《Sweet Husband Pampers His Wife》


 CH 1

    Chapter 1: My Dear Wife


    Ji Nanfeng had been given a second chance at life, traveling back in time four years into the past. He laid deathly still on the hospice bedroom. His body felt stiff and he found himself unable to open his eyes. He could only listen to the ongoing talks unfurling before him.


    ¡°Mo Lixin, go bring Ji Nanfeng clothes. He may end up here for a long time. Isn¡¯t it that you want to take this opportunity to come here?!¡± The female voice spoke overbearingly.


    Ji Nanfeng knew this voice. It was Anran¡­ Duan Anran¡­ his past lover, but in truth, she¡¯s nothing but a heartless and toxic beauty whom he foolishly and blindly placed his trust upon in the past.


    ¡°No¡­ I¡­ I¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ how long will Ji Nanfeng be here? This¡­ you didn¡¯t tell me¡­¡± A voice answered awkwardly, almost trembling yet somewhat soothing and gentle.


    Lixin¡­ my dear wife¡­ it¡¯s you¡­


    Before he married her, she used to call his name sweetly. His name seeping out from her mouth was always soft and full of love and care that no other gave him, but yet, on their wedding night, he forbade her from calling his name.


    He remembered it ever so clear, the memory ingrained deeply within.


    ¡°Mo Lixin, don¡¯t be¡­ what¡¯s the word¡­ don¡¯t be disgusting. You don¡¯t deserve to call me Nanfeng. Remember, our marriage means nothing. The marriage to you is only because of a deal between your family and mines. It is better you get this through your head. Oh, and quit your job. You won¡¯t need it. And don¡¯t bother me.¡±


    It was their wedding night. It should¡¯ve been the happiest time of their life, yet it was not so. Determined he was to bring his wife down. He¡¯d berate her, insult her, make her feel as if she isn¡¯t worth anything less than trash. Because it was true, he thought. She was trash. And she believed it.


    Soon after, he left the house. He did not see the expression his wife wore, but he knew it was anything but a smile.


    He didn¡¯t let her out, did not want her to be in touch with society. He wanted her to be forgotten, just another person lost in the annals of history who¡¯d never been given a chance to make a difference. He only wanted her to suffer from loneliness.


    None imagined that a gentleman like him treated his wife in a manner unbefitting his image.


    When his past memories came rolling in, Ji Nanfeng curled his lips in disgust. He loathed himself, loathed how hateful he was to her, loathed how he treated her. On God¡¯s name, she had passion. She loved designing, especially wedding dresses. He knew this. She dreamed of this, but before she could fly, he cut off her wings.


    He was quite the bastard recalling the images of his past from beginning to end. It was painful, more so for his wife. She did not deserve such treatment.


    The voice outside echoing in his ear dragged him back to reality.


    ¡°Mo Lixin, you should go and hurry up! When Nanfeng awakens only to see your face, his mood will only turn sour. You better hurry on out.¡± Duan Anran¡¯s voice overflowed with disgust.


    ¡°I¡­ can I stay for a short while¡­? I¡¯ll leave in a minute. I won¡¯t let him find me¡­¡± Mo Lixin said softly. She did not feel as if she was his, Ji Nanfeng¡¯s wife. Sometimes, she wondered why she¡¯d come here. It isn¡¯t like he cares much for her.


    ¡°I tell you to go and leave. Why do you¡ª¡° Before Duan Anran could finish, there came a sudden knock on the door. She paused immediately and tidied her appearance and donned a dignified look. She faced the door and shouted. ¡°Come in!¡±


    ¡°Anran¡­ oh¡­ is this not Mo Lixin? Have you come to seduce Brother Ji? Hehe, I didn¡¯t peg you the type to do that. You¡¯re quite shameless. Have you no face? Do you not see the state Brother Ji is in?¡± Yun Ting, Duan Anran¡¯s good friend, mocked and sneered at Mo Lixin.


    ¡°I¡­ no¡­ I am¡­¡± Mo Lixin stuttered, unable to say the second half of her sentence.


    She promised Ji Nanfeng she¡¯d not speak a word of their marriage to others.

 CH 2

    Chapter 2: Duan Anran, You Are Vicious


    For a short moment, Yun Ting¡¯s conscience grew a sense of guilt due to her harsh words. She was unaware that Mo Lixin and Ji Nanfeng were a married couple and thought her friend, Duan Anran, and Ji Nanfeng were a couple instead and a perfect match made in heaven.


    ¡°Yun Ting, don¡¯t say any more. Mo Lixin must feel bad he¡¯s in this state so she only came to say her apologies before bidding farewell¡­ even if¡­ even if they have a great hatred.¡± Duan Anran¡¯s countenance morphed into a face full of worries, afraid the truth of the matter regarding Ji Nanfeng¡¯s relationship with Mo Lixin would come to light.


    Ji Nanfeng, who laid comatose on the hospice bed listened intently to the conversations between the three women. He listened on as Duan Anran and Yun Ting mocked his wife word after word.


    His heart panged and it ached, ached to know that he could do nothing in this state. He could only have himself to blame.


    He bullied her, threatened her, made her feel as if she¡¯s nothing, like she¡¯s worthless¡­ he loathed this, despised what he¡¯d done¡­ and most of all, hated how powerless he felt.


    He wanted to wake up, but his eyelids were heavy with pain.


    ¡°Anran, you¡¯re too kind. Mo Lixin is too vicious yet you still¡­¡± Yun Ting trailed off as she turned her head and looked at Ji Nanfeng who laid unconscious on the hospice bed.


    ¡°All right, it¡¯s all good. See, look, my arm is much better and healing well. Although it isn¡¯t completely healed, as long as I take care of it well, it should heal in no times. Besides, there¡¯s no pain¡­ though the marks are a bit ugly¡­¡± Said Duan Anran as she pulled her sleeve.


    ¡°Why does it look so much worse? The last time I looked at it, I thought it¡¯d get better in a few months. I didn¡¯t expect that it¡¯d look this!¡± Yun Ting exclaimed, her face full of shock.


    ¡°Nanfeng gave me the best medicine to use right after. I should recover well given time¡­ I¡¯m very happy!¡± Duan Anran looked down and smiled thoughtfully.


    Actually, it isn¡¯t that serious¡­ But¡­ for Ji Nanfeng, she needed to act the part.


    Because he is Ji Nanfeng, she needed to play her script well.


    Ji Nanfeng chuckled coldly in his heart.


    Duan Anran, you are really vicious! No wonder I was able to be deceived by you in the past life!


    ¡°Anran, if Brother Ji does not marry you, then the heavens are broken. You¡¯re a good woman for him.¡± Yun Ting smiled thoughtfully while looking at Duan Anran¡¯s wounds.


    Duan Anran remained silent. She thought that it¡¯d be nice to marry him¡­ just that¡­ he¡¯s already married. Well, no matter. Ji Nanfeng¡¯s heart does not belong to Mo Lixin. So long as the three-year marriage deadline passes, he can simply divorce her. Then at last, they could be together finally.


    Thinking of this, her heart tugged as the corners of her lips formed a soft smile.


    Mo Lixin left quietly while the two were lost in their conversations. She wasn¡¯t temperamental nor was she the sort of woman who¡¯d easily get angered. She just did not want to disturb him.


    Her love for him was humble and true, but she¡¯s not sure she could say the same for him.


    While Duan Anran and Yun Ting left, Mo Lixin did not leave the hospital. Rather, she sat down on the stairwell not too far from Jin Nanfeng¡¯s room. She¡¯d go in immediately if she saw or hear anything that¡¯d place him in danger.


    The temperature grew icy cold. Six hours passed since sitting on the foot of the stairwell and her body had grown numb. Though it was March, the weather was cold and chilly and though she was tired, she bravely held on.


    During the day, it was a period where she could relax and let her guard down. Only in the evening did she need to keep vigilance. Duan Anran might come and take advantage of Ji Nanfeng. Also, the nurse was irresponsible. She¡¯d not been doing her job properly.


    Suddenly, a strange sound came from Ji Nanfeng¡¯s room. Mo Lixin had not the time to think and reacted only. Despite her numb body, she quickly headed towards the room, but soon as she got up, she lost her balance and almost rolled down the stairway. Fortunately, her reaction was fast as she quickly held on to the wall, stabilizing her body thereafter.


    Then, she went inside his room.

 CH 3

    Chapter 3: I Will Love You Right


    Seeing nothing wrong, Mo Lixin breathed a sigh of relief. That¡¯s good. It was only a fruit that fell on the table. She went ahead and picked up the fallen fruit.


    At the same time, she couldn¡¯t help but walk to Ji Nanfeng¡¯s bed while she held a complicated countenance.


    His facial feature was otherworldly, over six¡¯ foot tall and a lean body. She liked to design clothings and had gone to numerous fashion shows in the past. They were filled with many handsome men but none could match the man before her. His face was sculpted by the very heavens itself.


    Mo Lixin, absorbed in her own thoughts soon fell asleep and she found herself sitting on the small bench resting beside the bed.


    She can¡¯t remember when was the last time she was ever this close to him¡­ she could not remember¡­ maybe it never happened.


    Then, she fell into a state of a blissful dream. This feeling¡­ this feeling was happiness¡­ stolen happiness.


    She hasn¡¯t slept well for a while and she dreamt well, dreamt of something sweet.


    A sweet aromatic scent lingered about and Ji Nanfeng¡¯s eyes opened slowly.


    He¡¯d awoken from his slumber the moment Mo Lixin entered his room. He could have greeted her, but he did not have the courage to do so. So he pretended and could only let her look at him in this poor and painful state.


    He looked at her longingly and watched her peaceful face doze off into serenity. Ji Nanfeng moved and pulled her to his bed and held her tight like she¡¯d never escape from his embrace.


    Only when it looked like she¡¯d awaken did he loosen his grip.


    She felt cold to the touch. Especially her hands and feet. It felt like a bucket of ice had been thrown to her. Ji Nanfeng was anxious. He thought of how he should pass on his body heat all to his wife.


    ¡°Lixin, why are you so silly¡­? I won¡¯t¡­ I will never hurt you again¡­ I¡¯m so sorry¡­ I love you¡­¡± In the silent night, his hoarse and tired voice escaped from his lips followed by a long silence.


    Sighing deeply, Ji Nanfeng inhaled her fragrant scent and pulled Mo Lixin close to his arms as he dozed to sleep.


    ¡­ ¡­ ¡­


    After a good night¡¯s sleep, Mo Lixin roused from slumber. Her eyes fluttered open and the first she saw was Ji Nanfeng¡¯s beautiful eyebrows. But before she had the chance to gaze at his beauty, she heard a voice outside.


    Unwillingly, she quickly got out of bed and tidied her appearance all too hurriedly.


    How did she end up in his bed?


    It¡¯s fortunate no one knew of it.


    Duan Anran opened the door and saw Mo Lixin¡¯s figure.


    Her brows tightened as she suddenly lashed out. ¡°Why are you here?! Nanfeng was badly hurt because of you. What else do you want?! Hey, Mo Lixin, I¡¯m looking at you! You have a thick face that I want to tear apart! You know, it¡¯s really infuriating to look at!¡±


    Duan Anran took a short glance at Ji Nanfeng.


    Good. He isn¡¯t awake yet. That¡¯s good. It¡¯d be even better if he wakes up first without seeing this woman.


    Mo Lixin did not know what to say. She looked to Ji Nanfeng and a solemn expression could be seen. ¡°I¡¯ll go out right away.¡±


    She did not wish for Ji Nanfeng to wake up so suddenly. If he saw her here, he¡¯d only be unhappy.


    But little did she know that Ji Nanfeng had already awoken.


    Cough¡­ cough¡­


    A loud cough filled the hospice room.


    Mo Lixin reacted faster than her brains could think. She immediately went to his bed and squatted down. ¡°Are you alright? Do you feel uncomfortable? Unwell? I¡­ I¡¯ll go and call a doctor for you.¡±


    ¡°Nanfeng, it¡¯s good you¡¯re awake. Do you know how much I worried for you day and night?¡± Duan Anran looked as if she cried rain. It looked truly believable.

 CH 4

    Chapter 4: Though I Have Failed You, Don¡¯t Let Me Go


    Upon seeing Ji Nanfeng awaken from his stupor, Duan Anran immediately expressed a soft, gentle, look. It was the kind of loving look where one believed they loved their partner a little bit more each day.


    ¡°Give me¡­ glass of water! Need to take medicine¡­¡± Ji Nanfeng said hoarsely.


    He said it to Mo Lixin, but Duan Anran did not pay heed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead and get you a drink immediately!¡± Duan Anran took careful note for she said ¡°drink¡±, not water.


    Ji Nanfeng immediately recalled his past life. He despised, no, loathed drinking bland, tasteless, plain water. He preferred to add in flavors. Even when falling ill, he¡¯d drink not plain water, but flavored drink.


    Mo Lixin and Duan Anran knew these characteristics of his well.


    He¡¯d throw a fit when Mo Lixin gave him a plain glass of water. Foolish him. How inconsiderate. Truly a jerk no matter how big or small the issue was.


    ¡°No, you must take medicine with hot water!¡± Mo Lixin retorted.


    Knowing Ji Nanfeng had awakened from a deep, long sleep, she felt relieved. At the same time, she steeled her heart and prepared to leave. She knew he¡¯d only grow annoyed of her presence alone.


    Duan Anran was enough to keep him company.


    ¡°Mo Lixin, Nanfeng had always drank flavored drinks, never plain water. Don¡¯t you know?¡± Duan Anran raised her brows and acted the part of a caring lover.


    ¡°It is common sense that you can¡¯t drink flavored drinks when taking medicine!¡± Though Mo Lixin had a soft and quiet character, she held her own principles, especially when it came to the care of Ji Nanfeng¡¯s health.


    Duan Anran¡¯s cheeks tinged with red. She did not know what to say. She immediately turned her attention to Ji Nanfeng. ¡°Nanfeng¡­ I am thinking of you too¡­ sorry¡­ I shouldn¡¯t be so ignorant of the big picture¡­ sorry¡­ Mo Lixin is right!¡±


    She looked pitiful once more.


    Ji Nanfeng knew Duan Anran had only acted the part a good actress. He wished to speak and call her out, but he¡¯d only awoken and his throat was dry and parched. He could not speak.


    ¡°Drink water first.¡± Mo Lixin grabbed the handle of the kettle pot and poured a glass of hot water before handing it to Ji Nanfeng.


    Her heart felt a sense of sadness. She knew he¡¯d not take it. He¡¯d only scold her for speaking to Duan Anran in such a way.


    Mo Lixin held the glass of water close to Ji Nanfeng. Somehow, time stopped and Ji Nanfeng had yet to accept her offer. Raising her head slightly, she saw his expressionless countenance and thought he was angry with her. She quickly retracted her hand and prepared to leave.


    That¡¯s right¡­ why is she here¡­?


    When he cared not for her¡­


    His mood would only turn sour when he sees her face. The doctor said he¡¯d need to feel good both physically and mentally to recover fully. Having her around would only be bad for his health.


    Her heart tightened.


    Lost in her thought while slowly drawing the glass away from him, she hadn¡¯t realized it¡¯d been long taken away.


    When their fingers touched, Ji Nanfeng felt the touch of her skin as light as a feathers. He remembered her. Before, because of him, she needlessly drifted through like a pocket of air; every move she¡¯d make, whether for his sake, would go unnoticed. A breeze was the only slight sign she existed. He never acknowledged her presence. Only when she left the world did he realize it became so much harder to breathe.


    He never realized till it was too late that the touch of her skin was the entrance to heaven itself; the tone of her voice is music pouring into his ears; the warmth of her existence gave him rise to a feeling of security¡­ he didn¡¯t know it then¡­ but¡­ he felt comfortable around her, a sensual feeling of belonging.


    You¡¯re tormented and in pain because of me¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ I hope in this life you can forgive me¡­


    I have failed you a thousand times, yet you¡¯re crazy enough to love someone like me¡­ Mo Lixin, I surrender myself to you¡­ don¡¯t give up on me¡­ I won¡¯t let you go¡­


    Mo Lixin, I want you¡­

 CH 5

    Chapter 5: I Only Know Her


    It was unexpected, really. The turn of events should not have turned this way.


    Ji Nanfeng threw a short glance over to Duan Anran, but in doing so incurred a sort of pathetic misery. How to turn the water over and drive her out without boiling the water?1


    Duan Anran¡¯s left brow raised slightly, mind blown away in lieu of Ji Nanfeng¡¯s action towards Mo Lixin. It should not be so. Ji Nanfeng treated Mo Lixin a stranger, but as he looked her in the eyes, his features softened.


    Duan Anran felt nauseated as she watched his ephemeral gaze.


    ¡°Help me up.¡± Said Ji Nanfeng, the order directed to Mo Lixin who watched him carefully with great attention since his awakening.


    Mo Lixin thought he was muttering to himself, but she nevertheless hurried to support his back and cushioned a pillow at the back of his head to lean on.


    ¡°You go out!¡± Ji Nanfeng said coldly to Duan Anran, voice lacking any sort of tenderness and care he once gave her.


    Duan Anran discovered a change and abnormality in Ji Nanfeng. She suddenly thought of something and leaned forward. ¡°Nanfeng, I am Anran¡­ do you remember me?¡±


    Ji Nanfeng looked at her dazed look. It seemed as she thought he had a sort of amnesia.


    He chuckled inwardly. A fool, he thought, but thinking carefully, it seemed the probable cause. A person cannot change so much. If he behaves abnormally, it¡¯d be a cause for concern.


    Without plausible reason, Mo Lixin would only grow suspicious of his kindness towards her, possibly thinking he means her harm. He¡¯s not afraid of his rebirth being exposed, only afraid no one will believe him. And what good would it do? Would it change anything? Should he personally say to Mo Lixin that owed her in the past life? Even if she listened on, he had no courage to hell her.


    After a short period of quietness, Ji Nanfeng suddenly thought of the perfect solution ¡ª he lost his memory, unable to remember anything nor of the past. This reason is the perfect excuse to remain by Mo Lixin¡¯s side. She is his wife and this reason settles it down, maybe he¡¯ll find the heart to speak of this matter later on.


    ¡°Who are you? I don¡¯t know you. I only know Lixin!¡± A loss of memory, he can only profess this lie as mere truth, only remembering Mo Lixin, and his and her parents, deciding that he lost a year of his memory. He knew not the existence of Duan Anran a year ago and his relationship with Mo Lixin was still good, if not bearable.


    Mo Lixin and Duan Anran drew their bodies back, startled by his profession.


    Duan Anran¡¯s pupil enlarged as she staggered backwards. Her mind was blank.


    Nanfeng¡­ lost his memory¡­? Then what of all that I have done? Was it all in vain¡­?


    Her heart grew close to collapsing. Her eyes overflowed a set of tears. A pitiful sight it was, but Ji Nanfeng felt nothing.


    Compared to Duan Anran, Mo Lixin¡¯s heart thumped voraciously. She was confused. On one hand, she worried for his sake. The trauma incurred must have been drastic. If not taken care of properly, the future troubles to come would only lead to further problems, but an evil voice in heart sighed in merry happiness.


    He does not remember Duan Anran¡­ for odd reasons, she felt content.


    ¡°Nanfeng, I am Anran! Duan Anran! You¡¯ve accompanied me for more than a year!¡±


    ¡°I said I don¡¯t remember you! I don¡¯t know you! I don¡¯t like you! Get out!¡± Ji Nanfeng exclaimed.


    Hidden in his heart were too few many regrets of the past¡­ especially her, his wife. He¡¯d never allow anyone to hurt her nor cause her suffering whether directly or indirectly. She¡¯d not suffer the same fate as before.


    And Duan Anran, she must go.


    ======

 CH 6

    Chapter 6: You¡¯re the One


    I am truly back here again¡­ I¡¯ll cherish this life well¡­


    At present, nothing mattered but her.


    Mo Lixin¡­ I will cherish you in this life¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­


    Only her.


    No one else.


    But he¡¯ll have to work, work harder to gain her trust, her love, and her affection.


    Back then, sitting on the soft sofa, the silhouette was dim, just bright enough to see my surroundings, I came to an epiphany. I realize then, my love, that though I ran away from you, loathed you, and closed my heart from you, you never left. You stood there, waiting¡­ quietly. You¡¯ve suffered. I let you suffered. In this lifetime, my dear wife, I won¡¯t allow it. In the end, because of me, your heart drowned in a sea of utter despair.


    Duan Anran left, albeit unwillingly for she did not believe what she¡¯d just bore witness to.


    She immediately went to see a specialist in neurology. However, the neurologist was unable to provide an exact reason for Ji Nanfeng¡¯s sudden amnesia, only providing a probable cause that it was due to the prior accident, stating that his memories were fragmented and had lost at least a year¡¯s worth of memory.


    Duan Anran staggered back.


    In the hospice room, there was only Ji Nanfeng and Mo Lixin.


    ¡°You¡­ are you alright?¡± In truth, what Mo Lixin truly wished to ask, against her better judgment, was question whether Ji Nanfeng truly did not remember Duan Anran.


    ¡°Am I not all right? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ji Nanfeng played the part of an amnesiac well.


    ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s nothing.¡± Mo Lixin paused. After a short brief second, she continued. ¡°Right, do you know what year and month it is?¡±


    ¡°Xin¡¯er,1 how do I know?¡± Ji Nanfeng coughed.


    I know.


    ¡°Did not the doctor say I have amnesia? So¡­ then I guess I¡¯ve been here for a year? Right, a year has passed.¡± Ji Nanfeng answered perfunctorily, eyebrows raised in delight as he looked at her silly.


    Mo Lixin shut her mouth and said nothing further.


    Ji Nanfeng smiled softly. When she¡¯s like this, he knew she¡¯d often draw back into her own world thinking of things and many matters.


    It was cute.


    ¡°Come on,¡± he held her hand, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    ¡°Ah~¡± Mo Lixin immediately returned from her subconscious. ¡°Right now?¡±


    It¡¯s not right, she thought.


    Thinking over this carefully, it doesn¡¯t feel right, she thought.


    Ji Nanfeng nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    Cold sweat formed on his temples. That¡¯s right. He¡¯s lost his memory. To suddenly act as if a married couple and hinting to go ¡®home¡¯, it looked and felt suspicious indeed.


    ¡°Do you remember our marriage?¡± Mo Lixin asked. She looked at him innocently, eagerly awaiting his answer.


    Her two hands clutched on the edge of the bed while her lovely eyes were filled with doubts.


    ¡°Of course. I remember marrying you a year ago. Now a year has passed. We¡¯ve been married to each other for a year. You married me, right? I remember marrying you.¡±


    Hearing Ji Nanfeng¡¯s reply, her heart tightened.


    That¡¯s right. A year ago, he said he wanted to marry her, but later on¡­ after her mother¡¯s mistake, his heart closed and no longer opened up to her¡­


    Ji Nanfeng saw once more that she immersed herself once again in her own world. He did not need to pick at her brain to find out her thoughts for he already knew. Her thoughts were filled with his image¡­ but¡­ it was not the sweet kind.


    Angered at himself, he immediately switched the topic. ¡°I cannot remember what happened over the past couple months. But later on, you can tell me. Anyways, let¡¯s go back home.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡± Mo Lixin did not know what to feel so she did not speak.


    While Ji Nanfeng changed into a new set of clothing, Mo Lixin drew back to her safety net, her own world.


    Looking at her countenance, Ji Nanfeng¡¯s chest panged. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and tell her how much he loved her, but he couldn¡¯t¡­ she¡¯ll only be frightened.


    He¡¯ll have to take care of this fragile relationship with great care and move forwards step by step.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ji Nanfeng slung the bag stuffed with his old clothing and stretched out his hand to hold hers.


    Mo Lixin lowered her gaze and looked down. She was mixed with many emotions, but regardless, she grabbed his hand and held it tight.


    ¡­ ¡­ ¡­


    The chauffeur looked back at the rearview mirror, watching the two time to time.


    Mo Lixin¡¯s hand oozed a touch of sweat. She was nervous. Ji Nanfeng hadn¡¯t let her hand go as of yet.


    The new chauffeur, Xiao Fang, raised his left brow. His curiosity peaked. He recalled Ji Nanfeng would always be right at Duan Anran¡¯s side. They looked affectionate too, so he assumed they were a couple. But how can his partner change place only after a few days of being admitted in the hospital? Did not Mo Lixin set the building on fire, which in return caused him to be injured? How come he¡¯s affectionate towards her rather than placing the blame?


    Odd.


    Xiao Fang had many wild guesses running through his head, but he dared not say anything.


    ¡°Ji Nanfeng¡­ you really don¡¯t remember¡­¡± Mo Lixin could not believe what she saw.


    The moment he awoke from his sleep, his tone towards her was soft and gentle. He¡¯d even gone as far as to kick Duan Anran out of the room in front of her. Also¡­ he held her hand¡­ and he didn¡¯t hate it?


    She felt like she was dreaming¡­


    ======


    Source: Quora

 CH 7

    Chapter 7: Will You Allow Me the Chance?


    ¡°Would you like it better if I pretend to have some sort of amnesia or that I truly have one?¡±


    Ji Nanfeng stared deeply into her eyes.  He saw stars etched in her pupils. The eyes are the window to the soul, right? If true, he wondered what she saw when she looked deep into his.  Do his eyes tell her that he wanted her desperately?


    Would you like it better if I¡¯m pretending to have amnesia or that I truly have one?


    Mo Lixin repeated his voice in her head. Did she wish for it to be the former or the latter? Maybe the latter¡­ even if this desire of hers is selfish, she hoped it to be true¡­ her heart wanted it to be true¡­ because¡­ then¡­ it¡¯d be easier to admit¡­


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know!¡± She dared not speak the truth.


    Ji Nanfeng laughed. He leaned forward and cupped her face in his hands. As he looked at her, all thought of was how to undress her cautious heart.


    Mo Lixin¡­ you look beautiful¡­ could I¡­ fall in love with you in this lifetime?


    Will you allow me the chance¡­?


    He circled his thumbs around her cheek and ran his fingers down her hair.


    ¡°Mo Lixin, no matter what happened in the past or the memories I¡¯ve forgotten, know that you¡¯ll always be the one in my heart. You don¡¯t have to do anything. Just wait for me¡­¡±


    I¡¯m here. I¡¯m with you. I will stay with you. My heart remembers you. It won¡¯t go away.


    Mo Lixin¡¯s heart jumped. The affection he showed her, it felt nice¡­ comfortable. It seemed like her desolate and caged heart broke free and bloomed a vast sea of flowers.


    If this is reality, then let it remain like this¡­ if it¡¯s a dream, she hoped she¡¯d never wake up.


    Though it was March, the winter dreamland roamed throughout the city. The bare winter tree was covered in frost while the puerile snow fell lightly.


    Layers of frosty snow tapped the glass window.


    Mo Lixin wiped the glass clean and looked at the outside view. Slowly, she was lost in her world.


    Ji Nanfeng looked at her while she gazed at the outside. A smile slowly curved on his lips. Looking at her, he thought of the many sweet things he¡¯d like to show her.


    I love you, Mo Lixin.


    ¡­ ¡­ ¡­


    Ji Nanfeng looked at their home. It felt like a dream. This was their home. A sweet home, but he soon remembered how cold and barren it would be for Mo Lixin. He recalled how he only returned three or four times in the past.


    Ji Nanfeng sighed.


    ¡°You¡¯re back so quick! I was going to pick you up but I thought it better to wait here. Nanfeng, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re well.¡± The figure of a beautiful woman in her late age stepped foot out of a luxury-made vehicle.


    ¡°Mother!¡± Mo Lixin called out.


    This elegant woman was Ji Nanfeng¡¯s mother, Wei Xiulan, a world-famous violinist.


    ¡°Lixin, did you suffer any injuries?¡± Wei Xiulan asked, voice hinting a touch of worries. Her eyes roamed about and searched her body for signs of injuries. Relieved, she breathed deeply. ¡°Really, something like this¡­ why did you not call to let us know? How worried we were! Your Uncle Liu had to inform us of the accident, but why did the hotel burn down in a sea of fire?¡±


    Uncle Liu was the chief surgeon where Ji Nanfeng had been hospitalized.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ just¡­¡± Mo Lixin trailed off. She found herself unable to utter the second half of the sentence. ¡°Just that¡­¡±


    Wei Xiulan tilted her head. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°Mother, I¡¯ve lost a year¡¯s worth of memory!¡± Ji Nanfeng


    ¡°Amnesia?! You don¡¯t remember anything for more than a year?!¡± Wei Xiulan exclaimed, but she hurriedly thought of something. ¡°Ah, forget it. Just remember, be good!¡±


    Well, this is good too. In that case, my son will not remember Duan Anran and he and Lixin will maintain a good relationship.


    Though Wei Xiulan donned a face full of worries, her heart was a mess of happiness.


    ¡°¡­..¡± Ji Nanfeng did not know what to say.


    Mother, you sure are happy¡­


    ¡°What is this about amnesia?¡± A hoarse voice said.

 CH 8

    Chapter 8: Even You Are Happy Too


    ¡°Grandpa!¡± Mo Lixin cried out. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Ji Shibo chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m not welcomed here? Did I hear you wrong just now?¡±


    ¡°Father, it¡¯s alright!  Ji Nanfeng lost his memories!¡± Wei Xiulan answered merrily.


    ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Ji Shibo shouted. ¡°Good! That¡¯s good! Forgetting his memories is good! He won¡¯t get entangled with that vile woman again!¡± Soon after, he felt that the words spoken seemed¡­ wrong. He quickly shut his mouth.


    ¡°¡­¡­..¡± Ji Nanfeng¡¯s heart grew numb.


    Grandpa, even you are happy too¡­


    After careful consideration, it seems that only he was blind to Duan Anran¡¯s poisonous behavior while his family had long seen through her covers. Even his grandfather who¡¯d yet to meet Duan Anran already loathed her. Now that he¡¯s lost his memories, his family joyously cheered on.


    ¡°Cough¡­ cough¡­¡± Wei Xiulan¡¯s cough reminded Ji Shibo to mind what he said.


    ¡°That¡­ it¡¯s alright.¡± Ji Shibo waved his hand as he stroked his greying beard. ¡°But what are you all doing out here? Come in quickly! It¡¯s cold outside! Though it¡¯s a cold winter month despite it being March, it seems to be a good omen. Everyone is happy! As the saying goes, snow falls in March and happy times will soon follow.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa! How long have you been here? Why didn¡¯t you call to tell me?¡± Mo Lixin smiled sweetly and grabbed hold of Ji Shibo¡¯s arms.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing much to say about it. I¡¯m only here for a short while.¡± Ji Shibo smiled back.


    He loved this sweet granddaughter of his, but his grandson¡­ he must be a brain dead fool¡­ failing to see how good she is to him. It¡¯s a shame really.


    Maybe his amnesia will knock some sense into him!


    ¡°You must be hungry, grandpa! I¡¯ll go ahead and prepare food. You go and lay back. I¡¯ll call you when the meal is ready!¡± Entering her home, Mo Lixin hurriedly ran to the kitchen and quickly prepared the meal.


    ¡°Lixin, come back here! Go rest!¡± Wei Xiulan was distressed.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right, mother. The doctor said Ji Nanfeng must eat on time each day!¡±


    As Ji Nanfeng listened on, his lips tightened, saddened by what he¡¯d heard. Saying nothing, he walked upstairs and pulled Mo Lixin with him.


    Ji Shibo and Wei Xiulan could not respond immediately, but they seemed content as a smile slowly made their way to their lips.


    Yeah¡­ maybe that amnesia really knocked some sense into him.


    They both thought.


    ¡­ ¡­ ¡­


    In the study room on the second floor¡­


    ¡°Ji¡­ Ji Nanfeng¡­¡± Mo Lixin said his name, confused why he brought her here.


    ¡°What did you call me?¡±


    ¡°Ji¡­ Ji Nanfeng!¡± Mo Lixin replied doubtfully.


    Ji Nanfeng gazed at her eyes. Though short, it seemed a long time.


    Mo Lixin, I want you to know what you mean to me and how your name plays in my head over and over like a song on a never-ending repeat when I try to sleep at night after your sudden death¡­


    Finally, he pulled her towards him and wrapped her in his embrace.


    ¡°Call me Nanfeng or Afeng. I don¡¯t know what happened to us, but I hope that we can get along like a husband and wife should be.¡± He said softly, hugging her tightly like he¡¯d never let go. ¡°If I¡¯ve upset you, I apologize¡­ you don¡¯t have to forgive me right now. I will use actions to provide that I will always remain good and faithful to you!. Don¡¯t be so afraid of me.¡±


    Mo Lixin did not know how to answer. If only he had been so good, if only he never remembers¡­ but¡­ is it possible that he¡¯ll remember his lost memories one day? If that time comes, will she lose him again?


    But she shouldn¡¯t wish for too much.


    For now, it¡¯s good to see him like this.


    She should be content.


    ¡°No! Nothing happened to us during that time period.¡± She lied. ¡°You were very kind to me!¡±


    At the corners of her eye, a droplet of tear slipped down her cheeks. It was small and unnoticeable and she thought she hid it well, but he saw the sadness in her starry eyes.


    Ji Nanfeng felt a sense of powerlessness.


    He¡¯s too anxious and forward.


    No, it¡¯s alright.


    As long as he takes this slowly, she¡¯ll one day become the carefree and lively Mo Lixin he once knew.

 CH 9

    Chapter 9: Please Trust Me


    Ji Nanfeng suddenly thought of something. ¡°What are you doing now? I can¡¯t remember what you did after your graduation.¡±


    He wanted her to go out, to spread her wings and fulfill her dreams, but he could not say it directly. After all, he refused to let her out into the world. Now that he¡¯s struck with amnesia, he can play around like a fool.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­ I¡­ don¡¯t have a job¡­¡± Mo Lixin whispered, suddenly recalling his lashing out at her the night after their wedding.


    ¡°No problem! If you can¡¯t find a job, your husband will help you find it. Don¡¯t you like designing wedding dresses? I¡¯ll contact a friend and you can begin tomorrow. I believe you¡¯ll do a great job with your abilities.¡± Ji Nanfeng smiled.


    He happened to have a brother who specialized in this field. This job will suit her well.


    Mo Lixin truly felt as if she¡¯d been flying in the clouds these past few hours. It¡¯s not clear whether she lived in the true reality or she had been dreaming all along. Now hearing that she¡¯s able to work, it truly felt more like a dream.


    ¡°Ji¡­ Nanfeng, you really don¡¯t remember the past?¡± Mo Lixin questioned once more.


    Ji Nanfeng sighed with a panging regret. ¡°Lixin, remember this¡­ no matter what I¡¯ve done before that I can¡¯t remember, I apologize if I¡¯ve hurt you. Please trust me!¡± He placed his hands on her shoulder and pulled her so their eyes faced each other.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Mo Lixin looked up at his firm eyes. She did not know why, but for a moment, she felt that even if he remembered, she wouldn¡¯t lose him like before. ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    Ji Nanfeng smiled. ¡°Do you know Gong Yue?¡±


    Gong Yue was his good friend. Though he¡¯d known Mo Lixin from an early age, they never had much contact.


    Estimating the time, he should have returned recently from his travels abroad. If nothing changed in this life, Gong Yue should be nearby.


    As one of his brothers, Ji Nanfeng would have introduced Mo Lixin to him for they were husband and wife, but he did not do so in the past.


    ¡°Gong Yue!¡± Mo Lixin yelped. Her low voice then grew crisp and loud.


    ¡°That¡¯s the one.¡± Ji Nanfeng smiled. ¡°He¡¯s the founder of Yue Palace, a company famous for designing wedding dresses to people of high status.¡±


    Ji Nanfeng suddenly remembered Gong Yue was her idol. She looked up to his design. How many people wished to meet him, but never could. Gong Yue had always been the type to keep his private matters out of the limelight. Many did not know of his identity and could only guess.


    Ji Nanfeng grew silent. Somehow, the thought of his wife mentioning the name of other men with great joy and excitement caused his cheerful mood to turn sour.


    Could this be¡­ jealousy¡­?


    Mo Lixin did not know what he was thinking but she seemed to feel a sudden change in his aura.


    ¡°Gong Ye seems to be recruiting new people recently. You can go in for an interview. I believe that with your skill, you¡¯ll pass.¡±


    He knew how talented, stubborn and principled she was of her works; he knew how she dreamt of being a designer since she could think.


    But thinking of the past again, he remembered how she let go of her dream for his sake. She loved him more than she loved herself. Though wrong, he felt a little happy knowing she still had him in her heart.


    ¡°Really?¡± Mo Lixin leaned forwards. ¡°He also has a company? He¡¯s also hiring?¡±


    ¡°Well, Gong Yue is not his real name. You will find out soon.¡± Ji Nanfeng suddenly did not wish to mention that person so he immediately ended the topic.


    ¡°Xin¡¯er, Nanfeng, come down for dinner!¡± Wei Xiulan¡¯s voice sounded off.

 CH 10

    Chapter 10: It Felt¡­ Distant


    At the dining table, there were four people sitting and eating: Ji Nanfeng, Mo Lixin, Wei Xiualan, and Ji Shibo.


    Ji Shibo looked at the faces of his family. He sighed inwardly. It was not easy¡­ it was not easy for people like them to sit down and eat calmly like a happy family.


    It felt¡­ distant.


    Ji Nanfeng and Ji Shibo had the same thoughts.


    In the past life, since his marriage to Mo Lixin, he¡¯d not been very close to his family. He felt that this marriage with Mo Lixin had been set up by them against his will. He remembered his many complaints in his heart.


    Naturally, they were seldom together.


    Dinner together as a family was a rare occurrence and he¡¯d only go home every New Year¡¯s Day. Moreover, as time passed, Duan Anran and him often had a quarrel. Every quarrel lead to anger, and every anger led to his growing unhappiness, and every unhappiness he directed towards Mo Lixin and his family.


    In this life, he promised he¡¯d no longer do this. He won¡¯t disappoint Mo Lixin.


    ¡°Mom, grandpa, I want Mo Lixin to go out and work!¡±


    ¡°Go out to work, huh¡­ is she willing? Eh, wait, how do you know that Lixin has no job?¡± Ji Shibo asked curiously.


    ¡°Well, she¡¯s by herself here most of the time. Doesn¡¯t she like designing wedding dresses? I contacted someone in that industry to give Lixin a chance to do something she likes.¡± Ignoring Ji Shibo¡¯s questioning, Ji Nanfeng replied under his own terms.


    After Mo Lixin¡¯s death, he found her diary and learned that she suffered from depression.


    ¡°That¡¯s for the best. Lixin likes those sort of things and she has good talent. It shouldn¡¯t be buried like this. You should¡¯ve done this sooner!¡± Said Ji Shibo.


    ¡°Yes, grandpa¡­ I know.¡±


    Grandpa, I was an ass before! Forgive me!


    Suddenly, the phone rang.


    ¡°Umm¡­ can I go ahead and answer the phone?¡± Mo Lixin asked Ji Nanfeng in a low voice. She was thinking that he¡¯d forgotten to change the ringtone.


    ¡°Go! Why do you need to ask us these things?¡± Wei Xiulan replied in puzzlement.


    But still, she waited.


    ¡°Go ahead!¡± As he replied, his hands clenched into a tight fist.


    It was one of the rules set up long ago. She must not answer the phone in front of him.


    Damn it, you slag man!


    Mo Lixin left the dining room and picked up the phone.


    Reading the caller name, it was from one of her few friends, Xu Qingman.


    They were college roommates.


    ¡°Man Man, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Mo Lixin listened to the other side, but hearing the other side not say anything, she asked worriedly.


    At the same time, in Shuixin Apartment, a tall woman with curled hair cried on the phone silently. Hearing the voice of the person on the other line, she soon wept. She couldn¡¯t control herself.


    ¡°Xin Xin, it¡¯s only you! You¡¯re the only friend for me!¡± The woman answered. The corners of her eyes teared up.


    Mo Lixin was unable to understand Xu Qingman, but listening to the tone of her voice, it can be inferred that she found herself in an awful situation.


    ¡°Where are you? I¡¯ll be right there. Are you at home?¡±


    ¡°Xin Xin, you¡¯re so kind. Those demons¡­ now my parents are dead¡­ why¡­ why didn¡¯t they give me more time¡­ just a little bit more time¡­¡±


    Xu Qingman¡¯s rambling was in a sea of mess, but still, Mo Lixin understood her. Her friends and parents killed themselves, or more like, those ¡°debt collectors¡± caused the death of her loved ones.


    The first thought in Mo Lixin¡¯s heart was to go there. Her friend needed her right now. She should have grabbed a pack of clothes but she did not. She quickly put on her slippers and a slightly thick sweater and went out of the villa.


    Grabbing a taxi, Mo Lixin went straight to Xu Qingman¡¯s house. During the ride, she sent a text message to Wei Xiulan that she went out and told them not to worry.


    Sitting in the car and looking out the windows, she slowly calmed down, her mind thinking of her friend.

 CH 11

    Chapter 11: Darkness Is a Protective Blanket


    Mo Lixin and Xu Qingman lived at two opposite extremes of the city. The drive to had taken her well over two hours.


    What she did not know was that on the way to, the cell tower exploded and lost signal connections throughout the city.


    She did not know Ji Nanfeng worried crazily and texted her nonstop; she did not know because she believed in her right mind that Ji Nanfeng cared not for her.


    ¡°Man Man, open the door!¡± Mo Lixin knocked on the iron door twice. Because she lived in the basement, the surrounding was darkly lit. Looking at the environment, she felt helplessly distressed. When she married Ji Nanfeng, she repeatedly mentioned that he help her, but because Xu Qingman was independent to the extreme she refused her help. Mo Lixin sighed and had no choice but to give up.


    At this moment, the door opened. There was no light in the room, only total darkness.


    Before she could see Xu Qingman¡¯s clear figure, something fell on her shoulder. A familiar smell wafted the surrounding air. Mo Lixin recognized that this unknown object on her shoulder was Xu Qingman¡¯s head.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right, Qingman¡­ weren¡¯t they arrested? This is the natural cause of good punishing the evil. I believe that uncle and aunt in heaven won¡¯t want to see you like this. They want you happy. If you¡¯re sad, just cry. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll accompany you. When you want to pour your heart out, let¡¯s go eat ice cream. After all, isn¡¯t it you who taught me to turn grief into appetite? Ah, here, come, let¡¯s go sit on the sofa. Look at you, you¡¯re cold all over. So cry, but you¡¯ll cry comfortably.¡±


    Mo Lixin did not flick the lights open. Sometimes, darkness is a protective blanket.


    Xu Qingman cried to the fullest hearing her friend¡¯s comforting words. Her heart tore open, shedding the last vestige of her tears.


    Mo Lixin saw Xu Qingman¡¯s loving father and kind mother once. They were kind people and they often asked their daughter to give her their cooked meal.


    It was warm and loving.


    Unexpectedly, she never saw them again.


    They were gone; forever.


    Xu Qingman bawled for over two hours. She never stopped to breath. It¡¯s as if she dried up all the tears in her life.


    Then, she slept soundly.


    Mo Lixin covered her with a warm blanket before boiling a pot of hot water. Wetting the damp towel, she gently rubbed her friend¡¯s face.


    Looking at her, she looked worse than death itself. Her eyes would be swollen if she awoke.


    Xu Qingman slept soundly, sleeping for more than three hours. She was covered by a comfortable towel wrapped around the forehead by a certain friend.


    Meanwhile, Mo Lixin tidied up the messy room. She looked at the kitchen full of instant noodles and shook her head helplessly. She could not believe what she saw.


    When Xu Qingman awoke, she looked around. It was dark and she was confused. Suddenly remembering something, she cried, ¡°Lixin¡­ Lixin¡­¡±


    Mo Lixin just finished cleaning up the last pile of garbage when she the sound coming from the next room.


    ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± Mo Lixin knew that when one is at their most helpless and lonely state, the phrase ¡®I¡¯m here¡¯ from those close them provide a sense of comfort and security.


    ¡°Lixin, I have nothing¡­ accompany me, don¡¯t go anywhere!¡± Xu Qingman said pitifully.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll accompany you! Do you know how long it took for me to get here and to clean your room? I hardly ate anything the whole day. You have to invite me to dinner!¡± Mo Lixin said, trying to divert attention.


    Xu Qingman knew Mo Lixin was trying to comfort her. She squeezed out a smile and said, ¡°Well, I¡¯m hungry too, but I can¡¯t afford to pay a lot so street food?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Mo Lixin said hungrily. She hadn¡¯t eaten since noon having only drank a glass of water before she left the house. She was famished.


    Besides, going out for a walk is something Xu Qingman needed right now¡ªa breath of fresh air.

 CH 13

    Chapter 13: Serenade of Black


    When the two friends went out and saw the snow hugging the trees and fields, kissing them gently and covering them up in a snug, in that white quilt, Mo Lixin and Xu Qingman rubbed their hands as if creating friction to warm their bodies.


    At the same time, Ji Nanfeng was out looking for Mo Lixin. God knows how anxious and worried he was. She answered the phone, went out, and never came back.


    It was dark outside, the stars decorating the night skies. Many stalls stood on the side of the road. Smelling the aroma of watery food, the two friends found a place to rest.


    ¡°Sit down. I¡¯ll go and get us food!¡± Mo Lixin said.


    Meanwhile, Ji Nanfeng drove through the blaze of the night in the serenade of black. The stars aligned in a set of choirs singing in infinite patterns to guide his way to her, his sweet home. She hadn¡¯t answered her phone since she left. It worried him so, heart clenched worried deathly for her sake.


    In the barbecue stall, the boss served a variety of kebab: pork, beef, chicken¡­ They were a popular variety, handing the customers one after and another their ordered kebab.


    Though there stood a many people in the waiting line, the boss maintained a fast, steady pace. In a few minutes time, the ordered food would be ready for serving.


    ¡°Hey, you,¡± The Boss said to the puerile, innocent-looking woman, ¡°Would you like something to drink?¡±


    ¡°Just milk, please!¡±


    ¡°Gimme a beer!¡±


    Two voices rang at the same time, one Mo Lixin and the other Xu Qingman.


    ¡°Lixin, I want to drink my heart out today. Just accompany me.¡± Xu Qingman smiled faintly and pointed a finger towards Mo Lixin.


    Mo Lixin sighed, unable to bear seeing her friend in this sorry state, but she compromised. For the sake of her friend¡¯s happiness, she would compromise.


    ¡°Fine, fine, but you haven¡¯t eaten anything today! Drink some hot milk first.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡± Xu Qingman smiled, feeling slightly better.


    After eating for more than an hour, Xu Qingman leaned back in her chair and began downing a glass of beer.


    ¡°Man Man, you should¡¯ve told me when you were in trouble right away!¡± Mo Lixin said worriedly.


    Xu Qingman smiled faintly. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to get in touch with you¡­ I know¡­ Blame me, blame, but I thought you¡¯d also abandon me!¡±


    Mo Lixin suddenly remembered the figure of Ji Nanfeng¡¯s face in her mind. He¡¯d only been discharged from the medical hospital. Surely, he¡¯s wondering where she was this late in the night, or maybe not. She turned on her phone just in case while feeling a sense of guilt overcome her.


    ¡°Then, this meal will be a compensation for not telling me! I¡¯m all yours today. Say whatever you want to say, I will listen!¡±


    As expected, Mo Lixin listened to Xu Qingman¡¯s incoherent ramblings as she drank her beer. She¡¯s not a drinker. She¡¯d get drunk easily. Well, forget it, today she¡¯ll accompany her for tonight.


    Xu Qingman continued downing the beer. Soon, they stood up from their table and walked around quietly enjoying the night stars and the scenery. Xu Qingman continued speaking nonsense while her legs wobbled every now and then.


    Two beautiful women walked around side by side, one silent and the other crying a river of rain.


    ¡°Lixin¡­ Do you remember what I said before? I promised father and mother that I¡¯d make a lot of money, purchase a big house, and have them live well with lavish meals. Did you know, that at that time, they were happy and content.¡± Xu Qingman sat under the orange street lamp with a half¨Cclosed eyes.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯ll make a lot of money and buy a big house!¡±


    Unbeknownst to her, Ji Nanfeng stood from afar watching her with a pained look.


    It¡¯s good that you¡¯re alright.


    ¡°But¡­ They¡¯re no longer here¡­ . I worked really hard but I couldn¡¯t change anything. On the contrary, things are more difficult than I¡¯ve ever imagined. There¡¯s a saying that the good men and women receive their rewards, but where is mine?¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey, why are you talking like that? Let¡¯s forget about this.¡± Mo Lixin said exasperatedly.


    ¡°I believed such thoughts before, but¡­¡± Xu Qingman lingered before continuing, ¡°As long as I haven¡¯t changed as the person I admire, then there¡¯s no loss.¡± She¡¯s not sure what she said, only that her brain was in flurry of mess due to her state of drunkenness.

 CH 14

    Chapter 14: Essence of the Sun


    You are what it feels like to stand in the sunflower field.


    I can feel the warmth,


    And now I know the essence of the sun.


    ¨C To You


    ¡­ ¡­ ¡­


    The road lained over the earth for as long as anyone could remember. In the weathered cracks, the earth¡¯s roots grew in, their leaves a bright green over the cement gray. The path was narrow. Only a single car could pass by.


    It was a black midnight dreary too. Ever so few pedestrians were found. But the scene was beautiful. It was a cool breeze and sycamore leaves rustled, sometimes floating down against the laws of gravity now and then.


    Under the orange dim street lamp, Mo Lixin and Xu Qingman walked the narrow path. They had fun¡ªlike the world belonged to them.


    Against his better odds and despite willing himself to, Ji Nanfeng chose not to show himself. Instead, he sat back and looked at her silently. He thought of how optimistic she was, always seeing the good in people. Even their worst traits¡­ She¡¯s a good woman.


    But, she had scars, and he caused them. How to heal them and how to make sure they¡¯re not torn any further, Ji Nanfeng will have to find out. He¡¯s sure Mo Lixin had many more scars hidden in her heart, but he was ignorant. He couldn¡¯t find one.


    While wandering in his thoughts, the sound of a drunken man echoed.


    ¡°Hey, these two chicks look good! Hehe, little girl, how about you come with us brothers to play! It¡¯ll be fun.¡±


    ¡°Big Brother, this one right here is pure and love while the other is so hot. We¡¯re lucky today, brother!¡± Said another drunken man. He and the other men had fair looks. They were good looking.


    ¡°Lixin, you see, look at them. Just two ugly people!¡± Xu Qingman stuttered drunkenly, unable to tell the difference between the current situation.


    ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re right. Not as handsome as Ji Nanfeng!¡± Mo Lixin agreed. She pointed her finger at one of them and giggled.


    ¡°Yo, girl, you said we¡¯re ugly? Then you look, look at my brother¡¯s face and see if he¡¯s ugly. But even so, don¡¯t think we can¡¯t¡ª¡± One of the drunken men leaned over and placed his hand on Mo Lixin¡¯s face.


    But¡­


    Just before he had the chance, he felt a growling pain from his solar plexus.


    ¡°Aghhh!!¡± The drunken man covered his abdomen and staggered back.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, get out of here!¡± Ji Nanfeng coldly threatened.


    ¡°Who are you. You think you can provoke me?! Why don¡¯t you¡ªAHHHH!¡± Before the drunken man had the chance to finish, his groin was kicked. He fell back to the ground and whimpered. His roots may no longer exist¡­


    ¡°Big Brother, let¡¯s go!¡± Enduring the pain, the drunken man steeled himself and rose up from the cold ground.


    As he walked away with his companion, he did not forget to shout out cruel words.


    ¡°You wait, boy! If I see you next time, see if I don¡¯t skin you alive!¡±


    Ji Nanfeng cared not for their existence and turned around. Such ruffians, they weren¡¯t worthy of his attention.


    ¡°Lixin, this man is so handsome! A kick¡ªone kick only and he sent those ugly men flying! Hehe~ it¡¯s the case of a hero saving the beauty! Lixin, you have to capture him! This is your good luck!¡± Xu Qingman squealed in ecstasy.


    Ji Nanfeng looked at Xu Qingman thoughtfully, his features softening.


    In this life, this was the first time they¡¯ve ever encountered face to face, but in the past, they met once in the funeral¡ªin Mo Lixin¡¯s funeral. He recalled that fiesty woman came running towards him like a madman and gave him a hard slap in the face. Even told him how he failed her good friend, Mo Lixin.


    Thereafter, the woman died from a car accident after the funeral. Her life ended¡ªa bitter, tragic death.

 CH 15

    Chapter 15: She Is My Wife!


    Ji Nanfeng¡¯s mind wandered back to Mo Lixin¡¯s diary. In that diary, she mentioned the lack of warmth and light in her darkest days.


    He never helped her walk out of the darkness that invaded her, never helped her up. Thinking about, he found the issue, but it was too late. He somehow¡­ Somehow grew to resent pouring his heart out, resented opening himself.


    Is that why he¡¯s drawn to Duan Anran like a moth to a flame? Because she was superficial and he never needed to worry about opening up?


    Ridiculous.


    If that is the reason, ridiculous.


    Shaking his head, he returned back to reality. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number.


    ¡°Hey, where are you? Come here. I know you¡¯re nearby!¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯m coming right now.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you do as long as you come!¡± Ji Nanfeng said bluntly before hanging up the phone.


    He sighed and looked at Mo Lixin. A smile crept up the corner of his lips and looked at the beautiful woman sitting on the ground. Her face blushed a tinge of red due to the cold weather.


    ¡°Lixin¡­¡±


    Thinking of something, he leaned over and put his coat over Xu Qingman. She fully dressed for the occasion and her she seemed cold. Ji Nanfeng knew this woman was important to his wife so it¡¯d be best he makes sure she¡¯s taken care of.


    20 minutes later.


    ¡°Third Brother, if I come over and see that you¡¯re alright while you call me as if it¡¯s in an emergency, I¡¯ll run you over to death!¡±


    A low-key and luxurious Rolls Royce vehicle stopped at the foot of Ji Nanfeng. The vehicle door opened and a sultry man in pink regal suit appeared. Ignoring the clothing, the man itself was of an otherworldly appearance.


    ¡°Yunting, bring this girl to the hotel and make sure she gets sobered up.¡± Ji Nanfeng paid no heed to the man¡¯s questionable clothing and said directly what needed to be said.


    ¡°Oh! She looks good! If this girl is good-looking and you¡¯re interested in her, I, Gan Yunting, will help you. Oh, wait, this girl in your arms is even better looking!¡±


    Ji Nanfeng frowned, lips tight. ¡°This is your sister-in-law and that girl¡­ Let¡¯s just say that you better put away your bad thoughts.¡±


    ¡°What did you say? Did I hear it correctly? Sister-in-law? Is it Big Brother, Second Brother, or yours? Ah, but Big Brother is always married for 4 or 5 years now. You and Second Brother¡­¡± Gan Yunting continued, his tone flirtatious. ¡°When will it happen?! I haven¡¯t yet tasted you and Second Brother¡¯s wedding drinks!¡±


    The Big Brother and Second Brother Gan Yunting mentioned were not related by blood. No, they were the kind of brothers who lived and died together.


    The Big Brother, Lu Xingyan, was the youngest general in the country.


    The Second Brother, Miyazawa Yun, was a well-known designer. In addition to his profound wealth, his intelligence level stood at the peak and comparable to geniuses.


    As for the Third Brother, it was none other than Ji Nanfeng. The Ji Family has two sons¡ªJi Nanfeng and Ji Wei who was thirteen years older than him. Ji Nanfeng¡¯s mother took over the Ji Family business. Though the two brothers weren¡¯t compatriots, their relationship was good. It was due to the gap in their age, after all.


    And this sultry man, Gan Yunting, he was the youngest of the four brothers, the Fourth Brother. He was superficial and cared not for the seriousness in life, always idle and flirting whenever he liked and whenever he pleased. That is his terms. To live a life of hedonistic pleasure.


    ¡°Mo Lixin, she¡¯s my wife, and that is her friend, Xu Qingman!¡± Ji Nanfeng said just a little too loud, revealing his marital status to others for the first time.


    ¡°Third Brother¡­ You¡­ You¡­ You¡­ You¡¯re not lying! Ah¡­ What about Duan Anran?!¡± Gan Yunting questioned, lips trembling. This is a piece of significant sudden news and he was not prepared for it in the slightest.


    ¡°I have no reason to lie to you. Anyways, I¡¯ll explain it to you later. Let¡¯s get this two ladies in the car first!¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Ah¡­ Right¡­ The car¡­ Yes¡­¡± Gan Yunting stuttered.

 CH 16

    Chapter 16: Unprepared Kiss


    It was in the way Gan Yunting looked at Ji Nanfeng and his ¡®wife¡¯¨C¨Cthe sudden emergence of a little sister-in-law left him awestruck. And also¡­ she seemed important to Third Brother.


    ¡°Remember, don¡¯t hit on her,¡± Ji Nanfeng said coldly. He looked down at Mo Lixin and embraced her tightly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure I get the job done.¡± Gan Yunting straightened his back and saluted Ji Nanfeng.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Why is there another handsome man? Lixin, Lixin, Lixin¡­! Who are you? Why are you holding my Lixin? Put her down and let her go¡­ Let her go¡­¡± Xu Qingman talked nonsense.


    ¡°Qing¡­ Man¡­ Man¡­ The wolf is coming¡­ Run fast! Run fast!¡± Mo Lixin rambled though she was already in the arms of Ji Nanfeng.


    ¡°The¡­ wolf? Where are the big wolves? I¡¯ll fight them¡­ Eh¡­ Who is this pink wolf? How lovely¡­ Come on, Big Wolf¡­¡± Xu Qingman said with a mouthful, wanting to kiss Gan Yunting under her drunken stupor.


    But before she could, she vomited the food she ate on Gan Yunting.


    Ji Nanfeng looked at Gan Yunting, who in his dismal state cried silently. ¡°Brother, I will leave her in your care. Take care of her well, alright? Thank you.¡±


    Ji Nanfeng turned around and left with his beloved wife.


    Gan Yunting grieved inwardly. His brothers¡­ Why must they push him around so recklessly? He sighed dismally and brought Xu Qingman to his grandmother¡¯s hotel.


    Ji Nanfeng had his own car, so he did not drive off with Gan Yunting.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Nanfeng, why are you like that? You tell the world you¡¯re not married, right?¡± Mo Lixin slurred, twisting and turning her body in the passenger seat.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move, we¡¯re almost home.¡± Ji Nanfeng looked at her drunken appearance and sighed. A whirlwind of emotions whipped through his veins and ripped his skin, attempting to scratch its way out.


    The car drove under the of perfect midnight velvet, its stars so brilliant that the lyrics of starry nights played softly in his mind. There were few cars on the road, so the way to home was no less than an hour.


    There was no one home. Ji Nanfeng walked to the hearth and warm flames by the sofa. He gently placed Mo Lixin on the sofa, and went to the kitchen, and prepared his wife a warm soup.


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t drink it! It stinks! I want to dance¡­ Hold my hand, hold my waist¡­ That¡¯s it¡­¡± Mo Lixin waved her hands around, every movement a synagogue of poetry. She danced beneath the stars, feeling the force of nature penetrate her skin. She felt like she was on cloud nine, floating lightly over the clouds.


    Ji Nanfeng also danced with her, held her hands gently. His face lit up, a growing happiness much like how a spring flower opens. Joy lit his eyes and spread into every part of him.


    Then, suddenly, he was struck out of his reverie.


    This girl¡­ She needed to drink her medicine.


    ¡°I¡¯ll dance with you after you drink.¡± Ji Nanfeng pampered and caressed her hair gently.


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s stinky¡­ No¡­ No¡­ I don¡¯t want to drink! I want to dance!¡±


    What sense of rationality did Mo Lixin have to begin with? She was drunk. She acted on the spur of the moment, saying whatever came to her mind. How gallant, how fearless.


    ¡°Just a minute. Dance after you drink¡­¡± Ji Nanfeng was at a loss. He neither had a younger brother, sister, or children of his own. He had no experience in matters like this.


    Ah, that¡¯s right, the drunken Mo Lixin was like a child right now. Now¡­ How should he coax a child to take medicine¡­


    ¡°Why do you keep talking? Stop talking!¡± Mo Lixin tiptoed on her feet and blocked his mouth with her own.


    The room was quiet, only the breeze of the night permeated the air. The curtains move slightly¡­ And close to the curtain stood a girl on her toes kissing the mouth of a boy. The boy was tall, had a bowl of soup in one hand. He stood on the ground, eyes wide open, looking at the girl who kissed him unexpectedly¡­

 CH 17

    Chapter 17: If Only It Was Like This


    Her mouth was soft¡ªlike jelly. It felt intoxicating, indulgent even. Ji Nanfeng lowered the bowl in his hand, and slowly, he placed it on the table resting next to him. His only intent was to embrace his wife and deepen the kiss in which she initiated.


    He liked, no, loved it.


    He craved her in the most innocent form.


    As the temperature in the room seemed to rise, Ji Nanfeng almost could not control himself, but in the end did he let go reluctantly.


    ¡°Haaaa¡­¡± Mo Lixin drew out two big breaths as if she¡¯d soon suffocate.


    ¡°Lixin¡­ Who am I¡­?¡± He asked softly while looking at her flushed face.


    ¡°You¡­ Who are you? Hmm¡­ a good-looking man¡­ no, it¡¯s Nanfeng! Hehe!¡± Mo Lixin swayed before jumping on the sofa.


    ¡°Nanfeng wants you to drink medicine. If you don¡¯t drink medicine, I¡¯ll be angry. Won¡¯t you drink?¡± Ji Nanfeng coaxed her, albeit in a pampering tone.


    Mo Lixin¡¯s beautiful eyebrows wrinkled. ¡°Nanfeng, don¡¯t be angry. I¡­ I¡¯ll drink it. Nanfeng¡­ don¡¯t be mad¡­¡±


    Ji Nanfeng was an essential part of her life.


    He was really a blind fool.


    Mo Lixin took a deep breath, pinched her nose, and downed the medicine in one go. It wasn¡¯t too bad, but it was bitter.


    ¡°I¡¯m not drinking medicine again¡­ never¡­¡± Mo Lixin muttered.


    Soon after, her eyes closed. She was tired.


    *** *** ***


    ¡°Ah! Where is this place? Look at this¡­ this is where the rich live!¡± Xu Qingman had taken a bath and changed into a new pair of clothes. She was still under the influence of alcohol.


    ¡°This is a hotel. I had someone bathe you. Since I don¡¯t know where your home is, you can rest here for the night,¡± Said Gan Yunting.


    ¡°No, no, I¡­ I want to find Lixin!¡± She was intent on walking out of the room.


    Gan Yunting rubbed his temple, obviously stuck in a predicament. Who knew a woman would be so troublesome.


    After many talks of coaxing and deceiving, Xu Xingman did not go out. It somehow ended with the two playing chess.


    *** *** ***


    The bathroom mirror was foggy. Every now and then, splashes of water wet the floor.


    ¡°Ah¡­ this is¡­ Nanfeng¡­¡±


    Ji Nanfeng suppressed his impulse to engage in an animalistic behavior and gently bathed his wife. In the midst of it, his cheeks was the color of rosy wine. He saw her in her most naked form.


    How he wanted to have her right now.


    Those innocent eyes gazing straight into his soul¡­


    But not right now.


    When they connect together as one, it¡¯ll be perfect.


    After bathing her, Ji Nanfeng carried her to the bed with a bath towel wrapped around her. He then took a bath himself, and when he came out, she had long fallen asleep. Her brows creased into a knot. She seemed to be having a bad dream.


    He laid down next to her and pulled her in his embrace.


    ¡°Sleep well, Lixin.¡±


    Mo Lixin did indeed have a nightmare.


    It was Ji Nanfeng.


    It was like he killed her every dawn, and revived her in the twilight. She dreamed that he no longer wanted her. He looked at her with cold, piercing eyes as he grabbed Duan Anran¡¯s hand tightly. Next, he drove her out. But then, everything turned around. Ji Nanfeng held her in his embrace and whispered to her how he wanted to spend his life with her.


    She was on a rollercoaster ride of heaven and hell.


    *** *** ***


    It was daybreak when she awakened.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ my head¡­¡± Mo Lixin sat up and rubbed her head.


    What happened yesterday? Did she not go out? How did she get back? No, more importantly¡­ why does her head ache so much? Ah¡­ that¡¯s right. She¡¯d been drinking. How unequivocally irresponsible of her.


    Numerous questions poured out of her mind, but slowly, it was washed away when she walked downstairs for a fragrant smell besieged her nose.


    Is there anyone in the kitchen? Mo Lixin thought. Did she invite her aunt? No, that shouldn¡¯t be. Ji Nanfeng never liked seeing strangers enter the house. Only one who could come was Duan Anran. But she¡¯s not a stranger. She was Ji Nanfeng¡¯s lover. Mo Lixin donned a bitter smile at the thought of that woman appearing in her mind.


    ¡°You¡¯re up! Do you still have a headache? Here, have some porridge!¡± Ji Nanfeng¡¯s voice echoed from the kitchen.


    Mo Lixin was at the stairway wondering if she¡¯d misheard something¡­


    ¡°How many eggs do you want? One or two? How do you like it done? Scrambled? Sunny side up?¡± Ji Nanfeng stuck his head out of the doorway and asked Mo Lixin.


    ¡°T-two sunny side up!¡± She blurted out.


    So she did not hear it wrong. It was Ji Nanfeng in the kitchen. He was preparing her breakfast. He even asked her of her preference.


    Her knotted heart untangled as the withered flower inside slowly bloomed. The sun seemed brighter than usual. That¡¯s right¡­ he had lost his memories. He no longer remembered the past.


    Though his lost memories were the reason for his sudden change, she was still happy.


    If only it was like this all the time¡­

 CH 18

    Chapter 18: My Wife, Mo Lixin


    ¡°Ha-ha¡­¡± Ji Nanfeng chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s too lonely at home, right? It¡¯s good to go out every now and then.. do something fun. Buy what you like and go replace the old things in this room.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­!¡± Mo Lixin did not refuse seeing his determination.


    The couple did not speak again and all was quiet until his phone rang.


    ¡°Third Brother, don¡¯t refuse my invitation! Eldest Brother¡¯s out on a holiday so I want to have a get-together. Unfortunately, Second Brother won¡¯t be able to come¡­ but don¡¯t say you won¡¯t be able to either!¡± It was the voice of a man on the other end of the line. It was nice, soothing even.


    Ji Nanfeng paused and looked at his wife. ¡°Where are you going later?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s on the other side of Red Square¡­¡±


    Ji Nanfeng nodded then said to the phone, ¡°I¡¯ll be there!¡±


    And he hung up.


    ¡°Lixin, I¡¯ll take you there now. I was just going over there¡­¡±


    ¡°But¡­ but I¡­ I have an appointment to meet a friend in the afternoon.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Spend time with me first. It¡¯s been a while¡­¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you busy this afternoon?¡± Mo Lixin looked at her husband in the eyes.


    ¡°Ye.. yes¡­ to meet some brothers I haven¡¯t seen in a long time.¡±


    ***


    Red Square was a well-known, reputable business district in City A. Sky-high buildings reached the azure as many people came and go en masse. It was a district that never slept.


    Mo Lixin sat on the passenger seat, heart beating erratically. She was nervous. Ji Nanfeng was set on introducing his wife to his friends.


    ¡°Wait a moment here. I¡¯ll go and park the car first,¡± Ji Nanfeng said.


    Mo Lixin nodded and stepped foot out of the vehicle. She looked around her surroundings and realized that it was a place she¡¯d never been to before, no¡­ more like a place she¡¯d never find herself in for it brimmed with luxury from one end to the other. Looking closer, she saw the kinds of men and women entering and leaving were young and probably an entitled offspring or a self-made millionaire, either or.


    Suddenly, a pitch-black Porsche Cayenne made its timely appearance. Its arrival was not surprising at the very least given the vibrant luxury of the place.


    Mo Lixin looked over and saw the Cayenne veering towards a sharp steel bar. The tires would explode if not careful and the driver did not seem to notice.


    It was an act done by instinct alone and she did not know why. Mo Lixin stepped forward in the car¡¯s view and closed her eyes, hands extended at an attempt to stop the vehicle.


    Lu Xingyan was on the phone and paid little to no attention to the front. Soon as he hung up did he notice a woman in a red dress. He quickly slammed the brakes, stopping only a fist away.


    Mo Lixin¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She was wrought with fear. Goodness¡­ she wasn¡¯t thinking right¡­


    ¡°Little girl, what are you doing? That was dangerous! Don¡¯t you know?¡± Lu Xingyan hurriedly got out of the car and angrily spat out.


    Mo Lixin nervously looked at Lu Xingyan and pointed to the steel bar.


    Lu Xingyan followed her finger and saw 4 meters away a steel bar jutting out from the ground. Now he understood. If he drove any further, he¡¯d met an untimely accident.


    ¡°Just now, thank you, but that was dangerous! Never take that type of risk again in the future!¡±


    Mo Lixin nodded, regaining her sense of clarity. As she opened her mouth to answer, she was suddenly pulled into the arms of someone.


    ¡°Do¡­ do you want to die¡­?!¡± Ji Nanfeng burst out, voice croaking.


    His heart dropped ever so suddenly and stuttered with shock. He¡¯d never been so afraid than this moment for the thought of losing her again would rip open the sanity that held him together. Mo Lixin¡­ her name would become a constant grief trapped inside his soul, a constant cry in the dark, and a sob he could never release.


    He had lived two lives and he sure as hell did not want his first to become a repeat.


    He owed his life to her in this life.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m fine, you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Mo Lixin could feel Ji Nanfeng¡¯s worries from his embrace alone. It warmed her heart. Somehow¡­ this kind of caring love was good, she thought.


    But Ji Nanfeng did not answer, only deepening his embrace tighter.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said shyly, ¡°I¡¯ll pay attention next time!¡±


    ¡°You have to¡­¡± Ji Nanfeng finally let her go and whimpered softly in her ear.


    ¡°Third Brother?¡± Lu Xingyan asked with raised brows. Had he seen it right? Half a year had passed since he¡¯d last seen his Third Brother and he never recalled seeing him react so. Ji Nanfeng was a typically expressionless man. Lu Xingyan believed he had facial paralysis and no mountains could move it¡­ but¡­ this, this was new.


    ¡°Big Brother¡­?¡± Ji Nanfeng turned around and saw the man who almost ran into Mo Lixin was his Big Brother.


    ¡°It¡¯s really you. I thought I¡¯d made a mistake.¡±


    ¡°Big Brother, is this how you make an entrance?¡±


    ¡°Err¡­ I would have been here earlier. There was a traffic jam!¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    ¡°And this is¡­?¡± Lu Xingyan looked at Mo Lixin.


    ¡°My wife, Mo Lixin!¡± Ji Nanfeng exclaimed proudly.

 CH 19

    Chapter 19: Sister-In-Law


    It was Lu Xingyan¡¯s turn to be surprised. He remembered fairly well how Ji Nanfeng was like. Despite his otherworldly figure, he hardly allowed women in his life but one¡­ what was her name again? Duan Anran? Right, that was her name. He had the chance of meeting her once and immediately found her repulsive. She was a woman who was toxic and manipulative. But of course, he would not dare speak of his brother¡¯s poor choice in women out loud.


    But this girl before him, she was pure-hearted, clean from the stains of the world. She gave off an aura of simplicity. She was that kind of girl and Lu Xingyan immediately approved of her as his sister-in-law.


    ¡°Ah¡­! Why are you all standing here outside? I thought you¡¯d all gone ahead and stood me up.¡± Gan Yunting walked out of the door and greeted Ji Nanfeng and the two others.


    ¡°Fourth Brother, long time no see!¡± Lu Xingyan looked over his shoulder and exclaimed excitedly.


    ¡°Brother, you¡¯re back! You¡¯re all too busy with life and I¡¯m the only one with nothing to do!¡± Gan Yunting lamented.


    Behind Ji Nanfeng stood Mo Lixin. She listened silently to the conversation of the three men and did not interrupt.


    ¡°Ah¡­? Isn¡¯t this my little sister-in-law? You¡¯re here too!¡± Gan Yunting bent his back and peeked a look at the innocent girl.


    Mo Lixin was at a loss. Sister-in-law? She¡¯d never seen the man before, but his voice was familiar.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go inside.¡± Ji Nanfeng held his wife¡¯s hand and entered the club.


    Mo Lixin looked around in wonder gaze. The club had a variety of entertainment facilities like the bowling room, billiards, and even a shooting room. She¡¯d even seen a fighting ring, a sight which only further agitated her shock. She¡¯d always been a good and pure-like child, never going to places, much less a bar and so when a tattooed man passed by her, she was afraid and she unconsciously leaned her body against Ji Nanfeng¡¯s bosom.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Ji Nanfeng smiled and placed his arms around her, holding her as if he knew how much her absence would break his heart.


    The club was a mixture of many fish in the pond akin to a prey and crouching tigers, but in truth, it was a much better place than some underground club. Gan Yunting and his family owned the club and was cared for in the hands of Gan Yunting. It was for this reason that many dared not to cause any scruples


    From Ji Nanfeng¡¯s comfort that all would be alright, Mo Lixin felt safe.


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    The group walked down the stairs and turned several turns before reaching their destination.


    The bottom section of the club was not as lively as before considering that it was a private room. Like the facilities above, the private room also had the same thing.


    Mo Lixin believed the handsome men, her husband included, were going to play pool and she¡¯d intended to sit and watch on the sofa. She could play, but she was bad and she had no interest in billiards ¨C¨C but that also, she was content and happy. Ji Nanfeng took her out and introduced her to his friends.


    ¡°Won¡¯t my sister-in-law play along?¡± Gan Yunting asked.


    ¡°Would you like to join us? I can teach you!¡± Ji Nanfeng wiped the pole and trotted over to Mo Lixin. He squatted down and looked at her with gentle eyes like she was the smile to his face and the beat to his heart.


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s okay. You have fun with them. I¡¯ll just sit here and watch!¡± Not used to his loving gaze, Mo Lixin answered nervously.


    Ji Nanfeng did not force. ¡°Well, when you need anything, just call me.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Mo Lixin replied.


    Ji Nanfeng went back to his original position and played pool. Mo Lixin silently pulled out her mobile phone and indulged herself in movies.


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    ¡°Third Brother, when did you get married?¡± Lu Xingyan asked curiously. The sudden revelation shocked him.


    ¡°We registered our marriage over 4 months ago.¡± Ji Nanfeng hit the billiard ball into the hall. He was not thinking about the game, but of what Lu Xingyan said.


    During the wedding, on the day of their marriage was registered, the two families had a perfunctory meal. And that was it, and truth be told, it was no wedding so Ji Nanfeng decided he and Mo Lixin needed to have a proper wedding.


    Calm as Lu Xinyan was, it was not the same for Gan Yunting.


    ¡°What did you say?! Over 4 months ago? Third Brother, your joke isn¡¯t funny!¡± Gan Yunting looked at Ji Nanfeng in his eyes to look for a bluff, but it seemed he was not joking and all he said was the truth and nothing but the truth.

 CH 20

    Mo Li Xin was taken aback; something that could not be completely understood despite one having seen and using their heart to feel? He advised her to use her head to analyze the situation after considering it rationally. But were they not just passing time in a shooting booth?


    ¡°Don¡¯t think about it. Follow your instinct and pull the trigger when it tells you to. Don¡¯t hesitate, don¡¯t doubt your intuition. It¡¯s the choice your heart made,¡± Gong Ze Yun continued.


    With a bang, another bullet flew from the gun. Mo Li Xin felt that Gong Ze Yun was no longer talking about shooting. It was as if he had something else he wanted to tell her, but for the life of her, she did not know what they were.


    She fired shot after shot, as though she was discarding her negative emotions. By the time Mo Li Xin used up all her ammunition, she felt significantly lighter.


    ¡°Ah¡­ I didn¡¯t expect this to be so tiring,¡± Mo Li Xin groaned as she landed on a chair next to her.


    ¡°Whenever something upsets me, I find myself feeling better after having a good sweat. So, how are you feeling now? Slightly better?¡± Gong Ze Yun came into the booth and handed a bottle of water to her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of people drowning their sorrows in alcohol. This is the first time someone claims that sweating relieves their stress. But, are you feeling down currently?¡± Mo Li Xin enquired.


    Gong Ze Yun looked at her and grinned, ¡°I was just now. But after seeing you, I feel much better.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Mo Li Xin felt that his words were somewhat peculiar but she could not put her finger on it.


    ¡°With someone sharing my current mood, two negatives makes a positive,¡± Gong Ze Yun explained, as if he knew what she was thinking of.


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    ¡°Oh¡­ I see¡­ If you don¡¯t mind me asking, why are you unhappy?¡± She did not expect that someone like Gong Ze Yun, who was usually full of smiles, would be plagued by things that upset him so much so that he needed to vent.


    ¡°There¡¯s a girl I like, but she¡¯s already married,¡± Gong Ze Yun said as he sat beside her. As heartbreaking it was, through his tone Mo Li Xin only heard a hint of helplessness and resolution.


    ¡°Does¡­ she know?¡± Mo Li Xin continued to ask.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe she did before. But now¡­ we¡¯ve unknowingly reached back to the beginning. Who knows? Maybe¡­ This is both a fresh start and opportunity for us. As of now, it¡¯s not the right time to let her know. I¡¯m still waiting¡­¡± Gong Ze Yun said as he gazed meaningfully at Mo Li Xin. However, with her head tilted downwards, she missed his profound look.


    ¡°I may not know what you mean, but I do know that you¡¯re a good person.¡± Mo Li Xin could not explain why, she understood every word he said, but when stringed into a sentence, she did not comprehend. Even so, she was able to feel his sorrow through those words. Today¡¯s series of events was mind-numbing for Mo Li Xin.


    Upon seeing Ji Nan Feng and Duan An Ran together, she lost her composure and left by herself. Turned off her phone and walked aimlessly till she reached this club. She also fired many rounds of bullets for the remaining afternoon. Now she was having a chat with someone that she was close to yet unfamiliar with; her idol/big boss.


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s getting late. Let me send you home.¡± Gong Ze Yun calmly stated. This was supposed to be an opportunity that he should have taken advantage of. Yet, he refrained from doing so and even helped put a few good words on that person¡¯s behalf. He figured that he must have gone crazy.


    ¡°I wish to stay a while more. You should head off first though. From the looks of it, your phone is about to burst,¡± Mo Li Xin said with a smile. Although his phone was muted, the screen kept lighting up, so she eventually noticed.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll accompany you.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s really no need. I want to be alone.¡±


    Gong Ze Yun pondered silently for a moment.


    ¡°Alright. Remember to pay attention to safety on your way home,¡± Gong Ze Yun finally gave in. He was indeed busy, but nothing else was more important than Mo Li Xin; not himself, not his work.


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    Not long after Gong Ze Yun left, Mo Li Xin left the shooting range and went up a floor to a large billiard room. The second Mo Li Xin landed on the next floor, she heard a familiar voice.


    ¡°An Ran, how are you holding up now? Have Ji Nan Feng remembered anything?¡± The speaker was a lady in a red maxi dress. And she was none other than Yun Ting.


    ¡°Oh yes, I too heard that Young Master Ji has amnesia. Now he¡¯s even under the spell of that vixen. Abandoning you to be together with that, what¡¯s her name? Mo Li Xin? Come to think of it, that woman is really shameless,¡± a short-haired lady who was with them said.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ don¡¯t say anymore. We¡¯ll be fine, Nan Feng and I are truly in love¡­ I believe that with time, he will remember everything.¡± Duan An Ran said gently. However, from the bottom of her heart, she had cursed Mo Li Xin a thousand times over.


    It took her much effort today to create a ¡®coincidental encounter¡¯ with him. Hoping that they would be able to start all over again even if he could not recall anything. Yet, she did not expect that no sooner had she managed to enter his car, she was kicked out.


    ¡°Indeed! Why are we so worried about this? Our An Ran is so fantastic. What is Mo Li Xin compared to her? In the future, it would definitely be An Ran that would be together with Third Master Ji!¡±


    Mo Li Xin who was eavesdropping, sniggered ironically, ¡®Don¡¯t you know? Young Master Ji is already married. What¡¯s more, he¡¯s married to the person that you called a vixen.¡¯


    Those words never left her mouth. But the sarcasm that laced in those thoughts¡­ even she was unsure if it was directed towards the group, or to herself.


    ¡°Eh? Isn¡¯t that Mo Li Xin?¡± Yun Ting suddenly asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s really her. Hey! What brings you here? An innocent goody two-shoes like you would also fancy coming to this place?¡± The short-haired woman mocked.


    ¡°Since you all can come, why can¡¯t I?¡± Mo Li Xin did not hide herself when she spotted them previously. So when they noticed her, it was not unexpected.


    ¡°You must¡¯ve overheard what we said just now right? So don¡¯t think that you¡¯ve the upper hand now just because Ji Nan Feng can¡¯t remember anything. He will eventually remember it one day. So don¡¯t be so smug about it,¡± Yun Ting sneered.


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    After listening to those words, Mo Li Xin gave a chilling laugh.


    ¡°Haha¡­ Duan An Ran. Why don¡¯t you answer your friend¡¯s question. Who is the real third party in this relationship? Who should be rightly deemed as the mistress?¡± Mo Li Xin stepped forward and boldly questioned. Even she, herself, did not know where the sudden burst of courage to confront Duan An Ran came from.


    Duan An Ran also did not expect Mo Li Xin to challenge her so outrightly, that she was stumped for words.


    ¡°Mo Li Xin, what nonsense are you saying? Based on your words, our An Ran is actually the third party?!¡± Yun Ting said defensively.


    ¡°Just ask her, she knows this better than anyone else.¡± Mo Li Xin believed that her marriage with Ji Nan Feng was no secret to Duan An Ran.


    After saying her piece, she left as they were still stuck in a state of bewilderment.


    The sun had long set and the freezing wind blew on relentlessly. Mo Li Xin had no destination in mind and wandered on aimlessly.


    On the street, people came and went and traffic flowed steadily.


    Mo Li Xin felt a sudden wave of headache. But before she could recover, she heard a shout that was full of distress. However, before she could find the source of that holler, she felt a strong force smashing into her. In her last moments of consciousness, all she registered was pain. Pain that did not result from the car crashing into her; but one that hurt deep into her bones and choked the air from her lungs.


    When Ji Nan Feng arrived, he was greeted with the scene of Mo Li Xin being hurled a distance away when the car collided into her. At that very moment, the world around him seemed to be void of sound. He even found it difficult to breathe. He had been but a little late¡­ If only he had arrived earlier, just slightly earlier, how different the outcome would have been.


    The pedestrians around were shocked by the accident. As the car ran over the girl in the white dress, crimson blood dyed her dress, so glaringly red that it caused people¡¯s hairs to stand.


    Ji Nan Feng frantically pushed through the crowd to get to her. He knelt on the ground and carefully embraced her like she was a priceless treasure.


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    The ambulance swiftly arrived and Mo Li Xin was rushed into the emergency room. Four other people hurried to the hospital upon hearing the news. Ji Nan Feng¡¯s mother and grandfather, Wei Xiu Lan and Ji Shi Bo, along with Mo Li Xin¡¯s grandfather and older brother, Mo Xiang Hang and Mo Shi Bai.


    ¡°How could this happen? You all barely settled down from the last accident and now you¡¯re at the hospital again. So many mishaps, truly plagued with misfortunes. My poor Xin¡¯er,¡± Grandpa Mo grieved. In that few seconds, it looked as if he had aged a decade.


    ¡°Grandpa, fret not as little sister will be fine. Heaven helps those that are worthy.¡± Mo Shi Bai calmly comforted Grandpa Mo. But from his tone, one could tell that his mood was extremely solemn.


    ¡°Yes, Old Man Ji. Being too worried will negatively affect your health. Li Xin is a good and kind-hearted child, God will definitely protect her,¡± Ji Shi Bo reassured.


    ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m sorry. This is all my fault. If only I¡¯d found her earlier, all this would not have occurred.¡± Ji Nan Feng confessed regretfully.


    There¡¯s a saying that men have gold on their knees; they do not easily kneel before anyone. Yet Ji Nan Feng, who had not even kneel before his parents, knelt without hesitation in front of Mo Xiang Hang.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Mo Xiang Hang was baffled.


    Before Ji Nan Feng could complete what he wanted to say, another person briskly came over and knelt before Mo Xiang Hang too.


    ¡°Elder Mo, it¡¯s all my fault. If it wasn¡¯t because Li Xin saw¡­ Nan Feng and I together, she wouldn¡¯t have left alone. The resulting car accident wouldn¡¯t have happened.


    ¡°But¡­ but¡­ Nan Feng and I are in love with each other, just that recently due to his amnesia¡­ that¡¯s why¡­ that¡¯s why¡­ But I don¡¯t blame Nan Feng. We knew each other before he got married. If it wasn¡¯t because¡­ for you, he¡­ this wouldn¡¯t¡­¡± Duan An Ran sobbed pitifully, as though the victim in this whole situation was her.


    The surrounding medical staff and patients had their attention glued as this unfolded. While the majority of the men sighed in pity at Duan An Ran¡¯s plight, the women clicked their tongues in contempt. She was the epitome of a modern day white lotus1¡®Modern day white lotus¡¯ shares a similar meaning to ¡®green tea bitch¡¯. Where on the surface, the woman looks innocent and pure but on the inside, she¡¯s scheming and manipulative. Guys like them, but girls can sense it from a mile away..


    One could say, women¡¯s intuition was alarmingly accurate.


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    When Mo Li Xin left the club, Duan An Ran also rushed out in a fit of anger. She wanted to confront Mo Li Xin or she would not be able to stomach this grievance. Who knew that as she stepped out, she would witness Mo Li Xin getting into a car accident. At that time, she viciously thought, ¡®See! Even God couldn¡¯t bear to watch on!¡¯


    Yet, before she could rejoice, she saw Ji Nan Feng running towards Mo Li Xin as if he lost his soul. The anger that was recently placated, flared up again. Hence, she decided to follow them to the hospital, seeing if Mo Li Xin would die from this.


    As for why Duan An Ran suddenly rushed over and blurted everything out¡­ it stemmed from an unjustifiable confidence within her.


    In their social circle, everyone knew that Elder Mo loved his granddaughter dearly. If Elder Mo came to know that Ji Nan Feng had an extramarital affair after he paid such a high price to marry his beloved granddaughter to Ji Nan Feng, this marriage would definitely be dissolved.


    As for the high price, it was referring to a house. Previously Ji Nan Feng told her that if the Mo Family was the one that asked for the divorce, the assets would remain under him. Therefore, based on this point, she ignored the Mo Family¡¯s feelings and Nan Feng¡¯s marriage as she boldly admitted.


    On Ji Family¡¯s side, everything would become easier to handle now that they knew of the situation. Realizing that their grandson/son was being blackmailed into getting married, they would naturally not want to be in-laws with the Mo Family any further.


    As for the last point of her consideration, Duan An Ran was completely unworried about it. So far, she deduced that the reason Ji Nan Feng was so nonchalant towards her was because of his amnesia. The lost memories would eventually be remembered hence, she did not fret over that. In fact, she felt that everything she did thus far was a wise move.  After one lived a lifetime and was reborn. To them, Duan An Ran¡¯s IQ felt like it got kicked by a donkey, impossibly stupid.

 CH 21

    Mo Xiang Hang studied Ji Nan Feng, who was kneeling in front of him. With mixed feelings, he sighed, ¡°I know that if it¡¯s not for me forcing your hand using your father¡¯s house as a condition, you wouldn¡¯t have married Xin¡¯er. You¡¯re not wrong, and Xin¡¯er wasn¡¯t in the wrong either. It¡¯s all my fault.


    ¡°Xin¡¯er is kind-hearted and filial. I don¡¯t know what happened between you two since she married you. As she never shared anything with us. As for today, I wouldn¡¯t ask and neither do I want to know. In the future, you two can decide for yourselves how you want to carry on. I¡¯m already old and useless, people said that the younger generations will do all right on their own.


    ¡°No matter what, Nan Feng I hope you will take my words to heart. When a person¡¯s heart turns cold, it will be too late for regrets.¡±


    Ji Nan Feng was apprehensive upon hearing Mo Xiang Hang¡¯s words, ¡°Grandpa, please believe me. Previously I was ignorant, I¡¯ll never let this happen again.¡±


    Kneeling beside him, Duan An Ran realised that her motive was not achieved and panicked, ¡°Nan Feng¡­¡±


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    ¡°Miss Duan, my son is unworthy of you. What¡¯s more, he¡¯s already married. Why do you keep pestering him endlessly for?¡± Wei Xiu Lan scoffed. She was not derailed by Duan An Ran¡¯s words, as if she had known of it a long time ago. And indeed, she had.


    Duan An Ran was confounded, ¡°Auntie, do you know of the grievances your son had suffered? His so-called marriage was also due to coercion. Do you know why Uncle died so suddenly a year ago? It is because of what your good daughter-in-law¡¯s mother did. It¡¯s just that there hasn¡¯t been any concrete evidence to prove so. Furthermore, your son only married her just to get back Uncle¡¯s house that you longed for.¡±


    Duan An Ran said it so virtuously as though it was the truth. From her perspective, these were all true. However, some time in the distant future, she would look back upon this day and realised how stupid her behaviour was.


    ¡°Pwyd Gd Syd, tlv swv sq xu pktbv! Gp yd lewnyvsa yde y xyd, vblal yal psxl osaep vbyv R pbswzed¡¯v cl pyukdt. Jwv fwpv cl alyeu vs ryu qsa yzz uswa xkpellep. Xaktkdyzzu, R oydvle vs zlv usw sqq y zkvvzl zsdtla kd saela vs alya kd y ckttla nyvnb. Jwv kv pllxp vbyv vblal¡¯p ds dlle yduxsal. Xdnl vblu pll bso pvwrke usw yal, vbspl rlsrzl cynjkdt usw wr oswzed¡¯v yrrlya ytykd. Mbl qkal cynj vbld oyp yzz uswa eskdt kpd¡¯v kv? Ohld vseyu¡¯p nya ynnkeldv, usw xwpv¡¯hl bye y byde kd kv!¡±


    Kk Lyd Wldt oyp ps qwakswp vbyv bl oyp okzzkdt vs qsats bkp zsdt vlax scflnvkhl. Valhkswpzu, bl nbspl dsv vs vyjl ydu ynvksdp yde sdzu alflnvle Pwyd Gd Syd¡¯p yehydnlp. Tl vbswtbv vbyv bl nswze jllr bla yaswde yde vbaswtb bla, bl oswze cl yczl vs yrralblde vbspl vbyv olal clbkde bla. Zlv, dso bl bye awd swv sq ryvkldnl obld kv nyxl vs bla, yde dlkvbla eke bl pll vbl dlle yduxsal. Gp y rlapsd vbyv oswze wpl ydu xlydp rsppkczl vs scvykd bla tsyz, jllrkdt pwnb y rlapsd yaswde oswze sdzu nalyvl xsal vaswczl qsa bkx kd vbl qwvwal.


    ¡°Lyd Wldt, bso nswze usw vbkdj sq xl vbyv oyu? R eked¡¯v es kv, R eked¡¯v es yzz vbspl vbkdtp vbyv usw ynnwple xl sq eskdt. Eyp kv psxlvbkdt Nk Dkd pyke? Zsw nyddsv clzklhl bla! R jdso usw¡¯al nwaaldvzu pwqqlakdt qasx yxdlpky yde byhl qsatsvvld swa csde. Jwv vbyv¡¯p sjyu! R¡¯x pvkzz okzzkdt vs oykv qsa vbl eyu usw alxlxcla xl.¡± Pwyd Gd Syd eldkle hlblxldvzu.


    Gv vbl pyxl vkxl, pbl eke dsv qsatlv vs pxlya Ys Nk Dkd obkzl pbl oyp yv kv. Tla xkde oyp nbysvkn yde qwzz sq wdlypu cwv pbl pvkzz ralvldele vs cl kddsnldv yde rkvkqwz. Fsxl osxld oyvnbkdt sd vbl pkel olal yzps pzsozu clkdt vswnble cu bla.


    Tsolhla, Kk Lyd Wldt, obs oyp alcsad, jdlo lmynvzu obyv jkde sq rlapsd pbl oyp. Fs kv oyp dsv pwarakpkdt vbyv bl eke dsv cwu y pkdtzl osae pbl wvvlale.


    Fyukdt xsal oswze sdzu cl oypvle osaep sd vbkp osxyd. Fs bl pkxrzu pvsr zssjkdt yde ydpolakdt bla. Gv vbyv hlau plnsde, bl zsyvble bla, byvle bla ralvldvkswpdlpp yde bursnakpu. Ebyv bl elprkple xspv, oyp bso czkde yde caykdzlpp bl oyp zypv vkxl. Lso vbkdjkdt cynj, vbkp xwpv cl alvakcwvksd. Jwv obu oyp jyaxy ryke cynj sd Ys Nk Dkd? Rd vblka ralhkswp zkhlp, obyv oyp pbl eskdt yv vbkp vkxl? Eyp kv clnywpl sq bkp ynvksdp vbyv nbydtle vbl vayflnvsau sq vblka qyvlp kd vbkp zkql?


    Ebyv Kk Lyd Wldt oyp wdyoyal sq oyp vbyv yv vbkp vkxl kd bkp ralhkswp zkql, Ys Nk Dkd yzps xlv okvb y nya ynnkeldv. Xdzu vbyv vkxl aswde, pbl oyp yzsdl yv vbl bsprkvyz¡­


    ¡°Lyd Wldt, R byhl qykvb kd uswa qyvbla yde vawpv kd Nk Dkd¡¯p xsvbla. R clzklhl kd usw lhld xsal ps. Fs obyvlhla usw nbsspl vs es, xsvbla okzz pwrrsav uswa elnkpksdp.¡± Elk Dkw Nyd ldnswaytle.


    Duan An Ran was astounded, ¡°Why? Why do you rather believe in a murderer and her daughter, but not in me? You¡­ one of you is the victim¡¯s father, the other is the victim¡¯s wife, and you¡¯re the victim¡¯s son. Are you all not worried that Uncle will toss in his grave and cannot rest in peace?¡± Duan An Ran said righteously. She believed that one day when Ji Nan Feng gained back his memories, he would like her even more because of what she said today.


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    But in reality, no one paid any attention to what she said. And because she caused too much ruckus, she was escorted out by the security staff.


    By then, the door of the emergency room opened. The doctor took off his surgical mask and stated, ¡°The patient¡¯s condition is stabilised. Once the anesthesia wears off, she will come to. Things to take note of during her recovery period, she should refrain from straining herself. As for dietary restrictions, she must avoid cold and raw food items.¡±


    After Mo Li Xin was sent to her appointed ward, Ji Nan Feng turned to the rest of them, ¡°Grandpa, you all should go back and rest. Everything will be alright with me here. Xin¡¯er is my wife and I¡¯ll take care of her.¡±


    ¡°In-laws, I agree with Nan Feng. We¡¯re getting on with age, we should stop meddling with the youngsters¡¯ lives. They will know how to solve their own issues on their own,¡± Ji Shi Bo advised.


    ¡°Yes Grandpa, Sister needs peace and you also need to rest. Let¡¯s go back first. I believe Nan Feng will take good care of her,¡± Mo Shi Bai also coaxed gently.


    Although his grandfather was younger than Elder Ji, his body was not as robust. Including today¡¯s incident, he suffered from shock too. As much as he worried for his younger sister, he also believed that his brother-in-law would take good care of her.


    After much persuasion, only Ji Nan Feng and an unconscious Mo Li Xin were left in the room.


    Ji Nan Feng sat beside the bed and stared at Mo Li Xin tenderly.


    ¡®Thankfully, she¡¯s fine¡­ Fortunately, the future is long, we¡¯ll be able to walk on that path together¡­¡¯


    However, he was oblivious to the fact that some things were already contrary to his expectation and out of his control.


    Mo Li Xin was unsure what was wrong with herself. She had a splitting headache, could not make a sound nor did she know where she was at. All that surrounded her was white. It was like she could see, but she was seeing nothing. In her hazy vision, she managed to spot a woman in red¡­ No¡­ to be precise, the lady was covered in blood.


    ¡°Who are you? Where am I?¡± Mo Li Xin asked in alarm.


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    ¡°Who am I? I am you, but a more pitiful you. Those circumstances that supposedly would¡¯ve happened to you may not happen anymore. You might be happy, but I¡¯m unreconciled! Why do all of you get the chance to restart again but only I am still stuck in this abyss? The pain that you would¡¯ve experienced has already been defused by my suffering,¡± that person said.


    Only then did Mo Li Xin see the silhouette clearly, the person looked exactly like her. Feeling more wired, ¡°Then¡­ what are you planning to do?¡±


    Mo Li Xin¡¯s look-alike chuckled before saying, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be afraid of me. Since you¡¯re me and I¡¯m you, we¡¯re one person. Relax and let me enter your body. I¡¯ll definitely protect you from harm. Trust me, trust me.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ Why should I trust you?¡± Mo Li Xin stepped back apprehensively.


    ¡°Some decisions are not up to you to decide. Such as now¡­¡± With that, Mo Li Xin saw the being slowly fading and entering her body. Then she felt a burst of headache before everything turned black.


    As the sky brightened, Mo Li Xin slowly opened her eyes. She was slightly discombobulated as she analysed her surroundings. It took her a while before she managed to rasp, ¡°Was that all a dream?¡±


    But it felt so real. Just as she was reaching her hand up to touch her throbbing head, she heard Ji Nan Feng¡¯s voice from outside the ward.


    ¡°Xin¡¯er, don¡¯t touch it. Does it hurt a lot?¡± Ji Nan Feng asked worriedly. He just came back and was carrying some food.


    Mo Li Xin lowered the hand that wanted to touch her head and smiled cheerfully, ¡°I¡¯m okay, it doesn¡¯t hurt.¡±


    At the same time, she thought to herself, ¡®As long as you¡¯re here, nothing hurts.¡¯


    Unexpectedly, another voice within her ordered, ¡®Be more clear-headed!¡¯


    Mo Li Xin shook her head, overwhelmed by a sense of inexplicability. But her actions were viewed as signs of pain and discomfort to Ji Nan Feng.


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    ¡°I¡¯ll call for the doctor.¡±


    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need. Really, my head is only throbbing a little bit. Now, I¡¯m just hungry and want to eat something,¡± Mo Li Xin reassured him. As though she was really hungry, she eyed the food bento in Ji Nan Feng¡¯s hand.


    He was still somewhat sceptical, ¡°It really doesn¡¯t hurt? You¡¯re really just hungry?¡±


    ¡°Truly, it¡¯s the God¡¯s honest truth,¡± Mo Li Xin raised her hand and vowed.


    It was only then did Ji Nan Feng finally believe her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about what happened yesterday, but you have to trust me. There¡¯s nothing going on between Duan An Ran and me. I¡¯ve already reported the car accident to the police. And do you remember what I said before? Regarding the hotel catching fire, it¡¯s most likely her doing and I¡¯ve found the evidence. Yesterday I only allowed her onboard because of another case that I was investigating. I promise in the future, without your acknowledgement, I¡¯ll never let another woman into my car.¡± Ji Nan Feng was like a child as he solemnly swore.


    Yesterday, after Duan An Ran left, he continued waiting for Mo Li Xin. After a long while and she still did not come down, he decided to go up to look for her. It was through her co-worker that he learned that she had gotten off early. And it struck him with the realisation that there was a high possibility that she had seen him and Duan An Ran together.


    Mo Li Xin felt her head pounding. After hearing what he had to say, she slowly started to recall what happened yesterday. Originally, she wanted to say, ¡®It¡¯s okay, it was me that misunderstood you.¡¯


    But what came out of her mouth was, ¡°I can believe you, but this doesn¡¯t change the fact that I¡¯m hospitalised because of you. So, you¡¯ll have to make up to me.¡±


    The tone contained hints of coquettishness. Not only was Ji Nan Feng surprised, even Mo Li Xin, herself found it incredulous and it gave her goosebumps.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t harm you and Nan Feng. But currently, you shouldn¡¯t forgive him so easily. Have some pride and give him a bit of cold-shoulder,¡¯ before Mo Li Xin got over her initial shock, a voice resonated from within her.


    The author has something to say: Regarding her second personality, ¡®she¡¯ will not be appearing much unless it¡¯s absolutely necessary. And once ¡®she¡¯ completed ¡®her¡¯ mission, ¡®she¡¯ will naturally disappear. Therefore there is no need to fret my little comrades!

 CH 22

    ¡®Additionally, you can forget about trying to get rid of me. I am you, and you are me. I can only slowly integrate into your being. Or you can understand it as, I¡¯m your second personality. I wouldn¡¯t appear without reason. But when I do, I¡¯ll take complete control.¡¯


    ¡°Sure. How do you want me to make it up to you? As long as it makes you happy, I¡¯ll do it!¡± Ji Nan Feng promised as he reached out and caressed her head.


    Mo Li Xin was slightly surprised that Ji Nan Feng agreed so readily.


    ¡°Erm¡­ That, that¡­¡± Her thoughts were all over the place. On one hand, she kept thinking about the ¡®person¡¯ who appeared out of nowhere. On the other hand, it was Ji Nan Feng¡¯s swift response. As of right now, she was unable to think straight.


    ¡®Sigh¡­ How foolish¡­ It¡¯s no wonder I ended up the way I did in my last life,¡¯ the inner voice lamented.


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    ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t thought about it yet. Let¡¯s take it as you owe me first. When I figured out how you can compensate me, I¡¯ll let you know again,¡± Mo Li Xin said. Or more precisely, it was the other Mo Li Xin who said so.


    ¡°Okay, sure. Whatever you say, goes,¡± Ji Nan Feng said indulgently. He could feel that she changed, but this did not reduce his affections towards her. No matter what kind of person she becomes, he would still like her. Whether she was beautiful or not, kind or not. Even if she became childish, unreasonable, bad-tempered, or domineering; he would still love her all the same. As long as his previous life did not repeat itself. He did not want her to become an empty shell, filled with troubling thoughts but had no one to turn to. He was selfish. So selfish that as long as she remained alive, he would do whatever it took to keep her beside him. Because, without her, he would go crazy.


    It would be no different than five years after her death in the previous life. He managed to help her unravel everything, and he experienced the loneliness that plagued her. After avenging her, he would hug his alcohol and consume sleeping pills every day. He would sit beside her grave and talk to her. During those bleak five years, the only times he was remotely sober was when he was taking revenge for her. Even doing that, he had not been very successful.


    Xd dsaxyz eyup, bl oswze alpv okvb vbl taswde yp bkp cle, yde vbl pju yp bkp czydjlv. Fkvvkdt cu bla vsxcpvsdl, bl nswze dlkvbla qllz vbl oyax pwdzktbv sq prakdtp, vbl aykd vbyv rswale kd pwxxlap, vbl nssz callgl ewakdt ywvwxdp dsa vbl rklankdt pdso yxkepv okdvlap.


    Gv zsdt zypv, bl qkdyzzu plvvzle lhlauvbkdt bl dllele vs es. Tl oyp qkdyzzu qall yde nswze ts qkde bla okvbswv altalvp. Zlv, bl eke dsv jdso kq pbl bye yzalyeu eawdj Yldtrs¡¯p pswr1 yde qsatsvvld ycswv bkx nsxrzlvlzu.


    Rd vbl lde, bl pzkv bkp oakpv yde oyvnble yp bkp czsse qzsole kdvs vbl pskz. Tl bye vs yexkv vbyv bl oyp nsoyaezu, yde olyj. Fs xwnb ps vbyv bl bye ds okzz vs zkhl kd y osaze vbyv pbl ds zsdtla lmkpvle kd. Gp vbl zypv sq bkp czsse qzsole kdvs vbl vsxcpvsdl, bl vbswtbv vs bkxplzq, ¡®kp kv qkdyzzu yzz shla?¡¯


    Tl dlhla lmrlnvle vbyv bl oswze srld bkp lulp ytykd¡­ Gde cynj vs plhld ulyap raksa. Jynj vs vbl vkxl obld yzz vblpl vaytleklp bye ulv vs byrrld. Jlqsal pbl clnyxl raltdydv okvb bkp nbkze, yde clqsal pbl xkpvyjldzu ycsavle vblka nbkze clnywpl sq bkx. Jlqsal pbl pwqqlale qasx yd kzzdlpp yde, clnywpl sq bkx, zspv bla zkql sd vbl srlayvksd vyczl. Xa kd ds clvvla osaep, pbl eke dsv zspl bla zkql ewl vs vbl taswr sq rlsrzl yde Pwyd Gd Syd¡¯p pnblxkdt.


    Gzvbswtb Kk Lyd Wldt oyp zspv kd bkp vbswtbvp, Ys Nk Dkd eke dsv dsvknl yp pbl oyp elzkakswp okvb fsu clnywpl sq Kk Lyd Wldt¡¯p osaep.


    ¡°Ebyv¡¯p okvb vbyv pkzzu pxkzl? Elal usw ps vswnble cu vbspl osaep? Mbld usw pbswze ralryal uswaplzq, xu dlmv osaep xyu fwpv plde usw shla vbl xssd,¡± Kk Lyd Wldt takddle wdycypblezu yp bl zssjle yv bla, bl oyp pzsozu clkdt kdqzwldnle cu bla tsse xsse.


    Brsd blyakdt vbyv vblal oyp xsal tsse dlop, Ys Nk Dkd kxxlekyvlzu rlajle wr. Ms Kk Lyd Wldt, bla ynvksd oyp zkjl yd lytla cwddu ycswv vs tlv kv¡¯p ryop sd y fwknl nyaasv.


    Rv oyp lmvalxlzu yesayczl vbyv bl nswze dsv blzr cwv vs tldvzu vwt yv bla lyap clqsal pyukdt, ¡°R eked¡¯v pwqqla qasx yxdlpky. R bye xu alypsdp obu R bke vbkp qasx usw ralhkswpzu. Fs kd vbl qwvwal, esd¡¯v byacsa dsdpldpknyz vbswtbvp, zkjl bso R¡¯zz sdl eyu alxlxcla vbl rypv yde nbydtl xu xkde ycswv Pwyd Gd Syd. Xa vbyv R oswzed¡¯v oydv usw yduxsal.¡±


    When Mo Lixin initially heard that Ji Nan Feng did not suffer from memory loss, she was a little uneasy. However, his following words gave her a shot of ecstasy. Not only did it dispel all her uneasiness, it even dispersed all her previous worries and what ifs. Her heart was filled with happiness that she had not felt in a long time.


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    ¡°Really?¡± Her tone contained hints of cautiousness. Even so, it could not conceal the happiness from hearing his words. Mo Li Xin did not realise that she sounded slightly skeptical, but Ji Nan Feng did.


    ¡°Really really. And if I dare lie to you, I¡¯ll be struck by ligh-¡± lightning. Before Ji Nan Feng could finish his words, his mouth was covered.


    A cool touch brushed on his lips. At first, Ji Nan Feng was startled, then he recovered and took control of the kiss. He carefully cupped Mo Li Xin¡¯s head with his palms to deepen the once in a blue moon ¡®proactive¡¯ kiss. The kiss was long and ambiguous. Mo Li Xin blushed and she remained stiff as her heart drummed rapidly in her chest.


    She was thinking, ¡®What to do? What to do? I¡¯m so nervous I could pass out!¡¯


    The voice within her reasoned, ¡®Are you stupid? People already turned your passive kiss into something more, be more daring and reciprocate quickly!¡¯


    After listening to those words, Mo Li Xin was unsure if her frayed nerves got reconnected back incorrectly or she was injected with a burst of courage. She slowly stretched her arms around Ji Nan Feng¡¯s waist to deepen the affectionate kiss.


    Ji Nan Feng froze before his mouth hooked into a smile. However, he showed no sign of releasing her. Mo Li Xin did not know how long the kiss lasted, but Ji Nan Feng only reluctantly let go of her when her lips were numb. Pulling away from her, he saw a silver thread that barely connected between them and it gave off an errotic vibe.


    Poor Ji Nan Feng¡¯s lower body tightened at the view, but he had to pretend that it was nothing as he worried about her physical condition would not be able to take it.


    Ji Nanfeng examined her face that was originally pale to its current state of blush. He chuckled as he wiped the trace of silver thread with his thumb. Ji Nan Feng teased, ¡°Wifey, seems like your skills have improved.¡±


    Mo Li Xin became even more embarrassed and flustered, rendering her unable to answer.


    Ji Nan Feng noticed her predicament, but did not immediately let her off. Because right now she was so cute and he could not help but to ¡®bully¡¯ her, ¡°weren¡¯t you very enthusiastic just now? And you even learned to take the initiative? Now that the deed is done, you revert back to being shy? But Xin¡¯er should continuing taking the initiative more often in the future.¡±


    Mo Li Xin embarrassment led to indignation. She huffed angrily and deliberately changed the subject, ¡°I¡¯m hungry and I want to eat! Very very hungry right now!¡±


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    She did not want to ask him why he had to pretend to suffer from amnesia. She assumed that he had his reasons.


    Ji Nan Feng smirked as he opened the nutritious bento that he brought in just now. There were two dishes and a soup, all of which were Mo Li Xin¡¯s favourite.


    She stretched her hands to receive the food box, but Ji Nan Feng showed no signs of handing it over. Instead, he opened the bento gracefully and took out the spoon. His actions looked like he was planning to feed her one spoonful at a time!


    ¡°I can feed myself, my hands aren¡¯t injured,¡± Mo Li Xin said.


    Currently only the ever overbearing Ji Nan Feng remained. The previous gentle and cultured man of the past no longer existed, all that was left was a black bellied man. How would he be willing to listen to her words?


    In the end, Mo Li Xin was like a kid being spoon fed. As she was having her meal, um¡­ how does one put it? She felt pretty awesome; the food was delicious, the service was accommodating, and she had her superduper handsome husband as a companion.


    Although Mo Li Xin did not say anything, one could tell that she was very satisfied. As if all the unhappy events of yesterday did not happen. Currently, her only concern was the existence of the ¡®Mini Li Xin¡¯ within her.


    When others suffer from schizophrenia, they do not know of their other ¡®personalities¡¯ and even if they do, they could not communicate between each other, right? But in her case, she was able to talk with ¡®Mini Li Xin¡¯. Would that mean that whatever she thought of in the future would be known by ¡®her¡¯? Although¡­ they were part of the same person, it was not an idea that she could get used to¡­


    ¡®Alright, alright¡­ don¡¯t stress too much. I know I appeared too many times in this short period. But it wouldn¡¯t be a frequent thing. I¡¯m not interested in eavesdropping in your innermost thoughts either. I¡¯m going to sleep now. Unless your mood fluctuates too much, I won¡¯t come out until necessary,¡¯ ¡®Mini Li Xin¡¯ said before disappearing.


    Mo Li Xin who was distracted¡­


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Ji Nan Feng¡¯s voice disrupted her thoughts.


    ¡°Nothing¡­ I seem to like you even more now,¡± Mo Li Xin confessed. She felt that she should follow ¡®Mini Li Xin¡¯s¡¯ advice and be more thick-skinned. Afterall, there is a saying that a crying child would always get the candy. Even if she does not cry, she needs to learn to be more coquettish. Men do not fancy dreary and serious girls¡­ Uh¡­ Although she was already a woman¡­


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    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know why I pretended to suffer from amnesia? And what took place between Duan An Ran and I?¡± Ji Nan Feng asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to know, I trust you,¡± Mo Li Xin replied without any hesitation.


    She had always believed in him. Even when it was seen as stupidity in other¡¯s eyes, she still chose to trust him unconditionally. What she did not know was that in their previous lives, this unconditional trust in him led to her demise along with their child.


    However, in this life, he will not let those things repeat again.


    Ji Nan Feng paused before saying, ¡°thank you.¡± Thank you for staying by my side and your unwavering trust in me for these two lives.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, but I¡¯ve something to ask¡­¡± Mo Li Xin voiced.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Erm¡­ when can I be discharged?¡± She did not know why, but recently she detested hospitals. So much so that she would feel suffocated inside one. If not for Ji Nan Feng being here with her, she would drag her body out even if she were to die from pain.


    ¡°Fortunately, your injuries were not serious. There¡¯s just slight abrasions on your forehead and legs. The remotely serious injury is the one at your tight where a piece of shattered glass pierced into your skin. The doctor had to perform a minor operation to have it removed. After its removal, the doctor did say that it¡¯s not necessary for you to stay in the hospital during your recovery period.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, then let¡¯s go back now,¡± Mo Li Xin said eagerly.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush. At least stay for today, so that the doctor can monitor your condition further. You still have to do further checkups. By tomorrow if there are no other issues, we can go back then.¡±


    Under his captivating persuasion, Mo Li Xin reluctantly gave in and waited until tomorrow.


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    The next day, after Mo Li Xin¡¯s last checkup and the doctor deemed her fit, she was discharged and could go home.


    Upon reaching home, they saw members of Ji¡¯s and Mo¡¯s family waiting for them. Only after relentlessly asking and double confirming that Mo Li Xin was healthy, did they leave satisfied.


    After their family left, Xu Qing Man, Gan Yun Ting and others called one after the other to check on her. They were all relieved to learn that she was fine. From the bottom of her heart, Mo Li Xin felt warmth bubbling within her.

 CH 23

    For the time being, Mo Li Xin¡¯s leg injury would cause a slight inconvenience for her. She would have to recuperate for at least two weeks. Fortunately, Bai Sha Exhibition was in a month¡¯s time. She would only be informed if she got selected to participate two weeks later. By then, her leg should have almost recovered.


    Currently at work, she did not have a lot of ongoing projects. So she decided to make use of this time to settle some matters regarding Miao Bai¡¯s identity.


    As for Ji Nanfeng, he originally wanted to take two weeks leave from work to take care of her. But his offer was immediately rejected. Mo Li Xin believed that they could simply hire a nanny to look after her and do some chores. There really was not much that required his constant presence. Furthermore, he did not have many classes packed in a week so he would be home most of the time anyway.


    However, Ji Nan Feng¡¯s thoughts were not inlined with hers. He would not be able to stop worrying if he left his injured wife alone at home. So the two finally came to an agreement that when Ji Nan Feng had to go to school for lessons, she would tag along. As he held his classes, she would sit among the students and listen. But they would have to move about separately on campus.


    And so, such a scene occurred in school. Ji Nan Feng, who captivated many young female learners, seemed to have become even more enchanting. Whether it was his dressing or his overall arua, he seemed to have become more mesmerizing. Female students swooned over how handsome he was, whereas male students chose not to compare themselves with him or risk losing their self-esteem.


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    Yet, these developments were missed by Mo Li Xin.


    In addition, another thing had stirred up a small commotion on campus; and that was Mo Li Xin herself.


    Her appearance was beautiful and she always sat quietly on a wheelchair in the last row.


    ¡°Tk qlzzso nzyppxyvl! Ebknb elryavxldv es usw clzsdt vs? R¡¯x pwal swa elryavxldv eslpd¡¯v byhl pwnb y tsse-zssjkdt pvweldv,¡± y aswde-qynle zlyadla pkvvkdt dlmv vs Ys Nk Dkd ypjle nwakswpzu.


    ¡°Yl? R¡¯hl tayewyvle,¡± Ys Nk Dkd alrzkle nydekezu.


    ¡°Xb! Fs usw¡¯al y pldksa. Jl bsdlpv. Ps usw qydnu Mlynbla Kk? Tldnl, usw prlnkyzzu nyxl cynj vs pkv kd sd bkp zlnvwal?¡± vbl aswde-qynle tkaz obkprlale.


    Ys Nk Dkd rywple qsa y obkzl, ¡°Zlp, R zkjl bkx.¡± Rdelle, yde hlau xwnb ps.


    ¡°Mbld usw¡¯hl vs fskd yd lmvalxlzu zsdt iwlwl,¡± vbl tkaz nsxqsavle puxryvblvknyzzu.


    ¡°Xb? Ebu kp vbyv?¡± Ys Nk Dkd¡¯p kdvlalpv oyp rkiwle.


    ¡°Elzz, qkapvzu, usw¡¯zz byhl vs elqlyv yzz vbl pkdtzl qlxyzl vlynblap kd swa wdkhlapkvu. Mbld, usw byhl vs qktbv uswa oyu vbaswtb vbswpydep, sa lhld vldp sq vbswpydep sq qlxyzl pvweldvp,¡± vbl aswde-qynle nzyppxyvl blzrle bla ydyzugl okvb y zssjle vbyv raynvknyzzu pnalyxle ¡®vblal¡¯p ds bsrl¡¯.


    ¡°Xb?¡± Ys Nk Dkd rllale yv vbl vlynbla kd iwlpvksd obs oyp plakswpzu tkhkdt bkp zlnvwal yv vbl rsekwx. Kk Lyd Wldt pweeldzu qlzv y nbkzz pzkekdt esod bkp prkdl.


    ¡°What if your Teacher Ji was already married?¡± Mo Li Xin questioned.


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    ¡°Hm¡­ No, it¡¯s not possible. Teacher Ji is so young, so it¡¯s not likely,¡± the round-faced student shook her head.


    ¡°By the way Senior, how old are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m twenty-three, almost twenty-four.¡±


    ¡°Oh my gosh, you¡¯re so young! I¡¯m also twenty-three, but I¡¯m still a junior,¡± the round-faced girl said in awe.


    ¡°I managed to enrol early,¡± the two chatted quietly at the back.


    After a couple of days, Mo Li Xin could tell that the last three rows in the auditorium were taken up by students from other courses. They did not attend because they had to take the exams nor because they wanted to increase their knowledge. These people were solely there to admire the educator¡¯s appearance. So she concluded that as long as they talked softly, they would not disrupt the class.


    As she attended more classes, more people started addressing her as ¡®Senior¡¯. And because she was sitting in a wheelchair, doing some stuff was inconvenient, thus many of her enthusiastic classmates would often offer to help her. Mo Li Xin felt nostalgic, college times were the best, how good it would be if she could go back to school again.


    Mo Li Xin went to school as per usual. Even though she thought that she blended in pretty well, many sharp-eyed students started to speculate whether the beautiful senior had managed to hook up with Teacher Ji as they casted suggestive glances between the two.


    As a matter of fact, when Ji Nan Feng was giving a lecture and asked for someone to answer the question, Mo Li Xin got deliberately arrowed to respond.


    Ji Nan Feng was currently covering the love story of Sima Xiangru and Zhuo Wen Jun, and his question was related to this subject.


    In the sixth year of Emperor Jing¡¯s reign, Sima Xiangru returned to the Shu Province. It happened to coincide with the banquet held by wealthy man, Zhuo Wang Sun. County magistrate, Wang Ji, and Sima Xiangru were both invited to attend.


    As the banquet drew on and intoxication set in, Wang Ji requested Sima Xiangru to play a tune to boost the lively ambience. Sima Xiangru¡¯s exquisite musical talent won the hearts of everyone there. Zhuo Wen Jun, who listened to the tune behind the curtains also fell in love.


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    Zhuo Wen Jun was the daughter of Zhuo Wang Sun. She returned to her maternal home to mourn because her husband had just passed away. Who would have thought that she was captivated by Sima Xiangru¡¯s song. With a decent scholarly appearance, she formed a good impression of him. Since then, the two of them often rendezvous and slowly developed feelings for each other.


    Later on, Zhuo Wen Jun eloped with Sima Xiangru without letting her father know. She knew that traditional views would not accept their pairing. Thus, the famous story of <Wen Jun¡¯s Twilight Elopement>, was spread far and wide.


    As for Ji Nan Feng¡¯s question, he quizzed the students on what the two famous poems that made this story a folklore were.


    Out of the whole class, only a handful could answer. It just so happened that Mo Li Xin was one of them


    Ji Nan Feng¡¯s curiosity was stirred. This kind of ¡®interaction¡¯ between them had not occurred before.


    ¡°Then can the student who was volunteered by the class please answer the question? If I remembered correctly, your leg was injured? You may remain seated as you answer the question,¡± Ji Nan Feng solemnly instructed from the podium.


    Mo Li Xin smiled and did not stand as per told. Seated at the highest and last row, she unhurriedly replied.


    ¡°Sima Xiangru and Zhuo Wen Jun. One was originally a gifted scholar who was a guest staying with Lin Qiong county magistrate. The other was a beautiful homebound widowed woman. Their story began when Sima Xiangru played the famous tune, <Feng Qiu Huang>1, at Zhuo¡¯s banquet.


    ¡®The lone phoenix returned home, travelled far and wide to seek his half. In the vicinity, a beauty stood. As though poisoned, she filled my thoughts. Hoping for a chance to be a pair of mandarin ducks.¡¯


    ¡°But not long after, Sima Xiangru grew affections for another talented woman. Heartbroken, Zhuo Wen Jun dedicated a poem to him named <Bai Tou Yin>2.


    ¡®Hearsay you had another, thus I¡¯ve come to bid farewell. My sole wish to be your one and only, never to part till our hairs turned white¡¯.


    ¡°And that were the origins of <Feng Qiu Huang> and <Bai Tou Yin>.¡±


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    Although Mo Li Xin¡¯s voice was thin and soft, it was powerful and resonating. It was the kind that made people want to stop and listen. It was utterly hypnotizing. When she finished, the whole class was silent, before they erupted into applause.


    This senior was fantastic, talented and beautiful. Furthermore, her voice was also mesmerizing. The male students were blown away, and some female classmates were also captivated.


    Despite all the scheming, those students were doomed to fail. Additionally, they would not have another opportunity again as this was the last day Mo Li Xin would be attending class.


    However, this was not important. Some unwilling classmates decided to dig around for this senior¡¯s background, and they came across something extremely shocking. That beautiful senior held the position of Teacher Ji¡¯s wife. Ouch¡­ that day, many students cried till they toppled.


    But of course, Mo Li Xin who left the campus was impervious to this fact.


    After two weeks of handicap and recuperation, Mo Li Xin¡¯s leg was much better. At least, taking two steps now was not a problem. This so-called ¡®handicap and recuperation¡¯ referred to Mo Li Xin not having to do anything during this period.


    She was worry-free; when it was time to eat, she just opened her mouth. When it was time to change clothes, she only needed to stretch out her arms. In this period, Mo Li Xin became more comfortable with Ji Nan Feng¡¯s indulgent pampering. Sigh, her heart was completely submerged in honey, so very sweet.


    Sometimes, Mo Li Xin would remember the existence of her second personality residing inside her, but it had not made an appearance in the past half a month.


    ~~~~


    ¡°Xin Xin, really? Really? You¡¯re not pulling my leg? What you said is true? You¡¯ll let me be your model for the upcoming Bai Sha Exhibition?! Oh my God! Am I dreaming? But it¡¯s currently afternoon.¡±


    Xu Qing Man was so elated that she barely had any sense left to make her sentence comprehensible.


    Mo Li Xin was currently lying on the soft couch, waiting for Ji Nan Feng to feed her. Pooh¡­ she was waiting for him to prepare her midnight snack¡­ Ah¡­ surely at this rate, she would become a decadent¡­


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    ¡°En, you should drop by tomorrow to try them out. When I was making the dresses I¡¯ve already planned for you to be my model. So the sizes have been tailor-made according to your measurements. But you¡¯ll still have to wear them so that we can make the appropriate adjustments, if any. However, if you suddenly gained ten kilos, then I¡¯ve no choice but to use another model,¡± Mo Li Xin teased.


    ¡°What are you saying?! You can slander my character, but you cannot insult my appearance and body! This killer figure is my only asset and money maker! Even if I die, I¡¯ll also find an elegant position to die in! As my bestie, you should know that best!¡± Xu Qing Man huffed indignantly on the other end.


    ¡°Yes, yes, yes, you¡¯re the most beautiful woman in the world. Remember to come tomorrow so that we can go to my office together. I¡¯ve to introduce you to my teammates. This is so that they can contact you directly in the future,¡± Mo Li Xin informed her.


    After that fateful incident, Xu Qing Man decided to move to a new place. It has two bedrooms and a living room. Overall, it was pretty good. Even wheelchair bound, Mo Li Xin still went to have a look at the apartment. It was only a ten minute drive from her own home. Therefore, it made it more convenient for the two of them to meet more often.


    As for the flat, Xu Qing Man, who had not a penny to her name, definitely could not afford to rent it. Fortunately, she knew Gan Yun Ting, who knew friends from all walks of life. He happened to have expat friends that had to rush back to their own country and was not sure when they could come back. Yet, they were reluctant to rent out the place. Hence, this advantage fell into Xu Qing Man¡¯s grasp.


    The foreign couple only had one requirement; she was not to replace or move any of the furniture. As long as she maintained the flat in its original condition, they would be satisfied.


    Xu Qing Man could not have asked for more as she also did not have the money to buy new furniture.


    Originally, she suspected that Gan Yun Ting purposely found this house for her. It was until she met the foreign couple that Xu Qing Man concluded that she could stay at the apartment without qualms.


    ¡°You¡¯re planning to go out tomorrow? But your leg¡­¡± Ji Nan Feng carried a bowl of porridge out. Although his tone sounded casual, it could not hide his worry.


    ¡°En, if I continue staying at home, I¡¯ll start to grow mouldy,¡± Mo Li Xin complained.


    As of late, Ji Nan Feng was great in every aspect excluding the fact that he seemed to act like an old lady. From day to night, he would nag incessantly; cannot do this, that is forbidden, this is not allowed, that is dangerous¡­ It was as if she was not nursing an injury, but was handicapped instead.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll send you over tomorrow. Will Xiao Man be coming over first?¡± Ji Nan Feng asked as he fed her. Recently she had a habit of having a bowl of century egg, lean meat porridge every evening. She would not be able to sleep without it and Ji Nan Feng also did not do anything to curb this habit of hers.


    ¡°I realise that your cooking skills have improved. What should I do? Now, I seem to like you even more,¡± Mo Li Xin concentrated on her food and unconsciously ignored Ji Nan Feng¡¯s question.


    He sighed ruefully.

 CH 24

    Ji Nan Feng grinned, ¡°I¡¯m not complaining, the more the better.¡±


    Mo Li Xin blushed, ¡®Gosh¡­ feels like recently my skin has become thicker¡­ how embarrassing¡­¡¯


    ¡°By the way, how¡¯s Duan An Ran?¡± Mo Li Xin realised that Duan An Ran had not appeared before them in a good while.


    ¡°She¡¯s hiding.¡±


    ¡°Why does she need to hide?¡± Mo Li Xin sat up abruptly from her lying position upon hearing his words.


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    ¡®Sigh, even eating, you do it lying down. Mo Li Xin, you¡¯ve truly been spoiled rotten!¡¯


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say before? She was the one that set the hotel on fire. Since now there¡¯s evidence of her committing arson, why do you think she needs to go into hiding?¡± Ji Nan Feng asked rhetorically.


    ¡°You¡¯re not worried at all? After all she was once¡­¡± your ex-lover. However, the last two words got stuck in her throat when she saw his darkening expression.


    ¡°Dkd¡¯la, R qllz vbyv R dlle vs lxrbypkp vbkp sdnl ytykd. Nlpv usw bydt vbkp shla xu blye qsa vbl alpv sq swa zkhlp.¡±


    Ys Nkmkd aykple bla lulcasop, ¡°Gzaktbv, rzlypl prlyj.¡±


    Kk Lyd Wldt pktble psqvzu obld bl pyo bso plakswp pbl zssjle.


    ¡°R¡¯hl dlhla zshle Pwyd Gd Syd. Rd vbl rypv, pbl bke blaplzq ellrzu yde R valyvle bla yp y nzspl qlxyzl qaklde. Gde dso vbyv R jdso bla vawl nszsap, R oswzed¡¯v lhld nsdpkela bla yp yd yniwykdvydnl. Ebld vbl bsvlz nywtbv qkal yde R zyke kd cle blzrzlpp, R es yexkv vbyv R qlzv xshle obld pbl nyxl yde pyhle xl. Jwv yqvla jdsokdt obyv vawzu byrrldle, R vakle vs lmrzykd kv nswdvzlpp vkxlp. Zlv usw sdzu clzklhle kv sd y pwaqynl zlhlz. R nswze vlzz vbyv usw pvkzz bye eswcvp, cwv usw dlle vs zlv xl jdso, ps vbyv R nyd qkm kv.¡±


    Ebyv bl pyke oyp kdelle vawl. Tl bye dlhla altyaele Pwyd Gd Syd yp psxlsdl bl oswze bsze nzspl vs bkp blyav. Mbydjqwzzu bl bye ulv vs es yduvbkdt vss shlacsyae kd vbkp zkql. Nypv zkql bl wdoyaaldvzu ralvldele vs cl kdvkxyvl okvb bla kd qasdv sq Ys Nk Dkd. Ohld ps, bl bye dlhla vswnble Pwyd Gd Syd asxydvknyzzu. Wsa vbyv vball ulyap, bl eke dsv naspp vbyv zkdl.


    Rd vblka ralhkswp zkhlp, bl oyp pvwrke. Bdyczl vs ekqqlaldvkyvl clvolld aktbv yde oasdt, oyp awvbzlpp, yde blyavzlpp. Tl oyp nywtbv wr cu bkp ps-nyzzle byvale yde vbkapv qsa alhldtl vbyv bl pzsozu awkdle vblka alzyvksdpbkr pvlr cu pvlr; wdvkz vblal oyp dsvbkdt zlqv.


    Fsxlvkxlp bl osdelale obu bl eke obyv bl eke cynj vbld. Tkp ynvksd kd vbyv vball ulyap, dlhla caswtbv bkx ydu byrrkdlpp. Oprlnkyzzu obld bl pyo Ys Nk Dkd¡¯p lulp pzsozu ekxxle shla vkxl.


    Mbkdjkdt ycswv kv dso, bl oyp vss nbkzekpb cynj vbld. Mblal oyp ds abuxl dsa alypsd qsa bkp ydtla. Yyucl kv oyp fwpv y vokpvle lmnwpl vs vkl bla vs bkp pkel. Ebld bl xkpvalyvle bla, kv kdlhkvyczu cynjqkale yde ldele wr vsavwakdt bkxplzq kd vbl rasnlpp.


    In his time of confusion, he had felt that he found a confidant in Duan An Ran. Who would have thought that she was a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing. Duan An Ran drove a wedge between him and Mo Li Xin, but he was too ignorant at the time and allowed her to succeed. He was unable to notice what was wrong until it became too late.


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    Mo Li Xin did not expect this to be the thing he wanted to talk about. It took her a while before she could react to what was said. She desperately wanted to believe his words, but after being cautious for so long, it was hard to completely remove her walls in an instant. However, subconsciously, she knew that she was no longer as guarded against him as she originally was.


    ¡°I¡¯ll trust you, as long as you always believe in me like you do now,¡± Mo Li Xin assured. Her face broke into an alluring smile; it felt like someone set off fireworks.


    Exchanging passionate looks, things got out of control¡­


    When Mo Li Xin woke up the next morning, she only felt slightly sore. Which was to be expected, considering that no matter how enthusiastic or out of control she wanted to be, he still restrained himself due to her leg injury.


    Unsurprisingly, the space beside her was empty. Ever since the accident where the hotel caught fire, Ji Nan Feng seemed to have started a habit of going for morning jogs after they were discharged from the hospital. After his run, he would take a quick shower and then start preparing breakfast.


    At the beginning, Mo Lixin was not used to this treatment. But over time, it became a natural thing.


    Mo Li Xin could not help but to grumble, it sure was great to be a man. They workout so vigorously the night before, but he was still full of energy and was able to go about his daily routine as per normal. How peculiar¡­


    After freshening up, she went downstairs. A certain man, who was making breakfast, stepped out of the kitchen.


    ¡°What are you cooking? It smells so good! Originally, I wasn¡¯t hungry, but now I am,¡± Mo Li Xin stated.


    ¡°It¡¯s just egg wrapped meat dumpling. Come down quickly, it won¡¯t taste good once it¡¯s cold,¡± Ji Nan Feng instructed.


    ¡°Ah! Tsk tsk tsk, so this is a perk of having a husband. I must¡¯ve accumulated many blessings in my previous life. If Mother knows that her son is so capable but her daughter-in-law is so lazy, she might blame me,¡± Mo Li Xin exhaled as she walked over.


    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t.¡±


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    Ji Nan Feng¡¯s mother, Wei Xiu Lan, was an easy-going, affable, and nontraditional person. As long as the family is harmonious, she would not bother about these trivial matters.


    ¡°You¡¯re planning to send me to work? Don¡¯t you have class?¡± Mo Li Xin picked up her chopsticks, drooling over the pan fried meat dumpling wrapped in egg.


    ¡°How silly, today¡¯s Saturday¡± Ji Nan Feng¡¯s doting tone held hints of helplessness.


    Mo Li Xin nodded, ¡°Everyone said that teachers have it good. Not only do you have weekends and various public holidays, you have off days during winter and summer vacations too! I¡¯m so envious,¡± Mo Li Xin jested.


    However, in her opinion, as long as the job was what she was passionate about, the number of vacations and off days matters little.


    ¡°If you prefer staying at home to working, then just quit and stay home,¡± Ji Nan Feng said, half jokingly, half truthfully. Deep down, he actually did not want her to continue work at Jiu Zi. Ever since meeting his second brother again in this life, he felt that there was something off and this abnormality seemed to trigger some memories of his previous life.


    ¡°No thanks, I still like having something to do everyday.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s up to you,¡± Ji Nan Feng knew that he should not impose his likes and dislikes onto her.


    ¡°Ah¡­ it¡¯s really delicious. What should I do now? My stomach is so bloated I don¡¯t think I can stand up properly,¡± Mo Li Xin complained after taking her last bite. She leisurely leaned back on the chair, savouring her last bite.


    At that moment, the doorbell rang. It did not take a genius to figure who it was.


    When Xu Qing Man saw that it was Ji Nan Feng who opened the door, she stuttered, ¡°Erm¡­ I¡¯m here to look for Xin Xin.¡±


    Truthfully, Third Master Ji was tall, handsome, and mild temperament. Yet, Xu Qing Man could not help but to feel intimidated by him.


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    After getting ready, the party of three boarded the car and drove towards Mo Li Xin¡¯s workplace.


    ¡°I have to settle some stuff. Remember to wait for me when you get off work,¡± Ji Nan Feng informed her.


    ¡°Okay, go do your thing,¡± Mo Li Xin replied through the car window.


    Ji Nan Feng only left after he ensured that Mo Li Xin had entered the building. As he drove off, his face gradually became more hostile.


    He sped his way to AK Club. This time he did not go there for leisure, but to deal with some important matters.


    On the surface, AK Club has four floors; two above ground and two basement levels. Only Ji Nan Feng and his brothers knew of the fifth underground level. When Ji Nan Feng arrived, he noticed that Gan Yun Ting, Lu Xing Yan, and Gong Ze Yue were all present.


    ¡°Second Brother, what brings you here?¡± Ji Nan Feng asked the instant he entered the room.


    It never crossed his mind that his second brother would be here as well. Ji Nan Feng came as this was related to his father¡¯s accident. And because it involved a major drug trafficking case,  his eldest brother would naturally be present. Gan Yun Ting¡¯s presence could be explained as well, as he is the boss of AK Club. However, he did not understand what his second brother was doing here. Although Gong Ze Yun knew of this private room too, they only came here when the individual had important matters to discuss. Hence, he felt that this issue had nothing to do with Gong Ze Yun.


    ¡°I was hanging around here when I spotted Eldest Brother.¡± It implied that they met by coincidence, which was indeed the truth.


    Ji Nan Feng did not question any further.


    ¡°Based on the portrait Li Xin gave me, we ran it through our database and managed to find a man that fits the bill; he also had a scar slightly below his ear. What¡¯s more coincidental is that this man frequents Fourth Brother¡¯s club.¡± Lu Xing Yan was never one to beat around the bush.


    Gong Ze Yun did not interrupt.


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    ¡°He¡¯s just right under our noses? Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier? I could¡¯ve helped you keep an eye on him,¡± Gan Yun Ting said.


    ¡°Remember last year¡¯s serial murder case? You said the same thing, and I trusted you. And then what happened?¡± Lu Xing Yan rubbed his forehead as his expression darkened.


    As soon as Gan Yun Ting heard this, he immediately lowered his head guiltily. He had always had interest in conspiracies, murder, drug trafficking, and these kind of adranline driven things. Thus, when he found out that he had some relations to that fateful serial murder case, he asked his eldest brother to let him help. In fact, he begged Lu Xing Yan to entrust this case to him but he screwed up. Because of this, Lu Xing Yan was subjected to military punishment. Thus until now, Gan Yun Ting still carried this guilt.


    ¡°And what of the results?¡± Ji Nan Feng continued.


    ¡°The scarred man is Liu Qi. On the surface, he¡¯s an ordinary salesman that works on weekdays. Usually visits this place on Wednesdays and Saturdays. It may look like a friends gathering, but in fact, the people he meets every time changes. However, there is one constant individual and we believe he¡¯s the main target of our investigation.


    ¡°And that¡¯s Zhang Guo Ping, a male nurse currently working at Ai Xuan Hospital. When we continued digging, we found out that under the table, he did things like poisoning and selling drugs to his patients. But all this was before we took over this case. So his sudden disappearance should have little to do with our investigations. For now, we¡¯ll concentrate on monitoring Liu Qi.¡± Lu Xing Yan said thoughtfully.


    ¡°These two people are just lackeys of Organization Z. They most likely do not have much information about the workings of the higher ups. Let¡¯s continue observing them first. Since we can make contact with Zhang Guo Ping through Liu Qi, we might be able to dig out even more important characters. I analysed my dad¡¯s previous travel records, and daily routines, although it seemed to be closely linked to my mother-in-law, they usually met in public. It felt like they were planning something, but before they could carry it out, something went awry.¡± Ji Nan Feng considered for a moment before voicing out.


    ¡°Third Brother, you can just hand over all the information you have gathered to me and let us do the rest. After all, this is becoming too dangerous.¡± Lu Xing Yan felt that since his third brother was discharged from the hospital, he suddenly became concerned about these things. Yet, he refrained from commenting as this was also an important issue to his brother. In the end, this matter was connected to Ji Nan Feng¡¯s father and mother-in-law.


    ¡°I understand. Then I hope that Eldest Brother will lend a hand,¡± Ji Nan Feng nodded. Truly, an outsider would be able to look at the situation more objectively. Additionally, this was also part of Lu Xing Yan¡¯s job.


    Gong Ze Yun silently drank at the side as he continued to take in what they said.

 CH 25

    Gong Ze Yun listened to their conversation while sipping on his drink. His gaze was dark and unfathomable.


    The four brothers were as one; tight-knitted. Even if the current discussion seems to have nothing to do with him, the others did not purposely avoid him and kept him out of the loop.


    ¡°Second Brother, you looked lost in thought,¡± Gan Yun Ting suddenly said.


    ¡°Nothing, it just feels odd. Third Brother seemed to have changed recently,¡± Gong Ze Yun replied steadily.


    Ji Nan Feng turned and glanced at Gong Ze Yun. He countered, ¡°Second Brother seems to be different too.¡±


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    Gong Ze Yun narrowed his eyes, smiled and chose to say nothing. He did not know that Ji Nan Feng was in a similar situation; a person who was given a chance to ¡®redo¡¯ their lives. Hence, facing a completely different Ji Nan Feng from the previous life, he felt inexplicably uneasy. However, one thing was for certain, his Xin¡¯er would not end up the way she did in their previous life. As for Duan An Ran, she would not have a good ending. Like now, she hid like a rat, scurrying through the streets.


    But so what? After experiencing the previous life, he now chose to forgo his relationship with his brother and snatch Xin¡¯er over. However after a few interactions with her, he discovered that this would not be as easy as he originally expected.


    In their previous lives, although Xin¡¯er was intentionally or unconsciously hurted by his brother, she never thought to leave him. If he were to say that she was stubborn and irrationally obsessed previously, then in this life, Gong Ze Yun felt that Xin¡¯er had gained inexplicable courage from deep within.


    Nkjl vbl lhla ps clywvkqwz ale prkela zkzu vbyv cweele sd vbl asye sq Zlzzso Frakdtp, dlhla vs cl yexkale cu vbspl vbyv naspple kvp ryvb. Ebu bl nbspl vs elpnakcl bla yp ps? Rv¡¯p clnywpl bl bye oyzjle vbyv ryvb yde dsvknle vbl qzsola vbyv ¡®ds rlapsd bye plld clqsal¡¯1.


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    Qsdt Hl Zwd pxkzle qykdvzu yde eke dsv ydpola vs Kk Lyd Wldt¡¯p alcwvvyz.


    Mbl yvxsprblal pwaaswdekdt vbl qswa casvblap pweeldzu easrrle. Qyd Zwd Mkdt nzlyale bkp vbasyv, ¡°obu yal vbl vbkdtp clkdt pyke pswde ps olkae? R tlv vbyv vbkp kp yd wdelataswde assx, cwv kv pwal qlzv zkjl yd knl nlzzya dso.¡±


    Ozelpv casvbla, Nw Dkdt Zyd, oyp nsdpnkldvkswp sq vbl nbydtlp, cwv kv oyp dsv psxlvbkdt vbyv nswze cl lypkzu pyke. Gzvbswtb bl bye eswcvp, bl nbspl dsv vs ypj.


    Fs bl nbydtle vbl pwcflnv, ¡°Mbkae Jasvbla, vbl alypsd obu ol¡¯al yczl vs qkde ps xwnb lhkeldnl oyp ewl vs vbl blzr sq ydsvbla rlapsd. Jwv vbkp rlapsd kp ydsduxswp yde ol nswzed¡¯v qkde swv obs bl sa pbl kp.¡±


    Kk Lyd Wldt rywple clqsal alrzukdt, ¡°yp zsdt yp vbl rlapsd kp y qaklde yde dsv y qsl.¡±


    Sitting at the corner of the room, where the rest did not pay attention to, Gong Ze Yun smiled.


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    ~~~~


    At Jiu Zi.


    ¡°Xin Xin, your company looks fantastic, the environment feels good, and your colleagues seem very friendly,¡± Xu Qing Man gushed.


    ¡°If I¡¯m successfully selected to partake in the Bai Sha Exhibition, you¡¯ll become my main model. Then, you¡¯ll also be a part of this company,¡± Mo Li Xin told her.


    If her designs managed to get chosen, she would have surpassed many of her senior coworkers and become the company¡¯s design director. With that, she would be able to sign an individual under the company, to be her main model.


    ¡°Xin Xin, I really believe in you. You¡¯ll definitely be selected! My babe is the most awesome!¡± Xu Qing Man proclaimed excitedly. Others may not know, but she did. Miao Bai was none other than Xin Xin. To be invited by Bai Sha Exhibition to be one of their judges, Xin Xin was definitely more than qualified.


    Mo Li Xin smiled, she believed that she would too. At times when one had the ability, there was no need to be overly humble. And that was known as  having confidence.


    ¡°Li Xin, you¡¯ve arrived! Hurry, hurry, come sit down.¡± Before Mo Li Xin could reach her seat, Dai Meng hurried over and startled her, completely ignoring the beauty next to her.


    The other people in the office also looked equally thrilled. With the exception of Li Na, who had never liked her from the beginning.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Mo Li Xin asked, what could possibly cause so much excitement?


    Xu Qing Man¡¯s ear perked in curiosity. She did not seem to care that everyone did not gap at her peerless beauty.


    ¡°Li Xin, your work was selected!¡± Dai Meng announced proudly and exhilaratingly. It was as if the selected design belonged to her.


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    Mo Li Xin paused, ¡°oh¡­¡±


    Everyone was hoping to see an ecstatic Mo Li Xin. Yet, she took her time to reply and it was just a soft and cute ¡®oh¡¯.


    Everyone stared at Mo Li Xin like she was a monster.


    Similarly, Xu Qing Man, who had been neglected, was also equally calm. ¡®So what? My Xin Xin is the highly reputable Miao Bai. If you all knew about it, wouldn¡¯t you faint in shock?¡¯


    Dai Meng was not satisfied as she did not gain the reaction she expected. So she continued, ¡°it¡¯s not just one piece, but two! Both sets of wedding dresses were shortlisted. As for the ranking, it has yet to be announced. But this is already very good. You¡¯re truly my idol! Do you really have nothing to say about this?¡±


    ¡°En¡­ That¡¯s good, not bad,¡± Mo Li Xin felt that if she did not respond more ¡®normally¡¯ it might seem too unconventional. But her lukewarm reply was as good as if she did not reply.


    Sigh¡­ for the ever low EQ Mo Li Xin, with poor social interaction skills and little friends. She should rejoice that her company¡¯s culture was like that of a warm haven and everyone was so friendly.


    If Mo Li Xin¡¯s previous life was that of a bearer of misfortunes; with a rough life, ill-fated, and had a horrible death. Then her current life was no doubt God¡¯s beloved child; the chosen one.


    Grandpa Ji likes her, her mother-in-law adores her, her husband was not only handsome, but also considerate and kind. In the era of fake materialistic friends, she had a sincere bosom friend. Even at work, she was surrounded by colleagues who were amicable.


    And life would be ever so boring if not for the presences of insignificant shit stirring people like Li Na and Duan An Ran. Although they tried hard to create drama, it inevitably led to their own demise.


    But of course, these would be things of the future¡­


    ¡°Xin Xin, since you got selected, why don¡¯t you treat your colleagues to a meal to celebrate this joyous occasion?¡± Xu Qing Man suggested it in a timely manner. ¡®Anyways, it¡¯s not like you lack money to do so.¡¯


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    Treating others to dinner was one of the best ways to win people over. Xu Qing Man believed that if her bestie continued being so oblivious to forming such relations, in the long run it would not be too good. Hence, she thought of this idea to give her a helping hand.


    No one knew this best friend of hers better than she did. Xin Xin was not foolishly kind, neither was she a saint. Especially recently, as long as it did not cross her bottom line, others can say and do whatever they want. But once her bottom line was touched, she would not continue to take things lying down. Being a coward and being weak were two different things. Even having low emotional intelligence did not mean that one was stupid and coould not differnaite between right and wrong. She was still able to tell if a person had ill intentions towards her. Her bestie may be soft spoken and courteous, but that was due to her personality.


    ¡°Oh, this is?¡­¡± Dai Meng and the others finally noticed that there was a foreign person amongst them.


    Due to the buzzing news upon their arrival, it completely slipped out of Mo Li Xin¡¯s mind. She quickly recovered and introduced, ¡°my model, Xu Qing Man. She¡¯s here for the fitting today.¡±


    ¡°Hello everybody! Happy cooperation, may we get along well!¡± Xu Qing Man greeted naturally and candidly. She felt that it was a must to build good relations even if they may not have many chances to work together in the end.


    ¡°Hi there, it seems like the saying that good-looking people hang out together is true. Li Xin is beautiful, and you¡¯re attractive too,¡± Dai Meng sighed.


    The surrounding group nodded in agreement.


    After exchanging a few more words, Mo Li Xin brought her team of four into a fitting room for Xu Qing Man to try on the growns and for them to do alterations if needed. The surrounding group was reluctant to part, but their moods were happy as they managed to secure a treat.


    Their firm was considered small as compared to other companies. In total, there were about twenty people, equally separated into four groups. However, it was still difficult to coordinate everyone for the meal. For new employees, there were five of them, including Mo Li Xin. Maybe six now, if Xu Qing Man was counted.


    Everyone knew that once Mo Li Xin was selected to participate in the Bai Sha Exhibition, the design director position would land in her hands. What benefits and power did a design director hold? Everyone knew clearly, hence it was not surprising to have her own main model.


    After everything was settled, Mo Li Xin remembered that she needed to call and update Ji Nan Feng on her dinner plans. He acceded and informed her that he would pick her up after her meal. He also reminded her to take note of her safety. Ji Nan Feng¡¯s long-windedness was something Mo Li Xin had long gotten used to, so she seriously listened and agreed to his every word.


    The gathering place was at an exclusive Japanese restaurant, the environment was elegant and chic. It was no wonder that the menu was exorbitant. Excluding those that were busy or did not want to come, there were a total of seventeen people. Furthermore, they booked a VIP room with a long table to fit everyone.


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    The one that suggested this was none other than Xu Qing Man; someone who felt that the world was not chaotic enough, someone who seemed to regard her best friend as her enemy¡­


    Since it was not her money, she did not feel heartache spending it. Additionally, her answer as for why she did this? She felt that Xin Xin was too lucky in all aspects of her life. She, Xu Qing Man, might not be jealous of Xin Xin¡¯s good fortune, but God might not be able to stomach it anymore, so she believed that Xin Xin must suffer a financial loss to prevent possible future disasters.


    Mo Li Xin, ¡°¡­¡± Er¡­


    ¡°Damn¡­ We really came to this restaurant¡­ I originally thought it was just a joke. Li Xin, if I had to pay for this meal, I¡¯ll have to sell my blood, or at least use a big big big big big portion of my annual salary.¡± A male colleague confessed. He used the word ¡®big¡¯ multiple times to express his awe.


    As Jiu Zi¡¯s employee, and holding a slightly higher position as compared to the rest, his annual salary was already considered higher than the majority of his fellow colleagues. For him to say that it would cost more than a big proportion of his annual income, that figure was definitely not small. It truly caused others to vomit blood, not only was Mo Li Xin a highly talented newcomer, she was also a little wealthy lady¡­ no she was an extremely wealthy Ms Perfect¡­


    ¡°No worries, my Xin Xin may not have much, but money is not one of them. Just being shortlisted for the Bai Sha Exhibition, she would¡¯ve already earned three hundred thousand. What¡¯s more, she submitted two sets, so that¡¯s double. In the event that she ranked top three, the sum would be even more! Would she still need to worry about this meal? It¡¯s but a small case! Everyone, don¡¯t need to be polite, just order to your heart¡¯s content. Even if she can¡¯t afford it, there¡¯s also her rich husband. Come, come, come, have a look at the menu,¡± Xu Qing Man said shamelessly. No feelings of distress over the sum of money spent could be seen in her expression.


    Mo Li Xin lamented, ¡®One needs to be prudent when making friends! Luckily, there¡¯s not many chances to be duped like this. Heartaching, but it¡¯s just this once, so bear with it.¡¯


    Seeing that the host, Mo Li Xin, did not verbally object otherwise, everyone started ordering food extravagantly.


    Author-sama suddenly changed second male lead¡¯s name from Gong Ze Yun to Gong Yun Ze¡­ ?_? I stuck to the initial naming¡­


    Same with the number of new employees that got hired alongside Li Xin. Author-sama stated Li Xin and Li Na only. What happened to Mao Hong, Ryan, and another random dude introduced in Chapter 15??? (so I sorta, change the sentencing to include them¡­) ?(???)

 CH 26

    Firstly, I would like to thank magjiejie for buying me my first coffee bubble tea on Ko-fi. Hence, this additional chappy is dedicated to you~ THANK YOU!


    ¡°It¡¯s such a loss for those that didn¡¯t turn up tonight. This is such a sumptuous meal,¡± Cheng Si Hao commented.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that Ju Jin Han had prior plans with family. As for Li Na, it might not be considered a loss since she seems to come from a rich family too,¡± a woman in red added. Although she did not like Li Na, her words held no ill-intent, she was just stating facts.


    Everyone nodded. Li Na did not usually hangout with them. Neither did she do anything to offend others, but her demeanor was cold and unapproachable. Her gaze was always frigid that it made those around her uncomfortable.


    The dishes were steadily served, and everyone slowly shed their reservations. As there was no need to go to work every last Sunday of the month, they quickly loosen up and conversation flowed smoothly.


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    It took them more than two hours to polish off this meal, but everyone had such an enjoyable time that it slipped by without them noticing.


    Mo Li Xin also thoroughly savoured this dinner. She usually did not fancy gatherings like this as there was always the tendency for awkwardness. However, it was not the case this time as everyone chatted casually, and she found herself relaxing as the meal progressed.


    ¡°Li Xin, just based on this meal, there¡¯s no need to be polite with me in the future. If you have anything that you need help in or, you¡¯re unwilling to do, just hand it to me. I¡¯ll get it done for you no matter what!¡± Li Feng stated confidently as he leaned back against the chair and rubbed his swollen belly contently.


    Ys Nk Dkd clyxle yv bkp osaep. Nk Wldt oyp ryav sq bla taswr. Ohld kq pbl oyp rasxsvle vs cl vbl elpktd ekalnvsa, pbl oswze pvkzz alxykd okvb vbkp taswr. Xdzu bla rspkvksd nbydtle qasx clkdt y pxyzz taswr xlxcla vs clkdt vbl taswr zlyela. Gde Nk Wldt oyp vbl sdzu xyzl kd vblka xkdk taswr.


    Fs pbl alrzkle wdnlalxsdkswpzu, ¡°Jasvbla Nk, lhld kq usw sqqla, R¡¯zz pvkzz cl nswdvkdt sd usw vs es vbl byae nbsalp.¡±


    Mblal oyp dsv vbl pzktbvlpv bkdv sq rszkvldlpp. Mbkp oyp clnywpl rszkvldlpp oswze cl hklole yp vaukdt vs ekpvydnl sdlplzq qasx svblap.


    ¡°R pll,¡± Nk Wldt nbwnjzle.


    Ohlausdl zywtble vss.


    ¡°Gzaktbv, kv¡¯p pvyavkdt vs tlv zyvl. Ohlausdl pbswze pvyav rynjkdt wr yde blyekdt bsxl. Mbspl vbyv eakhl pbswze tkhl y zkqv vs vbspl vbyv esd¡¯v kq kv¡¯p yzsdt vbl oyu. Rv¡¯p xspv zkjlzu wdpyql yv dktbv, lhlausdl xwpv vyjl ralnywvksd.¡±


    Mbspl kdpvawnvksdp olal tkhld cu vbl xyvwal pldksa nszzlytwl, Ubldt Fk Tys.


    ¡°Zsw yzz pbswze zlyhl qkapv, R¡¯zz tlv vbl ckzz,¡± Ys Nk Dkd pyke yp pbl oyhle vs vbl oykvla swvpkel vbl assx.


    ¡°Let¡¯s leave together. Li Xin, where do you stay? I can give you a ride,¡± a bespectacled woman offered.


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    ¡°Yes yes, any one of us can drop you off. Where do you stay? We can see who stays nearer, the person can send you back,¡± Dai Meng added.


    ¡°Xin Xin doesn¡¯t need you to give her a free ride. Her husband will be picking her up,¡± Xu Qing Man candidly stated.


    Mo Li Xin, ¡°¡­¡± Sometimes, she wondered if her mouth was of any use¡­


    ¡°Pardon me. May I ask, who is paying?¡± At that moment, the service staff entered and asked.


    ¡°That would be me,¡± Mo Li Xin replied as she stood up. Planning to head out to pay.


    ¡°Are you Miss. Li?¡± The waiter enquired, but it did not look like he was going to lead her to the cashier.


    ¡°En, my surname¡¯s Li. Is something the matter?¡± Mo Li Xin was puzzled.


    Her colleagues curiously gathered around too.


    ¡°Oh, in that case, your bill has already been settled. A gentleman with the surname Ji had paid for it,¡± the server answered.


    ¡°Oh come on! Xin Xin, it seems like I can¡¯t burn a hole in your pocket this round. But I guess it¡¯s all the same, since it¡¯s from your hubby¡¯s pocket,¡± Xu Qing Man sighed helplessly. Her tone even contained hints of regrets.


    ¡°So it turns out that Li Xin¡¯s husband¡¯s surname is Ji. But Ji is not a common surname. I recall that your husband is a PhD Advisor? Although we¡¯re not sure what kind of position that is, is it similar to a university professor?


    ¡°After today¡¯s meal, I¡¯m even more keen to know what your husband looks like. He should be outside the restaurant since he paid for the dinner. Let¡¯s go out and have a look at who¡¯s the lucky guy that¡¯s blessed to marry our Li Xin!¡± Li Feng joked.


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    But everyone else was also intrigued.


    Mo Li Xin had no reason to refute. Her husband was not some young virgin maiden, nor was he the nation¡¯s leader. Hence, she resigned to her fate and stepped out of the restaurant with her coworkers.


    And sure enough, Ji Nan Feng¡¯s car was located near the entrance. A low-key but luxurious, sleek black Rolls Royce was parked there with its interior lights on.


    As the sky was already dark, the lights within illuminated a face that seemed to be carved by the Gods. Regardless from which angle one looked at him, even sitting in the vehicle with warm light shining from above, his features partially hidden in the shadows, he still had a devilish charm about him. This was truly an ideal male¡¯s face; sharp features, the corner of his eyes oozed bewitchment, and his obsidian eyes reflected the stars from above.


    And that was the scene that graced the group of jolly people who came out of the restaurant.


    Who was that person? It caused one¡¯s nose to bleed. Oh God, why are you so unfair? Everyone has a nose and a pair of ears, but why are the ones on other people¡¯s face so peerless? It made them feel that they were just clay haphazardly moulded by God. How they wish they could go back into the furnace to be remade¡­


    Although Mo Li Xin was momentarily stunned, she was quick to recover. She could not help that she was almost immune to this standard of beauty. Everyone she met thus far were all extremely beautiful. Be it, Ji Nan Feng and his brothers or Xu Qing Man. They were all highly attractive people, but of course, no one was as stunning as Ji Nan Feng.


    When everyone was speechlessly admiring the view, Ji Nan Feng calmly opened the car door and got out.


    Because Ji Nan Feng did not have to go to work today, he wore casual clothes. The weather in early spring was not as chilly, hence he wore a white T-shirt with a long woolen cardigan. As he stepped out of the car, one could see his spotless black British shoes.


    Compared to his unapproachable devilish charm when he was in the car, he felt more human now.


    ¡°Have you waited long?¡± Mo Li Xin asked as soon as he approached.


    ¡°No. Are you cold?¡± As he came closer, he took off his woolen cardigan and placed it on her shoulders.


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    Mo Li Xin did not reject his gesture as she did not expect to dine out till so late today. Therefore, her dressing was not as warm as she would have liked. Furthermore, there was no reason to refuse. Once they get into the car, it should be warmer.


    Her heart was drenched in honey. Mo Li Xin did not realize it herself, but she had gradually become accustomed to his numerous intimate and considerate actions.


    The surrounding people also slowly gained back their composure as they attempted to suppress their shock.


    ¡°Wow Li Xin, is this your husband?¡± Dai Meng thought of the male superstars that she idolised. They were not even in the same league¡­


    Mo Li Xin turned and gave a brief introduction, ¡°My husband, Ji Nan Feng.¡±


    Ji Nan Feng briefly nodded at the group, ¡°Xin¡¯er is still young. If she made any mistakes, please forgive her and guide her along.¡±


    His words were simple and were said calmly, but it gave off the aura of a superior. Even so, it did not make other people feel uncomfortable.


    ¡°Mr Ji is joking. Li Xin is very capable. Although she is young, she¡¯s very talented,¡± as someone who was more collected, Cheng Si Hao replied on behalf of the rest.


    But if he had known the person standing in front of him was Ji family¡¯s second young master, he might not be able to maintain his cool as he did now.


    Ji family was well-known, hence that surname was very reputable. However, only the first young master¡¯s name resonated in the business world. As for this relatively low-key second young master working as a PhD Advisor, not many know of him besides his name and appearance.


    ¡°Erm, we¡¯ll be heading off first,¡± Mo Li Xin felt a bit awkward, so she felt that it was better if they left first.


    ¡°En, let¡¯s go,¡± Ji Nan Feng guided her to the car by the waist as he slightly nodded at the crowd. He opened the door for Mo Li Xin and protected her head as she entered the vehicle. He only strided to the driver¡¯s seat after he closed her door, started the engine, and drove off. His actions were all so natural that in the eyes of an outsider, it was an action that was done many times.


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    Mo Li Xin pouted.


    The car gradually drove out of everyone¡¯s view.


    After the car disappeared, Xu Qing Man realised a detrimental issue. Damnnit, she did not board the vehicle. It was not convenient for remaining people as it was not along the way. Considering how late it was, there was no public transport too. Did she have to flag a cab? But with her current financial situation, it was a sum she could afford.


    The very next instant, a glaringly pink sports car came to a stop in front of her.


    And the owner of said car was Gan Yun Ting.


    At the same time, inside Ji Nan Feng¡¯s car, Mo Li Xin suddenly exclaimed, ¡°Oh no! Man Man hasn¡¯t gotten into the car! Nan Feng, quickly turn around!¡±


    She smacked her forehead. She guiltily thought to herself, ¡®Did I forget my friendships in the name of love?¡¯


    Ji Nan Feng faced the road, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve asked Yun Ting to fetch her. It¡¯s along the way for him too.¡±


    Gan Yun Ting, ¡°¡­¡± Fucking hell, how was that along the way¡­


    Mo Li Xin nodded in relief.


    But as someone with a low EQ, Mo Li Xin asked in bewilderment, ¡°Why can¡¯t we drop her off? You even had to call Yun Ting. Isn¡¯t our villa also along the way?¡±


    Ji Nan Feng faintly lifted the corners of his lips, ¡°I wonder who was it that left in a huff after seeing another woman in my car.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ that¡­ I just wanted to take a stroll alone.¡±


    She sunk deeper into her seat. Sigh¡­ she could not even come up with a better excuse.


    ¡°Did I say that someone was you? Um?¡­¡± Dragging his last words, Ji Nan Feng leaned closer to her although he was still driving.


    Mo Li Xin could not defend herself.


    ¡°Harrumph! That¡¯s what you say! Just now dont know who was trying to be a courteous gentleman, helping me to open my door and even trying to protect my head as I entered the car. I wonder if you have split personality disorder. Behind everyone¡¯s back, you turn and become a black-bellied man who swallows others whole,¡± She huffed as she crossed her arms across her chest with her cheeks bulging.


    The smile hanging on the corners of Ji Nan Feng¡¯s lips did not fade, ¡°If Xin¡¯er doesn¡¯t find it too bothersome, hubby can definitely send you to work everyday. I¡¯ll open your car door and protect your head as you step out too.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ erm¡­ forget it, no need no need,¡± This would be an overkill. Occasionally once or twice was still fine, but if he were to do it everyday, it would be very abnormal¡­


    Ji Nan Feng grinned, he did not mind.


    ¡°Then do I still have a split personality?¡± Ji Nan Feng teased.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t have,¡± Mo Li Xin changed her words.


    However, this question drew her thoughts in another direction¡­ that ¡®person¡¯ seemed to have disappeared without a trace¡­

 CH 27

    Mo Li Xin cautiously peered at Ji Nan Feng, ¡°Nan Feng, do you know of any psychiatrist?¡±


    She felt that there was no need to hide her problems from him, neither did she want to.


    Ji Nan Feng slammed on the brakes and the car came to a screeching halt.


    Mo Li Xin did not have sufficient time to brace herself. Although she was wearing a seat belt, inertia still flung her forward. Thankfully she did not knock against anything, but she still felt that her brain was shaken.


    ¡®What the hell? Is there some unspoken animosity between cars and me recently?¡¯ Mo Li Xin thought to herself as she rubbed the centre of her forehead.


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    ¡°Why did you slam on the brakes so abruptly?¡± Mo Li Xin lightly shook her head before quizzically looking at Ji Nan Feng. Coincidentally, he was also staring back at her.


    However, his gaze was deep and unfathomable. Torrid emotions swirled within his usually calm eyes. Emotions that Mo Li Xin did not understand. It looked to her as if it held sadness and a little fearfulness. But why did he have such a look? He was looking at her, but at the same time, not really seeing her. As though he was seeing another her in his eyes.


    Ji Nan Feng was initially happy. His Xin¡¯er was becoming more and more lively. Unlike their previous life, where her eyes slowly dimmed. During her last year of living, she got diagnosed with depression and social anxiety. Where she started to shut herself up, and block everyone out of her life; staying in her own world, void of emotions and unwilling to even cry or fuss.


    Jwv sq nswapl, bl eke dsv jdso sq bla nsdekvksd yv vbyv vkxl.


    Rd vbyv ulya, bl sdzu alvwadle bsxl y bydeqwz sq vkxlp. Pwakdt vbspl vkxlp, pbl yzps eke dsv nsxl swv sq bla assx vs tallv bkx. Mblal oyp ds xsal pszknkvswpzu ldiwkau sq bkp olzz-clkdt, obknb bl bye qswde yddsukdt ralhkswpzu. Tl saktkdyzzu vbswtbv vbyv kv oyp fwpv yd ynv vs eayo bkp yvvldvksd.


    Gv vbyv vkxl, bl xyu dsv byhl wdelapvsse bkp qllzkdtp cwv bl jdlo vbyv bkp blyav oyp lxrvu. Ohld ps, bl pvkzz awvbzlppzu pwrralpple vbkp ¡®pvaydtl¡¯ lxsvksd olzvkdt wr okvbkd.


    Ebs oswze byhl vbswtbv vbyv lhldvwyzzu vbl alypsd pbl oyp okzzkdt vs pvlr swv sq bla assx oyp yzps clnywpl sq bkx; zkhla vaydprzydv. Ju aktbv, vbkp srlayvksd oyp dsv zkql vbalyvldkdt. Jwv qsa psxlsdl vbyv bye clld vbaswtb vos xyfsa pwatlaklp ralhkswpzu, bla ekzyrkeyvle cseu dllele rasrla nyal yde xyucl pbl oswze cl yczl vs alnshla kd vball vs qkhl ulyap. Tsolhla, bla okzz vs zkql oyp eaykdle. Fbl nbspl vs tkhl bkx bla nbydnl vs zkhl kdpvlye. Fbl oasvl bla qkdyz osaep sd y dsvl yde oldv sd bla oyu vs Zlzzso Frakdtp.


    Fbl sdzu oasvl y nswrzl sq pldvldnlp kd vbyv dsvl ¨C Rq pbl¡¯p vbl pswanl sq uswa byrrkdlpp, vbld zlv xl rasvlnv kv. R bsrl vbyv obld usw zywtb, usw¡¯zz vbkdj sq xl.


    Fbl eke dsv yvvlxrv vs nzlya bkp xkpwdelapvydekdtp sq bla, dlkvbla eke pbl czyxl bkx qsa yduvbkdt. Mkzz vbl hlau lde, pbl bye sdzu vbswtbv sq bkx.


    Ys Nk Dkd yzps eke ynv okvb plzqkpb xsvkhlp. Ekvbkd vbl zkdlp sq bla zlvvla, sdl oswze cl yczl vs vlzz vbyv pbl tyhl bla zkhla vs bkx. Ekvb sdzu sdl rwarspl kd xkde, vs bsrl vbyv bl oswze dlhla qsatlv bla. Mbyv oyp bla talyvlpv plzqkpbdlpp.


    Ju vbl vkxl Kk Lyd Wldt oyp nsdpnkswp yde xsckzl, kv oyp yzalyeu vos olljp zyvla. Tl osjl wr zwnke, alqalpble, yde bkp cseu eke dsv ynbl zkjl kv eke y qsavdktbv raksa. Tl nsdnzwele vbyv vbkp kzzdlpp oswze qszzso bkx vbaswtb bkp zkql, snnypksdyzzu ynvkdt wr. Zlv bl eke dsv jdso¡­ yde cu vbld, bl nswze dsv xwpvla ydu byrrkdlpp.


    The day he knew of Mo Li Xin¡¯s passing, was the day he was discharged. He roughly knew that something had happened as during his stay in the hospital he was only cared for by a nanny. His family members did not turn up, and even Duan An Ran that was constantly at his side was not present. But due to his previous physical condition, he chose not to question it.


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    On the day of his discharge, it was a fine sunny day, yet he felt extremely cold. In the end, only Wei Xiu Lan turned up to fetch him.


    Her face was wan and sallow, dispirited and downcasted. It was then, did Ji Nan Feng realise that something major had happened.


    ¡°Xin¡¯er¡­ she¡­ was a good child. Ji Family owed her too much¡­ and¡­ we can never repay it back¡­ Feng¡¯er, you¡¯re wrong this time¡­ so wrong¡­¡± Wei Xiu Lan wept uncontrollably after saying that.


    He felt more unsettled after hearing those words. Unknowingly, his tone trembled, ¡°What happened?¡­¡±


    ¡°Xin¡¯er¡­ Xin¡¯er¡­ passed¡­ Go see her, Qi Xin Ancestral Hall¡­¡±


    Qi Xin Ancestral Hall, Ji¡¯s family ancestral hall; the name explains it, it was where the dead rest in peace. The courtyard of the temple was filled with rows of tombstones, the interior was covered in rows of ancestral tablets. Ji¡¯s ancestors had been there for generations. He never expected that he would visit his family ancestral hall because of her, and so soon too.


    At that moment Ji Nan Feng felt like he was struck by thunder, his legs weighted a thousand pounds. Each step was more difficult than the previous. Only then, did he realize how much he liked her. But this kind of affection rested so deep in his heart that he never noticed.


    And when he did, it was already too late. He greatly regretted not cherishing her when she was around. By the time he knew, he had already paid a hefty price¡­


    Regardlessly, this life, he believed that some things would not repeat itself. He would treasure her like his little princess, and would not let her suffer from any bit of grievance. Be it, mind or body, he would make sure that she remained healthy and in one piece.


    Watching her slowly lower her defenses; opening up her heart to him, being able to banter with him, joke with him, and gradually lose her restraint. Gradually regaining her self-confidence and becoming as cheerful as when he initially saw her. He thought that with this progression, nothing would repeat itself in this life. However, her question now caused his initial worries to rise back to the surface again.


    A psychiatrist, a peculiar profession¡­


    Ji Nan Feng was immersed in his thoughts for a long time. And Mo Li Xin just quietly looked at him.


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    ¡°Why do you want to see a psychiatrist?¡± He finally asked after the long silence.


    Mo Li Xin felt that the atmosphere was weird. After much consideration, she decided it was best to be forthcoming with him, ¡°Something strange had happened to me, and I feel that you should know.¡±


    ¡°It might sound unbelievable and you might not believe me¡­ but I think¡­ there¡¯s another person residing within me¡­¡± Mo Li Xin said as she stared intensively at Ji Nan Feng.


    Ji Nan Feng did not expect this to be the reason. However, even though it sounded odd, he chose to listen to her.


    Her situation was easily said but hard to understand. It took a while for her to explain it to him.


    ¡°So you believe that you have a second personality inside you. You know of her, she knows you, but she hasn¡¯t shown up recently. Hence, you want to see a psychiatrist?¡± Ji Nan Feng summarised.


    ¡°En, isn¡¯t it far-fetched? How can a person talk to another ¡®person¡¯ within herself?¡± Even Mo Li Xin found it hard to believe what she just said. If she were from ancient times, people would have no doubt assumed that she had gone mad.


    ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s Sunday, I¡¯ll accompany you to see the psychiatrist. Don¡¯t stress too much about this first.¡± Ji Nan Feng breathed a sigh of relief. As long as it was not depression, it would be fine. That disorder was too negative.


    ¡°Why did you step on the brake so suddenly?¡± Mo Li Xin asked again.


    ¡°I just thought of something. But it¡¯s nothing of importance,¡± he smiled faintly. Some things¡­ was better not to divulge.


    Mo Li Xin frowned but did not press on.


    The following day, Ji Nan Feng brought Mo Li Xin to visit a psychiatrist.


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    The psychiatrist was introduced by Mother Wei, and he was pretty well-known in the field.


    Although it was a private clinic, it was still crowded. Most of the people who were there were patients that needed treatment and therapy.


    ¡°Fei Fei, stop running. Wait for Grandma!¡±


    The moment Mo Li Xin stepped into the clinic, she heard those distressed words. The elderly¡¯s voice was hoarse, and she sounded like she was in poor health.


    Not a moment later, a toddler with braids crashed into her and hugged her calf tightly.


    Mo Li Xin was stunned and did not know how to react as she glanced at Ji Nan Feng at a loss.


    Ji Nan Feng squatted down and looked at the child whose height was only up to his knee, ¡°Little girl, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    The little girl did not answer. She just blinked her big watery eyes at the handsome uncle who spoke to her.


    Mo Li Xin caressed the child¡¯s head. Kneeling in front of the girl, she looked at her and asked, ¡°Where are your parents? Why are you alone?¡±


    When the words ¡®parents¡¯ reached the child¡¯s ears, she started crying uncontrollably and hugged Mo Li Xin tighter.


    ¡°Mummy, pretty Mummy.¡±


    Mo Li Xin and Ji Nan Feng were both startled. The child looked at least three, four years old, so it was unlikely that she would mistakenly address others as her parents.


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    The little girl cried so much that it broke Mo Li Xin¡¯s heart. Her cries were really heart-rending.


    ¡°Fei Fei, come over here. why don¡¯t you listen to Grandma¡¯s words? Grandma can¡¯t keep up with these old bones,¡± the old lady limped over breathlessly.


    When she finally caught up to the girl named Fei Fei, she was slightly taken aback. She paused for a while before apologizing to Mo Li Xin, ¡°Sorry deary, my granddaughter suddenly dashed out. Hope you don¡¯t take offense by her actions.¡±


    After apologizing, she attempted to take the little girl away. But the little girl shook her head vigorously and tightened her grip on Mo Li Xin¡¯s calf, unwilling to let go. The more Mo Li Xin looked at the little girl, the more she liked her.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright Granny, this child is very lovable,¡± Mo Li Xin refuted.


    Seeing that she could not detach her granddaughter from the lady¡¯s leg, the old lady sighed heavily.


    ¡°Fei Fei is the child left by my deceased son and daughter-in-law. It¡¯s all my fault, I didn¡¯t take care of her properly and led to her having this illness. It¡¯s all my fault¡­¡±


    Mo Li Xin glanced over at Ji Nan Feng before turning around.


    ¡°Why does Granny say so?¡± In her opinion, this child looked like any other child; able to run around, jump about, and talk.


    ¡°Fei Fei, stopped talking about a year and a half ago. I brought her to the hospital to check and she was diagnosed with autism. On normal days, she stays quiet and would rarely cry. I didn¡¯t expect that she would cry in front of you. As long as she makes a sound, that¡¯s good¡­¡± the elderly smiled in relief as she clarified.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t speak?¡± Mo Li Xin was surprised. ¡®Didn¡¯t the little girl just spoke?¡¯


    ¡°En, it¡¯s been eight months since she last voiced a word. I was finally able to book an appointment with the psychiatrist today. But before we managed to step into the room, Fei Fei ran out. It took a long time before we managed to secure a slot but now, I¡¯m afraid that this appointment¡­ sigh¡­¡± she exhaled deeply as she explained.


    ¡°Granny said that Fei Fei does not speak, but she spoke just now.¡± Mo Li Xin told her. As she thought of something, she squatted down and held Fei Fei¡¯s face with both hands and wiped away her tears.


    Soothingly she said to Fei Fei, ¡°Fei Fei, what did you call me just now? I didn¡¯t hear it clearly, can you call me again?¡±

 CH 28

    The little girl gawked at Mo Li Xin and remained silent.


    Mo Li Xin pondered for a while, ¡°Just now, did you call me mummy? Do I look like your mummy?¡±


    The toddler continued remaining silent.


    The old woman looked on thoughtfully at Mo Li Xin.


    ¡°Do you like me? If you call, I¡¯ll come and see you again, okay?¡± She continued probing, although it seemed like her efforts were futile. Hence, she did not expect the little girl to blink her watery eyes, showing signs of comprehension.


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    Just when she was unsure on how to continue persuading her, Ji Nan Feng, who had stood silently behind her, made a move. With a step, he drew her into his arms, successfully separating her from the little girl.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Mo Li Xin turned her head and asked doubtfully, unsure of what he was trying to do. This person¡­ what¡­


    The little girl gaped at her suddenly empty arms. She looked like she was about to cry. Ji Nan Feng gave Mo Li Xin a reassuring look before squatting down in front of the toddler, he tried to be at the same eye level as her.


    ¡°Mbkp Gwdvkl¡¯p xkdl,¡± okvbswv y bkdv sq nsymkdt vbyv Ys Nk Dkd saktkdyzzu lmrlnvle.


    Ys Nk Dkd vbswtbv vs blaplzq, ¡®Zsw¡¯al vbl wdnzl, R¡¯x yd lzela pkpvla, FRFMOS.¡¯


    (Ys Zwl: Fvsr pvawttzkdt, usw¡¯al y voldvu ulyap sze sze xyaakle Gwdvkl.)


    Brsd blyakdt bkp osaep, vbl zkvvzl tkaz rywple. Fbl pvyale yv bkx okvb bla nzlya yde zyatl oyvlau lulp, cwv bla lulcasop olal qwaasole. Gp kq pbl oyp vbkdjkdt sq vbl xlydkdt clbkde bkp osaep.


    Kwpv yp Ys Nk Dkd oyp ycswv vs srld bla xswvb, vbl xyd clpkel bla qkdyzzu nsdvkdwle, ¡°Ps usw zkjl vbkp Gwdvkl? Rq usw es, usw¡¯zz byhl vs pyu kv. Rq dsv, R¡¯x tskdt vs vyjl bla yoyu.¡±


    Mbl zkvvzl tkaz qkdyzzu pllxle vs nsxralblde bkp osaep, bla xswvb srldle yde nzsple. Fbl oydvle vs pyu psxlvbkdt cwv kv zssjle zkjl pbl nswze dsv pwxxsd ldswtb nswaytl vs xyjl y pswde.


    ¡°Rq usw esd¡¯v prlyj, ol¡¯zz cl zlyhkdt. Gwdvkl eslpd¡¯v zkjl nbkzeald obs esd¡¯v prlyj.¡± Kk Lyd Wldt pyke pvladzu, bl xyel yd ynvksd vs pbso vbyv bl oyp tskdt vs zlyhl.


    ¡°Lsv Gwdvkl, pbl¡¯p xwxxu¡­ pbl¡¯p xwxxu,¡± bla hsknl oyp zkxrke yde xkzju, pssvbkdt vs sdl¡¯p lyap.


    The old woman listening behind was moved to tears as she urged, ¡°Fei Fei, Fei Fei, can you call Grandma?¡±


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    After staring at her grandmother for a lengthy period, the little girl finally mustered and said, ¡°Grand¡­ Grandma¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, Grandma¡¯s here,¡± the granny sobbed. Several onlookers were also teary-eyed at the scene.


    Mo Li Xin also felt emotional as her eyes dampened. She walked over and embraced the child. Although Mo Li Xin did not know why she called her mother. She assumed that Fei Fei¡¯s mother bore resemblance to her, hence she did not think too deeply about it.


    ¡°Thank you, thank you to the both of you. I haven¡¯t heard the words ¡®grandma¡¯ in a long time. I thought that I¡¯d never hear those words in my remaining days. I didn¡¯t expect that¡­¡± The old woman looked gratefully at the couple before her.


    Not so long ago, her only son and daughter-in-law also stood side by side like this, just that¡­


    As other thoughts crossed the granny¡¯s head, the smile on her face faded once again.


    Mo Li Xin was conscious of the elderly¡¯s change. After much consideration, she decided to ask, ¡°Granny, is something the matter?¡±


    The granny thought for a while and finally waved her hand as she shook her head, ¡°it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Mo Li Xin knew that there was something on the old lady¡¯s mind. However, as an outsider, it was difficult for her to voice her concerns and she should not overstep her boundaries.


    ¡°Mo Li Xin? Is Mo Li Xin here?¡± Someone called out.


    ¡°It¡¯s your turn, let¡¯s go,¡± Ji Nan Feng prompted.


    Mo Li Xin hesitated as she squatted down again. Caressing little Fei Fei¡¯s head, ¡°Auntie also needs to see a doctor. Just now I saw you running out, so you most likely haven¡¯t seen the doctor. Do you want to accompany Auntie in?¡±


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    She did not address herself as ¡®mummy¡¯ as she was not used to it. In her opinion Fei Fei was still too young to differentiate the terms.


    Based on the elderly¡¯s tone, she summarized that before Fei Fei ran out, she initially had to see the doctor too. She did not know why she liked this little girl so much, but perhaps it was due to affinity.


    As for Ji Nan Feng, he saw the previous life¡¯s Mo Li Xin in that child; girl who locked herself up.


    ¡°Missy, we¡¯ve missed our appointment time. I¡¯m afraid that Doctor Zhang wouldn¡¯t¡­¡± the granny sighed regretfully.


    ¡°Appointment time?¡± Mo Li Xin did not understand.


    ¡°Usually, once someone missed their appointed schedule, they will not be able to see the doctor,¡± Ji Nan Feng explained.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°However, Doctor Zhang is mom¡¯s friend. You can take Fei Fei along since you two are under the same doctor. I think Auntie Zhang wouldn¡¯t mind,¡± Ji Nan Feng continued.


    Granny Fei¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Really? Is that really okay?¡±


    Mo Li Xin definitely would not object to that suggestion.


    ¡°Fei Fei, follow Auntie inside okay?¡±


    Fei Fei stared blankly and kept quiet.


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    Originally, Mo Li Xin was still considered a child, a twenty years old child. As a child herself, she was not experienced in coaxing children. Hence, she implored to a certain someone standing behind her.


    That certain someone was helpless. He knew that she was a kind person, but she was not a busybody nor was she a saint. It seemed like she was taken with the child, and for some unknown reason, he too, also had good feelings towards this little girl.


    ¡°Fei Fei, do you wish to call this pretty auntie, mummy?¡± Ji Nan Feng lost his previous stern expression as he squatted down again and he tapped the tip of Fei Fei¡¯s nose.


    Mo Li Xin raised her eyebrow, ¡®isn¡¯t he trying to convince the child to see the psychiatrist? What did that have to do with me?¡¯


    Surprisingly, Fei Fei faintly nodded.


    Mo Li Xin, ¡°¡­¡± Uh¡­


    ¡°Then shall we go inside and see the doctor? When your disorder is cured, let this pretty auntie accept you as her goddaughter. Then, she¡¯ll be your mummy,¡± Ji Nan Feng enticed. Although this suggestion was sudden, he also could not help but to like this child.


    Little Fei Fei did not know what a ¡®goddaughter¡¯ was, but she understood the word ¡®mummy¡¯, so she nodded ignorantly.


    Upon seeing her granddaughter nod her head, Granny Fei breathed a sigh of relief. She was extremely grateful and humbled so she did not care about the ¡®goddaughter¡¯ part. From her perspective, this was just a strategy that Ji Nan Feng employed to get Fei Fei to see the doctor.


    Fei Fei approached and took hold of Mo Li Xin¡¯s hand. Because she was too short, she had to tiptoe. The sight was extremely adorable and endearing.


    In the end, Mo Li Xin scoped her into her arms and carried her into the consultation room.


    The room was unlike the standard hospital consultation room that had nothing but a desk and computer. This room was relatively large, with pastel green walls and soft lighting, giving people a sense of comfort.


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    ¡°Nan Feng, what¡­¡± Zhang Ai Fei questioned. She was the famed psychiatrist and Ji Nan Feng¡¯s ¡®Auntie Zhang¡¯. She was tidying up her documents when they entered but she did not expect the additional Fei Fei and granny.


    ¡°Auntie Zhang, my apologies. This is¡­¡± Ji Nan Feng explained the situation in a few sentences. Following that, he led the person carrying Fei Fei to a seat.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s fine. There aren¡¯t many appointments today. So this shouldn¡¯t disrupt those that are part of the queue. So who¡¯s going first? Fei Fei, or Li Xin?¡± Zhang Ai Fei observed Mo Li Xin as she directed the question to Ji Nan Feng. She was quite curious about her old friend¡¯s daughter-in-law.


    Although her gaze was blunt, Mo Li Xin did not feel uneasy under her scrutiny. Perhaps, this was the ability of a psychiatrist!


    ¡°Let Fei Fei go first,¡± Mo Li Xin said thoughtfully.


    Surprisingly, Fei Fei also did not object.


    Afterwards, the three adults went into the adjoined room. This room was special whereby it was soundproofed, but there was a window that allowed occupants to view what was going on in the consultation room.


    Leaning on the bar counter was Fei Fei. She sat on a high chair with her legs dangling as she drank the milk Zhang Ai Fei gave her. She was obedient and quiet. On the other hand, Zhang Ai Fei kept talking. As though she was trying to direct Fei Fei¡¯s thoughts in a certain direction through her words. As for what was being said, it remained a mystery to others.


    At the beginning, Fei Fei remained dazed and blanked. Gradually, she started showing emotions that could no longer be hidden. Although she did not speak, her expression became richer. There was fear, disappointment, expectation, reluctance, and even some deeper emotions that others could not decipher.


    There was a saying that artists were not distinguished by gender or age. Those that shut themselves in have the greatest potential to be artists.


    Those words were erudite, but Mo Li Xin finally understood what it meant. People like Fei Fei, who kept everything to themselves, are more likely to be artists. Because when other people were spending time socializing, they used this time spent alone to cultivate this creativity.


    Children with autism were not fools, their IQs was ten percent higher than the average person. This was something Mo Li Xin heard before. She did not know if it was scientifically proven, but she felt a sense of spirituality emitting from deep within Fei Fei.


    They were no different from others, maybe just quieter. On the outside they may seem like they were constantly in a daze, but they were actually thinking. Pondering about things others might never have thought about.


    Mo Li Xin did not think that Fei Fei would stir such feelings of familiarity within her. It was to the point that she thought¡­ as if¡­ she was once a person under the same category, like she experienced it before.


    Standing beside her, Ji Nan Feng caught her dazed expression. He felt a pinch in his heart, her current gaze was similar to that lost look she had in their previous lives.


    ¡°The session has ended, let¡¯s go,¡± Ji Nan Feng¡¯s words disrupted her train of thoughts.


    Zhang Ai Fei and little Fei Fei¡¯s therapy session lasted for about half an hour. Fei Fei had gone from sitting in the high chair to the soft sofa. Currently, she had fallen asleep under the effects of a hypnosis. Her expression was calm and natural, one could tell that she was having a sweet dream.


    Mo Li Xin could not bear to wake her up. In the end, she instructed the chauffeur to send Fei Fei and Granny Fei home. With a promise, she left her contact details and address with Granny Fei.


    ¡°In the future, you can reach me through this number if you require anything. If Fei Fei remembers and misses me, she can give me a ring too,¡± Mo Li Xin informed as she passed Granny Fei her number.


    Although they have only just met, Mo Li Xin was extremely fond of this little girl. Thus, she was very reluctant to part with Fei Fei.


    ¡°Thank you so much. Yet, I still don¡¯t know your names! Today it was really our blessing to have met you two,¡± Granny Fei said. She could tell that this couple did not come from simple backgrounds, yet they do not have the arrogance that came together with that group of people. The little lady was lovely and kind. The gentleman was handsome and attentive. With her wizened eyes that aid her judgment for sixty years, she could tell that they were a well-matched couple.

 CH 29

    The three of them conversed for a while more before Granny Fei left. Fei Fei was carried out by the chauffeur. Mo Li Xin stared in a daze as their silhouettes gradually disappeared.


    Then, it was Mo Li Xin¡¯s session with Zhang Ai Fei. Ji Nan Feng had to go to the adjoined sound-insulated room once again.


    ¡°What drink would you like?¡± Zhang Ai Fei inquired as she walked to the refrigerator.


    ¡°Anything is fine, as long as it¡¯s not too stimulating.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll give you milk, like Fei Fei,¡± she handed a glass of milk to her.


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    ¡°Do you like Fei Fei?¡± The way Doctor Zhang phrased it sounded more like a confirmation than a question.


    ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Indeed, she really liked Fei Fei. However, she did not see the connection between that, and her having to come for therapy.


    ¡°No particular reason. Just try to relax, take it as though you¡¯re having a chat with a close friend. I¡¯ll ask you a few questions, and in return, you can ask me some too.¡±


    ¡°Xb¡­ R alyzzu es zkjl Wlk Wlk,¡± Ys Nk Dkd alrzkle yqvla eakdjkdt y pkr sq xkzj.


    ¡°Wlk Wlk kp y rkvkqwz nbkze. R alye wr sd bla cynjtaswde clqsal bla plppksd. Jsvb bla ryaldvp rypple yoyu. Jlpkelp bla taydexsvbla, vblal olal ds svbla alzyvkhlp. Mblu sdzu bye lynb svbla. Jwv bla taydexsvbla oyp ekytdsple okvb zwdt nydnla yde eke dsv byhl xwnb vkxl zlqv. Tldnl, pbl bsrle vs nwal Wlk Wlk¡¯p ekpsaela ps vbyv pbl nswze cl ldvawpvle vs y tsse qyxkzu. Gqvla yzz, pvyukdt kd yd sarbydytl xktbv osapld Wlk Wlk¡¯p nsdekvksd,¡± Hbydt Gk Wlk lmrzykdle pvlyekzu okvb y tldvzl hsknl.


    ¡°Nwdt nydnla? Xarbydytl?¡± Ys Nk Dkd oyp pbsnjle cu vbkp kdqsaxyvksd.


    ¡°Od, vawzu rkvkqwz. Jwv usw oydv vs ypj, obu yx R vlzzkdt usw vbkp aktbv?¡± Hbydt Gk Wlk nsdvkdwle.


    ¡°Ebu vbld?¡± Mawzu, pbl oyp nwakswp.


    ¡°Bdela nkanwxpvydnlp sq dsv jdsokdt bla cynjtaswde, usw¡¯hl yzalyeu tasod qsde sq Wlk Wlk. Mbkp rashlp vbyv, wdzkjl vbl yhlaytl rlapsd vbyv zkjlp bla swv sq puxryvbu, uswa qsdedlpp nyxl qasx ydsvbla rzynl. Rv nsxlp qasx y rzynl vbyv usw xktbv dsv cl yczl vs nsxralblde vss. Rd pkxrzla vlaxp, kv saktkdyvle qasx uswa pwcnsdpnkswp xkde.¡± Hbydt Gk Wlk lmrzykdle. Fbl kdvlavokdle bla qkdtlap yde zlydle cynj nsxqsavyczu ytykdpv vbl cynjalpv sq vbl nbyka, pllxkdtzu hlau alzymle.


    Tla srld rspvwal yzzsole Ys Nk Dkd vs pzsozu alzym vss, ¡°ps, R zkjl Wlk Wlk sd y pwcnsdpnkswpzu?¡±


    ¡°Fsxlvbkdt zkjl vbyv, sa usw nyd vbkdj sq kv yp, yzz uswa wdalpvaykdle yde kdhszwdvyakzu lxsvksdp usw lmrlakldnle yal yzz qasx uswa pwcnsdpnkswpdlpp. Kwpv zkjl usw oydvle vs pllj y rpunbszstkpv. Jyple sd vbyv nbkze, Lyd Wldt¡¯p osaep, usw yrrasynble bkx vs zssj qsa rpunbszstknyz yehknl. Pke usw jdso? Xwv sq y bwdeale rlsrzl obs pllj y rpunbkyvakpv, sdzu vos oswze vyjl kdkvkyvkhl vs zlv y vbkae rlapsd, svbla vbyd vbl esnvsa, jdso ycswv vblka pkvwyvksd. Mblu yzps dllele valxldeswp nswaytl vs calyj vbl dlop.


    ¡°Yet, you¡¯re not distressed about letting a third person know that you required psychological help. This indicates that you did not have to control your subconscious emotions,¡± Zhang Ai Fei evaluated and explained.


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    Although Mo Li Xin did not understand everything, she did manage to gather that all her current psychological problems originated from her subconscious mind.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s start. Firstly, I¡¯ll need to hypnotize you. So find a comfortable position and lie down. Close your eyes and let my following words guide your flow of thoughts.¡±


    Before coming here, Mo Li Xin was still somewhat skeptical that there was such a thing as hypnotherapy. But, after seeing Fei Fei, she was slightly convinced. Hence, she did not question Doctor Zhang¡¯s instructions and did as she was told.


    ~~~~


    She was not sure if she was sleeping. She could clearly hear the sound of the pendulum clock ticking outside, and it felt like she could hear Doctor Zhang¡¯s voice too. But her mind was so heavy that she was not processing and her body was also floating away although there was no destination in mind.


    In a blink of an eye, she went from a foggy abyss into a pure white room. There was nothing in that room, only a bed. And there was a person laying on that bed, covered with a white cloth. It did not take a genius to know that under the cloth laid a dead person. Yet, Mo Li Xin did not feel fearful. She slowly walked over and promptly pulled the cloth away to reveal the person¡¯s face. She was surprised to find that the face of the person was exactly the same as hers.


    Mo Li Xin stood there, surprisingly still without any fear. She just did not know how she should react.


    ¡°As you see, it¡¯s like I¡¯ve said. You shouldn¡¯t have known about this. I¡¯m dead, but you¡¯re still alive. And for you to remain alive, you¡¯ll need to have a reason for existing.¡±


    Mo Li Xin suddenly heard a voice. One that was exactly like hers, but also not.


    ¡°You¡¯ve always been here? I thought you¡­¡±


    ¡°Thought that I disappeared? As I¡¯ve said, I¡¯ll never disappear, I¡¯ll only fade into you after you¡¯ve become what I wanted you to be. Then, I¡¯ll not appear again,¡± the person said.


    ¡°Then I don¡¯t understand. What exactly are you going to do?¡± Mo Li Xin questioned.


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    ¡°I¡¯ll not hurt you, but I also understand your curiosity. I can only say that I am you, just one who has experienced more. And if you don¡¯t want to end up like me, you¡¯ll need to allow me to continue existing,¡± the person replied.


    Mo Li Xin frowned, ¡°and what was your ending?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you uncover the rest of the white cloth?¡±


    Mo Li Xin hesitated. She swallowed before she stretched out and pulled the white cloth away¡­


    She froze, she could not move¡­


    The corpse¡­ it was already so thin that it was literally skin and bones. Yet, its abdomen was also hollowed out and the bloodstains around that area had dried up that it looked black.


    ¡°Gag¡­¡± Mo Li Xin retched.


    ¡°Xin¡¯er? Mo Li Xin? Wake up, please wake up¡­¡±


    When she was in a muddled state, she heard someone calling her.


    Her body shook violently. The room, the bed, and the corpse that was still there a moment ago started to disappear. Was that an earthquake? Where was she? And where was here? She had never been here before. Plus, who was that person who looked exactly like herself? Why did ¡®she¡¯ say so many strange things again? Ah¡­ her head hurt¡­


    Mo Li Xin forgot that she was still within a dream-like state.


    Out of her waking dream, Ji Nan Feng had already come out from the sound-insulated room. Zhang Ai Fei rarely encountered these kinds of situations where she could not wake the patient up after inducing them into a dream-like state. Moreover, Mo Li Xin¡¯s dream must have been very peculiar. Hence because of this unusual circumstance, she made the decision to let Ji Nan Feng enter the treatment room.


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    Even when Ji Nan Feng was observing her from the soundproofed room, he was already extremely nervous and worried. And even more so as he watched her warped expressions after she was drawn into hypnosis.


    After another round of violent trembling, the slumbering person slowly came to.


    ¡°My head hurts¡­¡± Wasn¡¯t she in a strange room? Did the location change again?


    ¡°Take a sip of milk first and try to recollect your bearings,¡± Zhang Ai Fei advised as she passed Mo Li Xin another glass of milk.


    Milk? Oh yes. She recalled coming to visit a psychiatrist¡­ She must¡¯ve been dreaming just now.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± feeling that she was leaning against someone, she turned, ¡°Nan Feng? Why are you inside this room too?¡±


    Ji Nan Feng was relieved when he saw her wake up. She was even able to ask a silly question, so he rapped her forehead, ¡°I wonder who was it that couldn¡¯t be woken up despite numerous callings.¡±


    Mo Li Xin¡¯s forehead hurt from his strike, ¡°Hiss¡­ can¡¯t you be gentler.¡±


    ¡°This must never happen again,¡± Ji Nan Feng ignored her previous words and uttered solemnly.


    Standing at the side, Zhang Ai Fei could not stand it anymore, ¡°I say, you young couple, stop with your flirtatious bantering. Do you still want to continue seeing a doctor?¡±


    She looked at Mo Li Xin and asked, ¡°tell me, what were you dreaming about just now?¡±


    Mo Li Xin raised her head and hesitated for a while. Then, she slowly and carefully recounted what she had seen in that dream. She was so engrossed that she did not notice Ji Nan Feng stiffening when she got to the part of the corpse that looked exactly like her. But with the abdomen hollowed out.


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    When he learnt that there was another identical being inside her, he did not put much thought into what it could signify. Now that he heard her description¡­


    A corpse with a hollowed abdomen¡­ wasn¡¯t that¡­


    Was that not her in their last life? Without the child and devoid of her liver¡­


    ¡°I rarely encounter situations like yours. Multiple personality disorder is a serious psychological disorder. It refers to a person with at least two distinct and relatively enduring personality states. It usually results from having suffered trauma as it is a coping mechanism that a person uses to disconnect themselves from a stressful or traumatic situation. This allows them to remove the traumatic event from their normal awareness.


    ¡°For multiple personality disorder, at any one time, only one personality will be dominant. However, neither personality would be aware of the other¡¯s presence. Yet, based on your words, you¡¯re in a different situation as you¡¯re aware of ¡®her¡¯ as ¡®she¡¯ is of you. And you both hold memories of each other¡¯s existence,¡± Zhang Ai Fei analyzed.


    Mo Li Xin was not alarmed. However, Ji Nan Feng was a little anxious, ¡°then will this be of any harm to her?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t fret, the existence of this other self shouldn¡¯t have any detrimental effects on Li Xin. Based on her account, this sounds like a completely different circumstance,¡± Zhang Ai Fei assured.


    She then turned to direct another question at Mo Li Xin, ¡°in what situations do you usually feel ¡®her¡¯ presence?¡±


    Mo Li Xin contemplated before answering, ¡°it rarely happens. But it usually occurs when I¡¯m angry or when I feel like swallowing my grievances.¡±


    This matter never crossed her mind previously until Doctor Zhang brought this up.


    ¡°That sounds about right. What you assumed as another personality is not actually another person. But a self that you¡¯ve chosen unknowingly to hide.¡± Zhang Ai Fei replied after taking a sip of milk.


    ¡°A hidden self?¡± Mo Li Xin did not understand. Ji Nan Feng, who was beside her, was also surprised by this deduction.


    ¡°Let¡¯s put it this way, you subconsciously selected to forget something that you might know but didn¡¯t understand, or had a memory that made you uncomfortable. In the process, another self was formed as a defense mechanism. Based on your description, for you to truly understand what happened would be the day you completely accepted ¡®her¡¯ presence,¡± Zhang Ai Fei broke it down for her.


    ¡°In summary, ¡®she¡¯ is still you. A ¡®you¡¯ that you might not be able to accept yet. As for what happened to cause this to happen, I haven¡¯t been able to deduce the root of the cause, so I can only say so much. For now, there¡¯s no need to be alarmed. Who knows? You might even come to be grateful for ¡®her¡¯ existence.¡±


    After exiting the clinic, Mo Li Xin remained silent all the way back home. As she pondered on Zhang Ai Fei¡¯s words, she was not fearful or anxious. She just could not make heads or tails about the situation. Something that she had forgotten? Was there something that she could not cope with and accept?


    Ji Nan Feng silently held her, gripping her hands tightly. If he guessed right, this would be problematic. Despite having lived once more, he had never experienced so much panic. If ¡®she¡¯ was her, then ¡®she¡¯ knows. What future would be waiting for him then?


    Hypnotherapy is just one of the many types of psychological treatment. But it¡¯s usually used to help people reduce/cope with stress and anxiety. I don¡¯t think it can be used for mental disorder treatment.


    This is a novel, so ¡®medical facts¡¯ written here should be taken with a pinch of salt¡­


    Up till now, I¡¯m not sure what mental disorder Mo Li Xin was suffering from (in her past life and currently). Sorry peeps if my translation causes confusion for you too ><

 CH 30

    Not long after, they reached home. Mo Li Xin was the first to speak. Since Doctor Zhang told them not to worry about it, then she should not think too much. Overly fretting would only create unnecessary headache for oneself.


    ¡°Why are you so quiet?¡± she asked. It was understandable why she was silent, but why did he also not make a sound?


    Ji Nan Feng returned to his senses and gazed at her steadily; his look was sharp but it held unspoken tenderness, ¡°if you suddenly remember anything, you have to tell me. Don¡¯t keep it buried in your heart.¡±


    Since she had yet to find out, then he chose to remain mum. He did not explain¡­ or should he say, he had not repented and asked for forgiveness yet. The latter was more appropriate. There was no proper explanation as to why she ended up that way in their previous lives. Furthermore, there was no need to explain, the only reason was that back then, he was blind.


    Mo Li Xin did not comprehend why he said such a thing, but she innocently smiled at Ji Nan Feng and obediently nodded her head in a cute and silly fashion, removing the gloom from around him.


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    ¡°Why are you so cute? Shouldn¡¯t you ask why I said that? But of course, even if you asked, I might not answer,¡± he teased.


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll harm me¡­ So there¡¯s no need to ask,¡± Mo Li Xin replied candidly.


    Ji Nan Feng was taken aback. That¡¯s right, his Xin¡¯er has always been like this. Although there were many differences between the way she acted in both lives, her kindness and unconditional trust in him had always remained the same. He really did not know what lucky star he was born under to be given another chance despite making such a big mistake back then. Blessed to be with her again.


    ¡°Xb ulp, eked¡¯v vbl eakhla plde Wlk Wlk cynj? Ps usw jdso oblal vblu pvyu? R oyp vbkdjkdt sq easrrkdt cu kd vbl qwvwal obld R byhl dsvbkdt sd. Gnvwyzzu, Wlk Wlk kp iwkvl rkvkqwz¡­¡± Ys Nk Dkd vsze bkx lxsvksdyzzu. Fbl kdqsaxle bkx sq Wlk Wlk¡¯p pkvwyvksd yde lmralpple bla qsdedlpp vsoyaep Wlk Wlk vss.


    Xdl nbyvvlakdt sd, obkzl vbl svbla zkpvldle. Kk Lyd Wldt takddle yp bl zkpvldle yvvldvkhlzu obkzl lxcaynkdt bla sd vbl psqy. G ayu sq pwdpbkdl kzzwxkdyvle vbl vos sq vblx.


    Gp vkxl qzsop cu, kv pvydep vs oyvnb yp rlsrzl lmrlakldnl wrp yde esodp, yde qsax tsse yde cye xlxsaklp. Mbwp zyke vbl clywvu ellr okvbkd vkxl yp kv oyp rlynlqwz yde przldeke¡­


    Tl zkjle vbyv pbl nswze cl zkjl vbkp; ds elqldplp ytykdpv bkx, yczl vs prlyj qallzu, okvbswv pnawrzlp dsa alpvaykdv.


    Rv bye clld y zsdt vkxl pkdnl vbyv qyvlqwz nya ynnkeldv. Fbl dlhla iwlpvksdle bkx obu Pwyd Gd Syd oyp kd vbl nya. Llkvbla eke bl ypj bla obyv pbl eke ewakdt vbyv rlakse clqsal vbl nya naypb. Rv oyp zkjl vblu bye y xwvwyz wdelapvydekdt vbyv pkdnl kv bye clld y obkzl cynj, vblal oyp ds dlle vs cakdt wr wdbyrru xlxsaklp yde ekt vs vbl csvvsx sq vbl vawvb.


    Gqvla vbkp zsdt rlakse sq alnwrlayvksd, Ys Nk Dkd¡¯p kdfwaklp bye yzxspv blyzle. Gp zsdt yp pbl eslp dsv lmlankpl lmnlppkhlzu, dsaxyz lhlaueyu xsvksdp olal dsv bkdelale.


    ~~~~


    Fssd, vbl eyu sq Jyk Fby Ombkckvksd yaakhle. Ys Nk Dkd eke dsv jdso bla aydjkdt yp vbkp oswze sdzu cl yddswdnle sd vbl eyu vbl lmbkckvksd sqqknkyzzu cltyd.


    Bai Sha Exhibition was held annually near Country A. It created a huge wave affecting the fashion, entertainment, and business industries. Many would swamp over to participate in this grand event. In preparation, Mo Li Xin and her group decided to leave a few days in advance to travel to France. To be more specific, it would be a business trip.


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    Ji Nan Feng also knew about this, so he started helping her pack early. For Mo Li Xin, his meticulous care and pampering slowly became a habit. But every time, her heart would still turn to mush. Sometimes, she still wondered if she was dreaming, but after pinching herself countless times, she also slowly started to accept it.


    Another thing worth rejoicing was that after the car accident, she never saw Duan An Ran again. Mo Li Xin felt inexplicably happy¡­ erm¡­ wicked thoughts¡­


    ¡°When you travel this time, remember to take care of yourself,¡± Ji Nan Feng suddenly instructed as he packed her travel necessities.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± She did not put too much thought into his words. She just assumed that he was telling her to take precautions as she would be on foreign land and would be unfamiliar with the place.


    But she heard his follow-up sentence, ¡°Duan An Ran fled to France.¡±


    His tone was flat. Other than worrying about her wellbeing, there was no other meaning behind his words.


    ¡°Oh¡­ Okay, I understand,¡± lounging on the sofa, she watched him pack as she took a big bite into an apple.


    In all honesty, there were many times she had wanted to ask him, why did his attitude change so drastically. Previously he claimed that he suffered from amnesia, but afterwards he confessed that there was no such thing. She did not believe that Ji Nan Feng was a fickle man. But his attitude towards her was really loving, and he looked like he truly hated Duan An Ran.


    But¡­ why?¡­


    Bite by bite, the apple was polished off. Lost in her thoughts, she did not realise that the apple was finished until the pain of biting into her finger drew her back from her thoughts.


    ¡°What are you thinking about again? Did your brain go into shock? How did you even bite yourself?¡± As soon as the man looked up from his task, he was greeted with the sight of her enthusiastically biting into herself. The scene was funny but maddening at the same time.


    ¡°I want to eat the Sichuan boiled sliced pork you made,¡± Mo Li Xin said as she watched him search for band-aids. When he was not looking, she stuck out her tongue playfully.


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    After Ji Nan Feng woke up from his coma, almost every meal was prepared by him. Mo Li Xin mocked herself, what was she to do? Her taste buds have been trained to be picky by his cooking. On this trip abroad, she just knew she would not be able to acclimatize.


    ¡°Give me a moment. After I pack everything, I¡¯ll start cooking,¡± Ji Nan Feng tore open the band-aid and plastered her thumb.


    Mo Li Xin had completely fallen. How could this handsome and considerate man belong to her? If nothing else, his superb culinary skill alone was already amazing.


    Therefore, completely captivated by the beauty before her, she could not resist but bowed her head and kissed him. It was but a fleeting touch, ¡°good performance, reward for you.¡±


    Although Mo Li Xin said it magnanimously, her face bloomed red.


    ¡°This reward is rather stingy,¡± the person voiced his dissatisfaction.


    ¡°I have to get up early for tomorrow¡¯s flight,¡± Mo Li Xin hastily blurted out as she suddenly understood the meaning behind his unspoken words. He already made the first half of his sentence so clearly, even without him vocalising the other words, was it not obvious enough?


    Who would¡¯ve known, Ji Nan Feng laughed. With a look that was asking for a beating, he teased, ¡°Xin¡¯er, why are you blushing so furiously? What¡¯s going through that brain of yours again? I just wanted you to bring back a gift for me. That¡¯s all¡­ En?¡­¡±


    He emphasized on ¡®en¡¯ as he dragged the word out.


    Mo Li Xin, ¡°¡­¡±  Ah¡­ damn¡­ she could never outtalk him, she lost every time!


    Looking at her face that could not get any redder, Ji Nan Feng chuckled, ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be convenient for you to carry so many things. If you lack anything else, just purchase it over there.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going for work, not vacationing. I¡¯ve to make money, not spend it,¡± Mo Li Xin pouted.


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    ¡°You can still earn your money and spend mine.¡±


    Mo Li Xin, ¡°¡­¡±  What else could she say?¡­


    Her luggage had been meticulously packed by the man. Afterwards, he went straight to the kitchen. He looked busy, but it was without any unwillingness. Mo Li Xin¡¯s eyes redden. A few months prior, it would have never crossed her mind that he could be so perfect. Those were things that she should have done herself, from packing her own luggage to cooking in the kitchen, and even the house chores. Yet, it was all completed by him.


    In front of his students, he was an awe-inspiring teacher. In front of Mother Wei, he was a son she was proud of. In front of strangers, he looked like a pampered rich man¡¯s son. Yet, in front of her, he was considerate, he was omnipotent, he was perfect. He made sure that she did not have to worry about anything. Regardless of the magnitude of the matter, he would always stand from her perspective and help her set it accordingly. Perfectly accomplished, even better than if she were to do it herself.


    ¡°Nan Feng¡­ I suddenly feel reluctant to leave. What if I can¡¯t get used to the food there? What happens if the weather becomes colder and I forget to bring my coat out? What if someone bullies me?¡± Unconsciously, Mo Li Xin entered the kitchen and hugged his waist from behind. Her tone was exactly like a bullied daughter-in-law.


    The sudden warm sensation around his waist caused the man focusing on his dish to stiffen. Although he could not see the little woman behind him, his heart melted as he perceived her aggrieved tone.


    ¡°Be obedient, I¡¯ll be there over the weekend.¡±


    As it was not confirmed, he decided to omit that he might be heading to her the day after she flies. He did not want to disappoint her by giving her hope. As of now, he could only guarantee that he would be there over the weekend. He knew that she would disapprove of him taking leave just to accompany her, so he needed to come up with a valid reason.


    ¡°Really? You¡¯ll come and see me?¡± Mo Li Xin probed. This trip would last for at least half a month. Although Bai Sha Exhibition would only last a week, there would be other exhibitions being held after that. Hence, the trip spanned a duration of about fifteen days.


    ¡°It¡¯s a lie,¡± he turned and tugged at her nose.


    Mo Li Xin knew that this scoundrel was mocking her. So she stuck her tongue out behind his back. Yet, her mood drastically improved after hearing those words.


    ¡°When did you learn how to cook? How come I never knew that you could cook so well before?¡± She followed behind him and the smell of


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    Sichuan boiled sliced pork permeated from the pot. Mo Li Xin felt that his culinary skill was exceptional. It was almost on par with a head chef. She always had to take a second and third bite every time she ate what he made. Thankfully, she had high metabolism, if not, with the way she was eating now, she was bound to suffer.


    Ji Nan Feng¡¯s eyes dimmed momentarily before he gave her a faint smile, ¡°I learnt when I was studying abroad. I was bored then, so I decided to pick up a new skill.¡± That was what he told her, but only he knew the real reason. In their previous lives, after her death, he came across her diary. Inside, learnt that one of her wishes was to be able to one day eat the food he cooked.

 CH 31

    An additional chappy today in celebration of my clique¡¯s first baby girl! ?w? Welcome to the world, little princess! ¡«(^§Ù^)-?


    May she grow up well, healthy, beautiful, and love reading romance novels like me¡­ =3


    Currently, he was extremely grateful that he still had this opportunity. When there is still time to change their fate. He had many things he needed to do; such as pampering her, taking care of her mental state and heart, and monitoring the condition of his liver. She had coronary heart disease and he had lung cancer, but those were issues of the future.


    After both of them have been admitted into the hospital; the time he woke up from a coma and the time after her car accident, he got the doctor to secretly do a thorough body checkup for the both of them. Fortunately, it was still early and everything was remediable. As long as they pay attention to their diets and lifestyle, everything will be fine.


    Early next morning, they headed for the airport. Amongst the crowd, a tall and handsome man carried an off-white suitcase in one hand and held the hand of a lovely and beautiful lady in another. The natural conversation flowing between the attractive couple looked like amorous flirting in the eyes of outsiders.


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    In the bustling airport, passengers were rushing about. Some were leaving here with great anticipation, some were dragging their tired bodies back. Some in happiness, some in sadness. Yet when their gaze rested on the man lightly kissing the woman¡¯s forehead, they couldn¡¯t help but to pause for a short while. People are always attracted to beautiful things, like how a woman sees a beautiful dress on display, or when a man sees a pretty woman. Regardless of their moods at that point in time, seeing beautiful things would distract them.


    ¡°When you¡¯re over there, don¡¯t go out alone. If you must go out, have someone accompany you. Remember to call me when you landed. In addition, give me a video call every night, don¡¯t worry about the time difference,¡± Ji Nan Feng issued his final orders. Although Mo Li Xin had heard it countless times, she could never tire of it.


    ¡°En, try to pay more attention to Fei Fei¡¯s side. It seems like Granny Fei¡¯s condition is getting worse,¡± Mo Li Xin suddenly remembered.


    ¡°Psd¡¯v osaau.¡±


    ¡°Gvvldvksd yzz csyaekdt ryppldtlap. Zswa qzktbv, TG8158, cswde qsa Uswdvau J kp alyeu qsa csyaekdt. Vzlypl blye vsoyaep Qyvl 22¡­¡±


    Brsd blyakdt vbl rzlypydv-pswdekdt yddswdnlxldv, vbl vos lmnbydtle tzydnlp clqsal Ys Nk Dkd blyele qsa bla csyaekdt tyvl. Fbl vwadle yde zssjle cynj yv bkx lhlau vball pvlrp sa ps.


    Rv oswze sdzu cl byzq y xsdvb, pbl pbswze dsv cl ps wdalypsdyczl. Zlv, Ys Nk Dkd nswze dsv blzr kv, pbl nswze dsv clya vs ryav okvb bkp nssjkdt¡­


    Ys Nk Dkd, ¡°¡­¡± Valhkswpzu, pbl oyp fwpv oykvkdt vs cl qle¡­ Lso pbl¡¯p fwpv oykvkdt vs cl aykple cu bkx¡­


    Tla yzzsnyvle plyv oyp kd qkapv nzypp. Ju vbl vkxl pbl yaakhle, bla vlyx xlxclap bye yzalyeu clld plyvle. Xdcsyae vbl rzydl, pbl oyp pwarakple vs pll yd wdlmrlnvle rlapsd, yde bkp plyv oyp dlmv vs blap.


    ¡°Ebu yal usw blal vss?¡± Ys Nk Dkd ypjle vbl tsse-zssjkdt xyd.


    Mbl xyd oyp Qsdt Hl Zwd.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I be here?¡± Gong Ze Yun chuckled.


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    ¡°Even if this is first class, this is still a public place,¡± he joked.


    ¡°Li Xin, you know this handsome man?¡± seated across the aisle, Dai Meng asked.


    Mo Li Xin¡¯s mind spun a few rounds. Technically speaking, Gong Ze Yun was their big boss. As an employee, Dai Meng should not have phrased her question so informally. But it was to be expected. After all, this big boss had always been anonymous and mysterious. It was unsurprising that his employees did not know who he was.


    ¡°En, a friend,¡± Mo Li Xin replied. Since he chose to conceal his identity, she shall not expose him.


    ¡°Oh, I say Li Xin, why are there only handsome men and beautiful women in your circle of friends? As one of your friends, it seems like I¡¯m pulling down the overall standard of beauty of the group. Sigh¡­¡± Dai Meng exhaled mournfully.


    Including this man, she would have met five people from Mo Li Xin¡¯s circle. The first was the general nearby their company, next was Xu Qing Man. Thirdly, it was Mo Li Xin¡¯s husband whom she met after the dinner that day. Followed by Gan Yun Ting who picked up Xu Qing Man afterwards. All of them were outstanding and attractive beyond comparison.


    After Mo Li Xin fastened her seat belt, she mused helplessly upon hearing Dai Meng¡¯s words, ¡°Indeed, you dragged the standards down. So, we should end our friendship.¡±


    ¡°No no no, I¡¯m just joking! There¡¯s a saying that flowers need to be accompanied by green leaves. So from now on, I¡¯ll be the green leaf that surrounds the flowers. I don¡¯t mind,¡± Dai Meng shook her head vigorously and quipped. How could she possibly want to break their friendship? If nothing else, just looking at Mo Li Xin¡¯s face every day at work would allow her to take two more bites of her meal!


    Mo Li Xin was at a loss for words, ¡°¡­¡±


    She actually wanted to say that Dai Meng was also very beautiful. But after much consideration, she decided against it. Dai Meng was the kind that would implode if someone praised her. So Mo Li Xin felt that she should be stingy with her compliments!


    Listening to the bantering between the two, Gong Ze Yun¡¯s mouth twitched, ¡°How¡¯s your leg injury?¡±


    As the question came out of nowhere, it took Mo Li Xin a while to react, ¡°Oh¡­ erm, I¡¯ve recovered.¡±


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    ¡°Are you going to attend Bai Sha Exhibition too?¡± Considering that Gong Ze Yun was a big celebrity in this field, it would not be surprising if he attended.


    ¡°En.¡±


    With that, the conversation ended. Mo Li Xin did not know why, but when she was with him, she always felt comfortable. It felt very casual and natural. Even if they did not speak, there was no awkwardness, it was as if they had been friends for the longest time.


    Soon, they disembarked from the plane. ¡®Coincidentally¡¯, they were both staying at the same hotel. Or, better known as, when the higher-ups did the booking, the rooms were booked together. However, someone wanted to be discreet and keep a low profile. Hence, everything seemed like it was by chance.


    ¡°Ah! Handsome, you¡¯re staying at this hotel too? What a coincidence! Which floor is your room on? Do you mind helping me lug this up?¡± Dai Meng sprang out from behind Mo Li Xin and pleaded. She was carrying multiple luggage of different sizes, and they looked very heavy.


    Even Mo Li Xin was holding a lot of baggage. Although she brought little items, her companions had a lot. So out of consideration, she helped them.


    ¡°Pass it to me. Li Xin, hand yours to me too,¡± Before Mo Li Xin could say anything, Gong Ze Yun took her suitcase away after he took Dai Meng¡¯s.


    She did not refuse his offer as it was a bit heavy. This hotel was unique. An exotic four story building with winding corridors and no elevators. Who would have imagined that people would come here to stay for a business trip instead of a vacation? In addition, they would stay for such a long duration too.


    When Dai Meng saw that the heaviest luggage was taken away, she immediately breathed a sigh of relief. The brawn of their group was on a later flight due to family issues. Hence they had to carry everything themselves. Seeing that the load was lightened, she was ecstatic. However, sometime in the future, when she knew that the handsome man she bossed around was her biggest boss, she would vomit a mouthful of blood and wish for death.


    Mo Li Xin and party stayed on the third floor, whereas Gong Ze Yun was on the fourth floor. After placing their suitcases on the ground, he continued his way up.


    After settling down in the room, the first thing Mo Li Xin did was pick up her phone to report that she had arrived safely. Then, she got down to packing her stuff.


    Although there was nothing much to keep as she only had a luggage worth of items.


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    Their room was a large suite. In addition to a living room, there were four bedrooms. One was occupied by Mo Li Xin, one was shared by Dai Meng and another female teammate. Being the only male on the team, Li Feng was given his own bedroom too. Lastly, they had another group mate and due to her peculiar temperament, she was also assigned her own room.


    It was not that this group member had a bad temper, she just did not like to speak. She preferred being alone, but she was not introverted. Those that worked with her before would describe her as lofty and indifferent. Rarely spoke, but when she did, every word held weight.


    ¡°Team leader, that¡¯s all you brought for this trip? We¡¯re going to be here for half a month. The weather here is erratic but you only brought these clothes? Also also, you didn¡¯t bring cosmetics?¡± Dai Meng came over. She even created a nickname for Mo Li Xin.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite little. But aren¡¯t we going out tonight? I can buy some later,¡± Mo Li Xin scratched her head, feeling a little helpless. She did not know the weather condition here, so she thought she would just bring a few interchangeable attires. Furthermore, Ji Nan Feng did the majority of the packing for her. And since she trusts him, she never checked the items he prepared. But now opening her suitcase, she realised that she brought lesser than everyone else. As for cosmetics, she rarely used those.


    ¡°What about makeup? Did you lose yours?¡± Dai Meng asked.


    ¡°I usually don¡¯t use cosmetics, just lipsticks¡­¡± Mo Li Xin replied honestly.


    Dai Meng, ¡°¡­¡±  Fuck¡­


    ¡°Team leader, are you serious? Let me touch your face,¡± before Mo Li Xin gave her consent, Dai Meng already touched her face.


    ¡°Damn. I used to think that you only had on light makeup. I didn¡¯t expect it to be el natural. And your skin condition is so good¡­ I say, team leader, you¡¯re being too hateful,¡± Dai Meng complained.


    Qing Huan, the other group member who was also packing her things, giggled, ¡°how can we mortals compare to a celestial being like team leader? Not that I want to say anything about you. But if you eat less junk food during work, your face might still be salvageable. Alas, you still need to get rid of those pimples before anything else.¡±


    ¡°Qing Huan, I wouldn¡¯t assume that you¡¯re dumb even if you don¡¯t say anything,¡± Dai Meng shot back as she sulked.


    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s this?¡± Qing Huan picked up a small note from the ground.


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    Dai Meng¡¯s attention was also successfully diverted.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t pack much. A set of warmer clothes and another for colder weather. Buy whatever else that¡¯s missing. My credit card is in the storage compartment of the suitcase.¡± Dai Meng snatched the note and read it out loud.


    It took Dai Meng a while to realise that the note on the ground belonged to Mo Li Xin.  ¡°Like I said, how can you bring so little stuff? A good relationship is when the hubby personally packs for his wifey. And also hands over his card for Team Leader to buy what she needs. Tsk tsk, I was caught off guard by this mouthful of dog food1!¡±


    It was evident that Dai Meng was teasing her.


    Mo Li Xin was embarrassed, but in her heart, she was overjoyed. She did not shy away from Dai Meng¡¯s ribbing, instead, she shot back, ¡°then you should find one for yourself!¡±


    The author has something to say¡­


    Dai Meng, ¡°Strongly requesting to buy a wholesale boyfriend!¡±


    Mo Yue, ¡°Strongly requesting for one to keep in my collection!¡±

 CH 32

    Dai Meng, ¡°¡­¡± I don¡¯t want to live anymore¡­ These kinds of days are impossible to live, suffering from mental trauma every day!


    ~~~~


    As planned, after settling down in the hotel, they went out in the evening. Taking in the ambience of Country B. Country B¡¯s street culture was diverse and trendy, but they did not lose their sense of locality. Perhaps due to Bai Sha Exhibition being held here, there seemed to be more tourists walking about. Occasionally, one might even be lucky enough to come across a celebrity. Yet, this was no concern of Mo Li Xin¡¯s, she only cared about where the food was and things she was going to buy.


    The itinerary for the next day was fairly simple. In the morning, they would be going to a gathering. The hosting company was one of Jui Zi¡¯s long-termed collaborative partners. The people invited were all from the fashion industry. Many well-known designers, business gurus, and even some celebrities were on the invitation list. Normally, ordinary people like Dai Meng would not be eligible to attend. This time, she got the opportunity due to her position as Jiu Zi¡¯s employee.


    ¡°Team leader, wait a while. Let me tag along behind you. I¡¯ve never been exposed to this type of occasion before. It wouldn¡¯t be great if I made a fool of myself and embarrassed everyone.¡± Dia Meng fretted.


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    At the entrance of the castle, people came and went. Dai Meng wore a white fishtail gown and stepped onto the long red carpet leading towards a long flight of steps into the castle.


    ¡°Relax and do what you would normally do. No one will bother with a couple of nobodies like us,¡± Mo Li Xin reassured.


    She, herself, had not been to many large-scale parties or receptions. Yet, there was no need to be too nervous. Furthermore, they were on foreign land and no one knew who they were.


    Ebld vbl qwdnvksd ldep, vblu oswze fwpv zlyhl. Mblal oyp ds dlle vs osaau ycswv ldvlavykdkdt sa xkdtzkdt okvb svblap. Mbkp oyp nsdpkelale xwnb lypkla vs bydezl vbyd vbl zypv cydiwlv pbl oldv vs okvb Kk Lyd Wldt. Fkdnl ds sdl alnstdkple vblx, vblal pbswze dsv cl rlsrzl vbyv okzz xyjl vbkdtp ekqqknwzv sa yvvlxrv vs qzyvvla vblx.


    ¡°Mbyv¡¯p vawl. Nyvla, R¡¯zz cl oblalhla vbl qsse kp. Mbspl bktb-nzypp qktwalp oswze cl vss cwpu psnkyzkgkdt vs nyal ycswv wp. Mlyx zlyela, okvb uswa alyppwaydnl, R qllz zlpp vldpl dso,¡± Pyk Yldt calyvble y pktb sq alzklq yde hkpkckzkvu alzymle.


    Pyk Yldt zyxldvle, y tseelpp vawzu kp y tseelpp. Gzvbswtb vbl vlyx zlyela zssjp uswdtla vbyd bla¡­ vlnbdknyzzu oyp uswdtla vbyd bla¡­ Jwv vbl oyu pbl bydezle pkvwyvksdp oyp osavb yexkakdt! Fbl bydezle pkvwyvksdp yrrasrakyvlzu yde nyzxzu. Bpwyzzu, pbl oyp zkjl y nbyaxkdt zkvvzl tkaz. Jwv obld pbl tsv esod vs cwpkdlpp, pbl lmwele y vlxrlayxldv vbyv nswze dsv cl nsxryale. Mpj vpj! Psd¡¯v jdso obknb qyxkzu nswze aykpl pwnb y zyeu. Tso nswze pbl, obs kp y nswrzl sq ulyap szela, cl yczl vs ynnlrv vbkp qynv!


    ¡°Ys Nk Dkd, obu yal usw yzps blal?¡±


    Mbl kdpvydv pbl ldvlale vbl alnlrvksd yaly, Ys Nk Dkd blyae psxlsdl nyzz swv bla dyxl. Slyzzu¡­ pktb¡­ prllnbzlpp¡­ Gde blal pbl oyp, vbkdjkdt vbyv ds sdl oswze alnstdkpl bla, cwv kv vwadle swv svblaokpl¡­


    ¡°Gde obu nyd¡¯v R cl blal?¡±


    Ys Nk Dkd zssjle vsoyaep Uyk Nydt obsx pbl bye dsv plld kd y zsdt vkxl. Mbkdjkdt ycswv kv, yqvla tayewyvkdt qasx wdkhlapkvu, pbl bye dsv ldnswdvlale bla lmnlrv qsa vbyv sdl vkxl. Mbyv vkxl, vblu nbydnle ynaspp lynb svbla kd vbl vskzlv. Jynj vbld, Uyk Nydt oyp qzyvvlakdt yd szela xyd, vbkp vkxl¡­


    Ys Nk Dkd vwadle yde pvwekle vbl xyd clpkel Uyk Nydt. Tl bye tayu byka yde pvwcczl, cwv sdl nswze vlzz vbyv vbl xyd oyp dsv vbyv sze, yv xspv kd bkp qkqvklp. Tkp ealppkdt alplxczle vbyv sq y xyvwale yavkpv. Bdzkjl vbl zypv ldnswdvla, Uyk Nydt eke dsv rspplppkhlzu nzkdt vs vbl xyd. Fbl pvsse y pvlr clbkde bkx yde nblnjle bla swv, vbl xyd oyp yzps pnawvkdkpkdt bla. Mbl xsxldv vblu xyel lul nsdvynv, Ys Nk Dkd kdhszwdvyakzu qzkdnble yde pbl oyp kdelpnakcyczu qaktbvldle.


    ¡°Xiao Cai, don¡¯t be rude,¡± the man commanded. His tone was domineering and it forbade her from contradicting him.


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    Cai Lang immediately lowered her head and did not refute. Mo Li Xin was unable to make head or tail of it and chose to ignore them. She pulled a puzzled Dai Meng and walked away.


    Her mind kept turning, why did she experience such an emotion when she looked at him? It was as if she had met that man before, and it struck such terror in her that she remained flustered even after stepping away from him.


    ¡®Are you afraid? If you remember, you won¡¯t be scared anymore. Since you forgot, I also couldn¡¯t recall. I only know that you met that person before. As for where and when you¡¯ll have to remember it yourself,¡¯ the other Li Xin, who had not appeared in a long time, voiced out.


    Mo Li Xin hesitated. What did she forget? Also, why was Cai Lang here and with that person? There were numerous questions running through her brain, leaving her unsettled.


    ¡°Team leader, do you know her? Who was that? It felt like you¡­ the atmosphere felt somewhat tense,¡± Dai Meng asked while holding a slice of cake.


    ¡°We¡¯re university mates that couldn¡¯t see eye to eye,¡± Mo Li Xin replied.


    ¡°Oh¡­ By the way, do you recognise that man? His dressing was a little weird.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°But it seems that his influence in this circle isn¡¯t small. Just look, the CEO of Qing Yong Group has to personally go over and greet him,¡± Dai Meng whispered to Mo Li Xin, who also turned to look.


    Qing Yong Group was their collaborative partner, and this gathering was organized by them. After taking a second glance, she did not pay further attention to that group. After all, it had nothing to do with her.


    Since the party started, Mo Li Xin only ate and ate even more. Fortunately, nothing else like when they entered the venue happened. At most, some men approached her for a dance, but she rejected all of them.


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    ¡°Sigh! My belly is bulging, I¡¯m sure to get fat again. The rich sure lived a good life, surrounded by so much delicious food,¡± Dai Meng puffed. She stretched out her hands comfortably. Unbeknownst to her, someone was behind her. As a result, the back of Dai Meng¡¯s hand tapped against a warm face.


    Just as Dai Meng realized she turned around wanting to apologize. Yet, before any words left her mouth, a smack resounded and pain blossomed on her cheek.


    At that moment, they were near the entrance of the castle, and people have yet to leave, so there were quite a few spectators.


    Mo Li Xin frowned, who knew that something like this would happen just as they were about to depart.


    ¡°Ah! Are you blind? Apologise! I demand you apologise to me!¡± the woman who slapped Dai Meng screeched furiously.


    Dai Meng palmed her cheek, staring at the lady who hit her. She tried to suppress her irritation as she spotted the crowd surrounding them.


    ¡°This Miss, although I accidentally touched your face, you already returned a slap to mine. By right, we should call it even.¡± She will not apologize. However, considering the reputation of her company, she dare not make a bigger fuss out of this.


    ¡°Call it even? Hah! That¡¯s hilarious! Who do you think you are? Can you even compare your face to mine? I want you to bow and apologize right now,¡± the woman demanded. She sounded like a shrew at a market, completely unfitting of the branded clothes that donned her body.


    ¡°That¡¯s right! Our Jing Jing is of another calibre, not everyone can be compared to her. You should be grateful to be rewarded with that slap.¡± A lady dressed in pink stood beside the one named ¡®Jing Jing¡¯ sneered.


    Her gaze cut across Dai Meng disdainfully. But when she glanced at Mo Li Xin, she was stunned for a moment before she quickly collected herself.


    She continued, ¡°since I don¡¯t recognise you, I¡¯m guessing that you hugged some man¡¯s thigh or climbed into someone¡¯s bed to be able to attend this function. I despise people like you, although you dress decently, it cannot hide your stench of vanity.¡±


    Naturally, Mo Li Xin did not miss that jab, ¡°This¡­ decent looking Miss, my friend accidentally touched your friend and she planned to apologise for it. My friend¡¯s vision is in front, whereas your friend stood behind her, hence it¡¯s reasonable to say that my friend didn¡¯t notice her. Additionally, your friend gave mine a slap. By right, this should have settled this issue. However, if you still think it¡¯s unfair, we can settle this using my solution.¡±


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    Regardless of the many eyes around, after Mo Li Xin spoke, she walked forward and gave a slap to the lady named ¡®Jing Jing¡¯ and a quick follow-up with another to the pink dressed Miss. The sounds were jarring and sharp.


    Turning to the woman in pink, ¡°as the saying goes, no matter how great Tang Seng was, he was but a monkey keeper1. But you¡­ you¡¯re not even worthy to be the monkey. Your mouth is so vulgar, trying to reason with you verbally is just an insult to my intelligence. At least with brute force, it¡¯s clearer and simpler for you to understand,¡± she could tell that this Miss had no background or else she would not have to constantly base her actions on Jing Jing¡¯s expressions.


    After that, disregarding the womens¡¯ expressions, she quickly pulled Dai Meng and left. She was not afraid of them, she was just afraid of the trouble this would cause. Surrounded by many, even if those two women were bolder, they would not dare to make a reckless move.


    By the time the two ladies came back to their senses, Mo Li Xin and Dai Meng had already long left. They could only vent their anger by letting out a loud shriek. The onlookers secretly shook their heads while those that came from Country A recognised this prominent lady. This stubborn Miss was Shui Cheng¡¯s family Xie¡¯s eldest Miss. However, they did not expect her to suffer this kind of loss. This made many curious about the origins of the two ladies that departed.


    ¡°Team leader¡­ about that¡­ did I create trouble for you? From their looks, I don¡¯t think their background is simple. What if they decide to find us and settle this score?¡± Dai Meng belatedly asked in the car.


    Mo Li Xin was a little apprehensive. Not afraid, as there was no need to be. With her family and Ji Nan Feng¡¯s, she could do whatever she wanted without having to worry about the consequences. Yet, she did not do that, neither did she want things to get blown out of proportion. She enjoyed simplicity, peace and quiet.


    She profoundly remembered an incident that happened in elementary school. Due to a conflict between her and her classmates, her father personally went down to help her resolve it. Afterwards, her family background was exposed and gradually, those friends that were originally close to her started to get estranged from her. Even the teachers treat her, a student, respectfully. She used to hate that feeling.


    Later, as she grew up, she slowly learnt to be indifferent. Those who changed their views of her because of her family background did not treat her genuinely. As time passed, she stopped caring, but she still did not want to cause trouble.


    However, if trouble were to come knocking, she would not take it lying down. Maybe a few months ago, she might, but not anymore.


    Others spoiled her to heaven. Hence, she would not tolerate people humiliating her as this disrespected those who loved her.


    ~~~~

 CH 33

    If the two Misses were unable to shallow this grievance and seek them out for revenge, they would just counter soldiers with arms and water with earthenware; adopt appropriate measures to tackle the given situation. But of course, it would be best if no countermeasures needed to be taken. Hence, the reason why she left the scene so quickly.


    ¡°Team leader, say something¡­ What are you thinking about?¡± Dai Meng pleaded, shaking Mo Li Xin¡¯s hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s unavoidable if trouble really comes knocking. In that situation, were you still planning to let them bully you while you restrict your indignation and humbly apologise to them?¡±


    ¡°But what if they manage to find out who we are? How will we explain this to the company? We attended this function on behalf of the company. So we¡¯re representing them and not just ourselves,¡± Dai Meng mumbled.


    ¡°Relax, the company is one that knows how to distinguish between right and wrong. In that given scenario, if we lowered our heads, it might cause others to look down on our company. So ease your mind,¡± Mo Li Xin felt like a comforting big sister, giving reassurance and performing enlightenment duties.


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    Arriving back at the hotel, they checked and altered the wedding dresses and before they knew it, night had fallen. Mo Li Xin took out her phone and gave Ji Nan Feng a call.


    On the other hand, Ji Nan Feng was currently at work. However, seeing her name pop up on his screen, he smiled.


    ¡°Have you finished your work?¡± He asked tenderly.


    ¡°Od¡­ R¡¯x esdl qsa vbl eyu,¡± sd vbl svbla lde, vbl hsknl oyp zso yde psqv.


    ¡°Ebyv¡¯p oasdt?¡± Tkp lmralppksd qlzz pzktbvzu, vbl bydepsxl qynl yrrlyale osaakle.


    Ys Nk Dkd¡¯p xsse kxrashle valxldeswpzu wrsd blyakdt vbl osaau kd vbl svbla ryavu¡¯p vsdl. Fbl obkdle, ¡°R¡¯hl clld oasdtle, oydv y bwt¡­ Ya. Kk, obu esd¡¯v usw pjkr nzypp yde nsxl pll xl? Fsxlsdl cwzzkle xl¡­ Ya. Kk, usw xwpv vyjl alhldtl sd xu clbyzq.¡±


    ¡°Usxl, yka bwtp, esd¡¯v nau, esd¡¯v nau,¡± qasx vbl vsdl pbl wple, bl nswze vlzz vbyv kv oyp dsvbkdt plakswp.


    ¡°Twccu kp vbl clpv!¡± Ys Nk Dkd elnzyale pollvzu.


    Kk Lyd Wldt, ¡°¡­¡±


    Tl qlzv y zkvvzl lxsvksdyz, y zkvvzl lmnkvle, yde xspv sq yzz, czkpple. Mbkp oyp vbl qkapv vkxl pbl yeealpple bkx yp ¡®bwccu¡¯. Tso bl okpble bl nswze qzu vs bla pkel aktbv vbkp kdpvydv yde lxcaynl bla vktbvzu.


    ¡°Tlu¡­ obu yald¡¯v usw pyukdt yduvbkdt?¡­ Tyhl usw bwdt wr?¡± vbl hsknl qasx vbl svbla lde sq vbl zkdl ealo bkx cynj vs vbl ralpldv.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m still here,¡± Ji Nan Feng replied.


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    ¡°Oh, I thought you hung up on me. I missed you so much, no wonder people say a day of separation is as long as three autumns.¡± Mo Li Xin sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll never hang up on your calls, never!¡± Ji Nan Feng vowed.


    On the other end, Mo Li Xin smiled, ¡°Hehe¡­ Mr. Ji, how can my little heart stand it when you utter such flirtatious prattle.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m speaking words of truth, not empty words of love,¡± Ji Nan Feng emphasized.


    ¡°But sometimes, an exaggerated sentence of love beats hearing ten sentences of truth,¡± Mo Li Xin retorted. In actuality, there was a sentence that she wanted to add after.


    With you, every word you said sounded like lovers¡¯ prattle; a sentence like ¡®Have you eaten?¡¯, or ¡®Are you tired?¡¯, and even a simple goodbye.


    ~~~~


    Ji Nan Feng¡¯s flight took off that very afternoon. By the time he arrived at the hotel, it was in the wee hours. He knew her room number and the passcode. Hence he could enter without disturbing her rest and give her a surprise.


    In an elevator, there was a couple of sexily clad women conversing. With a glance, one could tell that they came back from the nightclub. Behind them, there was a man wearing a mask and a hat, staring intently at the woman¡¯s purse.


    ¡°Jing Jing, who was that woman today? Does anyone know? I still can¡¯t let go of what happened this afternoon,¡± one of the ladies said.


    ¡°She better hide and not let me find out. I¡¯ve already informed my uncle. We¡¯ll know in a few days. By the way, Yi Yi, how is your competition piece coming along?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Do you know of Miao Bai? My master is Designer Miao Bai¡¯s master. My design was personally drafted under her guidance. With her advice, my piece shouldn¡¯t turn out too badly,¡± the woman, named Yi Yi, assured.


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    These two ladies were the ones that Mo Li Xin encountered at the gathering. One was the long-lost eldest Miss of Xie family, Xie Jing Jing. The other was a somewhat well-known ¡®wedding dress designer¡¯, Gu Yi Yi. Although how she got her fame was another debatable matter.


    ¡®Ding¡­¡¯


    The moment the elevator door opened, the heavily masked man scurried out immediately.


    Xie Jing Jing was about to look at her mobile when she realised that it and her wallet were missing. She immediately raised her head, ¡°thief! Stop! Don¡¯t run!¡±


    She ran out, and the slow to react Gu Yi Yi followed a step after. Thinking to herself, thankfully her stuff was still around. Even if her items cannot be compared to the ones Xie Jing Jing possessed.


    ¡°Stop! Someone catch the thief! Help me catch the thief!¡± Xie Jing Jing yelled.


    Unfortunately, there was no one around except for Ji Nan Feng who just stepped out of an adjacent elevator. Although travel-worn, he was still handsome.


    The instant Xie Jing Jing saw him, it was as if she lost her soul, ¡®this must be love at first sight. I¡¯ve never seen such a dashing man in my life.¡¯


    Before she could utter a word, she witnessed the masked man colliding into the man.


    As for Ji Nan Feng, he was looking at his phone. Before he could react, the paper bag in his hand fell to the ground and the masked man trampled on it.


    Ji Nan Feng froze momentarily before tossing his suitcase aside and turning back. In two large strides, he caught up with the man, jerked him backwards by his collar, and effortlessly crushed him onto the ground. Using brute force, he smashed his fist into the man¡¯s face before socking him in the stomach. The strength was as powerful as an eighty-five kilograms heavyweight champion boxer. With those two punches, he left the man with half his life.


    Afterward, he pressed the red emergency button on the wall. His gaze darkened as it landed on what was left of the paper before picking up his suitcase, and left. The paper bag contained water chestnut cake made by him. She enjoyed eating them, hence he brought it halfway across the world for her. Although Country B did not lack the ingredients needed to make it, due to the environment, the product made using the same ingredient would still end up with a different taste. He remembered her saying that she was afraid of not being acclimatized, so he privately contacted Gong Ze Yun and had his subordinates arrange for this particular hotel. That was because this was part of Ji¡¯s property and they have specialized local chefs arranged here. This way, it would reduce the chances of her not being used to Country B¡¯s food and water.


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    ¡°Wait up, hold on a minute,¡± Xie Jing Jing quickly collected herself when she spotted the man leaving.


    ¡°About that, thank you for just now. If it weren¡¯t for you, my wallet would¡¯ve been stolen. What¡¯s your name? Let¡¯s be friends. Oh right, my surname is Xie, name is Jing Jing.¡±


    Ji Nan Feng did not stop. But upon hearing someone talking to him, he merely slowed down and courteously replied, ¡°I don¡¯t have the habit of casually making friends.¡±


    After saying so, he increased his speed to leave.


    At that moment, Gu Yi Yi managed to catch up from behind, ¡°Sir, we have no other intentions. We purely want to thank you. Why don¡¯t you leave your contact information? Let us treat you to a meal!¡±


    Ignoring her words, Ji Nan Feng continued on his way. He hated the strong stench of perfume coming from those two women.


    ¡°Hey, sir, we really don¡¯t have any ill intentions. We just want to be friends! This is my business card. I¡¯m a member of Shui Cheng Xie¡¯s family. If you encounter any problems in the future, you can look for me to help.¡± She thought that as long as she revealed her identity he would pause. However, he maintained his swift speed and continued on his way


    Country A¡¯s Shui Cheng Xie¡¯s family was ranked as one of the major families in the country. With this status, many would rush like ducks to get into her good grace. Hence his reaction to her identity can only mean one of two things. One, he did not know of Xie family, which she felt was highly unlikely. The other possibility was that he was simply indifferent to her family¡¯s background. Based on his noble bearing, she felt that it was the latter, which further confirmed her desire to have this man.


    As for Gu Yi Yi, who was following behind, came to the same conclusion after many twists and turns. However, because of the obstruction, Xie Jing Jing, she dare not be too obvious with her intentions.


    Ji Nan Feng did not know what went through their minds, but neither did he plan to find out. By then, the hotel security had already arrived.


    ¡°Sir, were you the one that pressed the alarm?¡± The security guard asked in Country B¡¯s language.


    ¡°I was, but you¡¯ll need to ask them for the actual situation.¡±


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    After updating the guards, he called for the elevator and left whereas Xie Jing Jing and company were held back for questioning. By the time they were done, Ji Nan Feng had long disappeared.


    At that time, they were not too worried as they assumed that they could find out who he was at the reception counter. Yet, who would have thought they will not be able to find anything. Of course, those were regrets for the future.


    ~~~~


    After dinner and her shower, Mo Li Xin who was never a night owl turned in for the night. Unknowingly many hours passed and through the haziness, a pair of arms wrapped around her and pulled her into his embrace. As the scent that enveloped her was extremely familiar, she ended up falling deeper into sleep.


    Simultaneously, in a huge warehouse somewhere in Country B, there were hundreds of fierce tattooed bulky men encircling a dozen or so wooden crates. A few opened crates revealed that they contained guns, ammunition, and all kinds of drugs.


    ¡°Boss Luo, this is our newly purchased goods. Please have a look at them. Our previous batch got detained by that bastard, Lu Xing Yang. But we don¡¯t know how the news got leaked out, our losses were pretty heavy. This time around we made sure our operation was airtight, nothing should go wrong,¡± a bald guy reported to a masked man who was in the middle of the crowd.


    ¡°Previously, I underestimated that rascal. I didn¡¯t expect that I would suffer such losses.¡± The man addressed as Boss Lou clenched his fists and admitted thoughtfully.


    ¡°Then¡­ Boss Lou, how shall we dispatch this batch?¡± the person probed.


    ¡°I heard that Bai Sha Exhibition will take place in a few days, isn¡¯t that a good opportunity?¡­¡± Boss Lou replied.


    ¡°But¡­ isn¡¯t that too dangerous?¡±


    On the surface, Bai Sha Exhibition was a place where people gathered for the latest fashion trends. Underneath, it was the gathering place for the powerful to socialise and exchange contacts. With that being said, these people would not be pushovers. Anything related to their safety and security would be closely monitored. With so much surveillance, wanting to take action was easier said than done. However, if this operation was successful, the future possibilities would be boundless, power would be within their grasp. It would be much easier to do things in the future too.


    ¡°Wealth comes from within danger. The dinner banquet held after Bai Sha Exhibition is our best time to strike. Plan and take action accordingly.¡± Boss Luo instructed before getting up to leave.


    Just as he was about to exit, he glanced at the corner of the warehouse. There was still some use for this woman. As the saying goes, a lover cannot tolerate having grit in their eyes1. He shall watch and see¡­


    The woman was curled up at the corner. That day, the temperature was low, at about ten degrees Celsius. Although she was unclothed, she perspired profusely. Her face was flushed and pale, and her feet were shackled. Her body was littered with blue and purple, with one glance, one could tell what had happened.

 CH 34

    That was none other than Duan An Ran who fled all the way from Country A. In the beginning, she colluded with this gang thinking that these people would protect her. Yet, unknowingly she became one of their pawns. Who knew that she would have ended up hopping from one wolf¡¯s den into another.


    ¡°Please¡­ let me go¡­¡± Duan An Ran¡¯s voice was hoarse. Her upper body was dangling by her bound hands, unable to muster any strength.


    A burly man turned his head and retorted in fluent English, ¡°Let you go? A useless, discarded pawn. What other use do you have? Where do you think you can go? Have you forgotten who you offended? They placed an international arrest warrant on your head, unless you no longer exist in this world, you¡¯ll be arrested the moment you step out into the light. You should be clear of the potential consequences.¡±


    ¡°No, no¡­ Ji Nan Feng will protect me. As long as he regains his memory, he¡¯ll remember me. And then for Ji Nan Feng¡¯s sake, Lu Xing Yan will definitely revoke the international arrest warrant.¡±


    ¡°Humph! They all say that women are like clothes. For someone of Third Young Master Ji¡¯s calibre, why would he treat you sincerely? He most likely treated you like a plaything like all other rich young masters do before their marriages. After they get bored, they will toss you away. Previously, I thought you still had some brains, but now you can¡¯t look any stupider. But don¡¯t you worry, we don¡¯t plan to kill you. After all¡­ your appearance is still acceptable. You don¡¯t need smarts for your current position. We have hundreds of men competing to earn some merits, you can be the bonus reward. Hahaha!¡­¡±


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    The bulky man¡¯s words were full of obscenities, sounding extremely perverted.


    Duan An Ran closed her eyes in despair. Bitterly, she blamed every grievance she suffered on Mo Li Xin. She swore that if she gets out of this, she will make Mo Li Xin pay.


    And her opportunity would come knocking instantaneously. As she racked her brain on her next steps, a seemingly gentleman arrived. The burly man immediately gave way, looking very respectful.


    ¡°Jspp, obyv¡¯p wr?¡± Mbl cllqu xyd vakle vs jkpp wr cwv oyp ktdsale cu vbl lzltydv xyd yp bl tygle yv Pwyd Gd Syd okvb yd wdqyvbsxyczl tygl.


    Tl pyke, ¡°vbl rbsldkm tlvp alcsad vbaswtb kvp ypblp. Xdzu cu zlyrkdt vbaswtb vbl nlzlpvkyz tyvl nyd vbl eaytsd scvykd kvp rsola. Mbaswtb xlvyxsarbspkp okzz nyvlarkzzyap vwad kdvs cwvvlaqzklp. Usaeunlrp yal sdzu qsaxle ewakdt vbl okdvla pszpvknl1. Ps usw jdso obu?¡±


    Pwyd Gd Syd oyp vlaakqkle sq vbkp xyd. Tl oyp rwal lhkz, wvkzkpkdt cawvyz yde hknkswp xlvbsep vs elyz okvb bkp qslp.


    ¡°Ls¡­ R esd¡¯v jdso¡­¡± Fbl valxczle yp pbl pbssj bla blye hktsaswpzu.


    ¡°Mbld usw jdso obyv kv xlydp vs xyjl psxlvbkdt dlo qasx vbl sze2?¡± Tl oldv sd vs ypj. Ekvb bkp cynj vs vbl zktbv, Pwyd Gd Syd nswze sdzu pll byzq sq bkp qynl cwv lhld vbyv eke dsv alewnl bkp qsalcsekdt yway.


    Jlqsal pbl nswze ydpola, vbl xyd nsdvkdwle, ¡°Mbkp kp y czlppkdt yqvla vbl nyvypvasrbl. Mbkdtp zkjl srrsavwdkvu pbswzed¡¯v cl xkpple. Rv fwpv ps byrrldle vbyv R byhl vbkp vbkdt¡­¡±


    ~~~~


    Rd y czkdj sq yd lul, vbl pju shla Uswdvau J caktbvldle. Ys Nk Dkd pzsozu nyxl vs. Qasttkzu, pbl nywtbv y obkqq sq y qyxkzkya pnldv clpkel bla xyjkdt bla vbkdj vbyv pbl oyp pvkzz cynj bsxl.


    ¡°That¡¯s weird, why haven¡¯t you gone for your run yet?¡± Mo Li Xin mumbled.


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    Ji Nan Feng was already up while she was still in a daze.


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of traffic outside, how am I supposed to jog in this environment?¡± He knew that in her groggy state, she thought that they were still in their villa.


    Mo Li Xin¡¯s sleepy eyes closed for a second before she slowly realized something was off. She opened her eyes and stared at the magnified handsome face in front of her. She was sluggish as she thought of something.


    She reached out, squashed, and tugged at the flawless cheek before her, ¡°this dream feels so real!¡±


    Ji Nan Feng chuckled to himself, ¡®why is my wifey so cute?¡¯


    ¡°Have you touched enough? Still think that this is a dream?¡± In revenge, he squeezed her back. Only the place that he touched was¡­ hmm¡­


    ¡°Ah! You rogue!¡± Mo Li Xin reacted straightaway. Her face was flushed as she pulled the quilt to cover her face.


    ¡°It¡¯s still early, you can sleep a little longer. I¡¯ll prepare a bowl of century egg lean meat porridge for you. If you have nothing on in the morning, let¡¯s go out together. And in the afternoon, I¡¯ll accompany you to pick Xiao Man up.¡± He nonchalantly arranged the day¡¯s itinerary as if he did not witness Mo Li Xin¡¯s embarrassment.


    ¡°Now now, I just squeezed you through your clothes. The place I touched, I¡¯ve even used my mouth befo-¡±


    ¡°Enough you old rogue¡­ Go make breakfast,¡± Mo Li Xin poked her head out from the quilt and commanded indignantly. Flustered, she did not manage to ask when he arrived, or why he came so early, or how he would find ingredients and a place to make preserved egg lean meat porridge, and so on.


    Ji Nan Feng wore a dusty pink sweater as the weather was good. It was handpicked by Mo Li Xin. She commented that his usual wear was too dull, so she chose brighter colors for him. Unfortunately, Mo Li Xin¡¯s fashion sense was great, thus every piece fitted him perfectly. He was already twenty-six, seven years old, but the clothes he wore made him look even younger. He looked like a college student, a handsome and cool senior. Mo Li Xin secretly clicked her tongue as she observed his retreating back. This was just inviting bees and butterflies to hover around. She should buy some old-fashioned clothes for him in the future.


    If hubby was too handsome, she would be under too much pressure!


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    Shaking her head in resignation, she climbed out of bed. As she opened the closet, she spotted a garment she bought on this trip. Her eyes brightened as she took out the sweater. It was a lighter dusty green color of a similar style to Ji Nan Feng¡¯s outfit, making them look like they were wearing a couple¡¯s outfit.


    Just as she finished dressing up, Ji Nan Feng returned.


    ¡°The weather¡¯s pleasant today. After you finish eating, I¡¯ll bring you out,¡± he said. In his hand, he held a plate that contained eggs, bread, and her favorite century egg lean meat porridge.


    ¡°We¡¯re in a hotel, how did you make this? And where did you get the preserved eggs from?¡± They were halfway around the globe from Country A. Abroad, preserved eggs were listed as one of the top ten horror foods. So how would they have it here?


    ¡°Brought it myself and the hotel has a back kitchen for me to prepare it,¡± Ji Nan Feng answered. His breath got caught in his throat when he spotted her as she stepped out.


    ¡°How do I look? Doesn¡¯t it look like we¡¯re wearing a couple¡¯s outfit? I bought it on the day I arrived,¡± Mo Li Xin sat down and took the porridge from him.


    ¡°Beautiful,¡± absolutely stunning. Even in ordinary casual clothes, you¡¯re still beautiful, he thought to himself.


    ¡°Oh¡­ Did you arrive last night? How did you manage to enter? And, didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯ll come over on the weekends? Isn¡¯t it only Tuesday today?¡± A bunch of questions tumbled out of her mouth. As she was also eating her porridge, her words were rather muffled.


    ¡°Our academic exchange programme was brought forward. This hotel is under the Ji Corporation hence I was able to gain entry easily.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Mo Li Xin nodded, finally understanding.


    ¡°Yesterday on the phone, why did you say that you were bullied?¡± Ji Nan Feng enquired.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just that Dai Meng accidentally bumped into a rich heiress and the lady was being unreasonable. She wanted Dai Meng to kneel down in apology.¡±


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    ¡°Then were you mistreated?¡± Ji Nan Feng immediately asked worriedly.


    ¡°Nope, on the contrary, I slapped those two ladies. I don¡¯t even know who they were but I hope never to see them again in the future,¡± Mo Li Xin pouted as she sighed.


    Ji Nan Feng did not comment, but he secretly swore to investigate who dared to bully his wife. And when he does, he¡¯ll make sure to ruthlessly rip off a layer of their skin, just like he did previously to that Zhao De and Cai Lang.


    ~~~~


    The place they went was small but it was flourishing with culture and street performers were everywhere. The roads were relatively narrow, but its location was convenient; it was truly the world-renowned fashion capital.


    ¡°Have you been here before? You seem familiar with this place. I¡¯ve always wanted to come here since I was a child. I didn¡¯t expect to be able to, and at the company¡¯s expense too! I struck the jackpot this time!¡± Mo Li Xin exclaimed as she eyed the trinkets on display.


    Ji Nan Feng pursed his lips, ¡°I have, a long time ago. But back then¡­ it didn¡¯t feel as good as it does now.¡±


    Because back then, he came alone. Carrying her diary filled with her wishes; traveling to places she wanted to go, eating the things she wanted to try. That was his motivation to carry on for those five years.


    ¡°Oh, seeing your solemn expression, those memories must not be good,¡± Mo Li Xin observed. Gripping his hand, people bustled around them but he was the only one in her eyes.


    Ji Nan Feng was drawn in by such a gaze. It took him a while to reply, ¡°all the unhappiness experienced is just to lead up to humbling us for the future. It¡¯s pointless to talk about it now.¡±


    Mo Li Xin did not comprehend but chose not to ask. After all, previously when her professors utter things she did not understand, she also did not bother finding out.


    ¡°Wow, that mug looks so pretty!¡± She swiftly ran into the shop. Inside, she found that there were many other handicrafts and some very delicate ornaments.


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    As soon as she entered, she saw a pair of necklaces. Silver chain with a square porcelain pendant hanging from it. It looked small and exquisite, with strange characters engraved on the plate.


    ¡°Boss, what¡¯s written on them?¡± she asked.


    ¡°This local talisman writing, meaning incarnation of life. Man one call ¡®past life¡¯, woman one name ¡®current life¡¯,¡± the shop owner explained in broken English.


    ¡°Boss, I want them. Please wrap them up for me.¡± Mo Li Xin said. She could not explain it, but she was so drawn to this couple¡¯s necklace.


    ¡°I could, but your dart has to strike the bull¡¯s eye of the moving target. As the saying goes, good things belong to those that they are predestined for. I¡¯ll not take a single cent if you hit the target,¡± the shop owner said with a smile. This sentence was spoken fluently as if he said it many times before.


    Incidentally, Ji Nan Feng finally caught up and entered the store. As his gaze rested on the necklaces, he felt like he was struck by thunder. How¡­ how was¡­ these necklaces were obviously given to him by a strange lady in his previous life. She had said the same thing, one was named ¡®past life¡¯ and the other was called ¡®current life¡¯.


    He had worn ¡®past life¡¯ and buried ¡®current life¡¯ beside her grave. At that time, he lamented how great it would have been if time could rewind and redo. Yet, now that the times were different, these necklaces still returned to his hands.


    When the boss finished speaking, Mo Li Xin hesitated. She only had one chance and she really liked the necklaces, so she turned to look at Ji Nan Feng.


    ¡°Nan Feng, why don¡¯t you give it a try?¡±


    As he was stunned, he did not respond.


    ¡°I¡¯m talking to you, didn¡¯t you hear me? I want them, pretty please¡­¡± Her words were kittenish. But as of late, she had already gotten used to it and it did not feel out of place. As she coquettishly begged, she tugged at his sleeves.


    Coincidentally, this was the scene that greeted Xie Jing Jing as she walked past the store¡¯s entrance.


    Ji Nan Feng recovered from his thoughts. Slightly curling the corners of his lips, he took the short dart from her hand. It was very light, most likely made from plastic instead of iron. No wonder the necklaces were so difficult to obtain.

 CH 35

    But he was not the slightest bit worried. He even looked somewhat casual as he threw the dart accurately at the target that was about six, seven inches wide, five to six meters away from him.


    ¡°Jing Jing, isn¡¯t she that nasty woman, and is that the man from last night? Why are they together? It looks like our assumptions were right. That woman of unknown origin must be some materialistic gold digger. Clinging onto that man trying to act coquettish, that¡¯s just really¡­¡± Gu Yi Yi sneered in disgust.


    ¡°This kind of woman, what else can she do but count on her appearance to get by?¡± Following that, they stepped into the store.


    At that moment, the shopkeeper just handed the necklaces over to Ji Nan Feng.


    ¡°What a coincidence that we met again! Sir, we must be destined to meet,¡± Xie Jing Jing said with a charming smile. It was the kind of smile that people could not refuse, but Ji Nan Feng happened to not be one of them.


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    Seeing the approaching people, he imperceptibly wrinkled his brows. Instead of replying to her greeting, he turned around and took out the female necklace wanting to help Mo Li Xin wear it.


    ¡°Oh my! We must be fated too! Previously we saw you at the reception with your boyfriend. The man that danced with you then? Where is he?¡± Gu Yi Yi exclaimed as her mind turned quickly. As if having second thoughts after glancing at Ji Nan Feng, she immediately covered up her mouth. Like she uttered something she should not have.


    From her perspective, Mo Li Xin was just a little mistress who could not be shown openly to others. Why else would Mo Li Xin be standing silently at a corner, doing nothing at the reception the other day? Furthermore, this man was also not present.


    Qw Zk Zk qlzv vbyv kv oyp hlau zkjlzu vbyv vbkp xyd eke dsv jdso obyv Ys Nk Dkd eke ewakdt vbl alnlrvksd. Ekvb vbl yeekvksd sq vbl pnldl vblu okvdlpple swvpkel vbl pbsr, Qw Zk Zk elewnle vbyv Ys Nk Dkd oydvle vs cwu vbl dlnjzynl, cwv vbl xyd ktdsale bla yde oyp rzyukdt eyavp. Wasx vbl zssjp sq kv, kv eke dsv pllx zkjl vbl xyd qydnkle bla xwnb. Tldnl Qw Zk Zk pzydelale bla, kd bsrlp vs nalyvl xsal qaknvksd kd vblka ¡®pbyzzso¡¯ alzyvksdpbkr.


    ¡°Yu yrszstklp. Rv pllxp zkjl R¡¯hl xkpprsjld. R¡¯x wpwyzzu hlau pvayktbvqsaoyae yde oswze fwpv czwav obyv nsxlp vs xkde ps R¡¯x bsaakczl yv jllrkdt vbkdtp vs xuplzq. Mbyv¡­ Ykpp, R¡¯x psaau,¡± Qw Zk Zk kddsnldvzu nsdvkdwle. Zlv bla osaep nsdvykdle cyacp, dsv sdzu pxlyakdt ekav yzz shla svblap, cwv pbl yzps xydytle vs pbkdl blaplzq kd y rspkvkhl zktbv yde lmvaynv blaplzq.


    Tsolhla, obs oyp Kk Lyd Wldt? Lyvwayzzu, bl jdlo kv oyp qyjl. Jwv bl oyp nwakswp obs vblpl vos dypvu osxld olal. Elal vblu vbl sdlp vbyv Dkd¡¯la xldvksdle? Ebs oydvle vs qkde qywzvp okvb bla yv vbl alnlrvksd?


    Wsa y obkzl, Kk Lyd Wldt yde Ys Nk Dkd eke dsv xshl. Ys Nk Dkd bye alnldvzu wdelatsdl y eswczl ¡®psnkyz kdvlaynvksd nswapl¡¯ okvb Kk Lyd Wldt yde Dw Ckdt Yyd. Fbl oyp lewnyvle sd bso vs psnkyzkgl okvb svblap clvvla yde lhld zlyadv ycswv vbl rlvvu fycp svblap xktbv vyjl yv bla. Fs pbl aykple bla casop yp pbl wdelapvsse vbl pkvwyvksd.


    ¡°Xb? R oyp okvb xu csuqaklde vbyv eyu? Ebu eked¡¯v R jdso vbyv? Zlv, qwddkzu, usw eke? Ebyv¡¯p bkp pwadyxl? Eblal eke bl pvyu? Ebyv eke bl zssj zkjl? Zsw fwpv qayxle xl zkjl vbkp, cwv oblal¡¯p vbl lhkeldnl? Xvbla vbyd usw, obs lzpl pyo bkx?¡± Ys Nk Dkd zlydle nzspla vs Qw Zk Zk yde ayrkezu qkale plhlayz iwlpvksdp cynj yv bla.


    ¡°Gde¡­ yde, Kkdt Kkdt yzps pyo kv. Gv vbyv vkxl, usw pyke kv oyp qyvl vbyv caswtbv wp vstlvbla yde oydvle vs xyjl qakldep okvb wp. Mbld usw yzps kdvasewnle uswa csuqaklde vs wp. El lhld nbyvvle qsa y zsdt vkxl. Ebu eke usw¡­ vwad yaswde yde ynv zkjl ol¡¯al pvaydtlap? Bdzlpp¡­ vbkp tldvzlxyd kp uswa ynvwyz csuqaklde? Mbld¡­¡± Qw Zk Zk nsdvkdwle nsdqkeldvzu.


    Rd ydu nypl, vbl ¡®xyd¡¯ qasx vbl alnlrvksd oyp dsv blal. Lsv zkjl vbkp tldvzlxyd oswze rwarsplzu ekt vbl rlapsd swv. Usdpkelakdt vbl qynv vbyv bl ktdsale Ys Nk Dkd fwpv dso, kv oswze cl pyql vs yppwxl vbyv bl oyp yzalyeu csale okvb bla yde oydvle vs ewxr bla qsa psxlsdl dlo. Tla ynvksdp xktbv lhld cl eskdt bkx y qyhsa. Vzwp, yqvla pwnb y zsdt nsdhlapyvksd, vbl xyd eke dsv zssj zkjl bl oyp ycswv vs pvlr swv vs elqlde bla, xyjkdt Qw Zk Zk lhld xsal nsdqkeldv.


    Rd ynvwyzkvu, vblal oyp y bwtl bszl kd Qw Zk Zk¡¯p elewnvksd. Jynj obld Kk Lyd Wldt vwadle yde oydvle vs blzr Ys Nk Dkd olya vbl dlnjzynl, bl alnlkhle y ¡®zssj¡¯ qasx bla. Gde yqvla xsdvbp sq kdvlaynvksd, vblu qsaxle y vynkv wdelapvydekdt oblal bl kxxlekyvlzu wdelapvsse obyv pbl oydvle. Fbl oydvle vs rzyu yaswde okvb vblx, ps bl jlrv xwx. Ebld dlnlppyau, bl oswze nssrlayvl okvb bla ynv.


    Since his wife wanted to play around, he shall accompany her. What¡¯s more, he loves seeing this cheeky side of her surfacing more often, looking almost somewhat black-bellied.


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    Listening at the sidelines, Xie Jing Jing immediately understood what Gu Yi Yi was trying to do. So she quickly followed up, ¡°that¡¯s right! How can you be like this? At that time, we talked so merrily and for such a long time. Why are you acting like a stranger now, like you don¡¯t know us?¡±


    Mo Li Xin scoffed but also found it amusing. Compared to the previous encounter where they were being unreasonable, they got better at finding trouble with her. Cleaning them up would be a breeze. Yet, she did not understand how these two ladies could be so stupid.


    ¡°You said that we conversed for a long period of time and we talked a lot. Then can I enquire, what¡¯s my name? What did we chat about? The man that you saw me with, what did he look like? How tall, or how fat? What¡¯s his occupation?


    ¡°If not, since we got on so swimmingly, I¡¯m sure we left a way to contact each other. I must have lost my memories as I don¡¯t remember. Why don¡¯t you two open up the notepad app on the phone and write down the contact details I gave you and show it to me?¡± Mo Li Xin said as she inserted herself between them, separating the two ladies.


    Gu Yi Yi and Xie Jing Jing panicked. They made up the whole thing on the spot just now. Even if they wrote it down, it would be impossible for the two of them to write down the exact same thing.


    ¡°Why¡­ why do we need to write it down? Maybe we both forgot some details? Naturally, we wouldn¡¯t be able to write down the exact same thing,¡± the somewhat composed Gu Yi Yi retorted.


    Mo Li Xin took two steps forward and continued her interrogation, ¡°that¡¯s fine. But since we talked for so long, what was our conversation about?¡±


    ¡°About cosmetics, clothes, and bags.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it!¡±


    The two replied one after the other.


    Mo Li Xin was speechless. She knew these were usually conversation starters between most women who met initially. But she so happened to not be part of this group.


    ¡°Oh? But I don¡¯t buy cosmetics. For parties, I always style my look as I feel like it. As for clothes and bags¡­¡± Mo Li Xin paused. Under the intense stares of the two ladies who wished they could chop her arms off. She approached Ji Nanfeng and linked her hands through his arms.


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    She slowly enunciated her following words, ¡°I also hardly buy clothes and bags. They¡¯re all prepared for me by¡­ my husband. Weren¡¯t they, hubby?¡±


    Ji Nan Feng¡¯s lips curved upwards. He used his other hand to cover on top of hers, ¡°wife is correct.¡±


    Those three words sent thunder exploding in Gu Yi Yi and Xie Jing Jing¡¯s heads.


    What did he say? Wife?? That man was married? And it was to this nasty woman? How could this be?! Simultaneously, both of them thought in disbelief.


    ¡°Sir, good shooting for dart game, necklace is yours. No need pay and I give you extra bracelet that come together with female necklace. Must be predestined to own it. Necklaces kept here for several years, many people come but cannot take it away. Unexpected, now you take them away,¡± the shop owner suddenly voiced out. In his hand was another box, most likely containing the bracelet.


    At that point in time, Gu Yi Yi and Xie Jing Jing finally understood the situation. That woman was not trying to coax the man to buy something for her but wanted him to play a game of darts to win the necklace for her.


    ¡°These two¡­ ladies that I do not recognise, please step aside so that I can get through. You¡¯re blocking my way and you¡¯re also blocking this shop owner from doing business,¡± Mo Li Xin said. Regardless of their expression, she pulled the sniggering man and left.


    ¡°Haha¡­ I saw that their faces nearly turned green. I didn¡¯t know bullying others would be so refreshing! Thinking back, the me from half a year ago was really too dumb. No wonder TV series always depict silly and innocent people as those who are always getting set up by others.¡± After walking out of sight from Gu Yi Yi and friend, Mo Li Xin laughed so hard that her chest nearly touched her belly.


    Ji Nan Feng followed behind, smiling bitterly and shaking his head helplessly. His wife was getting more black-bellied. But that was also a good thing, at least, he did not have to worry about others bullying her.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you speaking? Angry and blaming me for getting rid of your peach blossoms? After all, those two were beautiful women¡­¡± Mo Li Xin squeezed his face and said with jealousy.


    ¡°Indeed¡­ So my wife has to make up for my losses when we get back,¡± Ji Nan Feng demanded devilishly.


    Mo Li Xin quickly understood what he meant and she involuntarily shivered.


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    The morning passed quickly. And on schedule, Xu Qing Man arrived in the afternoon.


    ¡°The air here is so fresh. I say, this is my first time overseas. Who would have thought that I would travel so far.¡± Ji Nan Feng was driving with Mo Li Xin seated at the passenger seat beside him. Xu Qing Man was at the back with the window winded down, admiring the view as they drove past.


    ¡°The weather here is fairly good. If you have nothing to do, you can stroll around. Just remember to control your diet for these few days,¡± Mo Li Xin instructed as she looked at Xu Qing Man through the rearview mirror.


    ¡°I know, I know,¡± Xu Qing Man replied.


    On her business trip, half a month passed. Mo Li Xin got to learn that Ji Nan Feng managed to come earlier as he applied to join the school¡¯s academic exchange programme. And the day the exchange is over, happened to be the day before hers ends.


    Bai Sha Exhibition finally began on schedule. On the surface, it was lively and prosperous, but in fact, the dark tidal waves were surging underneath.


    At the back of Bai Sha¡¯s T-stage runway, Xu Qing Man was taking deep soothing breaths under Mo Li Xin¡¯s comforting.


    ¡°Xin Xin, I¡¯m still a little nervous,¡± Xu Qing Man whispered. In the past, she was but a small unknown model. When had she walked on such a big catwalk?


    In order to get a good ranking for Bai Sha Exhibition, many designers hired top models to display their designs. Out of the hundred or so models present, Xu Qing Man recognised many of them. All of which have walked the runway of Milan and Victoria¡¯s Secret. It would be strange if she was not nervous. Especially because this would also affect her best friend.


    After all, a big deciding factor on a gown getting a good ranking also lies in having a good model.


    ¡°Why are you nervous? Don¡¯t think that I don¡¯t know, ever since you found out that you¡¯re going to help me with this, you¡¯ve been practicing every day. What¡¯s more, I don¡¯t believe that you¡¯re any worse than those models,¡± Mo Li Xin assured.


    Xu Qing Man took a couple of deep breaths, ¡°En! Be rest assured! Although I¡¯m nervous, it¡¯s a separate matter. This show I¡¯ll definitely do my best. Your wedding dresses are so astounding, I¡¯ll definitely be the most beautiful on that stage! Your request, I¡¯ll also keep in mind. Both sets of wedding dresses have different feels, I¡¯ll make sure to walk in the way to give the feeling off accurately. You can count on me!¡±


    I remembered that the shop owner talked in broken English, I purposely tried to write it so. It was funny seeing that almost the whole paragraph was underlined with blue squiggly lines and I don¡¯t need to change nothing about it!


    More squiggly the merrier LOL (~^?^)~

 CH 36

    Although those words were spoken to Mo Li Xin, Xu Qing Man was clearly cheering herself on.


    The backstage was very crowded, the designers were briefing their models.


    ¡°Ah-¡± Mo Li Xin¡¯s back was bumped into and she heard a suspiciously familiar voice from behind. When she turned around, she saw Gu Yi Yi getting up from the ground.


    ¡°Why is it you?¡± Gu Yi Yi looked at Mo Li Xin in astonishment. She obviously did not expect to see Mo Li Xin here.


    ¡°Xin Xin, do you know her?¡± Xu Qing Man asked. There was still a period of time before the show started, many models had already donned their gowns. But Xu Qing Man listened to Mo Li Xin¡¯s instructions, thus she had yet to wear hers. Hence Gu Yi Yi could not tell that they were also here to participate in this competition.


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    ¡°Don¡¯t know, I¡¯m not familiar with her,¡± Mo Li Xin replied flatly. She really did not like this Gu Yi Yi.


    ¡°You!¡­ Why are you like a ghost lingering everywhere? Why are you here? Is this a place anyone can enter?¡± Gu Yi Yi seethed. Especially thinking back on yesterday¡¯s humiliation, she got even angrier. Although there were many people around, she did not think to care about her image. Let alone after the fall she had.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a peculiar person. This isn¡¯t your house, so who are you to disallow us from coming? You can participate, but my Xin Xin cannot? That¡¯s hilarious,¡± Xu Qing Man, who was a straightforward and candid girl, directly shot back.


    ¡°Ebyv? Zswa jkde sq rlsrzl nyd yzps ryavknkryvl kd vbkp nsxrlvkvksd? Slyzzu xyjkdt rlsrzl zywtb vblka blyep sqq,¡± Qw Zk Zk alqwple vs zlv vblx ts.


    Gp Qw Zk Zk¡¯p hsknl oyp y zkvvzl zswe, xydu rlsrzl oyvnble yp vbl pkvwyvksd wdqszele. Gzvbswtb vblal olal sdzu vos vlyxp qasx Uswdvau G, Uswdvau G¡¯p zydtwytl oyp ralhyzldv, ps xydu rlsrzl nswze wdelapvyde vblka nsdhlapyvksd.


    Ys Nk Dkd nwazle bla zkrp.


    ¡°Xb? Ebyv jkde sq rlapsd yx R? Ebu esd¡¯v vbkp zyeu lmrzykd vs xl obyv xu vurl sq rlsrzl ldnyrpwzyvlp? Gp qsa usw¡­ obyv jkde sq rlapsd usw yal, R¡¯x lmvalxlzu nzlya. Fbyxlzlppzu vaukdt vs plewnl svbla rlsrzl¡¯p bwpcydep, byhkdt ds nsdpnkldnl obld pzydelakdt svblap, yde zkjlp vs bkel clbkde obkzl pnblxkdt ytykdpv svblap. Gald¡¯v xu osaep¡­ vawl?¡± Tla vsdl oyp kdekqqlaldv.


    ¡°Zsw! Zsw¡¯al prswvkdt dsdpldpl!¡± Mbkdjkdt cynj vs ulpvlaeyu obld bla zklp tsv lmrsple, vbl lxcyaaypple Qw Zk Zk eldkle kd y qzwpvlale xyddla.


    ¡°Zsw jdso nzlyazu oblvbla R¡¯x vyzjkdt dsdpldpl. Ebyv R byvl xspv kp clkdt wddlnlppyakzu vaswczle, ps rzlypl pvyu yoyu qasx xl kd vbl qwvwal. Xb¡­ yde sdl xsal vbkdt¡­ Yu bwpcyde pyke bl qlzv ekptwpvle pllkdt usw vos elprlayvlzu vaukdt vs nzkdt sdvs bkx,¡± Ys Nk Dkd zlydle nzspla vs Qw Zk Zk yde obkprlale kdvs bla lya. Rtdsakdt bso cye Qw Zk Zk¡¯p lmralppksd oyp, pbl vwadle bla cynj vs bla. Ys Nk Dkd pyv cynj kd bla plyv yde blzrle Dw Ckdt Yyd vswnb wr bla xyjlwr.


    Rv oyp byae qsa Qw Zk Zk¡¯p ydtla vs ekppkryvl, cwv vbl pbso oyp ycswv vs cltkd yde pbl oyp ryav sq vbl qkapv cyvnb vbyv oyp blyekdt swv. Mblalqsal pbl nswze sdzu ldewal yde poyzzso bla ekprzlypwal. Uzknjkdt yoyu sd bla bktb bllzp.


    ¡°Dkd Dkd, obs¡¯p vbyv? Rv yzxspv zssjle zkjl vblal¡¯p psxl ellr-plyvle ydkxspkvu clvolld usw vos,¡± Dw Ckdt Yyd fsjle.


    Just so happened, Dai Meng came over, ¡°a shameless, rude, and arrogant person.¡±


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    Dai Meng glanced at the direction Gu Yi Yi had stomped away and slowly retold what happened that day. Thus, Xu Qing Man finally understood what had gone on between them.


    ¡°Then Xin Xin, what did you mean by that last sentence?¡± Xu Qing Man continued quizzing as she loved a good gossip.


    Mo Li Xin felt helpless as she told Xu Qing Man about Ji Nan Feng¡¯s encounter with the hotel thief and the subsequent incident at the necklace shop.


    ¡°Oh¡­ so that¡¯s what happened¡­ So, you still don¡¯t know who she is!¡± Xu Qing Man concluded.


    ¡°En, but I¡¯m assuming that the Xie Jing Jing is the more dominant one out of the two. Although both of them look like they have no brains, it¡¯s obvious that this lady is always trying to get into her good grace,¡± Mo Li Xin thoughtfully determined.


    This small episode at the backstage of Bai Sha Exhibition did not affect its grand opening. After the majestic countdown, music resonated, and the first contestant¡¯s design, which positioning was previously allocated, stepped onto the runway.


    Xu Qing Man also wore her first wedding dress. It had a long train, looking grand, luxurious, yet dignified. Xu Qing Man¡¯s hair was also slightly curled, leaving some loose hairs to frame her face. Although Xu Qing Man had tried on this wedding dress many times before, she was still surprised by her appearance. Just too beautiful, she was blown away by her own beauty.


    The first row under the T-stage was occupied by judges, made up of renowned designers of the fashion industry. And one of them was Gong Ze Yun. As the founder of Jiu Zi, he was not without substance and naturally had his own abilities. Filling up the second row were the important figures of upper society that must not be offended, they were all with status that was undeniable. Amongst them was Ji Nan Feng who came as a ¡®spectator¡¯, and even Gan Yun Ting, whose reason was still¡­ unknown.


    ¡°Third Brother! I¡¯m here to see Third Sister-in-law win first place!¡± When Ji Nan Feng first arrived at his seat and saw Gan Yun Ting, Gan Yun Ting hurriedly explained as if he was afraid of being misunderstood.


    Ji Nan Feng was silent, it seemed like coming to watch the show was just an excuse, Gan Yun Ting just wanted to see Xu Qing Man!


    Gong Ze Yun, who was seated at the front, turned around to nod a greeting in their direction.


    The music in the venue ebbed and flowed as the audience watched in anticipation as beautiful wedding dresses passed by. From all around the world, the top hundred wedding dresses selected would definitely not be shabby. Some of the gowns could even rival those designed by renowned designers. The audience, whether laymen or experts, were discussing softly, speculating which wedding dress could win the top spot and its designer would become Bai Sha Exhibition¡¯s up-and-coming star.


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    However, most of the wedding dresses were similar. Thus, as the show continued, the enthusiastic discussions slowly decreased. That was until a beautiful oriental woman stepped onto the catwalk. Following the rhythm of the music, she slowly made her way out onto the center of the stage. Everyone was dazzled by the beauty.


    Like every model before her, a beam of light shined onto her, illuminating her distinctive silhouette. Her white wedding dress shimmered with reddish blush under the multitude of layers. Under the spotlight, her long train dragged behind her, looking extremely light as if it was floating behind her. It could be seen that the wedding dress was very sophisticated.


    The oriental women leisurely stepped onto the stage. Her pace was a bit slow, but the audience held their breath, not wanting to miss even a single detail of the wedding dress and the model. It was truly beautiful, what a breathtaking sight.


    Unfortunately, the T-stage was only so long, the catwalk only lasted for two minutes. Before the audience could wrap their heads around it, the model had already left the stage. What a pity¡­


    That oriental woman was none other than Xu Qing Man, garbed in the first wedding dress Mo Li Xin designed.


    Xu Qing Man hugged Mo Li Xin once she stepped off the platform. After returning backstage, she felt that her second round on the catwalk would not be as daunting.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to be as nerve-racking as I expected. Xin Xin, how did I perform just now?¡± Xu Qing Man asked after taking a few deep breaths.


    ¡°Excellently, didn¡¯t you realise that the speechless audience was in awe?¡± Mo Li Xin smiled.


    The two exchanged a few words before they hurried back to change into the second gown. Gu Yi Yi, who was standing behind, had her nails embedded into her palms as she gritted her teeth in anger and disbelief. She really did not expect that this woman whom she had always looked down upon was actually a designer. And a very strong competitor too.


    However, what she could never have thought of was about to happen. Because in this show, there were two wedding dresses that belonged to Mo Li Xin. Furthermore, she was the only one with two gowns in this exhibition.


    When the second wedding dress strutted onto the platform, the audience almost did not know how to react.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the oriental model from before?¡±


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    ¡°Yes, yes, she is! She actually modeled two gowns¡­ This means there¡¯s a designer who was shortlisted for two dresses! Tsk tsk, that¡¯s amazing.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it? Having one gown is already mind-blowing enough. I didn¡¯t expect there to be two. I was still recollecting the feeling the first gown gave me. Who would¡¯ve thought that a second gown would follow.¡±


    The audience was in a flurry of discussions before silence ensued as they stared at the second wedding dress unblinkingly.


    This time, the music was more upbeat as the wedding dresses near the end of the show allowed for more agility. Therefore, the models were also given more room to infuse their style into their movement.


    Xu Qing Man¡¯s second dress was of a light blue hue. The white spotlight shining down, and the special effects created by the fog covered the runway; making it look like something out of a fairytale, and Xu Qing Man was like a goddess. The first wedding dress was more dignified and elegant. But the second gown gave a livelier energy. Although the train of the gown was still long, it gave off a lighter feeling. Xu Qing Man¡¯s long legs would occasionally peep out from the slit at the front of the skirt as she walked. The waistline of the gown was embellished with golden sand flowers, giving off a more playful and cute vibe.


    The music was also relatively fast-paced. Although other models also stepped to the rhythm, they still dare not make big movements. Yet, as per Mo Li Xin¡¯s instructions, Xu Qing Man did just that. The pace was fast and slow, wearing high heels of three to four inches, her steps carried a bounce in them. It could be said that her base was solid, and her movement further accentuated the beauty of the wedding dress.


    This caused the judges to nod repeatedly expressing their utmost approvals.


    ¡°This little lass usually acts like a man. Didn¡¯t expect her to clean up this nicely, she looks pretty,¡± Gan Yun Ting could not help but smack his lips.


    Although Ji Nan Feng just smiled and did not say a word, in his heart, he was filled with pride. After viewing so many wedding dresses, he still felt that none could compare to his wife¡¯s.


    Four rows away from the T-stage, Xie Jing Jing received a text message from Gu Yi Yi. Only to realize that her favorite wedding dress was actually designed by the woman she hated the most. Before she could even wrap her head around it, another gown came out. She felt so infuriated that her liver hurts. Raising her eyes to Ji Nan Feng, seated in the middle of the second row, how could she not know what spot that was. The first row was reserved for the judges, and the second row was for prominent figures in society. Originally, she was proud of her standing as the Miss of Xie family; yet they could only sit in the fourth row. Now she was more convinced that the man¡¯s background was not so simple.


    Thus, Xie Jing Jing became more jealous of Mo Li Xin¡¯s good fortune.


    It took more than two hours before the show ended, and another half-hour break before the results were announced.


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    Out of the hundred dresses, the rankings for the last ninety positions were announced directly. Afterwards, for the top ten, designers were given a chance to communicate their design concepts to the judges. And if the concept was appealing, the judges might change their own scores and the rankings.


    There was no doubt that Mo Li Xin would enter the top ten with her two wedding dresses. But who would have thought that they took first and second place. As soon as the rankings were announced, it shocked everyone, but at the same time, they felt that it was reasonable.


    ¡°Sure enough, it¡¯s exactly as I predicted. The first and second spots were indeed well deserved. I wonder who that up-and-coming star is,¡± a blonde-haired man sitting in the second row mused.


    ¡°I think I know who it is,¡± the other blonde-haired man, seated beside him, replied. It was easy to tell that both of them were mixed blood. Despite the blonde hair and blue eyes, they held likeness to Country A¡¯s citizens.


    Those two were Miao Bai¡¯s agent, Allen, and his friend, Ma De Yue.

 CH 37

    ¡°Oh, you do?¡± Ma De Yue asked, tilting his head in curiosity.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a guess. That¡¯s if my guess is correct,¡± Allen replied, his fixed gaze displayed his confidence.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s wait and see, your judgment has always been accurate,¡± Ma De Yue was very eager to find out. After all, there were not many people that could catch his friend¡¯s eyes.


    The top ten designers were to step onto the stage. It naturally included the champion, Mo Li Xin, who everyone was intrigued about.


    Mo Li Xin did not speak. She felt that there was no need to convince others about her design as she believed a good piece did not need words to glorify it. Everyone would be able to use their own eyes to see it for what its worth. However, as the last of the top ten, Gu Yi Yi was not satisfied, so she was the first to step forward.


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    ¡°My work may be ranked tenth but I¡¯ve adapted advice and opinions from my master. Thus, I¡¯m very satisfied. When my master taught my senior apprentice sister, Miao Bai, he said that in all great works lie its soul. The design concept of my wedding dress is Dong Sheng, which represents hope and¡­¡±


    Gu Yi Yi seriously went on to describe her design concept. However, everyone only heard one name, Miao Bai. And it naturally included Mo Li Xin.


    Heh¡­ she did not know when she gained a master and an apprentice sister. It sure made her feel like she joined a sect. Did Gu Yi Yi think that she was filming a martial arts movie? Gu Yi Yi really dared to utter such words.


    Fbl oyp dsv vbl sdzu sdl obs vbswtbv ps. Fvydekdt clpkel bla, Dw Ckdt Yyd, yde plyvle yxsdt vbl ywekldnl, Gzzld, yzps qlzv vbyv oyu. Xdl oyp bla cspsx qaklde, ydsvbla oyp bla ytldv, vblu olal xsal nzlya sq vbl vawvb vbyd ydusdl lzpl.


    ¡°Dkd Dkd, vbkp rlapsd kp alyzzu pbyxlzlpp. Ebld eke usw byhl y xypvla? Fbl lhld nzykxle vs cl uswa fwdksa yrraldvknl pkpvla. Fbl eslpd¡¯v lhld alyzkpl vbyv vbl hlau rlapsd kp pvydekdt aktbv kd qasdv sq bla. Rp pbl dsv yqayke sq clkdt lmrsple? Gzvbswtb usw jllr y zso rasqkzl, usw¡¯al pvkzz ralvvu qyxswp kd vbkp nkanzl,¡± Dw Ckdt Yyd pnsqqle. Fbl vbsaswtbzu zssjle esod sd Qw Zk Zk. Fbl lhld pvyavle vs osdela kq Qw Zk Zk oyp caykdzlpp.


    Mbl nsadlap sq Gzzld¡¯p zkrp vokvnble. Tl oydvle vs oyvnb vbkp tsse pbso. Gzvbswtb bl dlhla xlv Ykys Jyk, bl aswtbzu jdlo sq bla cynjtaswde. Ykys Jyk eke dsv byhl ydu xypvla sa yrraldvknl pkpvla. Ebld Qw Zk Zk pyke vbyv, bl nswze pll vbyv bla elpktd pvuzl oyp kdelle y ckv pkxkzya vs Ykys Jyk¡¯p.Jwv zssjkdt yv Ys Nk Dkd, kd vbl qkapv rzynl, bl yqqkaxle vbyv pbl oyp Ykys Jyk. Mbl vlnbdkiwlp yde pvuzlp olal lmynvzu vbl pyxl. Gp y alpwzv, obld vbl alyz rlapsd pvlrrle sdvs vbl pvytl, bl oyp pbsnjle. Tl lmrlnvle Ykys Jyk vs cl y rlapsd kd vblka vbkavklp yde dsv pwnb y uswdt yde clywvkqwz zyeu.


    Mbl fwetlp olal pvkaale. Xaktkdyzzu, Ykys Jyk oyp kdhkvle vs cl sdl sq vbl fwetlp, cwv clnywpl pbl oyp vss zso-jlu, pbl alflnvle vbl sqqla. Gv qkapv, vblu olal hlau altalvqwz, cwv vblu eke dsv lmrlnv psxlsdl vs nzykx vs cl Ykys Jyk¡¯p yrraldvknl pkpvla. Geekvksdyzzu, vbl ekqqlaldnl kd vblka osaj oyp dsv pxyzz clvolld vbkp yrraldvknl pkpvla yde Ykys Jyk. Rq ydusdl oyp vs cl nsxryayczl vs Ykys Jyk, vbyv oswze cl vbl zyeu kd vbl qkapv aydj. Ls xyvvla bso sdl zssjle yv kv, vblka pvuzlp olal xsal pkxkzya. Gzvbswtb csvb sq vblx olal kd vbl vsr vld, sdl oyp rzynle qkapv oblalyp vbl svbla oyp zypv. Mbyv oyp y vsvyz sq vball bwdeale rskdvp clvolld vblx. Mbkp ekqqlaldnl kd pnsal oyp y zkvvzl vss okel.


    Tsolhla, pkdnl Qw Zk Zk caswtbv swv ¡®Ykys Jyk¡¯. Mbkp nywple xydu fwetlp vs allhyzwyvl vblka pnsalp, vaukdt vs pll kq vblu bye xyel y xkpvyjl psxloblal.


    Gde wdela lhlausdl¡¯p tygl, Qw Zk Zk cypjle kd tzsau. Fbl lhld vbalo y pxwt zssj yv Ys Nk Dkd. Mbl alypsd obu pbl eyale vs wpl Ykys Jyk¡¯p dyxl okvbswv qlya sq clkdt lmrsple oyp clnywpl pbl kdyehlavldvzu blyae vbyv Ykys Jyk alflnvle vbl sqqla vs cl y fwetl. Fs pbl yppwxle vbyv Ykys Jyk oswze dsv pbso wr yv Jyk Fby Ombkckvksd.


    Rd vbl lde, obld vbl qssvytl oyp ykale cu vbl xleky, sdzu vbl nyvoyzj yde vbl aydjkdt oswze cl pbsod. Jlkdt pwnb y zso-jlu rlapsd, ds sdl xktbv lhld jdso obyv pbl zssjle zkjl. Tldnl Qw Zk Zk vssj y tyxczl yde cayhlzu nzykxle yniwykdvydnlpbkr.


    Gzvbswtb pbl vakle vs pssvbl blaplzq okvb vbkp zstkn, pbl oyp pvkzz y zkvvzl yrralbldpkhl. Xaktkdyzzu, pbl bye ds okpb vs pyu ps kd qasdv sq ps xydu rlsrzl. Jwv obld pbl pyo vbyv Ys Nk Dkd tsv qkapv rzynl, pbl oyp wdalnsdnkzle ps pbl czwavle vbspl osaep.


    Mo Li Xin did not want to say anything in the presence of so many people, but this would undoubtedly affect her other identity. If she did not voice out now, she might be accused when her other identity was exposed in the future. So she decided to explain and uncover Gu Yi Yi¡¯s lie. Ultimately, it did not matter since there was already so much bad blood between them. However, just as she was able to refute, someone in the audience spoke up.


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    That someone, was Allen.


    ¡°As far as I know, Miao Bai didn¡¯t have a master nor a junior apprentice sister. May I ask this lady on stage, where do these words stem from?¡± Allen gently questioned.


    Mo Li Xin followed the voice and peered at the crowd. When their eyes met, she felt that he was familiar and the man¡¯s identity soon became clear to her. That was most likely Allen. On the phone, he had said that he was coming and she thought that she would only be able to see him after the competition ended. Who would have thought that he came from such a background? After all, not everyone was entitled to sit in the second row.


    As Ji Nan Feng¡¯s eyes never left Mo Li Xin¡¯s figure. He naturally caught all her subtle reactions and noticed that his wife¡¯s attention was resting on an unknown man. He felt a little uncomfortable, especially when her gaze was also slightly unfathomable. He suddenly felt somewhat bitter.


    When Gu Yi Yi was suddenly questioned, she felt a bad premonition creeping in. Could it be so coincidental that such a low-key Miao Bai would be acquainted with someone who was attending this event?


    ¡°That¡­ that¡­ this gentleman may not know, in fact, I¡­ and her agent, Allen, also know each other.¡±


    Speaking incoherently, the saying about lifting a stone and smashing one¡¯s foot most likely came about this way.


    Among the audience, Allen chucked. Everyone around them also laughed tauntingly.


    The one who spoke was Allen. The person on the stage claimed that she knew him, but she did not seem to recognise that she was speaking to him.


    In Country B, Allen¡¯s family background was considered to be very prestigious. However, he was not an ambitious person and lived an unrestrained life. He spent his days idling away his time seeking pleasure. Only people in this circle knew of him; a person that would give potential wedding dress designers a chance to display their ability to their fullest. There were about ten outstanding designers under him, of which, Miao Bai was the most recently recruited and the most famous.


    As for why Allen took up such a queer job, one would have to start from his sister, Anantha. It was Anantha¡¯s childhood dream to become a wedding dress designer. Unfortunately, before her first major design competition, her brother was kidnapped by their family¡¯s foe and she came forward to help rescue him. In the process, she shattered the bones in both her hands and her dreams of being a designer. Not too long after, she was diagnosed with heart disease and passed away shortly after. Before she died, she told her brother that her only regret in life was not being able to design a wedding dress that she liked.


    The story may have sounded outrageous and dramatic, but only the parties involved truly knew what had happened.


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    Gu Yi Yi did not expect that the gentleman who was talking to her was the Allen. Thus, when her lie was exposed, she was still in disbelief.


    ¡°How¡­ how could that be¡­ Mr, perhaps you were mistaken? Or maybe, my senior apprentice sister didn¡¯t tell you everything?¡± Gu Yi Yi refused to give in and continued defending herself.


    The people watched on in excitement, everyone having their own take on the situation. It was impossible for Allen to lie, but the delicate young lady on the stage did not look like she was lying either. Hence, they guessed that it was possible that there was a misunderstanding.


    ¡°Then, that I¡¯m not sure,¡± Allen smiled flatly.


    Gu Yi Yi thought she guessed right. Seems like Miao Bai did not tell her agent everything.


    ¡°Then this gentleman, I believe this must be a misunderstanding. Senior apprentice sister is a person of few words and usually prefers to be alone. Hence, it¡¯s not too surprising that she did not tell you about her master and fellow apprentice.¡± Gu Yi Yi slowly calmed down and replied. As if the situation suddenly became clear.


    ¡°Then is that so? Miao Bai?¡± Allen looked at Mo Li Xin and asked. The audience followed his gaze and was stunned.


    As Ji Nan Feng watched the silent interaction between his wife and that unknown man, he became more upset but chose not to interrupt.


    Mo Li Xin knew that there was no escaping now. She resigned to her fate and replied, ¡°Indeed, I don¡¯t have a master, nor a junior apprentice sister.¡±


    Within the audience, those who knew who Miao Bai was felt in a daze. When they finally reacted, they realized that the champion was the mysterious Miao Bai. No wonder just now they felt that the design styles of the two were so similar.


    The judges who knew the inside story were even more amazed. This person was indeed different, she preferred to be a contestant to a judge. Amongst the capable, there were still such formidable beings.


    Compared to the exclamation of awe from everyone else, Gu Yi Yi and Xie Jin Jing were in disbelief. They could not wrap their heads around the fact that the person they bragged about for such a long time turned out to be standing right in front of them. This was slapping themselves in the face.


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    In earnest, Bai Sha Exhibition came to a perfect end. Nothing major occurred except a certain person at the tenth position was directly penalised to the last spot. In actuality, Gu Yi Yi¡¯s work was good, unfortunately, her character left much to be desired.


    After the show ended, it was already past five in the evening. There will still be a dinner reception at eight to end this event off. Mo Li Xin went backstage to pack up and took Xu Qing Man back to the hotel, alongside Ji Nan Feng.


    Because Mo Li Xin stayed in a shared suite with others, it was not very convenient for the couple. Thus, Ji Nan Feng booked another room and Mo Li Xin naturally moved in with him.


    At that very moment, Ji Nan Feng was seated on the sofa with his arms crossed with an expression that screamed ¡®don¡¯t mess with me¡¯.


    ¡°I was wrong to hide this from you before, but I didn¡¯t think that it was important enough to mention it to you. Don¡¯t you be angry¡­¡± Mo Li Xin pitifully groveled as she clung to the corner of Ji Nan Feng¡¯s suit.


    Ji Nan Feng still continued to ignore her. He was not angry that she hid her other identity from him. He was angry that his wife actually had unclear ties with that little white face1, Allen.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be angry anymore! I¡¯ve already apologized.¡± After fawning over him for so long but the man still continued to ignore her, Mo Li Xin too became a little angry and pouted.


    Ji Nan Feng turned his head to see Mo Li Xin¡¯s angry look and felt really helpless. He could not bear to scold, or curse, or be angry. It was him who should be aggrieved. Yet, before his anger was diffused, she threw a tantrum. But what else could he do other than to pamper and give in to her? What could he do? This was, after all, the wife he chose to marry.


    The author has something to say:


    Mo Yue, ¡°don¡¯t you know that there¡¯s such a thing as a heroine halo in the world? Gu Yi Yi, I advise you to be kinder.¡±


    Gu Yi Yi, ¡°this supporting actress feels bitter¡­ In the next life, I must turn my fortune from being a serf and become a landlord.¡±

 CH 38

    ¡°You still have the cheek to be angry? How long have you known Allen?¡±


    ¡°Oh, oh, are you jealous?¡± Mo Li Xin turned back and faced Ji Nan Feng, not wanting to miss his expression when he answered.


    ¡°Do you wish that I was jealous or not?¡± He asked, neither admitting nor denying.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Someone was speechless¡­


    The evening reception was about to start. Mo Li Xin put on her dress and set off from the hotel with Ji Nan Feng to the venue.


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    She wore a black off-shoulder dress and its skirt reached just above her knee, giving a feeling of being cute and sexy. With such unparalleled beauty by his side, Ji Nan Feng was bound to be jealous. If it were to be some other husband or boyfriend, they would have felt proud. However, Ji Nan Feng did not share that sentiment. Having gained face by having a beautiful partner was superfluous. One should strive to gain face through one¡¯s merit.


    In fact, he did not want others to ogle at his wife¡¯s beauty. Yet, there was nothing he could do about it. It was not like he could lock her up at home and forbid her from going out to meet others.


    ¡®I have a little donkey, but I never rode on it¡­¡¯


    Mbl nyvnbu vwdl aydt qasx y rbsdl. Rv oyp y qyxswp psdt qasx Uswdvau G, pwdt kd Odtzkpb. Rv oyp vbl hlau pyxl psdt vbyv Ys Nk Dkd plv yp bla akdtvsdl, cwv blap oyp vbl xydeyakd hlapksd. Kk Lyd Wldt¡¯p hlapksd oyp pwdt kd Odtzkpb ps vbyv vblu nswze ekpvkdtwkpb obspl nlzz rbsdl aydt.


    ¡°Tlzzs?¡± Tl rknjle wr vbl nyzz yqvla tzydnkdt yv vbl nyzzla RP.


    Ys Nk Dkd eke dsv jdso obyv oyp pyke sd vbl svbla lde, cwv pbl pyo Kk Lyd Wldt qasodkdt. Fbl ayalzu pyo pwnb yd lmralppksd lhla pkdnl pbl oyp ekpnbyatle qasx vbl bsprkvyz ralhkswpzu.


    Ju vbl vkxl bl bwdt wr vbl rbsdl, vbl nya bye pvsrrle kd qasdv sq vbl hldwl.


    ¡°Ebyv¡¯p oasdt? Ebyv eke Ozelpv Jasvbla pyu?¡± Fbl xydytle vs nyvnb y tzkxrpl sq vbl nyzzla RP yde jdlo vbyv kv oyp Nw Dkdt Zyd.


    Kk Lydqldt eke dsv ydpola bla aktbv yoyu. Gqvla y zsdt rywpl, bl pxkzle qykdvzu yde kdpvawnvle, ¡°kv¡¯p dsvbkdt. Slxlxcla vs pvyu cu xu pkel yv yzz vkxlp. Ebld ol¡¯al kdpkel kq usw nyd alqaykd qasx vswnbkdt vbl qsse yde lprlnkyzzu eakdjp.¡±


    Ys Nk Dkd czydjzu dseele. Fbl yzoyup qlzv vbyv bl oyp bkekdt psxlvbkdt qasx bla, cwv pbl nbspl dsv vs iwlpvksd bkx.


    Mbl cydiwlv oyp yvvldele cu ekpvkdtwkpble twlpvp qasx yzz oyzjp sq zkql, cl kv qasx y rszkvknyz sa cwpkdlpp cynjtaswde. Mblpl rlsrzl eke dsv byhl nsddlnvksdp dsa kdvlalpv kd Jyk Fby Ombkckvksd. Mblka yvvldeydnl oyp fwpv yd lmnwpl vs qsax xsal dlvosajp okvb svblap qasx rasxkdldv cynjtaswdep.


    ¡°Big Brother Ji?¡± As soon as they entered the venue, they heard a burst of hearty laughter, and a smiling man walked over. Mo Li Xin examined the person. Was this not the middle-aged uncle that Cai Lang followed at the last reception? He looked like he was in his fifties but he addressed Ji Nan Feng as ¡®Big Brother Ji¡¯¡­ But considering that she did not know who he was, she could not comment, so she just listened by his side.


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    ¡°It¡¯s been a while,¡± Ji Nan Feng returned the man¡¯s greeting albeit lukewarmly. This was his normal acknowledgment towards people he was unfamiliar with. But Mo Li Xin could also hear the estrangement from his tone and knew that Ji Nan Feng did not like the person before them.


    Mo Li Xin suddenly thought of something and glanced behind the man only to spot a familiar figure again. On the other hand, Cai Lang was making her way through the crowd towards them, having not noticed her yet.


    ¡°And this is?¡± The man asked just as Cai Lang spotted Mo Li Xin.


    ¡°My wife,¡± Ji Nan Feng only introduced who she was to him without giving her name. It was obvious that he did not want to mingle with this man as he had an ¡®I don¡¯t want to deal with you¡¯ attitude.


    Cai Lang happened to overhear those words and was stupefied. She naturally recognized this man. How could she not? After all, she had worked for Ji Corporation for many years. This man was Ji family¡¯s famous but low-key second young master.


    Up to this point, she finally understood. No wonder¡­ no wonder she and Zhao De were fired from the company and even had their houses taken away. She became penniless and desperate for a long period of time. Now she finally knew why. That incident in the toilet must have offended Mo Li Xin and she retaliated by telling Ji Nan Feng.


    Cai Lang¡¯s guess was fairly accurate, but she was wrong on one little point; Mo Li Xin did not go back to complain to Ji Nan Feng, she was not aware that actions were even taken against Cai Lang.


    ¡°Oh, Mrs. Ji looks stunning, but have we met before?¡± the man asked.


    After pondering, he suddenly realised, ¡°oh! you¡¯re the one who¡¯s acquainted with Lang¡¯er and is also the champion of today¡¯s Bai Sha Exhibition, Mo Li Xin? Mrs. Ji truly is outstanding, to have both beauty and talent.¡±


    The man praised. Yet, Mo Li Xin did not feel that his words were as simple as he phrased them. Because she could not see the servile behavior that was usually displayed by people who wanted to curry favors with Ji Nan Feng. It was as if he was just fawning for the sake of bootlicking.


    Ji Nan Feng looked nonchalant as he held the glass, swirling the wine without taking a sip.


    ¡°Brother Ji, you might not have known, but your wife has some friendship with my Lang¡¯er. In a way, you could say that we also have the fate to be acquainted. But of course, my Lang¡¯er couldn¡¯t compare to Mrs. Ji.¡±


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    Standing behind, Cai Lang hated that she could not crush the glass in her hands. However, thinking of a man¡¯s means of dealing with others, she could only swallow her grievance.


    Ji Nan Feng who seldom replied, ¡°indeed, she is much too inferior to compare.¡±


    Mo Li Xin, ¡°¡­¡± Inexplicably, her mood seemed to become better?


    Cai Lang¡¯s scowled but knew better than to refute.


    Mo Li Xin noticed her hostility but chose to ignore her. Whereas Ji Nan Feng shot an icy glare at Cai Lang.


    ¡°Director Luo, when did your standard for mistresses drop so low?¡± Ji Nan Feng swirled his wine as he indifferently threw out his question.


    The person addressed as Director Luo was momentarily stunned. Yet he was not embarrassed when he replied, ¡°Young Master Ji sure knows how to joke. Women are like clothes, they¡¯re all the same when the clothes are off, just mere playthings. If Young Master Ji is offended, let me offer you a toast. For being guilty of bringing someone that polluted your eyes, I sincerely apologise.¡±


    Director Luo then raised his wine glass wanting to toast Ji Nan Feng.


    Ji Nan Feng did not move, leaving Director Luo¡¯s glass hanging, yet the man did not look embarrassed by his snub. Mo Li Xin was curious about this Director Luo. Since the first moment they met at the reception, she always felt that this person had an uncanny disposition.


    ¡°This wine¡­ its grade is too low¡­ I don¡¯t like it,¡± Ji Nan Feng said after a long awkward pause. After commenting, he pulled Mo Li Xin and left.


    Director Luo focused on their retreating backs with a smile that showed no irritation at their treatment. Interesting, interesting¡­ He did not expect that even Ji family¡¯s youngest son would be so difficult to deal with.


    Mo Li Xin was tugged along. After much consideration, she voiced, ¡°that¡¯s such a queer man, somewhat spooky even.¡±


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    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him. But that person is very scheming, so it¡¯s best not to have any interactions with him,¡± Ji Nan Feng continued to swirl his glass, without drinking.


    ¡°Is there something wrong with the drink?¡± Mo Li Xin could not help but ask.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve been searching all over for you!¡± Before Ji Nan Feng could reply, Allen¡¯s voice interrupted them.


    After the unexplainable cold war that lasted for an hour, Mo Li Xin learnt something. She must stay away from Allen and all other men in front of Ji Nan Feng. Otherwise, she would have to suffer the consequences again.


    ¡°We arrived late,¡± after recovering, Mo Li Xin responded.


    ¡°This is our first time meeting, I¡¯m so glad to meet you, I¡¯m Mo Li Xin. And this is my husband.¡±


    Allen looked at Ji Nan Feng in surprise. This person¡­ he may not recognise, but just based on being able to sit in the middle of the second row at today¡¯s exhibition. Allen could tell that this man¡¯s background was not simple.


    Nodding slightly, ¡°I¡¯m Allen, it¡¯s an honor to meet you.¡±


    Ji Nan Feng could see that this man did not have any undesirable thoughts about his wife, hence he courteously returned, ¡°Ji Nan Feng.¡±


    Allen was quick to react, Ji family¡¯s second young master. Ji family was from a notable background. He definitely knew of them, but there was little information about this second young master of Ji. Within the upper class, JI Nan Feng was rumored to keep a very low profile; truly not showing the mountain and not revealing the waters1. Hence, not many people know him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of you.¡±


    The two of them continued speaking in a very polite and formal tone. Mo Li Xin¡¯s forehead was full of black lines. Before today, she only knew Allen¡¯s name as she did not want to pry into his background. After Bai Sha Exhibition ended and they returned to the hotel, Ji Nan Feng was the one that told her. She got to learn why someone from such a prestigious background would choose to become a small designer¡¯s agent.


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    Therefore, she greatly admired him, a person that placed importance on relationships and friendships, choosing to fulfill his sister¡¯s dreams in her stead.


    The three spoke among themselves, failing to notice Cai Lang¡¯s gaze containing malice arrowed at Mo Li Xin.


    A waitress walked past Cai Lang, in the direction of Mo Li Xin. Suddenly an idea flashed into her mind. With her action being faster than her thought processes, Cai Lang stretched her leg out towards the ignorant waitress. As the waitress was not paying attention, she tripped and the tray of red wine splashed towards an unsuspecting Mo Li Xin. Ji Nan Feng was quick to act, pulling her away but he was not fast enough and a large portion of the red wine still spilled on Mo Li Xin¡¯s black dress. And even though it was black, the stain was still very glaring.


    The waiter got up and hurriedly bowed and apologized in a panic. One must know that these people did not come from simple backgrounds. That black dress might have cost several years of her salary. Even though she knew that she was in deep trouble this time. She held onto the hope that by apologizing, this lady would be magnanimous and let her off the hook.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m so sorry,¡± the waitress apologized profusely. There was nothing else she could say other than the beg for forgiveness. Even if she knew that someone deliberately tripped her just now. But if she voiced it out, who would believe her? One had to say, the waitress was also a smart person that knew how to adapt to her predicament.


    In this upper-class circle, the waitress was considered lucky to have encountered Mo Li Xin.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll just wash up in the restroom. Do be careful next time.¡± By the time Mo Li Xin reacted, she looked behind the waiter and saw that no one was there.


    Yet, not too far away, with her back turned to Mo Li Xin, was a person she recognised. If that was not Cai Lang, then who else? When this incident occurred, everyone turned over to see what had happened, only Cai Lang had her back toward the incident. Truly, this revealed what one intended to hide.


    The waitress was implicated, so Mo Li Xin was not angry at her.


    The waitress quickly picked up the broken glass from the ground with a look of incredulity and left. She really thought that she was dead, never expecting that the lady would let her off.

 CH 39

    The waitress thought that these women from extraordinary backgrounds were all the same. Regardless of whether it was intentional or not, she would not be able to escape from punishment or compensation. Who would have thought that she was let off scot-free.


    Mo Li Xin went to the bathroom, accompanied by Ji Nan Feng.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t need to follow me. From the looks of it, there¡¯s still many who want to get acquainted with you,¡± Mo Li Xin moistened a paper towel and wiped the hem of her skirt. Luckily, the material was silky and with just a light dab, the wine could be wiped off.


    ¡°As I¡¯ve said before, it¡¯s not safe here.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Eldest Brother liaise with Interpol and have this place under stringent monitoring? It should be fine,¡± Mo Li Xin whispered, trying to lower her voice as much as possible. Although she did not know the specifics, she was able to roughly guess based on Ji Nan Feng¡¯s previous words.


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    After their last operation got foiled by Lu Xing Yan, the criminal syndicate decided to take a bigger risk this time out of desperation. According to intel, they planned to discreetly add a newly developed drug into the drinks at the banquet. This way, they would be able to gain control of those people in the upper class. This was also why Ji Nan Feng warned her not to consume the alcohol at the reception.


    But of course, the authorities would not allow the innocent to drink it either. Hence they arranged manpower to monitor the syndicate¡¯s actions. They hoped to beat the gang at their own game by exchanging a raccoon for a prince1. After allowing them to switch the alcohol with those contaminated by the drug, they would secretly have it switched back with clean alcohol again without startling the criminals.


    It was impossible to identify who the perpetrators were as there were too many people coming and going from the venue. Everyone, from the waiting staff to the big bosses, could be part of the group. Hence, it was better to let them show their hands themselves. As for how the plan would be executed, it would be dependent on Lu Xing Yan and Interpol.


    ¡°Fvkzz, ol dlle vs vyjl ralnywvksd fwpv kd nypl,¡± Kk Lyd Wldt alrzkle yp bl blzrle bla okrl vbl pvykd.


    Mbl osaze oyp ralnyakswp, sdl dlhla jdlo obyv oswze byrrld kd vbl dlmv xsxldv. Rd vblka ralhkswp zkhlp, yqvla bla elyvb, bl vssj y zsdt vkxl vs rwzz bkxplzq vstlvbla. Xaktkdyzzu, bl oydvle vs alvyzkyvl ytykdpv Pwyd Gd Syd, cwv wdlmrlnvlezu yp bl oyp kdhlpvktyvkdt bla, bl qswde swv vbyv pbl bye nsddlnvksdp okvb pwnb y ckt nakxkdyz satydkgyvksd. Rv oyp qasx vbkp kdhlpvktyvksd vbyv bl zlyadv vbyv bkp qyvbla¡¯p yde Ys Nk Dkd¡¯p xsvbla¡¯p elyvbp olal ldpbaswele kd ewckswp nywplp. Gde wdvkz bkp elyvb, bl pvkzz eke dsv xydytl vs qkde vblka xwaelalap.


    Kwpv clqsal vblu ldvlale vbl alnlrvksd, vbl nyzz qasx Nw Dkdt Zyd fsttle bkp xlxsau. Tl alnyzzle vbyv yaswde vbl pyxl vkxl zypv zkql, xydu ekle yv vbkp qyvlqwz cydiwlv. Ebs oswze byhl vbswtbv vbyv kd vbkp zkql, bl oswze cl ralpldv yde yvvldekdt kv bkxplzq. Zlv, kv oyp vss zyvl qsa vblx vs vwad yde zlyhl yp kv oswze byhl yaswple pwprknksd.


    Fs ds xyvvla obyv, bl xwpv pyqlzu rasvlnv bla.


    Ys Nk Dkd nswze vlzz vbyv Kk Lyd Wldt oyp ynvkdt olkae vseyu. Tkp obszl clkdt zssjle zkjl bl oyp pvalvnble vywv, cwv pbl qlzv vbyv kv oyp dsv yrrasrakyvl vs ypj. Idsokdt vbyv xwnb, pbl jdlo yzvbswtb lhlauvbkdt pllxle nyzx sd vbl pwaqynl, vbl wdelanwaaldvp olal pwatkdt hkszldvzu. Rv oyp clpv vs cl nyalqwz.


    Slvwadkdt vs vbl cydiwlv byzz, Ys Nk Dkd¡¯p byde oyp tayprle kd Kk Lyd Wldt¡¯p. Mbspl vbyv yrrasynble vblx olal xykdzu zssjkdt qsa Kk Lyd Wldt. Tldnl, Ys Nk Dkd fwpv pvsse clpkel bkx sclekldvzu.


    ¡°Gb!- Jl nyalqwz!¡±


    Uzkdj, nzydj, USGFT¡­


    The nine-layered champagne tower on top of the table came crashing down. To be precise, the entire table gave way, causing the crowd to descend into chaos and disarray. Just as Mo Li Xin was about to tighten her hold on Ji Nan Feng¡¯s hand, she was bumped away from him.


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    Amidst the panicking masses, a deafening gunshot was fired causing everyone to duck down.


    Everyone except for Ji Nan Feng. Because the person whose hand he held just disappeared in that few seconds of havoc, even her voice just vanished. Staring at his empty palm, he was filled with disbelief and fear, his flurry of emotions could not be concealed.


    ¡°Third Brother!¡± Lu Xing Yan called out as he walked over, already guessing what had happened.


    ¡°We¡¯ve secured the premises and all exits have been sealed off, those people won¡¯t be able to escape.¡±


    It was undetermined if Ji Nan Feng heard Lu Xing Yan¡¯s words. After composing himself, he immediately scanned the entire banquet hall and the people present. It was jarringly obvious that she was no longer here.


    ¡°Eldest Brother, lend a few people to me. Since you just came through the front entrance, they wouldn¡¯t be able to leave right under your eyes in such a short period of time. So Xin¡¯er is either still in the venue, or they¡¯ve found another way to escape from here. Eldest Brother should stay here to tie up the loose ends while I¡¯ll go and find Xin¡¯er,¡± Ji Nan Feng forced himself to calm down and articulate.


    Lu Xing Yan hesitated for a moment before he instructed a few skilled soldiers. His hesitation was not due to reluctance to lend a few men, but because he was worried for his brother¡¯s safety. After all, it was very chaotic now.


    Seeing that Mo Li Xin was kidnapped, the opposing party must have realised their presence. He reckoned that some of the more prominent leaders had already taken the chance to escape. Hence, it would be better to order a few more men to search together. Moreover, he received help from this Third sister-in-law a couple of times previously and he had eyes to see how his third brother had been treating her these past few months.


    ¡°Uhm¡­ Uhm¡­ There¡¯s something I want to tell you,¡± someone suddenly broke the silence, halting Ji Nan Feng from leaving.


    Ji Nan Feng recognized the person at a glance. It was the waitress that accidentally spilled wine on Xin¡¯er when she tripped. Seeing how she looked like she wanted to say something, she might have known something, ¡°speak. What do you know? Or what did you see?¡±


    He could tell that this person held no malicious intentions and might still be able to help him. Yet, he could not control his temper and tone of voice. Only God knew how terrified he was currently.


    ¡°Inside the underground storage room, there¡¯s a big cabinet. When you move it aside¡­ it will reveal a secret passageway. Previously, I saw several masked men coming in and out from there. So I think¡­ if someone wants to leave, that should be a probable exit,¡± the waitress shakily replied.


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    Originally, she did not want to stick her foot into matters of the upper class. But thinking back to that compassionate, beautiful woman, she finally decided to speak up. That secret passageway was also unintentionally discovered by her previously, and combined with what she just witnessed, she knew it was suspicious.


    After a moment of consideration, Ji Nan Feng instructed, ¡°lead the way.¡±


    As he strode away, the waitress immediately followed.


    While Ji Nan Feng went ahead to look for Mo Li Xin, the chaos in the banquet hall slightly calmed down. The pronounced figures also had time to cool down and reflect on their situation at hand.


    ¡°This esteemed commander, can I ask what is going on?¡± a man asked. He was the president of Yong Qing Corporation of Country A. Seeing that Lu Xing Yan looked like he hailed from Country A too, he decided to clarify with him.


    ¡°Recently a few major crime syndicates got together planning to commit a nefarious crime and their reach has long stretched far and wide. We recently got intel of their plan and they wanted to poison the drinks at Bai Sha Exhibition with their newly invented drug. And from the looks of it, many of you have already consumed it,¡± Lu Xing Yan explained.


    As everyone came from prominent backgrounds, Lu Xing Yan was not worried that they could not understand the underlying meaning of his words.


    As expected, majority of the crowd¡¯s expressions changed as soon as his words fell.


    ¡°Then what are we to do? We¡¯ve already drunk it.¡±


    ¡°Ya! What were the authorities doing? Why did you not say it earlier? Why have you only just arrived?!¡±


    ¡°What a psychotic group! Why do they want to harm us like this?¡±


    More and more voices started emerging.


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    ¡°But, there is no need to worry. Our team has already developed an antidote,¡± Lu Xing Yan scanned the crowd before saying.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good¡­ That scared us to death,¡± many breathed a sigh of relief. All was not over as long as there was a cure.


    Although many were relieved, there were some that remained mum.


    ¡°However¡­¡± Just as the crowd was calming down, Lu Xing Yan continued.


    ¡°However, this antidote has a unique characteristic. It would only work on those that had consumed the poisoned alcohol. Those that took it without drinking the drugged alcohol previously would suffer severe side effects such as experiencing pain throughout their body and their faces would flush red.¡±


    Lu Xing Yan calmly informed the group, his sharp eyes not missing any of their facial expressions.


    There was a moment of silence in the banquet hall before many voiced their approval.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, as long as the antidote works,¡± someone said. It was soon followed by many who nodded in agreement. Yet, there were a fraction of people whose expressions got worse and all of it fell into Lu Xing Yan¡¯s gaze.


    Unbeknownst to all, there was no such antidote. Lu Xing Yan merely fabricated said ¡®antidote¡¯. An hour before they came, he received news that this group of people was ruthless. They did not plan to spare anyone as they poisoned all the drinks with the drug. Therefore, it was safe to assume as the banquet was drawing to a close that those that did not drink any of the drinks must be part of the group. But of course, there might be a few innocent people that coincidentally did not drink. But to be safe than sorry, it would be better to capture them all back for further investigation before releasing anyone.


    The so-called ¡®antidote¡¯ was just a chemical compound that would heat up upon getting in contact with water. It would not cause harm to those that consumed it. But for those that did not drink anything before the ¡®antidote¡¯, they would feel like they were experiencing the side effects described.


    This way, who was innocent and who was part of the gang would be easily differentiated.


    The waitress guided Ji Nan Feng to the underground storage room. And sure enough, there was a hidden passage behind the cabinet. Due to the lack of care and use of the space, there was a thick layer of dust inside. And because of this, it left many messy footprints within. From the looks of it, it should belong to a group of six to seven people.


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    Following the passage, it took them about half an hour before they exited the tunnel. They were greeted by the sight of an abandoned factory. And an unconscious woman was tied to a cross directly above.


    ¡°Over there. Be careful, might be a trap,¡± an accompanying officer warned.


    Surprisingly, Ji Nan Feng did not rush over. That was because, at a glance, he could tell that the person was not his Xin¡¯er. But Duan An Ran, who had been missing for a long time.


    ¡°Greetings, Ji¡­ Second Young Master, or should I address you as Third Young Master?¡± On the second storey of the dilapidated factory, right where Duan An Ran was tied up, a rickety man stepped out wearing a mask as he grinned.


    Following the voice, Ji Nan Feng looked up. The speaker was tall and bulky, completely different from the frail figure that stepped out first. The voice was also modified, husky but extremely domineering.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± He knew that questions were useless, but at the same time, he felt relieved. This person looked like he was a major figure and his willingness to show himself proved that Xin¡¯er was safe for now. So now he just needed to delay time and wait for Lu Xing Yan to arrive.


    ¡°Nothing. I just feel like you¡¯re an old friend and want to have a chat with you.¡±

 CH 40

    The crookback man said faintly with his hands behind his back. The mask covered his entire face, only revealing a pair of sinister eyes. It was as if he knew that everything was under his control.


    At this moment, the tied-up Duan An Ran slowly came to. The first one she saw when her eyes opened was Ji Nan Feng.


    ¡°Save me! Nan Feng, save me! They strapped a bomb to me,¡± Duan An Ran cried heartbreakingly, her voice was hoarse and she looked very fearful.


    Ji Nan Feng frowned. He did not care whether this woman lived or died, but he faintly felt that something was not right.


    ¡°Second Young Master Ji, do you plan to save this person? I may have forgotten to tell you that the bomb fastened to your old lover is also simultaneously connected to another strapped to another person. You¡¯ll only have twenty minutes. When the time runs out and she¡¯s still tied up here, it¡¯s safe to assume that she¡¯ll die. And of course, the other one wouldn¡¯t be able to escape from it either,¡± the man continued mysteriously. Completely eerie, and although each word was spoken in a calm tone, one could sense his bloodthirsty intentions.


    Ji Nan Feng clenched his fists, ¡°how do I know that you¡¯re telling the truth?¡±


    ¡°You can choose not to believe me. Maybe¡­ you think you can afford to take this gamble, then you might as well give it a try.¡± The man felt that everything was within his grasp. Indeed, there was no such thing, he was merely bluffing as time was tight and there was not enough time to prepare that elaborately.


    However, Ji Nan Feng dare not take this gamble either. People say when attacking a snake, strike it seven inches on its vertebra1 and Mo Li Xin was his seventh inch. He could not afford to take this risk. Besides, in the mess of footprints back inside the tunnel, he was sure that one pair belonged to her.


    Gv vbl pyxl vkxl, kdpkel y prllekdt nya, Ys Nk Dkd obs oyp wdnsdpnkswp kd vbl cynjplyv bye bla blye cwxrkdt yaswde obkzl pbl oyp vkle wr.


    ¡°Eyjl bla wr,¡± vbl xyd eakhkdt kdpvawnvle yp bl zssjle vbaswtb vbl alyahklo xkaasa.


    ¡°Jasvbla Dw, vbkp osxyd kp alyzzu pvwddkdt! Ebu esd¡¯v ol wpl bla qsa swa ldfsuxldv qkapv?¡± G rskdvle-xswvble xsdjlu nblljle xyd olyakdt y xypj zllale yv Ys Nk Dkd yp bkp byde kdnble nzspla vs vbl rzynl bl nshlvle. Tkp xypj nswze dsv nsdnlyz bkp wtzkdlpp.


    ¡°Fvsr. Jspp yzalyeu kdpvawnvle vbyv ol xwpv byde bla shla okvbswv vswnbkdt y pkdtzl pvayde sq bla byka.¡± Mbl xyd eakhkdt pvyvle pszlxdzu.


    Gde pwal ldswtb, yqvla bl blyae kv, vbl xsdjlu nblljle xyd bypvkzu okvbealo bkp byde. Tl saktkdyzzu oydvle vs tkhl bla y pzyr vs oyjl bla wr, obs jdlo vbyv pbl oswze pvyav oyjkdt wr clqsal bl aykple bkp byde.


    ¡°Eblal yx R? Ebs yal usw twup? Ebyv yal usw tskdt vs es?¡± Ys Nk Dkd ldewale vbl vbascckdt kd bla blye yp pbl vakle vs yeyrv vs vbl pweeld caktbvdlpp. Fbl kxxlekyvlzu oldv sd twyae obld pbl alyzkple vbyv pbl oyp kd y xshkdt nya. Eyp pbl dsv fwpv yvvldekdt vbl lhldkdt cydiwlv? Xb aktbv¡­ vbl okdl vyczl nszzyrple, vbl okdl vsola nyxl naypbkdt esod. Gqvlaoyaep, pbl alxlxclale tlvvkdt jdsnjle swv yde vbyv xwpv cl bso pbl nyxl vs cl kd vbkp nwaaldv raleknyxldv.


    ¡°Vypp vbkp vs bla, zlv bla pll qsa blaplzq,¡± vbl xyd eakhkdt bydele y vyczlv cynjoyaep vs vbl xsdjlu nblljle xyd pkvvkdt clpkel Ys Nk Dkd yv vbl cynj sq vbl nya.


    Tla bydep olal vkle clbkde bla cynj, ps vbl xyd bye vs bsze vbl vyczlv yde rzyu vbl hkels qsa bla vs pll.


    The video was a little fuzzy but she could still make out what was going on. The scene looked chaotic and there were basically two groups of people; Ji Nan Feng¡¯s and some men with masks. It did not take much to know that those masked men were in cahoots with these two inside the car with her. Additionally, tied to a cross on a raised platform was none other than Duan An Ran!


    Mo Li Xin did not know why, but her heart suddenly sank.


    The two opposing parties were equally matched, causing them to fall into a stalemate.


    In the video, Ji Nan Feng was the first to speak, ¡°what will it take for you to release her?¡±


    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk, really a devoted man. Seems like she¡¯s very important to you. Does it mean that I can set any condition? Then I shall be frank,¡± the crookback man stated.


    Mo Li Xin did not know what was going on, so she thought that ¡®she¡¯ was referring to Duan An Ran. Her heart twisted in pain, but she wanted to believe that he had his reasons hence, she continued watching.


    ¡°Cut the crap, you designed such an elaborate strategy. Even if you didn¡¯t anticipate us foiling your plans you still managed to create another trap in such a short period of time. Such a sophisticated plan indeed!¡± Ji Nan Feng stepped forward.


    ¡°No need to compliment me. You, youngsters, are terrifying too. Almost destroying most of my base despite your age. Nearly twenty years of my hard work nearly went down the drain,¡± the man rebuked. Somehow, Mo Li Xin found the man was somewhat familiar.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not waste our breaths. Since she means so much to you, I sell you a personal favor. There¡¯s not much that I want from you so I¡¯ll make it easy. I want you to break one of your arms,¡± the man rested against the metal railing as if waiting to watch a good show.


    ¡°You must not! Be careful when trying to steal a chicken only to end up losing the rice instead2. There¡¯s no guarantee that they would release her after you break your arm.¡± One of the accompanying soldiers warned.


    ¡°She means the world to me. She is the most important person in my life. I love her. I love her more than I love myself. I cannot bear for her to suffer even the slightest bit. Previously I¡¯ve brought only pain to her. This time around, I cannot afford to let her suffer again, how will I still fear if my body is torn or crushed into pieces?¡±


    The man inside the screen said. As if he recalled something, he suddenly smiled before taking the gun from the soldier and aimed it at his shoulders. While Mo Li Xin was watching anxiously, the screen went black causing her mind to also blank. Everything happened too quickly today and she did not have time to adapt to what was going on. Yet, she was sure that the person in the video was Ji Nan Feng and the things said were also true. So it must be true¡­ He was willing to sever his own arm for Duan An Ran¡­ Mo Li Xin felt so suffocated that every breath she took felt difficult.


    ¡°How pitiful, his wife goes missing but he still has time to care about some other woman. How enamored, but sadly¡­ his love isn¡¯t directed towards you. Did you see? At such a critical moment, who truly is the most important to your husband?¡± The person addressed as Brother Xu did not spare a thought as he continued to fuel the fire. On the surface, it seemed to be so and Mo Li Xin believed it, after all, she witnessed it with her own eyes and heard it with her own ears.


    In front of Duan An Ran, he asserted that Duan An Ran was the love of his life, one that he loved more than his own life.


    The man seated beside her sneered as he looked down on her. He spat distasteful words, dissing her affections and her current despair. But Mo Li Xin did not hear any of it. Her head was buzzing as she felt nauseous and dizzy.


    In her current muddled state, she seemed to have finally understood everything.


    How come Ji Nan Feng¡¯s treatment towards her flipped one-eighty. Suddenly bringing her to meet his friends, introducing a job to her, accompanying her for shopping, even cooking meals for her. He even pushed Duan An Ran away when he clearly loved her so much, treating her like she was his enemy! And all these changes occurred overnight. Now thinking back, she must have been so drunk on his pampering that she willingly made excuses to justify his unreasonable actions. It turned out that deep down, she had never been at ease.


    As her thoughts progressed, she realised that maybe she was just a scapegoat. One that was to replace Duan An Ran and suffer in her stead.


    One could not blame her for thinking of such conspiracies. After all, she was conditioned to think in that direction due to all that happened before Ji Nan Feng was in a coma. There were too many discrepancies and he completely changed from the way he originally acted. His sudden change, if not fake, could not be explained with reason. Yet, even if it was so, she could not bring herself to hate him. He had already integrated so deeply in her soul and was impossible to remove like a cinnabar mole.


    She laughed mockingly at how useless and pathetic she was. She laughed at herself, thinking that one day, he would explain everything to her on his own accord. She had held hope in her heart, despite their past, she did not want to believe that all his actions had been fake.


    Unknowingly, tears started to slowly cascade down her face, her heart ached terribly. Just as she was about to pass out again, she felt the car crashing into something, followed by a few rounds of gunshots. Afterwards, her world went dark, oblivious to what occurred after.


    ~~~~


    Two days later inside a large manor in Country B, an alluring lady was resting peacefully on the bed. Standing beside her bed were two people.


    ¡°How long will it take before she wakes up?¡± Gong Ze Yun¡¯s flawless hand caressed the woman¡¯s face.


    A blonde-haired man standing next to him was checking a thermometer. After a while, he replied, ¡°her fever has subsided, so she should be waking up any time soon. However, the fetus inside her stomach is a little unstable. It¡¯s most likely due to the recent fright she suffered. But there¡¯s no need to worry, I¡¯ll prescribe a few medications to stabilize her pregnancy.¡±


    Gong Ze Yun did not reply, he just nodded. Staring at Mo Li Xin, no one could tell what he was thinking about.


    ¡°Have you notified her husband?¡± the blonde-haired man continued to ask. This man was Allen.


    Gong Ze Yun was lost in his thoughts, seeming to have not heard Allen¡¯s question.


    ¡°When you asked me to sign her on without telling me who she was, I just assumed that you were doing a favor for a friend. I didn¡¯t expect you to feel so deeply towards her. But she¡¯s already married. Sigh¡­ listen to your good friend¡¯s advice. Li Xin is great, but she¡¯s not the only tree in the forest.¡± That day, when Allen saw Gong Ze Yun willing to risk everything to save Mo Li Xin, he was flabbergasted even though he admired his actions.


    He never knew that one could feel so deeply and would be willing to give up his life for someone who was not even related to them by blood.


    Fortunately, the heavens were merciful that day and nothing of irreversible consequence happened.


    Despite saying so much, Gong Ze Yun still did not say a word. Hence, Allen could only choose to leave silently.


    Currently, Gong Ze Yun¡¯s mind was in complete chaos. Just as he crashed his car into the moving car that Mo Li Xin was in, it violently shook his skull causing him to gain knowledge of all the things that occurred after his death that he originally did not know of.


    He passed away a year after Mo Li Xin¡¯s death. And his death was sudden and unjustified; it was due to drunk driving.


    After his rebirth, he initially thought that Ji Nan Feng did not love Mo Li Xin and he caused her death. But slowly, he started to realise that this life was heading in a completely different trajectory. It seemed like his third brother had changed so much that he could not fathom what he was thinking. Even the woman he loved seemed to be different, she knew how to stand up and protect herself. Additionally, under Ji Nan Feng¡¯s pampering, she glowed in happiness with each passing day. This caused him to repeatedly hold himself back from placing himself between them.


    With this newly gained knowledge, he felt that his third brother was not in the wrong. In fact, he did not live well either. He mistakenly thought that his and Li Xin¡¯s first child was a bastard all due to Duan An Ran¡¯s manipulation. And even at the very end, when she donated her liver to him and subsequently passed away, he was not in the know.


    But to say that Ji Nan Feng was completely faultless was also impossible. He was blinded by hatred and trusted the wrong people, which indirectly led to the subsequent fated events.


    This summarized my feelings for the first half of this chapter¡­


    (¨s? ~ ?£©¨s¦à ©ß©¥©ß


    And this¡­ this is for my beloved second male lead~

 CH 41

    Moreover, after Gong Ze Yun¡¯s death, Ji Nan Feng did many other things. Things that Gong Ze Yun only perceived in the past few days.


    After Mo Li Xin passed away, for the bigger part of the year, Ji Nan Feng looked like he lost his soul. Later on, it seemed like he figured things out and pulled himself together. He started investigating a lot of things. Such as his father and mother-in-law¡¯s deaths, and the uncertainties related to Mo Li Xin¡¯s affairs. This was also the only time that Ji Nan Feng was sober. Otherwise, he would numb himself with alcohol. As long as it was not work-related, rain or shine, Ji Nan Feng would spend his time accompanying Mo Li Xin¡¯s grave.


    It was about five years later, through the suffering of all his illness and pain, he passed away before he managed to complete his investigations. And this was the scene that Gong Ze Yun would never forget for the rest of his life.


    Blood covered the soil, as though the torture Ji Nan Feng put himself through was not enough, he used the cruelest way and end his own life.


    It was also at this time that Gong Ze Yun realized that his gentle and elegant third brother was actually such a perverted person. He might be cruel to others, but towards himself, he was more ruthless.


    If Gong Ze Yun was ten points certain to break them up and bring Mo Li Xin to his side when he just rebirth. Now, he was only five points certain.


    ~~~~


    For the following three consecutive days, Ji Nan Feng went crazy trying to find her, yet not a single piece of news was heard. It was also within those three days, Lu Xing Yan managed to arrest more than half of the syndicate group. From that group, he amassed much evidence and some of the arrested were even highly wanted criminals from several countries.


    Ys Nk Dkd qkdyzzu osjl wr sd vbl vbkae xsadkdt. Kwpv vbyv pbl eke dsv prlyj y pkdtzl osae.


    ¡°Ebu kp pbl zkjl vbkp?¡± Qsdt Hl Zwd ypjle Gzzld obs oyp pvydekdt dlmv vs bkx swvpkel vbl assx, pxsjkdt y nktyalvvl. Myjkdt y rwqq sq bkp nktyalvvl, bl osaaklezu scplahle bla pkzbswlvvl.


    ¡°R¡¯x dsv y nlavkqkle esnvsa. Gde¡­ qasx vbl zssjp sq kv, vbkp eslpd¡¯v pllx vs cl vbl alpwzv sq yd kzzdlpp. R twlpp pbl¡¯p vss qaktbvldle vbyv pbl oldv kdvs pbsnj? Nlv¡¯p tkhl bla psxl vkxl, pbl¡¯zz cl sjyu.¡±


    Gp Ys Nk Dkd¡¯p ytldv, bl oyp yzps osaakle. Gqvla yzz, bl eke dsv jdso xwnb, vbwp bl nswze dsv twlpp obyv oyp tskdt vbaswtb bla xkde.


    Qsdt Hl Zwd fwpv ypjle sqqbydelezu. Gqvla ekprspkdt sq bkp nktyalvvl cwvv, bl rwpble vbl essa yde ldvlale.


    ¡°El¡¯al kd Uswdvau J. Lyd Wldt¡­ kp xspv zkjlzu zssjkdt qsa usw vkalzlppzu. Jwv¡­ R eked¡¯v vlzz bkx vbyv usw¡¯al blal okvb xl.¡±


    Qsdt Hl Zwd nsdqlpple vawvbqwzzu. Tl xyu zkjl bla, cwv bl okzz dsv wpl psxl wdelabydele xlvbse fwpv vs tlv bla.


    Ys Nk Dkd pvyale swv vbl okdeso. Tlyakdt xshlxldv, bla lulp qzknjlale yp xydu xlxsau qaytxldvp qzypble clqsal bla.


    In the middle of the night, on her way home after delivering soup to Ji Nan Feng she encountered a thug. It was him who appeared and saved her.


    On the way to get an abortion, she shed many tears. It was him who handed a tissue to her.


    When she was in the ward, waiting for the operation, it was him who silently accompanied her when she was unconscious.


    When she wanted to donate her own liver to Ji Nan Feng regardless of her own wellbeing, it was him who was the first to strongly object.


    It was now that she knew. She was not the only silly person suffering from unrequited love in this world. It turned out that she also broke another person¡¯s heart.


    He also loved her, just like she loved Ji Nan Feng; their love was so obscured and humble.


    But so what? If you did not like, you would not like. She finally understood that love cannot be forced, even if one gave it their all.


    That¡¯s right, she remembered. She recalled all the bits and pieces of her last life.


    And it also included knowledge and scenes of other things she did not experience herself in her previous life.


    For example, the one that sent that ruthless message, asking her to go to the hospital for an abortion herself, was Duan An Ran. Ji Nan Feng and Duan An Ran also quarreled over this. Duan An Ran wanted Mo Li Xin to abort the baby, but Ji Nan Feng was strongly against the idea. The whole incident was subsequently made known to Mo Li Xin.


    He had said, ¡°it doesn¡¯t matter who fathered the child. She¡¯s currently my wife. So, her child is my child.¡±


    In another event where she could not say that he was heartless; was that he never knew that she had coronary heart disease.


    Additionally, for his liver transplant operation, he originally rejected when he knew she was initially his donor. He never got to know that Duan An Ran schemed to have her donate her liver in the end.


    Furthermore¡­ she never knew that what kept them apart was not simply just the romantic feelings between the two, but familial issues.


    In the past, she thought that her mother did something wrong, but it never crossed her mind that her mother seduced his father. Although her mother finally managed to let go and stop pestering his father, it did not change the fact that her mother killed his father.


    But of course, before things were thoroughly investigated in the future, this was what she had assumed¡­


    Even then, he and his family did not blame her for it.


    For another instance, she knew that they were all reborn.


    The feelings she had towards Gong Ze Yun were guilt and not affection.


    The feelings she had towards Ji Nan Feng were extremely complicated. She could not extricate herself from her love. It was to the extent that she paid the price with her life.


    It seems that some things¡­ turned out to be more important than life itself.


    Thinking back again, she suddenly understood. Regarding the video clip she saw in the car when she was kidnapped, things might not be as simple as she originally thought. Sometimes, hearing and seeing it for oneself might not necessarily be the truth either.


    But currently, her thoughts were jumbled and her heart was scared, she did not dare face Ji Nan Feng.


    ¡°You¡­ most probably knew too¡­ Tell me¡­ what should I do? I realised that I loved too deeply that it was carved into my bones and engraved into my heart¡­¡±


    The woman uttered that sentence without turning around. Her empty gaze staring out of the window.


    But Gong Ze Yun heard it loud and clear, and he understood thoroughly, she¡­ was also reborn.


    For a moment, he was at a loss for what to say. There were so many things he wanted to ask, wanted to say. But embarrassingly, he could not even voice a single word out.


    Mo Li Xin continued, ¡°you might not know, but he¡¯s also reborn.¡±


    Her tone was desolated. She did not know if his kindness towards her in this life was out of sincerity or guilt. It was most likely guilt, but even so, she should be happy. At least he finally looked at her. Yet, this left her feeling uncomfortable.


    She knew after the experience of their previous lives, Ji Nan Feng could be with anyone with the exception of Duan An Ran. It was impossible between them now, yet, this knowledge did not fill her with joy.


    ¡°How¡­ how did you tell?¡± Gong Ze Yun asked. He regretted the moment the words left his mouth. How could she not realise when she interacted and stayed by his side every day?


    ¡°Then, what do you plan to do next?¡± Gong Ze Yun asked.


    Mo Li Xin did not answer, seemingly lost in thought.


    Gong Ze Yun did not pester her for an answer either. He just watched her quietly from the side.


    This was probably what it meant when people said ¡®one glance and it¡¯s for ten thousand years¡¯1; the first time he saw her, he knew he could never forget her.


    The first time he met her, she was still single. He thought that when he became good enough, he would return and confidently chase after her. But who knew that when he came back, he was greeted with the news of her marriage.


    At that moment, he knew that it was no longer possible between them.


    Yet, he still could not let her go. He found himself paying attention to everything about her, observing and protecting her from a place where she could not see him.


    It was a pity that in the end, they were not meant to be.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell him¡­ of my whereabouts.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± he could not ask for more.


    ¡°But¡­ please, find a way to let him know that I¡¯m no longer in danger. That I¡¯m safe¡­¡±


    Gong Ze Yun was stumped, his fists clenched and released as he laughed indifferently at his fate. Just based on this sentence, he knew he had lost again in this life¡­


    Not long later, Ji Nan Feng received a text. Finally knowing that she was fine.


    Staring at the text for a long time. Seeing no reaction, Gan Yun Ting grabbed the phone.


    ¡°What does Third Sister-in-law mean? Doesn¡¯t she know that you¡¯re worried about her?¡± His tone was not one of blame, he was just stating the facts.


    Lu Xing Yan also looked at the message frowning, ¡°did you two have some misunderstanding?¡±


    Ji Nan Feng did not reply. The photo that was attached to the text kept floating to the front of his consciousness.


    She was sitting by the window, holding a sketchpad and pencil as she concentrated on her drawing. She was drawing a wedding dress, one that should not have existed in this lifetime.


    It was the very same wedding dress he saw in her diary in their previous life. He still remembered the accompanying words under the sketched dress¡­


    ¡®If there is another lifetime, I hope to wear the wedding dress of my dream as I walk down the aisle. And this dress¡­ is the wedding dress of my dreams.¡¯


    It turned out that she already knew, so¡­ could she forgive him? Who was with her now?


    When that came to mind, he took his phone and left immediately.


    Standing behind, Lu Xing Yan and Gan Yun Ting blinked and the person before them had already disappeared.


    ~~~~


    The climate in City B was always extremely volatile. Yesterday, the weather was scorching as the sun beat down. Yet, today, it was raining cats and dogs, accompanied by thunder and lightning. The temperature also dropped by ten degrees.


    The woman stood on the roof terrace holding an umbrella as she overlooked the city landscape. The rain finally stopped, and the whole city seemed to be washed clean. The air was as fresh as before with the whiff of earthiness hanging. Unknown to others what was going through her mind at that moment, but she had stood there motionlessly for more than an hour already.


    When Gong Ze Yun came back, he saw a forlorn and lonely figure.


    Walking over, he placed the blanket he brought out on her shoulders, glancing at the already dried umbrella unconsciously, ¡°it¡¯s chilly, don¡¯t catch a cold.¡±


    ¡°Do you think¡­ it will rain again later?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No, the clouds have dispersed. You should put the umbrella away. Besides, if it rains, there will be lightning. It¡¯s not safe for you to be holding an umbrella then.¡±


    Mo Li Xin seemed to think of something. She smiled and folded the umbrella. ¡°God didn¡¯t accept me¡­ Even King Yama2 already chased me out once.¡±


    ¡°Then, do you want to go back there again?¡± Gong Ze Yun stood by her side, looking into the distance.


    It took a long time before he heard her denial, as she meekly turned to go back inside.


    ¡°You¡¯re pregnant. Slightly more than a month,¡± he suddenly informed her.


    Mo Li Xin¡¯s calm and undisturbed expression finally showed signs of cracking.


    ¡°It¡¯s about time it happened too¡­¡± She caressed her belly.


    The corners of her lips lifted into a smile, but it disappeared as quickly as it came.


    In the following days, Mo Li Xin seemed to act normally. She would eat when she should, drink when she should, and go out for walks as if nothing was wrong. The only exception was she did not speak much.


    It was on the tenth day after her kidnapping and disappearance, did the person she wanted to see but did not dare to meet appear in front of her.


    While she was alone, she reflected on a lot of things. She pondered on what her next step should be, but in the end, she could not come to a definitive answer. Or maybe, she just was not resolute enough to make her choice.


    She wanted to leave him, but at the same time, she could not bear to do so. She did not know why, in her previous life, her will to leave him did not weaken the slightest even up to the moment she died. But in this life, she seemed to have wavered.


    It¡¯s most probably when one once possessed something and suddenly loses it, it would cause certain feelings of grief.

 CH 42

    When Ji Nan Feng finally caught a glimpse of her, she was sitting in the garden, holding a drawing pad. A butterfly landed gently on her head before fluttering away.


    She carelessly pushed her hair that came loose from her half-tied bun behind her ears. The sunshine scattered rays across her face, looking beautiful and pleasant.


    This was on top of a ten-storey building. There were vegetation, grape trellis, and roses scattered around the roof, forming a mini garden.


    The woman sat on the swing, failing to notice the two men watching her from the door.


    ¡°Have you figured it out? How are you going to explain this to her? The amount of trust she had in you in her last life, would amount to how uneasy she¡¯s feeling now,¡± Gong Ze Yun, who was standing a step behind, said.


    ¡°Do you think she can forgive me?¡± Ji Nan Feng originally wanted to light a cigarette but stopped after thinking about it.


    ¡°If she doesn¡¯t forgive you, what will you do? Are you just going to give up on her?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± He would never. Ji Nan Feng knew, even if she treated him as an enemy, he would still continue holding onto her.


    ¡°Fs¡­ esd¡¯v usw tlv kv? Ls xyvvla obyv vbl swvnsxl kp, qasx uswa lde, uswa alpwzvkdt ynvksdp okzz alxykd vbl pyxl,¡± Qsdt Hl Zwd vssj y rwqq sq bkp nktyalvvl yde pyke xlydkdtqwzzu yp bl pvwekle vbl osxyd¡¯p cynj rasqkzl.


    Ys Nk Dkd oyp bszekdt bla pjlvnbrye, zspv kd bla vbswtbvp obld pweeldzu, vbl pokdt xshle. Waktbvldle cu vbl pweeld xshlxldv, pbl iwknjzu tayprle vbl asrl sq vbl pokdt vktbvzu.


    Nssjkdt clbkde, pbl pyo vbl qynl vbyv zlqv bla yv okvp¡¯ lde.


    ¡°Zsw-¡±


    ¡°Ekzz usw cl yczl vs tkhl xl ydsvbla nbydnl?¡± Jlqsal vbl zyeu nswze qkdkpb prlyjkdt, vbl xyd byzq bwttle bla qasx clbkde yde ypjle.


    Vlabyrp kv byp clld y zsdt vkxl pkdnl bl zypv prsjl, bkp hsknl oyp bsyapl yde ewzz, yde bkp vsdl oyp rzlyekdt.


    Ekvb bla cynj vsoyaep bkx, pbl nswze dsv alye bkp lmralppksd. Mbl rlapsd clbkde lxcaynle bla kdvs bkp yaxp, cwaukdt bkp blye kdvs bla pbswzela okvb bkp nbkd ytykdpv vbl pkel sq bla qynl. Mbl raknjzkdt pldpyvksd sq bkp pvwcczl oyp pzktbvzu rykdqwz. Mbl hytwl pnldv pwaaswdekdt bkx oyp yzps dsv bkp wpwyz qykdv nszstdl, cwv y rwdtldv vscynns pxlzz. Rv eke dsv vyjl xwnb vs ekpnlad vbyv bl nwaaldvzu nwv y psaau qktwal.


    ¡°Zsw¡­ zlv ts sq xl qkapv,¡± obld vbl nawlz osaep alynble bla zkrp, pbl qswde vbyv pbl pvkzz nswze dsv hsnyzkpl vblx.


    There will always be some things that cannot be explained using logic, so how could one convey a clear reason?


    She might have resentment or hatred, but what could she do about it? How much responsibility can she throw onto Ji Nan Feng to bear? In the end, every entanglement and grievances were all part of their previous life¡­


    ¡°I just have a question to ask you,¡± after feeling Ji Nan Feng¡¯s anxiety, she compromised.


    The person holding her jolted, ¡°you ask.¡±


    She paused and looked at two fluttering butterflies, ¡°disregarding whether it was the last life or this life. All your actions¡­ were they done out of guilt, or have you gained feelings for me?¡±


    After hearing her question, Ji Nan Feng smiled in relief, ¡°do I look like someone who will give myself as repayment?¡±


    Mo Li Xin was not reassured because of this. Her eyes drooped, and she continued, ¡°you might not give yourself as repayment, but you would use your all in order to exact your revenge.¡±


    The man tensed. Not a second ago, the corners of his mouth were curved upwards because of her question. But now, his expression fell apart and his whole body became stiff.


    At that moment, the world seemed to fall into silence. It was until the girl suddenly fainted in his arms.


    In the ward, Ji Nan Feng sat by the bed, tightly holding onto the woman¡¯s hand. His face was haggard and pale as if there was no blood.


    ¡°How did she become like this?¡±


    ¡°When she was rescued, she suffered from a mild concussion. But due to the neglect during her recuperation recently, the inevitable happened. She needs sufficient rest to recover. I would advise that during this period, it¡¯s best not to agitate her emotions. She would recover faster if her mood stabilizes.¡± A man in a white coat diagnosed.


    ¡°What happened that day?¡± Ji Nan Feng directed the question to Gong Ze Yun.


    That day, during the face-off, Duan An Ran was finally rescued by eldest brother, Lu Xing Yan. As for the ring leader, he was shot but still managed to escape. After which he lost all news regarding Li Xin. It was only until yesterday, he finally received intel that she was still in Country B, and was together with his second brother. The information slowly pieced together to form a bigger picture¡­


    So it turned out that in their previous life, his second brother was the supposed wild man1.


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing that you roughly knew what had happened. As for that day, I received information and went to the location in advance. I didn¡¯t expect that I would really manage to intercept them there. As for why I didn¡¯t inform you about her right away, you should know the reason better than anyone else, no?¡±


    ¡°Why were you so sure that she would be there?¡± Ji Nan Feng continued asking.


    ¡°Then why do you think I appeared there without rhyme or reason? Ji Nan Feng, if you still haven¡¯t learnt how to love, I don¡¯t mind replacing you. But whenever there¡¯s even the slightest bit concerning her safety, I will not hesitate! So what are you driving at? You better think carefully before you say it out loud.¡± Gong Ze Yun¡¯s tone became frosty after hearing Ji Nan Feng¡¯s question, causing him to react violently.


    This was the first time he addressed his full name instead of calling him Third Brother after they met.


    Gong Ze Yun thought that Ji Nan Feng¡¯s question was because he suspected that he was part of that group of people. But he heard Ji Nan Feng continuing, ¡°I was just hoping that you would have some useful information to help us apprehend the ring leader.¡±


    It was like a basin of cold water being poured onto Gong Ze Yun¡¯s head. When he calmed down, he belatedly admitted that it was due to jealousy that caused him to lose control just now. He was jealous of his third brother, no matter what he had done, the girl he liked could not lift a cruel hand against him.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I don¡¯t know much. I just remembered that in the previous life, this incident occurred during Bai Sha Exhibition too. Later on, they escaped using a certain route. Hence when I found out that the exact thing happened again in this life, I assumed they would take the same path and intercepted them halfway.¡±


    In their previous life, he was also invited to be a judge at Bai Sha Exhibition, and such an incident also happened. Although many elements had changed when compared with the previous life, the final outcome had remained the same.


    Ji Nan Feng did not continue with his questions. He just stared at Mo Li Xin, lost in his thoughts.


    During this time, the affected circles were in chaos, especially in the design sector. The commotion that happened during Bai Sha Exhibition had an unprecedented impact. Jiu Zi included.


    To the unaffected citizens, they only knew that during Bai Sha Exhibition, many criminals were caught. However, only a handful of people in Jiu Zi knew of Mo Li Xin. She was the person who earned first place at Bai Sha Exhibition, and she encountered misfortune. Luckily, she was rescued but whether she suffered from any severe injuries, no one knew.


    Dai Meng flew back the next day after the incident. After all, their boss knew that they would not be of any help even if they remained. They might even be at risk if they stayed, hence the whole team went back. But the people who went and came back seemed to be in a poor state of mind.


    Dai Meng and Li Feng were sitting at their desks, munching on potato chips.


    ¡°You said, what do you think happened to Li Xin? I¡¯m really worried, and their location is unknown,¡± Dai Meng fretted as she nibbled on the corner of one of the delightful crisps.


    ¡°She¡¯ll be okay. Team Leader is a good person, nothing will happen to her.¡± Li Feng took a sip of coffee and comforted her genuinely. He pushed the frame of his glasses up as he browsed the computer on news regarding Bai Sha Exhibition.


    ¡°I think this is retribution. You guys are too optimistic about this,¡± Li Na strutted out of the aisle and leaned slightly on the desk. Dressed in a sexy red dress that wrapped tightly against her figure. People that encountered this view would feel that she was trying to create amorous feelings.


    Too bad, her display was in this office, there was obviously no such ¡®wishful person¡¯.


    ¡°Li Na, no matter how you look at it, we all belong in the same company. Why are you always targeting Li Xin? She has never provoked you before. I think you¡¯re just jealous! Not only does she look more beautiful than you, but she¡¯s also better at getting along with others. Most importantly, in this office, she¡¯s someone who is more talented and outstanding than you! Although you two were hired at the same time, in this short period, she already rose to the position of design director, but you? You¡¯re still a junior designer!¡±


    Dai Meng was the type of person that would feel extremely uncomfortable if she tried to hold in her word. She found herself tolerating it several times before because of Mo Li Xin¡¯s presence. This time, however, Mo Li Xin was not there, so her words vomited out as she could no longer stand it.


    Usually, Li Feng would try to meditate. But today, even he felt that Li Na had crossed the line. Hence, he silently continued to sip his coffee and everyone else in the office also remained silent.


    ~~~~


    Far away in Country B, Mo Li Xin was ¡®awake¡¯ but stuck in a coma.


    She could feel everything occurring in the world around her. She could hear the sounds surrounding her and she could feel that someone was holding her hand. Yet, she could not open her eyes and wake up. Instead, she seemed to be in another realm where she can see herself staring at an endless lake where the water and sky met.


    ¡®In the end, you still managed to force me out,¡¯ a voice echoed. Mo Li Xin turned her head back and as expected¡­


    ¡®You said¡­ that I forced you out?¡¯ she asked.


    ¡®This would be the last time I appear. You¡¯ve probably already guessed who I am right?¡¯


    Mo Li Xin peered at her, waiting for her to continue. A shadow that looked and sounded exactly the same as her approached and rushed into her body before she had time to react.


    The shadowed Mo Li Xin continued, ¡®I am you, the you from our previous life. The you who loved Ji Nan Feng till death but held not even the slightest bit of resentment. Now, do you know why I appear and disappear at times?¡¯


    ¡®¡­¡¯ Mo Li Xin shook her head.


    ¡®It¡¯s because you couldn¡¯t accept me. Or should I say, you couldn¡¯t accept that you¡¯re so stupid in the past. I hold your memories, and my existence dwells in these memories. You didn¡¯t have enough courage to face this version of yourself hence, you buried my existence. Whenever you become vulnerable, I¡¯ll gain the opportunity to appear. And when you¡¯re finally strong enough to face everything, I will no longer exist as we will have become one. My courage and my confidence to face the future will become yours.¡¯


    Mo Li Xin could not fully comprehend. Didn¡¯t this mean that there will be two souls residing in one body?


    Actually, I don¡¯t understand what Mo Li Xin doesn¡¯t understand. I thought that it was pretty clear =3


    I thought they were in Gong Ze Yun¡¯s manor¡­ Can a manor be ten storeys high?? Or did they move her into a hospital or something¡­ I¡¯m also not sure of their current location¡­  (¡É??_??)


    And¡­ Sorry about the irregular posting recently¡­  <(£ß £ß)>

 CH 43

    ¡®No. As I¡¯ve said, I am you, the you that you were unable to accept. And only when you accept me together with the current you, then will you become who you really are.¡¯


    Accept me together with the current you, then will you become who you really are¡­


    When Mo Li Xin finally opened her eyes and was greeted with the sight of the ceiling above, that was the only sentence that kept echoing in her head. She revealed a bitter smile. Did this mean that she had finally gained the courage to accept it now?


    Ji Nan Feng kept his eyes on her the whole time. Thus, when he saw her opening her eyes, he was elated but also somewhat anxious. Especially when he saw her hollow gaze, and when her eyes were blank. It filled him with heartache and remorse.


    ¡°I feel like having porridge,¡± she suddenly stated.


    She knew that there was someone next to her and it did not take a genius to know who that person was. She also figured out that she was no longer in Country B, but back in their home.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make it right away. You just rest here and call for me if you need anything.¡± The man watching over her bounced up happily like a child and immediately went out to prepare. In his opinion, as long as she was willing to talk to him, he was already satisfied.


    Mo Li Xin watched his retreating back, no one knew what she was thinking. After a while, she lifted the quilt and with the support of the side table, she stood and walked towards the window sill.


    Mbl assx bye qzssa-vs-nlkzkdt okdesop yde fwpv swvpkel vbl okdeso oyp y okdeso zletl okvb y zso aykzkdt. Fbl fwpv pvsse vblal, zssjkdt kdvs vbl ekpvydnl kd y eygl.


    Ebld Kk Lyd Wldt alvwadle okvb bla qyhsakvl nldvwau ltt okvb zlyd xlyv nsdtll vbyv bl ralryale ralhkswpzu, bl oyp tallvle okvb vbl pktbv sq bla elpszyvle pkzbswlvvl. G vbswtbv pweeldzu qzypble kdvs bkp xkde, vlaakqukdt bkx swv sq bkp okvp nywpkdt vbl csoz vs pxypb sdvs vbl taswde. Tl awpble qsaoyae, lxcaynkdt vbl osxyd qasx clbkde.


    Tl clzzsole, ¡°kd swa ralhkswp zkql, usw nbyple xl ckvvlazu qsa vball ulyap clqsal zlvvkdt ts. Gde vbld, R¡¯hl ulyadle qsa usw qsa qkhl ulyap okvbswv yniwkakdt rlynl wdvkz vbl hlau lde. Ys Nk Dkd, eke usw jdso, vbl rykd R qlzv oyp ds zlpp vbyd uswap? Lso, usw oydv vs zlyhl xl yzsdl ytykd, bszekdt sd vs vbl elcv R¡¯hl ulv vs alvwad?


    ¡°Zlp, R yexkv vbyv ralhkswpzu R¡¯hl oasdtle usw yde sole usw y zsv. Jwv kd vbkp zkql, nyd usw dsv qllz xu pkdnlakvu vsoyaep usw? Mblal xyu cl yvsdlxldv yde R¡¯x vaukdt vs xyjl yxldep. Zsw nyd bkv xl, pnsze xl, yde lhld ktdsal xl yde R¡¯zz xllv yzz uswa elxydep. Gzz R¡¯hl oydvle kp qsa y obszl yde nsxrzlvl usw, qsa usw vs cl byrru okvbswv osaaklp. Uyd usw dsv qwzqkzz vbkp zkvvzl ckv sq aliwlpv?


    ¡°R¡¯x vlzzkdt usw, lhld kq usw rypp sd, R okzz dsv nbsspl vs alxykd yzkhl yzsdl. Fvwrkezu pvyukdt yzkhl zkjl ralhkswpzu, vaukdt vs pllj alhldtl yde fwpvknl qsa usw. R¡¯zz qszzso usw kxxlekyvlzu. Ebld yzkhl, usw¡¯al xu rlapsd, obld elye, usw¡¯al xu tbspv. Ls xyvvla bso xwnb usw byvl xl, R¡¯zz pvknj nzspl vs usw. Zsw¡¯zz dlhla lpnyrl qasx xu taypr ds xyvvla bso xydu alkdnyadyvksdp usw ts vbaswtb. Ohld kq ol clnsxl ldlxklp, R¡¯zz pvkzz rlpvla usw. Psd¡¯v vbkdj vbyv usw¡¯zz cl yczl vs tlv ake sq xl ps lypkzu!


    ¡°Gde¡­ yde, usw¡¯zz dlhla cl yczl vs tlv ake sq xl. Jlnywpl¡­ R zshl usw. R zshl usw vs vbl lmvldv vbyv obld usw qasod, xu sod cseu kp kd ekpnsxqsav. Ebld usw¡¯al byrru, kv qllzp zkjl vblal¡¯p pwddu pjklp qsa vbswpydep sq xkzlp. Gde obld usw¡¯al wrplv, kv qllzp zkjl vbl obszl sq Zlzzso Frakdtp oswze nawxczl kdvs ewpv. Fs, rzlypl¡­ esd¡¯v ekl, sjyu? R¡¯x clttkdt usw¡­ lhld kq, lhld kq usw pvyu fwpv vs vsavwal xl, R oswzed¡¯v xkde. Kwpv¡­ fwpv esd¡¯v zlyhl xu pkel¡­¡±


    Mbl xyd¡¯p hsknl tsv psqvla yde psqvla. Wasx vbl kdkvkyz aytl, qszzsole cu bkp ayxczkdt, vs bkp rzlyekdt. Ys Nk Dkd¡¯p vbswtbvp olal kd y xlpp vss. Fbl bye dlhla plld bkx zkjl vbkp. Tl bye yzoyup clld nyzx yde nsxrsple altyaezlpp sq vbl pkvwyvksd. Fbl eke dsv vbkdj vbyv y rsolaqwz yde pwnnlppqwz xyd vbyv yzoyup bye lhlauvbkdt wdela bkp nsdvasz, oswze pweeldzu clnsxl ps hwzdlayczl. Zlv, kv oyp vbkp ekprzyu vbyv yzzsole vbl bwtl pvsdl ralppkdt sd bla blyav vs qkdyzzu cl alzlyple. Ohld vbl pwqqsnyvkdt qllzkdt vbyv bye clld pwaaswdekdt bla pllxle vs byhl ekprlaple.


    Mbkp oyp vbl qkapv vkxl pbl blyae bkx nsdqlpp bkp zshl qsa bla. Gde kv oyp yzps vbl qkapv vkxl pbl okvdlpple bkp hwzdlayczl pvyvl clnywpl sq bla.


    At that moment, she suddenly understood. She finally knew why she did not hate and resent him, but still wanted to avoid him. She finally perceived why when she first came to and knew that he was beside her, she wanted to send him away so that she could digest her complicated thoughts. To plan her next steps, to formulate what to say to him, and everything else. Although she had no regrets, she lacked the courage she had from her previous life to go through all these again. She was at a loss, making her fearful and nervous of the slightest things. Thus, when she heard his confession, it had allowed her to finally be at ease.


    ¡°I just felt that today¡¯s weather was very pleasant,¡± she loosen his arms and turned to face him.


    Ji Nan Feng stared at her face, a little confused and unsure of what he just heard.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± He asked in a daze.


    ¡°I said, the weather is good so I just want to look. Were you hoping so badly that I would jump down from here?¡±


    Mo Li Xin teased.


    The man was stunned for a moment. When he finally processed her words, he immediately picked her up and spun around twice, ¡°thank you¡­ Thank you for trusting me once more. Xin¡¯er, I am really happy!¡±


    ¡°If you continue spinning, the one in my stomach will not be able to take it,¡± Mo Li Xin casually and slowly enunciated.


    Ji Nan Feng¡¯s actions immediately paused as he disgusted her words, ¡°your stomach? Are you saying that we¡­ we¡¯re having a baby? Xin¡¯er, truly? Am I really having a child? I¡¯m not dreaming?¡± The man gently placed her down as he tried to control his excitement. He placed his hands on her shoulders, with his burning gaze on her belly, afraid that he might have misheard her words.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m pregnant. With our child,¡± she confirmed.


    Seeing the man who was just seconds again extremely vulnerable suddenly became full of life again, this rapid change in his emotional state also seemed to trigger Mo Li Xin¡¯s own happiness. Heeding her previous words, Gong Ze Yun did not disclose her pregnancy to Ji Nan Feng. Hence, she could see that he was genuinely over the moon.


    The man tried to suppress his joy at her words so as to not show it on his face. He forced himself to calm down and brought her into his arms again. He rested her head against his chest, with his chin resting on top of her silky hair, and swore, ¡°Xin¡¯er, previously I¡¯ve wronged you. But in this life, I will give my all and treat you well. I¡¯ll make sure that the unfortunate events of our last life will not repeat themselves this time around. You¡¯ll have a warm home and a husband who loves you. All of this is not done out of guilt, but I want to make up for my past mistakes because I love you. In our previous life, it was my stupidity that caused us to miss each other, so no matter what happens in this life, I promise to never leave.¡±


    And as he had sworn, for the remaining of their lives, he fulfilled his promises to her. But of course, these were words verified in the future.


    ~~~~


    In a blink of an eye, eight months had passed and the weather had started to get cold again. Within the hospital corridors, Mother Ji, Grandpa Ji, Grandpa Mo, as well as Brother Mo stood worriedly staring at the doors of a delivery room. The red light above the door was lit up, and occasionally, bursts of heart-piercing screams could be heard from within causing one¡¯s heart to shake.


    In the beginning, it was just preparing for any eventualities, they chose a well-known private hospital nearby. They were about ready to admit Mo Li Xin even though there were still about ten days from her delivery date. Who expected that early that morning, Mo Li Xin started experiencing severe contractions and was in a lot of pain. Fortunately, the nanny noticed, and the whole family rushed to the hospital.


    However, before they arrived at the hospital, Mo Li Xin water broke, catching everyone unprepared. As for Ji Nan Feng, before dawn was upon them, he traveled to the south of the city on a two hours journey to get Mo Li Xin freshly picked winter bayberries because of the words she muttered when she was dreaming.


    No one expected Mo Li Xin, who was ten days away from the delivery date, to suddenly experience such abdominal pain. Thankfully, they had made prior preparations, hence no major hiccups occurred.


    ¡°Doctor! Doctor, what¡¯s happening?¡± Mother Ji hurriedly enquired when she saw a doctor stepping out of the room.


    ¡°The lady¡¯s physique leans more to the cold side and her heart is not in its best condition. Right now, the situation is a bit dangerous. Fortunately, you all managed to spot this early and send her in. The doctor in charge is doing his best now. That¡¯s all I can say for now, I¡¯ve come out to grab something, there¡¯s no time for delay, please excuse me,¡± the doctor told them before he wore his mask and hurried away.


    ¡°Why is it like this?¡­¡± Elder Mo could not stand it and almost fell backwards. Fortunately, Mo Shi Bai was able to support him in time.


    ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t worry too much. Sister is a good person, and Heaven helps the worthy. One is bound for good fortune after surviving a great disaster. Additionally, the doctor said that the head doctor is still trying his best. They have not given up so it will be fine. You, on the other hand, should take note of your own health. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have the strength to carry your grandchild later,¡± Mo Shi Bai soothed.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. You need to pay attention to your own health, don¡¯t get too agitated,¡± Mother Ji echoed.


    Yet, in her heart, she fretted on why her son had yet to arrive.


    ¡°Give a call and see where Ji¡¯er is now,¡± Elder Ji said.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll call-¡± Before Mother Ji finished her words, she saw Ji Nan Feng rushing over from the end of the passageway. He was perspiring profusely despite the cold winter.


    ¡°How is she?¡± Ji Nan Feng demanded before he could catch his breath. Hearing the intermittent screams of pain from the delivery room, he felt his whole person being drenched in ice.


    If only he could, he really hoped to lessen her pain by taking it onto himself.


    ¡°The doctor said¡­ he said that Li Xin is experiencing a difficult birth¡­ There may be¡­ may be dangers¡­¡± Mother Ji did not conceal anything from him. Some things could not be hidden, so it was better to be frank.


    Initially, Ji Nan Feng was frozen on the spot. But the words seemed to strike him like lightning as he immediately rushed to go in, ¡°I want to go in!¡±


    Before he could turn the door handle of the delivery room, he was pulled back by the doctor who had returned from getting his things, ¡°You wish to go in? But go in and do what? Add on to the chaos? Just wait outside. I understand your feelings, but you entering would not be of any help. On the contrary, it might even interfere with our work. Please don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll try our best.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Nan Feng, listen to the doctor. My worry is no less than yours but let¡¯s just wait outside,¡± Mo Shi Bai advised.


    Ji Nan Feng managed to force himself to calm down and let go of the door handle.


    As the doctor proceeded to enter, he was stopped again.


    ¡°Remember, if something happens to the people inside, I won¡¯t spare anyone from this hospital. And¡­ if¡­ there¡¯s no other way¡­ Save the mother, make sure she¡¯s safe and sound,¡± he said solemnly.


    Even if she might hate him when she wakes up, he would still make the same decision. No one can take her away from him, including his own flesh and blood.


    The night in the hospital was surprisingly quiet. Not to mention, there were no other patients on that level, only their family.


    Within the delivery room, the woman screamed and cried in pain until her voice became hoarse. She fainted over and woke up again.

 CH 44

    Invariably affecting the people waiting outside.


    Every time Ji Nan Feng heard a scream from within, his heart clenched. It continued from morning to night, and night to midnight before finally, a cry was heard, alleviating everyone¡¯s tense mood.


    The doctor pushed open the delivery room¡¯s door and a nurse came out carrying an infant. Ji Nan Feng bypassed them to head towards the gurney, looking at his wife in distress.


    Long before, Mo Li Xin had already shouted herself hoarse. She was completely knocked out the moment she heard her baby cry.


    ¡°This mother is selfless. There were many times we had wanted to give up on the child but the mother adamantly refused. She struggled and endured for such a long period of time. Sir, it was not easy for her, so treat your wife well,¡± the doctor said in admiration as he removed his surgical mask.


    Ji Nan Feng did not acknowledge the doctor¡¯s words as he continued to stare at Mo Li Xin.


    ¡°Congratulations! He¡¯s a healthy baby boy,¡± the nurse announced as she handed the infant to Mother Ji who was standing nearby.


    By the time Mo Li Xin woke up again, it was already noon the next day. When she woke up, Ji Nan Feng fed her porridge spoon by spoon.


    ¡°Uswtb nswtb nswtb!¡± Pwl vs bla kdyvvldvksd, pbl nbsjle.


    ¡°Gqvla oyjkdt wr, kp vblal yduoblal wdnsxqsavyczl? Mbkapvu? Fbyzz R rswa usw psxl oyvla? Xa yal usw pvkzz bwdtau? Ps usw oydv vs lyv psxlvbkdt lzpl?¡± Mbl xyd rzynle vbl csoz esod yde wple y olv dyrjkd vs okrl vbl nsadlap sq bla xswvb yp bl ypjle kd nsdnlad.


    ¡°Tlzr xl pkv wr qkapv,¡± pbl obkprlale.


    Gzvbswtb pbl qlzv pwqqknkldvzu alpvle, bla hsknl oyp pvkzz pwarakpkdtzu bsyapl yde pbl nswze dsv xyjl xwnb pswde. Zlv, Kk Lyd Wldt pvkzz wdelapvsse bla yde iwknjzu blzrle bla yefwpv bla rkzzso ps pbl nswze pkv wr xsal nsxqsavyczu.


    ¡°Mbl cycu oyp clkdt vss dskpu, R ypjle Ywx vs nyaau bkx swv ps yp vs dsv ekpawrv uswa alpv. Tl¡¯p1 y csu, hlau yesayczl¡­ Ekql, usw¡¯hl osajle byae,¡± Kk Lyd Wldt pyv clpkel vbl cle bszekdt bla byde. Tl caswtbv bla byde wr vs bkp zkrp qsa y jkpp. Gzvbswtb jdsokdt pbl nyddsv prlyj ewl vs bla pvaykdle hsknl, bl pvkzz nswze dsv blzr cwv pyu.


    Ys Nk Dkd fwpv pbssj bla blye yde vsze bkx, ¡°R¡¯x hlau byrru.¡±


    Gzvbswtb bla hsknl oyp psqv, bl pvkzz blyae kv.


    ¡°Valnkswp taydepsd, zlv¡¯p ts zssj qsa xwxxu,¡± Ysvbla Kk¡¯p hsknl nyxl qasx vbl nsaakesa.


    ¡°Oh! Li Xin, you¡¯re up. Take a look at your baby. Doesn¡¯t he look so cute? And he looks so much like you with his brows and eyes, and even his aura. But his mouth and nose are like Nan Feng¡¯s. When he grows up he will be tall and he will grow up to be a very handsome lad,¡± Mother Ji kept gushing as soon as she entered the ward and passed the baby to Mo Li Xin.


    Mo Li Xin felt helpless. The child was only born yesterday. How would Mother Ji be able to tell all these? But Mo Li Xin still smiled even though she currently had difficulties speaking.


    ¡°Oh yes, what¡¯s the child¡¯s name?¡± Mother Ji asked suddenly. Before, she was so elated that it never crossed her mind to ask. Now that the baby had left her hand, did she suddenly recall to ask about his name.


    Ji Nan Feng and Mo Li Xin exchanged a glance and smiled.


    Ji Nan Feng then informed Mither Ji, ¡°Xin¡¯er and I discussed before, if it¡¯s a girl, she¡¯ll be named Ji Yan¡¯er. And if it¡¯s a boy, it¡¯ll be Ji Zi Rui.¡±


    Mother Ji pondered for a while, ¡°en, it¡¯s a good name, Ji Zi Rui, sagacious and quick-witted.¡±2


    After chatting for a while, Mother Ji informed them, ¡°my¡­ I¡¯ve to go back now and make chicken soup for Li Xin. I¡¯ll drop by on the way and let the elders and your brother know of the baby¡¯s name.¡±


    After a few steps, she turned around in unease, ¡°remember, don¡¯t let Li Xin come in contact with wind. One has to do their confinement properly. Otherwise, problems will arise if illness takes root in the later years.¡±


    Ji Nan Feng nodded, he also understood his mother¡¯s intentions. She assumed that he, as a man, would not know of these things. However, he had already done his homework back then, so he knew what to do.


    ¡°Little Zi Rui, my little Zi Rui,¡± Mo Li Xin half seated up, looking at the little bundle in her embrace, tapping on his little nose.


    Ji Nan Feng watched them from the side, a smile slipping onto his lips. Having a wife, made one satisfied with their life.


    Tak tak tak¡­


    Someone knocked on the door of the ward.


    ¡°Xin Xin, how are you? This godmother has come to see her godson!¡± Xu Qing Man¡¯s voice could be heard.


    ¡°Group leader! Oh no, it¡¯s design director now. We¡¯ve also come to see you!¡± Dai Meng chirped, holding up a fruit basket.


    ¡°Why are you all¡­¡± Mo Li Xin was surprised.


    She did not need to go to the company after she became pregnant as she managed to apply for maternity leave. It was also due to safety concerns that she stopped going to work for that period. It was not surprising to see Xu Qing Man as she usually dropped by to accompany her when she was bored. But her coworkers¡­ they only casually chatted, thus she did not expect to see them here. Additionally, today was not a public holiday, by right, they would still need to go to work.


    ¡°We came to visit you on behalf of the company. We¡¯ve gotten approval from upper management so it¡¯s okay,¡± Liu Feng explained, seeming to know her doubts.


    ¡°Oh! How¡¯s the company? Did anything major happen?¡± Mo Li Xin asked.


    ¡°Nothing much happened. The only major incident was your outstanding performance at Bai Sha Exhibition. After that, it brought our company to new heights, especially our wedding dress design department. You might not have known yet, but because we were part of your team for Bai Sha Exhibition, we all got promoted and a raise,¡± Liu Feng updated her.


    She¡­ really did not know about this.


    ¡°Pass me the child, I¡¯ll change his diaper,¡± Ji Nan Feng, who had been beside her silently, suddenly said. He skillfully picked up the baby, took out a fresh diaper, and changed the diaper calmly and with ease.


    There was a certain kind of person, whereby no matter what they did, they could always make their actions look graceful and elegant. That certain person was most probably Ji Nan Feng. For a new dad, he was not clumsy in his actions as predicted. In fact, he looked like a veteran, every step was done perfectly. For the first time, everyone watching on the side felt that even changing diapers was so mesmerizing.


    Sure enough, people who were good-looking made every action look attractive. Even television dramas depicted that one does not fear a black-hearted man, but a devilishly handsome man.


    Dai Meng and Liu Feng rarely saw such a scene. The only time they met him was when he picked Mo Li Xin up. At that time, they just thought that the man was handsome and gentlemanly, like a fairytale prince. Making them feel the distance between them and a fear of offending him. But today¡¯s scene made them feel that things of a kind come together, and people of a kind fall into the same group.


    Their design director was a beauty with an amiable personality. Unexpectedly, even though her spouse was extremely handsome, he was also a considerate husband, a truly qualified partner. These two people were a match made in heaven, one that made many envious.


    Oh, come on¡­ They originally came to see the baby, who expected that they would be stuffed with a mouthful of dog food. Forget it, they might as well apply oil on the soles of their feet, and get the hell out of there. Prolonged stay in such a place would cause damage to them, single dogs.


    But it was also thanks to today¡¯s fiasco that the entire company, regardless of department, knew that Mo Li Xin, the new beautiful design director had a very enviable husband.


    The one month of confinement passed swiftly. Mo Li Xin disregarded ¡®worldly affairs¡¯ during her stay in the hospital as she enjoyed delicious food with no worries. She lived a life of stretching her hands for clothes and opening her mouth for food all day long.


    The day of her discharge arrived. As she was about to finish packing her things, Mo Li Xin received a call. From there, she learnt that Fei Fei¡¯s grandmother was in the hospital, barely hanging on to her last breath.


    Hence, the two took the baby and drove towards Grandma Fei¡¯s hospital.


    Unfortunately, when they arrived, the person had already passed, leaving a letter addressed to Mo Li Xin.


    ¡®Miss Mo, by the time you see this letter, I¡¯ve most probably passed on. In this past year, you¡¯ve taken care of me and Fei Fei and I¡¯m forever grateful. Because of your companionship, Fei Fei¡¯s condition has also improved a lot. Unavoidably, people are bound to die one day. But there¡¯s one thing that stops me from being able to leave in peace, and that¡¯s Fei Fei. She¡¯s still young and still recovering from her psychological trauma. Although I¡¯ve contacted the orphanage before, I still feel uneasy. So I hope you¡¯ll try to visit her often during her growing period to make up for the knot in her heart. I know that it¡¯s an unreasonable request, but after my death, please help me take good care of Fei Fei. Fei Fei likes you, and I also know that you¡¯re a good person. After I¡¯m gone, Fei Fei has no other relatives, so I can only beg of you.¡¯


    When she saw the letter¡¯s inscription, Mo Li Xin was filled with heartache. Although she and Grandma Fei had known each other for less than a year, she got to know that Grandma Fei was an optimistic and kind elderly. Additionally, Mo Li Xin was exceptionally fond of Fei Fei. Every time she saw Fei Fei, she felt inexplicably familiar to her and wanted to get closer to her.


    ¡°The deceased has declared that she found a cemetery. Within these few days, her remains will be able to be transported there. I¡¯m assuming that you two are the elderly¡¯s relatives? The dead have departed, but the living must live on. My condolences,¡± the doctor comforted before shaking his head and turning to leave.


    ¡°Is Fei Fei still at the kindergarten? When shall we pick her up?¡± Mo Li Xin asked after adjusting her state of mind.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not rush. Grandma Fei still needs to be cremated. Do you want Fei Fei to see this? Let¡¯s send Grandma Fei into the cemetery before picking Fei Fei up,¡± Ji Nan Feng soothingly advised.


    The funeral of Grandma Fei was quickly settled. It was a rare day where there was no snow, but the cemetery grounds was blanketed in white. Ji Nan Feng and Mo Li Xin led a child to Grandma Fei¡¯s grave.


    Fei Fei stared at the tombstone calmly, she did not cry or make a fuss, as if there was no fluctuation in her emotions. But Mo Li Xin knew that she was grieving because her hands clenched tightly onto the corners of her clothes. Previously, psychologist Zhang Ai Fei, noted that this was the subtle action Fei Fei displayed when she was in distress. However, in the past six months, the number of times Fei Fei displayed this action had reduced and occasionally, she could also say a word or two. Yet today, she demonstrated this action again. Mo Li Xin knew that Fei Fei¡¯s condition had worsened again.


    ¡°Fei Fei, Grandma has gone to heaven. Over there, it is beautiful and Grandma will be very happy. You also wish for Grandma to be happy right? She¡¯s watching over you from there, so you must be happy so that Grandma will be happier, yes?¡± Mo Li Xin squatted down, bringing Fei Fei into her arms.


    ¡°You¡­ you two will also leave me¡­ right?¡­¡± Fei Fei managed to muster and ask. Her voice was small, self-abased, and pitiful, making people¡¯s heart ache for her.


    Mo Li Xin and Ji Nan Feng exchanged a glance before she proceeded to say, ¡°of course not. In the future, Fei Fei will be living with us. I¡¯ll be your mum and Uncle Nan Feng will be your dad.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll also have a younger brother. You see, my bulging belly is gone! Previously, didn¡¯t you say that you wanted to see the baby in my belly? Let¡¯s go home later to see him, okay?¡±

 CH 45

    I dedicate this chappy to one of my closest friend¡¯s baby girl~ Welcome to this world princess! Can see that you¡¯re excited to see this world since you came out one month earlier than expected£¨*¡¯?¡¯ÈË£©??


    May you be blessed with good health, good looks, good academics, and good taste in romance novels like me (*¡ä?`*)


    It took Fei Fei a while to process the meaning of that sentence. After a while, she asked meekly, ¡°really? I can call your mummy and go home with you? Grandma¡­ Grandma said she¡¯s sending me to an orphanage. I don¡¯t want to go there. Grandma said¡­ I can make a lot of friends there, but I just don¡¯t like it.¡±


    The little girl¡¯s sentences were choppy and her voice was soft and self-abased. It sounded very pitiful that Mo Li Xin felt a wave of sadness, but she was also surprised because this was the most words she heard Fei Fei speak in one go since knowing her.


    ¡°En, when have I ever lied to you? Or you can ask Daddy Nan Feng if the things I said were true.¡±


    After Fei Fei heard her words, the corners of her mouth lifted ever so slightly.


    Mo Li Xin knew that Fei Fei¡¯s autism was more severe and every word she spoke required a lot of courage. Thus, the length of her speech verified how much she desired for something. Just like at this moment, Fei Fei was afraid. Her grandma was gone, it was only natural that she was grieving and fearful of her uncertain future. And so, Mo Li Xin¡¯s passionate words filled her with a sense of relief and hope.


    In fact, long before this, Mo Li Xin had already discussed this with Ji Nan Feng. In the event that Grandma Fei passed away early, they would adopt Fei Fei. It was just that before they managed to inform Grandma Fei of their plans, she had already left them.


    ¡°Wlk Wlk, pbyzz ol ts bsxl? El nyd nsxl ytykd dlmv vkxl obldlhla usw¡¯al xkppkdt Qaydexy,¡± Ys Nk Dkd nsymle.


    Wlk Wlk zssjle yv vbl rbsvs sd vbl vsxcpvsdl sdl zypv vkxl clqsal dseekdt blpkvydvzu. Gqvlaoyaep, yzz vball csole kd alprlnv clqsal zlyhkdt.


    Ju vbld, vbl pdsoqyzz bye kdnalyple. Rv czydjlvle vbl pju yde taswde kd obkvl, zlyhkdt pkzbswlvvlp sq vos ckt yde sdl pxyzz pbyesop pzsozu ekpyrrlyakdt byde kd byde.


    Rd saela vs rashkel Wlk Wlk okvb y tsse nbkzebsse, vblu elnkele vs nbydtl bla pwadyxl. Fbl oswze vyjl sd Ys Nk Dkd¡¯p pwadyxl, clnsxkdt Ys Wlk Wlk. Gde obld vblu altkpvlale Kk Hk Swk¡¯p rlaxydldv alpkeldnl, vblu oswze yzps yrrzu qsa blap.


    Fkdnl vbld, Kk Lyd Wldt¡¯p pxyzz qyxkzu sq vos byp kdnalyple vs qswa. Gde sq nswapl, csvb Kk yde Ys qyxkzklp olznsxle Wlk Wlk okvb srld yaxp.


    ~~~~


    Fssd kv nyxl vbl eyu sq vbl Twdeale Pyup Jydiwlv1. Gnnsaekdt vs Ys Nk Dkd¡¯p rzyd, vbyv eyu oyp dsv sdzu vs kdvasewnl zkvvzl Hk Swk vs lhlausdl, cwv vs yzps kdvasewnl Wlk Wlk. Jsvb Kk yde Ys qyxkzklp olal sq ralpvktkswp cynjtaswde, bldnl nswdvzlpp rlsrzl yvvldele vbl cydiwlv altyaezlpp sq bso ellr vblka vklp olal okvb vblx.


    ¡°Jasvbla Kk, R vawpv usw¡¯hl clld olzz pkdnl ol zypv xlv? Uskdnkeldvyzzu, R shlablyae uswa nlzlcayvksd obkzl R oyp kd Uswdvau G. Fs R pbyxlzlppzu kdhkvle xuplzq vs fskd vbl qwd. Jasvbla Kk eslpd¡¯v xkde, es usw?¡±


    No matter how much Ji Nan Feng did not like Boss Luo, in consideration of today¡¯s event, he replied, ¡°of course not. Everyone who turns up is a guest of ours.¡±


    Ji Nan Feng left him as soon as he finished his glass of wine.


    After a while, Mo Li Xin carried the infant and led Fei Fei into the ballroom. On the half-meter high stage, the emcee began his speech.


    ¡°Today is a cloudless and auspicious day, Ji Family celebrates the birth of their son. And representing the hosting family, I would like to thank all that have attended and we¡¯ve received your well wishes.¡±


    After hearing the introduction, everyone turned in the direction of Mo Li Xin. They were mainly women, scrutinizing the two children, one big and one small.


    This was the first time Fei Fei was faced with such a large crowd of people. Inevitably, she would feel nervous. Although she came to Ji Family for more than two months, and Fei Fei¡¯s condition had improved under their meticulous care and attention. But she was barely able to adapt to this situation even though she was holding onto Mo Li Xin.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know exactly who Third Master Ji was. Turns out he¡¯s already married. I only got to know of this piece of news last month. Who knew that not only is he married, he even has children already,¡± a madam whispered.


    ¡°Exactly! There were rumors before but I didn¡¯t believe them. Turns out they were true,¡± the person beside replied.


    ¡°I heard of this about a year back when I was coincidentally attending a party. But at that time, I thought that she was just Second Young Master Ji¡¯s girlfriend since he didn¡¯t clarify. It was afterwards that I learnt that they were already married for a year!¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t his partner originally Duan An Ran or something like that? Why did the person disappear and someone else pops out to be Second Young Master Ji¡¯s wife? And she even turned out to be Mo Family¡¯s Miss.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you must not have known. This Duan An Ran seemed to have committed some serious crime and was arrested shortly after Bai Sha Exhibition last year. She¡¯s currently serving time in prison! And as for what happened in between¡­ I think no one would ever know,¡± the first madam that started this topic gossiped.


    Married women, in general, would always have an endless amount of things to gossip about. But their words did not affect the party who was the center of their conversation. As of now, Mo Li Xin and Ji Nan Feng were currently playing with their children as if they were the only ones present.


    The surrounding madams watching in envy. Everyone belonged in the upper class society, yet how many could proudly proclaim that they married their spouses because of love? Majority had their marriages arranged by their family due to some political or business motives. Feelings and emotions were not part of the equation. Naturally, they would not be able to portray such a loving front like the family before them. However, there was not much that they could comment about other than just watching enviously.


    ¡°Mommy, when can little Rui¡¯er, talk and play with me?¡± Fei Fei gently squeezed little Zi Rui¡¯s tiny hand and asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s still too young. Wait till Fei Fei enters elementary school then is Rui Rui big enough to play and chat with his sister,¡± Mo Li Xin explained patiently as she caressed Fei Fei¡¯s head.


    ¡°Oh¡­ then Fei Fei will study hard and make it to elementary school soon! So little brother can start playing with me.¡±


    ¡°En, then Fei Fei must study hard and make more friends. So that next time you can introduce them to your little brother,¡± from time to time, Mo Li Xin would be seen guiding Fei Fei, as though it has already become a habit.


    It had also proven that her methods were effective as in the past two months, Fei Fei¡¯s condition had improved by leaps and bounds. Now Fei Fei was not as taciturn as she used to be and neither did she continue hiding in a corner. Regardless of whoever that met little Fei Fei, they would form a favorable impression of this likeable child.


    On the day they brought Fei Fei for household registration, Mo Li Xin and Ji Nan Feng finally understood why they felt so inexplicably familiar with her. It happened that Fei Fei¡¯s birthday fell on the same day as when Mo Li Xin was forced to abort their baby in their last life. This was probably fate!


    ¡°Mommy, I want to go to the toilet,¡± she stood up to leave as she completed her sentence.


    ¡°Fei Fei, I¡¯ll accompany you,¡± Mo Li Xin also stood up and said uneasily. After all, there were many people around. Even though they made prior arrangements to have the whole location under surveillance, it was still hard to guarantee that no accidents would occur.


    The place where the Hundred Days Banquet was held was not at home, nor in the old mansion, but in a hotel. So when Fei Fei went to the bathroom, Mo Li Xin waited outside with a bodyguard a few steps away. Ji Nan Feng had demanded so for safety reasons.


    This was because, more than half a year ago at Bai Sha Exhibition, the crime syndicate was nearly completely eradicated. However, even with the most intricate of plans, the leader still managed to escape and there had been no news since. Even Lu Xing Yan was powerless. Thus, for safety¡¯s sake, Ji Nan Feng made sure to protect Mo Li Xin and their children closely.


    Just so happened, nothing had happened yet.


    ¡°Mrs. Ji, what are you doing here?¡± While Mo Li Xin was standing outside, a man leaving the men¡¯s toilet spotted her and asked.


    Mo Li Xin turned and noticed the man who was addressed as Boss Luo. Although she did not like the gloomy feeling this person gave her, she still politely replied, ¡°I¡¯m waiting for Fei Fei who¡¯s in the toilet.¡±


    As soon as her words fell, Fei Fei exited the washroom. Fei Fei¡¯s expression immediately paled, showing that something was wrong.


    ¡°Ah! Mommy, mommy, that person¡­ that person¡­ ah¡­ wuu, wuu¡­¡± Fei Fei suddenly looked extremely terrified as she cried in hesteria and hid behind Mo Li Xin.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter Fei Fei? Mommy¡¯s here,¡± Mo Li Xin was at a loss. Why was Fei Fei¡¯s demeanour like this after a trip to the washroom?


    Fei Fei did not speak any more afterwards. She just clung tightly onto Mo Li Xin¡¯s clothes.


    Mo Li Xin was bewildered. Disregarding Boss Luo, she picked Fei Fei up and left.


    Except for Fei Fei that started withdrawing after her trip to the toilet, the Hundred Days Banquet could be said to have concluded smoothly. After the banquet, Fei Fei did not speak for several days.


    ~~~~


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Look at your frown,¡± Mo Li Xin holding a glass of water approached Ji Nan Feng who was sitting on the sofa.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just that, that group is taking actions again. Yet we¡¯re unsure what they¡¯re planning to do. For now, whenever you want to go out, remember to call upon me.¡±


    ¡°Why are they appearing again? Truly, a centipede dies but never falls down2,¡± she lamented.


    ¡°Oh yes, it will be Ji Zi Hang¡¯s 10th birthday. Don¡¯t forget, we¡¯ll have to attend.¡±


    Ji Zi Hang was Ji Nan Feng¡¯s nephew. Although Ji Nan Feng and Ji Family¡¯s eldest young master were step siblings, there was no conflict between them. In fact, their relationship was pretty amicable even though they did not actively contact each other other than during festive periods. Their blood relation was not something that could be forgone.


    Wei Xiu Lan only married into the family a few years after the death of Ji Family¡¯s eldest young master¡¯s mother. It was just that, not even a year after she married, Father Ji passed away dubiously.


    Hence the age gap of ten years between Ji Nan Feng and his half brother. And although Ji Zi Rui had only just celebrated his Hundred Days Banquet, Ji Zi Hang was already ten years old.


    ¡°I know,¡± he replied lightly.


    ¡°Oh yes, I¡¯ve decided to go back to work tomorrow. If I still don¡¯t go, I¡¯ll start to get moldy.¡±


    Normal people¡¯s confinement only lasted for a month. She however, was forced to do three months.


    After much hesitation, he finally gave in, ¡°en, but you¡¯ll have to let the family chauffeur take you there. And when you¡¯re at work, remember to always pay attention to your safety.¡±


    ¡°En, my company¡¯s security is very strigient. After all, it¡¯s your second Brother¡¯s company, don¡¯t you have faith-¡±


    Mo Li Xin immediately covered her mouth the moment those words left her lips. Ever since returning from Bai Sha Exhibition, Ji Nan Feng learnt that Gong Ze Yun was also a reborn person who had loved Mo Li Xin for both lifetimes. The two seldom saw each other again. For one it was extremely awkward. And two¡­ they no longer see eye to eye. Fortunately, their relationship can still be said to be maintainable.


    Mo Li Xin was eternally grateful to Gong Ze Yun. After all, he had helped her a lot in both lives. Unfortunately, there are some things that could not be reciprocated. She even thought hard on how to repay him. At that time, it was a month after they returned back to Country A, when she accidentally overheard a conversation when she went for her checkup.


    Gong Ze Yun warned Ji Nan Feng that if he mistreated her, even in the slightest, he would take her away without hesitation. Even if it meant the end of their brotherhood.


    He said that in their previous life, he placed importance on their brotherhood, hence he decided to give up on her. However, in this life, if she was ever unhappy, he would give up on said brotherhood for her.


    He treated her extremely well, and she was very grateful. But that was all it was, gratitude. There was nothing else she could give him.


    Ah¡­ my poor second male lead


    And I would like to give a heads up to everyone reading this novel¡­ My exams are round the corner so postings will be erratic¡­ Once again, much apologies in advance!


    £¨£££­.£­£©

 CH 46

    Mo Li Xin was the last to arrive at the company. No one expected that she would suddenly turn up for work. Everyone was pleasantly surprised, especially the coworkers that shared the same office as her previously.


    ¡°Team leader! You¡¯ve finally returned. I thought you were going to convert into a full-time mother and stop coming back,¡± Dai Meng was the first to speak.


    ¡°What team leader? She¡¯s now our design director! Did you forget to bring your brain today?¡± Liu Feng joked.


    ¡°Oh, yes yes yes, look at my memory!¡±


    ¡°Previously I was caught up with some stuff hence I couldn¡¯t come to work. Sorry for making everyone worried. And¡­ where am I seated now?¡±


    When Mo Li Xin arrived, she noticed that her original seat had been occupied by another person. If she guessed correctly, this should be someone that was hired this year.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re now assigned to your personal office above. It¡¯s the vacant room previously used by the last supervisor before he was transferred. Now, our whole department is directly under your care so that supervisor spot is currently empty. The previous supervisor has been transferred to another department,¡± Cheng Si Hao stood up and explained to her.


    ¡°Oh, Senior Cheng, my personal office? Where is it?¡± she asked.


    Ubldt Fk Tys pxkzle, ¡°ralhkswpzu obld usw qkapv fskdle vbl nsxrydu kv oyp sjyu vs yeealpp xl yp ¡®Fldksa Ubldt¡¯. Lso vbyv usw¡¯al xu kxxlekyvl pwrlaksa, kv¡¯p dsv vss qkvvkdt vs yeealpp xl yp pwnb yduxsal. Kwpv nyzz xl Jasvbla Ubldt. Gp qsa vbl sqqknl, R¡¯zz cakdt usw vblal, kv tslp okvbswv pyukdt.¡±


    Ys Nk Dkd pnayvnble bla blye yde pxkzle pbllrkpbzu. Ebld pbl qkapv fskdle, bl oyp vbl sdl obs vywtbv bla vbl asrlp yde yaaydtle osaj qsa bla. Fbl bye yzalyeu tsvvld wple vs yeealppkdt bkx vbyv oyu.


    ¡°Tlu Ys Nk Dkd, R vawzu wdelalpvkxyvle usw. Ebs jdsop usw byhl psxl pwcpvydnl yqvla yzz! Zsw lhld xydytle vs tykd zkxlzktbv kd pwnb y ckt lhldv zkjl Jyk Fby Ombkckvksd. Xdl fwpv eslpd¡¯v jdso bso zsdt uswa tsse zwnj okzz zypv,¡± vbl sdl obs prsjl oyp dsdl svbla vbyd, vbl rlapsd obs pvsse pkzldvzu vbaswtbswv vbl obszl lmnbydtl, yde vbl sdzu sdl kd vbl sqqknl vbyv eke dsv zkjl Ys Nk Dkd, Nk Ly.


    Ys Nk Dkd aykple bla lulcasop, ¡°Nk Ly, R byhl y iwlpvksd vbyv R¡¯hl yzoyup oydvle vs ypj. Mblal¡¯p ds taklhydnlp clvolld wp, ulv qasx vbl hlau qkapv vkxl ol xlv, usw byvle yde vyatlvle xl yv lhlau srrsavwdkvu usw¡¯hl tsv. Ebu kp vbyv?¡±


    Nk Ly blpkvyvle, clqsal pdllakdt, ¡°ds alypsd. Zsw¡¯al dsv SYJ1, obu xwpv R zkjl usw? R fwpv ekpzkjl usw okvbswv alypsd. Gde lhld kq vblal kp y alypsd, obu xwpv R vlzz usw?¡±


    Ys Nk Dkd oyp prllnbzlpp, ¡°R¡¯x dsv ypjkdt usw vs zkjl xl, yde dlkvbla es R nsdpkela xuplzq yp SYJ. R¡¯x fwpv nwakswp pkdnl usw schkswpzu elprkpl xl yde olal tkhld vbl srrsavwdkvu vs pokvnb vs ydsvbla elryavxldv, obu byhl usw dsv esdl ps?¡±


    Ms cl bsdlpv, pkdnl y obkzl cynj Ys Nk Dkd bye clld rwggzle cu vbkp. Valhkswpzu pbl alxlxclale Pyk Yldt pyukdt vbyv Nk Ly¡¯p qyxkzu pllxle vs cl olyzvbu. Nk Ly lhld tayewyvle qasx y ralpvktkswp wdkhlapkvu. Ys Nk Dkd yzps qlzv vbyv Nk Ly oyp y nyryczl kdekhkewyz, ps kq pbl oydvle vs pokvnb elryavxldvp, kv oyp bktbzu rsppkczl. Gv zlypv kd vbkp elryavxldv, vblal oyp ds sdl Nk Ly oyp qsde sq vbyv oswze xyjl bla wdokzzkdt vs zlyhl.


    Mbkp cyqqzlxldv alxykdle wdvkz vbl hlau dlmv eyu. Ebld pbl oldv vs vbl wdelataswde nya ryaj, pbl qkdyzzu wdelapvsse.


    The family¡¯s chauffeur would usually pick her up at the basement car park. But today, the driver had yet to arrive, allowing her to overhear the conversation between two people.


    ¡°Cousin, why are you so infatuated with that married woman? What¡¯s so good about her that you treat her so well? You privately express your concern for her and secretly protect her. I don¡¯t understand, I really can¡¯t understand.¡±


    The speaker was Li Na, and the one she addressed as cousin was Gong Ze Yun. Mo Li Xin was dumbstruck, in this era, were there still cousins that express affections like this? Maybe, they were really distant cousins?


    ¡°I only treat you as my cousin. No matter what you say, it will not change anything.¡±


    ¡°Who wants to be your cousin! We¡¯re not blood-related in any way. Everyone knows that I¡¯m just Mum¡¯s adopted daughter,¡± Li Na cried.


    ¡°Na Na, please calm down first. You know that this is how I am,¡± Gong Ze Yun held his forehead.


    After listening to his words, Li Na¡¯s cries changed to hysterical laughter, ¡°aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll do something to your love in secret?!¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t. You might spout cruel words and look difficult to get along with. But you¡¯re definitely not one that plays dirty tricks behind others¡¯ backs. Even if you dislike Li Xin, you¡¯ll only express it vocally in front of her,¡± Gong Ze Yun said confidently.


    ¡°Haha, haha¡­¡± Li Na continued giggling madly as if she suddenly understood.


    ¡°Gong Ze Yun, I realised that you¡¯re a heartless person. Your self-proclaimed affection will never bear fruits in the end. You and I are the same kind of people. I¡¯ve chased after you for eight years and even before my love is returned, I¡¯ve been hurt countless times. I suddenly feel that you¡¯re very pitiful, as pitiful as me even. And I pity Mo Li Xin, for being loved by a pervert like you. Don¡¯t worry, this is the thousandth time you¡¯ve rejected me. I don¡¯t hate you, but what little love I had for you has been exhausted. So from now on, let¡¯s act like strangers and never cross each other¡¯s path again.¡±


    When Mo Li Xin saw Li Na again, it was a few days later. Because she had things to do, she did not join the others for lunch. Making her the only one left in the office when Li Na came back to pack her things. From the looks of it, Li Na had resigned.


    ¡°That evening¡­ I unintentionally overheard your conversation.¡± Mo Li Xin started.


    Whilst packing her things, Li Na¡¯s eyes flickered. She smiled, ¡°so? Are you happy? Glad that you¡¯ll always have someone at your beck and call?¡±


    ¡°I never thought like that! I just think that you¡¯re his fated half.¡±


    Li Na pursed her lips and put down her things, ¡°did you think by saying that, I¡¯ll like you?¡±


    ¡°Li Na, I don¡¯t like you. Even if, as Gong Ze Yun said, you¡¯re just a soft-hearted person with a sharp tongue. I think that you¡¯re very stupid.¡± Mo Li Xin replied.


    She really did not like Li Na, but Mo Li Xin did not hate her. Moreover, she felt inexplicable that Li Na and Gong Ze Yun were well matched.


    It was because they were both extremely affectionate people and their love was clear and humble. Mo Li Xin knew that she was probably also selfish. Gong Ze Yun was a good man but she could not repay his love. Now, seeing a woman who loved him so deeply, Mo Li Xin did not want him to miss this chance.


    Li Na, this person would not allow herself to suffer from the slightest of grievance. But she was also an upright person who dared to love and hate. Working in the same office as her for so long, Mo Li Xin only truly understood Li Na after that encounter in the underground car park that day.


    It turns out, Li Na wanted to find out why Gong Ze Yun liked her so.


    Infatuation to this point was worth admiring. After all, to Li Na, she was the reason why she could not be together with Gong Ze Yun.


    After hearing Mo Li Xin¡¯s words, Li Na did not comment. She just sighed while smiling bleakly as she lifted her box and headed for the exit.


    ¡°I may be stupid, but I don¡¯t regret it. I¡¯m just tired,¡± she said as she passed by Mo Li Xin.


    Seeing Li Na was about to disappear from her sight, Mo Li Xin suddenly shouted, ¡°you¡¯re tired, but he¡¯ll also get tired.¡±


    Therefore, Gong Ze Yun would not like her forever. If Li Na could wait, she would definitely be able to wait for him.


    After speaking, Li Na turned the corner and departed. Mo Li Xin did not notice Li Na suddenly smiling brilliantly.


    Soon, the day of Ji Zi Hang¡¯s tenth birthday banquet arrived. As the head of Ji¡¯s family, the number of people who came to Elder Brother Ji¡¯s event would naturally not be lesser than the number of people who attended Ji Zi Rui¡¯s Hundred Days Banquet.


    ¡°Mummy, Brother Zi Hang is so good looking,¡± Fei Fei sat at the table with her hands resting on her chin, as her big doe eyes stared blinking at the serious-looking and formally dressed ten-year-old boy.


    Mo Li Xin stroked Fei Fei¡¯s head, ¡°you have yet to meet Brother Zi Hang right? Let¡¯s get Brother Zi Hang to come over later okay?¡±


    Although that was what she said, she did not have any idea how to go about doing that. Ji Zi Hang was born with superb wisdom, having both high IQ and EQ. He acted just like a little adult and he preferred fidgeting with his computer to playing with his peers. Even Ji Nan Feng¡¯s brother did not know how to interact with him, let alone her, his little aunt.


    Yet, unexpectedly Fei Fei chirped, ¡°no need, I¡¯ve met Brother Zi Hang and he even gave me his chocolate cake.¡±


    ¡°Chocolate cake?¡±


    ¡°Yup! Just now in the backyard, I saw a big sister giving it to Brother Zi Hang. The cake looks delicious, but Brother Zi Hang didn¡¯t like it. After that big sister left, he put the cake on the stone table and left. I saw that he was gone, so I went over to eat it. But Brother Zi Hang suddenly came back and saw me. But he didn¡¯t scold me oh. He just asked who I am.¡¯


    Little Fei Fei said that sentence in one breath. Her ability to express herself had significantly improved and Mo Li Xin roughly knew the reason.


    But she was intrigued, the Ji Zi Hang she knew seemed to act differently.


    As she was thinking about it, Ji Zi Hang approached them holding a gift box in his hand.


    ¡°Hello Little Aunt,¡± he greeted Mo Li Xin politely before turning to address Fei Fei.


    ¡°Someone gave this to me but it doesn¡¯t suit me. For you.¡±


    ¡°Give me? What is it? Fei Fei may be a girl, but I don¡¯t like Barbie dolls oh,¡± Fei Fei received the present and opened it without hesitation.


    It turned out to be a jigsaw puzzle, probably the kind with more than a thousand pieces. But the small box only contained a portion of it.


    ¡°Wow! It¡¯s a jigsaw puzzle. How did Brother Zi Hang know that I like jigsaw puzzles?¡± Fei Fei questioned as she raised her head.


    Mo Li Xin witnessed Ji Zi Hang turning his head awkwardly and nervously, ¡°coincidence.¡±


    Mo Li Xin was more than ten years older than Ji Zi Hang, all the rice she ate was not for nothing. She could tell that Ji Zi Hang liked Fei Fei, but what form of liking was still unclear. She did not intend to intervene either, whether it was Fei Fei or Ji Zi Hang, they would not act recklessly.


    ¡°It was rumored that Little Master Ji considered everyone else beneath himself, and is always noble and aloof. But judging by this display, it seems that rumors are not to be trusted,¡± Boss Luo came up to them, swirling the red wine in his glass.


    Alarm bells rang in Mo Li Xin¡¯s head when she saw that man. She wanted to quickly hug Fei Fei. She had not forgotten how Fei Fei reacted that day when she saw him. But before she could move, she saw Ji Zi Hang placing himself in front of Fei Fei.


    ¡°Boss Luo, you seem to enjoy your stay in Country A. You must¡¯ve liked our country¡¯s culture immensely. Considering you have no plans to leave after staying in Country A for so long.¡± Ji Nan Feng nonchalantly commented as he stepped out of the house and took Mo Li Xin¡¯s hand in his.


    ¡°It seems that Second Young Master Ji still doesn¡¯t know. Your elder brother and I are collaborating,¡± Boss Luo replied.


    Ji Nan Feng paused before smiling, ¡°so what?¡±


    Boss Luo faltered before he grinned, ¡°naturally it¡¯s nothing, I just thought that I should mention it.¡±


    Hmm¡­ I disagree with Mo Li Xin trying to force another person onto Gong Ze Yun¡­ it just felt very disrespectful to discredit someone¡¯s love even if she couldn¡¯t reciprocate it

 CH 47

    1


    After that, he left, still holding his wine glass. When his back was turned, a sinister smile crept up the corners of his mouth. And yet, he missed the meaningful exchange between Ji Nan Feng and Mo Li Xin.


    ¡°Fei Fei, do you want to spend more time with Brother Zi Hang? Or go back to the room with mummy?¡± Mo Li Xin asked as she tapped Fei Fei¡¯s little nose.


    Fei Fei pondered seriously, pausing and looking at Ji Zi Hang.


    ¡°Can I play with Brother Zi Hang for a while more?¡±


    ¡°Of course, but remember not to run about. You must remember to listen to Brother Zi Hang.¡±


    Mo Li Xin instructed before returning to the suite arranged by the hotel with Ji Nan Feng.


    ¡°Will he really take the bait? Wouldn¡¯t he realise that something is off? Also, have you found out about the situation regarding Fei Fei? Why did Luo Fan target Fei Fei¡¯s parents?¡± Mo Li Xin fired multiple questions at Ji Nan Feng. He only sighed before pressing her down to sit on the sofa.


    ¡°You just need to look after yourself. Regarding everything else, you need not fret. Luo Fan hid deeply. If it wasn¡¯t for that day where Fei Fei disclosed that she saw her parents die in Luo Fan¡¯s hands. And we decided to look into it, we would¡¯ve never found out that he was the mastermind behind all this.


    ¡°Gnnsaekdt vs vbl elpnakrvksd sq vbspl obs olal yaalpvle, vblka zlyela oyp yd sze xyd kd bkp plhldvklp, okvb y bwdnble cynj. R yzps vbswtbv ps obld R ldnswdvlale bkx ewakdt Jyk Fby Ombkckvksd. Ebs oswze¡¯hl vbswtbv vbyv y xyd obs vssj vbl cwpkdlpp osaze cu pvsax oswze byhl pwnb elyzkdtp wdeladlyvb.¡±


    ¡°Zsw xwpv yzps ryu yvvldvksd vs uswa sod pyqlvu. Rdqsax Ozelpv Jasvbla Nw yde zlv bkx xyjl vbl elnkpksdp. El pbswze fwpv vyjl nyal sq swaplzhlp.¡±


    ¡°Psd¡¯v osaau, R¡¯zz nblakpb xu zkql vbkp vkxl yaswde,¡± bl pzsozu alyppwale bla.


    Ys Nk Dkd¡¯p blyav oyaxle. Lsvbkdt xlydv xsal vs rlsrzl obs bye clld vbaswtb byaepbkrp, vbyd zkhkdt y pyql yde zsdt zkql.


    Ebld vokzktbv oyp wrsd vblx yde vbl dktbv bye fwpv cltwd, Kk Hk Tydt¡¯p vldvb ckavbeyu nlzlcayvksd nyxl vs y nzspl. Gde dso nsxxldnle vbl vkxl oblal rasxkdldv qktwalp sq vbl nsarsayvl osaze psnkyzkple yde vyzjle cwpkdlpp okvb lynb svbla.


    Wsa Wlk Wlk¡¯p pyqlvu, vblu yzalyeu bye bla lpnsavle bsxl. Gqvla yzz, vblal oyp pvkzz y ckt pbso vs cl pvytle vsdktbv.


    Xd vbl pwaqynl, vbl alnlrvksd zssjle zkjl kv oyp tskdt pxssvbzu. Zlv, wdela vbl pwaqynl, vbl oyhlp olal aytkdt.


    Nws Wyd¡¯p qlxyzl nsxrydksd oyp Uyk Nydt, obsx Ys Nk Dkd bye dsv plld qsa y zsdt vkxl. Mbkp oyp y pwarakpl vs bla. Gqvla yzz, pbl eke dsv lmrlnv Uyk Nydt vs zypv vbyv zsdt.


    And why did Luo Fan bring Cai Lang today? They even entered arm in arm. From the looks of it, Cai Lang¡¯s position had risen from when they initially met. The first time Mo Li Xin saw them together, Cai Lang always followed a step behind Luo Fan, but today, she was walking beside him.


    Mo Li Xin was suspicious but she did not put too much thought into it. After all, when tonight came to an end, these people would be finished. The grudges of both lifetimes would finally conclude.


    ¡°Li Xin, having been classmates with you through our four years of university, I never would¡¯ve thought that you would be the young Miss of Mo Family and your husband would be the Third Young Master Ji. I really underestimated you,¡± wearing a sexy, backless, black dress, Cai Lang taunted as she sauntered towards Mo Li Xin.


    ¡°Indeed, you¡¯ve really underestimated me,¡± Mo Li Xin was not humble in her reply. Either way, Cai Lang would always think too much into her answers. Thus, it was better to just go with her words.


    And as expected, Cai Lang faltered. Before raising her eyebrows, ¡°you¡¯re really lucky. Didn¡¯t you get kidnapped last time during Bai Sha Exhibition? Somehow you still managed to escape.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the compliment. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be finding my husband now. After all¡­¡± She cast a pointed glance at Luo Fan who was surrounded by beauties of every kind.


    She continued, ¡°after all if I¡¯m not beside my husband for even a minute, he would not be happy. Unlike you¡­ who can be so free.¡±


    After saying that, Mo Li Xin turned her back and left. Who did not know how to throw jabs? It was just a matter of who gets irked first.


    Cai Lang naturally understood the hidden meaning of Mo Li Xin¡¯s words, and almost snapped the wine stem in anger.


    But remembering something, Cai Lang leisurely lifted the wine glass to have a sip, ¡°let¡¯s see who¡¯ll have the last laugh. Today shall be the death anniversary of your Ji and Mo family. That old bag of bones despises all of you to the core. He had already planned your downfall for the past year. And when he succeeds, it doesn¡¯t matter how large your businesses were. You will be but a fish on the chopping board. Without money, and without power, you will be nothing.¡±


    Luo Fan might not have been a native of Country A, but his influence was not small. He dabbled in many industries during his short one-year stay in Country A. Whether it be jewelry, real estate, food industry, animal husbandry, and even agriculture, he had dipped his hands in all of them. Hence, the people that wanted to socialise with him came wave after wave.


    ¡°Boss Luo is so venturesome! In just one year, you managed to build your prosperous empire in our country! If we have the opportunity, we must go down to have a look and gain some experience. I wonder if we¡¯ll have that honor?¡± A balding, obese man boisterously joked as he gave him a toast.


    ¡°You exaggerate. I¡¯m just lucky enough to ride on Ji Family¡¯s coattails. It¡¯s all thanks to Ji Family¡¯s help that our collaboration could proceed so smoothly. And I managed to barely have a firm foothold in this place where talents are in abundance,¡± the corners of Luo Fan¡¯s eyes only left a slit as the crow¡¯s feet surrounding his eyes crinkled as he smiled. He jollily downed half the red wine in his glass.


    The people surrounding him all exchanged glances with each other. They were not aware of the collaboration between Ji Family and this Boss Luo, who appeared out of nowhere.


    But in fact, that was not the case. At least, there was no collaboration up until a month ago. Luo Fan just made it up for his own motives. Besides, no one would go digging into their collaborative background.


    ¡°Boss Luo and First Young Master Ji are collaborating? This is news to all of us, it¡¯s no wonder¡­¡± The crowd nodded in expectation. With the support of Ji Family, wanting to gain a foothold in Country A was not impossible.


    ¡°Recently, in production of cosmetics and its research and development, I have the honors of partnering with Ji and Mo Family. Surely, the outcome will be outstanding,¡± Luo Fan commented.


    ¡°There¡¯s also the Mo family? Incredible! This is incredible! Boss Luo, it seems like you¡¯ll achieve great things in the future!¡±


    The man was already in his fifties. What ¡®future¡¯ could they possibly be referring to? Those were just words of flattery. What could they do since he had deep connections with both the Ji and Mo Family? Everyone¡¯s thoughts fell along those lines. But this flattery was most likely useless. Since the source was great, but the connection, linked to the source, was not ideal.


    At that moment, Luo Fan¡¯s phone suddenly rang. He stood where he was,  amongst the other prominent figures, and picked up the call. The venue was noisy, so people could not catch the conversation. But they watched as Luo Fan¡¯s expression changed drastically as if he suffered from shock. The other party might have hung up because Boss Luo lowered his phone. Or to be more accurate, his hand seemed to have lost strength and was flung down to his side.


    Immediately afterwards, he lifted his hand to support his head. Disregarding everyone, he searched frantically through the crowd, as if looking for someone. Until he finally found the hosting party, Ji Family¡¯s First Young Master Ji.


    Then Boss Luo pointed accusingly at him and yelled in anger, ¡°I originally thought that you, Ji and Mo Family, were decent businessmen. I never expected that you would resort to using such unscrupulous means! What a bunch of snakes and rats! Really disappointing!¡±


    Luo Fan bellowed so loudly that everyone unconsciously turned to watch. After all, his behavior could be described as ¡®audacious to the extreme¡¯. This mentality could not be helped since many present dare not offend Ji Family. And this person even lambasted Mo Family too.


    ¡®Wasn¡¯t Boss Luo a calm person? Why did he?¡­¡¯


    ¡®Did he suffer from some provocation?¡¯


    The crowd was buzzing among themselves when suddenly someone shouted, ¡°look at the latest news!¡±


    Piquing everyone¡¯s curiosity, everyone took out their phones. This was indeed breaking news. On the real-time hot search list, nearly half of the top ten articles were denouncing Ji Family, Mo Family, and Luo Corporation.


    Article 1 [Ji Family¡¯s vicious enterprise ¨C Drugs detected in cosmetics production.]


    Article 2 [The Mo¡¯s are unscrupulous, powder that kills.]


    Article 3 [Luo Corporation ¨C A Brainless Corp.]


    Article 6 [¡­]


    Just as everyone was speculating, the entire banquet hall was suddenly surrounded by the police.


    Luo Fan raised his eyebrows and muttered to himself, ¡°what is to come, will eventually come. It¡¯s time we end this once and for all.¡±


    ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯


    ¡®Ji Family¡¯s banquet. Who has the guts to storm in like this?¡¯


    ¡®Unless, it is as what we¡¯ve seen?¡¯


    ¡®Ah¡­ then this is terrifying. Before coming tonight, I applied their cosmetics. Can¡¯t be a problem with it right? But I¡¯ve been using their products for so long and there has never been an issue.¡¯


    ¡®Eh, eh, eh¡­ stop chatting and look. Isn¡¯t that General Lu? Going by his horrible expression, did something really happen?¡¯


    Various voices at the reception were in heated discussions. Everyone was speculating what was really going on.


    ¡°General Lu, what is this regarding?¡± an elderly man stepped forward and asked.


    Lu Xing Yan furrowed his brow and looked directly at the approaching First Young Master Ji, ¡°we suspect some to be possessing contrabands and producing hazardous products. This operation is to apprehend them.¡±


    Just then, Luo Fan approached, ¡°General Lu, this time, the ones who¡¯ve committed a crime belong to your brother¡¯s family. You wouldn¡¯t just let them off right?¡±


    His motive for carrying out his plans tonight was specifically because he wanted Lu Xing Yan to be pressured under the scrutiny of the crowd to arrest Ji and Mo Family. He wanted to see their nest overturn, and their own people arrested each other.


    As for himself, as long as he could get his revenge, nothing else mattered. Moreover, with careful calculations, his judicial responsibility was minor and at most, he only needed to pay monetary compensation.


    Thinking up to this point, he felt ecstatic.


    Who would have expected that Lu Xing Yan would raise his eyebrow and step toward Luo Fan, ¡°when did I state that I was here to arrest people from Ji and Mo Family?¡±


    After the words fell, Luo Fan was momentarily dumbfounded, ¡°wasn¡¯t it clearly stated in the news? In addition, my company just called and informed me that there was a problem with the assembly line which the two families were responsible for. They maliciously added narcotics to the recent batches of cosmetics products, hoping that users would form a reliance on their products. But they miscalculated and overloaded the drug into the product. So if you¡¯re not here to arrest them, then who else?¡±


    Luo Fan had a bad premonition, causing him to lose his previous calm and confident demeanor.


    The attendees at the banquet were all waiting to watch a good show.


    ¡°Who said that we used narcotics? Outsiders who don¡¯t know the situation might babble nonsense. But you¡­ as an insider, what qualifications do you have to say that?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be your responsibility? Obviously you tampered with the products during production. One just needs to investigate to find out the truth,¡± after blurting those words, he knew he had spoken irresponsibly.


    The author has something to say: I have to explain. I don¡¯t know how many people are reading this book. But I know that this book is not good enough and there are many issues. When I was writing, I found that every word was difficult to pen down. So, I¡¯ll be ending the story in fifty chapters. If there are people who really read it genuinely, all I can do is apologise. I couldn¡¯t continue and wanted to give up, but whenever I think of the handful of people that might read my story in earnest, I persevered. Overall, I¡¯ve written two books. And in all honesty, I think the first book might¡¯ve been slightly better. But regardless, I still finished this. Thank you for your support. After this, I¡¯ll be writing a new book and I hope everyone will support it. The next one will be completely different from this one, so you can rest assure when reading it.


    The translator has something to say: Sigh, as an earnest reader and even investing time to translate the novel, this was pretty disappointing but I feel¡­ many readers have also already felt it coming (before this, can tell that author-sama¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t into it anymore) ><


    P.S. I really debated if I should translate her author¡¯s note, but I guess everyone has a right to know, right?


    P.P.S. Don¡¯t fret my lovelies, I¡¯ll finish translating this for those that still want to read to the end.

 CH 48

    ¡°Oh. Boss Luo doesn¡¯t seem to understand the situation clearly. We¡¯ve just seen the news but you already know that the problem lay in the assembly line. Luo Fan, you didn¡¯t manage to hide your tail properly this time. It turns out that you can become a cornered dog forced to jump over the wall too1. To tell you the truth, our operation today isn¡¯t to apprehend others, but you. Under the charges of production of counterfeit products and framing others for it, smuggling of guns and ammunition, and last but not least, child trafficking. Every speck of dirt on you has been dug out by us. The only thing left is for you to give the game away.¡±


    If they were to arrest him in private, Luo Fan might be forced to take drastic measures that would result in horrible consequences. Hence, it was best to take him in, in front of the masses.


    ¡°What? Do you have any evidence to prove that I did those things?¡± Luo Fan was unwilling to give up.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to give you proof in order to take you in. When I, Lu Xing Yan, arrest a person, I don¡¯t need to provide a reason to the crowd. Take him away!¡± With a wave of his hand, the officer behind him handcuffed Luo Fan, ignoring his cries of protest, and brought him away. Before leaving, Lu Xing Yan nodded at Ji Nan Feng as they both exchanged a smile.


    The crowd engaged in another heated gossip at the sudden change of event that took place in those mere ten minutes.


    Just as everyone was speculating and second guessing whether Ji and Mo Family really did those kinds of things, someone shouted again, ¡°look at your phones! Look at your phone!¡±


    By right, it was best to refrain from using one¡¯s phone during these types of receptions. But this was the second time everyone rushed to take out their phones. Looking at the real-time hot search list again, it was singing a completely different tune, rendering everyone dumbfounded.


    [Shocker! Replication of a commercial conspiracy?]


    [Mbl alyz wdpnawrwzswp xlanbydv clbkde.]


    [Bdnshlakdt vbl vawvb, nasppkdt posaep clvolld czynj yde obkvl.]


    [Valpkeldv sq Nws Usarsayvksd ¨C Jspp sq vbl wdelaosaze pudeknyvl.]


    [Kk yde Ys Wyxkzu qayxle qsa ds alypsd!]


    [Mbl obszl osaze solp Kk Wyxkzu yd yrszstu.]


    [Ys Wyxkzu kp kddsnldv ¨C Gd wdqsavwdyvl pyty okvb vblka yehlapyau.]


    Rd vbl vsr plyanblp, vbl saktkdyzzu czynjldle Kk qyxkzu, Ys qyxkzu, yde Nws Usarsayvksd vwadle kdvs y sdl-pkele csxcyaexldv sq vbl Nws Usarsayvksd, yde yd yrszstu vsoyaep Kk yde Ys qyxkzu.


    Jyple sd obyv vblu pyo, vbl nasoe oyp aswtbzu yczl vs nsxl vs vbl nsdnzwpksd sd obu Kk yde Ys qyxkzu nyxl swv wdpnyvble, oblalyp Nws Usarsayvksd oyp dso nwaaldvzu qynkdt cydjawrvnu.


    Indeed, it was not as simple as seen on the surface. Superficially, this reception was hosted in celebration of Ji Zhi Hang¡¯s birthday. But in actuality, it was a ploy specifically to lure Luo Fan into their trap. Thus when the incident finally broke the news, they would gather the evidence to conclusively capture Luo Fan.


    There was no evidence that the harmful cosmetics were produced by Ji and Mo family. There was also no cooperation between them. This was a scheme Luo Fan plotted to settle personal grievances and retaliate against the two families. The contract was fake, there was no such agreement. Luo Fan claimed that they were arresting him without proof. Yet, all evidence pointed that he was the leader of the crime syndicate that had been evading capture for a long time.


    Stuck in prison, Luo Fan remained unaware of the reason why he was arrested, but the two families remained unscathed; his plan had failed.


    It was only a week after his arrest when Ji Nan Feng and Mo Li Xin came to ¡®prison visit¡¯, then did he finally understand.


    ¡°Why did you come? To show off? Then you must be very happy since you accomplished your goals,¡± in a dingy cell, Luo Fan was garbed in a striped prison overall. His gaze no longer contained an all-seeing aura. Now, he looked dull with a stubble. From how brilliantly he shone in the past, now he cut a truly sorry figure.


    ¡°You think too much. I was just wondering why you hate our Ji and Mo family so deeply. And¡­ how was the deaths of my father and mother-in-law related to you,¡± Ji Nan Feng got right to the point.


    ¡°Did you think I¡¯ll tell you?!¡± Luo Fan snorted coldly.


    ¡°All your little tricks wouldn¡¯t work on me. I¡¯m not afraid of death, let alone this. Even trying to make me beg for death wouldn¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought that you¡¯ll still be so strong-willed,¡± Mo Li Xin said solemnly.


    ¡°Have you never wondered how you lost? To suffer from such crushing defeat, after trying to steal a chicken only to end up losing the rice used to lure it2? As long as you are willing to divulge the reason why you targeted us, I¡¯m willing to tell you how you lost in your own game,¡± Mo Li Xin stepped forward and squatted down without fear of Luo Fan. He was already unable to stand up as she looked directly at him. She was certain that Luo Fan was also dying to know how his identity got exposed.


    She placed much importance on the incidents that happened in her previous life, more than anyone else. After all, these unclear incidents had ruined her entire previous life and gave her heartache and nightmares in this life.


    In her last life, she was either an idiot or deserved to suffer, for she believed those rumors indiscriminately. But in this life, she must get her answer. In her opinion, her mother might not have been a good mother, but she was definitely not a homewrecker. As for Uncle Ji, Ji Nan Feng¡¯s father, her impression of him was that he was also a good person. He was gentle as jade, and the feeling he gave her was similar to Ji Nan Feng. So she was sure he would not commit adultery too.


    Luo Fan raised his head and looked into Mo Li Xin¡¯s eyes. Her eyes were big and so very dark, just as beautiful as that person¡¯s¡­ What a pity¡­ that person had passed away. He laughed when he thought about it. Perhaps, this was for the best, she died in his hands, and now, he shall perish in her daughter¡¯s. This was very good¡­


    Unsure of Luo Fan¡¯s eerie laughter, Ji Nan Feng pulled Mo Li Xin behind him cautiously.


    ¡°Relax, I¡¯m just happy,¡± Luo Fan answered calmly.


    ¡°On the other hand, I¡¯m really curious how you found out that I was the mastermind, and even managed to design a plan to beat me at my own game.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember Fei Fei?¡± Ji Nan Feng did not keep him in suspense. After all, he also wanted to know what happened to his father.


    ¡°Fei Fei?¡±


    ¡°Fei Fei¡¯s father was Fei Zhi Cheng. He was the one that accidentally chanced across your illegal exchange and got spotted thus you decided to silence him. That very night, you designed a car accident, and coincidentally, you were at the scene. Overconfident, you and your subordinates did not wear a mask when you carried out your operation. You assumed that the only ones in the car were Fei Zhi Cheng and his wife. You never thought that Fei Fei was also inside. She escaped by the skin of her teeth and witnessed it all.¡±


    Luo Fan¡¯s imperceptible eyes shook as if recalling what occurred that fateful day.


    ¡°Fei Fei suffered from autism due to the shock, and because she was too young, she ¡®forgot¡¯ about that incident. It was until the day you turned up to my function and Fei Fei¡¯s abnormal reaction towards you that spurred us to investigate this matter. The results revealed that you were that ruthless mastermind that has been evading the law. As soon as I got the report, I also found out that you were discussing a collaboration with my brother. Thus, we followed your flow and schemed accordingly. Despite all your calculations, it would¡¯ve never crossed your mind that we already knew who you were when we faked the collaboration and forged the contract,¡± Ji Nan Feng steadily explained.


    ¡°Hehe, so that¡¯s what happened. And you dare to pose as if you¡¯re high-minded. You knew of my plan to harm people, but you still watched on, all for the purpose of arresting me. Turns out, we¡¯re birds of the same feather!¡± Luo Fan boisterously jeered.


    Ji Nan Feng remained unflustered by Luo Fan¡¯s words. This was because there was no guilt.


    ¡°We¡¯ve already replaced those products that you¡¯ve contaminated. As for the news, we just bought the hot search spots in order to bait you,¡± Ji Nan Feng informed.


    Luo Fan closed his eyes and sighed, ¡°since you¡¯ve already known that it was me all along, why did you need to spend so much effort and resources just to arrest me?¡±


    Ji Nan Feng suddenly smiled, ¡°because those were just our speculations. But now there¡¯s evidence, you just admitted to it yourself.¡±


    Luo Fan¡¯s originally listless figure immediately shot up. Looking at the inconspicuous corner of the room was a camera. It turned out to be so!


    Previously, they had nothing on him, thus they could not arrest him. But after the reception, there was evidence and they could take him in for questioning. Then, this was their real plan. After locking him up for so many days, it lowered his defenses, allowing them the opportunity to get the truth out of him. What a good strategy indeed.


    He thought that he was smart. He had schemed for so many years, fighting his way to the top from the lowest position. But in the end, he still lost.


    ¡°I¡¯ve said my part, now it¡¯s your turn,¡± Ji Nan Feng unhurriedly continued.


    Luo Fan sneered, ¡°you¡¯re so sure that I¡¯ll tell you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Luo Fan sneered, ¡°then I don¡¯t plan to talk.¡±


    He wanted to see what Ji Nan Feng would do to him!


    ¡°Then don¡¯t. That¡¯s up to you. Either way, it won¡¯t affect us and we can¡¯t be certain that what you said is also the truth,¡± Mo Li Xin turned to leave. In all honesty, Mo Li Xin was not sure why she was so certain that Luo Fan would tell them.


    Gazing at Mo Li Xin¡¯s stubborn expression, Luo Fan could not help but think of that woman again. Mo Li Xin was six-points similar to that woman.


    ¡°Actually, you¡¯re very similar to your mother,¡± Luo Fan suddenly blurted.


    Mo Li Xin and Ji Nan Feng exchanged a glance. Without interruption, they heard Luo Fan mumble to himself¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m not wrong, I¡¯ve never been in the wrong. The ones at fault have always been you all. Thinking back, your father, Yu¡¯er, and I had been friends growing up. I thought it would always remain like this. I loved Yu¡¯er, but Yu¡¯er and your father were in love with each other. I didn¡¯t mind retreating as I gave them my blessing.


    ¡°But one day, Yu¡¯er suddenly told me that she wanted to marry me. Recalling, I was over the moon back then. Later on, I learnt that your father married Qing Yu and gave birth to your eldest brother. Yu¡¯er was upset and impulsively blurted that she wanted to marry me. But even so, I was still happy. Thinking about it now, how stupid I was when I was younger¡­¡±


    Narrating to this point, Luo Fan choked silently. Mo Li Xin was also in shock. It turned out that there was such a relationship between them back then. Then how did her mother end up marrying her father?