yin, you are not giving the right expressions!" "My apologies, Director. I will do it correctly in the next take." And so he did much to everybody''s relief. The shooting wrapped up for a break and he headed to his vanity. A minuteter, his manager, Qiao Kang stepped in and closed the door behind him. "Yin, are you alright?" "Why? What''s the problem?" "You had some bad takes." He was irked. "So? It wasn''t like I wasted everybody''s entire day." Hebed through his hair frustrated. "Yin, there is not much time left for the shooting to end. We are almost there. So can we please get there already?" Yin threw him a re. "Do you think I am doing this on purpose!? It''s Chyou who rejected me! She¡­she said she needs some more time." He bit his lip hard until it threatened to bleed. "I sincerely apologized to her. Even so¡­what more does she want? So what if I got a little angry? Any boyfriend would have in my situation!" Qiao Kang gritted his teeth. "Throw your ego away for some time Yin! The situation is already delicate and you know it too. Don''t message it up even more! Don''t forget why you asked Zhu Chyou for a patch up in the first ce¡­" his eyes narrowed. Yin stiffened. "Yes. I believe you remember now. So stay cool and be the caring and understanding boyfriend you ought to be, okay?" "...Fine." A message chimed on his phone and it was a reminder of his appointment with the doctor for his rehabilitation treatment. He scoffed and deleted the reminder. I am fucking tired now¡­ A knock was heard at the door and Qiao Kang left to open it. His brow twitched hard and his gaze darkened. "What are you doing here? I was pretty clear not to appear anywhere around Yin, didn''t I?" ¡ª As the shooting for the movie was in progress so did the shooting for themercial which now finally came to an end. Yating and Chyou, both, gave wless takes after much trials and tribtions, especially for Yating. It was as if he just swam through a sea of fire. I seriously respect all the actors out there. How can they maintain their form and expressions so easily? Though the shooting for themercial was tiring and exhausting, he couldn''t help but feel mncholic. It had be a part of his routine toe to the set after his work at Dream High. He was used to meeting all the people working here. He had gotten used to working with Chyou. His eyshes faintly trembled at that. Themercial shooting was the only reason left to see Chyou despite theirst conversation where they had ended things. But he didn''t have any reason anymore¡­ He felt a tap on his shoulder and he opened his eyes to see the director blinking at him. "What are you doing here? Get ready for the shots." "Shots?" "Pictures. You and Chyou need to click some pictures together. Those will be published in the magazines and other articles for your project. Get back to your vanity and get ready. Your makeup artist is already there." "Oh¡­okay." Was this supposed to be there too? He didn''t mind. Somewhere in his heart, he felt ted about the extension even if it was for a short time. After changing into a new suit with the new touch up done, he headed out towards the shooting area. Ten minutester, the sound of heels clicked against the floor and he looked up. He felt his breaths stop so abruptly as if he was getting a heart attack. Chyou stood before the crowd, donned in a beautiful royal blue gown that flowed freely down from her waist. Her hair was parted towards the left, revealing her slender and fair right side of her neck. The off-shoulder blouse highlighted her wless skin even further as if it was shining under the light. A silver pendant hung from her neck. Yating''s gaze was transfixed at her as if everything else around him had be meaningless. He couldn''t tear his eyes off her no matter how much he tried to. It remained on her as if time had stopped. "Great that Chyou is here! Shall we start? Chyou? Are you listening to me?" "Y-Yes!" "Why is your face so red? Did your makeup artist apply too much blush on your cheeks?" Her brow twitched. "It''s not a problem with the blush. It''s normal¡­A-anyway I am ready!" "Good!" Yating and Chyou took their positions and the director nodded. "Nowe closer." They did so. "A little more." Yating coughed. "We are already close enough-" He red at him. "Are you the director or me? Do you know about camera poses or me?" "..." "I am sorry." "Apology epted! So get to work. Hm good. Now wrap your arm behind her back." "..." Even Chyou''s brow twitched at that. But she was an actor. She had to be professional. She slightly turned to his side. Yating cleared his throat and stepped a bit closer. His hand was slightly shaking as it brushed across her slender waist. He felt his throat go dry. But it went too dry and he asked, a little breathless, "Sorry, I want some water¡­" "Oof! Quickly, quickly! And here the position was so right," heined. Yating gulped two sses of water. He could feel his heart pounding hard in his chest. Shit! Calm down Yating! It''s just some pictures now. The shooting is already done. Just some more time¡­ Some assistants in the background couldn''t help but giggle. Yating didn''t want them to have any wrong idea so he quickly headed back. "Sorry¡­" "No problem," Chyou smiled. "Now back to holding her waist!" His mouth twitched. I heard you the first time itself. There is no need to be so enthusiastic¡­ Yating took a deep breath and closed the distance between them. His arm circled her waist while his gaze was fixed at Chyou. "Good, good. Now pull her towards you." "..." Chapter 812: Not one but three The director frowned. "What is wrong? Pull her closer? How can we click a picture of you so far away?" Yating looked away for a moment, trying to calm his racing heart. He nced at Chyou to gauge herfort level. But he couldn''t judge anything as only professionalism leaked through her aura. Damn it. Only I am getting affected like some high schooler here. It''s just a picture. "Chyou, if you don''t mind¡­" "Oh yes, yes. If the director is saying so," she nodded. Yating envied Chyou''s calmness. Actors are always so poised and elegant¡­ Chyou wasn''t so poised and elegant. The story on her face and in her heart were two totally different matters. Whaaaaaaaat? We were supposed to click pictures like these too? Even though she knew about today''s shoot, it still came as a shocker to her. To add onto that, there wasn''t anything too mind-boggling of their position they were in. As an actor, she had acted intimately with male actors before. It was a part and parcel of the career she was in. However right now, she couldn''t think of this as a simple part and parcel of her career. He held her waist and that bubbled a strange sensation in her chest. She acted unaffected outside but inside, a whole fleet of fireworks was bursting. What the hell is wrong with me? "Chyou, if you don''t mind¡­" "Oh yes yes." He slightly dug his fingers in her waist and gently jerked her closer to hug him. She awkwardly shifted a bit. Suddenly, her right profile in close contact to Yating''s body felt extraordinarily warmer. "Good, good! Now Chyou." "Yes!" She stood in attention. "Now you lift your right hand and ce it on his shoulder." "O-okay." "And look into his eyes." Why does that part feel more difficult than anything else? Chyou held her breath and gradually lifted her gaze that met his eyes. She wanted to swallow a gulp but couldn''t. She stiffened for a reason she couldn''t understand either. "Are you alright?" His voice that came out as a whisper made her jolt further. "Yes," she replied while trying her hardest to hold eye contact. His ck eyes reminded her of the fireworks festival. It was this simr gaze that stared right through her with emotions she hadn''t expected to see. Her gaze automatically lowered, earning a scolding from the director. "At Yating, Chyou, at Yating. Look at Yating. Don''t tear your gaze off him. You have to look at him." It was like a punch to her heart. I-I know! She looked back at him with a smile,pletely nking her mind out. Yes, that''s right. Don''t think of anything. Don''t think of anything. The camera lights shed at them as they stared into each other''s eyes. Even amidst those blinding lights, the only face that he could clearly see was Chyou''s. Her beauty and elegance that shone through everything felt like a deep ce of sce. Both met each other''s irises as if they had a lot to say but at the same time, nothing to say at all. Chyou didn''t show but her hand holding his shoulder was slightly shaking. Her fingers mildly trembled as they touched the fabric of his coat. It was his ck orbs that continued to cause a whirlwind of emotions within her chest. It affected her further as she knew something was gravely wrong. She took some time to have space and time to think about what recently happened between her and Yin. There was a lot to process especially when it came to Yin''s changed behavior. But even so, they hadn''t broken up. So there was no excuse or reason for her to feel something so outrageous when Yating was holding her in his arms. The confusing and puzzling feelings only intensified the guilt within her heart. She didn''t wish to take things anywhere where questions would arise about her feelings for Yin. After all, they were already being questioned by Yin to her dismay. As the shoot finally got over, the director nodded to himself pleased. "It''s done. These are some great pictures! I don''t think it even needs editing. You two look so natural." Yating and Chyou quickly withdrew from their pose and made some distance. He adjusted his tie as he took a deep breath. It''s over¡­ Chyou, too, sped her hands together, feeling relieved. The director patted on Yating''s shoulder and grinned. "The shooting went so smoothly, didn''t it?" He smiled but something painful tugged at his chest too. He had no more reason left toe here. It was back to his life as Dream High''s editor. "Indeed. It was great working with you and the staff here. I learned a lot." "Hm? Why are you talking as if you are saying goodbye? You are in such a hurry to leave?" "Because the shoot is over?" The director blinked. "Yes. The shoot is over. The first shoot is over." Chyou furrowed her brows. "What do you mean first?" "There are two more left." The duo stared at him nkly. The director frowned. "What? Why are you looking at me like a bunch of confused school kids who are shocked to see their exam paper they didn''t study for?" "..." Yating said, "It''s indeed like that. Wasn''t it supposed to be onemercial ad?" "No. There were supposed to be three. What your fathers decided was that we would shoot threemercial ads and choose the best out of three for their branding. Obviously, the other two wouldn''t go to waste either. We would edit and use them for other marketing purposes." They gave even a more of a nk look. When was this decided? Chyou churned her memory back to remember if she had talked to Xiaosi about this but she couldn''t. "So¡­we have to shoot for two moremercials?" "Yes with different scripts~ So buckle up. We have a long way ahead." He merrily whistled and left, leaving the two alone with a million questions and cofused feelings in their hearts. Chapter 813: Not raised to be a coward "Dad!" Yating stormed in Gu Rong''s office with a voice that reverberated with frustration. "We were supposed to do threemercial shootings?" Gu Rong looked up and frowned. "Is this a way to enter your father''s office? So much disrespect!" Yating threw back a re. "Forget about my manners now. Let''s talk about what you did!" "What did I do?" "Don''t act so innocently now. How did the ads grow from one to three? We justpleted the shooting and the director there breaks the news that we have to be ready for two more." "Yes, that''s right. What''s the problem with that?" A vein popped up on his temple. "You didn''t tell me about this, Dad." Gu Rong stared at him. "Are you an idiot? Of course you knew about it." "Would I have barged in here if I did?" "That''s not my problem if you don''t listen to people which you never do!" His gaze darkened. "That evening when we were together with the Zhu family, we had discussed that you and Chyou would be doing somemercials for the project. Commercials. Advertisements. With an s. It''s plural." His brow twitched hard. Was that the case? "How could we just rely on a single ad? We have to think farther and have a multitude of options ready. Gu Yating, how can you be ignorant in business matters!" He scowled. "You should know how businesses and marketing works. Why are you acting as if somebody dropped a bomb upon you? So what if there are two more ads? And let me tell you. It''s not just ads. It''s pictures, interviews, everything. You two are the faces for our cooperation, after all." Yating copsed on the seat, defeated. Damn did I really misunderstand all of this? Gu Rong''s brows furrowed seeing his son pressing his temples and releasing deep sighs one after the other. "Is everything okay?" "...Yeah." His eyes narrowed. "Everything is not okay. Why are you so agitated if you have to work with Chyou? And please stop bringing the marriage discussion excuse every time." "It''s not that Dad." "Then? Something is definitely the problem." Gu Rong could smell that something suspicious was going on and his gaze went cold. "Who is bullying you?" Yating coughed hard. "Bullying me? Dad, I am not a kid for anybody to bully me." "Can you really be sure? Is anybody making things difficult for you at the set because you aren''t from the entertainment industry?" "No, Dad." "Then is the work too difficult?" "It''s fine." "Then why does it bother you so much?" Another sigh escaped and he smiled. "Nothing. My bad for misunderstanding the whole idea. I am sorry. I will take my leave." He got up when Gu Rong''s voice roared. "Sit down!" He jolted and did so. "What?" "Youe here all barging and shouting at me and using me and now you just want to leave?" "I did apologize." "That''s not enough. You have to tell what''s going on." Then he said with a mixture of caution and hesitation. "You can¡­you can talk about the things that bother you. We might have h-had our differences but you are still my son." Yating blinked and honestly, he was a little pleasantly surprised too. Gu Rong had always been demanding so this tone was foreign to him. It wasn''t just new to him but to Gu Rong too, who clearly looked awkward. Yating contemted for a long moment. "I don''t want to cause problems between Chyou and Yin." "What? Who is Yin?" "Cheng Yin. Chyou''s boyfriend." "Ah¡­I had forgotten about him." His mouth twitched. "How could you?" "Why are you giving me that look? Why should I remember him in the first ce? He is not important to me." His jaw dropped. "It''s¡­not about importance. He is a famous actor and the boyfriend of the woman you wanted as your daughter-inw so much. There is nothing to forget about him." Gu Rong shrugged. "Whatever. So what is this problem with this Yin guy? Is he bullying you?" "Ah for God''s sake, nobody is bullying me. Chyou and Yin are together and you know¡­about the recent scandal." "Of course. I have never been so disappointed in you," he sneered. "You seriously gave me hope that you were confessing to Chyou. I thought there was some reality in those pictures." He stiffened. "Th-That''s ridiculous. I already told you a million times that Chyou and I are just friends." "Fine, fine! You can never see me in peace even for a moment, can you? Anyway so go on. There was that scandal, so?" Yating grimaced. "Join the dots together, Dad. It will be problematic if Chyou and I continue to work together amidst all the nonsense usations that were pointed at her that she was cheating. Plus, there were marriage talks between us before and the scandal just made it worse. It will only bring more problems between Chyou and Yin." Gu Rong stared at him and burst into a peal of heartyughter. "Dad! This is not funny," Yating couldn''t believe his reaction. "It is funny. The same man who boldly dered that people should end their friendships if they are judging you and Chyou is now afraid of repercussions for their rtionship?" Yating cleared his throat. "First, you should be clear on what your stance is. Then there are two ways. First is what you did before. You don''t give a shit about what others say because you know that your conscience is clear. Second is what you are saying right now. Take a step back in fear of gossip and potential problems in Chyou''s rtionship. Now my question to you is why are you suddenly wavering from your first decision?" He looked away. "Yating," Gu Rong squinted his eyes. "It''s fine if you don''t want to tell me every fine detail about the problem. But I will tell you this. Backing off is cowardly. I have not raised my son to be a coward." Yating clenched his fist. "And if a meager problem like this is already threatening Chyou''s rtionship, then why is she with that Chang Yin in the first ce?" "Cheng Yin." "Whatever." Yating agreed one hundred percent with his father but that didn''t make the reality disappear that they couldn''t be friends anymore. "Thanks Dad-" "She should dump him and marry you," he snorted. "..." Yating sighed exasperated. There he goes again! Chapter 814: My win This was the same conversation that had happened between Chyou and Xiaosi too, who finally seemed to learn their n for the cooperation project in detail. "Great. That''s so awesome~" Xiaosi tilted his head. "Had you forgotten?" She coughed. "Not at all. I was just confused about some things here and there." "So you forgot." "No¡­" His eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. "Anyway, Yating and you have already hit it off so well that it shouldn''t be a matter. The other twomercials would also get done in a breeze." Chyou quietly sipped on her coffee, trying to bury her face in the mug. That earned her a smack on her head by her mother. "You want your nose to drink the coffee too? Put some distance," Caihong scolded. "Drink properly." "Ew, sis drinks through her nose too? Disgusting! Should I expose this in the group chat?" Xiang''s eyes sparkled. Chyou threw an apple on his head. "Hey! That''s mean." "You say anything stupid and I will throw more apples at you!" She red at him. "You just cannot ruin your perfect image, right?" He sneered. She rolled her eyes. Xiang quietly sipped on his own coffee and with a devilish and mischievous smile, he asked, "So, so when is Cheng Yining to meet us~" That painted a huge silence in the air, making Chyou choke. Damn you brat! Why would you ask that? Xiaosi and Caihong simultaneously looked up at her as if expecting an answer. Chyouughed a broken chuckle as her fingers tightened on the mug''s handle. "Well¡­what is the hurry? He is not going anywhere." "Sooooo he cane here instead," Xiang beamed. "I am excited to meet him and fish out all the stories from him!" She gritted her teeth with an urge to hit her brother. "We are busy with shootings as you can see¡­" she sheepishly grinned. Caihong frowned. "Work would never end, Chyou. Can you and Yin not make some time for one evening?" Xiang furiously nodded. There was the reason for Yin wanting to meet her family only after he would prove himself clean, which would take a significant amount of time. Then the situation was alsoplicated as things were in a rough patch between them. Chyou had herself asked for some time and distance and now how could she ask Yin to meet them amidst all this? None of the reasons were something that she could openly tell them. Xiaosi softly patted his lips with the napkin and said, "They are right. You two are dating for a while and seem serious about your rtionship. I think it''s time we meet. Talk to him and decide on a day. We are avable whenever." Chyou swallowed a gulp. It was easier to talk her way around Xiang and Caihong but not so much with Xiaosi. She looked down and cleared her throat. "S-sure¡­" ¡ª "Cut." Director Murong gave a thumbs up and wrapped up the shooting. "Great work you two. Qiu, hand over some refreshments. Today was a hectic day." "Yes, Director!" She went around the set and served coffee and juices to everybody and as she reached Chyou, she smiled. "Queen! Have some juice." Chyou politely declined. "No, thanks. I feel quite full." "Are you sure?" She pursed her lips. "Yeah." She then went to Yin''s side next where she showed him a bright smile. "Prince Cheng." On her side, Chyou tiredly covered her face with her palm. What should I tell Yin? Will he even agree¡­? "I don''t want it!" Not just Chyou but everybody jolted with that sudden angry reaction. Yin''s expression was clouded with annoyance and iciness as if he wanted to be left alone. "I said I don''t need any refreshment then don''t keep on clinging like that." Qiu''s eyes watered and she trembled hard. Being scolded in front of everyone on the set was extremely embarrassing. Chyou quickly pulled her back and patted her head. "Don''t cry, Qiu. It''s okay." She sniffled with reddened eyes. "Queen, I-I was just offering¡­" "Yes, I know. It''s okay," sheforted her. She looked up at Yin, confused. He had nevershed out at the staff like that. Everybody else, too, watched in puzzlement. Yin sobered up and cleared his throat. With everybody''s gazes on him, he quickly apologized. "I am sorry. I was just thinking about other things¡­" Qiu bit her lip, shivering. Director Murong frowned. "Is everything alright?" Yin smiled. "Yes, yes. It was my bad." Chyou wiped her tears and chirped. "See Yin apologized. Can you please forgive him?" She tremblingly nodded. "Aish you are so wonderful! As a reward for always putting up with such annoying actors like us, tomorrow''s lunch will be on me~" "Wooooo! The Queen will treat us!" "Free food tomorrow hoho!" The tense atmosphere slowly settled down with Chyou''s merriness. Qiu sniffled. "Thank you¡­" She smiled and pinched her cheek. She stared at Yin for just one second but it was enough to tell him that she wanted to talk to him. ¡ª "Hey¡­" Yin said as he stepped into her vanity room and closed the door behind him. He already knew what she was going to ask him. "Look, I am sorry," he looked away, "She just came at the wrong time bugging me for a drink." "She was just doing what she was asked to do," she pursed her lips, "Are you¡­perhaps taking out my frustration on her?" "What?" He stiffened. "Of course not. I understand your side, Chyou." His lips held an understanding smile, yet Chyou couldn''t feel any sincerity from it. Seeing his struggle and mood, she couldn''t help but question herself. Am I¡­doing the right thing by asking this distance? "Okay," she mildly replied. After much thought, she looked back at him and said, "How are your appointments going? Are they helpful?" Putting his hands in his pockets, he smiled. "Yeah! I am regr with my appointments. You don''t need to worry about that, Chyou. They help a lot. I am slowly getting there." Relief washed over her heart and a genuine smile blossomed on her lips. "That''s great to hear." Her warm gaze looked at him with pride. "I am proud of you, Yin. Despite our recent differences, you are doing everything you can to heal your addiction." "...Yeah of course I will," his smile faltered. Chyou then took a breath and asked, "Yin. I called you here for another thing too." "Yes?" She pressed her lips, hesitant. "I know things have been difficult. We are taking time because I want it. But¡­Mom and Dad were saying today that they would like to meet you." His eyes slightly widened. She sped her hands together. "I cannot exactly tell them the real reasons for asking for more time. I know you will find it selfish of me to ask you this despite what I said on the beach that night¡­but is it possible that you meet my family?" "O-Of course, Chyou." He held her shoulders and smiled. "This wasn''t even worthy to take so much tension for. Why would I reject it? I will definitely meet your family." Chyou was taken aback. But she sincerely appreciated his thoughtfulness. He saved her from giving any awkward exnations to her parents. But Yin had other motivations though. Is she kidding me? Of course I will go. If I impressed her family then I will score! Chyou will forget all about the stupid time and distance she had asked that night and we well get back together, he inwardly smirked. It will be my win. Chapter 815: Prickly gossip The director in charge of themercials, Director Si, was in a jolly mood. "Let''s start with the second script today, which will have you as a bickering couple for the ad." Yating - "..." So we are still a couple in the second script too? He eyed Chyou to figure out if she was feeling ufortable about this. He could indeed gauge a trace of hesitation as she read the script, but she also didn''t look to be too bothered about it. On the contrary, her gaze slightly beamed with a sense of hope and good mood. "Did something good happen?" He couldn''t help but ask. A soft smile radiated on her lips. "Kind of¡­Yin will soon meet my family." But she also felt her heart pounding as she looked at Yating. She didn''t know what kind of reaction he would give. Unexpectedly, he smiled. "That''s great. I am happy to see that things are going well between you two." Chyou looked away. It wasn''t that things were goingpletely well but rather she was forced to abide by this meeting. She was in no position to tell the truth to her family. Though things were happening out of order, Chyou held hope in her heart that maybe this meeting would change the situation between them for the better. Director Si eximed from the other side. "Ready to go?" "Yes," they replied simultaneously. "Good. Now you know the script. You two will bicker and argue and Chyou will storm out with her chest puffed out in anger. But you are also annoyed so you would walk the opposite way. Got it?" They nodded though Yating wasn''t sure how he was supposed to act frustrated. The first and the second take failed as Yating didn''t get his expressions right. "Aish, this reminds me of the first ad filming. You looked like such an adorable duckling~" Chyou immediately looked away, trying to hold herughter. His brow twitched and his face reddened with embarrassment. "I will do perfectly on the next take!" "Woooo! This is the spirit! The actor within you is getting molded so well~" he emotionally said. "Okay let''s start with the third take." As they took their positions again, Chyou felt a little odd in her left foot''s heel that seemed to be not on level with her right foot. Yating noticed her difort. "What happened?" "Ah? No, nothing," she casually waved it off. "The ground here is a little uneven I guess." "Are you sure?" "Yeah, yeah. Everything''s cool." Director Si gave a signal for the next cut. Yating spoke his lines but his gaze always wandered off to her heel in worry. Chyou harrumphed and ording to the script, she turned to walk off the other way. But suddenly her left heel broke off and she stumbled hard with her foot twisting. "Chyou!" Director Si screamed in shock. But a hand came just in time and grabbed her arm. Yating had seen the heel break before anybody else. He already took a big step to pull Chyou towards himself. She bumped into his chest and for a few moments, her head felt dizzy. When she realized herself stuck to his side, she lifted her gaze in disorientation. She stiffened upon realizing that their faces were too close to each other. But the only feeling in Yating''s eyes held concern and worry. "Are you alright, Chyou?" His low voice made her breath stop and she could hardly concentrate with his hand gripping firmly onto her waist. Should she focus on his hand holding her or his voice speaking in a whisper to her or that his face was in too proximity to her - Chyou felt attacked on all sides. Director Si rushed in worriedly. "Hey what happened? Are you alright?" Chyou coughed. "I-I am fine. My heel broke¡­" His eyes widened. "How did the heel break? Did the assistants not check everything before?" Qiu and her colleague Rin dashed to their side and apologized. "We are sorry, Director! We also don''t know how this happened¡­" Chyou quickly said, "It''s okay. It''s nothing serious- ouch!" She tried to move away from Yating but a sharp pain shot in her foot. Yating said, "You have twisted your ankle it seems." "Ah shit," Director Si pressed his brow. "You need medical attention first. Yating, you should take her to the infirmary. I will inform the doctor there right now itself." Chyou parted and shut her lips. "Th-That''s fine. I can walk-" "You cannot even turn, dear. How will you walk all the way? Sadly, we don''t have any wheelchairs on the set. So Yating. Show the muscles you got." Her gaze darkened. "What do you mean! That I am fat?" "..." Director Si grimaced. "You women always like to take a twisted meaning, don''t you?" "But but-" She suddenly felt herself lift in the air and her gaze nkly stared at Yating. "You can argue with Director Siter but right now, your ankle needs treatment." Some of the women on the set gushed with the scene. "Gu Yating holding Queen in his arms!" "He looks so hot, right?" One giggled. "Don''t they look like the perfect couple? s, Gu Yating isn''t an actor." "Hehe Queen is slightly blushing too~" "Sshh! You all still want to cause trouble after the scandal-" The group quickly quietened down and stiffened, seeing Yin arrive on the set. Shoot, did he hear us? Yin had. He was behind them when they were gossiping without noticing his presence. The moment he arrived on the set, he saw Chyou hugged in Yating''s embrace and in the next moment, she was in his arms. His fist clenched and as the group finally noticed, they quickly took their leave. Yin''s expression colder and more twisted as Yating walked off with Chyou but what pricked him even more was the gossip and gushing floating around as if they were made for each other. An angry vein popped on his head and in a fit of extreme animosity, he dropped a text to a certain someone. Without saying a word further, he left the set. Chapter 816: Jittery wait Some more days flew by in the blink of an eye and eventually the day arrived for Yin to meet Chyou''s family. Chyou was all set in her room just doing herst touch up. She looked at herself in the mirror and exhaled a silent breath. For now we just have to look like everything is okay¡­ She didn''t know why but she couldn''t help be tense. It didn''t feel to be the right time for Yin to be meeting everybody when there was strain in their rtionship currently. Added to that, Yin had not been responsive to her texts and messages in thest couple of days. She wasn''t sure what was wrong but she figured he must be busy with other shootings. Just like her, he had many projects on hand. She sat back on her chair, releasing a troubled sigh. Why am I so nervous? Everything will be fine. She pped her cheeks to reassure her. She then heard a knock on the door and turning back, she saw Caihong smiling at her. "My daughter looks so pretty." Chyou grinned back. "I got all the wonderful genes." She pinched her cheeks. "Brat. Everything is ready by the way. Dinner is all set," she proudly said. "Mom is the best!" "So when will be be reaching?" She slightly cleared her throat. "Yeah he will be here. He might be already on the way." The truth that she was trying to reach out to him but he hadn''t replied back to her. She didn''t know if he was even on his way or not. "Good. Then I will take my leave and arrange for some snacks for your father and Yating," she shook her head. "Wait, what!?" Her eyes widened in utter shock. "Yating is here?" "Yeah. Xiaosi had some work rted matters to discuss with Gu Rong actually but he was busy so he sent Yating instead. They are in the study room." Chyou failed to understand how she should be reacting. "I-I didn''t even realize that he was here." Caihong chuckled. "Well, you were busy getting ready in your room. You wouldn''t have noticed it anyway. He has been here for over an hour now. I should be serving them some snacks." Her face with the beautiful pink blush was now beginning to grow whiter. What if Yin sees him? ¡ª In Xiaosi''s study, Yating''s expression was simrly growing apprehensive as time ticked by. "Do you have to be somewhere?" Xiaosi blinked and asked. "No, Uncle." "But you are looking at your watch quite frequently. I wonder if you have any prior engagement." "It''s not like that. But¡­" He tilted his head. "I think that I should take my leave," his smile held a hint of stress. "I heard that Cheng Yin ising here to meet you all, right?" "Oh, yes. I guess he is already on the way." "Yeah¡­so I feel I should leave." "Why? Is there a problem? You could chat with Cheng Yin when he arrives. Since you meet each other on the set, you must have be quite good friends. I am sure Chyou would have made you two good friends." His smile faltered. Xiaosi wasn''t even aware that Yating had stopped visiting the movie set since a long time ago. How could he tell him that the situation might turn worse if they came face to face? Cheng Yin might misunderstand things and see it differently if I am here¡­ "Hello." Caihong came in, bringing a tray of snacks and drinks. Yating quickly walked up to her and took the tray from her. "Aunt, you really didn''t have to take the trouble." "It''s not any trouble, dear. How can I not even serve you some food while you are here?" "I smell cookies!" Xiang narrowed his eyes and popped his head inside the study. His eyes caught the tray and he said, "Aha! I knew it!" Caihong''s brow twitched. "Are you a dog?" He jumped at the tray to grab some cookies but Caihong pped his hand away. "It''s not for you." "Why not?" He whined. "You are not allowing me in the kitchen either!" "Cheng Yin is not here yet. We are supposed to start dinner when he is here." Yating handed him one cookie and smiled. "Here." Xiang beamed. "No wonder sis always praises you so much~ You really are the hero. You saved her from the fire and now you saved me from hunger!" Yating coughed. Xiaosi rolled his eyes. Caihong said, "You don''t have to spoil him so much." "Are you my mother or my enemy?" Xiang gasped, hurt. "Quiet!" Xiang pouted. "But it''s getting boooooring. When will Cheng Yin be here? I am so hungry!" heined as he munched on the cookie. ¡ª Chyou, too, was now getting more and more jittery. Yin was supposed to arrive by 7.30 and the clock''s hands now were inching towards 8.30. It was almost an hourte but there had been no message from Yin yet. Is he in any trouble? She broke into a cold sweat and dialed his number again and again but none of the rings were picked up. She eventually called his manager, Qiao Kang, who did answer her call. "Sorry, Chyou. I also don''t know where Yin is. He left the set today as usual¡­I don''t know where he went after that." "I see¡­.No problem. Thank you so much." Caihong came back again to ask, "Did you talk to Yin, dear?" She froze and couldn''t find any words to answer. "...Y-Yeah! He apologized for beingte. He got stuck in traffic. But he will be reaching soon!" Caihong''s eyes slightly widened and she held her face. "You look pale. Is anything the matter?" "No, Mom," she tried to smile. "Don''t worry. Yin will be here in some time-" It was just then that the door bell rang and the pale, white color from Chyou''s face immediately vanished. She beamed with joy. It must be Yin! "Oh, I think he is here," Caihong said. She nodded. "I will go and get him. Can you tell Dad and Xiang too?" "Sure." Chyou''s racing and pounding heartbeats finally calmed down and she heaved a big sigh of relief as she ran downstairs. She opened the door with a bright smile to wee him. "Yin! You are finally-" Her words abruptly stopped as her mind went nk upon what she was witnessing before her. It surely was Yin but a Yin who was heavily intoxicated. He had a breezy smile on his lips and he staggered at his ce. There was no sense of bnce. "Hm? Who is it? Ah¡­Chyou¡­it''s you, right?" Heughed dazedly. Chyou stared at him vacantly, her hands dropping to her sides. Her voice uttered very quietly, "Yin. What¡­Did youe here drunk?" Chapter 817: Poisonous and cutting (1) "Yin¡­please tell me that you are not drunk," Chyou could see it before her but she desperately hoped his words would prove otherwise. "Hm~?" Yin looked at her dazedly with a smile, "Hey Chyouuu~ You look so beautiful!" Chyou bit her lip harder. She could see it clearly before her eyes. If Yin would meet her family in this state then it was over. There was no way anybody would tolerate this behavior. Before anyone reached the living room, she quickly pushed him outside and urgently whispered while trying to reel her tears in. "You need to go, Yin. Please leave. You cannot look intoxicated and staggering like this in front of my family." Yin frowned. "What are you talking about? Just look at the number of messages you texted me¡­" he tremblingly showed her his phone, "and the calls too¡­Now that I am here, you want me to leave? That''s so rude!" "Yin, please!" "Why are you still at the door dear?" Caihong asked, stiffening her. "Let him in already." "I will finally get to eat!" Xiang raised his hands up in salvation. Xiaosi tapped on his forehead. "You are getting influenced by Grandpa Liu a lot." "I still cannot match the magnitude of his stomach, Dad," he solemnly nodded. "I need to up my game." Xiaosi slightly craned his neck and furrowed his brows at Chyou''s figure. He couldn''t clearly see Yin whom she was blocking. "Why are you still at the entrance?" "A-Ah Dad. Actually, I was telling Yin to leave¡­He is feeling a bit under the weather so¡­" Caihong''s eyes widened. "Oh dear. Is that why he gotte? Did he force himself toe while still sick? That''s not good." "Y-Yeah so I will drop him outside!" With her heart pounding in her chest, she began to push him ahead but he backed off. "Heyyyy why are you being so mean to me? I came to meet your family a-and now you are shaking me away?" She froze. A wide grin shone on Yin''s lips and he turned around Chyou to step in. She exerted all her strength to stop him but any effort was fruitless. Seeing three people standing before him, Yin beamed. "You must be her parents. I am so honored to meet you!" He then looked down and fumbled with his hands as if searching for something. "Hm? I was pretty sure I had your gift with me. M-Maybe I forgot hehe¡­That''s so dumb of me. I hope you forgive me haha." At first, Xiaosi blinked twice. Then he scrutinized him from top to bottom, giving him a long and hard stare. Caihong, too, knitted her brows in difort. Something felt odd about him. The jolly Xiang''s gaze suddenly darkened as well. "But the Zhu family is already so rich," heughed, "Any gift to you all would be pretty much meaningless." Chyou''s eyes slowly widened in horror. She shook hard, her fists clenching and hiding from everybody''s view. She still had her back facing everybody and by now, she couldn''t muster the courage to turn either. "It''s the thought that counts," Xiang said, his mouth twitching hard. His hunger had all disappeared by now. What is this man even spouting? Did he always talk like this? Xiaosi stared at him and faintly smiled a momentter. "Chyou is right. You do look sick. You should head back home and rest." Yin''s eyes widened. "Huh? What are you even saying, Uncle Zhu? I came here-" "Mr. Zhu," Xiaosi broke him off midway. "I am Mr. Zhu for you." Yin frowned. "That''s so distant! Chyou is my girlfriend and you are parents. How could I be so rude as to not address you appropriately?" Xiaosi took one, slow and purposeful step forward which was enough to lower the temperature to frigidity. "You are already rude by how you have presented yourself intoxicated before us. You cannot get any ruder. So leave." Caihong pinched the space between her brows. Xiang whispered in her ear. "Mom, I smell a waring." "And I don''t want my daughter to see that war and get hurt. Please take her away, Xiang." He nodded. Yin''s expression began to twist with annoyance. "That''s so not fair at all! Here Chyou had been bugging and begging me the whole time toe and meet you all and now you are asking me to leave? That''s so not done!" Everybody froze. The temperature lowered to such an extent that the Zhu vi became a rival to the Arctic. "...Excuse me?" Xiaosi uttered dangerously, rm oozing out of every syble. "My daughter¡­My daughter was begging you?" Yin broke into another peal ofughter. "Why, yes! She was all so tense and nervous~ And why wouldn''t she? After all, she was the one who asked for a break between us and now she herself asked me to meet you all if possible. That was some cute hypocrisy, haha. But since I am such a good and caring boyfriend, I agreed despite her shamelessness!" Xiang''s countenance turned further ugly. "Did you just call my sis shameless?" "Don''t you agree?" He gasped. "I mean who would have the face to put this request after making me go through so much stress and pain! She is the one who is flirting and hanging out with¡­with that Gu Yatingte at night and I don''t know what else she was doing with him. I got a little mad at her for that but I still apologized, keeping a big heart. But then she says to me that she wants some more time! And after all this, shees to me and says she wants me to meet you all. If that''s not shamelessness, then what is?" Everybody was too stunned to speak. Chyou closed her misty eyes in defeat and hurt. Her cheeks ached as tears slipped past them. There were differences between them but she never imagined she would hear such poisonous and cutting words from his mouth. Shameless¡­ A hand suddenly grabbed Yin''s cor and he met Xiaosi''s chilling pair of dark eyes that sent a sharp shiver down his body. A suffocating sensation wrapped around his neck. "You should exercise caution in what you are saying because if you utter a single more word that puts mud on my daughter''s character, then you seriously don''t know who you are messing with, Cheng Yin." Chapter 818: Poisonous and cutting (2) On the other side, Yating''s apprehension grew more and more as he waited in Xiaosi''s study. He wanted to leave before Yin would arrive, but now he had no chance to walk past the exit. He adjusted the cor of his shirt feeling like a thief who is imposing at a house he shouldn''t. asionally he heard the sound of Yin''sughter and he thought that things must be going well. He shook his head. I shouldn''t havee here tonight. We could have had this meeting tomorrow too but Dad¡­! He took a seat back on the chair, releasing a sigh. I hope this ends soon. ¡ª If it was a sober Yin in his senses, he would have known it better than to mess with Xiaosi. But tonight, he wasn''t. His intoxication had given him a confidence he normally wouldn''t have had. Yin chuckled. "Ah, ah? Why do you look so mad Uncle- Oh I am sorry, Mr. Zhu? Yeah I cannot address you that way. But I wonder if Gu Yating can?" Caihong bitterly smiled. "We have known the Gu family as business partners for years. We have seen that boy grow up before our eyes. And seeing the man he has be now, he has earned that right to call us Uncle-Aunt unlike you who cannot even stand steady on his feet and humiliates his girlfriend in her own family home." Xiang sneered. "I would say that''s what we call shameless." Yin''s brows twitched, annoyed. "It must feel so nice to believe in your daughter She keeps hanging around the man she was supposed to marry, keeps his expensive gift so closely with her, goes onte night dates with him and allows him to intimately carry her in his arms like a prince charming. Yet after all this, I be shameless," heughed louder, the effect of the intoxication making him feel high. From behind him, he heard Chyou''s shaking voice. "I had twisted my ankle that day¡­" "Well yeah you always have the reasons to defend yourself, right? That day Gu Yating was feeling sad so you gave him a shoulder and what not to cry upon and then you got hurt that day to enjoy the warmth of his embrace. Then you have the perfect excuse of themercial shooting to touch each other in the guise of acting," he huped, "Everytime, you have the perfect excuse to do whatever you want. And I be the viin if Iin!" Xiang gritted his teeth and eximed. "I will seriously punch the shit out of you if you speak anymore nonsense! And sis! Why are you even bothering to exin your side? He doesn''t deserve the least bit of your exnation! This meeting is over!" He held Chyou''s wrist and said, "Let''s go back. You won''t tolerate the sight of such a dirtbag even a second more!" "I am the dirtbag?" His gaze darkened. "Chyou is the one breaking her promises! She promised me that she had ended her friendship with that bastard Gu Yating! She promised me that she would keep her distance from him but everytime¡­every single time, she gets an excuse to go to his side!" Xiaosi and Caihong stared at him hard. They then threw a cold gaze at Chyou. Yin was taken aback but he smirked with victory. "And then you me me, Mr. Zhu? Do you understand how much it hurts me to see them together? But everytime, Chyou runs to Gu Yating''s embrace as if he is her boyfriend! She cannot even fulfill such a simple promise to me but then have the audacity to ask for a break from the rtionship. Isn''t this hypocrisy or what?" Xiaosi stood before Chyou, his stern and frigid gaze demanding answers from her. "What am I hearing, Chyou?" Yin sneered. Chyou bit her lip. She looked down, her body slightly shaking. "Dad, don''t bully my sister! She is already been hurt enough!" Xiang fiercely red at him, stepping in between Chyou and Xiaosi. Xiaosi narrowed his eyes at him. "She is been hurt because she brought it upon herself. Howe we didn''t know that their rtionship took such a turn for the worse?" He took a step forward, meeting his son eye to eye, "Since when did my daughter had to put up with shit like ending her friendships just to please an insecure boyfriend?" Yin froze. Caihong icily backed him up. "Your father is right, Xiang. Don''t protect Chyou. I didn''t expect that¡­" she clenched her fists, "she would choose to degrade herself to this extent for the sake of a such a disgusting man." Yin stared at her nkly. Then as if a volcano erupted violently, he screamed. "I am disgusting? I am disgusting!? Your daughter is the one who is sleeping around with Gu Yating like a wh-" The hall flipped sideways for Yin and he suddenlynded on the floor with a hard thud on his back. A sharp, excruciating pain began to throb his left cheek. He couldn''t understand what just happened. For a long time, his daze didn''t end but the pain soon brought him back to reality. The reality stood before his blurry eyes where he soon recognized the familiar face staring down at him with contempt and fury. His eyes widened as if he was watching a slow motion picture before him. "G-Gu¡­Gu Yating¡­?" "Next time I will break what little jaw you have left if you ever tried toplete that sentence, Cheng Yin," Yating spoke through a gnashed jaw. "Say something more derogatory towards Chyou and there won''t be a pretty face left anymore for you to continue with your acting career." Yin struggled to stand on his feet but eventually he did. His vacant gaze still didn''t leave him. The stinging pain brought tears to his eyes and also fury in his heart. "What the hell¡­" pain jolted in his cheek but he continued, "are you doing here? Today was the day for me to meet the family yet why the man who Chyou''s family supposedly favored for their daughter is here when her boyfriend is here tonight? You all are ying some wild shit here and you had the nerve to punch me!?" Chapter 819: Poisonous and cutting (3) Chyou had her mouth covered as she looked at Yin in horror. The situation somehow kept worsening. A lump formed in her throat thinking of such a supposedly pleasant evening to be turned into a nightmare. As Yating paid attention to Chyou, his expression hardened and so did his fists. Her usual cheery and bubbly face was now marred with tears and hurt. Every nerve, every vein in his body twisted with revolt at the sight of her trembling body. His chilling gaze returned and he said, "Regardless of what you think about me, Cheng Yin, don''t ever utter that bullshit again." Yin slightly shook and it seemed the punch was sobering him up from his intoxication. His heart thudded hard as Yating''s murderous gaze threatened to squeeze his life out of him. In all this time, Yating never acted or carried himself in the way that expressed he belonged to a wealthy family. But now Yin felt that he did. The pressure of his status and influence mounted on his back and simply the way he stood, too, exerted a sickening feeling in his stomach. Yet amidst this, the bitterness equally swayed in his heart from all directions. "You¡­It''s easy for you to say! After all, you were enjoying all her advances, didn''t you!?" Xiang was quickly losing his patience. "Is anybody doing it or should I go ahead and kill this man? I cannot tolerate his nonsense any longer!" Yating stared at Yin as if he was speaking some aliennguage. "Advances? Do you understand exactly who you are talking about? The woman who unreservedly supported you knowing that you are an addict, who sincerely did everything she could to help her boyfriend fight it, who constantly gave reassurances of her love towards him and who went as far as breaking her friendship with me despite it going against her ideals - Being the best partner that she was, you think she deserves to listen to this crap from you?" Chyou stared at the floor, his words and resounding questions falling at her ears. Something struck at the deepest chord of her heart. Yin stiffened. Yating suddenly exposed his addiction out of nowhere and now that it was out in the open, a disconcerting feeling arose in her chest. Yating grabbed the cor of his shirt, his face reddening with fury. "You were so pathetic that you reduced the Queen as if she was a beggar for your love and understanding and you have the nerve to act all high and mighty?" Xiang stared at them nkly. "What did you say before? An addict? He is an addict?" At that point, Xiaosi and Caihong''s expressions were indescribable. "Sis, you were dating an addict!?" Chyou pressed her lips hard. "I¡­I didn''t want to abandon Yin. I know how harsh our industry can get so¡­" "So you will put up with anything?" His gaze darkened. "No! I understand his stressors but it doesn''t mean that I supported his way of getting relief. That''s why I wanted him to get clean¡­To fight it and get rid of it." Yin stammered. "Th-That''s right! I did everything Chyou asked me for. Even when it was difficult for me, I tried my hardest¡­Yet every time I get to see her so close to Gu Yating that¡­" Yating felt disgusted. He was about tosh out at him when Xiaosi raised his palm, stopping him. His eyes narrowed at Yin. "So you say you tried your hardest to get rid of addiction?" "Y-Yes!" "Yet youe to meet your girlfriend''s family to introduce yourself in an intoxicated and high state. Just how much have you sniffed?" He froze. A cold smile stretched on Xiaosi''s lips. "Now that we are talking about who worked hard and whopromised a lot, let''s explore this fully. You say you worked hard but your doctor doesn''t have the same things to say. The one to whom you should have been going for your rehabilitation but you didn''t." Yin blinked rapidly. "Excuse me?" "You have been regrly going for your appointments, but you didn''t. You aren''t working on yourself at all. Chyou did her best to find the best doctor for you, yet you are returning her intentions in the worst possible way." The person who was the most dumbfounded was Chyou. "I don''t understand¡­" "He has skipped his appointments. He is not getting treated for his addiction at all." She froze. "That''s not possible. He always said-" "He had lied to you." A sinking feeling drowned her as if she was being pulled into a dark abyss. "H-How do you know about¡­" "I squeezed the answer out of Yatingter after the scandal happened. You were hesistant with the remaining ad shoots with Yating and I wondered why. I felt something was going wrong between you two so I insisted he tell me," his eyes squinted. "He was trying his best to protect your little secret." Yating cleared his throat. "And talking to you before, I had an inkling that something wasn''t right. Turns out that a lot of things were going terribly wrong. Cheng Yin was betraying your trust at every step of the way." "That''s not true!" Yin eximed. "That doctor is lying! I have been visiting her regrly! Gu Yating¡­" he gritted his teeth. "Gu Yating must have bribed her! Yes, he couldn''t see our happy rtionship so he bribed her to tell lies and nonsense!" Chyou''s hands trembled. She felt as if she couldn''t breathe. "Chyou, you cannot believe what they are saying! I-I never skipped my appointments. It''s Gu Yating''s disgusting plot!" Xiaosi''s smile turned even icier. "Okay. Let''s give you the benefit of the doubt. Let''s say that Yating yed behind the scenes to entrap you." Yin sighed in relief and nodded. "Yes, he did!" Xiaosi clenched his jaw as he knew that the next question would wreak havoc in Chyou''s life. "If Yating is responsible for that, then is he also responsible for your choice of sleeping with another woman while you were in a rtionship with my daughter?" Chapter 820: Poisonous and cutting (4) The lightning at the Zhu vi struck so hard that its remnants of zapping sparkles and crackling still lingered in the air. The question dropped on everybody like a nuclear bomb, its sting waves toppling everything in its way into smithereens. Chyou nkly stared at her father, his words not making any sense to her. But the most riled up was Yin, who now seemed to havepletely sobered up. "Wh¡­What is this usation against me? I-It''s preposterous! Mr. Zhu, you cannot question my fidelity towards Chyou like that that¡­" Xiaosi''s gaze turned cold. "Clearly, you aren''t questioning your conduct so somebody has to, right?" Caihong held his arm and lightly squeezed it. "Xiaosi, what is going on?" She whispered in a voice that shook and trembled. Xiang and Yating, too, were in a simr state. It was the little brother who exploded rmingly. "You cheated on my sister, you fucking bastard!?" "That''s all a lie! That''s what I am telling you! I don''t know who poisoned Mr. Zhu''s ears against me-" his gaze then darkened. "Don''t tell me that Gu Yating-" "You me me once again and you will face the consequences," Yating''s icy tone fell. He red at him. "Then who else could it be!? I cannot believe you would go so far¡­" Xiaosi''s one step towards him made him turn towards him with sweat dripping down his forehead. "You are the one who went too far. And with the woman who put my daughter in the scandal in the first ce." Chyou took trembling steps towards him, her blurry eyes dimming her clear vision. "There is a big misunderstanding here, Dad. Yin wouldn''t do this." He stared into her fearful gaze that was desperately holding onto thest straw of hope. Trust shone in her eyes but at the same time, an impending doom clouded them. "This hase too far, Chyou. This despicable man standing before us has not only broken his trust towards you to be clean but had the shameless courage to sleep with another woman just to get back at you. I am not the only one to say this." "Hey! Let me go! What is this rough handling!?" Yin''s manager, Qiao Kang, was harshly pushed inside the vi. Not just him but a woman followed right him who was confused as hell. Tears brimmed down her face as she cried. "What is going on?" Chyou stared unblinkingly at the manager and the woman, who was none other one of the assistants working on the sets, Qiu. If she was here, then Chyou could figure why she would be brought here, yet her mind was refusing to make that condition. Yin froze at their sight, especially as his gaze fell on Qiu. It was as if somebody forcibly sucked out the remaining color he had on his face. Xiang gritted his teeth. "Why do you look like you have seen a ghost, Cheng Yin?" "It''s n-nothing like that¡­! I don''t even understand why they are here." "Then let''s get an answer from them," he sneered. "Qiao Kang. Why are you brought here?" Qiao Kang froze. With Qiu standing beside him and the air of confrontation quite visible, he struggled to speak. "I¡­I don''t know either¡­" he met Yin''s gaze who was desperately trying to signal him something. "Isn''t it because you are keeping your actor''s little secret!?" Heshed out. "No! I-I have¡­" He shuddered hard as he sensed a killing intent from Xiaosi''s direction. The remaining words couldn''t pass from beyond his throat. "You know, Mr. Qiao. The actor you are managing is very vocal about my daughter''s fidelity and conduct. He keeps questioning her love and loyalty so I thought if things are reaching this far, then I should bring his own loyalty into the light too. Do you think I am right or wrong?" Who in the world would dare say that Zhu Xiaosi was wrong? He could only stammer. "Y-Yes¡­" "Perfect. So now that we have thatmon understanding, let''s talk about what really has happened." He swallowed a painful lump down his throat. "That night when Chyou met Yating in the club and then they went to the ice cream shop and watched the fireworks together, there was a sneaky little someone who was capturing their candid and harmless moments. That was you, wasn''t you?" His gaze fell on Qiu that spoke the stated truth instead of trying to question her. Qiu''s face paled. She could hardly keep up with her bnce now that she directly faced the one and only Zhu Xiaosi. "I really d-don''t know what you are talking-" "Be very careful when you are talking to me. You do realize who I am, right? You are the one who took the pictures. I know because I personally tracked you down. Or do you doubt the technical capabilities of S3''s CEO?" Tears rolled down her cheeks and words simply failed toe out. "I can prove it even now. You have that pictures in your phone. So if you feel that you are so innocent then by all means, please feel free to prove it." She immediately her clutched her phone harder. Yating''s ck eyes chilled like frozen ice. "You are the one who released those pictures to the media?" Now it wasn''t just Xiaosi mounting the pressure but the heir of the Gu family as well. Her chest puffed with breathlessness. "Answer me!" Yating roared. "Who fucking gave you the right to intrude upon Chyou and my privacy? You twisted the hell out of a simple evening''s meaning and NOW you are trembling and looking down as if you made a huge blunder? You almost tarnished Chyou''s reputation!" Qiu''s knees were shaking as if they were now a jelly. Xiaosi said, "Tarnished Chyou''s reputation and then approached Cheng Yin with those same pictures too. You gave him a good, sympathetic shoulder to cry on and expertly, filled his ears with nonsense too. A boyfriend who was devastated to see his girlfriend fooling out with another man. So he thought if Chyou could do it, so can I." Chapter 821: Poisonous and cutting (5) "That was the whole purpose behind those pictures. Releasing on social media was your secondary objective. The primary objective was just to¡­" The rest of the truth was disgusting to even speak of. Caihong clutched her chest, her shaky breaths escaping in disbelief. She stared at Xiaosi demanding for an answer. "You knew about this since before and you are telling about it now?" Xiaosi could very well see the hint of anger and danger leaking through her irises. "Yes. I knew about it from before. When I tracked down Qiu, I came across the part when she met Yin in a club. It was quite evident what she was doing. They left together a few minutester and I saw them entering a room. Since you didn''t care about my daughter''s privacy, I didn''t care about yours," he coldly directed thest sentence targeting Qiu. "So why didn''t you say so before, Dad!" Xiang red at him. "Why did you allow sis to be with such a loser and cheater?" Xiaosi slightly lowered his gaze. A trace of guilt formed ayer on his irises. "I know I was cruel to Chyou. Believe me. Nobody was more desperate to break it down to her than me. I wanted Chyou to see for herself how far he could go to humiliate her. To see what kind of a person she waspromising for. Instead of me showing his true face, I wanted Cheng Yin to prove it himself. And he did." Chyou clenched her fists. "But¡­Yin had uploaded the video standing up for me¡­" Xiaosi narrowed his eyes. "That was AFTER Yating put up the video. Of course, the boyfriend would have to give some face to his girlfriend or it would have affected his reputation. He is an actor. He did phenomenal acting." ''First of all, your manager threatened Qiao Kang and secondly, we cannot show our fans that there are problems between us, right?'' ''If you think he wasn''t acting being the Queen yourself, then I pity your future career.'' Sun Xiang and Yin''s words reverberated in her ears and a chill spread along the spine. Yeah I knew he was forced to do it, didn''t I¡­? She inwardlyughed at herself for her stupidity. The whole time, Yating''s focus was only on Chyou, who seemed to be spiraling into a ce of no return. Thest thread of hope had also snapped into half. There was nothing left for her to cling onto anymore. Chyou wasn''t blind to see Yin and Qui panicking and fumbling to prove themselves. More than anything, if it was Xiaosi saying then there was simply no ce to challenge it any further. He would never make such serious usations until he was absolutely sure of the evidence. He had the evidence with him, but he wasn''t showing it only to not cripple his daughter further. By that point, Yating wasn''t listening to any of the chaos. He could only see Chyou standing in her ce yet not quite present in the present. Her trust had been shattered so hard from all directions that there was no ce left to gain some sce. Chyou¡­ His eyes ached watching her breaking down and he could do nothing to stop it. The sheer helplessness filled his heart with grudge and animosity. "Mr. Zhu please try to understand. I-I had no rtions with this woman! I don''t know what you are talking about!" Yin''s fight to prove himself innocent broke the reverie. Xiaosi''s dark eyes threatened him. "Don''t make me y the CCTV footage here or you will have no face to hide, Cheng Yin." He froze. Xiang was growing frustrated to see the culprits still not admitting to their cheating. He sneered at Qiu and Qiao Kang. "You two keeping your silence won''t be helping yourselves, okay? You, as a manager, aided him to cheat and fucking spoke nothing. And this shameless woman. What should I say about her? I think she would appreciate spending the rest of her life in jail." Qiu shuddered hard. "After all, she tarnished sis''s reputation baselessly and a defamation case wouldnd her up in a perfect sweet spot in the jail." "Th-That''s not¡­true¡­" Qiu''s color was draining away. The mention of jail was now really shaking her up badly. She ran to Yin''s side and grabbed his arm. "P-Please help me, Bro Cheng. I don''t want to be in jail. I¡­" she cried. "I only did what I did to help you¡­" Yating stared at her incredulously. "Help him? Are you hearing yourself? You say that showing those pictures to him and getting in bed with him was helping him?" She bit her lip hard. "I-I just¡­didn''t agree to how Miss. Zhu was treating Prince Cheng. Everybody was¡­a-always praising your and her chemistry a-and how you looked like a good couple. Miss. Zhu was never bothered by it. B-but did she realize how it was affecting Prince Cheng. I have seen him hurt and angry but she never cared about it. I just wanted to see him happy-" "By seducing him!?" Xiang eximed. Yin shook her hand off his arm and pushed her away. "Get away from me! What nonsense are you talking about? Y-you are also framing me just like them!" Qiu stumbled off hard and looked at him nkly. She couldn''t believe that he threw her away in front of everyone. "You¡­H-How could you do that Prince Cheng?" She pleaded to Qiao Kang. "Mr. Qiao, please h-help me. You know everything right? Y-you¡­even told me to stay away from him because nobody can find out or else his reputation¡­But you promised me that you would find a way out!" A wry smile formed on Chyou''s lips. There was nothing left to hear anymore. Qiao Kang gulped hard. Yating''s gaze grew extremely frigid. "What kind of a way out? To have Chyou as your girlfriend and her as your secret kept mistress?" "No-No, Mr. Gu! I never said anything like that!" "So you admit that you knew about this?" "I¡­" he clenched his jaw. Instead of facing their wrath and making his life difficult, he chose toe out with it and probably earn some leniency along the way. "Yes¡­It''s true that Yin has slept with her." Chapter 822: Poisonous and cutting (6) "Qiao Kang, how dare you lie!" Yin gnashed his jaw. "Even you are betraying me-" "Come out of your fucking delusion, Yin!" He finally snapped. "You are the one who screwed it all up and now you are acting as if you are in someland to not see what is happening right in front of you! Wake up already! I cannot clean up your mess any longer!" It was that moment which rained down upon him like the harsh realization of reality. Everything was out and clear as daylight as if the rays left no scope to hide in the darkness any longer. From the corner of his eye, he could see the outline of Chyou''s figure, but he didn''t dare to look at her. He didn''t dare to look at what expression her face now held. What¡­what should I do- Before his jumbling thoughts could make any sense ande to a conclusion, a loud p reverberated across the air as if an earthquake shook the ground. The pnded at the same cheek as where Yating had punched him. The immense pain made him feel breathless and a slit cracked at the corner of his lip. "Ch-Chyou please listen to me-" He turned to talk to her but instead met Caihong''s fury-zed eyes. Chyou hadn''t moved from her ce an inch. Caihong''s slightly misty irises were filled with loathe and ire. It was a hard p that stung her palm too, but she didn''t care about any of it. "First of all, don''t you dare talk to my daughter anymore¡­" her livid, shaking voice quietly threatened him like a fearsome tigress. "After everything that you possibly did to smash her heart like it''s a toy you can break anytime, you have the nerve to still face her!?" "M-Mrs. Zhu-" "Shut the fuck up, you piece of shit!!" Even Xiang trembled with his mother''s roar and promptly hid behind Xiaosi so as to not die as coteral damage. "Wow Mom is cursing¡­" Xiaosi nodded. "Nothing can save him now." "You broke her trust every step of the way and you still have to approach us and defend yourself!? You made her go against her ideals, you lied to her about your treatment and then¡­" Disgust marred her face as she threw a hateful look at Qiu. Thetter immediately lowered her head, gulping hard. "Fell into a shameless woman''s innocent words and slept with her? And for what reason? Because you thought that Chyou was cheating on you? So you thought let''s do tit for tat instead of having a proper conversation!" She angrilyughed. Caihong''s imposing aura was leaving no chance for him to even speak. Suddenly, she felt an odd but irritating scent of a perfumeing off Yin''s body now that she stood closer to him to confront him. She stared at Qiu and in an extremely low and threatening voice ordered her. "Come in front of me right now." Qiu jolted, not expecting to be called out. "I-I¡­what¡­" "Stand in front of me right now!" Her order immediately made her jump to her feet as she tremblingly stood before her with her knees feeling like jelly. Caihong grabbed her hand and slightly sniffed the back of it. "Ew Mom. How can you smell a disgusting woman like her?" Xiang blurted out. Caihong''s razor sharp re at him forced him to hold back his tongue. "I mean yeah you are always right¡­" Caihong moved her focus back to Qiu and then stared at Yin, long and hard. "You¡­you slept with her beforeing here, didn''t you?" Chyou''s eyes ever so slowly widened. She thought there was nothing else left to bear anymore but¡­ Yin felt as if the Death God himself personally sucked out his soul. "W-what are you saying¡­T-this is ridiculous." "You slept with her¡­" Caihong nkly looked at him, struggling to process how anyone can get so shameless. "You were here to meet your girlfriend''s family but you were sleeping with another woman right before you came. Ah¡­is that why you gotte today?" His face paled harder. Yating balled his fist and made up his mind. Chyou had heard enough. He would take her away from the monster who would keep breaking her heart the longer she would stay. He took one step ahead but Caihong stopped him. "Let her be here." "No. She has heard enough, Aunt." "Not at all. On the contrary, she hasn''t heard anything yet. I want her to see every bit of truth about this man that there is to see." "It''s not necessary," his gaze darkened. Xiang apuded Yating''s courage. Wow, he is not afraid of his death at all! "It is necessary." Caihong maintained her level-headed gaze at Yating understandably but also resiliently. "There was a time in my past, Yating, where I lived eight long years in the dark. I hated the man I was supposed to love. I hated my daughter who I was supposed to cherish. The hatred was only because I didn''t know the truth at all. I just foolishly kept loathing the wrong people in my life only because things were kept from me to protect me." A faint flicker passed through Xiaosi''s eyes. "But that doesn''t help anybody, Yating. Know every bit of truth there is to know no matter how bitter it is because only then your heart can decide what path to follow. I know. Truth is blunt. Truth is poisonous. Truth is cutting. It makes you feel as if you are getting cut into half but unless you go through that excruciating pain, you will never be able to wake up to reality." Her gaze clouded, reminiscing the past, "I needed to see with my own eyes how far Xiaosi went to love me. And Chyou needs to see with her own eyes just how far Cheng Yin went to break her. She will have to see it so that there is not a speck of doubt in her mind that she would ever need to forgive him." Chapter 823: To be left alone After a long time of contemtion and building some courage in her heart, Chyou gathered the strength in her feet to move. It was dim and lethargic as if she was walking against the force of heavy chains binding her immobile. Yet she faced Yin with eyes that were too exhausted to shed tears. Millions of questions and thoughts in her mind seemed to make no sense. "Why¡­?" The one syble question that escaped her trembling lips was Why? Yin panicked. "Chyou there is a misunderstanding! P-please don''t believe any of them. They just don''t want us to be together! I never had any rtionship with this shameless woman!" Qiu stared at him, stunned, her eyes aching and her heart stinging to hear the crushing words. "Qiao Kang is lying too! This bastard Gu Yating has snatched him to his side too to go against me! You¡­you cannot fall for it Chyou!" Chyou still asked, "Why?" Yin blinked, bewildered, his chest thudding with max speed. "I-I am telling you Chyou y-you cannot trust anything that they say!" She tiredly gazed at him. "But you¡­believed those pictures. You didn''t trust me. Everything¡­" her eyshes lethargically blinked, "showed to you was a lie. But you didn''t trust me. Everything shown to me right now is the truth. So why should I trust you?" He froze. "Yin¡­I just want to know why. That''s all." "Ch-Chyou that''s not¡­" It were her soulless eyes that finally made it register to Yin that no amount of ming others would now help him. There was no space left to manipte her. "I¡­I am sorry Chyou! P-please forgive me. I-I didn''t know what took over me," he pleaded and begged with tears sliding down his cheeks, "I was doing everything I can to fight my addiction b-but it was very hard¡­The rebound was hitting me too badly a-and the withdrawal symptoms were just too¡­It was around that that Qiu approached me one day showing those pictures! I know! I know that you could never betray me! I know those pictures meant nothing!" Xiang''s gaze darkened as if hell descended in it. "Do you have any shame left to say that right now!? I should seriously punch your other cheek and break your face, you bastard!" "That is the truth! I-I didn''t believe in them but this shameless woman manipted me!" Qiu stiffened. "She spoke all sorts of nonsense about Chyou. She brainwashed me! A-and with the drug rebound and all¡­I-I was not in my right mind¡­Th-That was just one time Chyou and I immediately regretted it¡­" Chyou nkly stared at him as if she was meeting him for the first time. "You came here tonight after¡­sleeping with her so I don''t see that regret." "I didn''t sleep with her! I just met her beforeing here and she was shamelessly clinging to me! The perfume scent doesn''t mean anything!" Qiu bit her lip hard. "H-How can you lie Prince Cheng. You had called me to your apartment yourself!" "Shut up you bitch!" He red at her ferociously. "I know Gu Yating has bought you and Qiao Kang to talk shit against me! It''s all his n to destroy me!" Qiao Kang gritted his teeth and cursed him. Does he want to incur the Gu family''s wrath too at this point!? A dark shadow suddenly overwhelmed Yin and he looked back to Yating''s iceced ck irises. "Destroy you? You haven''t seen even a fraction of what I can do to ruin you. I don''t need to resort to such cheap tactics. If I show you what Gu Yating can do then you won''t even be able to stand on your feet anymore, Cheng Yin." His danger-leaking low voice brought a chill to his neck. But then he angrilyughed. "That''s the only thing you rich people know to do! Abuse your power against people like us who don''t match your status-" "Abuse?" Yating tilted his head. "You haven''t seen what abuse of power actually looks like otherwise you wouldn''t speak such ignorance. But you will get to see it now." He grabbed the cor of his shirt and squeezed it against his neck as if strangling him. Yin gasped with breathlessness but more than anything, Yating''s demonic pressure almost made him piss his pants. "You have done more than enough to warrant it. So just lie in wait now till your endes to you." With a harsh push, Yin fell on the floor once more. He looked up at Chyou who remained silent and motionless. He tried to hold her hand but Xiang pulled her back, kicking him away. "Don''t you fucking touch my sister anymore! The nerve of you to ask for forgiveness after cheating on her and even calling her shameless!" Yin paled. "Th-That¡­I didn''t mean any of it! I was just angry. I really regret it-" "Enough!" Caihong roared in disgust. She called the guards and ordered them to throw the three of them out of the vi. Chyou stared at Yin''s pitiful state who continued to chant for another chance and then at Qiu. Qiu felt her gaze and stiffened. She immediately averted her gaze, guilt shing in her eyes. "Let me go!" Yin resisted the guards but to no avail. "I have to talk to Chyou. She has to forgive me. It was just a mistake. I-I won''t do it again!" Xiang sneered. "Yeah this is the proof right here that you never worked on those rehabilitation appointments. Clearly, you are still sniffing the bad stuff and living in delusions. Take these disgusting people away. They have already polluted the air enough!" "Chyou! Chyou! Please stop them. I beg you. I will listen to anything you say now!" Silence returned to the vi as the three were finally taken away. Chyou remained glued to the floor for a long moment before slowly turning upstairs. Yating balled his fist, tears threatening to escape his eyes. He wanted to follow her. He wanted to stop her from leaving and talk to her. But he also knew that at this moment, what Chyou needed the most wasn''t anybody''spany but to be left alone. All alone and all by herself. Chapter 824: Prince Cheng Yins end Back in the living room, Caihong tiredly copsed on the couch as she pressed onto her temples. "Why did this have to happen¡­I cannot believe Cheng Yin could be so shameless!" Her blood still boiled at the thought of how he spoke shit about Chyou when he was the one drowning and dripping with mud all along. She red at Xiaosi. "And you knew this all along!" He pursed his lips. "I wanted things to naturally fall in its ce and let Chyou see it for herself." "You caused her pain for no reason!" His fists clenched. "I know I could have ended her misery the moment I learned of his cheating and lies. But Chyou herself was heading in a direction in her rtionship which was so not her. I couldn''t believe it when I heard that she broke friendship with Yating just tofort him. Our Chyou would have never done that before." He nced at Yating, who was looking in the direction of Chyou''s room. The concern glimmering in his eyes was as clear as daylight. "You must have felt hurt by that." His daze broke and he blinked at Xiaosi. "About?" "When Chyou asked you to not be friends anymore." His lips stretched into a light smile. "I didn''t mind as long as it made Chyou happy, Uncle. I let it end because I thought that was the best decision for her happy rtionship." His fist trembled with self-loathe. "But I didn''t realize that Chyou had been killing herself with what she was doing. I thought our decisions would eventually make her life better but I was wrong. I also kept stroking Cheng Yin''s ego when I should have punched him long back." Xiang sneered. "I would have made a humiliating parade out of him if I knew sooner. But now he is gone for good! Now my sister won''t have to put up with a loser like him!" His nostrils red. Caihong worriedly looked back and thought that she should talk to Chyou. But Xiaosi ced his hand on her shoulder and said, "Let her be for tonight. It''s been a lot for her. We should give her some time." Xiang mumbled. "I won''t let sis mope for that loser for too long though." Yating thought back and forth for several moments and asked, "Can I go upstairs just for a few minutes? I won''t force her to meet me. I just want to let her know something." Xiaosi stared at him and slowly nodded. ¡ª Standing at her door, Yating exhaled a long, silent breath. Chyou was behind this door, fighting with reality all by herself. How must she be looking right now? Was she crying hard? Was she hugging her knees to her chest and silently weeping? Many questions bothered him but this wasn''t the time. He raised his hand to knock but paused for a moment. Eventually, he lowered his hand and simply faced the door. "Chyou," he whispered in a soft, gentle voice. He didn''t hear a response but he could feel that she was listening to him. "Don''t open the door. I am not here to force you to meet me. I just came here to tell you something." Silence. "We always were friends. We still are good friends and we always will be. That''s why I will be a call away whenever you need me no matter the time or ce. I want you to remember that. That''s all." The air was as quiet as it could get but he knew Chyou had heard him. Yating knew he had to leave but his body wasn''t in sync with his mind. He forced his feet to move and as he turned, a tear slid down his cheek. A dark storm brewed in his eyes thinking of Yin. This time you won''t be spared Cheng Yin. Not this time. ¡ª "Yin? Wake up, Yin!" Qiao Kang gritted his teeth seeing Yinpletely knocked out. After they were thrown out of the Zhu vi, a huge argument broke out between them. Yin had pushed him away and cursed Qiu like it was the end of the world. Yin didn''t even bother to go to the hospital to treat his swollen cheek. Instead he went back home and drank himself to sleep. "Hahh?" he groggily opened his eyes. He felt a splitting headache and he groaned. As he recognized Qiao Kang''s figure, his expression twisted into rage. "You!" He pushed him hard and red into a bubbling volcano. "How dare you show your face to me! You shamelessly got sold to Gu Yating and now have the nerve toe here?" His expression darkened. "I wasn''t sold to anybody you fool! Can we really lie when Zhu Xiaosi was right in front of us and that too with all the evidence? In fact you were only falling in the pit deeper and deeper the more you lied!" "Shut up!" He grabbed the alcohol bottle and smashed it hard on the floor. "Get the fuck off my house!" Qiao Kang looked at him, stunned. Then he angrilyughed. "Fine, Cheng Yin. I will leave. I just came here to break the news to you that it''s all over for you." "What the fuck do you mean?" "All your present and uing projects have been canceled." His eyes widened. "You have offended Gu Yating and Zhu Xiaosi after all. Do you think they would let you go after the stunt you pulled yesterday? Check your phone. It will have tons of messages and missed calls and only to convey to you that you are cast out of every single drama and movie project. Gu Yating personally made sure of it." Yin heard him nkly. He leapt to grap his phone and unlocked it with trembling hands. Just as Qiao Kang said, there were so many messages and missed calls that even a whole day would not be enough to look through them. But reading only few of them got him the message. ''I am sorry Cheng Yin, but we are ending your contract for XX movie.'' ''We apologize but we have found another actor to cast for YY drama.'' All the messages had the same story to tell. Qiao Kang scoffed. "There''s more. Prepare yourself when you open your social media ount because you are getting tons of hate. Somebody has uploadedst night''s video of whatever had transpired in the Zhu vi. Everything. How you acted, what you said to Chyou and your cheating revtion. It''s all out in the media." He froze. "That''s why I said. Everything is over for you. There is no Prince Cheng Yin anymore. Only Trash Cheng Yin. That''s what everybody is calling you." Chapter 825: Visiting grandparents Hiding inside her duvet, Chyou nkly scrolled on her mobile watching thetest gossip unfolding before her. Wrapped in the darkness of her nket and with sleepless circles under her eyes, the white light from her cell shed on her tired face. All of Yin''s contracts were now canceled and he had nowhere to go. His current projects and his future prospects all now went to a toss. Did Dad¡­? Or Yating? She didn''t know who did it but her heart felt nothing as if she was walking on barrennd. There was no pleasure she enjoyed in this revenge and his misery. Once the news broke, her phone buzzed with tons of messages back to back. Shui, Siying, Zhenya, Yujin, Leina, Yuhan, Ai and Liu family siblings - everybody''s concerned messages and calls rained a storm on her phone. A gentle wave of warmth washed in her heart with their sincere feelings but she felt drained to respond to any of it. She was about to put her phone back but a certain someone''s call shed on it and she blinked. It was her grandfather An Guoting. She hesitated while the call kept ringing. She could imagine her grey-haired grandfather pacing back and forth, deathly worried about his granddaughter. She knew he won''t rest until he would hear her voice. "...Grandpa," she whispered lethargically. On the other side, An Guoting''s heart sank as he heard her small voice filled with defeat. It wasn''t vibrant. It wasn''t as colorful as it always was before. It now only radiated a sense of loneliness etched deep within her heart. "Chyou," he softly and warmly said. "How is my little Chyou doing?" Chyou stared ahead in the endless dark void, contemting what her answer should be. "Are you hiding inside your nket?" "I am sleepy." "You also hide in your nket when you are hurt. Grandpa knows you the best." Her eyshes trembled. She wasn''t sure what to say. Her hoarse voice was close to choking. "Grandpa¡­" "Yes, dear. Do you want toe to Grandpa''s house? Grandpa and Grandma miss you." Tears welled in her eyes. She heard some background whispers and An Guoting said, "Okay, your Grandma says that she misses you more than me." Then he whispered extra softly, "But we both know that Grandpa loves you more, right?" Chyou wanted to smile but couldn''t lift her lips until the end. "...Can Ie to your house, Grandpa?" He pursed his lips. "Grandma is hurt to know that you would even ask such a question. This house is yours first. My little queen shoulde right here. Call Xiang too." ¡ª "Grandma! Grandpa!" Xiang hopped like a bunny andunched himself to smother his grandparents with a big hug. An Yueqin could hardly breathe. "Let me at least breathe, you silly!" He pouted. "How will I win your cookies if I don''t properly express my love?" She harrumphed. "So you came here for the cookies and not your Grandma?" He nodded. "It was a tough decision." She smacked on his head. The grandparents watched Chyou quietly standing behind. Their hearts squeezed seeing the dark rings under her eyes and her cheeks that looked hollowed out. The evergreen radiance from her cheery aura was missing like a night without a single star shining in it. She went and hugged Chyou while trying to not let her tears slip. "You seem to be not eating well these days. Look how malnourished you are!" Xiang scrunched his brows. "Thest time I checked, sis properly stole my food though." "Shoo, Xiang!" An Guoting watched her exhausted and aimless gaze. "Won''t you give Grandpa a hug?" Chyou lightly smiled and buried her face in his chest. "Grandpa. You look healthy. That''s good." "Of course. Yueqin never lets me ck on food or exercise." "Of course I don''t or if I left you to yourself then you would already be lying on a hospital bed right now," her eyes narrowed. "Hehe, how can I greet the hospital bed so early? I have two wonderful grandchildren to look after." Xiang cheekily pointed at himself. "Grandpa, I am more wonderful than sis, right? Right?" "Hmmmm¡­" He cried. "Don''t think so much, Grandpa. The pause hurts my fragile heart!" An Yueqin rolled her eyes. An Guoting held Chyou''s hands and warmly smiled. "Come,e. I have a lot to talk about with you, especially all those times when your Grandma bullied me." An Yueqin raised her brow. "Don''t tarnish my name in front of her." "I am just letting out my grievances, that''s all," he said in his defense. He brightly looked at Chyou. "Let''s go to the garden. It''s so sunny outside after all." He quickly tugged Chyou outside before his wife would get to snatch her. An Yueqin shook her head. She then nced at Xiang and worriedly said, "Chyou is not doing well at all." Xiang''s shoulders slumped. "Sis looks like a zombie and all because of that cheater and shameless Cheng Yin! Mom could hardly hold her tears back when she saw her in this state this morning¡­" An Yueqin narrowed her eyes and cracked her knuckles. "Cheng Yin needs some harsh punishment. I just have the men to do the job." An Yueqin had a long history with the underworld before she met An Guoting and married him. She had long left that world but the fringes of her connections still remained. He grinned. "Grandma is so badass. Cheng Yin just needs to see the dark world once~ I want to see his scaredy cat face~" She nodded. "He should understand the cost of hurting my beautiful granddaughter and also just who he has lost. Just ending his career seems too light of a punishment for me," she frowned. Xiang nodded hard. "He has hurt and humiliated sis a lot! He should suffer a hundred fold the pain that he gave sis!" She sneered. "He will. There is no way for him to escape. But now¡­I am only worried if Chyou would be able to escape the clutches of this pain. I hope Guoting can do something about it." Chapter 826: The process for a happy relationship An Guoting took the water can and walked towards the bed of beautiful lilies and roses. He tilted the can and let a sparkling fountain gently rain on them. He smiled. "The flowers are very pretty, right?" Chyou faintly smiled back. "Yes." "Take that other can and water them too. It will feel so refreshing~" She paused and nodded. She took the extra can lying in the shed and joined An Guoting with tending to the garden. As the water droplets sprinkled on the flower petals like a pleasant drizzle, she noticed a small rainbow forming as the sun''s golden light merged with the droplets. "Oh my so pretty!" An Guoting appreciated it with a bright grin. Chyou expressionlessly stared at the small and vibrant disperse of colors in the air. They beamed beautifully but that joy didn''t reach her heart. It was as if the only colors she could see was the dull and gloomy grey. Last night snatched every bit of color there existed in her world. "It feels so magical to see the white light lighting up with so many colors. But I guess¡­you are not able to see them." Chyou lowered her gaze. "Tell me little pumpkin. What are you thinking?" "...I don''t know," she quietly whispered. "Everything feels a mess." "Okay then. Let''s take it step by step." An Guoting got an idea and he beamed. "Let''s nt some flowers today. I just cleaned up that area a few days ago. It''s the perfect day for gardening hoho!" He eagerly grabbed the tools and necessities and asked Chyou to wear the gloves and apron. They kneeled near the empty bed of soil that was already tended to. "So let''s do it this way. Gardening is a step by step process. Whenever weplete a step, you tell me what goes in your mind. Anything. Whatever is the first thing thates to your mind." Chyou softly furrowed her brows. She wasn''t sure if it would work. But she went along. "Hmm so the first step is choosing the right ce to nt the flowers. Where should we do it?" Chyou looked left and right and pointed at a distance. "I think that''s a good ce. It has good sunlight." An Guoting studied it and nodded. "I agree. Choosing the right spot is crucial or the rest of the efforts might go to waste." Chyou froze. She clenched her apron into a small fist. "I guess then¡­I was an idiot to choose Yin in the first ce." "No, you weren''t," An Guoting said while gently patting the soil. "There is no right or wrong about falling in love. Choosing is just one of the aspects. You fell in love with him based on the version of himself he presented to you. You don''t have to feel guilty about it." Her eyes slightly stung. The old days were beautiful to her. Yin and Chyou struggled together. They became good friends and supported and understood each other through the tough times. It was fun being with Yin but¡­ An Guoting said, "Take the shovel and let''s remove any weeds or debris lying around." Chyou silently cleaned up the area. The soil looked fluffy and airy now. He chirped. "Wepleted the second step~ So tell me what do you think now?" "I don''t understand since when things started falling apart¡­" her eyshes quivered. "Everything felt so right to me." "Things were falling apart right from the beginning, dear," he replied. "And no. It''s not because you made a wrong choice of a partner. It''s because he kept things from you. You see the soil now? This flower wouldn''t bloom if there were still weeds and debris hindering its growth. If the base itself would be all wrong then the flower is bound to wither one day. Just like that, trust is the base of any rtionship. Lies are like these weeds. You lie and hide about your life or you keep piling more lies onto it. That love is bound to crumble one day." Chyou felt her eyes ache. Indeed, it was only lies and deceit so much so that she wondered just when Yin was truthful to her. An Guoting patted her hand with a doting smile. "Let''s continue. We chose the right spot and we prepared the soil. Now let''s add thepost. What doespost do, little pumpkin?" "Improves the soil''s fertility." He nodded. "What are you thinking about now?" She trembled and couldn''t help from letting her tears slide. "I don''t know¡­I don''t know, Grandpa. What did I do so wrong? I did everything I could to help him. To save this rtionship. I made decisions I didn''t want to. Still¡­still everything fell apart." An Guoting looked ahead as if he fell into a trance. "Because it was only you who were putting in the effort, dear. A rtionship is a process as much as nting this flower. It needspost to bloom so does a rtionship. You did what you had to but did Cheng Yin do what he had to? He was quick to give up on bing clean. He was quick to cheat based on a few pictures. He was quick to dismiss allpromises you made. So where exactly did he try to improve his rtionship with you?" He shook his head. "Both partners need to work and sail through the sea together. The boat will sink if only one is paddling all along. The person will get tired one day." Drops of tears plopped on the back of her hand as his words resonated hard. "Aish don''t cry dear. Nowes the most exciting part~!" He hopped like a little child. He handed her a little flower and said, "Go ahead and nt it. Then we will water it." Chyou sniffled and wiped her tears. She carefully ced the small, delicate flower in the dug hole and backfilled the soil. They thoroughly watered it and he grinned. "Perfect! Now we wait for the flower to blossom. I am sure it will be a spectacle to behold!" Chapter 827: More villainous than anybody Chyou stared at the delicate flower she nted in the soil. A lot ofplicated emotions toiled her heart back and forth. An Guoting patted her head. "It''s alright, dear. Things are hard for you. But this shall all pass too. Have faith." "...I¡­feel so ashamed, Grandpa¡­" she choked as her misty tears dropped tears on the ground. He frowned. "Why would you feel ashamed?" She lightly gasped and rubbed her palms together. "I wanted to show Mom, Dad, Xiang that I¡­chose a good man. But I let them down. Not just let them down but Yin humiliated them¡­all because of me. I wanted to have a perfect rtionship like theirs. I thought I found it in Yin. I was so happy¡­What must they be thinking about me?" An Guoting''s eyes widened. "My dear pumpkin you are thinking on an entirely wrong tangent. Xiaosi and Chyou would never be disappointed in you. They are disappointed in Cheng Yin for breaking your heart. It has nothing to do with you choosing him. You are the apple of their eyes. They are your parents. Even if Cheng Yin turned out to be the wrong guy for you, what is there in it for you to be embarrassed about? You should be proud of yourself. You did everything a good partner should. It''s him who didn''t honor the same." She pressed her lips inward, her cheeks aching to cry. He patted her head again. "You might feel that everything is over but that is far from the truth, okay? Just give yourself some time. Take a break from your work if you want. Things will get back on track for sure. And always remember to be grateful to fate that you learned of this ugly truth before it got toote." She trembled. She couldn''t imagine herself marrying Yin while she was being kept in the dark of his affair. Getting married to a cheater would have been the worst possible punishment for her. "You don''t have to invest your feelings in a cheater anymore. I know it''s painful for you but I don''t mind celebrating with a ss of wine that my granddaughter is free from such a man''s life," he harrumphed. "Th-though Yueqin won''t let me have any wine¡­" Chyou slightly burst into a chuckle seeing his shoulders droop. She softly wrapped her arm around his and said, "I will sneakily help you with it." His eyes shone. "Really?" "But only one ss. No overdoing it with your health." He nodded hard. "My granddaughter is the best." She lifted her lips in a tired smile. An Guoting released a silent sigh. It won''t be easy to forget that bastard¡­ He gently smiled at her. "Promise me, pumpkin." "Hm?" "That you won''t deal with this all alone. You have so many friends who care for you. Don''t distance yourself from them because of one wrong man." She didn''t know why but Yating''s face popped into her mind first. ''I will be a call away whenever you need me no matter the time or ce. I want you to remember that. That''s all.'' Then something else automatically and almost instantly followed the previous train of thought. ''What if I want that woman to be you?'' She inwardly pped herself for thinking about out of context things. What am I doing? Is this the time to be thinking of all this! An Guoting tilted his head and curiously asked, "What are you thinking?" "N-Nothing." From a distance, Xiang and An Yueqin were peeking at the duo. "Hoho sis seems to be in a better mood now," Xiang eagerly whispered. An Yueqin sighed in relief. "Indeed she looks a lot better now. As long as she isn''t alone, she won''t suffer like this." He nodded. "Chyouuuuu!" Suddenly a voice came echoing in and Chyou''s editor, Sun Jiang, rushed in the garden. Chyou stared at her, taken aback. "JiangJiang." She burst into tears as she saw her. "Thank God you are here! I thought you already packed your bags and left on some journey to rediscover yourself." Everybody - "..." "But then Mrs. Zhu said that you are here so I came here at lightning speed!" She jumped to hug her. "Chyou, I am so d to see you," her eyes ached. "I was so worried about you! Imagine my shock after seeing today''s news! I thought you had already disappeared." An Guoting smiled. "Chyou would have never disappeared. After all, she loves her cute grandfather a lot. What will I do without her?" "But just look at her Mr. An. She has clearly not slept enough! Why sacrifice your sleep for a bastard man?" Her gaze went cold. "And for a man who spoke nonsense about Chyou! He shamelessly med everything on Chyou for his actions. I want to beat him into a pulp! She wasn''t wrong at all. First of all, the whole thing about Chyou telling me about his addiction is wrong. It was Liu Jun who had told me." Chyou''s eyes widened. "What? Jun?" "Yes." *shback* "Damn this is gonna be a problem!" Sun Jiang was pacing back and forth in her office seeing all the supposed ''date'' pictures making rounds on the. "I won''t ever let Chyou apologize for this nonsense!" She frowned. "But will Cheng Yin do anything about it? If he deres his trust in Chyou, then his stupid fans will calm down and everything will be sorted." Her eyes narrowed. That is provided only if he trusts Chyou too. Her phone then buzzed with a number she never saw before and she furrowed her brows. "Who is this?" "Liu Jun." Her eyes rapidly blinked. "You are Sun Jiang, right? Chyou''s manager. I want to talk to you. Can youe to Sky for some time?" He is from the Liu family Chyou keeps talking about¡­ "Okay. I will be there." When she was at Jun''s office seated opposite him, she could feel her knees bing jelly with the sheer iciness that hadpletely covered his dark brown irises. "Cheng Yin won''t be giving a statement." Her daze broke and her attention snapped towards him. "You mean about the scandal right? He has to. He is her boyfriend. If he doesn''t trust her then it will only make the mess bigger." Jun smiled rmingly. "Not this time." "Sorry?" Jun slid his phone and showed her some pictures. "What do you make of them?" Sun Jiang squinted her eyes and gasped. "Is that¡­what I am thinking it is? The hell he is an addict!?" Jun sneered. "This is¡­" Sun Jiang felt her mind blown. "I want you to use these pictures to threaten him and his manager to put out a statement. Gu Yating already did half of the job with his own statement," he chuckled with an evil glint in his eyes. "Cheng Yin will give the finishing touches." Sun Jiang shuddered with the hair on her skin snapping straight. Jun was younger than her but right now more viinous than anybody in this world. Chapter 828: Magical powers? "Jun did that?" Chyou asked as she was leftpletely stunned. When did Jun learn about Yin''s addiction? "Yes. And that idiot Cheng Yin kept ming you!" Sun Jiang shook her head. "Thank God you are out of his life. He didn''t trust you with anything!" Her gaze shed coldly. An Guoting nodded. "We should be really grateful to him." Hiding behind a tree at a distance with his grandmother, Xiang scratched his head. "Liu Jun huh¡­" "Aish the Liu siblings are so sweet." "Yeah that¡­Oh that reminds me of something. Wasn''t Dad going to meet him today?" "In S3?" "I don''t know but this morning I heard Dad take his name. But I really wonder how he learned about everything." ¡ª "I am grateful for all your help, Jun," Xiaosi said, facing Jun, who sat opposite to the CEO''s seat. Jun shook his head. "You don''t have to thank me for anything, Uncle. I only want to see Chyou happy, that''s all." Xiaosi stared at him with scrutiny. "How¡­did you know everything? Right from Cheng Yin skipping his appointments and then cheating on Chyou with that assistant¡­" In the confrontationst night, Xiaosi had said that he dug the truth about Yin all by himself. But the truth was that it was Jun who gathered all the evidence against Yin through the shadows and told everything to Xiaosi. Xiaosi had indeed tracked the woman to be Qiu who leaked the pictures but it was Jun who went one step ahead and put before him his own pictures where Yin and Qiu were together for several nights. Jun had no proper and reasonable answer to give to Xiaosi. He had seen Chyou''s life going downhill because of Yin. He knew everything about him and what kind of a person he was. A person like Cheng Yin would only repeat history. That''s just what happened. He betrayed Chyou''s trust and stopped all his efforts to be clean. He cheated on her with other women after marriage. He was an angry young man who always spoke and used Chyou of nonsense in a fit of fury. Jun swore he would never let things go as far as marriage and protect Chyou from him. He would expose Yin in this life and make him suffer hell like he always deserved. He simply had to wait for the right time and collect evidence whenever he took even a single wrong step. But even outside Jun''s expectations, things moved pretty quickly for him. And it happened only because of Yating''s presence. Yating and Chyou''s friendship that only grew closer with time that ultimately affected Yin and he showed his true colors. Gu Yating¡­ In the previous life, there had never been much interaction between Chyou and Yating. Chyou dated Yin and Yating dated Guiying so their paths never crossed. Is it the cascade effect of Ai and my fate changing? He wondered. He brought his attention back to Xiaosi who curiously awaited his answer. He coughed. "I just never liked Cheng Yin in the first ce. He smelled bad news." "Really?" He squinted his eyes. "Because it seems that you were pretty sure of the specifics of what would happen. It almost felt like you have some magical powers." Jun coughed hard andughed nervously. "H-How can that be possible, Uncle? I am just a human. I don''t have any powers," he slightly averted his eyes. I only know what happened in the past. Xiaosi figured he wouldn''t get the real answer from him so he dropped the topic. To him it only mattered that Chyou was protected and saved from such a messy rtionship before it got toote. Jun asked, "...How is she doing?" Xiaosi leaned back on his chair with a somber expression. "What you would expect. She didn''t sleepst night. She is at her grandparents'' ce now. I only hope she feels better in theirpany." Jun slowly nodded. He then said, "Chyou will be fine, Uncle. She is very strong." Even though Chyou was defeated left and right in thest life, she still rose to her feet and became the Queen as she rightfully was. Xiaosi''s irises mysteriously shone. "Yes. She will be fine. She has so many people to care for her. She will find out her way from this darkness sooner orter. Now nothing is holding her back." Jun blinked his eyes. There was a pleased and serene look on Xiaosi''s face as if he wasn''t really worried about the future. He cocked his brow and Yating came to his mind. Maybe because of him¡­ "How is Ai doing?" "As always hopping and chirping. She is very concerned for Chyou. She will definitelye flying to meet her at any time." Xiaosi chuckled. "That''s good. Chyou needs all kinds of good changes. I was wondering if they could have an all girls pajama party or something." "Oh that''s cool. Ai will be the happiest," his brow twitched. "You don''t seem to be pleased." "I am afraid I won''t get my Ai back if I leave her with Chyou. Chyou is as dangerous to me as other men eyeing Ai," he inly stated. Xiaosi burst intoughter. "Well what can I say? She has got all the charming genes from my wife." Jun chuckled. I think Aunt has the opposite to say, he thought. ¡ª Qiu clutched her bag and stood in front of the set''s entrance. Her eyes were red and puffed up and her face looked haggard as if she aged by ten years. She slowly stepped in and immediately, shocked gasps echoed throughout the set. "Hey it''s her!" "She is the one Cheng Yin slept with!" "The nerve of her toe to the set after what happened! She seduced the Queen''s boyfriend and nowes here as if nothing happened!?" "I cannot believe she can be that shameless!" Qiu bit her lip with all the disdainful gazes and daggers being thrown at her. Tears pooled in her eyes as all the poisonous words stung her. With all themotion, the director arrived and stood before her. Qiu straightened up and apologized. "Please forgive me, Sir. I g-got a littlete today¡­" "You don''t have to ask for forgiveness because you don''t need toe here again." Chapter 829: Promotion! The biggest breakup in the entertainment industry resounded hard even after a few days had passed. They made the headlines that exploded every single day that only skinned Yin alive. He had no ce to show his face nor he had any work left. All his contracts were now canceled and even his entertainment agency abandoned him. His fans abandoned him as well. From Prince Cheng who soared high in the sky, he was now left to the streets. After seeing the video of what transpired in the Zhu vi, everybody relished the treatment that the cheater was getting. Not only was his affair out but his addiction too and as an addict, no popr agencies wanted to associate with him anymore. Among them, only one personid depressed in his office that saw all his hard work crumbling before him like a tower of cards toppling down. He was none other than Director Murong. The movie production was already in its finishing stages with some editing remaining here and there. But at this point, Director Murong didn''t see any point to do the rest of it anyway. With Yin''s reputation crashing like a stock going down in the market, he could see it as clear as the sun that the movie wouldn''t work in the box office. Even if Chyou was the lead actress, it was next to impossible to sustain the movie all by herself. Yin had an equally important role to y. But nobody wanted to see Yin on the big screen anymore. With Yin as the lead actor in the movie, there were high chances that nobody would want to waste the trip to the theaters to see him. His fans had left him and Chyou''s fans would loathe to see his presence anywhere. After all, he humiliated and betrayed Chyou to the point of no return. There was no way anybody would be forgiving. He had pinned his hopes on the poprity that they were a couple and audiences would love to see them together. But now all those hopes took a deep dip into the sea. Seeing them would only invoke disgust, much simr to what he was feeling right now. Then did that mean there was no future for this movie anymore? Should he pull out this project? Director Murong gnashed his jaw and banged his fist on the table. "If I ever see Cheng Yin again, I will beat the shit out of him! My precious baby¡­" hecked tears to shed. He has big hopes and dreams for this movie. "But now everything went down the drain! I will kill him!" Director Murong''s shoulders slumped and he copsed back on his chair. He casually scrolled down the social media. The rage against Yin was like wildfire. His huge following had shrunken into ant size. Sad and depressed, Director Murong posted a question on his ount. ''How many of you will stille to see the movie?'' The bacsh he faced was instantaneous and immense. ''Director Murong seems to be a cheater too!'' He was stunned and speechless. Hey hey don''t talk any nonsense against me! I just asked an innocent question, you know? What if my wife believes you! You want my loving marriage to end in divorce!? But the responses kepting. ''No way I would tolerate that bastard on the screen anymore!'' ''I want to support Queen Chyou with all my heart but I just cannot with Yin anymore! He disgusts me.'' ''I am boycotting him.'' ''If you remove his role then I will dly be there to watch!'' His brow twitched. How can I remove his role? Among the numerous demotivating and negative responses, one of the fans wasparatively pleasant who replied back. ''Hehe~ If it''s the knight in shining armor Gu Yating then I will pay twice the ticket money!'' Director Murong jumped in his seat. That particr message was drowned by the other vehement disagreements to his question, but he scrolled up to read the message again. His eyes popped out of his sockets as if lightning struck him. I am an idiot!!! I can still save this movie! He grinned and his orginal glow was back on his face. He dialed a certain number and chirped. "Gu Yating! How are you my boy!?" On the other side, Yating stared at the caller on his phone with a puzzled expression. Is this really Director Murong? Since when does he talks like that? Director Murong almost couldn''t hold himself back from dancing in his seat. His assistant, who had just arrived, could only throw him a dumbfounded look. "Gu Yating, Gu Yating, Gu Yating," he sheepishly grinned. "Yes?" "Do you want a promotion?" "..." "Huh?" "Yes!" His eyes sparkled. "Everybody likes promotion, right?" "...I guess so?" "That is a yes. So, so! As a very seasoned and experienced director, you know, I have a very good eye for things." "Okay." Yating wasn''t sure where he was going with this. "I have also heard the feedback from yourmercial shooting. You are rough around the edges but you were quick to learn your role~ You looked like a natural in no time." "Thanks." "But I was wondering how long will you get stuck yourself to just an ad role?" He sighed dramatically. "Not for long. Only until the cooperation project ispleted." His brow twitched. He then grinned. "Come on, Gu Yating. Think a little harder. Have a wider horizon. You can have the wings to fly high, high up in the air." Yating now seriously questioned the director''s sanity. "I don''t think I am understanding you." "You can get much better and bigger roles, you know!" His pitch was now increasingly getting eager and hyper. Yating blinked. "I am not looking for bigger and better roles anyway. I am a chief editor by profession. This is just temporary stuff I am doing for the project." Director Murong waved his hand. "I mean you would have surely dreamed of showing your excellent talent on the big screen right? Right? At least once?" "Not really." "..." His nostrils red. "You surely would have! It''s just that you don''t know it yet. But as a very seasoned and experienced director, I understand your heart very well." "..." "Ad roles are fine and all but you would shine so much brighter on the big silver screen!" "Can you please tell me clearly what you have to say?" "Hehe, you care about Chyou, right?" "Of course I do." "You cannot see her hardwork and efforts going to waste, right?" "Never." "So you will take the lead role of my movie, right?" "..." Chapter 830: A movie together Chyou walked in the set with everybody''s attention snapping at her at a moment''s notice. "Queen Chyou!!!" The whole set broke into chaos as everybody surrounded her with tears in their eyes. Behind her, people could see some reporters and paparazzi roaming around and following her for some heated debate and answers but they red at them and shooed them away. Don''t buzz around Queen Chyou! "Queen Chyou, we missed you!" One of the staff attendants burst into tears. "We are so sorry for what happened, Queen. I never thought that Prince Cheng- hmph, Cheng Yin would turn out like this!" "And on top of that, that shameless woman Qiu had the nerve toe to work here as if nothing happened!" "Queen Chyou, you look so thin¡­" "Are you not eating properly?" "You look so tired. Don''t worry, I will doll you up to be the prettiest Queen in this whole wide world!" One makeup artist proudly said. The concern in everybody''s eyes and words warmed Chyou''s heart. "Everybody¡­Thank you so much. I really appreciate it." "Hmph that cheater Cheng Yin doesn''t deserve our Queen! Don''t feel heartbroken, Queen. You will surely find a handsome and dashing prince charming soon for sure~" "Maybe fate has already arranged for that~ Queen, queen, you should head to Director Murong''s office! He has super important stuff to talk to you about!" She nodded. "Indeed. I also came here to talk about something important about the movie," she smiled. "I will head there to meet him now. Later on today, I have arranged for a feast today so enjoy it." "Yayyyyyy!!" Everybody''s faces lit up like Christmas trees. "A treat by Queen Chyou!" As Chyou left, one female assistant squealed hard. "I cannot wait to see what wille out of that meeting. We might just be able to see Gu Yating everyday!" "Kyaaaa!!" The hearts popping and bursting overflowed everywhere. Single men could only cry in the corner as the hearts weren''t meant for them. "He is definitely more charming than that cheater!" "Hehe I always found Gu Yating and Queen''s chemistry more sizzling~ Ah, ah, I cannot wait!" ¡ª Chyou took a deep breath and steeled her heart. It was important to discuss the movie''s future which she knew wouldn''t work on the big screen anymore. It was impossible for the movie to be loved after Yin''s stint. Everybody has worked so hard for this movie. I cannot let anybody''s efforts go to waste¡­ She knocked and Director Murong''s zealous voice resounded. "Come in,e in!" "..." Why does¡­he sounds so excited? It was quite the opposite reaction that she hadn''t expected and for some reason, she felt a sort of forebodinging to her. She slowly opened the door and froze upon seeing Yating turning back from his chair at the same time. Her lips slightly parted, unsure of what expression to make. I haven''t talked to him since then¡­ Yating smiled with a slight strain in it. "Hey." "Chyouuuuu! Come here! You will be so proud of me when you learn of the awesome idea that just struck me! Ahahaha!" Director Murongughed heartily. She blinked, puzzled. Why do I feel that his idea will be bad for my heart? She walked with slow, cautious steps and cleared her throat as she smiled at Yating. "Hey. That¡­We could-" "Sit, sit!" Director Murong furiously patted towards the chair. "..." She nced at Yating and read hisplicated countenance. Uh oh. Something is going on¡­ She took a seat and smiled. "Nice to see you so happy, Director Murong." "Of course I will be happy!" His eyes gleamed and shone. So bright, her brow twitched. "After all, I just promoted Gu Yating!" "Huh? Promoted?" "Yes! Promoted from a script assistant to the lead actor of my movie." "..." Chyou thought she heard it wrongly. "The lead actor is¡­Yin-" "Not anymore," he chirped. "We will soon start shooting with Gu Yating taking the lead role ahahaha! I am such a brilliant man!" Chyou remained seated like a statue. Suddenly, the meaning behind Yating''splicated expression came to her. "Yeah that''s exactly my reaction," Yating said with a dry smile. "So now only you can convince him that this is not possible." Director Murong frowned. "Why isn''t it possible? You acted just fine for themercials!" "Commercials are different¡­A whole movie is another story." "That''s right. Another story, another chance to shine~" We are not talking the samenguage, he closed his eyes in defeat. "Wait, wait," Chyou breathlessly intervened. "Please exin a bit more, Director." "What is there to exin? The point at which we stand, the movie is for sure a goner. But, but, but! Gu Yating can save it!" His excitement rivaled that to a child''s. "H-How¡­?" She asked, speechless. "By recing Cheng Yin as the lead actor, silly what else? Gu Yating has be so famous ever since he saved you from the fire. Many, many fans actually secretly like your chemistry a lot." She coughed. She felt her cheeks warm for a reason she didn''t understand. "So why don''t we tap into it and make it a blockbuster? Many don''t realize that they actually like seeing you two together a lot. In fact, when you had released the teaser of yourmercial some time back, it had gotten a hell lot of traction. Imagine seeing you two together on the silver screen!" He beamed. "Can you just imagine the reaction of the audience?" Can you please try to imagine my reaction for now? She cried. "A movie is impossible for me, I am afraid," Yating shook his head. "These are very high expectations and I cannot see the movie turn into some sort of clown amusement because of my hardly existential acting skills." "..." "And then again¡­" he nced at Chyou and said albeit with hesitation, "We were in a scandal. I don''t know how people will take it seeing me recing Yin as the lead actor. Maybe his fans will think about it as some plot against him. We cannot discard that line of thought process either." "I know. I have thought about that as well. But those blind people making noise won''tst for longer. Cheng Yin ispletely screwed. Drugs, cheating and the humiliation he caused Chyou won''t be taken lightly. Nobody will have the face to challenge the recement decision," he sneered. "And at the end of the day, movie making is also a business, Gu Yating. I will do what it takes to make this movie a profit and sess. Surely as Gu Rong''s son, you understand that, right? Same with Chyou." They belonged to business families so if course, they understood that. He sighed. "But still. It''s important if you two arefortable too. As much as I want for this to happen, I want you two to agree to it too. So I want you two to talk about it and decide." Chapter 831: Benevolent virus For a long time, Chyou didn''t know what to speak because she was too busy cating her rapid heartbeats. There were themercials to be done and now Director Murong insisted on doing the movie together too. Huh, huh, huh? What should I say? What should I even say to him? A movie with Yating¡­can I even do it? But wait. Why am I so worried? A message hit her phone and she read it was from Sun Jiang. ''Oh my gosh, Chyou! I heard from Director Murong that he wants to cast Gu Yating as the lead actor! That''s freaking amazing! I am telling you the movie will be a blockbuster even more than when Cheng Yin was in it. People really adore the way Gu Yating carries himself you know~'' Chyou peeked at Yating but she was too mesmerized by the sun''s soft glow lighting up his side profile. Yating felt her gaze and looked at her. She stiffened and stumbled. "Hey!" He quickly caught her arm and gently pulled her. He gazed down. "Are the heels ufortable for you?" She robotically shook her head. "That''s good then," he smiled. She instantly averted her gaze. "..." "Is something the problem?" I don''t know, she thought. But I am not able to look at you for some reason. "No problem¡­" Yating figured out the source of her tension and smiled with assurance. "It''s okay, Chyou. I won''t act in the movie. It''s impossible for me anyway." "Huh, what? It''s not impossible," she blinked at him, confused. "You definitely have the talent!" He paused, surprised. He was expecting a different reaction from Chyou. "Aren''t you¡­bothered if we work together?" She blinked twice and then it hit her. Things were at an odd ce between them. They cared for each other but with how she herself had asked to end their friendship, she didn''t know where they stood. Yin wasn''t in the picture anymore. She had no reason to think and act cautiously around Yating. Her face fell. Wouldn''t it¡­be incredibly selfish of me now? Yating''s eyes slightly widened. "Hey, hey. You don''t have to look so troubled. I was just-" "No, no!" She quickly said, "I am not worried in that sense." His head tilted. "Then?" Chyou hesitated. She was trying all sorts of permutations andbinations in her mind when Yating said, "Chyou. I always liked the way you spoke freely to me. I will seriously never get offended over whatever you have to say so you really don''t have to think so much." Chyou slowly met his gaze. It felt so peaceful and assuring that all the chaos in her mind halted from disrupting her mind further. His pleasant smile washed over aforting feeling in her heart that lifted off a burden from her shoulders but also brought tears to her eyes. "I am really sorry, Yating." He blinked. "Sorry for what? Wait, did you steal the cookies I bought?" "..." He then patted his coat''s pocket and found the small cookie packet was safe and sound. "Oh, you didn''t. My bad," he sheepishly grinned. Her brow twitched. "I am not a thief." He shook his head. "One can never say about a woman when it''s about sweets." Her nostrils red. "I think as apensation for you falsely using me, I deserve to get those cookies." "Aha! I knew that you would eye my cookies," his eyes narrowed. "I wasn''t until you used me," she harrumphed in her defense and suddenly stiffened. She bantered so naturally as if all the confusion she was facing was just an illusion. She raised her trembling finger at him "Y-you¡­don''t try to change the atmosphere!" He chuckled. "The gloomy atmosphere doesn''t suit the Queen. Bright and chirpy and cheeky is what is right for you." Her shoulders slumped and a tear fell on her cheek. "Why are you so nice to me?" He said with all sincerity, "Do a loyal subject need a reason?" She threw him a soft re. "Yes, you do need a reason especially when I was the one who selfishly asked you to break our friendship. You¡­" she sniffled, "despite that you are still standing by my side as if nothing happened¡­" Yating thoughtfully touched his chin. "Yes because nothing has happened in the first ce. Hmm, what is this memory that you have but I don''t?" "..." "Seriously?" "From thest stored record in my database, the Queen and this loyal subject were and still are always good friends. I never had a reason to not care for you." Tears pooled in her eyes and her voice choked. "But I remember." He nodded. "Seems some fault has entered your harddisk. You are retaining memories that never even happened." "..." "I must say you should skip those faulty memory records," he grinned. Her cheeks puffed up as she was trying hard to not cry. "Y-you should just walk out of this movie proposal. You shouldn''t think about it or me or feel responsible to save it when I made some foolish choices for the sake of the wrong man¡­Please don''t help me anymore when I have o-only ever hurt you." Yating tilted his head. "Hmm, this loyal subject still doesn''t remember the Queen ever hurting him. Perhaps a benevolent virus hacked my memory and wiped it out." "..." "You are super knowledgeable aboutputers right? How was my knowledge? Pretty impressive, right? I studied hard." Chyou could only tremble in grievance. He chuckled. "As far as I remember Chyou. We were always and still are good friends. Nothing ever ended between us. I am just too shameless to let go of hugging the Queen''s thigh~" At that point, Chyou felt like she was talking to a wall. "You¡­! You are seriously such a good man! Why are you such a good man?" "Only because you are so awesome," heughed. Chyou felt dizziness surrounding her brain. His eyes, hisughter, his sweet words and his unwavering support were proving to be too lethal for her heart. Her helpless expression made Yating pinch her cheek. "The Queen can be as selfish as she wants with me. Gu Yating will dly fulfill all of it." Chapter 832: Yearn for a mothers love "Chyou, my dear!" Gu Rong warmly hugged her as soon as Chyou''s head popped into his office. "How have you been? Aish, it feels like I am seeing you after ages." Upon his request, Yating brought her to Gu Corps, who wanted to meet Chyou ever since the whole pandemonium ensued. He looked at her from head to toe and furrowed his brows. "You are not skipping your meals, right? You look so thin." She smiled. "I promise I am eating well, Uncle." "Good, good." Yating was standing beside her but Gu Rong hadn''t yet acknowledged him. It was as if he was purposefully ignoring his presence. Thest dinner hadn''t ended so well for them. Things were said that hurt both father and son and since then, there wasplete silence between them. "How is your work going, Uncle?" "As usual, busy." At that point Yating was sure that he would surely throw a jab at him for not helping out with the business and wasting his time at Dream High, which would only turn the conversation into an argument. But surprisingly, Gu Rong didn''t use any sarcasm this time. Yating frowned suspiciously. Howe he is so quiet today? Gu Rong held her hands and lightly smiled. "I am d you threw away that cheater from your life. I am sorry. I know it''s hard to forget¡­" His jaw slightly clenched, his gaze looking somewhere faraway. "Selfish and greedy people like him ought to be cast away without any mercy. Otherwise they make our life hell even before we realize it. That''s why, don''t think about Cheng Yin anymore. You are free to think about my son tho-" "Dad!!!" Yating looked at him in horror. "I was right. I shouldn''t have brought her here!" Chyou cleared her throat. If it was before then she would haveughed but today, she wasn''t sure how to react. Gu Rong threw him a perplexed look and looked away. Idiot son. This is the time you should use to charm your way in her heart! Could you be any slower!? Yet Gu Rong didn''t utter a word in retort. Chyou looked back and grinned. "Hehe Yating~ I am in the mood for some cake! Will you bring some, please, please?" "..." And leave you alone with him? I don''t know what nonsense he will talk to you about! "I don''t-" "Pleaaaaaaaaaaasssseeeeee??" She gave a pitiful look. "..." Gu Rong red at him. "If she is asking for cake, then why are you still standing? Get going already!" He let out a sigh. "Fine¡­" He threw a warning re at his father. You better not mention anything useless! Especially hinting anything about our rtionship! Gu Rong simply ignored him, making his brow twitch. After Yating grudgingly left, Chyou looked back at Gu Rong and softly chuckled. "Did you and Yating fight?" He paused. "It''s nothing new." "Hm but you are reaaaaaly ignoring him today. Where is the usual adorable banter that I always see?" Gu Rong''s gaze flickered as he held a distant look in his irises. He nced at Chyou and hesitated. "Did you ever¡­" "Hm?" She tilted her head. "Did you ever think you wanted your mother''s love in those years when you and Mrs. Zhu was distant? Even though Zhu Xiaosi loved you so much?" Chyou blinked. The question made her realize what could have happened between the father and son. She smiled. "I did. I missed her even though we lived under the same roof. Dad loved me a lot. But I was just a child then. So I wished I had Mom love me too just like I saw other mothers love their children at school." "Oh. And now? If¡­If Mrs. Zhu wouldn''t have changed, would you have still missed her?" "I guess I would have epted reality and learned to live without her. But somewhere in a tiny corner of my heart, I might have still probably continued to yearn for her love even if only a little bit." He said nothing. Chyou read an inexplicable emotion in his posture and said, "But that doesn''t mean that I wouldn''t have cherished Dad. In fact I would have loved him a lot, looooooot more. Because I cherish the present he is giving me. So it''s hopeless to chase after a future I wouldn''t have gotten anyway." "I see," he slowly nodded. She then asked, "Did Yating mention his mother?" He stiffened and lowered his gaze. "No¡­" She scrunched her brows. "Tell me the truth. Am I not your favorite Chyou?" His eyes shone with grievance. "I was just trying to make him understand that hanging around that selfish brat Ma Dong wasn''t a good idea! He and his family used my son''s kindness and friendship and stole money aspensation from me for the ident at high school years ago. They only looked at us as rich thighs to hug! But that idiot still thinks his friendship was and is still genuine!" Her eyes widened. "But Yating felt that I was targeting his choices and¡­" he trembled, "for the first time in these years he said that it would have been better if¡­she would have been here too. W-well he is free to leave then! He doesn''t have to suffer with a tyrant father if he doesn''t have to!" Gu Rong was shaking hard and at a loss of breath as he said that. "First, you should sit down, Uncle," Chyou made him sit on his chair. She stared at his trembling hands and misty, frightened irises. "You don''t have to say things that you don''t mean, Uncle. Isn''t Yating the apple of your eyes?" "What does it matter? He always fights with me. He always does the opposite that I want him to do. And now he wants his mother. If I am facing so many problems with my son, clearly, I failed." "Hm? You didn''t fail. You should see just how many times Xiang and Dad have arguments and shes," she scratched her head. "But that doesn''t mean they don''t love each other." He clenched his fist. "But he mentioned his mother for the first time in his life¡­" She shook her head. "That doesn''t mean youcked anywhere. It just means that you two simply need to have a proper conversation and listen to each other." He frowned. "I have always listened to him." She popped the balloon. "Not really." "..." Chapter 833: A person of the past Yating impatiently waited at the nearby cake shop, waiting for Chyou''s cake to be packed. He frequently nced at his watch, worried about what his father would say to her. He was always very passionate about making Chyou as his daughter-inw and now that she was single, Gu Rong wouldn''t leave a chance to sway her towards his proposal. I just hope he doesn''t say any nonsense! He thought as he rubbed his brows. Yating collected the cake box and quickly headed out of the shop when he heard a soft voice calling him from behind. "Ya-Yating¡­" Yating stopped in his steps and turned. A middle-aged woman stood before him with a hint of hesitation on her face. Yating stared at her for a long time. It didn''t click with him immediately as to the identity of the woman before him. He was very young when she left him and Gu Rong. The hazy figure of that woman from all those years back was almost a fleeting and distant memory now. But the resemnce slowly came to him and his feet remained frozen on the ground. "Mom¡­?" ¡ª "Duan Ren was never a good mother," Gu Rong remorsefully said. "She began to distance herself from Yating and that soon caused many fights between us. I don''t know if he even remembers her." Chyou''s gaze lowered. In a way then she and Yating were very simr. Both went through troubled childhoods with ack of their mother''s love. The only difference was that eventually, Caihong came around and epted her daughter at one point in time. But that time never came for Yating. She softly pursed her lips. "Did she leave because the responsibility was too much for her?" She didn''t hear a response and looked up to watch Gu Rong gazing at a distance with an indecipherable expression. "...I had enough of it so I told her to leave. There wasn''t a point anymore." Her shoulders dropped. As she gazed into his eyes, Chyou didn''t know why but his countenance made her feel a little uneasy. As if there was something more to his and Duan Ren''s rtionship. The door opened and they saw Yating step in. He walked slowly as if still in a trance and pondering over something important. "Ah cake!" Chyou chirped and broke the father-son duo''s daze. They threw a cold stare at each other, making Chyou''s brow twitch. They are always at war, she thought. Chyou merrily grabbed the cake bag from him and pushed it in the middle of Gu Rong''s desk. "Let''s sweeten our mood with the cake~" Gu Rong smiled. "I don''t really like sweet things that much." Yating couldn''t help himself from releasing a scoff. "Yeah it''s so very evident." He banged his palm and red at him. "Gu Yating! What do you mean?" "I think you know it very well." "Stop!" Chyou raised her palm. "You two should know a very important rule." They furrowed their brows in confusion. "One must never fight when either of the three things are in front of you - choctes, cake and ice cream." "..." What kind of a rule is this? "So Yating. You should sit down and without throwing any snide remarks this time," she sincerely said. He was dumbfounded. "What about all the unnecessarymentary he greets me with all the time!" "Me being concerned about you and your future is unnecessarymentary for you!?" Gu Rong''s gaze darkened. Chyou started sniffling. "Nobody cares about the poor cake." "..." They coughed and immediately quietened. Gu Rong felt guilty. Chyou was already dealing through a betrayal. How could he bring more tears to her eyes? "I am sorry, dear. I won''t fight anymore." Yating cleared his throat. "Same here¡­" Chyou beamed and pped her hands once in delight. "Great! Let''s have some cake then!" Wait a second, where are your tears now? Yating rolled his eyes. She is the Queen for a reason. ¡ª As Yating returned home, he sat down on the couch in contemtion. He didn''t let it show in front of Gu Rong and Chyou but meeting Duan Ren after so long had shaken him up. Only he knew how he was holding it together. As he pondered in the deep silence, he faintly recalled some broken memories of her. But none of them were any sweet memories. There was only arguments, ignorance and avoidance in them. ''Yating¡­you have grown so much¡­'' Yating could only stare at her. He saw her eyes rimmed in tears but he wasn''t sure how he was supposed to feel. Just days ago, he said to Gu Rong that it would have been nice had his mother been there too. Now she was really standing before him. But he wasn''t sure if he returned the same sentiments. "I know it must be shocking to you that I am appearing before you after so long. Gu Rong and I separated long back. You were hardly four or five back then¡­" He pursed his lips hard and nkly kept staring at her. The cake bag in his hand mildly trembled and his heart began to pound. He wished to run away from this puzzling situation but he couldn''t. In the end, he couldn''t utter a single word. "I understand I haven''t been a good mother¡­" she was close to tears. "I regret it a lot. But I still kept missing you. I couldn''t help bute to you today. I know it must be bothering you¡­I just wanted to see you¡­" He said nothing. "I will take my leave," she sniffled. "J-Just I have one request¡­" At that moment, Yating realized a distinct fear in her eyes. "P-please don''t tell Gu Rong about this meeting, okay? I beg you¡­" Yating opened his eyes at present. Duan Ren hadn''t said much and quietly left after that. But what he didn''t understand was why was so terrified as she mentioned him? Why did her eyes reflect pure horror as she uttered Gu Rong''s name? Yating felt that reaction a little too extreme. He knew that Gu Rong obviously wouldn''t be thrilled for Duan Ren toe meeting Yating again when they had already separated. He would fume to no bounds. But did that reason really warrant such a fear from her? Chapter 834: Not a threat anymore Yating''s final decision on Director Murong''s proposal was to ept bing the lead actor in the movie. He still had tons of questions, doubt and hesitation in his skills. But there was Chyou behind him pushing and assuring him of the future. He paused and wondered what Dream High''s employees would think of this sudden decision by him. From being the Chief Editor, he would now enter the big silver screen as an actor. The transition could be a huge thing to digest. But a bigger situation awaited him somewhere quietly. Ever since he met Duan Ren, even if it was for a brief period, he couldn''t shake it off his mind. Why did she suddenlye to meet him? What changed for her? Was it a simple meeting or did it mean something more? "Yating?" Yating was lost in his thoughts so he didn''t respond. Then there was a poke at his shoulder but he still didn''t feel it. Then the poke jabbed a little harder and he snapped out of his senses with, "Ow!" He rubbed the slightly painful spot and looked at the culprit before him. "..." "...Ai?" His eyes slightly widened, taken aback. Ai blinked. "What were you thinking so deeply?" "No I just¡­wait," he looked around and asked, "What are you doing at the set?" She beamed. "I came here to meet Chyou. Not just me but Jun, Shui, Siying and Leina too." "Oh. Is it to give herpany?" She nodded. "It''s hard to forget betrayal but we want to be there for her. My idol cannot be alone," she sincerely bobbed her head. He smiled. "That''s great. Uncle Xiaosi was talking about a small get-together too just for Chyou to feel better." "Hey." "Heyyyyy!!" They looked back and saw the group arrive too, Shui and Leina being the chirpiest. "Gu Yating!!" Shui and Leina immediately surrounded him, thoughtfully rubbing their chin. "So you will be the lead actor huh?" Leina narrowed her eyes. "So you will be romancing Chyou huh?" Yating coughed hard. "What? Why are you talking in that way?" He was left speechless. "First of all, it''s just acting. Second of all, my part is limited. The movie is predominantly about Chyou and her character." Shui scoffed. "Don''t act so cool. You are definitely jumping in joy." Ai watched him with scrutiny and he felt his voice break. "I-It''s the truth. Chyou will do her part and I will do mine. At least I will try to do my best." Though somewhere in a tiny corner of his heart, he was happy to work with Chyou. He knew that acting would be just their work but the thought of spending time with her pumped his chest with joy. It felt as if after a long time, Chyou and he could be themselves. Siying pinched his sister''s ear and shook his head. "Stop teasing him." Shui red at him. "You are not fun at all!" Then a shadow appeared behind Ai and tugged her back. "I know you like Gu Yating as a friend so please keep your distance from him as a friend too." Ai looked up at a dangerously smiling Jun whose veins were popping and twitching on his forehead. She beamed. "I think I got some good ideas for my next stories!" "Don''t think you can divert the topic." "Tch." "Did you just click your tongue?" "You are hearing things." Jun''s gaze darkened. He then threw a look at Yating, squinting his eyes for a few long seconds. Then he said, "Hey." Yating''s jaw dropped. In all these meetings between them, the only end result was Jun spitting fire through his gaze and words whenever Yating woulde even ten meters close to Ai. But strangely today, he got what he felt was a normal greeting from him. "Are you drunk?" He couldn''t help but ask. Leina choked withughter. Jun''s brow violently twitched. "What the hell?" "Howe you are not waging a war at me?" He furrowed his brows. "Do I look like some maniac to you, killing people left and right?" "Not a maniac, but a viin for sure. A viin who wouldn''t let anybody near his woman," he smiled. Shui giggled but one re from Jun and she looked away, whistling. Jun then smiled at him. "You are damn right about the viin part. Nobody can eye my Ai or he won''t have any eyes left anymore." Ai pped her hands once in delight. "That''s such a great dialogue. Can I use that line in my story?" "Don''t think you can divert the topic." "Tch," Ai looked away as yet another tactic failed. Jun sneered at her. He looked back at Yating and raised his brow. "Besides." "Hm?" "You aren''t a threat to me anymore." Yating grimaced. "I haven''t been a threat to you for a long time now." "You were," he smirked. "It''s now that you have ceased to be a threat to me." "What do you even mean by that?" "I think you know that answer." Siying chuckled, already catching onto the meaning and so did the others. "Hey you all!" Chyou was pleasantly surprised to see them together. Ai brightened and jumped to hug her. "Chyou." "My cute Aiiiiii!!!" Jun shot a deadly re at her. "But you are still a threat to me!" Chyou frowned. "I am the most innocent person out here. Don''t me usations on me!" "You keep charming people left and right here and you call yourself innocent?" Siying said with grievance. "Sorry but I attest to this. When Nuo is with you, I just be a background," he shook his head. Chyou harrumphed. "How is it my fault if you, as boyfriends, pale inparison to me in the charm meter? You need to step up!" "..." She sheepishly grinned. "Should I take you two under my wings as my students?" "No thanks!" Jun bitterly said. Director Murong called out from afar. "Chyou! Yating! Are you ready? It''s time for your first scene together~" Chapter 835: The Queens mistakes (1) Ai and thepany squished to fit themselves at a corner to see the shooting right in front of her eyes. The most excited within them was none other than Ai herself. She had met Chyou before many times but this was the first time she was witnessing her in her work mode. Jun''s gaze darkened as he waspletely sidelined. Siying chuckled. "There is no use getting cranky, bro. We cannot defeat Chyou." "I can. I just need to brainwash Ai," he sneered. His brow twitched. "Good luck with that." Back at the stage and under the set lights, Chyou''s outfit earned gasps as she looked ethereal in the historical outfit. She maneuvered herself wlessly andfortably while Yating, on the other end, had trouble walking steadily. He wasn''t used to wearing the robes that men in ancient Chinese Dynasty wore. Under Director Murong''s guidance, he did practice carrying himself with the outfit and he only prayed that his efforts would prove to be fruitful. Director Murong said in a louder voice from his seat, "So Chyou, Yating. You know the scene, right? I have tweaked the scene a bit so now it''s a shback of you gifting the pendant to Chyou. Just close your eyes and remember what emotions you have to portray." Chyou took a deep breath. Up until now, she had spent countless hours practicing and shooting with Yin. There were memories associated with him and this movie and now everything was changing. Can I really do this¡­? I don''t want to remember him. I don''t want to think about him. I won''t think about him. I will only think about my part and this movie¡­ She exhaled light, shaky breaths. As Director Murong gave the signal, they got into positions. Chyou was ready and she looked up to find Yating gazing at her with a warm smile. The set light shone on his left profile and the memory of the fireworks festival at theke lit inside her mind like a firework itself. What if I want that woman to be you? Yating was standing before her. It was the same sturdy figure, the same warm gaze and the same soft smile with which he had quietly whispered that question. Suddenly, that exact moment of that night was etched so deeply into her that she stumbled back a step. Yating swiftly held her arm and pulled her steady. "Cut." Director Murong asked, "You stumbled back just now, right? Is everything okay?" Chyou blinked rapidly and snapped out of her stupor. "Ah¡­? Ah! S-sorry! I wasn''t paying attention." "No worries. Be careful. Let''s start again." Chyou awkwardly apologized to Yating to which he didn''t seem to mind. The cameras rolled once again and Chyou lifted her gaze, peering into Yating''s eyes. The words and the beautiful fireworks lights invaded her mind once again and she gulped down a hard swallow. Focus! Focus! "I want to give you something," Yating said in a low, whispering voice that was filled with love for his wife. His character as Chyou''s husband deeply loved her a lot. Now it was Chyou''s turn to say her dialogue as she would throw him a questioning look. Focus! The fireworks evening has long passed so don''t think about it right now! Yating blinked at her. Isn''t it her part to speak now? He faintly cleared his throat to signal her and she snapped out. "What?" "..." "Cut." Director Murong said, "Chyou, it was your turn to speak." "..." She threw him a nk look. "When?" "After Yating''s dialogue obviously," he was speechless. "When did he say his dialogue?" Yating - "..." Director Murong - "..." Chyou instantly read everybody''s gazes and realized that she missed hearing him. Ugh! I was too focused on bringing my focus back! "Hehe¡­" she averted her gaze, embarrassed and said in a low voice, "Sorry." Director Murong chuckled. "It''s okay. We have just started. Let''s give it another shot." This time, Chyou vowed to herself that she wouldn''t think of the fireworks evening but everytime she looked up at Yating, she would always get reminded of that. That''s it! I am not thinking about it anymore! She looked solemn. "Chyou, your expression is too stiff." Her brow twitched. Maybe I am trying too hard¡­ Natural. Be natural, she reminded herself. After a few takes, Chyou finally found her rhythm and did her part without any mistakes. Then came the next part when Yating stepped behind her as her eyes were closed. Chyou felt a strange warmth inching closer to her the more Yating approached her. Her back was lightly brushing against his chest, making her tremble. Huh, huh? What is happening? Why is he standing so close to me? She could feel tiny beads of sweat forming on her forehead. Then slowly and steadily, she felt the tip of his fingers graze against her neck till the back part of it as something metallic tingled her. She froze as his seemingly teasing touch tickled her. Her mind went nk. Right now, he was touching her, standing too close to her with his chest against her and with his warm breaths that felt too intimate as they hit her hair. His fingers grazed and brushed at the back of her neck as if he was ying and teasing her. Her mind short-circuited all of a sudden and she couldn''t think straight. With her eyes closed, every bit of any physical feeling and sensation was heightened even more. The result was that she stumbled once again, feeling weak in her knees. And Yating pulled her back yet again. Everybody - "..." "Cut!" Director Murong tilted his head. "What happened to you? Wait, your face looks too red." Chyou exhaled short, messy breaths. By this point of time, her face had reddened as if infinite strokes of blushes were painted on her. "I-I¡­why is Y-Yating standing behind me? Weren''t we su-supposed to walk?" Director Murong was speechless again. "Chyou¡­do you remember what scene we are shooting?" "Of course." "So why are you asking that question? The first scene is Yating gifting you the pendant as he wears it around your neck. Then you walk down the flowery path hand in hand. We are doing the first part." "..." Huh? Was it like that? Wait, don''t tell me I forgot my own scene! It was then Chyou remembered the sequence of the scenes and her face reddened with embarrassment. "Oh¡­" she waved her hands in dismissal andughed brokenly. "O-Of course I remember it. I was just checking if you remembered it haha." "..." Chapter 836: The Queens mistakes (2) For the next scene, Chyou and Yating had to walk down a flowery path that blossomed with beautiful petals. Tall trees greeted them on either side and when the scene started, Yating held out his hand for her. Chyou smiled and with a tinge of nervousness, put her hand in his. His fingers then slowly intertwined with hers and with that, she could feel her palm trembling. They didn''t have dialogues in this scene. It was a simple and heartwarming walk as they basked in each other''s love. Or at least it was supposed to be a simple enough scene but Chyou couldn''t take her mind off the heat spreading and tingling her skin. When she looked up, she would always find herself lost in his warm gaze and back to the fireworks night. At one point, she was sure that she felt Yating ever so slightly pressing her hand firmer. Her heart almost stopped beating in her chest. I am an idiot! Why am I thinking so much today? In an attempt to shake off the confusing thoughts, she quickened her pace but her feet got entangled in her robe and she slipped. But Yating pulled her back in time. "Are you okay?" "..." "Y-Yeah¡­" she awkwardly said, her facepletely reddened with shame at this point. Just how many times have I stumbled today! Shecked tears to shed. He smiled warmly. "Be careful. You seem to be in a daze today." "I-I don''t know¡­" her shoulders dropped. He chuckled and flicked on her forehead. "Don''t feel down. Happens with the best of us." Though he said so, somewhere in his heart he couldn''t help but be anxious. Is she thinking about Cheng Yin¡­? After all, she had many memories with him and now he was reced. He wouldn''t me her if everything would remind her of him. "Cut!" Director Murong beamed. "Perfect!" Chyou was dumbfounded. "Perfect? But didn''t I stumble?" He waved his hand in dismissal. "At first, I was going to stop you but this is a silent scene anyway. Backstory and memory. So it doesn''t matter because there were no dialogues. In fact, your stumbling and Yating catching you and then your little conversation actually improvised the scene!" She sighed in relief. Well that''s good then. "But how is it that you are falling so much today?" He tilted his head. "Look at Yating. It''s his first time wearing this ancient robe yet he walked more beautifully than you." "..." Director Murong didn''t mince his words at all. Chyou seriously felt she didn''t have any face left to show. Especially towards Ai who was so keen in watching her act today. What would she be thinking!? Her favorite idol is making mistakes one after the other! This wasn''t the performance I wanted to show! Yating smiled and leaned. "Don''t take it to heart. We will release the failed takes as bloopers." "..." "This was your own suggestion once upon a time when I was a rookie. It''s fun tough at your own mistakes." "D-Don''t use the creator''s like on the creator!" She cried. At the backside, Ai beamed and pped. Her adorable face shone golden. "Did you look at Chyou? She was so wonderful!" Leina touched her chin. "Compared to before, I feel she was in a daze today¡­" Her spidey senses clicked in and she narrowed her eyes. Shui raised her brow too. "Indeed. She is not the one to make mistakes." Ai blinked. "I didn''t see any mistakes." "Seriously?" Jun was speechless. "Chyou has always been more confident than that. Are you showing bias because she is your favorite idol?" She looked displeased. "I am always very fair." He sneered. "Yeah sure, your fiance doesn''t really feel that at times." "The fiance is being very narrow-minded." His gaze darkened. Siyingughed. "Jokes aside, Chyou did feel a little different today. You know at first I thought that it was because of Cheng Yin¡­" his gaze flickered withment. "But then I really sensed that the reason is different." Jun cocked his brow and shot a nce at Yating. "I think¡­I can guess the reason." Ai asked, "You know? What is it? What is it?" "..." He alternated his gaze back and forth between Yating and Ai. "You didn''t feel that?" "Feel what?" "How did you be a romance writer?" "..." That jab was ruthless. "Hey guys!" Chyou hopped on to their side with a wide grin. No matter how many times she faltered, she didn''t let it show on her face. Jun teased. "Howe you are able to run in that robe now? Just a few minutes ago, you were stumbling and falling." "..." "I almost felt bad for Gu Yating." Leina held in herughter. Chyou red at him. She leaned her chest towards him and pinched his ear. "Hey, hey!" Ai nodded. "He deserves that." "Take my side!" "I am always on Chyou''s side," she blushed. Veins popped on his forehead. I won''t forget this betrayal! Chyou harrumphed. "You don''t speak to your elders that way. You don''t point out their mistakes." He sneered. "Quite convenient to hide your emotions, isn''t it?" "Hey." Yating also then arrived behind Chyou and she immediately straightened up. Siying grinned. "Woh man, you did well there. You can seriously consider getting into the acting field." He smiled. "Well it''s all thanks to the Queen here. She had grilled me quite roughly during themercials shooting. I learned a thing or two but I am still far from being a good actor." She coughed. "What roughly? I was never that harsh to you." He simply smiled and didn''tment on that. "What? Hey! You are being very mean to me!" She smacked on his shoulder. "That hurt," he rubbed his shoulder. She scoffed. "Not more than my fragile heart." "..." Ai alternated her gaze between them and then nced at Jun. He shrugged as if telling her, ''Now you understand?'' Suddenly a bright smileced her lips and she shone brilliantly. It was too blinding to the point that Yating had to say, "Ai, you are beaming too much. What happened?" She cleared her throat. "It''s nothing." Shui pped her hands once. "I have an idea! How about we all go for some partying after the shooting is over?" Chapter 837: No remorse "Cheers!" Shui and Leina grabbed two huge sses of beer and clinked it against each other. Siying shook his head and said, "Dad will faint if he saw you with that gigantic beer ss." Shui pouted. "You drink beer too!" "Apparently, the concern for sons and daughters are different." Jun let out an exasperated sigh. "You can say that again. The amount of doting Nuo is showered with is out of the charts." Leina flipped her hair back arrogantly. "Daughters are very special, you know? You should see my brother whining at home. It''s so adorable." "You don''t understand the plight of brothers!" Jun and Siying eximed their grievances simultaneously. She frowned. "You are all just jealous! Right Chyou? Sisters are bestest, right?" She nudged Chyou that sat beside her with a grin on her lips. "Ah?" It was then that Chyou''s attention snapped towards her. "What did you ask?" "Oof! How rude. Where is your attention? You should be enjoying the party with us~" sheined. Shui and Ai gravely nodded. Thetter was quietly inching her fingers towards the big beer ss that Jun put a halt on. "What are you doing?" Ai stiffened. "Nothing." "Stay away from that beer ss, my dear fiance." She pursed her lips in dissatisfaction. "Why so? Don''t you drink? Then why am I not allowed to? Is this gender discrimination I am facing? Is my fiance biased?" She sniffled with ''hurt.'' His brow twitched. "It''s all because you stay with the twins too much. You had fallen horribly sick thest time you drank alcohol so I refrain you from doing anything unnecessary." "I will be fine this time." "No." "..." Chyou replied from the other side to Leina. "Of course I am enjoying the party!" But for some reason, she couldn''t think straight with Yating also seated beside her. The couch was a little cramped so her shoulder almost touched his. She could feel the warmth of his tall presence fanning her back. What if I want that woman to be you? Ahhh!! Chyou grabbed her beer ss and rapidly gulped down the chilled beer. Shui and Leina whistled and cheered loudly. Siying grimaced. "Don''t act like hooligans." Yating, too, widened his eyes and grabbed her wrist. "Slowly, slowly, Chyou. The beer isn''t going anywhere." So are my thoughts! She didn''t know if it was the beer or not but her cheeks slightly flushed as she felt his hand holding hers. She looked at him and immediately looked away. Yating - "..." Chyou is¡­behaving very strangely today. Why do I feel like she is ignoring me? Jun smiled an amusing smile and nced at Yating. "Pass me that te of chips please." Ai stared at him, jaw dropped. "You asked him nicely." His face ckened. "Who do you think I am?" "A cute, tsundere viin." "..." Yating put the beer ss down and leaned across the side to grab the te of chips. His body partially pushed against Chyou to which she stiffened. His face was right before hers, his torso was bending against hers and she smelled a faint scent of a pleasant perfume at that close distance. Chyou didn''t know where to look so she hung her head down, trying to calm down her frenzy of thoughts. Shui giggled but she immediately quietened. "Yating, Yating! Pass me that te too please~" "Sure." He bent a little further, making Chyou inhale a sharp but silent gasp. Yating looked back awkwardly. "Sorry for that." "N-No problem¡­" she replied with a hoarse voice. She was unsure if it was even audible. Jun sipped on his beer and scrutinized the duo between them. In the past life, Chyou had gone through a lot of pain because of Yin. He detested Yin from the bottom of his heart and helped Chyou escape from that dreadful fate this time. He didn''t know how fate would take her from there. But right in front of his eyes, he could see the wheels of fate rolling. It was still a little difficult to believe that Yating could be the man written for Chyou. He never thought that they would be even remotely connected like this. But then again, fate worked in mysterious ways. Just like it had for him, Ai and Jin. Yating cleared his throat and said, "I will be back." Chyou didn''t know why but she felt incredibly relieved. She peeked at him and saw a look of strain and tension sh across his eyes. She wondered what was wrong. Damn. Wait, am I acting rude to him? Is he feeling bad? Yating excused himself, leaving Chyou confused. ¡ª Yating returned from the washroom and stood in the smoking area. Nobody was there and he quietly let out a breath. Chyou''s strange behavior didn''t leave his notice. Ever since the shooting was on, she seemed to strangely panic and stiffen whenever he was close to her. He scratched his head. Did I do something wrong? Why is she suddenly so conscious of me? He sighed. Maybe it was because of the painful breakup she was going through that she might be feeling confused. The only solution was to give her some time and naturally let her forget about Yin. He took a long enough break and decided to head back when a voice called out to him. "Yo fucker." Yating stopped. He turned and narrowed his eyes, sensing the hostility in the man''s voice. It didn''te as much of a shock to Yating but there stood Yin before him with his head covered in a hoodie. His eyes looked bloodshot and his face was haggard. Animosity was written in every stroke of his expression. "Must be enjoying partying and all right?" Yating arched his brow. "Oh wait, you must be enjoying yourself with Chyou too. After all, you cleanly cut me off from her life and now you must be enjoying her love and attention, right?" Yating smiled. "I knew that you wouldn''t give up so soon. But somewhere in my heart, even if it was impossible, I expected you to show at least some remorse for your actions. Clearly, you don''t. So guess my mind was right. You absolutely have no realization of your wrongdoings." Yin burst intoughter. "Look who is talking about wrongdoings. A man whose father''s past is nothing but made up of mistakes and sins hemitted!" Chapter 838: Behind the facade Yating gave him a hard stare. "I guess you have lost your mind. You have a problem with me so talk to me. Don''t drag Dad into this." Yin sneered. "Of course you won''t like it. After all, you think that you have such a picture perfect life, don''t you? Rich dad, rich family, heir of a wealthypany - people must be flocking around you everytime. That''s why Chyou''s family wanted you just because you matched their status, right?" His eyes narrowed. "You know Cheng Yin? There is more to rtionships and choosing the right person for you beyond status and money. But I don''t expect you to understand that." He took a cold and icy step ahead, his aura darkening. "You had a wonderful woman who loved you for you were. Her family warmly weed you. They would have ess you had you been a decent person who didn''t betray Chyou time and again. And then you have the audacity to bring status in between? Don''t make me punch your face, you piece of shit." Yin angrilyughed. "Yeah it''s so easy for you to give this lecture and all, right? You must be basking in Chyou''s warmth and attention." He leaned forward, meeting his gaze with a jeer. "Tell me, Gu Yating. Now that you expertly cut me off Chyou''s life, how far have you went with her? You must have already warmed your bed with her ri-" Before he couldplete the rest of his infuriating words, Yating''s fistnded dead on his face, crushing his nose with the weight of his bubbling anger. Yin stumbled back and gasped in pain. He immediately covered his nose in his palm, feeling dizzy and hazy. A tall, murderous shadow loomed upon him. "Speak such nonsense one more time and it won''t end up just with a punch anymore. I will fucking kill you." But instead ofshing back at Yating and creating a scene, Yin suddenly burst into an eerieughter. "Why does it¡­" he gasped with the pain of a broken nose stinging him, "anger you so much? I should be angry here, Gu Yating. You snatched away Chyou from my life. Now you snatched my role from the movie and acting with her. You brainwashed Director Murong, right? You can do anything and everything to be beside Chyou. You methodically and cleanly cut me from her life and you have the nerve to punch me?" "Have you lost it!? You should see yourself in the mirror to know who cut you from Chyou''s life. Don''t you think nothing of your addiction or the fact that you tantly and shamelessly cheated on Chyou? You fooled her by sleeping with another woman and you expect people to be blind about it?" "It was a mistake!" He eximed. "Mistakes happen, don''t they? Can''t she give me another chance and forget about it?" Yating stared at him, incredulous and in disbelief of what he was hearing. "...Another chance and forgiveness?" He burst intoughter. "Did you give Chyou a second chance when you ''misunderstood'' her rtionship with me?" He froze. "You constantly kept thinking that we had something between us and to take revenge from her, you slept with another woman. Did you show that so-called kindness and forgiveness to her when you assumed that she was cheating on you? You didn''t. Yet you expect Chyou to be understanding. I cannot believe you could be that hypocrite." He sneered. "A hypocrite shouldn''t be calling others hypocrite." "Excuse me?" "Don''t act like such an angel, Gu Yating because you aren''t and neither is your father." "I am warning you. Bring my Dad once again and I will-" "What will you do? Kill me for it? Kill me because you cannot stand me? Just like how your father is a fucking murderer?" Something flipped inside Yating and the moment the callous and nonsensical words fell on his ears, he grabbed his head in an attempt to smash it against the wall. "Yating!!!" Chyou then rushed from behind him and seeing the horror unfold before her, she crashed into him, desperately trying to stop him. "Stop! Stop!" But it was as if he couldn''t hear anything and the only emotion driving his mind was to teach Yin a harsh and painful lesson.l that he would never forget. Yating would have already hit his head against the wall had Jun and Siying not arrived on time. Siying pulled him back and Jun forced his hand off of Yin''s head. "Stay back, Gu Yating," Jun squinted his eyes. "These kinds of things really suits the Liu family." Yating gnashed his jaw at the interference. "Step away, Liu Jun! I will shut his mouth before it senselessly runs again!" Ai and Leina quickly pulled Chyou back to safety. "Are you okay?" I am okay¡­I am okay but Yating¡­ He looked just as angry and dangerous as the time at the Zhu vi when he had punched Yin. His gaze was so frosty that pure terror leaked through it. Yating furiously tried to resist but Siying said, "Please calm down, Gu Yating. Why are you getting triggered by a trash''s words anyway? He is only doing this to provoke you and even you know it! He wants this to happen so that he could defame you! Snap out of his trickery." Yin, who was wobbling at first, steadied himself as heughed again. "Trickery? Trickery is what Gu Rong is doing. Fooling everybody to believe that he is such a good and capable man but nobody knows his dark and bloody side¡­except his ex-wife." Yating slightly stiffened. Hearing about Duan Ren from him shook him. How did he know about her? Duan Ren''s timid and frightful expression appeared before him when she had met him. The mention of Gu Rong was enough to terrify her. That question still bugged him. What was it about Gu Rong that had made her so alert? Was it real that...his hands were stained with blood? Did the father he knew right now was just a facade? Chapter 839: Murderer father Jun''s eyes narrowed. When did he meet Duan Ren? He didn''t know when and how but his gut told him that it wasn''t anything good. On one side there was the ex-wife who was separated from Gu Rong and on another side was Cheng Yin who was thrown away from Chyou''s life. They were in a simr position so¡­ Jun arched his brow. Do they have simr motivations? Yin continuedughing despite the pain numbing his senses. "What do you have to say now, Gu Yating? Always acting like the kind, gentle and perfect man but nobody knows the ugly truth of how your murderer father has raised you-" *SLAP* With a loud p that sharply screeched in the air, Yin was left dumbfounded. He couldn''t make sense of what was happening and when he turned holding his cheek with his trembling palm, Chyou''s fierce figure stood before him. "I cannot believe I fell for a man who could stoop so low in his life," Chyou gritted her teeth. "Just what exactly do you think these baseless allegations will do?" "You¡­you pped me¡­" he hoarsely said. "I should have pped the hell out of you that day itself when I learned the truth. This p actually came reallyte!" Ai, Shui and Leina nodded their heads. At that moment, Yin felt true fear. He thought that it was possible to manipte Chyou if he would be smart about it, but seeing her defend Yating with all her might, he could see that n crumbling. "D-Don''t be blind, Chyou! How can you trust a man like him?" Her fists clenched as she angrily let out a chuckle. "Trust a man like him? Perhaps because he hasn''t broken it or let me down at any point in my life? Perhaps because he was always a decent human being who stayed by my side as a good friend despite me hurting him every time? And I hurt him for whose sake? You? You who kept fooling me every step of the way?" Her eyes threatened to brim with tears but she didn''t dare let them show to Yin. "Get the hell out of here, Yin. If you think you can achieve anything by maligning Yating or Uncle Rong like that, then you cannot be more foolish. I made the mistake of trusting you and giving you chances over and over again. I won''t make the same mistake twice. Get your disgusting face off my sight!" Yating stared at her mildly trembling shoulders. Though she was facing off Yin with all her might, he could see a small tinge of fear, hopelessness and pain. At that moment, her figure felt incredibly small. "Don''t be like this Chyou! H-He is a murderer! His father is a damn murderer! You are just putting yourself at risk by being with them!" Siying scoffed. "As if she was so safe and cherished being with you?" Yin threw daggers at him. Jun let out a cold smile. "You should start walking away, Cheng Yin." Yin stiffened at his voice. Even now he remembered the time at the hospital when he had threatened to spill the truth of his addiction. He didn''t look any less of a monster. Jun continued. "Because you know, you are calling the wrong person a murderer. If you want to see what a killer looks like, I will be more than happy to give you a glimpse of it." Everybody coughed. Ai remembered the time she had seen him coolly shing that robber''s neck on a certain evening he had apanied her to drop her home. Ai nodded understandingly. "You wouldn''t want to see that because then you cannot unsee it." Jun''s mouth twitched. "I never told you to follow me." "I was just worried about your safety," she sincerely said. "That was unneeded." "It became crystal clear to me then as to who exactly needed safety." "..." Siying smiled. "Will you leave or should I call the security here to throw you out? Maybe you understand thatnguage better?" Leina sneered. "Guess he only understands thatnguage. If Dad had been here, he would have hung him upside down," she sighed. Chyou met his gaze dead on and said without any emotion, "Leave. And never approach me or my friends again. Since you had so much fun enjoying your life with Qiu, you should give your attention and care to her. But don''t evere near me or I will skin you alive. Even looking at you now makes me feel like puking." "You¡­" he trembled. "H-How could you forget all the time we spent together Chyou? The times we were friends, the times we worked together and climbed this industry together!" She smiled faintly. "I never forgot those happy times, Yin. I never once forgot them. You did, not me." Seeing how Chyou stubbornly maintained her stance, Yin had left no choice but to leave. "You will regret this, Chyou. You will regret choosing Yating! His father is a monster so he is a monster too!" Yating''s gaze went cold. "You will understand it one day yourself," he sneered. "That day won''t be far." Peace returned as Yin finally took off, albeit with pain hammering down on his face. Shui''s face reddened with fury. "How shameless can he get to show his face despite what he did!" Leina shook her head. "We cannot expect anything from such people," she pursed her lips and softly held Chyou''s shoulder. "Chyou, don''t let him get to you, okay?" Chyou shakily nodded. Ai poked Yating''s shoulder and said, "You too. Cheng Yin is just fabricating nonsense to take revenge from you." Yating tried to smile but he couldn''t, which made Ai widen her eyes. "Don''t tell me you believe his words?" "I don''t believe him, Ai. But I met Mom a few days ago." Jun blinked. Duan Ren? "I don''t know why she came to meet me. But...something happened between her and Dad that makes her feel really terrfied. So when I...I heard Yin''s words, I couldn''t help but think-" Suddenly, Chyou pped his cheeks with both of her palms and red at him. "Couldn''t help but think that they might be true? No way. You will never think that way, Yating. He is just trying to manipte you and make a mess of your head just like he did with me! Do you know Uncle Rong better or he does? You cannot lose your trust in your father just because of a despicable man''s insecurity, got it?" Chapter 840: Joining hands With his face being squished in between Chyou''s hands, Yating pretty much didn''t have any option to resist her. "Ye-Yeshhh¡­" Chyou nodded in satisfaction. Ai knitted her brows. "I am not liking this though. Why would Cheng Yin suddenly target your father like that? Why would he use him of any crime?" "I think¡­" Jun''s eyes narrowed thoughtfully, "I can make a guess." Two people with grudges seem to have joined hands. But why would Duan Ren suddenly appear in the picture after so many years? Chyou shook her head. "Whatever it is, I don''t want Yating falling into his trap. Or maybe it is that he learned that Yating and Uncle Rong are generally not on good terms, so he is targeting that weakness and thinks that he could bring even more differences between them." Yating agreed she had a point. With an unreasonable man out for revenge, Yin could do anything and adopt any method to bring Yating down. Attacking his sour rtionship with Gu Rong would naturally look like a golden chance to Yin. Siying nodded. "I agree. We should be careful. Wait, I think we shouldn''t have let him go." Jun said, "No, it''s fine. We have pretty much guessed what he wants so it won''t be really that effective. Plus¡­" his dark brown eyes squinted, "I want to see just how much more he is hiding." ¡ª Yin ran and ran and stopped outside at a distance from the hotel. He breathlessly gasped as the sharp pain from his almost broken nose felt like his head was splitting open. Fuck you bastard! Rage seethed within him, remembering Yating''s punch. But what further stoked the fire of his fury was Chyou''s support towards him. Her p twisted his heart more than the pain on his face. He hadpletely lost in life. He lost his career, his fanbase, the luxurious life he lived as a popr actor and now Chyou too. His phone buzzed with a call and as he saw the caller''s name, his gaze darkened. It was Qiu with whom he had cheated on Chyou. Ever since the confrontational evening at the Zhu vi happened, Yin hadpletely cut off his contact with Qiu. He refused to meet her despite her repeated and desperate attempts to meet him. He didn''t care. Whatever he had with Qiu was over. But Qiu stubbornly kept chasing after him. But tonight, Yin didn''t have the patience to deal with her anymore, who didn''t understand what rejection was. He angrily cut the call and this time, went a step ahead and blocked her. Yin gritted his teeth and furiously made a call to a person. "Hello!" A woman''s anxious voice sounded from another end. "What happened?" "What happened my foot! Are you sure you are not scamming me with this, Duan Ren?" Duan Ren paused on another side. "What do you mean?" "I did provoke Gu Yating as you told me. It did feel like he was rattled too but nothing much happened. Chyou came forward to stand up for him. She seems to have full trust in that oldie father of his." She scoffed. "Ah. You don''t have to worry about that. It''s just that they are being defensive. After all, Rong has painted a very innocent image for himself so it''s natural that your im wouldn''t be immediately believed." "Then what''s the use!?" "Ugh can you calm down for a second? It doesn''t matter what they say because Rong being the killer is the truth!" "Do you have any evidence?" Her voice sneered from the other end. "I don''t have any physical evidence. But it doesn''t matter. Rong is way too afraid of the truth getting out. That''s why he gave me such a huge alimony after we separated. It wasn''t just my demand. It was my hush hush money." "And now that hush hush money is depleting?" "I did contact him a few months back but he angrily shooed me off. He just has to give me more money but the nerve of him giving me attitude especially when he is roaming scot free in the society despite being a killer! Heh. So I think why not show Yating a little trailer of the truth he is hiding?" "You sure are rotten." "Hah! Look who is speaking? If I am clinging to Rong then aren''t you shamelessly clinging to Zhu Chyou too?" "Ugh, forget about it! Just tell me what do we do next?" "For now, nothing. But I have a n to show Rong''s hidden and ugly side to Yating. Once Yating sees that side with his own eyes, he would have no choice left but to listen to me." Yin frowned. "I am wondering something. If you know his truth then why aren''t you threatening him with making it public? Would that be more effective? He could even go to jail." "No, he won''t. He simply has too much power. How do you think he was able to hide the murder for so long and show himself clean to the society? Plus I don''t have evidence. I had heard him confessing but that isn''t enough to fight him in the court. And I don''t want to go through that route either." "Why not?" "Because Rong doesn''t care what the world thinks of him. I am pretty sure he doesn''t care about going to jail either. The only thing that matters to him is what Yating thinks of him. His whole life and emotions all dwell within that boy. He can deal with anybody''s hatred but not his son''s. That''s what I want to target because that makes our side the strongest and his side utterly weak." On the other side, Duan Ren smiled as shebed her hair looking at the mirror. "Don''t worry. Once Rong sees the trailer for himself, he will automaticallye in line. He will do what I want and then we will expose him for real. Then seeing their true face, Zhu Chyou will have no choice to leave Yating because who would want to associate themselves with a murderer family?" Chapter 841: The impending chill The same evening, Yating headed to Gu vi rather than returning to his own condo. First Duan Ren''s sudden appearance before him after so many years and now Yin''s usation against Gu Rong failed to settle his heart. He was looking for an exnation not to prove his father''s innocence but the guilt of his mother and Yin''s. Though there were differences between him and Gu Rong, he would never allow for such serious usations against him to linger. With Yin''s involvement, it had gotten even moreplicated because Yating knew that he was nning something against him and the Gu family, possibly defaming them to take revenge against him. I won''t let Dad''s reputation get tarnished just because Cheng Yin has a problem with me, he thought to himself. "Young master Yating!" Butler Mo, who was setting up the dinner at the dinner table, beamed at his sight. He ecstatically rushed towards him. "What a pleasant surprise!" Yating gave a helpless smile. "Uncle, I have told you so many times to just call me Yating." "How dare I be disrespectful to you?" "It''s not disrespectful. You feel distant," he pouted. Butler Mo warmly smiled. "We are never distant, young master. Master Gu will be so happy to meet you!" It''s the first time in such a long time that you came on your own¡­ Butler Mo couldn''t help but get emotional. "Why are you shedding tears for no reason?" Gu Rong arrived from the back and just as Butler Mo, he was visibly surprised to see Yating. "Howe you are here? Did Mo call you?" Yating - "..." "Master Gu!" Butler Mo gave him an equally incredulous look and harshly reprimanded him. "That''s not how you speak to your son who is here to meet you!" Gu Rong''s mouth twitched. How should I know? Don''t you always invite him over!? "...I mean that''s not what I mean." After thest confrontation, I didn''t think that he would¡­ He cleared his throat. "Anyway. Now that you are here, join me for dinner." It was more of an order than a request, making his brow twitch. But as he studied him, he observed that Gu Rong looked a little more tired than usual. His eyes looked fatigued and the lines on his face screamed of exhaustion. "Have you been working more? You look so weary." "Just the usual office work," he waved his hand in dismissal. "If only-" He was about to throw a jab as if it was the most natural thing in the world but he stopped himself in time. He didn''t want to ruin everybody''s mood with another round of arguments between them. Though Yating smelled that jab from miles away. He knew exactly what he was about to say, making his brow twitch again. Butler Mo shook his head. "Only you can tell him, young master. I tell him so often to rest and take it easy but he just doesn''t listen." Gu Rong frowned. "I always listen to you." "My memory must be failing me then," he smiled sarcastically. "..." Yating wondered if he should ask him about Duan Ren. Seeing him in this state, he didn''t feel it was prudent to tell him what happened, especially with Yin''s usations. Gu Rong narrowed his eyes. "What are you brooding over?" "Nothing. Let''s eat." Butler Mo blinked. "But weren''t you at the party tonight with Miss. Zhu? You must have already had dinner, right?" "Oh," Gu Rong then remembered. "How was the party? Did anything useful happen?" "...Useful in what context?" He shrugged. "Just like that." Yating squinted his eyes. "Dad, Chyou and I are just friends and I don''t want you to expect anything more out of it." He secretly gnashed his jaw. Useless son! Gu Rong threw him a hard re and stomped towards the dinner table. When Yating pulled a chair too, Gu Rong asked, "Is there something you want to talk to me about?" Yating paused and nced at him again. "Nothing." He knew Duan Ren''s mention would only spiral his mood into moreplication. Gu Rong felt even more confused. Was Yating here for no reason? Butler Mo grimaced and whispered in his ear. "Don''t you alwaysin that young master doesn''t pay attention to you? Now that he is here, why aren''t you looking thrilled?" "...I am happy." "Then show it on your face." "..." They finished the rest of the dinner in silence. Gu Rong only asked random questions which Yating answered. There wasn''t anymore of a conversation. Gu Rong didn''t know what else to talk about, so he said, "I will be in my study. You cane around if there is anything on your mind." "Yeah." After Gu Rong left, only Butler Mo remained by his side. He smiled at him. "There is definitely something on your mind, right? Master Gu feels the same." Yating hesitated. "There is something. But Dad looks tired. I thought I will talk about itter." "What is it about? Maybe I can help you." "...It''s a littleplicated." "That''s fine. We will figure it out together." Yating''s chest filled with warmth and ease with his words. He was the same Uncle Mo he knew from his childhood. Calm, patient and always positive. "I met¡­or rather¡­Mom came to meet me a few days ago." Butler Mo''s eyes ever so slowly widened as if a scene from a horror movie was ying out in front of him. "Y-You mean¡­Miss. Duan?" Yating blinked. "Yes." He stared at him as he tried to reel in his anxiety. "Why would she meet you after so long? Did she¡­say anything?" "I don''t understand it either. She only said that she missed me a lot and she felt like meeting me. But¡­" Butler Mo stiffened. "But?" "She asked me not to tell Dad and she looked really terrified of him." He inwardly clenched his jaw. This cannot be happening¡­ Yating shook his head. "I just felt confused. I hadn''t seen her in years. I don''t know what I was supposed to feel. I still don''t." Butler Mo trembled. "What''s more bizarre is that we met Cheng Yin today at the party. He was uttering nonsense about Dad!" A vein popped on his forehead. "Huh? That''s odd," Butler Mo snapped out from his dilemma. "Cheng Yin spoke about Master Gu? What did he say?" Yating grimaced. "It''s absolutely garbage. He thinks that I snatched everything away from him so he is targeting my family. He wants to defame Dad by saying that he is a killer and so Chyou should keep her distance from us." It was at that point that Yating felt a steep silence and a sharp drop in the temperature. He looked up, puzzled with a sense of unease in his heart as he read Butler Mo''s pale expression. "Uncle?" Chapter 842: The dreaded abyss Yating slowly got up from his seat and faced Butler Mo, who was trying to keep his smile intact. "What''s wrong, Uncle?" Butler Mo held his hand and with his anxious gaze, tried to convey hisplicated feelings. "Young master, you cannot believe in anything that they say! Whether it''s Cheng Yin or¡­Duan Ren! Th-They must have a hidden agenda!" "I am not believing anything-" "What¡­what is happening here?" They looked back and saw Gu Rong standing at the stairs with a dazed and lost gaze. The empty water jug in his hand was trembling and close to falling. "What is this¡­about Duan Ren I am hearing?" Butler Mo silently gasped. "Master, you heard it wrongly-" "No, I didn''t. You mentioned her¡­Why did you mention her?" He let go of the jug from his hands that shattered with impact on the floor and immediately rushed towards Yating. He grabbed his shoulders with a distinct fearced in his eyes. "Y-you met Duan Ren?" The color from his face was rapidly draining out. "Why? W-why would you meet her?" If Mom had been there then¡­ Gu Rong remembered those stinging words from before and thought that Yating chose to meet her himself. "Master, you are misunderstanding! Young master didn''t go to meet her. She did. She approached him herself." He froze. That felt akin to a bomb exploding upon him. She¡­approached him? After so many years¡­ Gu Rong shook hard. Yating''s eyes widened and he held him. "Dad, what''s wrong?" "What¡­! What did she say!? What¡­wh-what nonsense was she spouting?" Gu Rong roared in a loud but panicked shriek. "You-you don''t believe anything she says, okay! You cannot believe anything she says! She hates me! She doesn''t want to see me happy. She just wants the money so she will go to any lengths to secure her goal!" Yating stared at him, incredulous. He had never seen Gu Rong so agitated before. It was as if he had seen a ghost. Butler Mo quickly pulled him back and tried to cate him. "Master, please calm down." "How can I calm down!?" His voice screeched even louder. "She¡­why would she try to talk to my son? Why would she approach him after years! It''s only to frame me! It''s only to fill his ears against me!" His breaths grew heavier and disoriented. "Tell me what happened. Tell me everything! What happened and who said what about me¡­I want to know everything!" Butler Mo knew that Gu Rong wasn''t in any state to listen to anything. At this rate, he would copse only out of sheer panic. "Master, I will take you to your room-" But he shook him off harshly. He had no intention of letting this go until he would hear the entire truth. The atmosphere at the Gu vi was as bleak as that of a cemetery. "Yating¡­" he breathlessly asked, "What did she say? What happened at the party tonight?" Now Yating definitely didn''t want to reveal what Yin had said because it was as clear as daylight that Gu Rong wouldn''t be able to take the news. He didn''t understand the source of his panic but there was definitely a grave matter that elicited such a reaction out of him. "Dad, nothing happened-" "You have to tell me the truth, Yating! There is a reason why you came here tonight right? I knew it. You wanted to ask me something but you didn''t! Fine! If you won''t tell me then I will ask for it myself!" "Dad!" "Master!" Both of them stopped him at once from reaching his phone. Yating grew frustrated with his adamance. "Fine! I will tell you but you have to promise that you won''t panic about it because you have no reason to. I already know it''s a bunch of nonsense so you don''t have to exin anything, okay? I just want you to tightly fix that in your mind!" He gritted his teeth but eventually made an attempt to take deep breaths and calm his pounding heartbeats. "Fine, I will be calm. Now tell me everything." Butler Mo still wasn''t convinced, but he was helpless. Yating pressed his brows and grudgingly narrated the incident to his father. But at every point of concern, he ensured that he wasn''t letting the conversation go astray or letting Gu Rong''s defenses break. But nothing proved to be useful because the moment Gu Rong heard the word killer, it was as if his whole world had copsed. At that point, he felt he wasn''t standing on anything concrete but instead falling into an abyss that he always dreaded so much. Killer¡­killer¡­ His gaze turned vacant at that and the flood of memories invaded his mind without his permission. The past surfacing before him made him tremble but the future consequences of it made him fearful like a little child. He knows now¡­Yating knows now¡­ It''s over¡­ It''s all over¡­ I am never getting my son back. I have lost him¡­ The more he thought, the more he lost himself into the vicious cycle of those painful imaginations. He imagined Yating looking at him with contempt upon the realization of the truth. He imagined him breaking all his rtions with him and leaving his side forever. "Dad, will you please stop thinking useless things!" Yating shook him hard. "I am not believing anything he is saying! I know who my father is. I don''t need to hear it from anybody else!" Gu Rong paled and his heart sank further into despair. Yating expressed his unwavering trust in him but Gu Rong couldn''t even celebrate it because in the depths of his heart, he knew what the truth was. But Yating was believing in the false version of himself. A version he created only to keep Yating by his side at any cost. But now he could see everything copsing and shattering before him. Gu Rong breathed hard and he couldn''t gather the energy to speak up anything. Instead, a sharp pain from within his chest jolted him and his palm clutched onto his shirt tightly. Butler Mo froze. "Mast-" Gu Rong''s vision dulled and he fell down on the floor with a soft thud. Yating stared at the empty space ahead where his father was standing just a moment ago but now remained motionless on the floor. "Dad...?" Chapter 843: Things kept hidden Chyou ran inside the hospital at full speed despite the passing nurses'' warning to go slow. But she didn''t care. She took a turn at the corridor and finally saw Yating sitting on a bench opposite a ward. Beside him was Butler Mo. She breathlessly came up to him and took a seat by his side. "Yating." Butler Mo looked taken aback. "Miss. Zhu." Yating, who had his head lowered in his hands, slowly looked up. "Chyou¡­" Chyou felt her chest squeeze. His eyes looked red and haggard as if he had aged by years. His handsome face was now marred with grief. She felt her eyes ache too but she wanted to be strong for him. She gently held his hand and squeezed it in her palm. Her delicate fingers wrapped themselves around his knuckles, providing warmth to his cold hand. "You don''t have to look so low and gloomy Yating because Uncle Rong will be all fit and fine in no time, okay? So cheer up or he will feel extra sad to see his son like this." Butler Mo wiped the corner of his eye. Yating stared down at her hand holding his and felt a little strength seeping into his heart. He slightly trembled as the tips of his fingers also attempted to hold her back. Chyou pursed her lips and gently wiped the tear off his eye threatening to fall. "Uncle Rong will be fine, Yating. My heart knows it." "It''s all my fault, Chyou. If I hadn''t gone home tonight then Dad would have been fine. I knew he looked tired yet I forced myself." She red at him. "What is this self-deprecating nonsense am I hearing? Since when does a son have to feel guilty about meeting his father?" "But I met him to ask him about¡­what Cheng Yin said tonight." "Cheng Yin? What did he say?" Xiaosi arrived a minuteter too, catching on to thest part that Yating said. His gaze fell upon them holding hands and he threw a look at Chyou. Chyou felt it and looked up. "What?" He calmly withdrew his gaze. "Nothing." He then looked back at Yating for an answer. Butler Mo came forward and hesitantly answered it. Xiaosi''s eyes slightly widened as he heard the tale of incidents that happened until now. He averted his gaze for a moment, contemting Cheng Yin''s behavior. He kept his thoughts to himself and nced at Yating. He patted his head and smiled. "You aren''t wrong, Yating. It was fine to ask Gu Rong." He noticed a look of hesitation sh across Butler Mo''s eyes, hinting desperation behind them. Yating''s eyes ached. "If I wasn''t wrong, then why did Dad copse? Did I¡­step out of my line?" Xiaosi shook his head. "No. I told you before if you remember. Your father loves and dotes on you a lot. He must have over-thought the consequences and couldn''t handle the pressure." Yating felt his breath hitch with the implication. "What¡­consequences, Uncle? Are you saying that what Cheng Yin said was the truth?" His face slightly paled. No way Dad would kill anybody¡­How is it¡­ "You need to have that conversation with him yourself, Yating. Both of you have to be strong for that." Chyou gave him a stare to which Xiaosi didn''t respond. "I will only say that instead of getting to know things from Duan Ren or Cheng Yin, you should first and foremost know the truth from your father. Trust me, Yating. Nobody loves you more than him. You are literally his life and that''s what Duan Ren is targeting. That''s what Cheng Yin wants. You cannot let them win." He trembled. He is so sure, Yating thought. He is saying as if Mom was really a bad person¡­ You cannot believe anything she says! Dad too¡­ The doctor stepped out after some time and nced at them. "Mr. Gu had a heart attack." Yating froze. "But rest assured, he is recovering now. He will need monitoring the rest of the night. By tomorrow morning, he should regain consciousness." "Heart attack?" The doctor nodded. "With Mr. Gu''s pre existing heart condition, the stress only triggered the attack further." His eyes widened. Pre-existing? He threw a bewildered look at Butler Mo, who had his gaze lowered. So was it only me who didn''t know about Dad''s condition¡­? The doctor furrowed his brows. "It also seems that he has been skipping on his medicines." Butler Mo said, "Indeed¡­sometimes Master Gu can be careless. I do my best to make him take his medicines on time but he just doesn''t listen." He shook his head. "He has to follow his medications on time or such attacks can be frequent. He needs to be aware of his health and not take unnecessary stress." As the doctor left, Yating faced Butler Mo with hurt and betrayal reflecting in his irises. "Uncle. Since when has Dad not been keeping well?" Butler Mo hesitated but he knew there was no use of hiding things now. "It''s been ten years now¡­" Yating was in disbelief. "And I am getting to know about it now?" He quickly said, "Master Gu didn''t want you to be worried for him so-" "Worried? I am his son for God''s sake! Dad has been suffering from a serious heart condition all this time and none of you thought that I deserved to know about it?" "Young master¡­" "Just how many things have you been hiding from me? First his health, now there is something about Mom and his past that I don''t know about. Was he treating me more as a stranger than his son?" He gritted his teeth. "No, no! Young master! Please don''t misunderstand Master Gu." Xiaosi came forward and firmly held his shoulder. "I know you feel hurt and be sure to scold your father to death once he wakes up. But he really needs you now. Just stay with him inside." He bit his lip hard. Chyou nodded. "Yes, yes. I will also join you in scolding Uncle. But right now, you should be with him." Yating took a deep breath and nodded. He slowly walked inside the ward. Butler Mo bowed. "Thank you so much, Mr. Zhu..." Chyou frowned at her father. "Do you know everything?" Xiaosi nced at her. "Not everything. Bits and parts of it. So I can picture what must have happened. But I never insisted Rong to tell me about it. It was his secret which now... Yating needs to know. It''s high time." Chapter 844: Fear Chyou peeked inside the ward through a small, round window that let her see Gu Rong and Yating, thetter seated beside him. Yating held his father''s hand, his gazeced with an unreadable expression. It was as if his silence spoke volumes of his inexplicable thoughts. She tiptoed and stepped in without making any noise. She clenched her fists seeing him look so tired and defeated. She slowly dragged another chair and took a seat beside him. Yating realized her presence even without turning his head. He whispered wearily, "You should head back home and rest. I will be here with Dad." "And who will be here with you?" He shook slightly. "I am doing fine." "Say that while looking at me." He neither replied back nor moved. Chyou pouted and held his head, which she made it turn towards her. The traces of his past tears were visible and so did a sense of fear and uncertainty in his ck orbs. He tried not to but he couldn''t stop his eyes from bing misty again. He asked with a hoarse voice, "Why didn''t Dad tell me about his health? How could he keep something like this from me? I feel so stupid, Chyou. I have been fighting with him all this time to be an editor. He wanted me to lead the Gu Corps but I remained stubborn. I have been doing nothing but stressing him out. He is working so hard at this age and it''s all because of me. He should have already retired but I kept forcing him to work like a machine." She flicked his forehead. "That''s not true and you also know that." "He has been worrying over my career choice and future. Wasn''t it only bringing anxiety to him? It''s my fault that I am still unable to prove my job to him or make him see merit in it and in the end, he keeps worrying more and more." She shook her head. "You should understand, Yating. Uncle Rong is a little traditional in this sense. Even if you work hard as an editor, in the end, he would always prefer for you to take over Gu Corps. That''s because it''s thepany he has built and he knows that it will keep your future safe and stress-free. So he won''t try to look at other career choices. He is a little rigid in that sense but it''s only because he cares about you." He gritted his teeth. "But I should have listened to him. Maybe arguing with me all this time made him¡­Maybe I am the reason for his weakened-" She threw a re at him. "No self-me, okay? I won''t allow you to. Things like this happen between parents and children. It''s a part of parenthood. I am not taking it for granted but there will always be differences of opinions between a parent and a child. A child is also his or her own person after all. That doesn''t mean they are to be med for the things they wish to have. You are overthinking your guilt in all this." He remained silent for a few long moments. "I should¡­I should take over Gu Corps, Chyou. I will do what Dad wants." She peered into his eyes, feeling the sincerity in them. "That''s a decision you have to think about very carefully." "I have given it a careful thought." "No, you haven''t. You are feeling very emotional right now. Seeing him copsed, learning about his condition has made your mind go into a disarray. I don''t think that''s what Uncle Rong wants. Maybe that''s why he kept his heart condition a secret from you. He didn''t want you to agree because you felt pitiful for him. He might be wanting for you to agree to his decision on your own terms without the pressure of his health being put upon you." He trembled and her words made an impact on him. What she said was true. If he had known about his condition ten years ago, he would have agreed to be the CEO in a heartbeat. But that wasn''t the kind of yes Gu Rong was looking for. "But then what about the sarcasm and taunts over these years? Wasn''t that to make me give up on my dream? Why does Dad act so confusingly?" She chuckled. "It''s not confusing. He is just being very honest about his take. He doesn''t like your editor job so he is simply looking down upon it. I don''t think he is meaning to force you to quit and join the Gu Corps because of his verbal attacks. If he wanted that, he would have yed the pitiful card ages ago." Yating paused and looked up at her. "Why do I feel that you understand my Dad more than me?" She grinned. "Well first of all, I am very charming." What''s that got to do with anything? He wondered. "Second of all, Uncle Rong is quite like my Dad. There was a time when Dad used to keep a lot of things in his heart. From outside, he gave a fierce and viinous vibe, but his heart held nothing but love and concern for his family. He is not the type to express his own feelings that much so he was misunderstood a lot. I learned it from him to not absorb things just at their face value." Yating stared at Gu Rong. No matter how salty or rude Gu Rong might have acted over the years, Yating knew in his heart that he could always count on him in the worst situation. "He actually babies you a lot, you know?" She said, "He doesn''t want you to work so hard in making a name for yourself and instead wants you to simply join hispany and enjoy a carefree life. When we started working for the admercials, Uncle Rong had actually called me one day." "Huh? Called you?" She stuck out her tongue. "Don''t tell Uncle that I told you. It''s supposed to be a secret." "Chyou, I have a request. Please take care of Yating, okay?" Chyou blinked. "Is there any problem, Uncle?" "Of course there is. He is very new to this acting stuff. He doesn''t know anything about the entertainment industry. I am forcing this cooperation gig on him so it''s my responsibility I don''t let anything untoward happen. So I hope you could guide and protect him," he urgently said, "I don''t want anybody to bully my son just because he is a neer." "..." Such a doting father! Yating stared at her in a daze and quivering hard, he broke down into soft sobs. His head bumped against her shoulder as he let out his tears and held her like a child terrified of the dark. "I am scared Chyou...I don''t know what to think. I love him a lot but what if he has... really killed somebody in the past? I cannot imagine Dad to be a murderer. I am afraid to hear that...it might be the truth...I am afraid because I wonder if I will start hating him for taking someone''s life and I don''t want to hate him, Chyou. He is the only family I have. I don''t want to lose him..." He cried hard. Chapter 845: A fair chance He is the only family I have. Chyou felt his warm forehead resting against her shoulder that slowly grew hotter with the contact. His shaking fingers held on to her hand as if he was deathly afraid of being left alone. His soft sobs cried out the deep fear prickling his heart. With his quivering body, her breaths softly trembled too. She slowly raised her arms and brought them to tightly wrap around his back. She hugged him as firmly as she could to let him know that he wasn''t alone. Yating felt lulled by that gentle embrace and his exhausted heart found somefort. Chyou weighed her words for a few long moments. It was an important but difficult conversation to have. It was a grave matter at hand she didn''t know how to console him. Some things were simply out of her hand. "Dad doesn''t know the whole story either¡­" she whispered. "He knows a little bit here and there but only Uncle Rong can tell you what happened. Perhaps Uncle Mo too. But you should listen to it from your father first." "...What will it change, Chyou?" He drearily asked. She nced at an unconscious Gu Rong with a contemtive look. "There might be truth or there might not be in this case. But we should listen to Uncle Rong''s side of the story. You said it yourself, right? That you cannot imagine him to be a killer. So if something like that happened nevertheless, then something really terrible must have happened for him to take that step, right?" Yating pressed his lips inwardly. He wanted to believe that. He genuinely wanted to trust in Gu Rong''s innocence. "But everytime¡­I think about the time I met Mom, I remember her frightened face. Dad''s mere mention made her look as if she saw a demon. Cheng Yin too¡­was so confident in his guilt l-like it''s hopeless to defend him." Chyou furrowed her brows. She didn''t know much in depth about Duan Ren or her character. So she couldn''t say if what she was doing was genuine or that she was instigating something. I need to look into this, she thought. She said, "How can you let Yin''s words affect you? From head to toe, he is just a selfish person. He was always insecure about you and now he is doing everything to pull you down." Her eyshes softly trembled. "I made the same mistake of getting trapped into his words and look where it got me. You cannot let him win, Yating. He wants to see you like this." She thought for a moment and held his face. She slowly lifted it up to make him face her. She pouted and wiped the tears off his cheeks. His reddened eyes pricked her. "Don''t think about anything else. First and foremost is to talk to Uncle. For all the love he has given you, he deserves a fair chance to be heard, right? You cannot let others influence your mind towards a person who has raised you with so much care. If he is a monster for others then know it from him as to his reasons." She then had a thought. "You do know right that the Liu family lead the underworld?" "Yes." She sheepishly grinned. "So you can imagine that side of Uncle Jinhai''s. Or¡­" she raised her brow, "for that matter Jun''s too." His brow twitched. "I don''t need to get into the details but his hands are not all sparkly and shiny, you know? They have killed people. But they have done it for the right reasons and to uphold their underworldw. Even so, you don''t doubt Jun''s love for Ai, right? Or think that he is a dangerous person for her?" Yating paused. "...I don''t. He really loves her a lot." "Yes. Now I understand that Uncle Rong doesn''t have that background so it''s hard to see him in that sense. But do you really think that he is some cold-blooded and sadist person who will kill someone for fun?" His eyes widened and he vigorously shook his head in disagreement. Chyou beamed. "That''s what I wanted to see and that''s the confidence that Uncle Rong needs from you. Just be the son to him you always were." He looked back at Gu Rong and felt the dread in his heart easing up a little. If it was really the truth then what could be the circumstances that led him to take such a dire step? He looked back at her, his eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you Chyou. Ever since Dad copsed, I could hardly think straight." She grinned and squished his cheeks hard. "Hehe that''s what I am here for right? You always stood like a rock solid support during my tough times. How can I shy away now? You are free to cry on my chest as much as you like ahaha- cough cough!" Her face flushed all of a sudden, realizing what she just blurted out in the heat of the moment. Cry on her chest¡­ Suddenly, Yating''s thoughts converged more towards the chest rather than the crying part and it was then he realized that he had been actually intruding in her embrace all this time. He stiffened and with an extremely apologetic expression, quickly withdrew. "S-sorry I d-didn''t realize that¡­" Chyou wanted to cry but she couldn''t. What did I just say!? Am I an idiot? Look how I made things all awkward now! From outside the ward, Butler Mo nced at Xiaosi and asked, "You look a little upset, Mr. Zhu?" "Hm? Do I?" "You are quite exuding a dark aura if I may say so." Xiaosi narrowed his eyes. "It''s the truth that I really like Yating. But it still hurts to see your daughter being taken away." His brow twitched. "I can see her feelings changing slowly and steadily and while I do appreciate it''s for Yating this time..." Xiaosi nced at Butler Mo, "it would be hard to not resent Yating." "..." Chapter 846: To face the past Gu Rong''s eyes gently fluttered open the next day. He looked at the white ceiling above and felt it was differentpared to his bedroom. He turned his head to the side and felt a presence near his hand. His eyes stretched wide and his light dizziness snapped away seeing Yating''s head rest on the bed. He exhaled soft breaths, fast asleep. Gu Rong couldn''t immediately grasp the situation but it slowly urred to him that he was at the hospital. With that, the memories ofst night started flooding in. His calm breaths began to growborious and he trembled. Yating, who was dozing off, felt his movements and woke up. He gasped seeing Gu Rong shaking and shuddering so unstably. "Dad!" Standing on his feet, he quickly held his shoulders. "Dad, I am here. What happened? I will call the doctor!" Gu Rong vigorously shook his head and stared at him with tears in his eyes. "Don''t leave¡­Are you leaving my side?" He breathlessly asked. "Dad, I will just head out to call the doctor-" "No! Just stay here¡­" his face knitted into diforting creases as he urged him. Yating pursed his lips and sat down. "Okay. I am here. Just breathe now please and calm down. I am not going anywhere." Gu Rong felt relieved hearing that and he dazedly nodded. Yating grabbed his phone and dropped a quick message to Chyou to call the doctor. Yating smiled at him and tenderly ced his hand on his palm. He patted it with his fingers and said, "You are finally awake¡­I was so scared when you¡­" his hoarse voice couldn''t form the words. Gu Rong stared at him and his heart skipped a nervous beat. Does he know about my health¡­? The doctor and nurse stepped in just then followed by Chyou, Xiaosi and Butler Mo. "Master!" Butler Mo was already shedding tears even before he entered the ward. Chyou and Xiaosi stood by Yating''s side as the doctor checked him. He frowned. "Your pulse still seems a little unstable." Yating said, "Dad panicked when he woke up. He was breathing hard." "Ah. It makes sense then. Well apart from that, his vitals look okay to me. He needs a lot of rest and strictly no stress that would put a strain on his heart." He then narrowed his eyes at Gu Rong. "Mr. Gu. Your butler said how you were skipping on your medicines. This cannot go on any longer, do you understand? You must be punctual with your medicines and not skip any dose. You cannot risk being careless." His sharp, scolding words made Gu Rong avert his gaze that threw a re at Butler Mo. But thetter ignored it. Chyou harrumphed. "How about I take responsibility for his medicines? I won''t let Uncle ck for even a day!" Xiaosi nodded. "Only you can set him straight." The doctor said, "We will do some more tests and let you know when he can be discharged." "Thank you, doctor," Yating expressed his gratitude. As they left, Xiaosi came forward and smiled. "You look better sitting on a CEO''s chair, not lying on a hospital bed." Gu Rong weakly smiled. "You¡­you didn''t have to take the trouble ofing here¡­" "How could I not if I hear that my friend copsed? You worried us all, especially your son." He stiffened. He didn''t meet Yating''s gaze and simply ufortably shifted on the bed. Chyou chirped. "Uncle, worry not! Now that I am here, I will bring you back into your dashing, handsome and fit and fine self~" Gu Rong smiled. "I am honored." "Hehe~" Xiaosi nced at Yating and said, "Chyou. Take Yating outside for breakfast. He must be hungry." She got the cue and nodded. "Yes, I am also famished!" Yating quickly rejected the idea. "I will eatter. I will stay here by Dad''s side." Chyou red at him. "How will you nurse him when you will be weak yourself? Look at how malnourished you look already." Butler Mo nodded. "Yes, young master. Please eat something. I am here till then." Yating pressed his lips and sighed. Chyou grinned and locked her arms in his. "Let''s stuff our bellies with food hoho!" Xiaosi gave Butler Mo a signal and he silently nodded. He, too, left after a moment. Xiaosi took the seat where Yating was sitting before and helplessly smiled. "You are getting old, Rong. You know you should take care of yourself." He trembled and bit the inner side of his cheek. "You have n-no idea what happened¡­" "I know. Butler Mo and Yating told me. Though I don''t know the full picture, I have made my guesses. Now you also know that you need to tell Yating everything." Gu Rong already felt suffocated hearing that as his gaze turned blurry. "I-I cannot¡­He will hate me. He will leave my side." "That''s just your assumptions. Yating is an adult now. He can think and decide for himself. Have a little faith in your son," his eyes narrowed. "He is already hurt by the fact that you hid your medical condition from him." He stiffened. "Rong," Xiaosi used a stern tone, "You cannot keep protecting your own feelings all the time. You are way too afraid and overthinking something that I am sure won''t happen. But you just aren''t ready to give Yating a chance to understand you. Now you cannot back off anyway. So I am here to tell you that you have to be strong as you tell him the past. Justy out the facts as they were." "It''s not that easy¡­" "It is easy but the problem is that you are not trusting Yating enough. Believe in your son, Rong. Believe in how you have raised him. You won''t be disappointed. He is calm, mature and smart. He is a good man. Why do you think I agreed to your marriage proposal?" He patted his shoulder. "Recover to your good health first and then talk to Yating. You cannot keep running away forever. Have faith in your son, Rong. He won''t leave you." Chapter 847: Digging into the past While Gu Rong was recovering in the hospital, Chyou took it upon herself to investigate Duan Ren''s past and her motives for approaching Yating. From a cursory nce, she learned that she had received a big chunk of alimony money from Gu Rong when they had divorced. It was huge enough tofortablyst for many years toe. Chyou blinked. Strange. The money¡­seems a little too excessive. The information further stated that there was barely any custody battle for Yating. Gu Rong easily got it because Duan Ren had no interest in taking the child with her. Chyou''s gaze turned cold. How could any mother be this cruel? She didn''t put up a fight at all for Yating? She touched her chin. "They could have also held joint custody, right? But even that route wasn''t taken. Why did shepletely cut herself off from Yating''s life like that?" Duan Ren was disowned from her family as soon as the divorce proceedings got over. She then went to live in Xuanhua, the same ce where Ai''s parents lived, and settled there. A few yearster, she was remarried to a fairly wealthy man of the area. Her brows knitted. It seems that their marriage was going well. So why this sudden wish to meet the past yearster? Chyou thought for a moment and fluently typed across the keyboard. Meng Jianhong - Duan Ren''s second husband. He held a very high and respectable position in one of the local corporationpanies in Xuanhua. He umted enough wealth to start thinking of setting up his own business. So he retired from his white cor job three years ago and invested all his savings and money in his start-up. It seemed that his newpany also boomed over the first year and the positive trajectory continued in the second year. All the invested money was recovered through the high returns and deals. But something changedst year and a rivalpany suddenly dropped a court case against Meng Jianhong, which plummeted his profits and reputation drastically. Many of his employees began resigning from their posts. Since then, he had been trying to get himself out of this mess but the struggle remained. Chyou felt an inkling that perhaps the rivalpany concocted some n for his downfall in a fit of jealousy and insecurity. But the truth was right in front of her. Meng Jianhong''s assets had gotten greatly devalued and he could barely scrape money for afortable living. Hiswyers demanded a mountainous fee for fighting his court case that was eating away any savings he had left. If something wasn''t done at the earliest, then the threat would loom over him to file for bankruptcy as hisst resort. But Meng Jianhong didn''t want to go to that step. Chyou leaned back on her chair, folding her arms and raising her brow. She took her cell and dialed Butler Mo''s number. "Uncle Mo!" She chirped. "Miss. Zhu," he politely greeted her. "How is Uncle Rong doing now?" "He is still weak but showing positive signs of recovery. Young master stays beside him all the time." She beamed. "Good good! That''s what I wanted to hear. And there was one more thing I wanted to know." "Yes, Miss. Zhu. Please ask." "Did Miss. Duan contacted Uncle Rong over the past few months?" There was a beat of silence. "...Yes. The first time around nine months back and then again three months back." Chyou narrowed her eyes. So she came twice. "Oh. What was it about?" "That¡­" he hesitated and Chyou understood that it had something to do with Gu Rong''s secret. "Okay, you don''t have to tell me the exact conversation but did Uncle Rong give her any money after that?" "Oh yes." "Both times?" He cleared his throat. "Y-Yes." Chyou tapped her finger on her desk. She then smiled. "I see. That''s all, Uncle Mo. Thanks a lot. I will hang up now." She kept her phone aside, squinting her eyes. She called Uncle Rong the first two times but personally met Yating the next time? Why did she choose to approach Yating that time? Then she thought of Yin, who somehow knew that Gu Rong was a killer. But he wouldn''t im to know something like this unless¡­ Chyou shook a little as she grabbed her phone again. Her palms turned slightly moist and sweaty. Her heart drummed in her chest and she felt like running away. But she knew she had to do this. "I won''t be afraid anymore." She took a deep breath and dialed a number. She went straight to the point when it was picked up. "I want to meet you." ¡ª At the hospital. Yating gently pulled over the nket over Gu Rong''s body. He was asleep after taking the medication and resting peacefully. Yating stared at him with a light smile and went on to give light pats on his head. He stepped outside the ward and said to Butler Mo, "Stay with Dad." "Are you going somewhere, young master?" "I am going to the office for a bit." "Ah Dream High," he nodded. "There must be a lot of work pending, right?" Yating shook his head. "Gu Corps." Butler Mo looked at him, surprised. "Dad is in this state. It''s obvious that he won''t be able to do any work and he shouldn''t either. So¡­" he awkwardly sped his hands, "I will handle thepany affairs in his absence." Butler Mo shed emotional tears. "Wh-what? Why are you crying?" "It''s nothing, young master. If Master would have heard this, then he would be so overjoyed." "It''s not a big deal really¡­" "For him, it is. He always wanted to see you take the lead." Yating lowered his gaze. "But I disappointed him." "No," Butler Mo warmly smiled. "He was and is very proud of you. He is just stubborn in not expressing it. But his chest fills up with happiness to see that you worked so hard and made your own name and position in the industry." Yating felt a dull ache as if something tugged his heart strings. "I will be back in sometime. Please call me immediately if there is any change in Dad''s condition." "Yes, young master," he bowed. Yating headed out in the parking area and a chime sounded as he remotely unlocked his car. "Yating¡­" Recognizing the familiar voice, he froze in his steps. He slowly turned and stared expressionlessly at Duan Ren standing before him. "...You." Duan Ren hurriedly approached him and asked with tears in her eyes. "I¡­I want to talk to you, Yating. Can we please go somewhere in private?" The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!